How does Vladimirskaya help? Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God depicts the Mother of God. It is one of the most revered relics of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God: legend

According to pious tradition, the image of the Mother of God of Vladimir was written by the Evangelist Luke on a board from the table at which the Savior dined with the Most Pure Mother and the righteous Joseph the Betrothed. The Mother of God, seeing this image, said: “From now on, all my people will please Me. May the grace of Him who was born of Me and Mine be with this image.”

Until the middle of the 5th century, the icon remained in Jerusalem. Under Theodosius the Younger, it was transferred to Constantinople, from where in 1131 it was sent to Rus' as a gift to Yuri Dolgoruky from the Patriarch of Constantinople Luke Chrysoverkh. The icon was placed in a nunnery in the city of Vyshgorod, not far from Kyiv, where it immediately became famous for its many miracles. In 1155, the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, St. Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, wanting to have a famous shrine, transported the icon to the north, to Vladimir, and placed it in the famous Assumption Cathedral, which he erected. From that time on, the icon received the name Vladimir.

During the campaign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky against the Volga Bulgarians, in 1164, the image of the “Holy Mother of God of Vladimir” helped the Russians defeat the enemy. The icon survived the terrible fire on April 13, 1185, when the Vladimir Cathedral burned down, and remained unharmed during the destruction of Vladimir by Batu on February 17, 1237.

The further history of the image is entirely connected with the capital city of Moscow, where it was first brought in 1395 during the invasion of Khan Tamerlane. The conqueror with an army invaded the borders of Ryazan, captured and ruined it and headed his way to Moscow, devastating and destroying everything around. While the Moscow Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich was gathering troops and sending them to Kolomna, in Moscow itself, Metropolitan Cyprian blessed the population for fasting and prayerful repentance. On mutual advice, Vasily Dmitrievich and Cyprian decided to resort to spiritual weapons and transfer the miraculous icon of the Most Pure Mother of God from Vladimir to Moscow.

The icon was brought into the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. The chronicle reports that Tamerlane, having stood in one place for two weeks, suddenly became afraid, turned south and left the Moscow borders. A great miracle happened: during a procession with a miraculous icon, heading from Vladimir to Moscow, when countless people were kneeling on both sides of the road and praying: “Mother of God, save the Russian land!”, Tamerlane had a vision. A high mountain appeared before his mental gaze, from the top of which saints with golden staffs were descending, and above them the Majestic Woman appeared in a radiant radiance. She ordered him to leave the borders of Russia. Waking up in awe, Tamerlane asked about the meaning of the vision. They answered him that the radiant Woman is the Mother of God, the great Defender of Christians. Then Tamerlane gave the order to the regiments to go back.

In memory of the miraculous deliverance of Rus' from the invasion of Tamerlane, a solemn ceremony was established on the day of the meeting in Moscow of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God on August 26 / September 8 church holiday The meeting of this icon, and at the meeting place itself a temple was erected, around which the Sretensky Monastery was later located.

For the second time, the Mother of God saved Rus' from ruin in 1480 (commemorated on June 23 / July 6), when the army of the Khan of the Golden Horde, Akhmat, approached Moscow.

The meeting of the Tatars with the Russian army took place near the Ugra River (the so-called “standing on the Ugra”): the troops stood on different banks and were waiting for a reason to attack. In the front ranks of the Russian army they held an icon Our Lady of Vladimir, which miraculously put the Horde regiments to flight.

The third celebration of the Vladimir Mother of God (May 21 / June 3) remembers the deliverance of Moscow from the defeat of Makhmet-Girey, Khan of Kazan, who in 1521 reached the borders of Moscow and began to burn its suburbs, but suddenly retreated from the capital without causing harm to it.

Many events took place before the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. major events Russian church history: the election and installation of St. Jonah - Primate of the Autocephalous Russian Church (1448), St. Job - the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (1589), His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon (1917), as well as oaths were taken before her in all centuries for loyalty to the Motherland, prayers were held before military campaigns.

Iconography of the Vladimir Mother of God

The icon of the Vladimir Mother of God belongs to the “Caressing” type, also known under the epithets “Eleusa” (ελεουσα - “Merciful”), “Tenderness”, “Glycophilus” (γλυκυφιλουσα - “Sweet kiss”). This is the most lyrical of all types of iconography of the Virgin Mary, revealing the intimate side of the Virgin Mary’s communication with Her Son. The image of the Mother of God caressing the Child, his deep humanity turned out to be especially close to Russian painting.

The iconographic scheme includes two figures - the Virgin Mary and the Infant Christ, their faces clinging to each other. Mary's head is bowed towards the Son, and He puts his hand around the Mother's neck. Distinctive feature The Vladimir icon differs from other icons of the “Tenderness” type: the left leg of the Infant Christ is bent in such a way that the sole of the foot, the “heel,” is visible.

This touching composition, in addition to its direct meaning, contains a deep theological idea: the Mother of God caressing the Son appears as a symbol of the soul in close communion with God. In addition, the embrace of Mary and the Son suggests the future sufferings of the Savior on the cross; in the Mother’s caressing of the Child, his future mourning is foreseen.

