Hand-Painted Icon of Virgin with Three Hands (Panagia Tricherousa)

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• a hand-painted tempera-on-wood reproduction of the original icon
• available in two sizes: 7 7/8" x 11 4/5" (large) and 11 4/5" x 15 3/4" (extra large)

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"Bogorodica Trojeručica (Serbian Cyrillic: Богородица Тројеручица, Greek: Παναγία Τριχερούσα, Panagia Tricherousa, meaning "Three-handed Theotokos") or simply Trojeručica (Three-handed) is a famous wonderworking icon in the Serbian Orthodox monastery of Hilandar on Mount Athos, Greece. It depicts Theotokos (Virgin Mary) with young Jesus in the hodegetria position, and is covered with a riza. It is the most important icon of the Serbian Orthodox Church. On the back of the icon is the painting of St Nicholas.

According to tradition, the icon was in the possession of John of Damascus in the early 8th century and it is associated with his miraculous healing around the year 717. According to tradition, while he was serving as Vizier to caliph Al-Walid I, he was falsely accused of treachery and his hand was cut off. The accusation was, allegedly, made by Byzantine Iconoclast emperor Leo the Isaurian, who was indeed a great opponent of St John, and friend of Al-Walid I. Upon praying in front of an icon of the Theotokos, allegedly, his hand was miraculously restored. In thanksgiving, he had a silver replica of his hand fashioned and attached it to the icon. After this, the icon became known as "three-handed" (Tricherousa), because it had three hands (two of Theotokos plus one more)."
-- Source: WikipediA

"Panagia Tricherousa is another Hodegetria-style icon known as the "Virgin with Three Hands." In this type, the Ever Virgin Mary is holding Christ and pointing toward Him, as a guide to God and salvation.

The Panagia Hodegetria or "Directress" icon depicts the Virgin Mary presenting her son on her left arm to the viewer and with her hand she is gesturing towards him, pointing to Christ as 'The Way'. Christ, on the other hand, has his right hand raised in a gesture of blessing with  the index and middle fingers joined (to refer to the two natures of Christ) and his thumb locks over the other fingers (to signify the Holy Trinity). The term 'Hodegetria' is Greek and translates to 'the One who Shows the Way'. In this icon, although the Virgin Mary is the largest subject, the principal image in the icon is Christ. His presence is like that of an adult. Typical features of the Hodegetria include the starburst on one or both shoulders and on the part of the blue mantle that covers the forehead. The fringe on the mantle indicates imperial status, as does the throne that is occasionally included in the image. The Virgin Mary's frontal gaze is also a key feature of the Hodegetria type. The odd letters on the left and right and level with the top of the Virgin's head appear to be an adaptation of the usual inscription that occupies this position in other Hodegetrias: "MP θY" -- the first and last Greek letters of the Greek words for "Mother of God." The name Hodegetria also refers to the Hodegon Monastery in Constantinople, which has such an icon."
-- Source: OrthodoxWiki