The Queen of All Orhodox Icon

The Queen of All Orthodox Icon, also known as the Mother of God Pantanassa, is a hand-painted Orthodox icon of the Theotokos enthroned with Christ Child. The name Pantanassa means The Queen of All and points to the royal dignity, mercy, and intercession of the Mother of God.

This icon is painted in the tradition of the Mstyora school with egg tempera, mineral pigments, a linden board with kovcheg, and 960 gold leaf. It is a solemn icon for prayer, home devotion, and support for families carrying illness, sorrow, or difficult trials.

Meaning of The Queen of All Orthodox Icon

The Queen of All is one of the most beloved Orthodox icons for prayer in times of serious illness. Many faithful pray before this image for those suffering from cancer and other grave diseases, asking the Mother of God for strength, healing, patience, and spiritual consolation.

The icon is also approached in prayer for people struggling with addictions, despair, occult influence, or destructive spiritual paths. Its meaning is not a substitute for medical care, but a profound Orthodox image of hope, repentance, and the Mother of God’s intercession.

The Pantanassa Icon on Mount Athos

The original icon of the Mother of God The Queen of All is venerated on Mount Athos in Greece, in Vatopedi Monastery. The image became especially known through accounts of help, repentance, and healing connected with prayer before the icon.

In the Orthodox world, copies of the Pantanassa icon are kept in churches, monasteries, hospitals, and homes as a source of prayerful hope for the sick and their families.

Iconography and Composition

The Mother of God is shown seated on a royal throne, holding Christ Emmanuel on her lap. Christ holds a scroll, a symbol of divine teaching, and blesses those who pray before the icon.

Behind the throne stand angels in reverence. The throne, royal garments, and solemn arrangement of the figures express the dignity of the Theotokos as Queen of Heaven and the living throne of God.

Symbolic Details

The crimson maforion of the Mother of God points to royal dignity, suffering, and the mystery of salvation. The three stars on her garment signify her ever-virginity: before, during, and after the Nativity of Christ.

The red and green cushions on the throne suggest the meeting of earthly and heavenly realities. The entire composition presents the Theotokos as a merciful Queen who receives the prayers of the faithful.

Traditional Materials and Technique

The icon is painted on a carefully prepared linden board with a recessed kovcheg. Oak splines are inserted to help stabilize the wooden panel. Linen is applied to the board, followed by multiple layers of natural chalk gesso.

The painting is made with egg tempera and mineral pigments, using layered work for depth and clarity. The background and halos are gilded with 960 gold leaf, which symbolizes divine light and the sacred radiance of the heavenly world.

Icon Characteristics

Choosing a Size

Available sizes are 17×21 cm (6.7×8.3 in), 20×24 cm (7.9×9.4 in), 27×31 cm (10.6×12.2 in), and 30×40 cm (11.8×15.7 in). Smaller sizes are suitable for personal home prayer, while larger formats work well as a central icon in a home iconostasis.

For a gift to a sick person or for a family prayer corner, 27×31 cm (10.6×12.2 in) and 30×40 cm (11.8×15.7 in) give the enthroned composition more solemn presence.

Prayer and Gift Use

The Queen of All icon is often chosen as a spiritual gift for someone facing illness, undergoing treatment, or needing encouragement and prayerful support. It is also appropriate for physicians, nurses, and caregivers as an image of compassion and wisdom.

For the home, it becomes a prayerful reminder of the Mother of God’s mercy, protection, and intercession for those who suffer.

Care and Preservation

A hand-painted icon with gold leaf should be protected from dampness, direct sunlight, smoke, and sudden temperature changes. The surface should not be washed, polished, or wiped with a wet cloth.

Dust may be removed only with a very soft dry brush. A glazed wooden icon case is recommended to protect the gold, tempera painting, and wooden board from household dust and candle smoke.

Ordering, Shipping, and Payment

The icon is available in several sizes. Free international shipping is included, with payment after delivery.

Questions and Answers

What is The Queen of All Orthodox Icon?

It is a hand-painted Orthodox icon of the Mother of God called The Queen of All, or Pantanassa, showing the Theotokos enthroned with Christ Child.

What does Pantanassa mean?

Pantanassa is a Greek title meaning The Queen of All, expressing the royal dignity and intercession of the Mother of God.

Where is the original Queen of All icon kept?

The original wonderworking icon is venerated on Mount Athos, in Vatopedi Monastery in Greece.

What is this icon traditionally prayed for?

Orthodox Christians pray before this icon for the sick, especially those facing serious illness, and also for protection from addictions and harmful spiritual influences.

Who is shown on the icon?

The Mother of God is seated on a royal throne with Christ Emmanuel on her lap, while angels stand reverently behind the throne.

What materials are used?

The icon is painted on a linden board with kovcheg, linen, chalk gesso, egg tempera, mineral pigments, and 960 gold leaf.

What sizes are available?

Available sizes are 17×21 cm (6.7×8.3 in), 20×24 cm (7.9×9.4 in), 27×31 cm (10.6×12.2 in), and 30×40 cm (11.8×15.7 in).

What does the throne symbolize?

The throne expresses the royal dignity of the Theotokos, who became the living throne of God through the Incarnation.

How should the icon be cared for?

Keep it away from dampness, direct sunlight, smoke, and sudden temperature changes. Dust only with a very soft dry brush.

How are shipping and payment arranged?

Free international shipping is included, with payment after delivery.