The work is permeated with completely obvious sacrificial symbolism. From a theological point of view, its content can be reduced to three main themes: “the incarnation, the predestination of the Child to the sacrifice and the unity in love of Mary the Church with Christ the High Priest.” This interpretation of Our Lady of Caress is confirmed by the image on the back of the icon of the throne with the symbols of the Passion. Here in the 15th century. they painted an image of the throne (etimasia - “prepared throne”), covered with an altar cloth, the Gospel with the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, nails, a crown of thorns, behind the throne there is a Calvary cross, a spear and a cane with a sponge, below is the floor of the altar flooring. The theological interpretation of etymasia is based on Holy Scripture and the writings of the Church Fathers. Etymasia symbolizes Christ's resurrection and His judgment over the living and the dead, and the instruments of His torment are the sacrifice made to atone for the sins of mankind. The juxtaposition of Mary caressing the Child and the turnover with the throne clearly expressed sacrificial symbolism.

Arguments have been put forward in favor of the fact that the icon was double-sided from the very beginning: this is evidenced by the identical shapes of the ark and the husks of both sides. In the Byzantine tradition, there were often images of a cross on the back of Mother of God icons. Starting from the 12th century, the time of the creation of the “Vladimir Mother of God,” in Byzantine murals, the etymasia was often placed in the altar as an altar image, visually revealing the sacrificial meaning of the Eucharist, which takes place here on the throne. This suggests the possible location of the icon in antiquity. For example, in the Vyshgorod monastery church it could be placed in the altar as a double-sided altar icon. The text of the Legend contains information about the use of the Vladimir icon as an altar icon and as an outside icon that was moved in the church.

The luxurious attire of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which she had according to the news of the chronicles, also does not testify in favor of the possibility of its location in the altar barrier in the 12th century: “And there were more than thirty hryvnias of gold on it, in addition to silver and in addition to expensive stones and pearls, and Having decorated it, put it in your church in Volodymeri.” But many of the external icons were later strengthened precisely in iconostases, like the Vladimir Icon in the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow, originally placed to the right of the royal doors: “And having brought in<икону>to the supreme temple of her glorious Dormition, which is the great Catholic and Apostolic Church of the Russian Metropolis, and put it in an icon case on the right side, where to this day it stands visible and worshiped by all" (See: Book Degree. M., 1775. Part 1 . P. 552).

There is an opinion that the “Vladimir Mother of God” was one of the lists of the icon of the Mother of God “Caressing” from the Blachernae Basilica, that is, a list with the famous ancient miraculous icon. In the Legend of the Miracles of the Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, she is likened to the Ark of the Covenant, like the Virgin Mary herself, as well as her Robe, which was kept in the rotunda of Agia Soros in Blachernae. The Legend also speaks of healings that are accomplished mainly thanks to the water from the ablutions of the Vladimir Icon: they drink this water, wash the sick with it, and send it to other cities in sealed vessels to heal the sick. This miracle-working of waters from the washing of the Vladimir icon, emphasized in the Legend, could also be rooted in the rituals of the Blachernae sanctuary, the most important part of which was the chapel of the spring dedicated to the Mother of God. Constantine Porphyrogenitus described the custom of washing in a font in front of a marble relief of the Mother of God, from whose hands water flowed.

In addition, this opinion is supported by the fact that under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky in his Vladimir principality, the cult of the Mother of God, associated with Blachernae shrines, received special development. For example, on the Golden Gate of the city of Vladimir, the prince erected the Church of the Deposition of the Robe of the Mother of God, directly dedicating it to the relics of the Blachernae Temple.

Style of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

The time of painting of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, the 12th century, refers to the so-called Komnenian revival (1057-1185). This period in Byzantine art is characterized by the extreme dematerialization of painting, carried out by drawing faces and clothes with numerous lines, whitening slides, sometimes whimsically, ornamentally placed on the image.

In the icon we are considering, the most ancient painting of the 12th century includes the faces of the Mother and the Child, part of the blue cap and maforium border with a gold assist, as well as part of the ocher chiton of the Child with a gold assist with sleeves to the elbow and the transparent edge of the shirt visible from under it, a brush the left and part of the right hand of the Child, as well as the remains of the golden background. These few surviving fragments represent a high example of the Constantinople school of painting of the Komnenian period. There is no deliberate graphic quality characteristic of the time; on the contrary, the line in this image is nowhere opposed to volume. The main means of artistic expression is built on “the combination of insensible flows, giving the surface the impression of not being made by hands, with a geometrically pure, visibly built line.” “The personal letter is one of the most perfect examples of “Comnenian floating”, combining multi-layered sequential modeling with the absolute indistinguishability of the stroke. The layers of painting are loose, very transparent; the main thing is in their relationship with each other, in the transmission of the lower ones through the upper ones.<…>A complex and transparent system of tones – greenish sankira, ocher, shadows and highlights – leads to a specific effect of diffused, flickering light.”

Among the Byzantine icons of the Comnenian period, the Vladimir Mother of God also stands out as characteristic of the best works of this time deep penetration into the realm of the human soul, its hidden secret sufferings. The heads of Mother and Son pressed against each other. The Mother of God knows that Her Son is doomed to suffer for the sake of people, and sorrow lurks in Her dark, thoughtful eyes.

The skill with which the painter was able to convey a subtle spiritual state most likely served as the origin of the legend about the painting of the image by the Evangelist Luke. It should be recalled that the painting of the early Christian period, the time when the famous evangelist icon painter lived, was flesh and blood of the art of late antiquity, with its sensual, “life-like” nature. But, in comparison with the icons of the early period, the image of the Vladimir Mother of God bears the stamp of the highest “spiritual culture”, which could only be the fruit of centuries-old Christian thoughts about the coming of the Lord to earth, the humility of His Most Pure Mother and the path they traversed of self-denial and sacrificial love.

