The Mother of God in her iconographic depiction of Hodegetria holds Christ in a seated posture, on her right arm, and inclines her head towards him expressing her affection for him. Her expression is one of deep sadness, which alludes to the divine Passion, while her gentle face reflects current developments in the theological approach of the divine and its artistic rendition. Despite the Greek inscriptions – the Mother of God is called πυρφόρος (“fire bearing”), a reference to the Burning Bush – the influence of Western art is evident both in the facial expressions and other individual details. The icon was painted in the monastery.
