“Bona Mater Gratia” (fr. de Grâce). This iconography is also known as the “Miraculous Medal” (fr. Médaille miraculeuse). According to Catholic tradition, “Gratia” is a title for the Virgin Mary that does not correspond to a single, specific iconographic form. Therefore, under the title “Bona Mater Gratia,” one can encounter various depictions, which can sometimes lead to confusion. The most widely known iconography stems from the vision of Saint Catherine Labouré, to whom the Virgin Mary appeared in 1830. During the second of these apparitions, on November 27, the Blessed Mother revealed herself in an oval frame, standing on the globe. She wore rings set with precious stones, which shone beams of light onto the earth. Around the edges of the frame appeared the words “Ô Marie, conçue sans péché, priez pour nous qui avons recours à vous” (“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you”). The woman felt as if the frame were turning, revealing a circle of twelve stars, the letter “M” intersected by a cross, the Sacred Heart of Jesus crowned with thorns, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary pierced by a sword. When asked why some of the stones did not shine, the Virgin answered that these were graces people forget to ask for. She then asked that these images be brought to her confessor and instructed that such medals be worn: “All who wear them will receive great grace.” The jeweler A. Vachette created the medal, based on this vision. Since then, this image has spread rapidly among the faithful of the Western Church, not only in the form of medals but also in sculpture and painting.

The main elements of the iconography correspond to the symbolism of the medal. It depicts the Blessed Virgin with her arms outstretched, symbolizing her intercession. This pose likely derives from the iconography of the “Merciful Mother of God.” She stands on the globe, symbolizing her Assumption into Heaven. Beneath her feet is a fallen serpent, symbolizing victory over original sin and referencing the passage from the Old Testament (Genesis 3:15): “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” It should be noted that some images do not feature the serpent, but instead have fifteen roses of the Rosary at the Virgin’s feet. In either case, the presence of one of these attributes allows the iconography to be distinguished from the “Merciful Mother of God.” The dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin is reflected in the words “conceived without sin,” and thus this iconography is sometimes associated with “The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.” The halo of the Virgin is adorned with twelve stars, in accordance with the apocalyptic image of the Virgin clothed with the sun (Revelation 12:1): “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.” Another distinctive feature is the rays emanating from the Virgin’s hands, symbolizing graces and reflecting her title as “Mediator of Divine Graces.” In these depictions, the Virgin traditionally wears a blue mantle with a white veil covering her head, as well as a long white tunic, beneath which her bare feet are visible. She is girded with a long blue belt tied in a knot at the center.

In the sacred sculpture of Lviv, this iconography is one of the most common. The most famous and oldest is the 1859 statue by sculptor J. N. Gautmann. It was placed on a fountain in 1861, and in 1895 was moved to a nearby square due to the erection of the monument to A. Mickiewicz. In 1950, the religious sculpture was moved to the Boim Chapel, and later to St. Andrew’s Church. The shrine was restored with the reconstruction of the fountain and the installation of a replica of the statue by the Ukrainian community in 1997. It was consecrated on October 14, on the Feast of the Protection of the Holy Virgin.

As literary sources and oral surveys of modern Lviv residents confirm, despite the full correspondence of this work to the iconography of the “Miraculous Medal,” the sculpture is usually referred to simply as the “Mother of God,” without specifying the iconographic type. Therefore, there is no reason to assert that there is a notable tendency to associate the statue with the cult of the Miraculous Medal. This is important because lesser-known figures with similar iconography in the public space of Lviv are often associated with the Protection of the Holy Virgin, reflecting corresponding connotations in the space. Evidence of this is that figures of these iconographies are usually not differentiated in professional literature or in the catalogs of Ukrainian stores selling sacred products and garden sculptures (unlike those from foreign manufacturers). One can assume that the reasons for this are the low awareness of modern Lviv residents about the history of sacred art, as well as the general visual similarity between the “Miraculous Medal” and the “Merciful Mother of God,” which in turn is associated with the “Protection of the Holy Virgin.”

Skop M. Sacred Sculpture in Public Spaces of Lviv, 1992-2023: Iconography and Presentation Concepts. Lviv, 2023.