The Virgin Mary was Russian. The story of the life of the virgin mary and the akathist to the blessed virgin Mary
Mother of God, Mother of God, Mother of God, Virgin Mary
- in church tradition the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary who gave birth to Jesus Christ.
The name "Mother of God" is known among all Orthodox Slavs. The constant epithet of the Mother of God among the Orthodox Slavs is the Most Holy, Most Pure, sometimes replacing her name.
The folk cult of the Theotokos differs from the church in greater down-to-earthness. The Mother of God acts as a protector from troubles, evil spirits, misfortune and suffering. She is a heavenly intercessor, sympathetic, merciful and sympathetic. Therefore, they often turn to her in prayers, conspiracies, spells.
The Mother of God is considered the patroness of women in labor. And, of course, the Mother of God is the intercessor of children in this and the next world.
Except for Jesus Christ, there is not a single saint in Christian iconography who would be so often depicted by artists of all times as the face of the Blessed Virgin. At all times, icon painters tried to convey to the face of the Mother of God all the beauty, tenderness, dignity and greatness that their imagination was capable of.
The Mother of God on Russian icons is always in sorrow, but this sorrow is different: sometimes sorrowful, sometimes light, but always full of spiritual clarity, wisdom and great spiritual strength, the Mother of God can solemnly "show" the Infant to the world, can tenderly press the Son to Herself or easily support Him - She is always full of reverence, worships her Divine Child and humbly resigns herself to the inevitability of sacrifice. Lyricism, enlightenment and detachment - these are the main features characteristic of the image of the Virgin on Russian icons.
Here is only a small part of the iconography dedicated to the Mother of God - the Theotokos.
Kazan is the most revered icons in Russia, the image of the intercessor of the whole people.
Vladimirskaya - The image of the intercessor mother in all troubles and sorrows.
Quick-hearted- pray that the Lord will hear people's prayers.
Iverskaya - they pray for protection from enemies and underdogs.
Soothe my sorrows- pray for consolation in sad moments of life.
Merciful - pray for the gift of a Divine miracle, healing.
Feodorovskaya - they pray in front of this icon in difficult childbirth.
Jerusalem - they pray for family well-being, health, and the conception of children.
Kozelshchanskaya - pray for the healing of orthopedic diseases,
Three-handed - pray for the healing of diseases of the hands and feet.
Look at humility- pray for healing from diseases, oh women's health and well-being.
Blessed sky- pray for the gift of God's Grace in Everyday life, help in business.
Softening Evil Hearts- pray for the softening of the hearts of those who come to you with evil thoughts.
Affection - mothers pray for a happy marriage of their daughters, for happiness and prosperity.
Smolenskaya - pray for help in search the right paths in life.
Barskaya - pray for good relationship in the family, for children and health.
Unexpected joy- pray for the gift of spiritual insight.
Three joys - they pray for forgiveness for their sins.
Prayer to all icons Mother of God
O Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord Most High, Intercessor and protection of all those who come running to You! Look down from Thy holy heights on me a sinner who falls to Thy most pure image; hear my warm prayer and bring it before your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; pray to him, may he illumine my gloomy soul with the light of his divine grace, may he relieve me of all need, sorrow and illness, may send me a quiet and peaceful life, bodily and mental health, may he pacify my suffering heart and heal its wounds, may he instruct me for good deeds, my mind must cleanse me from vain thoughts, teach me to fulfill His commandments, and save me from eternal torment and not deprive me of His Heavenly Kingdom. O Most Holy Theotokos! You, Joy of All Who Sorrow, hear the sorrowful me too; Thou art, called Satisfaction of Sorrow, quench my sorrow; Thou, Burning Kupino, save the world and all of us from the enemy's harmful fiery arrows; You, Seeking of the lost, do not allow me to perish in the abyss of my sins. On Bose all my hope and hope. Wake me in life as a temporary Intercessor and for eternal life before Thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Intercessor. To you, Most Holy Mother of God, Blessed Mary, reverently honor until the end of my days. Amen.
PS. The popular veneration of the Mother of God is associated with the "Mother of God Feasts" - Annunciation - April 7th,
Dormition - 28th August, Christmas - 21st September, Intercession - 14th October, Entry into the Temple - 4th December.
The glory of the Virgin Mary began from the time when the Archangel Gabriel, greeting Her: “Rejoice, Blessed One, the Lord is with You! Blessed are You in wives! " He announced to Her the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, incomprehensible to people. The same greeting with the addition of the words: "Blessed is the fruit of your womb," met the Most Pure Righteous Elizabeth, whom the Holy Spirit revealed that before her was the Mother of God (Luke 1: 28-42).
Reverent veneration of the Most Holy. Virgin in Christian Church expressed by many holidays, with which the Church celebrates the memories of various events in the life of the Blessed Virgin. Great ascetics and teachers of the Church composed songs of praise, akathists in honor of the Virgin Mary, uttered inspired words ... With such a reverent veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary, of course, it is comforting and edifying to know how She lived, how she prepared, how she matured to such a height to become a repository incompatible God-Word.
The Old Testament Scriptures, predicting about the incarnation of the Son of God, also predicted about St. Virgin Mary. Thus, the first promise of a Redeemer, given to a fallen man, already contained a prophecy about the Most Holy. Virgo in the words of the serpent's condemnation: "I will put enmity between you and between the Woman, and between your seed and between Her Seed"(Genesis 3:15). The prophecy of the Virgin Mary is that the future Redeemer is here called the Seed of the Woman, while in all other cases the descendants were called the seed of one of the male ancestors. The Holy Prophet Isaiah clarifies this prophecy, pointing out that the Wife, who has to give birth to the Messiah-Emmanuel, will be a virgin: "The Lord Himself will give you a sign,"- says the prophet to the low-believing descendants of King David, - “ behold, Virgo(Isa. 7:14). And although the word "Virgo" seemed inappropriate to the ancient Jews, in the womb she will receive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Immanuel, which means: God is with us ” because birth certainly presupposes conjugal intercourse, but nevertheless they did not dare to replace the word "Virgo" with another word, for example, "woman".
