By Father Garabed Kochakian
Since the establishment of the Christian faith in various the parts of the then known world, holy images acquired a particular sacredness, whether they were painted in forms of murals, frescoes and on individual panels, or carved on wood or stone. Through their iconography, they have been considered as visual manifestations of faith and important paradigms of holy persons that any believer would desire to emulate. Icons of the Church were equally important with their unique imagery similar to the written word from scripture and the hymnody sung during worship.
One of the dominant if not canonical Icons in the Armenian Church was that of the Birth giver of God Saint Mary. But many have asked when did the display of her image in the Church begin?
Image veneration in Armenia, always was a part of the church’s outward form of piety since the very conversion in the fourth century. Both the veneration of images, with their power-filled, and miraculous properties have become theological statements about what the Church believes and how it honors the persons depicted.
Among them, the Icon of the Virgin Mary, historically grounded in the received tradition of the Armenian Church, became embedded her seemingly ‘cultic venation’ that became deeply rooted from the earliest times of a growing faith. It was out of this tradition, devotion and piety to her honor that the use of her image and her exalted reverence and homage can be traced.
It was after the year 867 following the defeat of Iconoclasm that the first mosaic of the Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary was placed in the Church of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople and called the All-Holy Virgin and Child (Panagia/ Παναγια Gk.). Her depiction in this Holy Icon can even be traced to an earlier time; the early Apostolic Tradition of the Church. In all Apostolic, Orthodox and Latin Christian traditions, the ‘cult’ of Mary and the devotions to her commenced and grew in the Universal Christian Church.
In Armenia, it was after a movement that became an Iconoclastic heresy known as the Paulicians heresy during the early seventh century and even later one called the Tondrakian heresy, that had already run its course, the official use of images i.e., Sacred Icons in the Armenian Church was promoted officially established. A famous churchman and Catholical Locum Tenens, Vr’thanes K'ertogh (the poet) wrote an apologetic defense for Sacred Images, defined the iconographic tradition and its theology.
Arguably, his writings became a source even for the later Byzantine apologetics; particularly noting the writings of Saint John Damascus that followed once century later this Armenian written defense.
Two historical sources regarding the veneration of the Icon of the Holy Mother of God come from the 4 to 6th centuries {the writings of the Armenian Historians Agathangelos and Movses Khorenatsi}. Their testimony about her veneration relate the account of Saint Bartholomew, one of the two Apostles of Jesus, who in the first century evangelized Armenia brought a Holy Icon of her with him.
This painted Holy Icon, is attributed to the Apostle Saint Luke and is said to have possessed miraculous powers. It was placed in the Monastery of The Saviour of All (Amenaprgich of Havutz’ Tar) in Armenia.
The special importance given to Icons of her from this time onward and rooted in statements about her from the Gospels themselves. In any Armenian Orthodox Church her Holy Image presides of the Altar Table. She is shown holding the Christ Child and gazes over the faithful gathered in worship at all times.
The Holy Mother is the symbol of the Christian Church. As she gave birth to Christ, so too, the Church gives birth to Christians through Sacraments of Initiation, i.e., Baptism and Chrismation. She is metaphorically identified as The Door through which God has passed and entered the world. In like manner it is the Church who venerates her image and place which is also the door through which human beings pass to enter heaven.
Mary the Queen of Heaven is depicted sitting on a throne. A crown may often be placed upon her head or an emblem of a diadems resting on her shoulders and forehead This is a start-like image – an artistic convention describing her regal role and, indicating the burdens she would face, and how The Church sees her - to be most holy and first of all saints graced with a halo around her head; the artistic attribute in all Icons of saints symbolizing persons who became bearers of God’s Light.
Thus, the Virgin Mary is said to have a] “Found favor with God” (cf. Lk. l:30), b] to have been “Overshadowed" by the power of the Most High” / Holy Spirit (Lk. l:35), and c] in order to miraculously “conceive and give birth to Jesus who will be called the Son of God.
For nearly two thousand years the Armenian Church has honored her role and personhood, as the Handmaiden of Godthrough whom He Christ Jesus entered the world to bring us the gates of heaven.
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