Where is the Vladimir Mother of God. Description of the Vladimir icon of the mother of God

One of the first places in the list of the most revered images in Russia is the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God. Its significance for the country is enormous. At one time, a prayer to her more than once saved Russia from the crushing raids of invaders. It was only thanks to the intercession of the Mother of God that this was avoided.

The history and significance of the Vladimir icon is majestic First of all for the Russian people, because it is truly its defender.

The origin and journey of the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God

An ancient legend says about the emergence of the icon. I wrote it when the Mother of God was still alive. An image was created on the board from the table where the whole Sagrada Familia was eating.

Until 450, the icon was in Jerusalem, in the same year it was sent to Constantinople. There it was kept somewhere until about 1131.

In the XII century, the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God was donated to Kievan Rus by Luka Chrysoverg (Patriarch of Constantinople). She was sent to the Mother of God Monastery in Vyshgorod.

When she stayed there for some time, the icon was taken from there by Andrei Bogolyubsky (son of Yuri Dolgorukov). In his wandering, he stops in the city of Vladimir, where he was the sign of the Virgin. In place of this miracle, a temple was erected, in which the icon remained. Now it has become known as Vladimirskaya.

Today, there is a list written by Andrei Rublev. The original icon was transferred in 1480 to the Assumption Cathedral, which is located in Moscow. Then the image was transferred two more times: in 1918 - to the Tretyakov Gallery, and in 1999 - to the Church of St. Nicholas. In the latter, it is still stored.

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is a great shrine. Many stories have been recorded about the history and significance of the icon for the Russian people, which happened in ancient times and at the present time.

Miracles associated with this icon

There are really a great many of them. And they are connected not only with the original of the icon, but also with the lists of which a large number were created.

In addition to the threefold and recorded salvation of the Russian land from the invasion of a foreign yoke, the Mother of God more than once manifested her will through her. For example, where the icon was supposed to remain (in Vladimir), there was a sign to Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky during prayer.

In addition, even in the temple in Vyshgorod, cases of moving the icon were recorded. She seemed not to find a place for herself. Three times she was found in different parts of the church, as a result, after the prayer, Andrei Bogolyubsky took her with him to the Rostov land.

Then there were numerous cases of healing of common people. For example, the water that washed the icon could heal the disease. This is how the healings of the eyes and hearts took place.

This is how the Vladimir Mother of God became. Its significance both for the common people and for the greats of this world was undeniable. She has witnessed many important actions in Russia. This is the appointment of patriarchs and military campaigns. They also swore an oath of allegiance to their homeland in front of her and carried out the coronation of several monarchs.

Prayer before the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God

Prayer to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is truly salvation for a state in which there has been a turmoil or schism. She will allow passions to subside, to moderate anger and enmity. In addition, in the event of heretical moods, one should also offer prayer to this image.

Many believers turn to the icon during an illness, and also, if necessary, make any important decision.

The prayer begins with a respectful address: "O All-Merciful Lady Theotokos." Further, he asks to protect people and the Russian land from various shocks, to protect the entire spiritual rank. Prayer to the Mother of God strengthens faith and gives strength to overcome adversity and troubles.

The meaning of the icon for Russia

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is the most beloved icon in Russia. And in fact, she protected her so much from everything, numerous signs and healings were shown.

Perhaps an interesting sign was that the Mother of God herself chose the place to stay for her icon, which later became known as the Vladimir icon. This was her already mentioned appearance to Andrei Bogolyubsky.

Then there were some more signs of her intercession for the Russian land. For example, in 1395, the great invasion of the conqueror Tamerlane was expected, who had already conquered many lands and was approaching the border of the Russians. It seemed that the battle could not be avoided, but the universal prayer to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God did not allow this to happen.

According to one version, Tamerlane saw in a dream the Majestic Mother of God, who ordered him to leave this land.

And this happened more than once. People's faith increased after each successive salvation. became truly miraculous and most revered. A large number of lists were written from it, which are also worshiped by believers. The importance of icons has always been important. The Vladimir Mother of God in Russia was especially revered.

