Mary Three Hands

Hubby and I went to the Russian Museum of Icons, again.  This time I was impressed by the Icon known as Mary Three Hands.

Here is the story.  The pope at the time of St. John Damascene was afraid that the people were worshipping their beautiful icons, instead of God.  So he ordered all the icons to be burned.  St. John Damascene wrote a defense saying that the icons are not worshipped.  The icons are venerated and only God is worshipped.  The icons are used to bring God to mind.  Icons are more than religious pictures.  They're catechesis, and even history because some were made to celebrate military victories or some other celebratory occasions.  St. John Damascene wrote letters to everybody he thought necessary to change the pope's mind.  He made such a fuss that his writing hand was cut off.

St. John Damascene prayed to God, in front of an icon of the Theotokos, and she restored his hand.  In honor of the restoration of his hand, St. John Damascene had a silver hand made to commemorate the hand.  This icon tells this story.  Notice that Mary has three hands, one of them silver.  Note that it's hands, not arms.

St. John Damascene is considered one of the last Fathers of the Church.  He was also declared a doctor of the church in the nineteenth century.
 

Who are the Church Fathers?

A few days ago, we celebrated the saint, John Damascene.  My book said that he is regarded as the last of the Church Fathers.  This made me wonder who the other church fathers were, how many there were, and why are they called "church fathers." Today, I finally had time to delve into my questions.

They are all from the early church.  St. John Damascene died in the eighth century, and that is customarily considered the cut off date.

Why they have this title varies.  Some were religious, some clerics, but all were leaders who were listened to.  They had influence and that influence shaped the church.  Hence, they are considered "fathers of the church."

According to Catholic Answers:

 The Church demands four major characteristics to be exhibited in the life and works of an early Church leader if he is to be considered a Father of the Church. These are antiquity, meaning that he lived before the eighth century doctrinal orthodoxy; personal sanctity; and approval by the Church.

Were there Church Mothers? Since the women weren't people with as much influence as the bishops and noted theologians, their writings haven't been promoted, as much as the church fathers.  Besides, the culture at that time was patristic; hence the Church Fathers.