→ Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God description. Icon “Vladimir Mother of God”: what does it help with and how to pray correctly? Canon of the Blessed Virgin Mary before the Icon of Vladimir

Icon of the Vladimir Mother of God description. Icon “Vladimir Mother of God”: what does it help with and how to pray correctly? Canon of the Blessed Virgin Mary before the Icon of Vladimir

In Orthodoxy, the Mother of God is revered on a par with Christ himself, and there are quite a few images of her. One of the most popular and interesting is the Vladimir image, the significance of which for Russia is great.

It is believed that the first icon was painted by the Evangelist Luke, and in the 5th century it moved from Jerusalem to Constantinople to Emperor Theodosius. The icon came to Rus' from Byzantium in the 12th century, around 1131 - it was a gift from the Patriarch of Constantinople, Luke Chrysoverg, to Prince Mstislav. The image was delivered by the Greek Metropolitan Michael, who arrived the day before, in 1130.

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Story

Initially, the Mother of God was kept in the Mother of God convent in the city of Vyshgorod near Kyiv - hence its Ukrainian name, Vyshgorod Mother of God. In 1155, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky took the icon and transported it to Vladimir - hence its Russian name. The prince decorated the image with an expensive frame, but after his death, by order of Prince Yaropolk, the jewelry was removed and the icon was given to Prince Gleb of Ryazan. Only after the victory of Prince Michael the Mother of God and the precious dress was returned back to the Assumption Cathedral.

In 1237, after the destruction of the city of Vladimir by the Mongol-Tatars, the Assumption Cathedral was also plundered, and the image again lost its decoration. The cathedral and the icon were restored under Prince Yaroslavl. After this, at the end of the 14th century, Prince Vasily I, during the invasion of Tamerlane’s army, ordered the icon to be transported to Moscow to protect the capital. She was placed in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin on the right side of the royal gates. At the place where the image met with the Muscovites (“Sretenie”), the Sretensky Cathedral was founded, and later a street of the same name lay.

At the same time, Tamerlane’s army suddenly, without any reason, turned back, reaching only the city of Yelets. It was decided that the Mother of God interceded for Moscow, revealing a miracle. But the miracles did not end there: similar sudden retreats occurred in 1451 during the invasion of the Nogai prince Mazovsha and in 1480 while standing on the Ugra River.

Experts believe that between Tamerlane’s retreat and standing on the Ugra, the icon was transported several times to Vladimir and back, since 1480 was especially marked by the return of the Vladimir icon to Moscow.

Later, the icon was taken from the capital in 1812 to Vladimir and Murom; after the victory, it was returned to the Assumption Cathedral and was not touched until 1918. That year the cathedral was closed by the Soviet authorities, and the image was sent for restoration. After 8 years it was transported to the Historical Museum, and after another 4 years - to the Tretyakov Gallery.

Since 1999, the icon has been in the Church-Museum of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi. This is a house church at the Tretyakov Museum, in which services are held for believers, and the rest of the time the church is open as a museum hall.

In 1989, part of the icon (the eye and nose of the Mother of God) was used in the logo of Mel Gibson's Icon Productions film company. This company produced the film "The Passion of the Christ."

Miracles

In addition to the incredible salvation of Moscow from its enemies, other miracles performed by the Mother of God have been preserved in history:

Unfortunately, finding out which icon is involved in miracles(the original from Constantinople or a copy of it) is impossible, but many have noted that almost all images work miracles.

Description

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is of the type (“Eleusa”), which is easy to identify. Unlike the Kazan image, where the Baby is first of all the Son of the Lord and blesses people, and the Mother of God sees his fate in advance, Vladimirskaya is more “humane”, the mother and child, her love for him are clearly visible in her. Widespread image received in the 11th century, although it was known in early Christian times. A description of the image and its meaning is given below:

The first icon to come to Russia dates back to the 12th century, researchers believe that it was drawn in Constantinople, that is, it was originally a copy of the original by the Evangelist Luke. However, it is a monument to Byzantine painting of 1057-1185 (Comnenian Renaissance), which was preserved.

