Iconography of the Kazan Mother of God. Kazan icon. How does the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God help?

Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

Appearance of the icon Holy Mother of God in the city of Kazan (1579). On October 1, 1552, on the Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, at night, John IV, the leader of the Russian soldiers preparing for a decisive assault on Tatar Kazan, suddenly heard the sound of Moscow bells. The Tsar realized that this was a sign of God’s mercy: through the prayers of the Elected Voivode, the Lord wanted to convert the Kazan people to Himself.

Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan

The conquest of Kazan under the protection of the Most Holy Theotokos completed the work begun in 1164 by the holy Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky († 1174; commemorated July 4). The Volga, the country's main waterway, became a Russian river. 60,000 Russian people were freed from Tatar captivity. The enlightenment of the Tatars with the light of the Gospel truth began. The first martyrs appeared - Saints Peter and Stephen (March 24). The newly established Kazan diocese became part of the Russian Church and soon shone with its archbishops: St. Gury († 1563; commemorated December 5) and St. Herman († 1567; commemorated November 6).

But what especially contributed to the rise of Orthodoxy among the Volga Mohammedans was the appearance in the city of Kazan on July 8, 1579 of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God.

The work of preaching the Gospel in the conquered kingdom among hardcore Muslims and pagans was difficult. The Most Holy Theotokos, the patroness of preachers of the Word of God, who even in Her earthly life shared evangelistic labors with the holy Apostles, seeing the efforts of Russian missionaries, did not hesitate to send them Heavenly help by revealing Her miraculous icon.

Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

On June 28, 1579, a terrible fire that started near the Church of St. Nicholas of Tula destroyed part of the city and turned half of the Kazan Kremlin to ashes. The fans of Mohammed gloated, thinking that God was angry with the Christians. “The Faith of Christ,” says the chronicler, “has become a byword and a reproach.” But the fire in Kazan was an omen of the final fall of Islam and the establishment of Orthodoxy throughout the Golden Horde land, the future East of the Russian state.

Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan

The city soon began to rise from the ruins. Together with other fire victims, archer Daniil Onuchin was building a house not far from where the fire started. The Mother of God appeared in a dream vision to his nine-year-old daughter Matrona and ordered her to retrieve Her icon, which had been buried in the ground during the rule of Muslims by secret confessors of Orthodoxy. They did not pay attention to the girl’s words. The Mother of God appeared three times and indicated the place where she was hidden. miraculous icon. Finally, Matrona and her mother began to dig in the indicated place and found the holy icon. Archbishop Jeremiah arrived at the place of the miraculous discovery at the head of the clergy and transferred the holy image to the nearby church in the name of St. Nicholas, from where, after a prayer service, they transferred it with a procession to the Annunciation Cathedral - the first Orthodox church city ​​of Kazan, erected by Ivan the Terrible. During the procession, two blind men were healed - Joseph and Nikita.

A copy of the icon revealed in Kazan, a statement of the circumstances of its discovery and a description of the miracles were sent to Moscow in 1579. Tsar Ivan the Terrible ordered to build a temple in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God at the site of the apparition, where they placed the holy icon, and to found convent. Matrona and her mother, who contributed to the acquisition of the shrine, took monastic vows in this monastery.

In the St. Nicholas Church, where the first prayer service was held before the Kazan Icon, the future Patriarch Hermogenes, Saint of Moscow (†1612; commemorated February 17) was a priest at that time. Fifteen years later, in 1594, already being Metropolitan of Kazan, he compiled a legend about the sacred events of which he was an eyewitness and participant: “The Tale and Miracles of the Most Pure Mother of God of Her honest, glorious appearance in Kazan.” The story describes with great factual accuracy many cases of healing that took place from the miraculous icon through the prayers of believers. Manuscript of "The Tale" - autograph His Holiness Patriarch Hermogen - reproduced in its entirety in a facsimile edition: The Legend of the Miraculous Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. With a foreword by A. I. Sobolevsky, M. 1912.

Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan

Orthodox soldiers and missionaries went east, apostates fled to the west. The Jesuits tried to flood Rus' with a wave of impostors and “thieves’ people” at the beginning of the 17th century. By the providence of God, during the period of the Polish invasion (1605-1612), which the people called the "Time of Troubles", the Russian Church was led by the great confessor of Orthodoxy - Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', admirer of the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, author of the "Tale" about her and the Service to her.

Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan

In difficult days, when Moscow was occupied by the Poles, and strife and disorder were spreading throughout the country, an unyielding sufferer for the Holy Faith and the Fatherland, while in custody, managed to secretly send an appeal to Nizhny Novgorod: “Write to Metropolitan Ephraim in Kazan, let him send to the regiments to a teaching letter to the boyars and the Cossack army, so that they would stand firmly for the faith, stop robbery, preserve brotherhood, and as they promised to lay down their souls for the house of the Most Pure One and for the miracle workers and for the faith, they would do so. And write to all cities. Everywhere speak in my name." The people of Nizhny Novgorod responded to the call of the high priest. The assembled militia was headed by Prince Dimitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky.

The Kazan squads that joined the militia brought with them a copy of the Kazan miraculous icon, which was handed over to Prince Demetrius in Yaroslavl. Holy Lady took the militia under Her protection, and Russia was saved by Her intercession.

The Russian troops experienced enormous difficulties: internal hostility, lack of weapons and food. In the autumn bad weather, the Russian army moved to storm Moscow, which was in the hands of the Poles.

Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan

Three days of fasting and fervent prayer before the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God brought the Lord to His mercy. In the besieged Kremlin at that time, Archbishop Arseny of Elasson (later Archbishop of Suzdal; † 1626; April 13), who had arrived from Greece and was seriously ill from shocks and experiences, was in captivity at that time. At night, the cell of Saint Arseny suddenly illuminated with Divine light, he saw the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh (July 5 and September 25), who said: “Arseny, our prayers have been heard; through the intercession of the Mother of God, God’s judgment for the Fatherland has been turned over to mercy; in the morning Moscow will be in the hands of the besiegers and Russia is saved."

As if to confirm the truth of the prophecy, the archbishop received healing from his illness. The saint sent news of this joyful event to the Russian soldiers. The next day, October 22, 1612, Russian troops, inspired by the vision, won a major victory and took China Town, and 2 days later the Kremlin.

On Sunday, October 25, Russian squads solemnly, with a procession of the Cross, went to the Kremlin, carrying the Kazan Icon. At the Place of Execution the procession of the Cross was greeted by Archbishop Arseny, who emerged from the Kremlin and carried the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which he had preserved in captivity. Shocked by the accomplished meeting of two miraculous icons of the Mother of God, the people prayed to the Heavenly Intercessor with tears.

Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan

After the expulsion of the Poles from Moscow, Prince Dimitry Pozharsky, according to the Nikon Chronicle, placed the holy Kazan icon in his parish church of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on Lubyanka, in Moscow. Later, at the expense of the patriot prince, the Kazan Cathedral was erected on Red Square. The holy icon, which was in Pozharsky’s troops during the liberation of Moscow, was transferred to the newly built church in 1636. Now this holy image is in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral in Moscow.

In memory of the liberation of Moscow from the Poles, it was established that on October 22 a special celebration would be held in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. At first this celebration took place only in Moscow, but since 1649 it was made all-Russian.

In 1709, before the Battle of Poltava, Peter the Great and his army prayed before the icon of the Kazan Mother of God (from the village of Kaplunovka). In 1721, Peter transferred one of the copies of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God from Moscow to St. Petersburg, where the icon was first placed in the chapel, then in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, and from 1737 in the church in honor of the Nativity of the Mother of God on Nevsky Prospekt. In 1811, before the Patriotic War, the holy icon of the Heavenly Intercessor was moved to the newly created Kazan Cathedral.

The Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an amazing, pure and strong image. The Queen of Heaven is the great patroness of the entire Russian people, she protects from the invasion of enemies, gives strength to protect the Fatherland from enemies. At the same time, she is a strong defender of the Orthodox faith, supports and strengthens the spiritual strength of all those who pray.

Sincere prayers before the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God will help in solving many life problems. People go to her in times of sadness, despondency, and disaster, when they no longer have the strength to resist illnesses and adversities. By faith, through the consecrated image of the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one can be cured of diseases of the soul and body. Many have improved their vision, even completely gotten rid of blindness.

Knowing how the Kazan image helps, mothers have long hung this holy icon at the head of the child’s crib. The Most Pure One will look after the baby, protect him from illness, everything evil, and show him the right life path. Joyful and wise parents brought the icon out to meet the young couple in order to bless them with the support of the Heavenly Queen for a long, righteous, good life. life together. If the wedding of the newlyweds took place on the day of the celebration of the holy image, then everyone rejoiced - life new family will be long, happy and prosperous.