Revered miraculous lists with icons of the Vladimir Mother of God

From the Vladimir Icon Holy Mother of God Many lists have been written over the centuries. Some of them became famous for their miracles and received special names depending on their place of origin. This:

Vladimir - Volokolamsk icon (memory of Mr. 3/16), which was the contribution of Malyuta Skuratov to the Joseph-Volokolamsk monastery. Nowadays it is in the collection of the Central Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art named after Andrei Rublev.
Vladimirskaya - Seligerskaya (memory D. 7/20), brought to Seliger by Nil Stolbensky in the 16th century.
Vladimir - Zaonikievskaya (memory M. 21. / John 3; John 23 / Ill. 6, from the Zaonikievsky monastery), 1588.
Vladimirskaya - Oranskaya (memory M. 21 / John 3), 1634.
Vladimirskaya - Krasnogorskaya (Montenegorskaya) (memory M. 21 / John 3). 1603
Vladimir - Rostov (memory Av. 15/28), XII century.

Troparion to the Icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir, tone 4

Today the most glorious city of Moscow is brightly adorned, / as if we have received the dawn of the sun, O Lady, Your miraculous icon, / to which we now flow and pray to You we cry out: / O, most wonderful Lady Theotokos, / pray to You, our incarnate God, / may He deliver the city this and all Christian cities and countries are unharmed from all the slander of the enemy, // and our souls will be saved by the Merciful.

Kontakion to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, tone 8

To the chosen victorious Governor, / as those who were delivered from the evil ones by the coming of Your honorable image, / Lady Theotokos, / we brightly celebrate the celebration of Your meeting and usually call You: // Rejoice, Unmarried Bride.

Prayer to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

O All-Merciful Lady Theotokos, Heavenly Queen, Almighty Intercessor, our shameless Hope! Thanking Thee for all the great blessings that the Russian people have received from Thee throughout the generations, before Thy most pure image we pray to Thee: save this city (or: this whole, or: this holy monastery) and Thy coming servants and the whole Russian land from famine, destruction , land of shaking, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare. Save and save, O Lady, our Great Lord and Father Kirill, His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', and our Lord (name of the rivers), His Eminence Bishop (or: Archbishop, or: Metropolitan) (title), and all Your Eminence metropolitans, archbishops and Orthodox bishops. May they govern the Russian Church well, and may the faithful sheep of Christ be preserved indestructibly. Remember, Lady, the entire priestly and monastic order, warm their hearts with zeal for God and strengthen them to walk worthy of their calling. Save, O Lady, and have mercy on all Your servants and grant us the path of the earthly journey without blemish. Confirm us in the faith of Christ and in zeal for the Orthodox Church, put into our hearts the spirit of the fear of God, the spirit of piety, the spirit of humility, give us patience in adversity, abstinence in prosperity, love for our neighbors, forgiveness for our enemies, success in good deeds. Deliver us from every temptation and from petrified insensibility, and on the terrible day of Judgment, grant us through Your intercession to stand at the right hand of Your Son, Christ our God. To Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

______________________________________________________________________

These long and numerous movements of the icon in space are poetically interpreted in the text of the Legend of the Miracles of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which was first found by V.O. Klyuchevsky in Milyutin’s Chetya-Minea, and published according to the list of the collection of the Synodal Library No. 556 (Klyuchevsky V.O. Tales of the Miracles of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. - St. Petersburg, 1878). In this ancient description, they are likened to the path that the sun's luminary takes: “When God created the sun, he did not make it shine in one place, but, going around the entire Universe, illuminates with its rays, so this image of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is not on one place... but, going around all countries and the whole world, it enlightens..."

Etingof O.E. On the early history of the icon “Our Lady of Vladimir” and the tradition of the Blachernae cult of the Mother of God in Rus' in the 11th-13th centuries. // Image of the Mother of God. Essays on Byzantine iconography of the 11th-13th centuries. – M.: “Progress-Tradition”, 2000, p. 139.

Ibid., p. 137. In addition, N.V. Kvilidze unveiled the painting of the deacon of the Trinity Church in Vyazemy at the end of the 16th century, where on the southern wall the liturgy in the temple with an altar is depicted, behind which the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir is presented (N.V. Kvilidze. Newly discovered frescoes of the altar of the Trinity Church in Vyazemy. Report in the Department of Ancient Russian Art V State Institute art history April 1997).

Etingof O.E. To the early history of the icon “Our Lady of Vladimir”...

Throughout its history it was recorded at least four times: in the first half of the 13th century, at the beginning of the 15th century, in 1521, during alterations in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin and before the coronation of Nicholas II in 1895-1896 by restorers O. S. Chirikov and M. D. Dikarev. In addition, minor repairs were carried out in 1567 (at the Chudov Monastery by Metropolitan Athanasius), in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Kolpakova G.S. Art of Byzantium. Early and average periods. – St. Petersburg: Publishing house “Azbuka-Classics”, 2004, p. 407.

Ibid., p. 407-408.

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Image Vladimir Mother of God is one of the most ancient and revered in Rus'. The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is considered the patroness of the Russian people and Russia itself. The memory of the Presentation of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is celebrated 3 times a year: June 3(May 21, Old Style), July 6(June 23, O.S.) and September 8(August 26, old style).