The dimensions of the icon are 78*55 cm. Over all the centuries of its existence, it was rewritten (redrawn in the same place) at least 4 times:

  1. In the first half of the 13th century;
  2. At the beginning of the 15th century;
  3. In 1514, during renovations in the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral;
  4. In 1895-1896 before the coronation of Nicholas II.

The icon was also partially updated in:

  1. 1567 by Metropolitan Athanasius in the Chudov Monastery;
  2. In the 18th century;
  3. In the 19th century.

In fact, today only a few fragments remain of the original icon:

  1. Faces of the Mother of God and Child;
  2. The entire left hand and part of the right hand of the Infant;
  3. Part of a blue cap and border with gold;
  4. Part of the Child's golden-ocher chiton and the visible transparent edge of his shirt;
  5. Part of the general background.

The precious setting also suffered: the first setting ordered by Andrei Bogolyubsky (about 5 kg of gold alone, not counting silver and precious stones) was not preserved at all. The second was ordered by Metropolitan Photius at the beginning of the 15th century and was also lost. The third was created in the middle of the 17th century by order of Patriarch Nikon from gold and is now kept in the Armory.

Copies

Today the Vladimir Icon is a very common image and is found in a large number of churches around the world. Of course, consider every Vladimir icon a creation Luke is not allowed: the very designation “Vladimir” means a certain pose of the Mother of God and the Child, the expression of their faces. In fact, today all icons of this type are copies (copies) of the original, which has not reached us.

The most significant lists are:

All the above icons Although they are lists, they are revered as miraculous. Also, the Vladimir Mother of God became the basis for the creation of other images: “The Tale of the Vladimir Icon”, “The Presentation of the Vladimir Icon”, “The Vladimir Icon with Akathist”, Igorevskaya Vladimir Icon (a shortened version of the original), “Praise of the Vladimir Icon” (“Tree of the Russian Sovereigns” , author Simon Ushakov).

Days of Honor

The icon has only 3 dates:

  1. June 3: gratitude for the victory in 1521 over Khan Mahmet-Girey;
  2. July 6: gratitude for the victory in 1480 over the Mongol-Tatars;
  3. September 8: gratitude for the victory in 1395 over Khan Tamerlane. This also includes the meeting (meeting) of the icon in Moscow.

On these days, ceremonial services are usually held, especially in churches with miraculous lists.

What does it help with?

“What does the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God help with?” - people who came to the temple ask. Most often they prayed to her to protect Russia from enemies, but this is not the entire list of her “opportunities.” The icon is also addressed in “smaller” situations:

It is not necessary to come to the miraculous list to pray, although if there is an opportunity, it is worth taking advantage of. You can pray to the Mother of God at home by saying a ready-made prayer (easy to find on the Internet) or expressing a wish in your own words. No special rituals are required, and there is also no need to come to the temple. The only condition is that thoughts must be pure. You can’t wish someone harm or say a prayer while thinking about someone else..

Conclusion

The miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God with the Child is not only one of the most popular images in Orthodoxy, but is also considered extremely emotional. It does not depict the Son of God, but a mother protecting her child, whose fate was foretold to her in advance.









ANDhorse of the Mother of God "Vladimirskaya"

IN The Ladimir Icon of the Mother of God (icon of the Theotokos) is considered miraculous and, according to legend, was written by the Evangelist Luke on a board from the table at which the Holy Family ate: the Savior, the Mother of God and the righteous Joseph the Betrothed. The Mother of God, seeing this image, said: “From now on all generations will call Me blessed. May the grace of Him who was born of Me and Mine be with this icon.”

IN The icon was brought to Russia from Byzantium at the beginning of the 12th century as a gift to the holy prince Mstislav (†1132) from the Patriarch of Constantinople Luke Chrysoverkh. The icon was placed in the convent of Vyshgorod (an ancient appanage city of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olga), not far from Kyiv. The rumor about her miracles reached the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, who decided to transport the icon to the north.

P While driving along Vladimir, the horses carrying the miraculous icon stood up and could not move. Replacing the horses with new ones also did not help.

