The iconographies of Our Lady of Sorrows and the Mother of God, Joy of All Who Sorrow illustrate the sacrifice of Christ and the intercession of the Virgin Mary to redeem humanity. As a mother who has lost a child, Mary can feel humanity’s grief and intercede on behalf of the sick and afflicted.

The retablo of the solo image of Our Lady of Sorrows depicts Mary’s pain at the loss of her son. Her suffering is evident in her mournful expression and the swords piercing her heart; these images can sometimes include the instruments of the Passion of Christ.

In the icon, Mary is shown encircled by a mandorla, representing eternity, and surrounded by scenes of angels attending to the suffering who are praying to the Mother of God for help. The icons in this exhibit were painted from the prototype, or original, icon which was deemed to be “miracle-working” and is celebrated with a liturgical feast day. This differs from retablos which are not viewed by the faithful as miracle-working objects, but solely as a tool to facilitate a spiritual and mystical experience through the senses.