Tamara the Queen of Georgia Icon

The Tamara the Queen of Georgia Icon is a hand-painted image of Saint Queen Tamar the Great of Georgia, a saint of remarkable beauty, strength, and meekness. Her reign, at the end of the twelfth and beginning of the thirteenth century, entered history as the Golden Age of Georgia: a time of cultural flourishing, strong statehood, and deep Orthodox faith.

Although Queen Tamar held great earthly power, she remained a merciful mother to her people. The tradition remembers her care for the sick, her generosity to the poor, and her defense of the Orthodox faith. This icon, painted in an academic pictorial style, shows not only royal dignity, but also the spiritual purity and quiet strength of the saint.

The image is suitable for a home icon corner, a personal patron saint icon for a woman named Tamara, a family gift, a church space, or an iconostasis row. It is intended for prayer and veneration, not as a printed decoration or mass-produced souvenir.

Icon Characteristics

Holy image	Saint Right-Believing Queen Tamar the Great of Georgia
Iconography	Waist-length royal image with crown, cross, and church model in her hands
Board	Linden wood board, oak splines, pavoloka, and chalk gesso
Painting technique	Egg tempera in a pictorial academic style
Decoration	Caucasus mountain landscape, golden ornamental frame with blue accents, 23K gold leaf (960 purity)
Available size	27×31 cm (10.6×12.2 in), with 30×40 cm (11.8×15.7 in) and church formats by individual order

Who This Icon Is For

The icon of Saint Queen Tamar is especially meaningful for girls and women named Tamara. It can be given for baptism, nameday, birthday, or another important family occasion. The saint becomes a heavenly patroness, helping the person who bears her name grow in faith, inner beauty, dignity, and mercy.

Saint Tamar is also venerated as a patroness of those who carry responsibility for other people: leaders, public servants, diplomats, judges, teachers, and anyone who must make decisions affecting others. Before her icon, Orthodox Christians pray for wisdom in governance, justice in judgment, and the ability to resolve conflict peacefully.

The icon may also be given for a wedding or wedding anniversary. As a wise ruler who brought order to a kingdom, Saint Tamar is a fitting intercessor for the ordering of the small kingdom of the family, asking for peace, responsibility, mutual help, and protection from discord.

Prayer Before Saint Tamar

The prayer tradition connected with Saint Tamar rests on her righteous life, her works of mercy, and her protection of her people. Believers pray before her icon for wisdom and help in affairs, especially before important decisions in life, work, study, finances, or responsibility for others.

Orthodox Christians also ask her intercession for healing, for protection of home and homeland, for peace in the family, for deliverance from despondency, and for courage during sorrow. These prayers should be understood reverently: the icon is not a mechanical guarantee of a result, but a holy image before which the faithful turn to God through the prayers of the saint.

Saint Tamar’s life teaches that power and influence are not given for pride, but for service, mercy, and protection of the weak. Her icon therefore speaks not only to rulers, but to every person who must act with conscience and responsibility.

Life of Saint Queen Tamar the Great

Saint Right-Believing Queen Tamar was born around 1166 into the ancient Georgian royal dynasty of the Bagrationi. During the lifetime of her father, King George III, she was crowned as co-ruler in 1178; after his death she became the sole ruler of Georgia.

The beginning of her reign was difficult. Some powerful nobles tried to limit her authority, but through wisdom, diplomacy, and firmness she was able to unite the state. Her rule is remembered as Georgia’s Golden Age. She abolished the death penalty and corporal punishments, eased the burden on peasants, and gave a tenth of the kingdom’s income to the poor and orphans.

During her reign Georgia reached great strength and successfully defended itself against large invasions. During military campaigns, Queen Tamar prayed fervently before icons, trusting in God’s help rather than in power alone.

She also became famous as a builder of churches and monasteries. The most renowned of these works is the cave monastery complex of Vardzia, cut into the rock. In her later years she spent time there in a small cell connected with the church, where she could take part in worship. Saint Tamar reposed peacefully in 1213, leaving lasting love and memory as a wise and merciful ruler.

Feast Days of Saint Tamar

The Orthodox Church commemorates Saint Right-Believing Queen Tamar the Great on May 14 according to the civil calendar, or May 1 according to the old calendar. She is also commemorated on the Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women, the second Sunday after Pascha.

If the icon is intended as a gift for a nameday or another important occasion, it is best to order in advance. A hand-painted image with landscape, gold leaf, and a complex ornamental frame requires careful, unhurried work.

Features of This Icon

The presented icon of Saint Tamar is full of harmony, light, and depth. It is painted in an academic pictorial style, characterized by soft transitions of color, a more natural rendering of the face, and a spatial landscape background.

The saint’s face has fine noble features, large expressive dark eyes, and a pure, peaceful gaze. She appears not as a severe ruler, but as a loving mother of her people. Her bright red royal garment points to earthly authority and beauty, while the golden crown with a large ruby emphasizes her royal dignity.

