The Grand Duchy of Lithuania’s tradition of respect for icons spans centuries and is the continuation of traditions that originated in eastern churches. The mix of eastern and western traditions in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania gave rise to the craft that has been studied by many art and religion researchers. A difference in approaches of the Christian west and east led to a misunderstanding of the concept “icon” in western tradition. The main reason for that is a different role ascribed to the Mother of Jesus in the eastern and western churches. The author explores the sources of Belarusians’ faith at the time. The deeply-researched work examines the roots and evolution of the cult of Mother of Jesus icons in the Orthodox and Uniate Churches. Reading brings one closer to our ancestors’ culture. (Z.K.)