This page was last updated: August 21, 2008
OUR LADY OF CANADA
"The Icon Of The Theotokos Of Canada"
©1995
Commissioned in 1994 by the Very Reverend Joseph Royer, now Metropolitan of the Eparchy of Edmonton and all Western Canada (Orthodox Church Of Canada) at All Saints Orthodox Cathedral
in Edmonton, Alberta Canada,
the new Canadian Icon was completed in May of 1995 . The icon of
"Our Lady Of Canada",
also known as the 'The Icon Of The Theotokos Of Canada', was written
by André J. Prevost,
an iconographer who currently resides in Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
The inscription on the back of the icon reads as follows:
OUR LADY OF CANADA
Come, All Ye Peoples, And Let Us Praise Her
Who Alone Is Undefiled;
She Who, Foretold By The Prophets,
The Mother Preordained Before All Ages.
O Lord, At Her Intercession
Grant Our Country Thy Peace And Great Mercy
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The icon is 20 in. x 28 in. and is written in Acrylic on wood with a background of 22K Patent Gold.
The design of the icon is based on the traditional Mother of God,
with the same stately attitude of the Theotokos ('God-Bearer' ) and
of the Christ-Child. The striking difference is found in the 'maphorion'
(veil) of the Theotokos. Unlike the traditional solid colour, the Mother
of God is clothed with an embroidered 22K Gold pattern of the
Maple Leaf which is the national symbol of Canada.The pattern is
set upon a cream-coloured background with the traditional stars
and trim.
The two archangels on either side in the upper portion of the icon
are presenting symbols of Canada to Christ; 1) the one on the left
holds an orb with an image representing Canada itself, and 2) the
orb on the right contains the red Maple Leaf. The Maple leaf is
the one national symbol that is recognized by all Canadians and
through-out the world.
The iconographer's key focus from the beginning was to avoid
the often used technique of simply adding a symbol being held in
the hand. It is not a true and total incorporation of the symbol
within both the visual and spiritual aspects ofthe icon. The
iconographer wanted to take the most significant Canadian
symbol and weave it into the icon and present it to the Mother of
God in due homage, reverence, and love. The natural gesture
was to present Her with the most precious cloth in which upholds
her majesty, the love of Canadians for Her, and Her constant
intercession on our behalf and that of Canada.
No symbol was to be placed within Her right hand as it imme-
diately impeded the crucial realities of 'guiding' and 'presenting'.
These are far too central to the truth of the icon. The archangels
have the task of presenting the Canadian symbols to Christ for
His blessing and protection.
The Mother of God holds Christ aloft and upright on the left arm.
Christ is seated upright, holding the book of the Living Word with
His left hand and blessing the spectator with His right hand. The
Mother of God's head is slightly inclined towards Him but does not
turn Her look to Him. With Her eyes fixed on the spectator, Her
right hand guides the spectator to Christ. Her whole attitude shows
us mercy and intercedes before Her Son on our behalf. She also
presents Christ to mankind - to Canada.
Both tunics of the Mother of God and the Infant-Emmanuel
are blue, symbol of the spiritual and heavenly. The colours of the
maphorion and of the himation are that of the earth. Christ's
tunic also bears the symbol of the Trinity and has the band across
His shoulders which both symbolize His stature as King of Kings
and the yoke which He bore for us, the cross. The stars on the
Mother of God themselves represent the perpetual virginity .
The icon has the usual inscriptions for both the Theotokos and the
Infant-Emmanuel: "MPOY" meaning The God-Bearer/Mother
of God, and "ICXC" meaningJesus Christ , based on the Greek
word for fish which contains the letters which were the initials of
five words directly corresponding to: "Jesus Christ, Son of God,
the Saviour".
The use of gold leafing is prevalent in icons as it symbolizes the Light
of God - Light in its perfection.