IN During the time of fervent prayer, the Queen of Heaven Herself appeared to the prince and commanded that the Vladimir miraculous icon of the Mother of God be left in Vladimir, and in this place a temple and a monastery be built in honor of Her Nativity. To the general joy of the residents of Vladimir, Prince Andrei returned to the city along with the miraculous icon. Since then, the icon of the Mother of God began to be called Vladimir.

In 1395 terrible conqueror Khan Tamerlan (Temir-Aksak) reached the borders of Ryazan, took the city of Yelets and, heading towards Moscow, approached the banks of the Don. Grand Duke Vasily Dimitrievich went out with an army to Kolomna and stopped on the banks of the Oka. He prayed to the saints of Moscow and St. Sergius for the deliverance of the Fatherland and wrote to the Metropolitan of Moscow, St. Cyprian, so that the upcoming Dormition Fast would be devoted to fervent prayers for pardon and repentance. The clergy were sent to Vladimir, where the famous miraculous icon was located. After the liturgy and prayer service on the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the clergy accepted the icon and carried it to Moscow with a procession of the cross. Countless people on both sides of the road, on their knees, prayed: “Mother of God, save the Russian land!” At that very hour when the residents of Moscow greeted the icon on Kuchkovo Pole (now Sretenka Street) , Tamerlane dozed in his camp tent. Suddenly he saw in a dream a great mountain, from the top of which saints with golden rods were coming towards him, 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 In memory of the miraculous deliverance of the Russian land from Tamerlane on Kuchkovo Field, where the icon was met, the Sretensky Monastery was built, and on August 26 (in the new style - September 8) an all-Russian celebration was established in honor of the meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The miraculous deliverance of the Russian land from Tamerlane on Kuchkovo Field

(meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

A second time Our Lady saved our country from ruin in 1451, when the army of the Nogai Khan with Tsarevich Mazovsha approached Moscow. The Tatars set fire to the Moscow suburbs, but Moscow was never captured. During the fire, Saint Jonah performed religious processions along the walls of the city. Warriors and militia fought with the enemy until nightfall. The small army of the Grand Duke at this time was too far away to help the besieged. The chronicles say that the next morning there were no enemies near the walls of Moscow. They heard an extraordinary noise, decided that it was the Grand Duke with a huge army and retreated. The prince himself cried in front of the Vladimir Icon after the Tatars left.

T third intercession Our Lady for Rus' was in 1480(celebrated on July 6). After the resounding victory on the Kulikovo Field in 1380, the Russian principalities remained under Horde dependence for another century, and only the events of the autumn of 1480 decisively changed the situation. Ivan III refused to pay tribute to the horde, and regiments were sent to Rus' Khan Akhmat. Two armies converged on the Ugra River: the armies stood on different banks - the so-called "standing on the Ugra" - and were waiting for a reason to attack. In the front ranks of the Russian army they held the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir. There were skirmishes, even small battles, but the troops never moved in front of each other. The Russian army moved away from the river, giving the Horde regiments the opportunity to begin crossing. But the Horde regiments also retreated. The Russian soldiers stopped, but the Tatar soldiers continued to retreat and suddenly rushed away without looking back.

"WITH "suffering on the Ugra" put an end to the Mongol-Tatar yoke. Russia was finally freed from paying tribute. From that time on, we can talk about the final elimination of any form of political dependence of Moscow on the Horde.

R The Russian Orthodox Church established a threefold celebration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Each of the days of celebration is associated with the deliverance of the Russian people from enslavement by foreigners through prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos:

8 September according to the new style (August 26 according to the church calendar) - in memory of the rescue of Moscow from the invasion of Tamerlane in 1395.

July 6(June 23) - in memory of the deliverance of Russia from the Horde king Akhmat in 1480.

June 3(May 21st) - in memory of the rescue of Moscow from the Crimean Khan Makhmet-Girey in 1521.

The most solemn celebration takes place 8 September(new style), established in honor the meeting of the Vladimir Icon during its transfer from Vladimir to Moscow .

The celebration June 3 was established in memory of the rescue of Moscow in 1521 from the invasion of the Tatars led by Khan Makhmet-Girey.

