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[[Image:Chania - Kathedrale - Marienikone.jpg|right|thumb|''Tamata'' (votive offerings) placed in front of an icon of the [[Theotokos]] in the Cathedral of [[w:Chania|Chania]], [[Archdiocese of Crete|Crete]].]]
'''Votive Offerings''' ({{el icon}}: τάμα ''' ''Tama'' ''' (''"vow"''), pl. τάματα ''' ''Tamata'' ''' (''"vows"'');),<ref group="note">Synonym: {{el icon}} Όρκος ''' - ''Orkos'' ''' (''Oath, Vow'').</ref> ({{la icon}}: ''' ''[[w:Ex-voto|Ex Voto]] Suscepto,'' ''' (''"from the vow made"'')) or ''' ''Ex Votos'' ''' ) refers to those things that are [[w:Vow|vowed]] or dedicated to [[God]], the [[Theotokos]], or a [[saint]], and are in consequence looked upon as being set apart by this act of [[consecration]], and as an expression of reverence and thanksgiving.
They can be grouped into three different types of offerings including: (a) votives consisting of actions or material things that are vowed to [[God]] (or promised to the [[Theotokos]] or to a [[Saint]] for their intercession with God), in return for a hoped-for [[miracle]]; (b) votives offered in thanksgiving for already-answered [[prayer]]s; or (c) votives given in thanksgiving for [[w:Blessings#Christianity|blessings]] not asked for.<ref name=FISH>''[http://www.fisheaters.com/votiveofferings.html Votive Offerings].'' '''Fish Eaters'''. Retrived 2012-11-19.</ref>