Our Lady of The Burning Bush (sometimes titled “unburnt bush”) derives from the miracle witnessed by Moses on Mount Horeb, as described in the book of Exodus; “While Moses was tending his Father-in-law’s flock, he witnessed a bush burning with fire, yet unconsumed. Drawing nearer, God called out to Moses from amid the flames, telling him to remove his sandals “for the place where you stand is holy.” 

According to tradition, the Burning Bush is associated with the Virgin Mary, as the Unburnt Bush symbolizes the way in which the Theotokos gave birth as a virgin… a mystery of divine love. 

In this icon the Virgin Mary is standing in the bush engulfed by red (flames) in a stance of prayer and with an image of the infant Jesus Christ in front of her.  Above her are the letters ‘MP ΘY’, which mean Mother of God in Greek, in the bottom are the letters ‘IC XC’, which mean Jesus Christ in Greek.

While in the early church folk tradition this icon was associated with the miracles of being saved from fire, its spiritual meaning is inviting us into the limitless love of God as embodied by Our Lady Mother of God. 

Red as Fire is understood as the symbol of unceasing divine love.  

Lev Gillet, an orthodox monk, in his small book, The Burning Bush,  writes, “God is fire. God is love. God is a self-propagating emotional power, a fire that shares itself.  

Centuries after Moses beheld the Burning Bush, the same fire merges with the tongues of flame at Pentecost, and with the fire that burned the hearts of the disciples at Emmaus….”  Gillet cites The Gospel of John, “Herein is love, not that we have loved God , but that he loved us.” All else flows from that. This declaration leads us into the very midst of the Burning Bush… we find ourselves within the flames of the Bush….” and like Our Lady, within the fire of God’s Limitless Love.

An early church hymn celebrates this Marion icon:

“The miracle that Moses witnessed on Sinai in the burning bush

Foretold your virgin childbearing, O pure Mother.

We the faithful cry to you:

Rejoice, O truly living bush!

Rejoice, O holy mountain!

Rejoice, O sanctified expanse and most holy Theotokos!”

May Our Lady of the Burning Bush open our Hearts to Christ’s living flame of love within each of us and gently guide us as we go about our daily lives.

Provided by Maidie Weisbarth