What the icon of Perpetual Help means — a guide to its symbols
The angels, the falling sandal, the star on Mary's veil, the Greek letters and the gold background — what each part of the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help means.
22 October 2026 · 3 min read
An icon is not meant only to be looked at, but to be prayed with. Every detail of the icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help was painted to say something. Here is what to look for.
Mary looks at you
Mary does not look at her Son or at the angels. She looks straight out of the picture at the person praying. Her gaze is calm and sorrowful, as if she already knows what her Son will suffer — and as if she is inviting you to bring your own troubles to her, as He does.
She points to her Son
The icon belongs to the type called Hodegetria, "she who shows the way". Mary holds the Child on her left arm, and her right hand points to Him. Devotion to her always leads to Christ.
The frightened Child
The Child Jesus has turned away from His mother to look at the angels and what they carry. He has run to her so quickly that one sandal has come loose and hangs from His foot by its strap. Both His hands grip His mother's right hand. He is truly a child, and truly afraid — and He takes refuge in His mother. This is the heart of the icon's message: in every fear, we can run to her as He did.
The two archangels
Small figures of the archangels hover on either side, carrying the instruments of the Passion, the sufferings Christ will undergo:
- On the left, St Michael holds the lance that pierced Christ's side, the sponge on a reed, and the vessel of vinegar offered to Him on the cross.
- On the right, St Gabriel — the angel who announced His birth to Mary — holds the cross and the nails.
Their hands are covered with cloth, as an Eastern priest's hands are covered when he carries sacred things.
The star on her veil
A star shines on Mary's veil above her forehead. It recalls her ancient title Star of the Sea: the star that guides travellers safely to harbour, as Mary guides us to Christ. In many icons of this style a star also signifies her virginity.
The colours
Mary wears a red tunic under a dark blue mantle. In Byzantine painting these are royal colours, the colours worn by an empress. The background is gold, the traditional sign in icons of the light of heaven and the Kingdom of God, into which every figure in the picture is drawn.
The Greek letters
Each figure is named with Greek abbreviations, as is usual in icons:
- ΜΡ ΘΥ (Meter Theou), beside Mary — Mother of God
- ΙC ΧC (Iesous Christos), beside the Child — Jesus Christ
- ΟΑΜ (O Archangelos Michael) — the Archangel Michael
- ΟΑΓ (O Archangelos Gabriel) — the Archangel Gabriel
Praying with the icon
You do not need to remember every detail. It is enough to do what the Child does: look at what frightens you, then take hold of your Mother's hand.