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

In the DOC, a prayer room was consecrated in the name of the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Edinoverie Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary is located in the Moscow region.

Image of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Miracles

In 1163–1164, at the initiative of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, the Legend “On the Miracles of the Most Holy Theotokos of Volodymyr Icon” was compiled. Its authors and compilers are considered to be the clergy of the Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir: priests Lazar, Nestor and Mikula, who came with the prince from Vyshgorod, which he received from his father Yuri Dolgoruky after he occupied Kyiv. The Legend contains 10 miracles that occurred following a prayerful appeal to the Mother of God in front of Her Vladimir Icon.

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 was miraculously saved through the prince’s fervent prayer in front of the icon he was transporting.
Second: the wife of priest Mikula, who was expecting a child, saved herself from a mad horse for the sake of praying to the image of Vladimir.
Third: in the Vladimir Assumption Cathedral, a man with a withered hand turned to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and began to pray with tears and great faith in miraculous healing. Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky and priest Nestor testified that they saw the Most Pure One herself take the sick man’s hand and hold it until the end of the service, after which he was completely healed.
Fourth: Prince Andrei’s wife carried the child heavily, the birth was very difficult. Then (on the day of the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary) the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was washed with water and the princess was given this water to drink, after which it was easily resolved by her son Yuri.
Fifth: saving a baby from sorcery 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 Abbess Maria from the Slavyatin Monastery near Pereslavl-Khmelnitsky (Ukraine); her brother, Boris Zhidislavich, who was the governor of Prince Andrei, asked the priest Lazar to give him water from the icon, the abbess drank it with prayer, anointed her eyes and received her sight.
Eighth: The woman Efimiya suffered from heart disease for seven years. Having learned, from the stories of the priest Lazarus, about healing properties water from the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, she sent with him to Vladimir many gold jewelry to the icon. Having received 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 made a vow to the Holy Mother of God of Vladimir, and then the birth quickly ended with the successful birth of a son. As a token of gratitude, the noblewoman sent many precious jewelry to the Vladimir icon.
Tenth: It happened that the Golden Gate of the Vladimir passage tower, which is still located in the city, fell, and 12 people were trapped under it. Prince Andrei appealed to the Most Pure One in prayer in front of the Vladimir Icon, and all 12 people not only remained alive, but did not even receive any injuries.

The city of Moscow and the miraculous image of the Mother of God of Vladimir are inseparably and forever fused. How many times did She save the white-stone from enemies! This image connected with itself the apostolic times and Byzantium, Kievan and Vladimir Rus', and then Moscow - the Third Rome, “but there will not be a fourth.” This is how the Moscow state was providentially formed, 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.

Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God helps

What does the Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God help with: how to pray to the Vladimir Icon correctly, The meaning of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and what it helps with

What does the Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God help with: how to pray to the Vladimir Icon correctly

The Lord’s favor and disposition towards our sinful, suffering world is great, and it is hard not to notice this. You need to take a closer look, and you can see it in the ordinary confession of every Christian, in the humble shine of immaculate faces, in the course of our history and the shares of leaders. And also the goodwill and favor of God are presented to us in the form of sacred icons, of which ours is so rich Orthodox Church. As before, so today it has a special significance and respect among people who believe in God has a face.

The icon of the Vladimir Mother of God is the patroness of the Russian people and the most Russian Federation. According to legend, this appearance was described by the Evangelist Luke during the period of Her earthly existence. And seeing her own image, the Virgin Mary said:

From now on, everyone will please me. The grace of the one born from me, and mine will arrive with this face.

Throughout the entire history of the appearance of the Most Holy One, a lot of amazing deeds and amazing incidents have been recorded that affected not only the Russian Federation, but also thousands of people who believe in the Lord the Creator. Significance, what it can help with Vladimir image Immaculate, how to offer a prayer and beg for her support - our publication will tell you about absolutely everything.

The meaning of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God and how it helps

Prayer before any of the revered images of the Most Holy Guardian and Patroness of the human race before our Creator is of great importance. After all, it can protect each of us and our souls from misfortune. The population of the earth saw a lot of it miraculous icons, and the stories of their acquisition indicate that in various everyday moments we can rush to its diverse forms.

The Most Pure Mother of God of Vladimir can help any person who believes in God and turns to her with a sincere prayer. She is a patron and protector, protects the home and can help in resolving a large number of everyday matters. Any pious Christian is simply obliged to have this miraculous face in his own home.

And about the history and significance of the icon for the Russian people, many cases have been recorded that happened in ancient times and are happening right up to the present day.

In addition to the fact that the icon saved the Russian lands from enemy invasions three times, the Most Pure Virgin expressed her will through her own appearance. So, for example, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, at the moment of prayer, received information about where the image was supposed to be located on the territory of Vladimir.

Also on the territory of Vyshgorod, in the cathedral, the icon independently moved from one place to another. As a result, Prince Andrei, at the end of the prayer, took the icon with him to the Rostov lands.

Subsequently, a fairly large number of miraculous cures of Christians were witnessed. Eye and heart ailments were especially susceptible to frequent healing.

A clergyman named Mikula had a pregnant wife. To her amazingly managed to escape from a horse that went berserk after offering prayers.

Parishioner Mary was able to be healed from an eye ailment after she prayerfully drank water from her immaculate appearance.

Once upon a time, in a city called Vladimir, a misfortune happened. The golden gate of the passage tower fell and killed twelve people. The ruler of the city continuously offered prayers before the face of the Mother of God, and all the people not only remained alive, but also got out without a single scratch.

