The Meaning of the Icon
The icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help is painted on a plaque of wood measuring little over 21 inches high and about 14 inches wide. Throughout history it has received two basic titles. For artistic reasons and in accord with the style of the image, it has been called: "the Virgin of the Passion." Icons of the Virgin of the Passion usually represent the Mother of God holding her Son Jesus and to the sides, the angels carrying the instruments of the Passion of Christ.
The other title that it bears comes from the devotion that surrounds it: "Our Mother [or Lady] of Perpetual Help." Each part of the icon expresses profound theological meaning. It is important to know the meaning of the parts but also how each part contributes to the whole meaning of the icon.
Hover through the icon to discover the meaning of the different parts of the sacred image.
The largest figure in the painting is Mary, but she is not the focal point. The center is rather in the joining of her hand with those of Jesus and the manner in which she points out that her Son is Jesus Christ, the Son of God who offers His life for the Redemption of all and the Salvation of repentant sinners. Mary points out and directs us to Jesus our Savior.