 Theotokos - The Uncut Mountain 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 and conformance to 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. In this particular icon, however, you will notice the mountain and the ladder that the Virgin is holding. This mountain is what gives this icon its name, the Uncut (or Unhewn) Mountain. The unbroken, unblemished, caveless mountain is another signification of her virginity. The ladder reminds us that Mary, the Mother of God, is the gateway to Heaven, and as such is the ladder to our salvation.  Close Window |