Days of celebration

Since the icon is considered the deliverer from external attacks on the Russian land, as well as its defender, the celebration in honor of it takes place three times a year. Each of these dates was chosen for a reason.

On August 26, the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God is worshiped for the liberation from Tamerlane in 1395.
On June 23, a celebration takes place in honor of the victory over the Tatar yoke, which happened in 1480.
May 21 - celebration in honor of the victory over Khan Mahmet-Girey, which took place in 1521.

Prayer to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God has saved Russia more than once.

Lists of the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God

There are numerous lists that have been written from this icon. The most famous are the following:

Orange icon. It was written in 1634.
Rostov icon. This image dates back to the 12th century.
Krasnogorsk icon. Its writing dates back to 1603.
Chuguev icon. The exact date of creation is not known.

These are far from all the available lists from the icon. The first of them were written when the image had just appeared on Russian soil. Later, they also created lists from it, the most ancient now remain two.

Obviously, such a diversity says that the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God is very revered, the significance of which is great for believers.

Iconography of the image

If we talk about writing this image, then his style is referred to as “caressing”. It is characterized by the fact that icons of this type speak of the communion of the Theotokos and her Son, that is, this is the deeply human side of the Holy Family.

It is believed that such a style of painting icons did not exist in early Christian art; it appeared much later.

This writing style contains two central shapes. This is the Mother of God and the baby Jesus Christ. Their faces are in close contact, the Son embraces the Mother with his hand around the neck. This image is very touching.

The peculiarity that the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God has, its meaning is the appearance of the heel of a baby, which is not on others like this type.

This icon is double-sided. On the back there is a throne and symbols of the Passion. This suggests that the icon itself carries a special idea. This is the future sacrifice of Jesus and the mourning of his Mother.

There is also an opinion that this icon is a list of Our Lady of Caress from the Blachernae Basilica. In any case, the Vladimir image has long become an independent miraculous face.

Other revered icons of the Mother of God

In addition to the Vladimirskaya Mother of God, there are many more miraculous images that are addressed. So, in front of which icon of the Mother of God what do they usually pray for?

For example, a prayer in front of the Iberian icon helps to increase the fertility of the earth, and it is also a comforter in various troubles.
Prayer before the Bogolyubskaya icon is help during epidemics (cholera, plague).
In case of cancer, prayers are offered to the image of the Mother of God the Tsaritsa.
The Kazan icon is a blessing for marriage, as well as a protector from various invasions and in difficult times.
The image of the Mother of God "Mammal" is very revered by nursing mothers, and prayers are offered to him during childbirth.

As you can see, there are a lot of images that help believers with their miracles. You should always pay attention to the meaning of the icons. Our Lady of Vladimir is no exception. It's just that each of the images takes on intercession in different situations. The Mother of God, as it were, embraces all the sorrows and sorrows of her subjects, helping them in difficulties.

Image Vladimir Mother of God is one of the most ancient and revered in Russia. The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is considered the patroness of the Russian people and Russia itself. Commemoration of the Presentation of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is celebrated 3 times a year: June 3(May 21 st. Art.), 6 july(June 23, Old Style) and 8 September(August 26, Old Style).

In the RCC in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, a church in the Nizhny Novgorod region was consecrated.

In the DOC in the name of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, a prayer room was consecrated.

The common faith church of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is located in the Moscow region.

The image of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Wonders

In 1163-1164, on the initiative of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, the Legend "About the Children of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Volodymyr Icon" was compiled. The priests of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir are considered its authors-compilers: priests Lazar, Nestor and Mikula, who came with the prince from Vyshgorod, which he received from his father Yuri Dolgoruky after his occupation of Kiev. The Legend contains 10 miracles that were accomplished through a prayer appeal to the Mother of God in front of Her Vladimir icon.

