Virgin Mary of Galaktotrofoussa Silk Screen Icon – Gold & Engraved Wood

Description

The Virgin Mary of Galaktotrofoussa (which means “she who feeds milk”), or the Panagia Galaktotrofoussa, is one of the rarer icons of the Theotokos. The original icon is housed on the Holy Mountain in Karyes, and is largely popular in both Serbia and Russia. The icon depicts the Virgin Mary breast-feeding the infant Jesus, with an angel in each top corner. The letters ‘ΜΡ ΘΥ’ are seen on either side of the Theotokos, which stands for “Mother of God” in Greek.

The icon dates back to the 6th century AD, where it was housed in the monastery St. Sabbas. Shortly before his death, Saint Sabbas bequeathed the icon to a future Serbian pilgrim by the same name. Saint Sabbas prophesied that a pilgrim named Sabbas, who would be of royal lineage, would visit the icon and that the monastery should give the icon to him.  In the 13th century, the prophecy came true when Sava of Serbia visited the monastery and was given the icon as a gift.