IconAn icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic, and Lutheran churches. The most common subjects include Jesus, Mary, saints, and angels.
Hodegon MonasteryThe Hodegon Monastery (also Monastery of the Panaghia Hodegetria or Monastery of the Hodegoi) in Constantinople was allegedly founded by Saint Pulcheria (399–453), a daughter of Emperor Arcadius. The monastery is considered one of the three main Marian foundations built in the city along with the Blachernai and the Chalkoprateia.
TheotokosTheotokos (Koine Greek: Θεοτόκος) is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Christianity. The usual Latin translations are Dei Genitrix or Deipara (approximately "parent [fem] of God"). Common English translations are "Mother of God" or "God-bearer" – but these both have different literal equivalents in Ancient Greek: Μήτηρ Θεοῦ, and Θεοφόρος respectively.
ConstantinopleConstantinople, the modern Istanbul, was the capital of the Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire from 330 until its takeover by the Ottoman Empire in 1453. After this, it continued to function as the Ottoman capital until the abolition of the Ottoman sultanate in 1922.
IconographyIconography, as a branch of art history, studies the identification, description and interpretation of the content of images: the subjects depicted, the particular compositions and details used to do so, and other elements that are distinct from artistic style. The word iconography comes from the Greekεἰκών ("image") and γράφειν ("to write" or to draw).
Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke is the third of the canonical Gospels. It tells of the origins, birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. Together with the Acts of the Apostles, it makes up a two-volume work called Luke–Acts, accounting for 27.5% of the New Testament. The Gospel of Luke shares the same author as the Acts of the Apostles.
CrucifixionCrucifixion is a method of capital punishment and torture in which the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam, or stake, and usually left to hang until eventual death, which could take minutes to days.
Christ ChildThe Christ Child, also known as Baby Jesus, Infant Jesus, Child Jesus, Divine Child, Divine Infant, and the Holy Child, refers to Jesus Christ during his early years. The term refers to a period of Jesus' life, described in the canonical Gospels, encompassing his nativity in Bethlehem, the visit of the Magi, and his presentation at the Temple in Jerusalem.
Theodosius IITheodosius II (Ancient Greek: Θεοδόσιος Theodosios; 10 April 401 – 28 July 450), called "the Calligrapher", was Roman emperor from 402 to 450. He was proclaimed Augustus as an infant and ruled as the Eastern Empire's sole emperor after the death of his father Arcadius in 408.
Holy LandThe term "Holy Land" is used to collectively denote areas of the Southern Levant that hold great significance in the Abrahamic religions, primarily because of their association with people and events featured in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh).
Aelia EudociaAelia Eudocia Augusta (; Ancient Greek: Αἰλία Εὐδοκία Αὐγούστα; c. 400 – 460 AD), also called Saint Eudocia, was an Eastern Roman empress by marriage to Emperor Theodosius II (r. 408–450). The daughter of an Athenian philosopher, she was also a poet, whose works include Homerocentones, or Homeric retellings of Biblical stories. After an estrangement with Theodosius, she permanently settled in Jerusalem, where she supported the local population.
Luke the EvangelistLuke the Evangelist was one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of the canonical gospels. The Early Church Fathers ascribed to him authorship of both the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Prominent figures in early Christianity such as Jerome and Eusebius later reaffirmed his authorship. Scholarly opinion on the tradition is roughly evenly divided near the end of the 20th century.
Mary, mother of JesusMary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under various titles such as virgin or queen, many of which are mentioned in the Litany of Loreto. The Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican, and Methodist churches believe that Mary, as mother of Jesus, is the Mother of God.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.