July 21 is the Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God: the story of the miraculous image

Every year on July 21, Orthodox believers celebrate the appearance of the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the city of Kazan in 1579, which made the Kazan Icon one of the most revered shrines of the Russian Church. On the same day, the Great Martyr Procopius of Caesarea is remembered. In the national calendar, the date is known as Kazan summer, Prokopiev Day, Prokopiy the Reaper and Zazhinki. In 2026, the holiday falls on a Tuesday. About its history, traditions, signs and strict prohibitions — in the material of Izvestia.

The appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is a church holiday on July 21

The feast of the appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is associated with the events of 1579 in Kazan. After the city became part of the Russian state in 1552, an Orthodox department was established in it, temples and monasteries were built, but the new church life was not immediately approved. Different religious and cultural environments were preserved there, so the fire of 1579 became not only an urban disaster, but also a test for the young Kazan Christian community.

The fire broke out on June 28 near the church of St. Nicholas of Tula. The flames destroyed part of the city and severely damaged the Kazan Kremlin. Among the victims of the fire was Daniel Onuchin, a Sagittarius, who, together with his family, had to rebuild his house in the ashes. According to church tradition, soon his nine-year-old daughter Matrona saw the Virgin in a dream. She pointed out the place where the icon was located underground and ordered to get the shrine. At first, the adults did not attach importance to her story. However, the phenomenon repeated several times, and the girl convinced her mother to go with her in search.

An image of the Mother of God was found in the indicated place under a layer of earth and ashes. According to legend, the icon looked as if it had not been damaged by fire and time. Ermolai, a priest of the Kazan St. Nicholas Church, the future Metropolitan of Kazan, as well as Patriarch Hermogenes, one of the main spiritual figures of the Time of Troubles, participated in the acquisition. It was he who later described the events related to the appearance of the Kazan Icon.

The shrine was first moved to the nearest church of St. Nicholas of Tula, then in a procession to the Annunciation Cathedral in Kazan. In the Orthodox tradition, the first miraculous healings are associated with this procession — people suffering from blindness saw the light of the image.

In 1595, a special celebration was established for the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God on the day of its acquisition. By order of Tsar Ivan IV, a temple was built on the site of the appearance of the image and a convent was founded. Matrona Onuchina and her mother took monastic vows there, and the Matron received the name Mavra in monasticism.

In the 17th century, the image became famous outside the city. In 1611, a Kazan detachment heading to the people's militia of Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky took with them a list of the icon. The militia prayed in front of the Kazan Icon before the liberation of Moscow from the Polish invaders, so the victory of 1612 in church memory is associated with the intercession of the Virgin. This is how the second celebration of the Kazan Icon arose — on November 4, the day of commemoration of the liberation of Moscow and Russia from foreign invaders.

The fate of the first-born image in the 20th century became one of the most dramatic pages of its history. On the night of June 29, 1904, the Kazan icon was stolen from the Bogoroditsky Monastery. The kidnappers were detained, but the image itself was never found. The versions about the burning of the icon or its sale have not been definitively confirmed, so the fate of the original remains unknown to this day.

Numerous venerated lists of the Kazan Icon have been preserved in Russia and abroad. One of the most famous is the St. Petersburg List in the Kazan Cathedral of St. Petersburg. The Vatican List also has a special history. For a long time it was abroad, then it was kept in the chambers of Pope John Paul II, and in 2004 it was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church. On July 21, 2005, Patriarch Alexy II handed it over to the Kazan Diocese, and the image was installed in the Holy Cross Church of the Bogoroditsky Monastery in Kazan.

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The Kazan icon belongs to the Odigitria type, which means "Guide book" in Greek. But her iconography has a recognizable feature — the Mother of God is depicted not on her waist, but on her shoulders, her head is bowed to the Infant Christ, and Christ blesses the worshippers.

Before this image, believers pray for help in illness, peace in the family, the birth of children, protection of the home, the well-being of soldiers and the right choice in difficult circumstances.

On July 21, the church also commemorates the Great Martyr Procopius of Caesarea. Before his baptism, he was named Neanias, was originally from Jerusalem and lived during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, who unleashed severe persecution of Christians.

