The Obsecro te is a prayer to the Virgin Mary, begging for her aid. This prayer may be introduced by a picture of the Virgin and the Child or by a Pieta. The owner or patron of the book, especially if a woman, may also be shown kneeling in prayer. In the image of the Virgin and Child, the Christ Child is held by His mother, either in her arms or seated on her knees. This scene is not supposed to be an image of motherly love, but symbolizes the Incarnation (Christ, the True God and the True Man). Therefore, in Byzantine and Italian art, the Virgin's demeanor is predominately serious, head covered in a maphorion (a large veil which was the traditional head covering of Greek noble women), grave face and unsmiling, either looking down or gazing at the worshippers adoring Christ. In the North, specifically Germany and the Netherlands, the veil is rare, often replaced by long golden hair held by a diadem or a jeweled crown. By mid-fifteenth century, the image lost its hieratic quality and became more secular, becoming an image of a loving mother cuddling her child.

The Pieta is a representation of the dead Christ accompanied by angels, or by the Virgin (occasionally with St. John), commonly depicting the dead Christ lying across the knees of the Virgin after he is taken from the Cross. While very similar in appearance to the Lamentation, there are differences. In the Lamentation there are more outward signs of grief and Christ's body is on the ground (instead of in Mary's lap, as in the Pieta.)

This prayer asks for the grace of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s pity and aid, as well as that of John the Evangelist. Furthermore, the supplicant asks for forgiveness of sins and health in both body and soul.

Often unillustrated, this prayer may be introduced by a picture of the Virgin and the Child or by a Pieta, as previously described.
 
 

Virgin and Child

The Pieta