The earthly life of the Mother of God
Based on Holy Scripture and Church Tradition
The Evangelist Luke, who knew the Holy Virgin Mary closely, wrote down from Her words several important events dating back to the early years of Her life. Being a doctor and artist, He, according to legend, painted Her portrait-icon, with which later icon painters made copies.
Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. When the time approached for the birth of the Savior of the world, a descendant of King David, Joachim, lived in the Galilean city of Nazareth with his wife Anna. Both of them were pious people and were known for their humility and mercy. They lived to a ripe old age, and had no children. This made them very sad. But, despite their old age, they did not stop asking God to send them a child and make a vow (promise) - if a baby is born to them, to dedicate it to serve God. At that time, not having children was considered God's punishment for sins. Childlessness was especially difficult for Joachim, because according to the prophecies, the Messiah-Christ was to be born in his lineage. For patience and faith, the Lord sent great joy to Joachim and Anna: finally, they had a daughter. She was given the name Mary, which means in Hebrew "Lady, Hope."
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Introduction to the Temple. When the Virgin Mary was three years old, Her pious parents prepared to fulfill their vow: they took Her to the Jerusalem temple for dedication to God. Mary remained to live at the temple. There She, along with other girls, studied the Law of God and needlework, prayed and read the Holy Scriptures. At the temple of God, the Most Holy Mary lived for about eleven years and grew up deeply pious, obedient to God in everything, unusually modest and hardworking. Wishing to serve only God, She made a promise not to marry and remain a Virgin forever.
The Blessed Virgin Mary at Joseph. The aged Joachim and Anna did not live long, and the Virgin Mary was left an orphan. When She was fourteen years old, according to the law, She could not stay any longer at the temple, but she had to get married. The high priest, knowing her promise not to break the law on matrimony, formally betrothed Her to a distant relative, the widowed eighty-year-old Elder Joseph. He pledged to take care of Her and to guard Her virginity. Joseph lived in the city of Nazareth. He also came from the royal family of David, but he was not a rich man and worked as a carpenter. From his first marriage, Joseph had children Judas, Josiah, Simon and Jacob, who in the Gospels are called “brothers” of Jesus. The Blessed Virgin Mary led in the house of Joseph the same modest and secluded life as in the church.
Annunciation. In the sixth month after the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to Zechariah on the occasion of the birth of the prophet John the Baptist, the same Archangel was sent by God to the city of Nazareth to the Blessed Virgin Mary with the joyful news that the Lord had chosen Her to be the Mother of the Savior of the world. The Angel, having appeared, said to Her: “ Rejoice Blessed!(that is, full of grace) - The Lord is with You! Blessed are You among wives. " Mary was embarrassed by the words of the Angel and thought: what does this greeting mean? The Angel continued to say to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God. And, behold, you will give birth to a Son and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the son of the Most High, and His Kingdom will have no end. " Maria asked Angel in bewilderment: “How will it be when I don’t know my husband?” The Angel replied to Her that this would be accomplished by the power of the Almighty God: “The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You; therefore, the Holy One being born will be called the Son of God. Behold, your relative, Elizabeth, who had no children until she was very old, will soon give birth to a son; for God will not remain powerless no word. " Then Mary humbly said: “I am the servant of the Lord; let it be according to my word yours. " And the Archangel Gabriel departed from Her.
Visit of Righteous Elizabeth. The Blessed Virgin Mary, having learned from the Angel that Her relative Elizabeth, the wife of the priest Zechariah, would soon have a son, hurried to visit her. Entering the house, She greeted Elizabeth. Hearing this greeting, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and learned that Mary was honored to be the Mother of God. She exclaimed loudly and said: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is it so joyful for me that the Mother of my Lord came to me? " The Blessed Virgin Mary, in response to Elizabeth's words, glorified God with the words: “My soul magnifies (glorifies) the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God, My Savior, because He has looked (paid gracious attention) to the humility of His servant; henceforth, all generations (all peoples of the people) will bless (glorify) Me. Thus the Mighty One has created greatness for me, and His name is holy; and His mercy from generations to generations to those who fear Him. " The Virgin Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months, and then returned home to Nazareth.
God also announced to the righteous elder Joseph about the imminent birth of the Savior from the Blessed Virgin Mary. An angel of God, appearing to him in a dream, revealed that Mary would have a Son by the action of the Holy Spirit, as the Lord God announced through the prophet Isaiah (7:14) and commanded to give Him the name “Jesus (Yeshua) in Hebrew means Savior because He will save people from their sins. "
Further Gospel narratives mention the Most Holy. Virgin Mary in connection with the events in the life of Her Son - our Lord Jesus Christ. So, they talk about Her in connection with the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem, then - circumcision, the worship of the Magi, offering a sacrifice to the temple on the 40th day, flight to Egypt, settling in Nazareth, traveling to Jerusalem on the feast of Easter, when He was 12 years and so on. We will not describe these events here. It should be noted, however, that although the Gospel mentions of the Virgin Mary are brief, they give the reader a clear idea of Her great moral height: Her modesty, great faith, patience, courage, obedience to the will of God, love and devotion to His Divine Son. We see why She, according to the word of the Angel, was worthy to “find grace from God.”
