Mary of Three Hands The icon received its name from an event which took place in Syria during the eighth century, at a time when the iconoclast heresy was raging. St. John Damascene, a layman and court …More
Mary of Three Hands
The icon received its name from an event which took place in Syria during the eighth century, at a time when the iconoclast heresy was raging. St. John Damascene, a layman and court official of the caliphate of Damascus, wrote three treatises against the said heresy, and in so doing incurred the wrath of the iconoclast emperor, Leo the Isaurian. The emperor sent a letter to the caliph along with a forged document, accusing St. John of plotting against the caliph. The latter, believing the slander, had St. John Damascus’s right hand cut off as a punishment for his supposed crime. St. John took his own severed hand and, with fervent prayer before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, begged her for healing. His prayer was heard, and his hand was miraculously reattached, with only a fine red line remaining to attest to the miracle. In gratitude for this miracle, a silver image of the severed hand was affixed to the icon itself; thereby it became named “Of Three Hands.” I like this image of Mary very much because it continually reminds me we all need help and all things are possible if we pray. Women in Icons | Mary Jane Miller #iconography, #iconpainting, #contemporaryiconography
The icon received its name from an event which took place in Syria during the eighth century, at a time when the iconoclast heresy was raging. St. John Damascene, a layman and court official of the caliphate of Damascus, wrote three treatises against the said heresy, and in so doing incurred the wrath of the iconoclast emperor, Leo the Isaurian. The emperor sent a letter to the caliph along with a forged document, accusing St. John of plotting against the caliph. The latter, believing the slander, had St. John Damascus’s right hand cut off as a punishment for his supposed crime. St. John took his own severed hand and, with fervent prayer before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, begged her for healing. His prayer was heard, and his hand was miraculously reattached, with only a fine red line remaining to attest to the miracle. In gratitude for this miracle, a silver image of the severed hand was affixed to the icon itself; thereby it became named “Of Three Hands.” I like this image of Mary very much because it continually reminds me we all need help and all things are possible if we pray. Women in Icons | Mary Jane Miller #iconography, #iconpainting, #contemporaryiconography