The first miracle: on the way of Prince Andrei from Vyshgorod to Pereslavl on the Vazuza River, the guide, who was looking for a ford, suddenly stumbled and began to drown, but he miraculously escaped through the prince's fervent prayer in front of the icon carried by him.
Second: the wife of the priest Mikula, who was expecting a child, for the sake of praying to the Vladimir image, escaped from the enraged horse.
Third: in the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral, a man with a dry hand turned to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and began to pray with tears and great faith in miraculous healing. Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky and priest Nestor testified that they saw how the Most Pure One herself took the patient's hand and held it until the end of the service, after which he was completely healed.
Fourth: the wife of Prince Andrew was carrying the baby hard, the birth was very difficult. Then (on the day of the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos) the Vladimir icon of the Mother of God was washed with water and this water was given to the princess to drink, after which she was easily resolved by her son Yuri.
Fifth: saving a baby from witchcraft thanks to washing with water from the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.
Sixth: healing of a heart patient from Murom with water from the Vladimir icon.
Seventh: healing from blindness of Mother Superior Mary from the Slavyatin monastery near Pereslavl-Khmelnitsky (Ukraine); her brother, Boris Zhidislavich, who was the governor of Prince Andrey, asked the priest Lazar to give him water from the icon, the abbess drank it with prayer, anointed her eyes and regained his sight.
Eighth: the woman Efimia suffered from heart disease for seven years. Having learned, from the stories of the priest Lazar, about the healing properties of water from the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, she sent with him to Vladimir many gold ornaments to the icon. Having received the holy water, she drank it with prayer and was healed.
Ninth: a certain noblewoman from Tver could not give birth for three days and was already dying; on the advice of the same Lazarus, she took a vow to the Holy Mother of God of Vladimir, and then the birth quickly ended with the successful birth of her son. As a token of gratitude, the noblewoman sent many precious jewelry to the Vladimir image.
Tenth: it happened that the Golden Gate of Vladimir's Passage Tower, which is still in the city, fell, and 12 people were under them. Prince Andrew appealed to the Most Pure in prayer in front of the Vladimir Icon, and all 12 people not only survived, but did not even receive any injuries.

The city of Moscow and the miraculous image of the Vladimir Mother of God are indissolubly and forever merged. How many times She saved the white stone from enemies! This image linked the apostolic times and Byzantium, Russia of Kiev and Vladimir, and then Moscow - the Third Rome, "and the fourth does not exist." This is how the Moscow state was formed providentially, incorporating a mystical connection with ancient empires, historical experience, and traditions of other Orthodox lands and peoples. The miraculous image of Vladimirskaya became a symbol of unity and continuity.

In Orthodoxy, there is an ancient tradition of icon-worship, which brings undoubted benefit to believers and is associated with numerous and varied miracles. The icon of the Vladimir Mother of God enjoys special respect among Orthodox Christians, in which it helps and why it is so appreciated.

Who is the creator. There are a number of images that, according to legend, were written by the Apostle Luke himself, the author of one of the books of the Gospel. This image received the blessing of the Most Pure Virgin herself and is written on the board that used to serve Christ, as well as Mary and Joseph at the dinner table. That is why there is special grace on him, and he has such tremendous value.

Major historical milestones:

until the middle of the fifth century stays on the territory of Jerusalem, then transported to Constantinople;
remains in Byzantium until the 12th century, but the Patriarch of Constantinople presents the image to Yuri Dolgoruky, who brought the icon to Kiev;
a period of various miracles, which the son of Dolgoruky, Andrei Bogolyubsky, learns about. Going to the Vyshgorod monastery, the prince takes the sacred face, on the way arrives in Vladimir, where he sees a vision of the Mother of God. Here he orders to build a new temple;
the icon of Vladimir gets its current name, performs various miracles, saves Russia more than once;
Andrei Rublev makes a list (in 1408), which remains the temple of the city of Vladimir, the original was taken to Moscow in 1480 and placed on the territory of the Assumption Cathedral;
In 1918 the image was transferred to the Tretyakov Gallery, in 1999 to the Church of St. Nicholas.

This is the official history of the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, which is more interesting for scientists. In addition, there is a completely different one, which is interesting for believers. This historical mosaic has been preserved in separate grains in the stories and testimonies of the people.

