Mary with Three Hands

 

Count Mary's hands. She has three hands!

Here's the story.  During the iconoclastic period, when icons were destroyed, St. John Damascene was writing defenses of icons.  As punishment, his right hand was cut off. John prayed before the image of Hodegetria Mother of God, promising her that if he were healed he would put his hand at her service.  When he was miraculously healed, he commissioned a silver image of his hand to be made and afixed to the icon.  Stories of this event spread rapidly and many copies were made.  If you ever see this icon and there are three arms, you now know the story.