The first miracle performed by Jesus Christ at a marriage (wedding) in Cana of Galilee, gives us a vivid image of the Virgin Mary as Intercessors before His Son for all people in difficult circumstances. Noticing a lack of wine at the wedding feast, the Virgin Mary drew the attention of Her Son to this, and although the Lord answered Her evasively - “What is Me and You, wife? My hour has not yet come. " She was not embarrassed by this half-refusal, being sure that the Son would not disregard Her request, and said to the ministers: "Whatever He says to you, do it." How visible in this warning of the servants is the compassionate solicitude of the Mother of God that the work begun by Her should be brought to a favorable end! Indeed, Her intercession did not remain without fruit, and Jesus Christ performed His first miracle here, bringing out of the difficult situation of poor people, after which “His disciples believed in Him” (John 2:11).
In further narratives, the Gospel depicts the Mother of God for us, being in constant anxiety for Her Son, following His wanderings, coming to Him in various difficult cases, taking care of the arrangement of His home rest and peace, to which, apparently, He never agreed ... Finally, we see Her, standing in indescribable sorrow at the cross of Her Crucified Son, hearing His last words and covenants, entrusting Her with the care of His beloved disciple. Not a single word of reproach or despair leaves Her lips. She surrenders everything to the will of God.
The Virgin Mary is also briefly mentioned in the book of Acts of the Holy Apostles, when on Her and on the Apostles on the day Pentecost the Holy Spirit descended in the form of tongues of fire. After that, according to legend, She lived for another 10-20 years. The Apostle John the Theologian, according to the will of the Lord Jesus Christ, received Her into his home and with great love, like a native son, took care of Her until Her death. When the Christian faith spread to other countries, many Christians came from distant countries to see and listen to Her. Since then, the Blessed Virgin Mary has become a common Mother and high example to follow.
Assumption. Once, when the Most Holy Mary was praying on the Mount of Olives (near Jerusalem), the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her with a paradise date branch in his hands and told Her that in three days Her earthly life would end, and the Lord would take Her to Himself. The Lord arranged it so that by this time the apostles from different countries gathered in Jerusalem. At the hour of death, an extraordinary light illuminated the room where the Virgin Mary lay. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, surrounded by angels, appeared and received Her most pure soul. The Apostles buried the most pure body of the Mother of God, at Her desire, at the foot of the Mount of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane, in the cave where the bodies of Her parents and righteous Joseph were buried. Many miracles took place during the burial. From touching the bed of the Mother of God, the blind received their sight, demons were cast out and every disease was healed.
Three days after the burial of the Mother of God, the apostle arrived in Jerusalem and was late for the burial. Thomas. He was very saddened that he did not say goodbye to the Mother of God and with all his soul he wanted to bow to Her most pure body. When they opened the cave where the Virgin Mary was buried, they did not find Her body in it, but only one burial shroud. The astonished apostles returned to the house. In the evening, while praying, they heard angelic singing. Looking up, the apostles saw the Virgin Mary in the air, surrounded by angels, in the radiance of heavenly glory. She said to the apostles: “Rejoice! I am with you all the days! "
She fulfills this promise to be the helper and intercessor of Christians to this day, becoming our heavenly Mother. For Her great love and all-powerful help Christians from ancient times honor her and turn to her for help, calling her "the zealous intercessor of the Christian race," "the joy of all who grieve," "who does not leave us in His dormition." Since ancient times, following the example of the prophet Isaiah and the righteous Elizabeth, Christians began to call Her the Mother of the Lord and the Mother of God. This name stems from the fact that She gave flesh to the One who always was and will always be the true God.
The Blessed Virgin Mary is also a great role model for all those who seek to please God. She was the first to decide wholly dedicate your life to God. She showed that voluntary virginity above family and marriage life . Imitating Her, starting from the first centuries, many Christians began to lead a virgin life in prayer, fasting and divine contemplation. This is how monasticism arose and was established. Unfortunately, the modern heterodox world does not at all appreciate and even ridicules the feat of virginity, forgetting the words of the Lord: “There are eunuchs (virgins) who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven,” adding at the same time: “Who can accommodate, yes will accommodate! "(Matt. 19: 1) .2
Summarizing this brief overview of the earthly life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, it should be said that She, both at the moment of Her greatest glory, when she was chosen to become the Mother of the Savior of the world, and at the time of Her greatest sorrow, when at the foot of the cross, according to the prophecy of righteous Simeon, “ the weapon passed Her soul, ”she showed complete composure. By this, she discovered all the strength and beauty of Her virtues: humility, unshakable faith, patience, courage, hope in God and love for Him! That is why we, the Orthodox, honor Her so highly and try to imitate Her.
Modern miracles and appearances of the Mother of God
WITH the first days after Her Assumption to this day, the Blessed Virgin Mary helps Christians. This is evidenced by Her numerous miracles and phenomena. Here are some of them.
Celebration of COVER
The Mother of God is set in remembrance of the vision of St. Andrew of the Mother of God, covering Christians with Her omophorion (with a long veil) in the Blachernae Church during the siege of Constantinople by enemies in the 10th century. At four o'clock in the morning, the blessed one saw the majestic Wife, walking from the royal doors, supported by St. Forerunner and John the Theologian, and many saints preceded her; others followed her, singing hymns and spiritual songs. St. Andrew approached his disciple Epiphanius and asked if he saw the Queen of the world. “I see,” he replied. And when they looked, she, kneeling before the pulpit, prayed for a long time, shedding tears. Then She went up to the throne and prayed for the Orthodox people. At the end of the prayer, She removed the veil from Her head and spread it over all the standing people. The city was saved. St. Andrew was a Slav by birth, and Russians very much honor the Feast of the Intercession, dedicating many churches to it.
