Days of celebration: January 8
The icon’s name comes from the first words of the hymn dedicated to the Mother of God: “The Blessed One rejoices in You…”. In the image, the Most Holy Theotokos is represented in paradise against the background of a multi-headed temple symbolizing the Heavenly Jerusalem. At the foot of the throne, where the Everlasting Infant sits with the Mother of God, the author of the hymn, St. John of Damascus, a hymn writer (December 17, New style), is seen holding a scroll with the text of the hymn. The lower part shows many Orthodox saints paying homage to the Mother of God.