Description of the image

There are four main iconographic images of the Virgin: Odigitria, Eleusa, Orant, Akathist, which are used to create shrines. On the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, we see the type of Eleus or Tenderness, which is characterized by the Infant and the Mother of God clinging to each other. They touch their cheeks and embrace each other.

The formal and primitive level of understanding gives a completely understandable meaning - the relationship between mother and child, the tenderness of mother's love. Of course, such a symbol should not be neglected, since it itself is very significant for understanding. Nevertheless, one should not forget about the role of the figures depicted: before us are not just people, but saints, although they are depicted in human guise.

Note! A feature of the image is a small detail - the feet of the Savior. One of them is turned towards the viewer who can contemplate the heel of the infant Christ. This element distinguishes the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God.

Symbolic description:

depicted are pressed against their cheeks: the Blessed Virgin symbolizes humanity, and Christ represents the Lord, to whom every person strives. Thus, divine love and close relationship between the Creator and His child are portrayed;
Mary's clothes: the lower part of the blue tint symbolizes heavenly purity, the upper part is red, indicating the regal position of Mary and the suffering of the Mother of God;
golden elements of clothing also indicate royalty, a symbol of divine grace.

The Mother of God can also symbolically represent not only humanity and man separately, but also the church. This is emphasized by one detail: Mary has armlets on her clothes, which are worn by priests. The Mother of God is an Equal-to-the-Apostles Church that allows humanity to go to the Lord.

Useful video: about the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

Wonders

Before considering how this image helps, you need to describe briefly the well-known miracles that were performed throughout the long history of Russia. Wikipedia can tell about this, these facts are well known. Until now, the miracles associated with this icon help believers.

Note! The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is one of the key images for Russian Orthodoxy.

Hundreds of thousands of believers for centuries and ordinary people and aristocrats prayed before him, great ascetics and worldly people comprehended the faith before him, through the prayers of the Russian people, the Virgin Mary worked miracles and protected her native land from all sorts of hardships.

Notable Miracles:

In 1395, the Most Pure Virgin appeared in a dream to Tamerlane, who at that time conquered a huge amount of lands, forced him to retreat and not to seize Russia.
In 1451, the Tatars again stood under the walls of the city, but Jonah, who at that time was a metropolitan, carried along the city walls an icon of the Mother of God to God in order to protect the city. At night, the Tatars heard an incomprehensible noise and considered that this was the approaching army of Vasily Dmitrievich. The enemy hordes were seized by fear, they retreated from the walls of the city and went home.
Standing on the Ugra River in 1480. According to legend, the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was taken to the river before the start of the alleged battle. For 9 months the troops of the Russians and Tatars stood on the opposite banks of the river, not daring to launch an offensive. Before the battle, the Russians brought the icon to their shore and, after a short time, the Tatars retreated.
Salvation of Moscow. At the beginning of the 16th century, the invasion of the Tatars could completely destroy Moscow, but one of the nuns had a dream about the icon and the sins of the inhabitants of the capital. As a result, in the morning the townspeople and priests gathered in the church to pray to the Mother of God for help. As a result, the Tatars retreated again.
Finding a king. With the icon, under the leadership of the Metropolitan, they went to Boris Godunov to become the new tsar.
Liberation from the Poles. In 1613, the liberation troops entered the city, which they greeted with this very face.

In addition, the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God was actively used during the coronation of various monarchs. People noticed various miracles that were achieved by praying before the image or washing with water that had previously washed it. These facts were recorded in various church books.

Informative! What is: when and how to pray correctly

How to pray

Many Orthodox Christians have seen at least a photo or a reproduction of this image. It is found in many temples. What they pray to the Vladimir Icon of God: believers ask for their own needs, do not forget about their own land and other Orthodox Christians who will need the intercession of the Mother of God.

Let's list the most common reasons:

strengthening in faith in moments of doubt, when there is a need to strengthen faith, deepen your own religious feeling;
about healing from mental and physical ailments, the Virgin Mary constantly prays to the Lord and is a great intercessor who helps those who ask for health;
about deliverance from sin - this is what the image helps especially, every believer can come to repent and receive forgiveness;
to ask for the country and the Orthodox faith - such a prayer is traditional and has been practiced for many centuries;
before making a decision, when you need to think about something and get some valuable advice, after praying to the Mother of God, the best decision itself visits the mind of the believer.