Further information in this chapter regarding the apparitions of the Mother of God is drawn mainly from the foreign press. Our Church has not yet expressed its opinion on their opinion, and we provide them here as additional information.
Shortly before the revolution in Russia, on May 13, 1917, the Mother of God appeared to three Portuguese shepherd children in FATIME
... After that, She appeared to the children for several months, surrounded by radiance. Believers in numbers from five to eighteen thousand people flocked to Her apparitions from all parts of Portugal. An unforgettable miracle happened when, after a pouring rain, an extraordinary light suddenly shone, and the wet clothes on the people instantly dried up. The Mother of God called people to repentance and prayer and predicted the forthcoming “conversion of Russia” (from godlessness to faith in God).
Starting on April 2, 1968, for more than a year, the Mother of God appeared in the suburbs CAIRO Zeitune above the temple dedicated to Her name. Her apparitions, which usually took place between 12 am and 5 am, attracted large numbers of worshipers. The Mother of God was surrounded by radiance sometimes as bright as the sun, and white doves hovered around. Soon the whole of Egypt learned about the apparitions of the Mother of God, and the government began to take care that the public meetings at the place of Her apparitions were orderly. Local newspapers wrote about these frequent apparitions of the Mother of God. Arabic... Several press conferences were held regarding the phenomena, at which people shared their impressions and what they heard from Her. She visited the Mother of God and individuals in the vicinity of Cairo, for example, the Coptic Patriarch, who doubted Her appearances to the people. During the apparitions of the Mother of God, many healings also took place, witnessed by local doctors.
The Washington Post on July 5, 1986 reported on new apparitions of the Mother of God over the Church of St. Demians in the working class of Terra Gulakia, north of Cairo. The Virgin Mary held the Infant Christ in Her arms and was accompanied by several saints, among them St. Demiana. As in previous years, the apparitions of the Mother of God were accompanied by numerous healings of incurable diseases, for example, blindness, kidney, heart and others.
Since June 1981, the Mother of God began to appear to people on the mountain in INTERDUGORIE (Yugoslavia). Sometimes up to ten thousand people flocked to Her apparitions. People saw Her in an unearthly radiance. Then the appearances to the people stopped, and the Mother of God began to appear regularly to six young people and talk with them. Mezhgirie has become a place of constant pilgrimage for believers from all over the world. Local, Italian and other newspapers wrote and are writing about these phenomena. The Mother of God gradually revealed 10 secrets to the young people, which they should in due time tell the representatives of the church. The Mother of God promised that 3 days after the message of Her last secret She will leave a visible "sign" for unbelievers. Representatives of medicine and other respectable people testify that young people who see the Mother of God are completely normal and their external reactions to visions are natural. Often the Mother of God, crying, spoke to young people about the need to establish peace on earth: “Peace, peace! The earth will not be saved unless peace is established on it. It will come only if people find God. The Lord is life. Those who believe in Him will find life and peace ... People have forgotten prayer and fasting; many Christians have stopped praying. " It is interesting to note that in Medjugorje, where atheism prevailed before and there were many party members, all residents became believers and left communist party... Many miraculous healings took place in connection with the apparitions of the Mother of God in Mezhdugorje. The phenomena continue.
On Easter 1985 in the city LVOV During the service of Metropolitan John in the cathedral in the name of the Holy Mother of God and in the presence of a large crowd of believers, a cloud suddenly appeared in the gap of the window, shining like a ray of the sun. Gradually, it formed into a human figure and everyone recognized the Mother of God in Her. In a spiritual outburst, people began to pray loudly and cry for help. The people standing outside also saw the image of the Mother of God in the window and tried to enter the church and prayed loudly. The crowd grew larger, and the rumor of a miracle spread with the speed of lightning. All the efforts of the police to disperse the worshipers were in vain. People began to arrive from Kiev, from the Pochaev Lavra, Moscow, Tiflis and other cities. The Lvov authorities asked Moscow to send military personnel and experts in the field of science to help. Scientists began to prove that there can be no miracles for people to disperse. And suddenly the Mother of God spoke: “Pray, repent of your sins, because there is very little time left ... “During the sermon, the Mother of God healed many crippled and sick people. The visions of the Mother of God and healing lasted three and a half weeks, and She still spoke a lot for the salvation of people. People did not leave either day or night.
Some miraculous icons of the Mother of God
VLADIMIRSKAYA the icon is one of the oldest miraculous icons of the Mother of God. In the middle of the 5th century it was transferred from Jerusalem to Constantinople, and in the middle of the 12th century it was sent by the patriarch to Kiev to the Great. book Yuri Dolgoruky and staged in the Maiden Monastery in Vyshgorod. In 1155 the prince of Vyshgorod Andrey, going north, took with him the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. On the way, prayers were served and miracles were performed. On the banks of the Klyazma, the horses carrying the icons could not move. The prince named this place Bogolyubov, created two stone churches here, in one of which the icon was placed. In 1160, on September 21, the icon was transferred to the Vladimir Church, and from that time it became known as "Vladimirskaya." Since 1395 St. the icon is in the Moscow Dormition Cathedral on the left side of the royal gates. The icon has become famous for many miracles. Before her, Russian tsars were anointed for the kingdom, metropolitans were elected. The celebration of the icon takes place on September 8th, as well as on June 3rd (New Art). on the occasion of the deliverance of Moscow from the Crimean Khan in 1521, who was terrified by the vision of a miraculous army near Moscow.
