No woman has inspired such devotion, or been the subject of so many works of art, as Mary, the mother of Jesus. In this series of reflections, Sr Wendy Beckett draws on the riches of the Eastern Christian tradition of icon painting to look at scenes from Marys life, and the many and varied traditions that surround her. She presents these fascinating paintings not simply as historical artefacts, but as images that have a depth and meaning for the world in which we live today.