From Totus Tuus Fb page: "Deep beneath Rome’s Via Salaria, in the ancient Catacomb of Priscilla (called the “Queen of the Catacombs”), a simple 3rd-century fresco still shines with quiet power. It shows the Virgin Mary seated like a Roman matron, gently nursing the Infant Jesus, while a prophet beside her points to a star. Most scholars date this tender image to around 230–240 AD, making it one of the oldest — if not the oldest — surviving depictions of Mary with her Child. The prophet is traditionally seen as Balaam (or Isaiah), pointing to the star that fulfills the prophecy: “A star shall come out of Jacob” (Numbers 24:17) and the virgin who would conceive (Isaiah 7:14). Created while Christianity was still illegal and the faithful buried their dead in secret tunnels, this fresco reveals something beautiful: long before great councils defined Marian dogmas, ordinary Christians already loved and painted the Mother of God with deep tenderness. In the darkness of persecution, they found hope in the nursing Madonna who gave God a human face. This is the faith of the catacombs — the faith of the martyrs. Mary has been cherished from the very beginning. Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us!"
Actually this is the oldest portrait of Mary. Painted by St.Luke and taken to India by St.Thomas. It resides in the church that stands above the place where St Thomas was martyred.
The picture I think to me that looks closest to what Our Lady actually looks like is the Tilma of Guadalupe. It looks very like that one from India. When I was in Israel and looked at a lot of the young Israeli women soldiers they reminded me of Our Lady.
The facial proportions of the infant Jesus don’t seem out of line with His adult facial outline on the Shroud of Turin. Unsurprisingly, He also resembles His Mother.
I was a bit surprised that Totus Tuus would put out this article on the oldest image of Our Lady without checking fully. They do qualify it in the piece itself - "One of the oldest - if not the oldest...", which prompted me to do a quick check. Google came back with this (probably some AI input, so not entirely reliable) but it does give some grounds for considering the image in the catacombs in Rome as being older: "While the tradition of the St. Thomas painting (often referred to as Our Lady of Mylapore or the "Mylapore Madonna") is a treasured artifact believed by many to have been brought to India in 52 AD and painted by St. Luke, there is no historical or archaeological evidence to confirm it. Historical consensus generally attributes it to a later medieval period. The oldest authenticated, surviving depictions of the Virgin Mary date back to the early Christian period in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, long after her lifetime: The Catacomb of Priscilla (Rome, Italy): Painted around 250 AD, this fresco depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ child sitting on her lap, and is widely considered by historians to be the earliest recognized Marian painting. Dura-Europos (Syria): Found in the baptistery of the Dura-Europos church—the oldest surviving Christian house church—this 240 AD wall painting depicts a woman leaning over a well, which many archaeologists and historians identify as the Virgin Mary at the Well."
If you look at the face of the painting of St Luke, and the face of Our Lady of Guadalupe, it is the same face. Details! No one can totally authenticate artwork, even the Shroud of Turin is still scrutinized. But we take these treasures as gifts given to us to ponder and meditate. St Luke had many paintings attributed to him, he Was an artist. He did live with Mary, so he did know what she looked like. Our Lady of Guadalupe image backs this up, but there is never total proof. So we go on faith. I have done extensive research on it, it’s my profession. But there are no total guarantees.
The image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is so compelling. I never tire meditating on her image. Scholars say she assumed the features of a " mestizo" but i believe it is her face as she was and is. I have seen photos of St Luke's portrait quite awhile ago but I cant remember it too well.
And then there's Our Lady of Good Success' statue, where her face was created by the angels in her likeness. So beautful and comforting! I think when one's beauty is coming from something far beyond physical features, it can take on many forms...just as one can have many names, based on who and what one is.
I think that the chin and the nose of all three images of Our Lady shown here are very alike. Beyond coincidence alike.
Yes, I've noticed in all miraculous images of Mary, her nose is long and graceful, her lips are modest and slender, and her eyelids are deep and lovely. These are qualities that modern images of Mary seem to have trouble portraying, especially AI pics.