The newborn was saved from the evil eye after he was washed with holy water.

Christian Efimiya was diagnosed with a heart disease. As soon as she was told about the miraculous cures from the face of the Most Pure One, she, together with the clergyman Lazarus, sent a large number of gold items to the cathedral to the image. And later he brought her holy water. She offered a prayer, drank it and recovered.

There are many similar stories. They relate both to the original appearance of the Most Holy Patroness, and to a large number of her lists and prayers directed towards her.

How does the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God help?

The icon bears witness to the most important incidents in the history of the Russian Federation. Namely: military campaigns, appointments of patriarchs, before the face Holy Mother of God the coronation of the monarch and the oath of allegiance to the fatherland were carried out. Prayer directed towards the shrine is salvation in troubled times and a split in the state. It helps eliminate hostility, anger, and calm passions.

Numerous people who believe in God flock to the Immaculate One for support in making important decisions, in the presence of illnesses, in order to strengthen the spirit. If you are wondering what help can be provided Orthodox Christian icon the answer will be as follows:

Assists in the search true path, making the right decision.

Gives strength in the most difficult moments of existence, helps strengthen faith.

Heals from physical illness. In particular, prayers are often offered to her to cure heart and eye ailments.

Protects against attacks from enemies, sinful thoughts and despondency.

The patroness helps the marriage remain happy, as well as maintain the strength of family ties, eliminating quarrels and discord. After all, this is precisely the key to a strong state.

Prayer before the Vladimir icon

**“O Mother of God, Heavenly Queen, All-Powerful Patroness, our shameless Hope! Thanking you for all your great blessings, throughout the generations of generations the Russian people who were from you, before your immaculate appearance, we send up a prayer: protect this city and your servants and all Russian lands from floods, fires, destruction, earthquakes, internecine wars, alien invasions. Protect and help, Most Holy One, our Most High (name of rivers), His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and the entire Russian land, and our Lord (name of rivers), Presence His Holiness Bishop(title), and all His Eminence metropolitans, archbishops and Orthodox bishops. Give them the Russian Church as a good steward, the faithful sheep of Christ bend down to keep. Remember, O Lady, the entire priestly and monastic order and preserve them, warm their hearts with zeal for God and strengthen everyone to walk worthy of their calling. Save, O Lady, and have mercy on all your servants and grant us the path of the earthly field to pass without blemish. Confirm us in the faith of Christ and in zeal for the Orthodox Church, put into our hearts the spirit of the fear of God, the spirit of piety, the spirit of humility, endow us with patience in adversity, in prosperity - abstinence, understanding towards our neighbors, forgiveness towards the enemy, in good deeds prosperity. Deliver us from every sinful act and from petrified insensibility, on the terrible day of Judgment grant us, through Your intercession, to stand at the right hand of Your Son, Christ our God, to Him belongs all glory, respect and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and ever. forever and ever. So be it.”**

The original of the Most Pure Image is located on the territory of the city of Tolmach in the Tretyakov Gallery of the Cathedral - Museum of St. Nicholas. You are allowed to travel to the miraculous list that is located in the cathedrals, named in honor of the Most Holy Mother of God:

In the village of Novovasilyevka, Berdyansk district,

The village of Bykovo, which is located in the Ramensky district,

You can also see lists in the village of Vilna in the Moscow region,

South Butovo has lists of icons,

City of Vinogradovo,
and of course in the capital.

On the territory of Ukraine, you can pray in the temple named in honor of Our Lady of Vladimir in the capital.

May our almighty creator and patron be with you!

Read also: Icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir in the history of Russia

In memory of the miraculous deliverance of Rus' from the invasion of Tamerlane, on the day of the meeting in Moscow of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God on August 26 / September 8, the solemn church holiday of the Presentation of this icon was established, and at the meeting place itself a temple was erected, around which the Sretensky Monastery was later located.

For the second time, the Mother of God saved Rus' from ruin in 1480 (commemorated on June 23 / July 6), when the army of the Khan of the Golden Horde, Akhmat, approached Moscow.

The meeting of the Tatars with the Russian army took place near the Ugra River (the so-called “standing on the Ugra”): the troops stood on different banks and were waiting for a reason to attack. In the front ranks of the Russian army they held the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, which miraculously put the Horde regiments to flight.

The third celebration of the Vladimir Mother of God (May 21 / June 3), remembers the deliverance of Moscow from the defeat of Makhmet-Girey, Khan of Kazan, who in 1521 reached the borders of Moscow and began to burn its suburbs, but suddenly retreated from the capital without causing harm to it.

Before the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, many of the most important events in Russian church history took place: the election and installation of St. Jonah - Primate of the Autocephalous Russian Church (1448), St. Job - the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' (1589), His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon (1917 .), and also in all centuries, oaths of allegiance to the Motherland were taken before her, prayers were performed before military campaigns.

Iconography Vladimir Mother of God

The icon of the Vladimir Mother of God belongs to the “Caressing” type, also known under the epithets “Eleusa” (??????? - “Merciful”), “Tenderness”, “Glycophilus” (?????????? ?? – “Sweet kiss”) This is the most lyrical of all types of iconography of the Virgin Mary, revealing the intimate side of the Virgin Mary’s communication with Her Son. The image of the Mother of God caressing the Child, his deep humanity turned out to be especially close to Russian painting.

