Theotokos "Comforter" icon

$ 19.00

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Orthodox icon of Theotokos "Comforter", Paramithia, "Παραμυθία", Theotokos of "Paramythia", 8 cent. Monastery of Vatopaidi Mount Athos.

The tradition tells us that on the icon, the original expression on the faces of the figures and the position of the bodies of Christ and the Theotokos changed when the following strange miracle occurred, January 21, 807: Pirates had secretly landed on the shore of Vatopaidi Monastery and were hiding, waiting for the gates to open in the morning in order to launch an attack on the monastery.

The Abbot, who had remained behind after the end of Matins in order to continue his prayer, heard these words from the icon of the Theotokos: "Do not open the gates of the Monastery today, but go up on the walls and drive away the pirates." As he turned to look, he saw the Theotokos turned towards her right shoulder and looking at him, while the Holy child was stretching out His hand to cover the mouth of His mother saying, "No, Mother, do not watch over this sinful flock, let them fall under the swore of the pirates and be punished as they deserve."

But Theotokos, taking Her Son's hand in Hers and turning Her head a little to free her mouth, repeating the same words. This last arrangement of the figures has remained permanently on the icon and has, thus, and has also earned it the rare iconographer's title of "Achiropiito". The monks, miraculously saved from the pirates, gave thanks to the Theotokos and named the icon "Paramythia", which means "comforter" words which equally convey the content of the miracle.

The icon is a wall-painting and is on the right choir of the chapel named after it. In memory of this miraculous event a perpetual lamp burns in front of the wonderworking icon. Every day a Canon of Supplication is chanted in honour of the icon and on Fridays the Divine Liturgy is celebrated.

We find this name of our God in two Biblical Books. The first is in the Book of Daniel and it was a vision that Daniel's had: "I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire."A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; The court sat, And the books were opened”.

The second is in the book of Revelation 1/A 12-18: "I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lamp stands and among the lamp stands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."

In the art of the orthodox iconography, sometimes Christ portrayed as an Elderly, as the “Ancient of the Days”, to symbolically show His existence in eternity and some times like a young “person” to demonstrate His incarnation. This tendency of hagiography appeared in the 6th century AD, especially in the Eastern Byzantine Empire.

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