The first sign
Hand-painted icon of the Wedding at Cana
At a wedding feast in Cana of Galilee the wine runs out. Mary notices and tells the servants: «Do whatever he tells you». Jesus has six stone jars filled with water, and the water becomes wine, the best (John 2:1-11). It is the first of his signs.
The meaning of the icon
Christ blesses marriage with his presence and turns the water of everyday life into the wine of the feast: the couple's love, welcomed by God, becomes greater and more beautiful. The icon shows the couple at the banquet, Christ blessing, the Mother of God interceding, the servants and the jars.
In the Orthodox marriage service, the Gospel of the Wedding at Cana is the reading proclaimed.
The wedding gift par excellence
It is the most fitting gift for a wedding, an anniversary or a renewal of vows, to be placed in the couple's home. As a scene with many figures, it requires more time than an icon with a single figure: commission it well in advance. Like every icon from the atelier, it is fully gilded with 23¾ karat gold, with inscriptions in Greek or Latin, and is commissioned with an offering proportionate to the time and materials of the work.
Frequently asked questions
How many figures does the Wedding at Cana icon have?
In the configurator it is set to six (Christ, the Mother of God, the couple and the servants), but the composition can be simpler or richer.
Can the couple's names be written on it?
The front carries only sacred inscriptions; the couple's names and wedding date are written on the back of the panel or in the booklet.