Invasion of the Crimean Tatars

T Atar hordes approached Moscow, setting Russian cities and villages to fire and destruction, exterminating their inhabitants. Grand Duke Vasily gathered an army against the Tatars, and Moscow Metropolitan Varlaam, together with the residents of Moscow, fervently prayed for deliverance from death. During this terrible time, one pious blind nun had a vision: Moscow saints were emerging from the Spassky Gate of the Kremlin, leaving the city and taking with them the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God - the main saint of Moscow - as God's punishment for the sins of its inhabitants. The saints were met at the Spassky Gate by Saints Sergius of Radonezh and Varlaam of Khutyn, tearfully begging them not to leave Moscow. All of them together brought a fiery prayer to the Lord for the forgiveness of those who had sinned and the deliverance of Moscow from its enemies. After this prayer, the saints returned to the Kremlin and brought back the Vladimir holy icon. The Moscow saint, Blessed Basil, had a similar vision, to whom it was revealed that through the intercession of the Mother of God and the prayers of the saints, Moscow would be saved. The Tatar Khan had a vision of the Mother of God, surrounded by a formidable army rushing towards their regiments. The Tatars fled in fear, the capital of the Russian state was saved.

In 1480, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was transferred for permanent storage to Moscow in the Assumption Cathedral. In Vladimir, an exact, so-called “spare” copy of the icon, written by the Monk Andrei Rublev, remained. In 1918, the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin was closed, and the miraculous image was moved to the State Tretyakov Gallery.

Now the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is V Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi (metro station Tretyakovskaya, M. Tolmachevsky lane, 9).

Iconography

Iconographically, the Vladimir Icon belongs to the Eleus (Tenderness) type. The Baby pressed his cheek to the Mother's cheek. The icon conveys the tender communication between Mother and Child. Mary foresees the suffering of the Son in His earthly journey.

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.

Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Vladimir” they pray for deliverance from the invasion of foreigners, for instruction in the Orthodox faith, for preservation from heresies and schisms, for the pacification of those at war, for the preservation of Russia.

Troparion, tone 4
Today the most glorious city of Moscow brightly flaunts, as if we had received the dawn of the sun, the Lady, Your miraculous icon, to which we now flow and pray, we cry out to You: O, most wonderful Lady Theotokos, pray from You to the incarnate Christ our God, that He may deliver this city and all Christian cities and countries are unharmed from all the slander of the enemy, and He will save our souls, like the Merciful.

Kontakion, tone 8
To the chosen victorious Voivode, having been delivered from the evil ones by the coming of Your venerable image, to the Lady Theotokos we brightly celebrate the celebration of Your meeting and usually call You: Rejoice, Unmarried Bride.

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before Her icon,
called "Vladimirskaya"

O All-Merciful Lady Theotokos, Heavenly Queen, All-Powerful Intercessor, our shameless Hope! Thanking Thee for all the great blessings, in the generations of the Russian people who were from Thee, 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, Lady, our Great Lord and Father Alexy, 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, O 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 Thy 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.

For a long time, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God has been considered the patroness of Rus'.

Its history dates back to the 1st century, when, according to legend, the Evangelist Luke wrote it on a board from the table at which the Holy Family ate when Jesus was still a child.

History of the icon of the Vladimir Mother of God

The original location of the icon was Jerusalem; in the 5th century it was transported to Constantinople. It is known how the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir came to Rus': the Patriarch of Constantinople gave it to Prince Mstislav at the beginning of the 12th century. It was placed in the Vyshgorod monastery near Kyiv and soon became famous as miraculous.

Having heard about this, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky decided to transport it to the north, but on the way a real miracle happened: not far from Vladimir, the horses with the cart on which the icon was being transported suddenly stopped, and no force could move them. Deciding that this was a sign of God, they spent the night there, and at night during prayer the prince had a vision: the Mother of God herself ordered to leave her icon in Vladimir, and at the site of the parking lot to build a monastery with a temple in honor of Her Nativity. This is how the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary got its name.

Meeting of the Vladimir Icon

In 1395, the hordes of Tamerlane descended on Rus', advancing towards Moscow, taking one city after another. At the request of Grand Duke Vasily I Dimitrievich, who was expecting an attack by the Tatars, they sent to Vladimir for the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, and within 10 days it was brought to Moscow in a religious procession. Along the way and in Moscow itself, the icon was met by hundreds and thousands of kneeling people, offering it a prayer to save the Russian land from its enemies. The solemn meeting (presentation) of the Vladimir Icon took place on September 8.

