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| Mary, the Mother of God faces towards us, her arms raised in benediction with the figure of Christ suspended in an aureole in front of her as a sign. He is blessing worshippers. 'Orans' refers to the raising of arms in prayer, a symbol of piety, and a gesture to represent the idea of protection. This icon type was used for private prayer, placed on an altar-piece, or in the centre of the Prophet's tier on the iconostasis. http://www.cottontown.org/page.cfm?language=eng&pageID=1993 |