by Mary Cullen

One of the oldest and most venerated icons of Mary, Mother of God, is known as the ‘hodegetria’: she who shows the way.  In the icon, Mary points to her son, whom she holds in her arms.

She was one of his faithful companions and disciples as they walked the roads of first century Galilee.

In the words of Pope Paul VI, Mary is ‘truly our sister’*,  one of the great ‘clouds of witnesses’ (Hebrews 12.1) who continues to walk with us through history.

Dr Mary Cullen is editor of Open House.