19th-Century Icon of the Mother of God “Axion Esti”

19th-century icon of the Mother of God “Axion Esti” or “It is Truly Meet.” It is believed that this type of the Mother of God icons first appeared in Constantinople and was inspired by the Kykiotissa icon painted, according to the legend, by St. Luke the Evangelist during Mary’s lifetime. “Axion Esti” is also the name of a hymn to the Mother of God, which is used by the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic churches in the divine services.