Icon of the Theotokos Because the Theotokos (thay-o-TOH-kos, Greek for "Mother of God") is the first and chief among the saints, she is a model for all Christians. She was chosen by God to be the human mother of Christ because of her pure love for God, her devotion and personal commitment to God, and her life in communion with Him. She was a virgin before, during and after the birth of Christ (Luke 27), signified in icons by the three stars on her shoulders and head. When the angel, Gabriel, told her at the Annunciation that she was to bear the Son of God, she did not accept it blindly, but inquired so as to understand what God was doing and how it was to happen. As such, she is an example to all, not of blind and unreasoning faith, but of a faith which encompasses the entire being, including the mind (Luke 1:31-35). She showed acceptance of God's will when she answered the Archangel Gabriel with, "Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it to me according to thy word" (Luke 1:38). Together with her husband, Joseph, they raised and trained Jesus as they would have raised any child. They involved Jesus in Church life, and sacrificed as all parents sacrifice. At the feet of her Son, in front of the Cross, the Theotokos showed her devotion and her courage as she stayed near the Cross, even as the disciples had abandoned Him. She remains an example of loyalty and commitment in times of trial and dismay. In icons of the Theotokos, she is always pictured, even when portrayed as a child, with starbursts on her shoulders and her head, signifying as aforementioned, her virginity before, during and after the birth of Christ. Close Window