ThePanagia Agiosoritissa orHagiosoritissa (Greek:Ἁγιοσορίτισσα) is the name for a type ofMarian icon, showing Mary without theChrist Child, slightly from the side with both hands raised in prayer. The type is known in Latin asMaria Advocata.
The names used for the icon,Hagiosoritissa and, in Russian,Khalkopratiskaya (Халкопратийская), derive from the church of the Holy Urn (Greek: Ἁγία Σορός, in reference to the urn containing theCincture of the Theotokos) inConstantinople'sChalkoprateia (Χαλκοπρατεῖα, "copper market") district.[citation needed]
In English, the type is also known asMadonna Advocate (the prayer gesture interpreted as an act ofintercession on behalf of the faithful).
The appellation Ἁγιοσορίτισσα is first recorded in Byzantine seals of the 11th century, and it appears minted on coins made underManuel I Komnenos (r. 1143–1180).
The type was widespread in the Byzantine empire and in the Balkans, but less so in Russia.
Such an icon is known to have been in theHagios Demetrios basilica inThessalonica in the 6th century, but was lost in theByzantine Iconoclasm.
An early Byzantine icon (7th century?) is preserved in the church of Santa Maria del Rosario on theMonte Mario, Rome.[1]
TheMadonna di sant'Alessio in theBasilica of the Saints Bonifacio and Alexis on theAventine Hill in Rome is also of the type.
An early Russian example is theTheotokos of Bogolyubovo (12th century). The church ofSanta Maria in Via Lata in Rome has a 13th-century icon of this type.
The treasury of theBasilica of Our Lady, Maastricht has an 11th centuryenamel decorated plaque intended for areliquary, that depicts an image of thePanagia Agiosoritissa. The high-quality enamel work is very colorful in shades of blue, green, red, yellow, and white accented by meticulously shaped goldcloison patterns. The piece was made in a fine imperial workshop that was located in Constantinople. Mary's facial features are accentuated with gold cloison outlines. She is shown wearing a dark bluemaphorion, with her hands clasped in prayer and her face turned towards Jesus.[2]
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