On the same day, Tamerlane, who stopped with an army on the banks of the Don, had a vision: he saw a Majestic Woman hovering over the saints, who commanded him to leave Rus'. The courtiers interpreted this vision as the appearance of the Mother of God, the great protector of the Orthodox. The superstitious Tamerlane carried out her order.

In memory of how the Russian land was miraculously delivered from the enemy invasion, the Sretensky Monastery was built and on September 8 the celebration of the Presentation of the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary was established.

The meaning of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

The significance of this icon for Rus' and all its Orthodox Christians cannot be overestimated - it is our national shrine. Before her, in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, the anointing of sovereigns to the kingdom and the election of high priests took place. More than once, the Queen of Heaven, the patroness of Rus', saved her: in 1480 she delivered her from the Horde Khan Akhmat (celebration on June 23), and in 1521 - from the Crimean Khan Makhmet-Girey (celebration on May 21).


Our Lady saved not only the state, but also many people with her power.

The fact that the Vladimir Icon was miraculous was widely known, and people from all over Rus' flocked to it with their prayers.

There are many stories of miraculous healings and other help in troubles and misfortunes. Moreover, not only the icon itself, located in Moscow, had miraculous power, but also its numerous copies, such as the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God of Oran, which saved Nizhny Novgorod from a plague epidemic in 1771, or the Vladimir Zaonikiev Icon of the Mother of God, famous for its numerous healings, etc.

Currently, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is located in the Tretyakov Gallery, namely in the Church-Museum of St. Nicholas at the Tretyakov Gallery.

Description of the icon

Before characterizing the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, it should be noted that from the point of view of iconography, it belongs to the “Eleus” type, which developed in Byzantine icon painting in the 11th century. This is translated from Greek as “merciful,” but in Ancient Rus' it was called “Tenderness,” which much more accurately conveys the essence of the image.

And indeed, the image of the Mother with the Child would only express Her tenderness, if not for the eyes, filled with incredible tragedy in anticipation of the torment to which Her Child is doomed. The baby, in His innocent ignorance, hugs the Mother, pressing his cheek to Her cheek. A very touching detail is the bare left leg peeking out from under His robe, so that the sole is visible, which is typical for all copies from the Vladimir Icon.

What does the Vladimir Icon help with?

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God saved Holy Rus' more than once. In difficult times, religious processions and national prayer services with this icon brought deliverance from enemy invasions, unrest, schism, and epidemics; Before this image, the Russian monarchs were crowned kings and took the oath of allegiance.

Prayer to the Mother of God in front of Her Vladimir Icon will strengthen the spirit and faith, give determination and help choose the right path, drive away bad thoughts, calm anger and bad passions, and bring healing from physical ailments, especially the heart and eyes. They also pray to her for strengthening family ties and family well-being.

Prayer before the icon

To whom shall we cry, Lady? To whom shall we resort in our sorrow, if not to You, Queen of Heaven? Who will accept our tears and sighs, if not You, Most Immaculate, the hope of Christians and our refuge? sinful? Who is in mercy more than You? Incline Your ear to us, Lady, Mother of our God, and do not despise those who require Your help: hear our groaning, strengthen us sinners, enlighten and teach us, O Queen of Heaven, and do not depart from us, Thy servant, Lady, for our grumbling, but Be our Mother and Intercessor, and entrust us to the merciful protection of Your Son. Arrange for us whatever Your holy will pleases, and lead us sinners to a quiet and serene life, may we weep for our sins, may we rejoice with You always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

There are many different images of the Virgin Mary in the world that appeared at different times. All of them are revered by Christians and considered miraculous. But the most revered is the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which has a rather interesting history of origin; numerous miraculous deeds are attributed to it. It differs from all the others not only in the manner of writing, but also in its meaning for Christians.

If you believe history, then the first image of the Mother of God was a portrait painted by Saint Luke on a board from the table at which little Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Joseph were eating. When the Mother of God saw this work, she blessed it and promised that from now on all her images would bring only heavenly grace into the world.

