180 

Icon: Not Burning Bush

There are few images more complex than the icon type known as the Mother of God of the bush that was burned, yet was not burned.

The theme is based on the hymn “As the bush burned, but not burned, thou art remained a virgin.” Parallels between the Old and the New Testament are drawn.

On the border of the icon, five scenes from the Old Testament are depicted:  Moses removing his sandal before the burning bush, in which is a medallion of the Virgin and Child; Isaiah and the Seraph with the burning coal; Jacob with the ladder; Jesse’s dream of the tree issuing from his body; and Ezekiel standing before the gate that is closed to all except the Lord.

The central image is of a flower on which the Virgin Mary is depicted. She is in the middle of a blue and a red crossing star. In the deep-blue pointed star and in the petals of the flower various orders of angels are represented. In the flaming-red star are the symbols of the four Evangelists.

This icon is full of symbolism and praise of the virginity of the Mother of God.

The Russian people believe the icon was a ward against the ever present threat of house fires.

This sophisticated icon is rich in detail was produced with extraordinary skill.