The Virgin of Tenderness

This type of icon, known as “tenderness” or “lovingkindness,” portrays the bond of intimacy between the Mother of God and her son Jesus. Their cheeks meet in loving embrace, and their eyes in a gaze of mutual compassion. The icon depicts the Virgin Mary mourning the passion of her son which has been made known to her by Simeon (cf. Luke, 2:35). Jesus hastens to reassure his mother, and as he does so, a sandal slips from his foot. Leonid Ouspensky (The Meaning of Icons, 93) marvelously describes the working of grace in the soul of the Virgin at this moment: “In all the variety of human feelings those connected with motherhood are the most intense, for more than any others they are connected not only with inner but also with physical life. In the icons of lovingkindness, the motherly caress of the Mother of God is indissolubly connected with her tormenting pain for her son. The compassion she feels for Him becomes transformed into motherly compassion for all creatures for whom He voluntarily sacrifices Himself. Contact with the Deity transforms motherly tenderness into all-embracing love and grief for the whole of creation.”

The most ancient images of the Virgin Mary depict her in royal blue, a most spiritual color. Icons of the Virgin show her clothing adorned with three stars, although one star may be hidden by the Christ Child as in this icon. The three stars represent the perpetual virginity of the Mother of God, before, during, and after birth. The radiant clothing of the Christ Child symbolizes his divinity.

The Greek letters in the top corners of the icon are abbreviations for “Mother of God,” while the letters to the right of the Christ Child are abbreviations for “Jesus Christ.”