Under the crown falls a white maphorion, symbolizing purity and chastity. Behind Saint Tamar opens a magnificent mountain landscape, a sign of the Caucasus mountains and beloved Iberia, Georgia. The sky is clear and blue, giving the image air and light.

The halo is especially delicate: it is not filled with solid gold, but made as a fine dotted golden circle that seems to float in the air. The whole composition is framed by a luxurious gold ornamental border with carefully painted floral patterns and blue corner accents, recalling precious metalwork.

Iconography: Cross of Faith and Church in Her Hands

The objects in Saint Tamar’s hands reveal the meaning of her life. In her right hand she firmly holds a golden eight-pointed Orthodox cross. This is a symbol of deep and unshakable faith. It shows that the foundation of her victories, laws, and decisions was the Gospel of Christ.

In her left hand she carefully holds a model of a stone church with a characteristic red dome. In iconography, a saint holding a church model is a ktetor image, meaning that the person was a great builder and benefactor of churches. Queen Tamar built and supported many churches and monasteries throughout Georgia.

The church model also recalls the famous cave monastery of Vardzia and symbolizes the spiritual fortress of Georgia, which Saint Tamar helped build through faith, justice, and care for her people.

Materials, Gold Leaf, and Custom Options

The icon is painted on a specially prepared linden wood board. Oak splines are set into the back of the board to help prevent warping as humidity changes. The surface is prepared with pavoloka and several layers of chalk gesso until smooth.

The painting is made in traditional egg tempera, prepared from natural pigments and egg emulsion. Tempera gives clear, deep colors that remain stable over time. The ornamental frame, crown, and cross are gilded with 23K gold leaf (960 purity) and carefully polished. The finished icon receives a protective finish.

For an individual order, the size, landscape detail, gold work, ornamental border, inscriptions, kiot, or church format can be discussed. Free international shipping is included. Payment is made after you receive and approve the icon.

How to Choose the Size

The 27×31 cm (10.6×12.2 in) size is the classic gift and analogion format. It is well suited for a home iconostasis. In this size the iconographer can clearly render the facial features, the church in the saint’s hands, the mountain landscape, and the fine ornament of the frame.

The 30×40 cm (11.8×15.7 in) size is a larger and more solemn format. It is suitable for an important anniversary, wedding gift, or placement in the study or office of a person who carries responsibility for others.

Church and iconostasis sizes can be discussed individually. These larger formats are suitable for chapels, parish churches, or large home prayer spaces where the icon should be seen from a greater distance.

Blessing and Care

A newly painted icon may be blessed in an Orthodox church after it is received, or brought to your parish for blessing. A blessed icon is treated as a holy image for prayer, thanksgiving, and turning to God through the intercession of Saint Tamar.

Care for a painted icon should be gentle. Do not wipe it with a wet cloth, use chemical cleaners, or polish the surface, because this can damage the paint and gilding. Dust should be removed only with a dry, very soft brush or cloth.

Do not place the icon in direct sunlight, near radiators, air conditioners, dampness, or sudden temperature changes. For reliable protection from dust, drafts, and accidental damage, a glazed wooden kiot can be ordered.

Questions and Answers

Why is Queen Tamar called Great and Right-Believing?

She is called Great because Georgia reached a remarkable political and cultural flourishing during her reign. The title Right-Believing is given to rulers who used earthly authority in service to God, Orthodoxy, mercy, and justice.

Who is this icon especially suitable for?

It is especially suitable as a patron saint icon for women and girls named Tamara, and also as a meaningful gift for leaders, teachers, diplomats, judges, and those who need wisdom and fairness in responsibility.

What church does Saint Tamar hold in her hand?

In iconography, a saint holding a church model signifies major temple-building work. For Queen Tamar, it recalls the churches and monasteries she supported, including the famous cave monastery complex of Vardzia.

Why are mountains shown behind Saint Tamar?

The mountain landscape points to ancient Iberia, Georgia, the land of the Caucasus mountains that Saint Tamar loved, ruled, defended, and served.

When is the feast day of Saint Tamar of Georgia?

Saint Queen Tamar is commemorated on May 14, corresponding to May 1 in the old calendar, and also on the Sunday of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women, the second Sunday after Pascha.

In what style is this icon painted?

This icon is painted in a pictorial or academic style, with soft modeling of the face, gentle light and shade, spatial landscape, and a more natural visual manner than strict Byzantine stylization.

What does the red royal garment mean?

The red or cinnabar garment points to royal dignity, authority, beauty, and the solemn responsibility of a Christian ruler.

Why are oak splines used on the back of the board?

Oak splines strengthen the linden board and help prevent warping as the wood naturally reacts to dryness, humidity, and changes in the surrounding environment.

How should one pray before an icon of Saint Tamar?

One may pray with church prayers to Saint Tamar or in simple words from the heart, asking for wisdom, justice, peace, protection, and the strength to act without malice toward others.

How should this hand-painted icon be cared for?

Do not wipe the icon with a wet cloth. Remove dust only with a dry soft brush or cloth, and keep the icon away from direct sunlight, moisture, strong heat, and sudden temperature changes.