In the red corner of the house there are usually images of the Savior and the Mother of God - this is an integral minimum. You can install the Vladimir Mother of God by Andrei Rublev or in an earlier iconographic version. The face is very versatile and can benefit the believer.

From the previous description, it is known what the icon looks like: a distinctive feature is the foot of Christ, which is turned towards the viewer. From this detail, it is easy to see the desired image when you come to the temple and offer a prayer.

To do this, you need to come before or after the service in order to be able to light a candle and read the prayer the required number of times.

It is also possible to pray in a cell, that is, at home, in front of the image that is in the room. This practice is indispensable for the Orthodox; solitary prayer brings significant spiritual benefits.

Here are some tips for this practice:

before starting, you should clear your own mind, tune in to prayer, abandon earthly worries;
in front of the image, if possible, a candle or an icon lamp is first lit up;
you need to provide solitude and complete tranquility so as not to be distracted and focus on the words of prayer;
it is best when the prayer is recited from memory, but a prayer book or just a handy printout can also be used;
it is also allowed to pray in your own words, which begins with the traditional address "O All-Merciful Lady Theotokos."

Useful video: the history of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

Output

When the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God becomes part of a regular prayer practice, the believer acquires a special connection with this image. A kind of invisible connection with the rest of the Orthodox world is being established; this face, as it were, permeates centuries of the Orthodox faith and contains a kind of quintessence of this tradition. It contains deep archetypes, with the help of it grace descends into the world, it is a clear window through which believers can look into the spiritual world.

The holy image has more than once helped the Russian army to win decisive battles - this is one of the most revered shrines of the Russian Orthodox Church, which established a threefold celebration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.

How the Holy Image ended up in Russia

According to legend, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was painted by the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke during the earthly life of the Mother of God on the board of the table, at which the Savior, the Most Pure Mother and the righteous Joseph dined.

The Virgin Mary, seeing Her image, said: "From now on, all those who give birth will bless Me. Let the grace of the One born of Me and Mine be with this image."

The icon of the Mother of God remained in Jerusalem until 450, then it was transferred to Constantinople. At the beginning of the 12th century, the Patriarch of Constantinople Luke Chrysoverg sent a special copy (copy) of it to Kiev as a gift to the Holy Prince Mstislav.

After arriving in Russia, the icon from 1131 was in the Mother of God Monastery, which was located in one of the northern suburbs of Kiev - Vyshgorod. Rumors about her wonderful creations circulated throughout Russia.

How the icon got its name

Vyshgorod became the inheritance of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, in 1155. Having decided to move to his native Suzdal land, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky took the icon with him and prayed fervently in front of it on the way.

After resting in Vladimir, the prince was going to continue moving, but having driven off quite a bit from the city, his horses stopped. All attempts to force them to go further were unsuccessful. Even after the change of horses, nothing has changed.

The astonished prince began to pray fervently to the Mother of God, and during the prayer, the Mother of God appeared to him, who commanded him to leave the miraculous icon in Vladimir and build a cathedral that would become her home. The prince erected the icon in Vladimir and since then the image has received the name - the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.

Patroness of the Russian people

The icon was first brought to Moscow in 1395, when the conqueror Khan Tamerlane (Temir-Aksak) with his hordes invaded the Russian lands, took the city of Yelets and headed for Moscow.

The Moscow prince Vasily Dmitrievich, who ruled from 1389 to 1425, went with an army to Kolomna and stopped on the banks of the Oka.

The Grand Duke prayed to the saints of Moscow and the Monk Sergius for the deliverance of the Fatherland and wrote to the Metropolitan of Moscow, Saint Cyprian, that the coming Dormition Fast would be dedicated to fervent prayers for mercy and repentance.

The clergy were sent to Vladimir, where the glorified miraculous icon was located. After the liturgy and prayer service on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, the clergy received the icon and carried it to Moscow with a procession of the cross. Countless people on both sides of the road, kneeling, prayed: "Mother of God, save the Russian land!"

