Devotion to Mary is central to our understanding that Jesus is God made flesh. Icons have long been a part of the Catholic practice of prayers and devotion. They are described as "windows to the holy." Visually, they help us pray by inviting us into their transcendence. Our icon of Mary and Jesus was written by Yaroslava Surmach Mills, an icon artist living in New York. It is the image of Lovingkindness, a version of the famous Byzantine icon of the Vladimir Mother of God.

The distinctive feature of the icon is the posture of Mary and the Child whom she holds in her right arm, bending her head towards him. Her left hand is prayerfully extended towards Jesus, directing the spectator's attention towards him. The figure of the Mother of God, beautifully placed in the panel, is full of solemn calm. The Divine Child is represented with a lively and tender movement; pressing his face to Mary's he seems to try and calm her hidden grief.