Holy Mandylion (Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands)

Holy Mandylion (Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands)

The word mandylion is Greek and means cloth. It refers to icons where Christ is depicted on a cloth - The Icon Not Made by Hands (without hands) in Greek known as Acheiropoietos. This expression which is not easily understood by many, receives it’s true meaning from Holy Scripture, “I will destroy this temple made with hands, and within three days, I will build another made without hands.” - Mark 14:58. The “image without hands” is primarily the incarnate Word, which showed forth Itself in the “the temple of His body”- John 2:21. Hence, the mosaic law which forbade images  ( “You shall not make for yourself an idol or a likeness of anything in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the waters under the earth.”- Exodus 20:4) has no more meaning - for in the New Testament icons of Christ become indisputable witness of the Incarnation of God.

Likewise, instead of creating according to their own inclination, “with their hands”, the image of the God-Man, icon painters follow a tradition which attached them to the original “acheiropoietos”.

This icon depicts only Christ’s face with a halo, on a cloth with tied corners - reminding us of His divine presence made visible.

To read more about the Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, visit: https://web.archive.org/web/20170501205343/http://westserbdio.org/en/prologue/603-august-16

These icons of the Holy Mandylion ( Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands)  are first copy giclee reproductions of my original hand-painting. The wooden icon was scanned, the image proofed, and then printed on Hahnemuhle (German) archival paper, laminated and mounted on teak wood, a small cross is hand painted on the back. In instead of outsourcing  any of these processed for a cheaper cost, keeping high quality the first priority, all processes have been done in house from painting to reproduction, wooden work, and mounting.

Each of these icons were blessed by Rev. Fr. Clement Nehamaiyah (Head of the Russian Orthodox Mission in India)

If you may wish to have an actual hand-painted icon of this image (of the Icon Not Made by Hands), please write an email: contact@eleos.com  it would be a joy to hear from you and with God’s blessing work together.

Dimensions: 95 x 60 mm, mounted on teak wood