Read also: Queen of heaven and earth: why are there so many icons of the Virgin Mary?

The iconographic scheme includes two figures - the Virgin Mary and the Child Christ, with their faces pressed to each other. Mary's head is bowed towards the Son, and He puts his hand around the Mother's neck. A distinctive feature of the Vladimir Icon from other icons of the Tenderness type: the left leg of the Infant Christ is bent in such a way that the sole of the foot, the “heel,” is visible.

Arguments have been put forward in favor of the fact that the icon was double-sided from the very beginning: this is evidenced by the identical shapes of the ark and the husks of both sides. In the Byzantine tradition, there were often images of a cross on the back of Mother of God icons. Starting from the 12th century, the time of the creation of the “Vladimir Mother of God,” in Byzantine murals, the etymasia was often placed in the altar as an altar image, visually revealing the sacrificial meaning of the Eucharist, which takes place here on the throne. This suggests the possible location of the icon in antiquity. For example, in the Vyshgorod monastery church, it could be placed in the altar as a double-sided altar icon. The text of the Legend contains information about the use of the Vladimir icon as an altar icon and as an outside icon that was moved in the church.

The luxurious attire of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which it had according to the chronicles, also does not support the possibility of its location in the altar barrier in the 12th century. “And you bought more than thirty hryvnias of gold, besides silver and besides expensive stones and pearls, and decorated it, and placed it in your church in Volodymeri.” But many of the external icons were later strengthened precisely in iconostases, like the Vladimir Icon in the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow, originally placed to the right of the royal doors: “And having brought in<икону>to the supreme temple of her glorious Dormition, which is the great Cathedral and Apostolic Church of the Russian Metropolis, and put it in an icon case on the right side, where to this day it stands visible and worshiped by all" (See Book Degree. M. 1775. Part 1. C .552).

There is an opinion that the “Vladimir Mother of God” was one of the copies of the icon of the Mother of God “Caressing” from the Blachernae Basilica, that is, a copy of the famous ancient miraculous icon. In the Tale of the Miracles of the Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, she is likened to the Ark of the Covenant, like the Virgin Mary herself, as well as her Robe, which was kept in the rotode of Agia Soros in Blachernae. The Legend also speaks of healings that are accomplished mainly thanks to the water from the ablutions of the Vladimir Icon: they drink this water, wash the sick with it, and send it to other cities in sealed vessels to heal the sick. This miracle-working of waters from the washing of the Vladimir icon, emphasized in the Legend, could also be rooted in the rituals of the Blachernae sanctuary, the most important part of which was the chapel of the spring dedicated to the Mother of God. Constantine Porphyrogenitus described the custom of washing in a font in front of a marble relief of the Mother of God, from whose hands water flowed.

Style

Among the Byzantine icons of the Komnenian period, the Vladimir Mother of God also distinguishes the deep penetration into the area of the human soul, its hidden secret sufferings, characteristic of the best works of this time. The heads of Mother and Son pressed against each other. The Mother of God knows that Her Son is doomed to suffer for the sake of people, and sorrow lurks in Her dark, thoughtful eyes.

In the church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi

The skill with which the painter was able to convey a subtle spiritual state most likely served as the origin of the legend about the painting of the image by the Evangelist Luke. It should be recalled that the painting of the early Christian period - the time when the famous Evangelist-icon painter lived, was flesh and blood of the art of late antiquity, with its sensual, “life-like” nature. But in comparison with the icons of the early period, the image of the Vladimir Mother of God bears the stamp of the highest “spiritual culture”, which could only be the fruit of centuries-old Christian thoughts about the coming of the Lord to earth, the humility of His Most Pure Mother and the path they traversed of self-denial and sacrificial love.

Revered miracle-working lists from icons Vladimir Mother of God

Over the centuries, many copies have been written from the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Some of them became famous for their miracles and received special names depending on their place of origin. This:

Vladimir - Volokolamsk icon (memory of Mr. 3/16), which was the contribution of Malyuta Skuratov to the Joseph-Volokolamsk monastery. Nowadays it is in the collection of the Central Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art named after Andrei Rublev.

Vladimirskaya - Seligerskaya (memory D. 7/20), brought to Seliger by Nil Stolbensky in the 16th century.

Vladimir - Zaonikievskaya (memory M. 21. / John 3; John 23 / Ill. 6, from the Zaonikievsky monastery) 1588.

Vladimirskaya - Oranskaya (memory M. 21 / John 3) 1634.

Vladimirskaya - Krasnogorskaya (Montenegorskaya) (memory M. 21 / John 3). 1603.

Vladimir - Rostov (memory Av. 15/28) 12th century.

A miracle in our life - how to pray for a miracle?

Troparion to the Icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir, tone 4

Kontakion. voice 8

To the chosen victorious Voivode, / as those who were delivered from the evil ones by the coming of Your honorable image, / Lady Theotokos, / we brightly celebrate the celebration of Your meeting and usually call You: // Rejoice, Unmarried Bride.

