The HODEGETRIA & MARIA AVVOCATA IN ROME

 The LIVING ICON images of the Virgin Mary I have been writing about are in the tradition of the HODEGETRIA.  The first Hodegetria was recorded in the 11th century and from the 12th century hung in the Hodegon Monastery in Constantinople, Turkey.  The information we have about Luke painting these icons comes from the understanding collected in the Middle Ages.

The Greek word Hodegetria means she who shows the way.  Typically the Virgin Mary holds the Christ child on her left arm, her right hand raised and pointing toward him as the way to salvation.  The distinctive feature of icons Luke painted is that they are LIVING ICONS, PAINTED IN THE ACTUAL PRESENCE OF MARY.  Often Christ is depicted as a homunculus, a little man, tiny but with the growth and maturity of a grown man, embodying the future of his Ministry on Earth.

The Hodegon Monastery had a natural Spring on the grounds that cured blindness.  Along with the Hodegetria, the monastery was a popular Pilgrimage site in the Middle Ages.  The Hodegetria would make trips for special occasions and would be paraded in the streets every Tuesday.  The Hodegetria had an active life in the lives of the Faithful.

Pilgrims continue to make pilgrimages to the Hodegetria in Rome.  Pilgrims come to Rome for many different reasons, prayer for themselves, prayers for others.  

For the very oldest icon of the Virgin Mary painted local in Rome, you’d have to go to the Priscilla Catacombs in Rome, also the oldest Annunciation is at Priscilla.  But then there is St. Luke painting the Madonna Avvocata in his house in Rome on Via Lata, now in the Church of Via Lata built over his house.

 More Virgin Mary icons are in a back room at the Pantheon in Rome, this damaged and blackened by fire,

the Church of St. Agostino near Piazza Navona, with its MADONNA DEL PARTO, MADONNA OF CHILDBIRTH, and MADONNA OF PILGRIMS BY CARAVAGGIO, painted much later than Luke,

and on the Aventino Hill, MADONNA OF INTERCESSION IN THE CHURCH OF SANTI BONIFACIO E ALESSIO, a St. LUKE PAINTING, a Maria Avvocata,

And VERGINE MADONNA AT ARA COELI on The Campidoglio Hill in Rome is the MADONNA ARACOELI, MADONNA OF THE GOLDEN HANDS.  This Marian image was Pontifically crowned on 29 March 1636 by Pope Urban VIII.  Pope Pius XII consecrated the people of Rome to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary and her Immaculate Heart in front of this image on 30 May 1948. 

Another MARIA AVVOCATA AT PALAZZO BARBERINI ART GALLERY IN ROME.

And possibly any Church in Rome may have a HODEGETRIA.  For example on HALLOWEEN NIGHT 2023 I ATTENDED MASS AT the CHURCH OF SAN GIOVANNI CALIBITA CONNECTED TO FATEBENEFRATELLI HOSPITAL ON ISOLA TIBERINA AND I SAW THIS GORGEOUS HODEGETRIA,

    Sandra Panici, the Roman Pilgrim in Person in Rome