Our Lady of Jerusalem
17th century
Tempera on wood panel
51-5/8 x 42 in.

By tradition, an icon of the Virgin Mary and Christ Child is on the first register of the iconostas' to the left of the Royal Gates.

This icon is of the size that could flank the Royal Gates. The Mother of God is depicted in the traditional pose of the Hodigitria, Greek for "pointer of the way." Here, the Virgin points with her right hand to the Christ Child as being "the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

The letters on either side of the Virgin's head mean "Maria, Mother of God," and the letters above Christ's halo, IC SC, stand for Jesus Christ.