KAZAN icon. In 1579, the nine-year-old girl Matrona, whose parents' house burned down during a fire in Kazan in 1579, saw in a dream the image of the Mother of God and heard a voice commanding to take St. an icon hidden in the ashes of a burnt house. The holy icon was found wrapped in an old cloth under the stove in a burnt house where it was buried, probably even during the Tatar rule in Kazan, when the Orthodox were forced to hide their faith. The holy icon was solemnly transferred to the nearest church of St. Nicholas, and then to the Cathedral of the Annunciation and became famous for the healings of the blind. A copy was made of this icon and sent to Tsar Ivan the Terrible. In honor of the appearance of the icon, a special holiday was established on July 21 (New Art.).
Icon SIGNS (Kurskaya Korennaya) was acquired on September 8, 1295 by a hunter on the banks of the Tuskari River in the Kursk region, on the ground at the root of a tree. They built a chapel and erected an icon, which began to manifest itself as miracles. In 1383 Crimean Tatars who devastated the area, cut the icon in two and threw them into different sides... They took into captivity the priest Bogolyub, who served in the chapel. Redeemed by the ambassadors of the Moscow Grand Duke, Bogolyub found the split parts of the icon, folded them, and they miraculously fused together. In 1597 the icon was brought to Moscow at the request of Tsar Theodore Ioannovich. Upon the return of the shrine on the site of the chapel, a monastery was founded, called the Root Hermitage. Since the time of Tsar Theodore Ioannovich, the icon has been inserted into a cypress board with the image of the Lord of hosts above, and on the sides - the prophets. With a miraculous vision, the icon saved Kursk from its capture by the Poles in 1612. Grateful residents in the city built the Znamensky Monastery, in which she then stayed annually from September 12 to Friday 9th week after Easter. The rest of the time she was in the Root Desert. On March 7, 1898, the icon remained unharmed during an attempt by intruders to blow it up in the Cathedral of the Znamensky Monastery, although there was general destruction around it. During the revolution, the icon was stolen on April 12, 1918 and miraculously found in a well on August 1. The icon was taken out of Russia in 1920 by bishop. Theophanes of Kursk, and was in Yugoslavia in the Holy Trinity Church in Belgrade. Great help was provided by the shrine during the bombing of Belgrade during the Second World War: bombs never hit the houses visited by the icon, although everything around them was destroyed. Now the icon is in the Cathedral of the Sign of B.M. NY f. Periodically, the icon is transported for worship to various churches of the Russian Church Abroad.
Crying Icons. Over the past 100-150 years, several icons of the Mother of God have appeared, shedding tears. This kind of miracle probably indicates the grief of the Mother of God for the people about the disasters impending on the world.
In February 1854, one of the icons of the Mother of God began to shed tears in the Orthodox Church at the Sokol Romanian Monastery. This miracle coincided with Crimean war in Russia. The miracle of shedding tears attracted thousands of pilgrims every day. The miraculous flow of tears happened sometimes every day, and sometimes at intervals of 2 - 3 days.
In March 1960 in Greek Orthodox family Katsunis, who lives in Long Island, New York, began to shed tears on the lithographic icon "Passionate" (or "Roman") of the Mother of God. During the transportation of the icon to the Greek Cathedral of St. Paul during the entire journey, white doves hovered in the air above the icon. From the profuse flow of tears, the paper on which the icon is written was completely wrinkled. Sometimes the tears seemed bloody. Pious pilgrims applied cotton wool to the icon, and the cotton wool filled with moisture. Soon, in the house of another Greek Orthodox family, Kulis, who lives in the same area, the lithographic icon of the Mother of God, Iverskaya, also began to shed tears. These two crying icons attracted a large number of worshipers. A large number of miracles originating from these icons have been noted in the foreign and local press. One of these icons was even subjected to scientific research to identify the source of those tears. Scientists at the University of British Columbia testified to the fact that tears were flowing, but they could not explain it scientifically.
December 6, 1986 the iconostasis icon of the Mother of God in the Albanian Church of St. Nicholas the Pleasant in the city of Chicago began to shed tears. This miracle sometimes attracts 5 thousand people to the temple, who want to see the miraculous icon. This crying icon was painted 23 years ago by the Manhattan artist Konstantin Yussis. A specially assembled commission testified that "there can be no question of any hoax."
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WORLDWIDE icon. The Orthodox Spaniard Joseph, living on Mount Athos, saw a copy of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God in the monastery and wished to acquire it. At first he was refused, but then, unexpectedly, the abbot handed him this icon with the words: "Take this icon must go with you!" Joseph brought the icon to Montreal. On November 24, 1982, at 3 am, Joseph's room was filled with a fragrance: drops of wonderfully fragrant myrrh (special oil) appeared on the surface of the icon. Archbishop Vitaly of Canada offered to bring the icon to the cathedral, then other temples began to be visited with the icon. During the chrismation, the glass door of the icon case opens, and each praying person can see how St. myrrh slowly flows from the surface of the icon. Sometimes, during the crowded services of St. miro appears on outside glass and before the eyes of the worshipers in abundant quantities flows down to the floor, and the fragrance fills the entire temple. It is also remarkable that on Holy Week myrrh does not appear on the icon at all, and after Easter it flows again. Many miraculous healings took place from the icon. The smell of St. the world changes from time to time, but it is always extremely pleasant and strong. Whoever doubts about miracles in our time should look at the Myrrh-streaming icon: an obvious and great miracle!