The Vladimir icon was in Jerusalem for a long time. But during the reign of Theodosius the Younger it was moved to the capital of the Byzantine state - Constantinople. A century later, the icon was donated to Yuri Dolgoruky. On the territory of Rus', it was kept for a long time in the Vyshgorsky convent. It was from there that rumors of her miraculous power spread throughout the world.

The icon remained in the monastery until 1155, when Andrei Bogolyubsky ordered its transfer to the city of Vladimir. The world famous Assumption Cathedral was erected here for the image. And the icon itself has since received the name of the Vladimir Mother of God. It was at this time that a precious frame of gold and silver was made for the image, decorated with a large number of precious stones and pearls.

Since ancient times, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God guarded the troops of Rus' during the raids of invaders. The main examples of her miraculous intercession include the victory of Andrei Bogolyubsky over the Bulgars and the defeat of Tamerlane’s army. During the latter's invasion, the image was brought to one of the churches in Moscow and an akathist was read before it by all the monks and ministers. Khan Tamerlane was afraid of the power of the Vladimir Mother of God and retreated before her power. Historians say that in a dream, the khan dreamed of a detachment in shining armor descending from a mountain, over which the Mother of God of Vladimir hovered and blessed the troops.

The day when the icon was brought to the Moscow temple has since been celebrated as the Feast of the Presentation. This day usually falls on September 8 or August 26 according to the old style. And in memory of the miracle performed by the Mother of God, the Sretensky Cathedral and monastery were erected.

In the life of every person, a variety of situations can happen that require immediate solutions. If ordinary and familiar methods do not give the desired results, then people turn to the Mother of God, who hears, sees, and always comes to the aid of those praying.

The Vladimir Mother of God performed many miracles. But the most famous and difficult to interpret are the following:

Miracles were performed not only by the icon itself, but also by numerous copies of it, which are distributed throughout the world. There are legends about these miracles that confirm the power of the Vladimir Mother of God.

This shrine has witnessed many events in Russia. She was able to go through all the military campaigns with the troops, and was at the coronation of the emperors. The naming of many patriarchs took place before her. Prayers are read to her at the moment when it is necessary to calm the anger of enemies, remove their anger and eliminate the fear of those who go on a military campaign.

Many parishioners turned to the Mother of God with prayers for making a fateful decision or for her to grant strength in getting what they wanted. It is she who helps to get rid of many diseases and heal even the most seriously ill people. The icon of the Vladimir Mother of God helps:

  • strengthen faith and gain strength to cope with any adversity;
  • to be healed of blindness and heart disease;
  • get rid of sinful thoughts and bad intentions;
  • make an important and fateful decision when a person cannot understand what to do in a given situation.

The significance of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God has always been great for all Russian people. It helps in the most difficult times, when there is nowhere else to wait for protection and help. But we can say that such an icon is not the only one. And here will be the mistake - this image is very different from others with a similar context.

Based on the type of writing, it belongs to the “Caressing” variety. This image is one of the most lyrical of all possible depictions of the face of the Virgin Mary. With one hand, the Mother of God holds the baby, hugging him to herself and protecting him from the whole world. Their faces are pressed against each other, which reveals a completely different side of the communication between mother and son. In this icon they appear not as the Mother of God and the Child of God, but as simple mother and son who endlessly love each other.

Only the mother and baby are depicted on the canvas. There are no angels, no archangels, no one else on the canvas. The head of the Mother of God is tilted towards the baby, and he hugs her neck with his hand. A distinctive feature of the icon is that the baby’s leg is curved and his foot is visible.

The main prayer to the face of the Vladimir Mother of God is the following:

Today, the original image is located in Tolmachi in the museum at the Church of St. Nicholas. But even knowing where the original icon is located, you should not rush to go to pay homage to it. You can pray to any of the lists that are located in many churches in Russia.

For every Russian person, the Vladimir Icon is of great importance. She helps in the most unexpected and difficult situations. Therefore, in many homes there is an image of the Mother of God, in front of which candles are placed and prayers are offered for the bestowing of health to loved ones.