According to legend, at the very hour when the inhabitants of Moscow met the icon on the Kuchkov field, Tamerlane was dozing in his tent - in a dream he saw a great mountain, from the top of which the saints with golden rods were walking towards him, and the Majestic Wife appeared above them in radiant radiance , which ordered him to leave the borders of Russia.

Waking up in awe, Tamerlane asked about the meaning of the vision, to which the knowledgeable replied that the shining Woman is the Mother of God, the great Protector of Christians. Then Tamerlane ordered the regiments to turn back.

In memory of the miraculous deliverance of the Russian land from Tamerlane, the Sretensky Monastery was built on Kuchkovo Field, where the icon was met, and on September 8, a celebration was established in honor of the meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

One of the greatest shrines in Russia

The icon of the Vladimir Mother of God has always taken part in important events of the Russian state and is considered one of the greatest shrines in Russia.

So, during the attack of the Tatars on Moscow in 1451, Metropolitan Jonah carried the icon in a procession along the city walls. At night, the attackers heard a loud noise and decided that it was Prince Vasily Dmitrievich who was coming to the aid of the besieged with his army, in the morning they lifted the siege and retreated from the city walls.

And in 1480, the battle of the Russian troops with the Tatar-Mongols was supposed to take place - the opponents stood on different banks of the river and prepared for the battle, but it never took place.

This "great stand on the Ugra River" ended with the flight of the Tatar-Mongols, into which the Mother of God converted them through her Vladimir icon, which was in front of the Russian army.

Once again, the enemy hordes approached Moscow in 1521, began to burn the townships, but unexpectedly withdrew from the city without causing significant harm to the capital. This event is also associated with the protection of the miraculous icon, in honor of which its third holiday was established, which is celebrated on June 3.

With the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, the people went to the Novodevichy Convent to Boris Godunov in order to put him on the throne. This icon was greeted by the troops of Minin and Pozharsky, who drove out the Polish invaders in 1613, and so on.

The most important events in Russian church history also took place in front of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Including the election and appointment of Saint Jonah - Primate of the Autocephalous Russian Church (1448), Saint Job - the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (1589), His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon (1917).

On the day of the celebration in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Pimen of Moscow and All Russia took place on June 3, 1971.

Moving to a new home

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was transferred for permanent storage to the Moscow Dormition Cathedral in 1480. In Vladimir, however, there remained an exact copy of the icon, written by the Monk Andrei Rublev.

horse of the artist Andrei Rublev "Our Lady of Vladimir" (1408)

In 1918, the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin was closed, and the miraculous image was transferred to the State Tretyakov Gallery. On September 8, 1999, the miraculous icon was transferred from the Tretyakov Gallery to the Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi, connected to the museum by a small corridor.

Description of the Holy Image

According to art historians, the icon was painted in the 12th century, presumably in Constantinople. The icon belongs to the ancient type of images of the Virgin, which is called "Eleusa", that is, "Merciful, Tenderness".

These are the most delicate icons of the Mother of God, on which the Most Holy One clung to her Son, and He - to Her. They seem to be conducting some kind of internal dialogue with each other, and the praying person becomes, as it were, a participant in this conversation between the Mother and the Divine Infant.

The icon is two-sided: on the front side - the image of the Mother of God with the Child, on the back - the throne and the instruments of the Passion of Christ. The background is light ocher, lilac manure, with brown stains "like marble", the fields are dark ocher, the inscriptions (IC XC. NI KA) are red.

Lists of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God were often written, some of which received special names and are miraculous.

An exact copy of the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is also in the Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral. The gift of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia was delivered to Georgia in September 2009.

What helps

The Mother of God of Vladimir helps every believer who turns to Her with sincere prayer - She is the intercessor and protector, protects the house and helps in many everyday needs.

The Most Holy Theotokos helps to find the true path, make the right decision, gives strength to overcome a difficult period of life, strengthens faith, protects from enmity, relieves of sinful thoughts and confusion.