There is no way here to list all the miraculous icons of the Mother of God. After the revolution in Russia, a large number of old icons began to be renewed. Sometimes icons, right in front of the eyes of people, for a short time turned from dark ones to light, as if they had been recently painted. There are thousands of such renewed icons.
Signs and wonders do not work without a reason. There is no doubt that numerous modern miracles and appearances of the Mother of God are aimed at awakening in people faith in God and a sense of repentance. But the world has become deaf to everything spiritual. Turning more and more with his back to God, he, having bitten the bit, rushes swiftly towards his death. At this time of all kinds of disasters, shocks and temptations, we must remember our Heavenly Mother and Intercessor at the throne of God. Holy Mother of God, save us!
10.05.2015
The Blessed Virgin Mary is the mother of the Savior. In Christianity, she is considered the Mother of God, as well as one of the greatest saints. The name Mary in the Hebrew language sounds like Miriam, it can have different meanings, this includes - bitter, rebellious, beloved by the Creator.
The fact is that many scientists who are engaged in scriptures, most of all trust the meaning of "beloved", and attribute this word to the ancient language of the Egyptians, which is explained by the stay of the Jewish people in the African country for several centuries.
Early Mary is unknown to anyone
Almost nothing is known about the early life of Mary, in the Gospel the story of Mary begins from the moment when the Archangel Gabriel comes to her in Nazareth, who told her that she was honored to be chosen, after which she must give birth to the Messiah. It is known that Mary became engaged to Joseph in those years, but remained a virgin, as the words uttered by Mary speak - "How can I have a child if I do not know my husband?" The angel explained to her that the light and power of the Creator would descend on her, after which Mary agreed, saying: "Let it be as you say." After this event, Mary decided to visit her close relative, Elizabeth, to whom the Archangel also came and said that she would have a son, although she was barren and she was many years old. Elizabeth had a son, John the Baptist.
When Mary was next to Elizabeth, she sang her a song of praise, it is said in the Bible that it resembles the song of Anna, the mother of Samuel, one of the revered prophets. Upon returning to Nazareth, her husband learned that Mary would have a child, after which he decided to let her go and not tell anyone. But the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him too, telling about the Great Secret itself.
Mary had to flee the city
In those years, a population census was taking place, and the family was from the clan of David, so I had to flee to Bethlehem. Soon a baby was born in the stable - Jesus. Then the Magi came to the place of birth, who learned about the birth of Christ and walked in the direction of the Stars in the sky. The shepherds saw Joseph, Mary and her child. Eight days later, a circumcision ritual was performed and the baby was named Jesus. Forty days later, the husband and wife went to the Temple to perform a cleansing ceremony in accordance with the law and to consecrate the child to God. They sacrificed four birds. When this ritual was performed, Simeon, the elder in the Temple, decided to tell the future of the child to everyone present, after which he said that Mary would participate in the sufferings of Jesus.
Mary was close to Jesus for many years. Known fact when Mary asked her son to turn water into wine, while a wedding was taking place in Cana. Then she dwelt with Christ in Capernaum. After Christ's execution, she also had to be on the spot, and Jesus told John to always be with his mother. After Christ ascended to heaven, she, along with those who were with the Savior, waited for the Holy Spirit. They managed to see the descent of the Spirit, which took on a different form, it was fire. Further, nothing is said about the life of Mary anywhere.
Virgin Mary is the holiest of all women
Before the Council of Nicaea was held in the fourth century, priests and leaders, among whom were Justina Martyr, Ignatius of Antioch, Cyprian, and many others, argued that Mary's role in the redemption of mankind was undeniable. If we talk about the divine motherhood of the Virgin Mary, then she is considered the greatest woman of all who existed on Earth. According to scientists, in order to become the Mother of God, Mary had to be rewarded with a great divine favor. In Catholicism, the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary is considered as a logical condition that prepares the Virgin Mary herself for the coming of the Messiah.
Mary was saved from vice
If we talk about Pope Pius, he said that the Holy Virgin Mary became her even before the moment of the Immaculate Conception took place, everything was in the exclusive gift of grace. This suggests that the mother of the Savior was from the very beginning protected from sin, which alienates any creature from God, since the time of the first man, when the fall occurred.
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Tcherezova Galina
the Virgin Mary
Summary of the myth
Mother of God with Child
(XVI-XVII centuries, Nessebar school)
the Virgin Mary(8 September 20 BC? - 15 August, 45 AD?) - mother of Jesus Christ, one of the most revered figures in Christianity. In Orthodoxy, Catholicism and other traditional churches, it is customary to call it The virgin.
The parents of the Virgin Mary, the righteous inhabitants of Jerusalem, Joachim and Anna, prayed all their lives to God to send them children, and when they reached old age, the Angel of the Lord appeared to them with the news that soon they would have a child about which the whole world would speak. Soon Anna conceived and after 9 months gave birth to a girl who was named Maria. When Mary grew up, she was taken to the Jerusalem temple to serve until she came of age, as was the custom at that time. At the age of 12, Mary made a vow of eternal virginity, and at the age of 18, her parents gave her in marriage to an elderly Jew Joseph, who greatly respected her promise to the Lord. In his home, Mary spun yarn that was used in the temple for the altar. Once, while working, an Angel appeared to the girl and announced that soon she would have a baby, the Son of God, the Savior of mankind. Christians remember this event on the feast of the Annunciation. Mary was very surprised because she kept her vow and was not going to break it. Her husband was also saddened and surprised when her pregnancy became noticeable to those around him, and was about to drive Mary out of the house as an unfaithful wife, but the Archangel Gabriel who appeared to him announced that Mary had conceived from the Holy Spirit and was honest with her husband.
