Saint Louis Chapel
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Mary icon
Left of the altar is the icon of Mary as the Mother of Christ (in the Roman Catholic Church, the Madonna). This icon is usually present on the left side of the iconostasis in the Orthodox church as in our chapel.
In this icon, Mary is identified as the Mother of God by the letters ΜΡ ΘΥ which is an abbreviation of the Greek Meter Theou - the Mother of God. In Eastern Orthodoxy, she is known as the Theotokos. In the Roman Catholic Church, this she is known as Mater Dei, the Madonna.
Mary is shown wearing a veil typical of Jewish women of the period, an historical fact no doubt, but which also reveals to us her humility and piety. The veil is red, the color of divinity, whilst the clothes under the veil are blue, the colors of humanity. Although she looks directly at the viewer, her right hand is directing our attention to the Infant cradled in her left arm.
Mary is shown holding the Christ Child. The letters around the Christ Child are the same (and mean the same) as the Pantocrator on the ceiling of the apse.
The three-dimensional aspect of the icon as well as the liberal use of shadow indicates Roman Catholic art rather than Orthodox iconography.
Jesus Christ icon
To the right of this altar is a unique illustration of Christ Pantocrator (from the shoulders up) combined with the Divine Mercy of Christ as shown to Saint Faustina.
As in the Orthodox Church, this icon showing Christ as an adult (fully formed, as opposed to the Christ Child held by Mary) is placed to the right of the Holy Doors (in the Orthodox Church) and the three steps that lead up to the chancel.
Remember that all aspects of Eastern Orthodox iconography adhere to traditional iconographic methods. The composition, theme, meaning, and aesthetic criteria – each detail is regulated by a set of standards developed in the 11th-13th centuries. The Roman Catholic Church has no such canon, and therefore the iconographer has much more freedom to develop their art.
This Catholic icon is also reminiscent of the original painting Divine Mercy by Eugene Kazimirowski based on the words of St. Faustina. The first apparition of Divine Mercy appeared to St. Faustina on February 22, 1931.
This icon is a perfect example of such freedom, the marrying of the Christ Pantocrator (dating to the 7th Century) with Christ as Divine Mercy (an apparition that came to Saint Faustina in the 20th Century!).
The panocrator aspect of this image shows the Greek letters Ὁ Ὤ Ν in the halo around Christ's head. These are the Greek letters (omicron, omega, nu) which are an abbreviation of the Greek “the being” or more precisely “He who is”. The letters above Christ's shoulders (IC XC) are the abbreviation for the Greek "Jesus Christ."
Below are the words "Jesus, I trust in you" (The depiction contains the message "Jesus I trust in you" (Polish: Jezu ufam Tobie). Jesus told St. Faustina; “The graces of My mercy are drawn by means of one vessel only, and that is — trust. The more a soul trusts, the more it will receive” (Diary, 1578).
Mary icon
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Blue in iconography represents transcendence, mystery, and the divine. It is the color of the sky and as a result is viewed as a heavenly color.
Red in contrast is seen as an earthly color, the color of blood.
Jesus is typically depicted in icons with a blue outer garment and a red inner garment, symbolizing how divinity wraps his humanity.
Mary on the other hand is seen with a red outer garment and a blue inner garment, representing how she carried divinity (Jesus) within her humanity.
Jesus Christ icon
Jesus is shown as raising his right hand in blessing and pointing with his left hand on the Sacred Heart from which flow forth two rays: one red and one pale. The rays that stream out have symbolic meanings: red for the blood of Jesus, and pale for the water (which justifies souls) that flowed from his side..
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Mary icon
Icons are representations of the Heavenly. They are expressions of our faith, teaching, and worship.
The Greek word for "Icon" is, "Αγιογραφία," which can be separated into two words:
Άγιο, meaning Holy or not of this world (Heavenly)
Γράφω, meaning to write
In this way, icons are said to be written rather than painted.
