Platytera ton Ouranon
“More Spacious Than The Heavens”
“In the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord and, stretching out his hands towards heaven, said, ‘O Lord, God of Israel, not in heaven above nor on earth beneath is there such a God as you, true to your covenant and your kindness towards your servants when they walk wholeheartedly in your way. Yet will God really live with men on the earth? Heavens and their own heavens cannot contain you. How much less this house that I have built! Listen to the prayer and entreaty of your servant, O Lord my God; listen to the cry and to the prayer your servant makes to you today. Day and night let your eyes watch over this house, over this place of which you have said, “My name shall be there.” Listen to the prayer that your servant will offer in this place. ‘Hear the entreaty of your servant and of Israel your people as they pray in this place. From heaven where your dwelling is, hear; and, as you hear, forgive.’” (1 Kings 8:22-23,27-30)
Beyond the mundane expanse of our terrestrial skies lies a realm transcendent of physicality—wherein the divine essence of God finds its abode. Though tradition may still turn our gaze heavenward in moments of prayerful supplication, ‘heavens’ delineate not merely the celestial canopy but the sanctum of God’s presence. It’s a realm beyond the grasp of mortal constructs, despite scriptures alluding to the legions of angelic hosts and enigmatic beings under divine sovereignty.
The depicted icon, known as Platytera or ‘Our Lady of the Sign’, portrays a profound theological symbolism. Mary, revered as Theotokos since the inception of the Church, embodies the vessel in which divinity incarnate, Jesus Christ, is received and dwells.
As affirmed by Solomon, the heavens themselves cannot contain the boundless magnitude of God. This includes the celestial armies of angels, or even the revered Temple of Jerusalem, wherein God’s presence was said to reside. Yet, in a paradoxical turn, the prophecy of containing the divine found fulfilment in Mary—wherein her womb became the sanctuary of the Saviour. However, it’s not merely the physical womb but the depths of her heart that truly encapsulate this divine mystery.
According to the profound insights of St. Ambrose and later echoed by proponents of the French School of spirituality, Mary’s conception of Christ took place first within her spirit through her faith before the physical conception. This notion extends further, suggesting that Mary not only bore Christ physically but retained Him spiritually, an eternal communion symbolized by the perpetual presence of Christ within her being.
In the Oriental tradition, particularly within the Byzantine rite, the icon of Platytera assumes a place of reverence within the sanctuary—the Holy of Holies—towering above the altar. It commands attention, overshadowing all other icons, symbolizing Mary’s preeminence in containing the divine mystery. Positioned behind the iconostasis, which delineates the sacred space of the Altar, it serves as a visual reminder of Mary’s unique capacity to bear the incarnate Christ.
Often the Plalytera icon and “Our Lady of the Sign” are associated. In contemplating the mystery of prayer, the icon of “Our Lady of the Sign” assumes profound significance. Mary, depicted cradling the Christ Child within an oval, encapsulates the essence of prayer itself—a place in which each one of us may draw closer to the divine, ie the full mystery of Jesus. Her gaze invites us to contemplate the divine mysteries, her heart beckoning us to love Him with her love.
One of the images used to symbolise Mary is the “Ark of the Covenant”. Indeed in the Ark one wouldn’t find anything else than the two tables of the Law symbolising Jesus the Word Incarnate. Over the Ark hover two “Cherubims”, guarding it. This image of Mary helps us also to see how the mystery of Mary and Christ mystery interact. The fullness of Christ’s mystery is contained in Mary.
This teaching is for us and we need to deepen it in order to live it.
Delving Deeper into Mary’s Mystery
Among the myriad images that encapsulate the multifaceted mystery of Mary, one profound portrayal emerges: Mary as the veritable Temple of God. It is within her that Jesus, who is God, chose to dwell. Consider this: Jesus himself is our Temple (see John 2:20-21 and Hebrews), and Mary’s capacity to contain Jesus stems from her very essence being intricately intertwined with Christ’s redemption on the Cross. She emerges as the new Eve, birthed from Jesus’ side—the source of all life. Just as God fashioned Eve from Adam’s rib, so too did the Trinity fashion Mary from Jesus’ side on the Cross, making her the mother of all the elect and saved.
Mary cradles within her womb the entirety of the elect, a testament to her role as the sacred vessel through which salvation is disseminated. In this light, she can rightfully be hailed as “our Temple,” for she embodies the divine within herself. Of course, being built by God on the Cross, she is Temple in the Temple, Jesus.
While Jesus is undeniably Our Temple (John 2), he bequeathed unto us the form of Mary, desiring us to receive her and emulate her. As the Catechism eloquently articulates, Mary serves as the archetype for every believer. Hence, Vatican II’s placement of Mary towards the latter chapters of its document on the Church invites us to contemplate in her the ideal of what we aspire to become. Mary, simultaneously virgin and mother, epitomises the twofold nature of our vocation: purity and fruitfulness. We, the Church and its members, are called to mirror this twofold nature—virgin in the steadfastness of our faith and mother in the abundance of our spiritual fruits, nurturing salvation for our brethren.
Thus, Mary becomes not only our Temple but also our abode—the New Jerusalem. Just as only God dwells within us, the true essence of heaven lies in the pure presence of God. As depicted by St. John in Revelation, the New Jerusalem radiates with the illumination of God and the Lamb only.
In essence, Mary not only cradles Jesus, whom even the heavens cannot contain, but also serves as the dwelling place for each of the elect. “Platytera” embodies a dual aspect of Mary: the one who contains Jesus the head and Jesus the body.
Let us draw near to her, contemplating her divine capacity to embrace and contain the mystery of Jesus —a profound mystery indeed. Let us marvel at the notion that God bestows upon us the same capacity to receive Jesus into our hearts, especially in prayer and during Communion. Let us envisage Mary as our ultimate abode, the New Jerusalem, as we invoke her joyous encounter with the Risen Lord during the Easter celebration, imploring her to share with us the Joy of divine communion.
Indeed, are we not called each day to encounter the Risen Lord? This encounter finds its fulfillment through the gaze and heart of Mary.
Let us immerse ourselves in the mystery of the icon of the Virgin of the Sign, contemplating the profound capacity of Mary to embrace the Incomprehensible.