The Mother of God also heals from physical ailments, especially often they pray to Her for the healing of diseases of the heart and eyes, which symbolizes not only bodily but also spiritual insight.

The Mother of God also contributes to a happy marriage, for strong family ties, without quarrels and strife, are the key to a strong country.

Prayers

First prayer

Oh, All-Merciful Lady Theotokos, Heavenly Queen, Omnipotent Intercessor, our shameful Hope!

We thank Thee for all the good deeds, the Russian people from You who were, from ancient times to this day, from Your miraculous perishable icons. And now, Abiding Lady, look upon us sinful and unworthy Thy servants, show us Thy mercy and pray to Thy Son, Christ our God, for the hedgehog to rid us of all evil and to preserve every hail and weight, and our whole country from joy, destruction , coward, flood, fire, sword, invasion of aliens and civil strife. Ask Orthodox Christians for prosperity and a peaceful life, health, longevity, good haste and salvation in everything. Save and make wise the pastors of the Church, the hedgehog is worthy to shepherd the flock of Christ and the right to rule the word of truth; strengthen the Christ-loving All-Russian army, give the spirit of advice and reason with a military leader, a city governor and everyone else who is in power; send down Thy holy blessing to all Orthodox Christians who worship Ty and pray before Thy celibate icon. Be our Intercessor and Intercessor before the Throne of the Most High, where you stand. To whom shall we resort, if not to You, Lady? To whom can we bring tears and sighs, if not to You, Most Holy Theotokos? Not imams of any other help, not imams of other hopes, except for You, Heavenly Queen. We flow under Your cover, with Your prayers sent us peace, health, fruitful earth, good air dissolution, deliver us from all troubles and sorrows, from all ailments and diseases, from sudden death and from all anger of enemies visible and invisible.

Give understanding and teach us, O All-Merciful Intercessor, how sinlessly to walk the path of this earthly life; Thou art all our weakness, weigh our sins, but weigh our faith and see our hope; grant us the correction of sinful lives and soften our wicked hearts.

Strengthen the right faith in us, put into our hearts the spirit, the fear of God, the spirit of piety, the spirit of humility, patience and love, prosperity in good deeds; Deliver us from temptations, from harmful teachings of the soul, from unbelief, corruption and eternal destruction. We ask you, Most Pure Lady, and falling before your holy icon, we pray, have mercy on us and have mercy on us, on the terrible day of judgment, through the intercession and intercession of Thy, make us stand on the right hand of Thy Son, Christ our God, and all glory, honor befits Him. and worship, with His Beginning Father, and His Most Holy and Good and Consubstantial Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Second prayer

To whom do you cry, Lady? To whom shall we resort in our sorrow, if not to You, Queen of Heaven? Who will receive our weeping and sighing, if not You, most blameless, the hope of Christians and a refuge for us, sinners? Who is more in your favor? Incline Thy ear to us, Lady, Mother of our God, and do not despise those who demand Thy help: hear our groaning, strengthen us, sinners, give reason and teach, Queen of Heaven, and do not depart from us, Thy servant, Lady, for our murmuring, but wake us Mother and Intercessor, and hand us over to the merciful cover of Thy Son: arrange for us, whatever will be the holy of Thy will, and lead us, sinners, to a quiet and serene life, so we mourn for our sins, so we will always rejoice with You. , now and forever and forever. Amen.

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources

Many people specially come to the church-museum of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi at the State Tretyakov Gallery to worship and pray to the famous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.

It is believed that it is miraculous - it protects from troubles and danger, heals diseases.

The day dedicated to this unique icon is celebrated three times a year - June 3, July 6 and September 8. And each date is associated with a miracle that happened thanks to this sacred artifact.

And today we will tell you about the origin of the icon, what it is famous for, and how to ask for help from it.

The origin of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

It is believed that this holy image was painted by the Evangelist Luke on a tabletop board, at which Jesus Christ, his mother Mary and her husband Joseph took a meal. As the Bible says, the Mother of God herself blessed the icon and said: “From now on, all generations will bless Me. The grace of Him who was born of Me and Mine be with this icon ”.