The Nativity of Jesus Christ. Shortly before the birth in Judea, a census was announced, and Joseph and Mary went to the city of Bethlehem, as representatives of the family of David. As people came there from all over the country, all the hotels were occupied and many travelers stayed in stalls. It was there, in the manger (animal feeder), that the baby Jesus was born. There the shepherds and wise men found him, who came to worship the Savior and bring him their gifts. The Magi came from the East, because shortly before that they saw a sign in the sky - new star, which announced the birth of a son of God on earth. The Magi were astrologers, and having calculated this great event for a long time, they were waiting for the appearance of a sign that would tell them about the fulfillment of the prediction. The shepherds who came to Jesus were herding sheep in the vicinity of Bethlehem, and suddenly an Angel of God appeared to them, announcing that a great baby was born in the city of David, who will be called the Savior of the world. And the shepherds, leaving everything, went to Bethlehem, and an angel showed them the way.
On the 40th day, the parents brought Jesus to the Jerusalem temple, on the steps of which they met Simeon the God-Receiver, a famous righteous man, who had once been prophesied by the Holy Spirit that he would not die until he saw Christ. Simeon, bowing to the Savior, bestowed his blessings on him, and Mary predicted future suffering, saying that the weapon would pierce her soul. This is how the "Seven-arrow" icon appeared, on which the Mother of God is depicted with arrows piercing the heart, a symbol of maternal torment and pain for the death of her only son. Orthodox Christians remember the meeting of Simeon and Christ during the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord, considering this event a prototype of the meeting of the Savior of the World with humanity, which was personified by the God-Receiver.
Flight of Mary to Egypt. When the Magi, led by a guiding star, came to Bethlehem, they went to King Herod, believing that he might know where to look for a born baby, the future King of the Jews (in Jesus' horoscope, they saw that he would become King of Judah in a symbolic, spiritual sense) ... But Herod took their question literally and was very frightened, asking them to inform him of when they would find Jesus. But the Magi broke their promise, and King Herod, afraid that he would be overthrown from the throne, decided to kill all the babies recently born in Bethlehem. An Angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and informed him that a great massacre of infants was coming, so Joseph and his family must urgently leave the city. The next day, the couple went to Egypt, fleeing the monstrous atrocities of Herod, and lived in Egypt until the death of the king. Subsequently, having learned that Herod's son reigns in Bethlehem, they did not dare to stay in this city and settled in Nazareth.
The further life of the Virgin. The Mother of God is not often mentioned in the Gospel, and all the testimonies about her later life, unfortunately, are very scanty and scattered. Collecting the grains of her biography, it becomes clear that she was always by her son's side, accompanying him on trips and helping him in his preaching work. During the crucifixion, she stood at the cross, and Jesus, dying, asked the Apostle John to take care of her. Mary's life was full of experiences and suffering that only mothers can understand. She was tormented, seeing how the chief priests did not accept her son. Her heart was bleeding when Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified. She fainted from pain as nails were driven into the palm of her only son. She felt His pain as her own, and her loving mother's heart could hardly bear these torments. The Mother of God initially knew what fate awaited Jesus, and therefore there was not a day in her life when the sharp arrows of sorrow would not pierce her soul. The prediction of Simeon the God-Receiver came true. Maria deliberately gave her son to be torn apart, and did she have a choice? How could she resist the will of the Most High? She sacrificed her life to the One who saved the whole world ... The Mother of God was with the myrrh-bearing women who came to the cave to smear the body of Jesus with oil. She did not leave her son after the resurrection and was among the apostles from the moment of the ascension of Christ, at the descent of the Holy Spirit and during the apostolic preaching of Christianity in subsequent years. When Jesus' disciples cast lots for the distribution of lands to spread the teachings of Christ, Georgia fell to Mary. But the Angel of the Lord appeared and ordered her to preach among the pagans on Athos, which is now considered the abode of monasticism and the House of the Virgin.
The Virgin Mary died at the age of 48 in Jerusalem, and the apostles came to her tomb, only the Apostle Thomas did not have time to say goodbye to Mary. At his request, the coffin was opened, but to the surprise of everyone present, it turned out to be empty. According to legend, Jesus descended from heaven after his Mother and took her to the Kingdom of God.
Images and symbols of myth
Madonna and Child (Madonna Litta).
Leonardo da Vinci. 1490 - 1491g
The Mother of God is a prototype of a perfect man, in which all the best in Creation is embodied. She is both heaven and earth, and a staircase that connects heaven and earth. She is a symbol of true Divine Love, which any believer can touch during prayer or visiting holy places.
Jacob's Ladder is considered one of the main symbols of the Mother of God (Mary is the connecting link connecting heaven and earth). It is like a ladder that leads humanity to God through the deification of the flesh. The burning bush (a burning, but not burning bush of thorns, from which the Lord Himself appeared before Moses on Mount Sinai) is also a sign of the Mother of God, announcing the immaculate conception of Jesus from the Holy Spirit.
Also, the Virgin Mary is called "a pot of manna", because her son is the bread of life, capable of satisfying a person's spiritual hunger.
The tabernacle of the congregation, a marching Jewish temple in which the Ark of the Covenant is kept and sacrifices are offered, is also considered to be the image of the Mother of God as the guardian of all spiritual traditions of Christianity.
Mount Unekossechnaya with a stone that has fallen off of it is an allegory associated with the Mother of God, where the fallen stone is Jesus Christ. In many icons, the Mother of God is depicted on this mountain, surrounded by other symbols.
