Virgin Mary Sweetness of the Angels – Silkscreen on Naturally Aged Wood – Mount Athos

Description

Icon of the Sweetness of the Angels on Naturally Aged Wood

A beautiful silkscreen on naturally aged wood, sourced from the wood of restored Athonite cells, specially processed by monks.

“The Sweetness of the angels, the joy of the sorrowful,” is famously referred to in one of the hymns of the Dormition. It is a hymn dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos, to whom the entire Athonite state is dedicated. The Sweetness of the Angels is the Virgin Mary, who brings joy and fulfillment, for it is she who brought Jesus Christ into the world.

The depiction of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the favorite themes of the monks of Mount Athos, who in this way express their boundless faith and love.

The monks saw it as a challenge to repurpose wood that had no further purpose after the renovation of cells. They did not need to experiment with conservation methods, as they are well-versed in techniques for strengthening and preserving old iconostasis. Thus, the wood retained the wonderful charm of its long life on Mount Athos. The wear and tear caused by temperature, light, and time became the foundation upon which the artificially aged image of the Virgin Mary was placed.

The artificial aging of the silkscreen is much easier compared to the beautiful work of time on the blessed wood. This work of time cannot be replicated by any craftsman. These are unique works, not only for their religious significance as icons but also for the value of their previous life as humble, functional objects in the Garden of the Virgin Mary.

You can find them in the large collection of “Athonite Heritage.”

As the icon is handmade and the wood is processed manually, there may be slight variations in the wood, but not in the depiction.

The icon is available upon request.

Dimensions: 24×27.5 cm