Holy Mandylion Icon

This icon of the Holy Mandylion is hand-painted in the traditional egg tempera technique on a solid linden wood panel, following the canons preserved by the Orthodox iconographic tradition.  24 karat gold leaf is applied by hand to the background and hand-polished to a smooth, luminous sheen, symbolizing the uncreated light of God radiating from the Holy Face. The panel is finished with a glossy varnish for lasting protection and arrives with a certificate of authenticity, gift-ready for presentation in the home or for placement in a private icon corner.

Iconography and Symbolism
The icon shows the face of Christ alone, imprinted upon a cloth, held at its corners and bearing the inscription “Holy Ubrus” — the sacred towel. According to Orthodox tradition, Christ pressed His face to a cloth and sent it to King Abgar of Edessa, who had asked for His image to heal him of illness; the cloth bore His likeness without the hand of any painter, giving the image its name, the Acheiropoieta, “not made by hands.” The inscriptions “IC” and “XC” identify Him as Jesus Christ. The cruciform halo, marked with the Greek letters affirming His divine name “the One Who Is,” is reserved in Orthodox iconography for Christ alone.

The Mandylion holds a unique place in Orthodox theology as the first icon, understood by the Church as the divine warrant and origin for the entire practice of icon-painting: if Christ Himself left His own image for the faithful, then the veneration of icons is rooted in His own action, not human invention. For this reason, the Mandylion is often the first icon painted by an iconographer trained in the tradition, and it remains one of the most theologically significant images in the Church.

Feast Day
August 16 (Old Calendar) / August 29 (New Calendar) — the Translation of the Icon Not Made by Hands.

Gift Suggestions
– A meaningful gift for an iconographer, seminarian, or theology student
– A foundational icon for a home icon corner
– A fitting gift for baptism, chrismation, or ordination
– A dignified gift marking the beginning of a life of faith