However, most likely, we are not dealing with the work of Luke himself (according to numerous studies, not a single of his creation has survived to this day), but with the so-called "list". And art critics date the icon to the 12th century AD. However, this does not make it less valuable and miraculous. Whoever was the author of this work, he managed to put light and a kind of heavenly power into it, protecting and preserving not only people, but also the whole country.

It should be added that in terms of iconography, the icon belongs to the Eleus type, that is, "Tenderness", and conveys the tenderness that binds the Mother of God and her divine child. In addition, it is believed that the icon was originally two-sided, since the shape of the ark and husk is the same on both sides.

The path of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and the miracles performed by it

The icon appeared in Russia around 1131. It was donated to Yuri Dolgoruky by the Byzantine patriarch Luka Khrisoverg. She was placed in the convent of the Mother of God in Vyshgorod, not far from Kiev. However, she did not stay there for long. In 1169 (according to some sources - in 1160), Andrei Bogolyubsky stole the icon (according to other sources, he simply took it with him, leaving from Suzdal) and transported it to Vladimir, which is why it has been called Vladimirskaya ever since.

As the legend says, Bogolyubsky did not plan to leave the icon in Vladimir, but was passing through this city, but the horses stood up and refused to go further. They were replaced, but the result was the same - the horses did not move. Then Andrey realized that the Mother of God herself was showing him the place where she wanted to stay. And in two years the temple of the Assumption of the Virgin was erected in Vladimir.

But the icon did not stay there either. When in 1395 Tamerlane went to war against Russia, Vasily I ordered the delivery of the holy image to Moscow in order to protect the city from the usurper. And the Mother of God stood up for the Russians - Tamerlane did not reach Moscow, but deployed his army from Yelets and set off on the return journey. There is another legend: the conqueror fell asleep in his tent, and the Mother of God appeared to him in a dream, surrounded by heavenly hosts, and ordered him to leave the borders of Russia. In honor of this event, the day of the icon is celebrated on September 8.

The following miracles happened when the icon in 1480 helped get rid of the army of Khan Akhmat (commemorated on July 6), and in 1521 - from Makhmet-Girey (celebrated on June 3). In both cases, such a strong fear was found on the warriors and their leaders that they preferred to retreat. They say that Giray's fighters also had a vision - an innumerable number of either people or angels dressed in golden robes.

In addition to the fact that the icon protected Russia, it also saved itself more than once. So, she did not suffer in a terrible fire and survived when the soldiers of Batu ravaged Vladimir. And wherever she was - in Vyshgorod, in Vladimir, in the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow, everywhere residents received help and intercession.

How and when to refer to the icon

It is generally accepted that the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God helps on any day, but on the dates of its special commemoration, its power increases many times over. There is an akathist, consisting of 27 kontakion and ikos, praising the Mother of God and asking her for protection for our country and for its inhabitants.

If you do not know all these words by heart, then remember at least the first kontakion and refer to the holy image with it when you want to gain the protection of the Mother of God:

“To the chosen Voevoda, our Intercessor, looking at your first-described image, we sing of praise to Thy Rabbi, Bogomati. You, who have an invincible power, save and save those who are grateful to You who cry: Rejoice, Most Pure One, exuding us from the icon of Your mercy ”.

However, even if you express your requests in the usual language, familiar to you, the Mother of God will not refuse to help you, the main thing is that your words come from the very heart. You can also read one of the many prayers to the Mother of God. And don't forget to put candles in front of the icon. Their number is at your discretion.

How does the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God help

It is believed that the icon not only protects the country and heals diseases, but also helps with disagreements in the family, instills answers to difficult questions and promotes the adoption of important decisions. They pray to her in order to receive enlightenment - both physical and spiritual, as well as in case of heart problems, again in terms of health, and in the absence or loss of faith. She especially protects mothers and their children, grants pregnant women easy childbirth and healthy babies, relieves infertility and diseases of the reproductive organs.
Visit the temple-museum of St. Nicholas in Tolmachy on June 3, pray to the Intercessor, and may her Grace be with you.