On the Vladimir Icon, the Mother of God is depicted in a dark red maforia with a scarlet border. In his arms is the baby Jesus, hugging his mother’s neck, leaning his cheek firmly against hers. The Savior's clothing bears a clave - a green stripe symbolizing royal power. The background of the icon is gold. This color is a symbol of divine light. The monograms MR FV (short for the Greek “Mother of God”) and IC XC (“Jesus Christ”) are visible on the sides.

The iconographic type of the icon is “Tenderness”. This way of depicting the Mother of God symbolizes her tenderness, love, and care, which Mary conveys not only to the Son of the Lord, but to all of us. After all, every person, one might say, is her child.

If you ask an iconographer about the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, he will briefly give the following description:

  • Manufacturing materials - gesso, gold leaf, tempera, melted gold, wood.
  • Dimensions - 71x57 centimeters.
  • Written around the 12th century. This statement is at odds with the legend about the origin of the shrine.
  • The lines are smooth, the proportions are elongated.
  • The clothes are decorated and there are many small details.

Addition about the creation of the icon and its appearance in Rus'

According to legend, the original icon was painted by Luke on the tabletop at which Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Joseph dined. Seeing the portrait, the Mother of God said: “From now on, all generations will bless Me. May the grace of the One born of Me and Mine be with this icon.” Afterwards, a list was made in Byzantium, which remained there until 450. He was sent to one of the kings of Constantinople.

In 1131, Patriarch Luke Chrysoverg decides to donate the list to Yuri Dolgoruky. His son named Andrei, better known in church history as Bogolyubsky, sets off from the south of Rus' to the north. The goal of the campaign was to create a state independent from Kyiv with its center in Muscovy. During the trip, he visits Vladimir and stays there for several days. After leaving with the icon several kilometers from the city, miracles began to happen. The horses refused to go further. It was not a matter of fatigue or hunger - changing horses did not produce results. Then Bogolyubsky began to pray fervently in front of the image. The Mother of God herself appeared to him and said that the shrine should remain in Vladimir. A temple should be built in her honor. The prince obeyed - for many years the icon remained in the city, healed the sick, and helped those who asked in their troubles. Since then, the list began to be called Vladimirsky.

Today the icon is kept in the Church-Museum of St. Nicholas. It is located in Tolmachi, Tver region.

Detailed description

The iconographic scheme, the basis of the list, includes the figure of the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus. The son clings to his mother's face and hugs her neck. Mary's head is bowed towards the baby. The Vladimir icon differs, from the point of view of iconography, from others in that the sole of the Savior’s foot is clearly visible on it.

Many experts believe that the icon was originally two-sided. This is evidenced by the geometry of the canvas and the applied details of the image. In Byzantium, similar images were often created.

The symbolism of the icon is deep and multifaceted. The Virgin Mary is a symbol of the soul close to God. The way the Son hugs Mary leads experts to think about his future suffering for all humanity.

Symbolism

From a theological point of view, the icon is interpreted as the purpose of the Child as a sacrifice in the name of all humanity. This interpretation is due to the fact that on the back there is a symbol of the Passion: a throne with the holy spirit in the form of a dove. Behind the throne are symbols of Jesus' suffering (cross, spear, cane with sponge). Mary caressing the baby and the symbol of the passion together give the icon the following meaning: the mother is imbued with love for her son, but voluntarily gives him up to be tortured, makes her sacrifice in the name of humanity.

Style

The period of icon painting in Byzantine art is characterized by the dematerialization of painting. The images are blurry, there are practically no precise lines. There are a lot of details involved. The clothes of the baby and the Mother of God have many lines, powerless movements, ornamentally placed on the drawing.

The Vladimir icon is practically a canonical example of painting of those times. There is no deliberate graphics in it; the lines are not opposed to volume. The main means of expression is the connection of weakly induced lines. This creates the impression of not being made by hands.

Miracles created

The Vladimir icon quickly became famous in Rus' as miraculous. It became one of the most significant shrines in the history of the state and church. Through this image, both ordinary people and the highest spiritual ranks, princes and monarchs turned to the Mother of God. The Virgin Mary heard everyone who came to her with pure intentions and prayed sincerely, with all their hearts.