Neanias received a good secular education, was introduced to Diocletian, and quickly advanced in government service. By 303, the emperor sent him as proconsul to Alexandria to "return" Christians to the bosom of paganism. But on the way to Egypt, Neanias saw a shining cross and heard the voice of Jesus, after which he himself believed and openly confessed his new faith.

Neanias was arrested and sent to Caesarea in Palestine, where he was tortured and thrown into a dungeon. According to church tradition, Christ appeared to him at night, baptized him, and gave him the name Procopius. The martyr was repeatedly brought to trial, demanding that he renounce Christ, but he remained adamant. Procopius' steadfastness shocked many witnesses of his suffering, they converted to Christianity and were subsequently executed as well.

Traditions of the national holiday celebrated in Russia on July 21

In Russia, the day of commemoration of the martyr Prokopius was called Prokopiev Day. Since by this time, in some regions, peasants were beginning to harvest rye, the holiday was also called Procopius, the Reaper, and Zazhinki.

July 21 was perceived by the ancestors primarily as a day of prayer. In the morning, the faithful went to the temple, where, in front of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, they asked for family protection, children's health, help in difficult circumstances, reconciliation of loved ones and deliverance from troubles. The image was often used by spouses who dreamed of having a child, parents who were worried about their children, and people who had to make an important decision.

The people also called this day Kazan summer and tried to spend it without anger and quarrels. The holiday was considered favorable for matchmaking, weddings, declarations of love and meeting people who could become close. The girls believed that the marriage concluded on Kazanskaya would be strong, and the house would be calm and rich.

In regions where the harvest of rye began on the day of Procopius the Reaper, the first entry into the field was accompanied by a special ritual. The peasants cut the ears very carefully, and the first sheaf was taken to the temple for consecration or placed at home in the red corner. In the popular imagination, he represented prosperity and protection. The ancestors believed that it helps to protect the house from troubles, diseases and insect infestations. A small belt was also woven from the first ears of corn and worn during work to make it easier to bear the strain and not suffer from back pain.

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By July 21, blueberries ripened in the forests, which the ancestors considered curative. It was dried, eaten fresh, and used in home remedies for stomach disorders, pain, and blurred vision.

It was customary to spend the day usefully, but without fuss. The housewives cleaned up the house, cooked food, and received guests. Also on July 21, we tried to help those who needed support. Such generosity, according to beliefs, returned a person with abundance and well-being in the house.

What not to do on the Kazan Summer holiday

In Russia, the feast of the appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was associated with a number of prohibitions, the main of which concerned quarrels. On July 21, the ancestors tried not to sort things out, not to start conversations with reproaches and not to be filled with irritation. They believed that a conflict started on a holiday could stay in the house for a long time.

What else you can't do on July 21:

• crying and complaining about fate — despondency attracts new troubles.;
• to refuse to help the weak and needy — indifference and stinginess will turn into losses.;
• to go on a long journey unnecessarily — the path will be difficult and unpredictable.;
• to start risky business — their implementation will be fraught with many obstacles.;
• bragging about the successes of children, especially daughters, — someone else's envy can interfere with their happiness;
• swimming in open waters is a risk of "disturbing a water person" and getting into trouble.;
• lazing around all day — Prokopiev day "respects" the hardworking, and promises money difficulties to the lazy;
• to start the harvest with heavy thoughts — a negative attitude will "linger" for the entire harvest period.

Folk signs for July 21

On Kazanskaya Letnaya and Prokopy Reaper, the peasants carefully observed nature, the sky, birds, insects and plants, trying to determine by signs what the weather would be like in the coming weeks, waiting for droughts or rains, and whether the harvest would be successful.

• The sun is shining until noon, and the first half of August will be warm and clear.;
• rain in the afternoon — bad weather may linger for a long time;
• what is the weather like on Kazanskaya? This will be the weather on Ilyin's Day;
• blueberries are ripe in the forest — it's time to start harvesting winter rye;
• bees are actively flying to the flowers — the day will be dry;
• bees have become angrier and sting more often — heat or drought is approaching;
• a lot of dew in the morning leads to clear weather, but if the dew does not dry for a long time, it leads to dampness and rain.;
• The ears grow heavy and lean, and the harvest promises to be good.;
• Birds are quiet — for a hot day;
• insects are circling low over the grass — for a change in the weather.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the divine services on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.