Communication tools for creating images and symbols
Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow"
(last quarter of the 18th century)
The most famous work that tells us about the life of the Virgin Mary is undoubtedly the Bible. Biblical fragments dedicated to the Mother of God are divided into direct references (in the Gospels, Acts of the Apostles and Epistles), as well as Old Testament prophecies about the Virgin, who is to become the mother of Christ, and biblical prototypes that symbolically speak of Mary's saving mission.
Since ancient times, the Mother of God has been described by church historians (Nikifor Callista, monk Epiphanius, etc.), depicted by the greatest sculptors and artists (Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, Raphael), painted on icons by such masters of icon painting as Theophanes the Greek, Andrei Rublev, the evangelist Luke, Ivan Bezmin and many others. Many icons and statues of the Virgin Mary are surrounded by deep veneration and are considered miraculous. The most famous are the miraculous statues in the Montserrat monastery (Spain), in the Austrian Mariazell and in the Mexican city of Jalisco. Another famous Mexican shrine is the image of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe (Mexico City). In Eastern Europe, among the revered shrines, the Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God (Czestochowa, Poland) and the Ostrobram Icon of the Mother of God (Vilnius, Lithuania) stand out. All these cities, along with such places of the appearance of the Virgin as Lourdes and Fatima, serve as objects of mass pilgrimages. The Mother of God is traditionally depicted in certain clothes: purple maforia (bedspread married woman covering the head and shoulders), and a tunic (long dress) of blue color... Maforia is decorated with three stars - on the head and shoulders. In Western European painting, the traditional attribute of Mary is White Lily, a symbol of purity.
In addition to the images, one cannot fail to mention the numerous holidays dedicated to the Mother of God - the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Annunciation, the Assumption and many others, which are celebrated every year by believers all over the world, who, thereby, show their love, devotion and deep respect to the Virgin Mary.
The social meaning of the myth
Sistine Madonna. Raphael
In the Orthodox tradition, love for Christ is inseparable from love for the Mother of God, who is the Intercessor of all Christians before the throne of God. On this issue, Orthodox and Catholics disagree with Protestants, who, following the ideas of the Reformation, believe that there can be no mediators between God and man, and reject the Divinity of the Virgin Mary.
The Mother of God is a symbol of the sanctification and glorification of human nature, because she was the first among people to receive the Holy Spirit, who entered her during the Annunciation. Orthodoxy does not agree with Catholicism that the Virgin Mary was also conceived immaculately, this separates her from humanity, to whom she showed by her example how to be a real Christian. She walked with Christ all His way - from birth to Golgotha. And also any Christian can follow the Savior in his daily life, crucifying his sins and passions. In the Mother of God, earthly and heavenly wisdom was first united, therefore, the mystery of Christianity and its ultimate goal are hidden in her. The Mother of Christ even now sanctifies the world with her Love and Purity, keeps it from troubles and hardships with her veil. Nowhere is the Mother of God so venerated as in Orthodox Church... Many holidays are dedicated to her, and not a single divine service is complete without a prayer appeal to her.
For believing Orthodox people, the personality of the Most Holy Theotokos evokes a particularly reverent attitude and love. This is not accidental, because according to the Orthodox worldview, the Mother of God is the main intercessor and intercessor for people before her Son and God Jesus Christ.
The very birth of the Blessed Virgin was an amazing miracle. The parents of the Mother of God Joachim and Anna were fruitless. All their lives they prayed to God for the gift of a child to them. However, the requested pious chita received only in old age, when it was difficult to imagine the birth of a child according to natural physiological laws (the parents of the Mother of God were more than seventy years old at the time of the birth of the Virgin Mary). Such amazing event became only an omen of who the born child was destined to become.
Holy Mother of God became the Mother of the second Person of the Holy Trinity - Jesus Christ. At the same time, for Orthodox people there is no doubt that the Mother of God is a virgin before Christmas, at Christmas, etc. This is another great miracle that is taking place.
The Most Holy Theotokos was the one who raised the infant Christ. She understood that the child born of her is the promised Messiah and Savior of the world (this is how the Archangel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary on the day before the conception of Christ). The Mother of God knew about the miracles performed by Christ. The gospel narrative conveys the story of the first miracle of the Lord. Christ at the marriage in Cana of Galilee turned wine into water. This amazing event took place after the request of the Mother of God to Christ. The Mother of God noticed that the marriage had run out of wine. This narration gives a clear indication of what boldness the Mother of God has towards her Son and God. Orthodox people believe that nothing is impossible for the Mother of God. It is she who is ready to fulfill the righteous requests of those praying and ask God for great mercies for the human race.
The Most Holy Theotokos with all her heart felt the mother's sorrow, seeing her Son dying on the cross. The Mother of God understood that only in such a cruel way could humanity deserve salvation and gain the possibility of reconciliation with God.
The Most Holy Theotokos is called the Queen of Heaven and Earth. Unlike archangels, angels and saints, to whom believers ask for prayers before God, Christians beg for salvation from the Mother of God. The appeal "Most Holy Theotokos, save us" has already become a part of the liturgical Christian life.
The Mother of God is the main patroness of every person. She, like a loving mother, is sick about each of her children. All this became the reason that for Orthodox Christians the Mother of God is so loved and close. The people show their love for the Virgin Mary not only in the offering of prayers, but also in the construction of magnificent architectural structures. There are many churches and monasteries consecrated in honor of the Mother of God. Various church holidays dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The Mother of God herself throughout the post-Christian history did not leave her children, showing her numerous miraculous icons, which are still revered as Christian shrines and bring great relief in various adversities to many people.