It seems that this image is in the special attention of the Heavenly Queen herself. More than once she herself indicated where he should stay and where he should be moved. Apart from the case of Prince Bogolyubsky, when he was unable to take the shrine away from Vladimir, another miracle was witnessed. The list moved around in the temple without permission. This was noticed three times, after which they prayed in front of the icon and took it to the Rostov region.

Miraculous healings and salvations recorded in the chronicles:

  • The clergyman's wife, being pregnant, prayed at the image of the Virgin Mary. She asked for protection for her and her child, women’s happiness, and health. One day a horse went mad in the stable. She rushed about, destroyed everything around, threw herself at all the people. It was only by a miracle that the woman who was there was saved from it.
  • Maria, one of the abbess of the monastery, was pardoned - the Mother of God saved her from blindness. The woman, reading a prayer, washed her eyes with water from the icon.
  • One day, the Golden Gate of the tower that controlled the entrance fell. There were 12 people underneath them. While people were gathering and preparing to raise the structure, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky diligently read a prayer. In the end, no one was hurt. They weren't even seriously injured.
  • A certain Efimiya suffered from heart disease. Having learned about the miraculous icon, she sent a priest to Vladimir with rich gifts (gold, jewelry, jewelry). From the monastery they gave her the water that washed the shrine. After the woman drank it and said a prayer, the disease subsided and never returned.

Celebration days and related events

In Russia, the days of the icon are celebrated three times. Each of the days of veneration is associated with a major event in the history of the state.

The shrine became famous not only for its miraculous healings. Through her, the Mother of God spoke God's will, punished sins, and granted pardon. Three times she heard the sincere prayers of the people and the government, defended Russia from numerous troops of foreign invaders.

Celebrations take place:

  • June 3 (old style - May 21). 1521: Khan Mehmet Giray gathered an army and marched on Moscow, burning settlements along the way, killing or capturing residents. His army was huge - the city would not have been able to withstand, it would have fallen during a blockade or battle. Metropolitan Varlaam assembled a prayer service dedicated to asking for forgiveness, remission of sins, and protection from the invader. One of the nuns had a dream in which the icon was taken out of the city. She realized that this could not be done under any circumstances and spoke about her vision. She did it on time: the clergy were just about to leave Moscow, saving the shrine. They were stopped by Varlaam Khutynsky and Sergei Radonezhsky. All together they read a prayer, after which they returned the list to its place. At the same time, the khan had a dream: the Heavenly Queen with a huge army advancing on him. Mehmet Giray realized that she was the intercessor of the Slavs. The troops retreated that same day.
  • July 6 (old style - June 23). 1480: Khan Akhmat gathered a large army to capture Moscow. He stopped on the banks of the Ugra River, then called the “Belt of the Virgin Mary.” On the other side, the Russian army gathered. It was significantly outnumbered by the invader's regiments. The highest spiritual and government officials, all Orthodox people prayed to the Vladimir icon for salvation. The Mother of God appeared to Metropolitan Gerontius. She said the attack was God's punishment for sins. But with sincere prayers the Slavs atoned for their guilt. Gerontius immediately informed the prince that he could advance - the Virgin Mary would help in the battle. But the fight never took place. Russian troops did not reach across the river, but, on the contrary, retreated back, taking up convenient positions for defense. Khan was afraid that he was being lured into a trap. On the night of June 23 (old style) he retreated.
  • On September 8 (August 26), a solemn veneration of the shrine takes place. 1359: Khan Tamerlane captured Ryazan and nearby settlements and went to Moscow. A huge army swept away everything in its path. The Russian army could cope with it only with huge losses. Then the highest clergy of Vladimir organized a liturgy, a prayer ceremony and a religious procession with the icon to Moscow. Christians gathered on both sides of the road. They fell on their faces and asked the Mother of God for only one thing: to save Moscow. At the same time, Tamerlane had a dream: a huge mountain from which priests were descending. In their hands are golden staves, and the Mother of God hovers above their heads. The priests of the khan, having learned about the dream, unanimously declared that it was prophetic and advised them to retreat.

It is believed that to this day the Mother of God protects Russia through the Vladimir Icon.

 

 
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