February 25 - Feast of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God: from what protects and helps in what, strong prayer
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- February 25 - Feast of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God: from what protects and helps in what, strong prayer
On February 25, Orthodox believers celebrate the day of the Iversk Icon of the Mother of God - one of the most famous and revered images, which is easily distinguished by a small wound on the face of the Mother of God. It is he who has been welcoming people arriving in the Russian capital for many centuries. "Izvestia" tells about the history of the discovery of the shrine and what is prayed for in the Church holiday.
February 25: the Orthodox feast of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God
The authorship of the icon is often attributed to the Apostle and Evangelist Luke, who owns several images painted during the lifetime of the Mother of God. However, a number of art historians date it to a later period.
In the IX century, the holy image was in the possession of a pious widow who lived near the city of Nicea. One day the iconoclasts, who were destroying holy icons, broke into her house. One of the soldiers pierced the face of the Virgin with a spear. According to the legend, in that place immediately appeared blood. This greatly embarrassed the sacrilegious and they left the dwelling for a while.
To keep the icon, the woman went to the sea and, having prayed, lowered it into the water. The image, standing upright, moved on the waves and sailed to the holy Mount Athos (Greece). It was discovered by the monks of the Iberian Monastery and taken to the cathedral church. In the morning they saw that the icon miraculously appeared above the monastery gates. They took it to the temple, but in the morning the picture was repeated. This continued several times until the Mother of God appeared to one of the monks and ordered to leave the icon above the gate, thus acting as the guardian of the monastery.
The monks built a gate church, where the miracle-working icon remains to this day. Since then it has been called Iverskaya. Other names are "Vratarnitsa" or "Privratnitsa". The rumor of the miracle-working image spread throughout Russia. At the request of Patriarch Nikon in 1648 a list of the icon was delivered by Athonite monks to Moscow. Later a separate holiday was established in honor of this event.
There are several dates in the church calendar dedicated to the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God: Tuesday of Holy Week - the day of the icon's appearance on the waters of Mount Athos, October 26 - the appearance of the icon's list in Moscow, and February 25 - the day of the transfer of the Russian list to the Valdai Monastery, founded on the model of the Iveron Monastery on Mount Athos by Patriarch Nikon.
Not so long ago another holiday appeared in the church calendar, which is celebrated on May 6. It is connected with the return of the ancient list of the Iveron Icon, kept for many years in the Historical Museum, to the Church (the second finding of the list of the icon).
Iveron icon of the Mother of God: what it depicts, where it is located
The Iberian Mother of God belongs to the iconographic type of Hodegetria, which in translation from Greek means "Guide". At the same time she has features inherent in the iconography of Eleusa ("Pacification"). This is expressed in the closest possible arrangement of the figures of the Mother of God and the Infant, as well as in their heads bowed to each other.
The Virgin is depicted with the infant Christ, whom she holds with her left hand. Her right hand is pressed to her breast in a prayerful gesture. A spear wound is visible in the lower part of her face. Jesus gestures with his right hand to bless the Virgin, and in his left hand he holds a scroll with the Gospel.
The image has never left the gate church of the Iversky monastery. It is hardly possible to worship it personally, as the entrance to the holy land is restricted even for pilgrims. However, many copies of the miracle-working image have been made. The first one, brought back in the XVII century, stayed in the walls of the Moscow Novodevichy Monastery for more than 300 years. After its closure, it was kept in the funds of the Historical Museum and was returned to the monastery in 2012.
Lists of the Athonite image from the Novodevichy Monastery, but larger in size, can be found in the Resurrection Church in Sokolniki and in the chapel at the Resurrection Gate leading to Red Square. Another list can be found in the Iversky Monastery on Valday.
From what protects and what helps the Iversk Icon of the Mother of God
From ancient times, the Iveron image has been honored by both monarchs and common people. In pre-revolutionary Russia, long queues of those wishing to lay their hands on the shrine were lined up. And today thousands of parishioners visit churches on the feast day. The Mother of God is asked for health, mercy and absolution.
The image also helps to get on the true path of people who have committed sins and sincerely repented of them. There are many cases when, having prayed before the icon, people found a way out of the most difficult situations and were cured of diseases.
For example, there is a story about a music teacher who lived in the XIX century. Due to illness he lost his hearing and lost all hope for recovery. One day, passing by the Iveron Chapel, the man decided to go in and pray in front of the shrine. Coming out of the chapel, he suddenly realized that he could hear again.
Prayer to the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God
Pray to the Mother of God and before the icon at home. It is important that the prayer should be sincere and come from the heart. Traditionally, in a home iconostasis the icon is placed to the right of the image of the Savior. However, in the case of the "Gatekeeper" the image can be hung directly above the entrance to the dwelling.
"O Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord, Queen of Heaven and Earth! Wake up to the painful sighing of our souls, look down from your holy height upon us who worship your pure image with faith and love. Behold, we who are plunged in sin and burdened with sorrows, looking upon Thy image, as Thou who livest with us, offer our humble supplications. Help us who are weak, quench our sorrow, guide us who are going astray, heal and save the hopeless, grant us to spend the rest of our life in peace and quiet, grant us a Christian end, and at the Last Judgment of Thy Son appear to us a merciful Advocate. May we always sing, magnify and glorify Thee, as the good Advocate of the Christian race, with all those who have pleased God. Amen."
Earlier "Izvestia" told what they pray to the Kazan icon of the Mother of God.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
