The Mother of God and the Burning Bush

Christianity’s Mary is known by many names, including the Virgin Mary and the Madonna, but she is also called the Mother of God. Thus the title of this work. In this icon we see her together with the baby Jesus and surrounded by angels and saints.

Over the centuries, Mary has held a special place in Christianity and been the focus for the so-called Cult of the Virgin Mary. Mary was especially revered and worshiped in Europe during the Middle Ages, but with the Protestant Reformation she took on a lesser role in the Church, though she continued to be popular motif in art.

What do we mean by the “burning bush”?

The title of this icon makes reference to the “burning bush.” In the upper left corner, we see the burning bush that spoke to Moses in the Old Testament story.