Author: stiroc

Theotokos Pantanassa

Recently, this icon was offered to the parish. We may not all know its significance, so here are some details on it.

The title of the icon is divided into two, on top left and right:

Pantanassa (English transliteration) means Queen of All, or All Sovereign.

In this category of icons, the Theotokos is sitting on a royal throne, holding the Christ Child on her lap, flanked by the archangels Michael and Gabriel.
It dates back to early Byzantine art (as early as the 6th to 11th centuries).

The title signifies that her queenly honor extends over all creation, including humanity, the earth, and the heavenly hosts of angels (which explains why archangels like Michael and Gabriel stand behind her in posture of deep reverence).
The royal throne visualizes the theological concept that by her humility, her womb literally became the “throne” for the incarnate God.

There is a very famous miraculous replica of it in Vatopedi Monastery (on Mount Athos), dating back to the 17th century.
There, the monks reguarly sing a Paraklesis (Supplicatory Canon) directly in front of the icon, offering up the specific names of cancer patients sent by faithful from all over the world.
Her feast day is on August 31 (August 18 old calendar).

The icon is indeed widely renowned for helping cancer patients and those suffering from heavy spiritual distress or addiction.
Which explains you can often find it in various cancer centers, for instance at the Children’s Oncology Center in Moscow.

In our parish, we often pray the Akathist to the Mother of God Healer of Cancer, an akathist that was precisely composed for this icon.

Kontakion 1:

We, Thy faithful servants,
standing before Thy Newly-Appeared Icon
suppliantly cry unto Thee,
O Queen of All: send Thy healing to Thy servants
who come to Thee today
that all together we may joyfully cry unto Thee:
Rejoice, O Queen of All,
do Thou heal our ailments by Thy grace!