The religious scholar listed the main traditions of celebrating the day of the Vladimir Icon

The celebration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God in the Orthodox tradition is primarily associated with liturgical veneration and the conversion of believers to spiritual experience through prayer. On this day, solemn services are held in churches, and participation in the liturgy and thanksgiving prayers occupy a central place. Nikita Pavlov, a religious scholar and researcher at the National Research Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Izvestia about this.

"The main traditions of celebrating the Vladimir Icon are primarily connected with liturgical veneration. On this day, festive services are held in Orthodox churches, believers turn to the Mother of God with prayers for protection, peace and help. Participation in the liturgy and prayer of thanksgiving occupy a central place. For the Orthodox consciousness, this holiday is an appeal to a living spiritual experience," he said.

According to him, there are also traditions of personal veneration of the image: prayer before the home lists of the Vladimir Icon, pilgrimage to shrines, and family customs associated with it. At the same time, the expert clarified that in church practice, priority is given not to external actions, but to prayerful understanding of the image of the Virgin as the intercessor of man and the people.

The religious scholar paid special attention to the historical significance of the shrine. According to him, the history of the Vladimir Icon is closely linked to the development of Russian statehood. Initially, the icon became famous in Vladimir, from where it got its name, and its transfer to Moscow in 1395 was a turning point, after which the shrine turned into an all-Russian symbol.

"Of particular importance was the fact that the Vladimir Icon turned out to be associated with key events in the history of the Moscow state. They prayed in front of her during periods of military threats, she was associated with strengthening the unity of the country, and the image itself became part of the idea of the continuity of Russian power and Orthodox tradition. In the 16th century, a whole circle of legends and historical memories was formed around it, where the icon appeared as the spiritual patron saint of the Russian land," said Pavlov.

Read more in the Izvestia article:

The Day of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God: the mystery of the shrine, which has been revered for centuries