This is Perfect for Decorating a Home VIRGIN OF KAZAN ICON O fervent intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High, pray to thy Son Christ Our God and save all that seek your protection. O Sovereign Lady and Queen help and defend all of us…. Troparion of the Virgin of Kazan. Church prescribed Icon Painting Manuals define how each of these icons should be painted to convey Mary's loving and motherly attributes. The Kazan icon is a close up variant of the Hodegetria (Directress – She who points the way to Christ) style. The Virgin Mary is portrayed looking straight ahead with a standing full figure of the Christ child with His hand extended in blessing. The KAZAN MOTHER OF GOD is one of the most beloved icons of the THEOTOKOS to the Russian faithful. The icon played a large part in the religious and political life of Russia. The Virgin Mary through her Kazan icon is seen as the “protectress” of Christianity as well as the Russian nation, people and particularly the city of St Petersburg. In the many stories attached to the Kazan icon it is uncertain which was the original icon – it is known there were many as nine miracle working copies throughout Russia. The importance is what the “icon” symbolizes the “protecting” gaze of the Mother of God. HISTORY OF THE ICON. The original rendering of the Kazan icon is believed to have come to the city of Kazan from Constantinople in the 13th century. The icon disappeared after the Tartars conquered the ancient city of Kazan in 1438. In 1552 Tsar Ivan the Terrible conquered Kazan from the Tartars and restored Christianity.