Hodegetria

The main area is filled with a half-figure representation of the Virgin Mary with the Child. Mary is depicted as a Hodegetria, pointing to her son with her right hand. This gesture emphasises that Jesus is ‘the way, the truth and the life’ (Jn 14:6). (John 14:6), and exposes his image and significance. He is the key figure of the icon, all means of expression and details are subordinated to him. Jesus is shown as a child on his mother's shoulder, blessing the faithful with his right hand. However, he is far from being a carefree child; the stern expression on his face and the red ribbons with which the book he is holding is tied foreshadow a martyr's death. Mary's gaze is also severe, and her lips tightened since she is aware of her son's fate. Above her head, the archangels are depicted on the sides in medallions, Michael on the left and Gabriel on the right. The prophets are on the sides and below in the jewels (not all the figures are visible, as the icon had its corners cut off and its fate is not known, but it was probably re-framed in an octagonal or oval frame). Such positioning of the prophets is archaic; once, before forming the multi-row iconostasis, the partitions did not have a separate place for the apostles’ and prophets' depiction; then they were presented around the figures of Christ and Mary on the governor icons. With the development of the 16th- and 17th-century iconostasis, these images became part of the higher rows; the apostles were placed in the Deesis row, and representations of the patriarchs began to co-create the highest tier. The icon of Hodegetria, such as the icon of Pantocrator from Sosnovica in the collection of the National Museum in Lublin, follows this older pattern. The figures of prophets surrounding the figures of Mary and the Infant are meant to draw the attention of believers to the Old Testament messages about the Messiah.