Virgin of Vladimir

What a strange find, a reproduction of the Theotokos of Vladmir or the Vladimir Virgin, painted as a mural just outside the hallowed Payne Hall of Jeppe Boys High School. No one knows for sure who painted the orginal Byzantine styled Orthodox icon that is interwoven into the Russian culture. But sometime in the 11th century it was presented as a gift from patriarch of Constantinople to the Grand Duke of Kiev. Seen as the protectress of Russia, the Theotokos icon found its way to Vladmir where the Assumption Cathedral was built to house it. Later in the 14th century the icon was taken by Ivan IV to Moscow where it is believed to have protected the city on numerous occasions from attackers.

Now to find a reproduction in the oldest public school in Johannesburg was unexpected. This mural was painted by Constantine Voulakis in 1985 while he was a pupil at Jeppe Boys.