Orthodox icons | Wedding icons | Christ Pantocrator and Mother of God of Feodor | 24815

The depiction of Christ Pantocrator, the “Almighty“ or “all-powerful”” is considered the archetype of all icons. Through the Incarnation, Christ himself is the word and the image, the word of inexpressible mysteries and the image of the invisible God. At the Council of Nicea in 325 it was affirmed that Christ is the visible and perfect image of the Father. The image of the Pantocrator becomes a symbol of the iconoclast in the Byzantine Church. John of Damascus, among others, defended the portrayal. In the Western Church there is a similar motif, more reminiscent of secular rulers, the Majestas Domini (“Glory of the Lord”). The undergarment (chiton) is often red or gold, the overgarment (himation) is usually blue or rarely green (divine colors: red/white/gold, earthly colors: blue/green/brown). On the icon Christ is shown blessing, with the open Gospel: „A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another“.

The Mother of God of Feodor (Feodorovskaya) is shown with the child on her right arm. It corresponds to the type of Umilenie which was developed in Byzantium in the 11th century. The Mother of God turns lovingly to the child. A special feature of Feodorovskaya is the bare leg of the Christ child. Icon feast day: March 14 and August 16.

On August 16, 1239, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Feodor appeared to Prince Vasily of Kostroma during a hunt. The icon derives its name from the church of Saint Theodore Stratelates in Kostroma. In front of the icon of the Mother of God of Feodor, Maria Ivanovna blessed her son Mikhaíl Fyodorovich on March 14, 1613, whereby she consented that he ascends the throne. The Dormition Cathedral Cathedral of the Feodorovsky Monastery is located in the area of Nizhny Novgorod (now Gorky). Among the icons of the cathedral in the Winter Palace of Petersburg was a Mother of God Feodorovskaya, who was highly venerated by the Russian tsars.

This pair of icons is given to the bride and groom at the wedding.