Ancient Prayer to the Virgin

The Sub Tuum Praesidium (“Beneath Thy Protection”) is the most ancient recorded document exalting Jesus’ mother as a woman of glory. The papyrus scroll, dated c. 300 A.D., reflects a yearning to know the purity of the heavenly lady and an inclination to view her as a vehicle of prayer.

The uplifted thrust and marks of the modern painting represent the offering up of prayer to God. The work utilizes images borrowed from the ancient quattrocento mosaic, Black Madonna, as well as Greek symbols. This painting celebrates the glory of prayer and the beauty of the crowning in heaven that awaits believers.