Prayer Icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir

O All-Merciful Lady Theotokos, Heavenly Queen, All-Powerful Intercessor, our shameless Hope! Thanking Thee for all the great blessings that the Russian people have received from Thee throughout the generations, before Thy most pure image we pray to Thee: save this city (or: this whole, or: this holy monastery) and Thy coming servants and the whole Russian land from famine, destruction , land of shaking, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare. Save and save, O Lady, our Great Lord and Father Kirill, His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', and our Lord (name of the rivers), His Eminence Bishop (or: Archbishop, or: Metropolitan) (title), and all Your Eminence metropolitans, archbishops and Orthodox bishops. May they govern the Russian Church well, and may the faithful sheep of Christ be preserved indestructibly. Remember, Lady, the entire priestly and monastic order, warm their hearts with zeal for God and strengthen them to walk worthy of their calling. Save, O Lady, and have mercy on all Your servants and grant us the path of the earthly journey without blemish. Confirm us in the faith of Christ and in zeal for the Orthodox Church, put into our hearts the spirit of the fear of God, the spirit of piety, the spirit of humility, give us patience in adversity, abstinence in prosperity, love for our neighbors, forgiveness for our enemies, success in good deeds. Deliver us from every temptation and from petrified insensibility, and on the terrible day of Judgment, grant us through Your intercession to stand at the right hand of Your Son, Christ our God. To Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

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Ibid., p. 137. In addition, N.V. Kvilidze unveiled the painting of the deacon of the Trinity Church in Vyazemy at the end of the 16th century. where on the southern wall there is a liturgy in a church with an altar, behind which is an icon of the Vladimir Mother of God (N.V. Kvilidze Newly discovered frescoes of the altar of the Trinity Church in Vyazemy. Report in the Department of Ancient Russian Art at the State Institute of Art History. April 1997.

Etingof O.E. To the early history of the icon “Our Lady of Vladimir”...

Throughout its history it was recorded at least four times: in the first half of the 13th century, at the beginning of the 15th century, in 1521, during alterations in the Assumption Cathedral Moscow Kremlin, and before the coronation of Nicholas II in 1895-1896 by restorers O. S. Chirikov and M. D. Dikarev. In addition, minor repairs were carried out in 1567 (at the Chudov Monastery by Metropolitan Athanasius), in the 18th and 19th centuries..

Kolpakova G.S. Art of Byzantium. Early and middle periods. – St. Petersburg: Publishing house “Azbuka-Classics”, 2004, p. 407.

One of the most ancient and revered sacred images in Russia has always been the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir. It is believed that it was written by the Evangelist Luke on a board that once served as a table at which Jesus, the son of God, had a meal with his parents - the Virgin Mary and the elder Joseph.

The image is written in the lyrical iconographic type “Tenderness”. This style of depicting the Mother of God with the Child personifies the tenderness, love and affection that the Immaculate Virgin shows towards her Son. Baby Jesus sits on the right hand of the Mother of God, clinging to the face of the Queen of Heaven. Son Holy Mary reaches out to her right hand, the other gently hugging the neck. Vladimirskaya is the only image in which the heel of the Baby Jesus is turned outward so that it is clearly visible.

On the image you can also see two inscriptions - monograms, which mean those depicted on the icon - Jesus Christ and the Mother of God.

Journey through the ages

The icon of Our Lady of Vladimir dates back more than 2000 years. Throughout its existence, this image has saved the Russian people more than once. Until the 5th century AD. e. the icon was in Jerusalem, then transported to Byzantium. And only in the 12th century did it come to the Russian land, having been donated Patriarch of Constantinople In turn, the prince placed the icon in one of the monasteries located near Kyiv. It is believed that since then the icon has performed real miracles - at night the icon changed its location and even flew through the air. Andrei Bogolyubsky, the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, soon learned about this. It was then that the young prince decided that this needed its own, separate place.

Andrei takes the image of the Mother of God and heads to Suzdal land. On the way, the prince serves a prayer service in front of the icon. In response, the image of the Blessed Virgin shows many miracles: the servant of Andrei Bogolyubsky, having fallen into the abyss, remains unharmed, and the priest who went on the road with him survives after being trampled by a horse.

The prince's path lay through the Vladimir land, after passing which he could not travel further. The horses stood up as if rooted to the spot and did not move. When the prince and his travelers tried to harness other crows, the same thing happened. Andrei Bogolyubsky took this as a sign from above. The prince began to earnestly pray to the Mother of God, who came down to him with a scroll in her hand, commanding him to leave the icon in Vladimir and to found a temple at the site of Her appearance.

Thus, the Queen of Heaven herself chose the location of her image - not far from the city of Vladimir, and from then on the icon began to be called Vladimir in honor of the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God.

Assumption Cathedral

The construction of the temple in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary was completed in literally 2 years. The erected cathedral amazed everyone with its splendor and surpassed even the St. Sophia in its beauty.

During the construction of the Golden Gate in Vladimir, a misfortune occurred: while laying stone wall fell on the workers. The prince, having learned about this, began to pray fervently in front of the Vladimir Icon, which saved him more than once. And then the Mother of God did not leave Andrei Bogolyubsky: when all the rubble was cleared away, the people under them turned out to be safe and sound.

This accident turned out to be a harbinger of future events awaiting the Assumption Cathedral - the temple burned to the ground 25 years later.

The campaign of Andrei Bogolyubsky

The further history of the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God is very interesting and filled with miracles. She protected the prince until his death. So, one day Andrei Bogolyubsky went on a campaign against the Volga Bulgars, taking with him a holy image. Before the battle, the prince and the soldiers performed a prayer service. Inspired, they went into battle, where they were able to win. After the battle, the prince and the soldiers read it - and a miracle happened: a light came from the icon and the Cross of the Lord, illuminating everyone. On the same day in Constantinople, Emperor Manuel saw the same divine phenomenon. After a miraculous vision, he was able to defeat the Saracen army. In honor of this manifestation of heavenly powers, a holiday was established in honor of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord, celebrated on August 14.

