THE VIRGIN MARY OF GDANSK

The Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ, solemn and magnificent, tender and thoughtful, represents lordliness and royal dignity. She expresses an internal discipline and an assurance about the Truth. She is The Virgin Hodegetria, the one who shows the way. She points to Christ with Her right hand, while holding Him with Her left. The gentle tenderness She is sharing with Her child is quiet yet strong. Mary reminds us of the fact that God is our Savior. She is pointing the way to Salvation.

Mary, the Mother of God has a halo with the royal crown and the heraldic arms of Gdansk. Jesus is wearing a sailor's navy-blue uniform and in his left hand is holding a sailboat that is decorated with Gdansk's insignias. His right hand is in characteristic gesture of blessing. Jesus' and Mary's halos are decorated with precious and beautiful, transparent, yellow-brown, amber. The very best amber comes from the Baltic coast near Gdansk, where it could be found in abundance. These attributes have a symbolic meaning in relation to Gdansk, as the city has a centuries-old bond with the sea.

The Virgin Mary of Gdansk was written for the Basilica of Gdansk. She resides in The Royal Chapel.

The icon by the hand of Janusz Charczuk. Egg tempera on wood, priming on textile, background 23 K gold leaf. 60x80 cm (23.5x 31.5in.)