When Andrei Bogolyubsky was killed in 1175, a rebellion broke out in Moscow. It was possible to stop it only by the grace of the Almighty: the rector of one of the churches took the image of the Vladimir Mother of God and carried it around the city, after which the unrest subsided.

Patronal feast - September 8

The memory of this image is celebrated 3 times a year. The first date is September 8, new style. On this day the monastery was founded and construction began in honor of the meeting of the Vladimir Icon by Russian troops. At that time Rus' was subjected to Tatar raids. Tamerlane, who led them, was a strong opponent. Russian troops could only hope for a miracle. Grand Duke Vasily asked the Metropolitan of Rus' to transfer the sacred image from Vladimir to Moscow. While the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir was on the road, Tamerlane, confident in his victory, had a dream: as if a radiant maiden was coming towards him with 12 angels piercing him with a sword. Waking up in fear from what he saw, the warrior told about his dream to the sages who were with him on the campaign. They explained to Tamerlane that the Virgin who dreamed was the Mother Christian God and Intercessor of the Russian Land. At that moment, the Tatar commander realized with horror that his campaign was doomed to failure. He ordered to leave Rus' and left along with his troops.

"Silent" victory

The next holiday dedicated to the Vladimir Icon is celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church on July 6. On this day, an event that had been awaited for a long time took place - hordes of Tatars fled after 9 months of standing on the river. Eel. As you know, before the battle, Russian troops came ashore with the Vladimir Icon. On the opposite side were the Tatars, who did not dare to budge. So for a long time both sides were inactive. As a result, the Tatars fled. The Russian people attributed this “quiet” victory not to themselves, but to the Queen of Heaven, thanks to whom the last battle with the Tatar hordes ended without casualties.

Amazing dream of a nun

But the enemies did not calm down for long. Just 40 years later, in 1521, the Tatars again rushed to Moscow. Tsar Vasily went with his army to the Oka River. In an unequal battle, the Russians began to retreat. The Tatars besieged Moscow. That same night, one of the nuns of the Resurrection Monastery had an amazing dream - as if Saints Peter and Alexei rushed through closed door Assumption Cathedral, taking with him the icon. Having crossed the Kremlin gates, the metropolitans met Sergius of Radonezh and Varlaam of Khutyn on their way. The saints asked where Alexei and Peter were going. They answered that they needed to leave the city along with the Vladimir Icon, since the inhabitants of Moscow had forgotten the commandments of the Lord. Hearing this, the saints fell at the feet of the saints, tearfully begging them not to leave the city. As a result, Alexei and Peter returned to the Assumption Church through a closed door.

In the morning, the nun hurried to tell everyone about the dream she had seen. People, having learned about the prophetic vision, gathered in the temple and began to pray incessantly, after which the Tatar troops retreated. The great day of the salvation of Moscow is now etched in the centuries - Orthodox Church celebrates this day on June 3 according to the new style.

What to pray for in front of the Vladimir Icon?

It is believed that every home should have this image. Praying before the Vladimir Icon, we ask for the reconciliation of enemies, strengthening of faith, protection from the split of the country and the invasion of foreigners.

Akathist before the image

In prayer before the Vladimir Icon, we ask for the granting of peace in our country and in all cities, for the strengthening of Orthodoxy and deliverance from wars, hunger and disease. “Be our Intercessor and intercede for us before the Lord,” we say, reading the akathist. In prayer we recognize that the Blessed Virgin is our only Hope and Salvation, whose requests are always heard by Her son. Before the image of the Most Holy Theotokos, we ask you to soften our evil hearts and deliver us from sin. At the end of the prayer we praise our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal God.

Lists from the image

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God has come a long way in time. At the moment it is in the Tretyakov Gallery and only on holidays is it taken out for religious processions. However, during its existence, the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God, a photo of which you can see in this article, was used to create miraculous lists, each of whom received additional name. For example, the Vladimir-Volokolamsk Icon was donated to the monastery of this city by Malyuta Skuratov. Now the image is in the Andrei Rublev Museum. Also among the miraculous lists one can note the Vladimir-Seligerskaya, transferred to Seliger by Neil Stolbensky.

Temple in honor of the Vladimir Icon

This cathedral is located in Moscow, in the village of Vinogradovo. This structure is unique as the temple has a triangular shape. Many attribute the creation of the cathedral to the famous Russian architect Bazhenov.

The Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was erected in 1777. An interesting fact is that even during the years of persecution the cathedral was never closed.

During the Great Patriotic War The temple of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God preserved within its walls a genuine shrine - the head of Sergius of Radonezh. After the victory, she was returned to the saint’s monastery where she remains to this day. For the preservation of the relic, a particle of the saint’s relics was donated to the Temple of the Vladimir Mother of God.

Cathedral of the Vladimir Icon in St. Petersburg

This temple was built in the 18th century on the site of a former wooden church. The main shrines of its decoration today are the image of the Vladimir Mother of God, the icon of Seraphim of Sarov with a particle of his relics and the image of Our Lord “The Savior Not Made by Hands”. The Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God functions to this day. Several centuries earlier, F. M. Dostoevsky was his constant parishioner.

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, whose history goes back to distant centuries, has always protected Rus', and now Russia, from enemies and troubles. After all, this is precisely why our country is sacred and chosen by God.