History of the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The history of the holy Kazan Icon of the Mother of God dates back to the 16th century. Today the circumstances of her appearance seem unusual and surprising. In 1579, Kazan, thanks to Ivan the Terrible, had already been part of Russia for 27 years, but it could hardly be called a Russian city. And even the creation (1553) of a separate Kazan diocese, part of the Russian Orthodox Church, did not greatly influence the balance of forces: Christian and Mohammedan.

And then there was the great fire of 1579. A terrible fire destroyed almost half of the Kazan Kremlin, the princely palace, the Transfiguration Monastery with the Christian saints Barsanuphius and Gury buried there, rows of merchants and people's houses. Muslims interpreted the event in their own way. There were spiteful critics everywhere, they did not forget to mention that the wrath of God fell on the heads of Christians. But it turned out that the fire element brought not only losses and suffering, but also great consolation. After all, it was in this city that the Mother of God strengthened her reign, miraculously revealing her holy image to people.

Finding a miraculous icon

After the fire, the main concern of many Kazan residents was construction. Summer does not last forever, and with the arrival of cold weather, a family cannot survive the winter without a warm home.

Among the fire victims, the royal archer Daniil Onuchin worked tirelessly to build a home for himself, his wife and daughter Matrona, a ten-year-old girl. One day Matrona had an amazing dream. The Mother of God appeared to her and ordered her to go to the city, tell the archbishop and governors about the icon of the Mother of God, which rests in the ground, and then get this wonderful image. The girl asked her parents to help, but they didn’t believe her. And the Mother of God came again and again. The mother turned to the priests for help, but they did not immediately listen. Only persistence and appeals to the bishop helped. The legend says that on July 8, Matrona herself dug up a small image wrapped in a sleeve of cherry cloth on one of the ashes.

Hearing the good news, the Kazan mayors and the archbishop arrived at the place of the discovery. And then in a procession with all honors they escorted the relic to the Church of St. Nicholas of Tula. After serving a prayer service, the wonderful icon was transferred to the Annunciation Cathedral, where, by the grace of the Most Pure One, a miracle of healing of the blind occurred: Joseph regained his sight on the way to the monastery, and Nikita - directly in the temple. Later they noticed that the Mother of God shows special mercy to the eyes of those praying to her.

All these and other events remained in people’s memory thanks to the notes made by the priest of the St. Nicholas Church, Ermolai. Later he became Metropolitan of Kazan and Moscow Patriarch Ermogen. Ermolai also composed a service dedicated to the Kazan image with the well-known troparion (church chant).

Veneration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

The archbishop and the governors sent a message to the king with detailed description the miraculous discovery of the holy image and the first accurate copy of it. Having learned about the mercy shown by the Mother of God through her face, Tsar Ivan the Terrible ordered the construction of a Christian monastery on the site where the image was found. The first nuns of the Mother of God Convent (for 40 nuns) were Matrona, after taking the name Mavra, and her mother. Feasts of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God are celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church twice a year:

1. July 21 (July 8, old style) . On the day of the acquisition of the shrine by the Russian people through the girl Matrona, who had visions. The celebration of the appearance of the image of the Mother of God has been annual since the 16th century.
2. November 4 (October 22, old style). The glorious liberation of Moscow by the army of Minin and Pozharsky from Polish-Lithuanian encroachments (autumn 1612).

Having become a metropolitan (1595), Hermogen built a new Cathedral of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kazan. The number of nuns was increased to 64. The fame of the miraculous image sent down by the Blessed Virgin and the help that people receive through their prayers spread very quickly. Ordinary parishioners and royal persons brought gifts to the icon. Gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls were donated to the temple. Several vestments were created for the holy face: festive and for every day. Despite the division, they were all made from precious metals, generously decorated with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, low pearls, etc. Empress Catherine laid gifts at the Kazan shrine, among them: gold, jewelry, the diamond crown of the empress herself and 25 thousand rubles intended for the construction of a new temple.

Kazan Icon - Russian assistant in military affairs

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God received the status of a national shrine; its appearance became a sign that Holy Mary gave to the entire Russian Church. And then for many years, through the gracious face of the Mother of God, she showed support and mercy to Russia during difficult periods of its history:

• In times of turmoil. She helped stop internal strife, create a Russian militia, and then liberate Moscow from the Poles (October 22, 1612).
• She patronized the soldiers of Peter I during the battle of Poltava, helping to defeat the army of the Swedes (1709).
• October 22, the day of the celebration of the icon, became the day of victory in the battle of Vyazma. This crucial moment progress Patriotic War 1812.
• Strengthened the spirit of soldiers during the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). Wherever the relic appeared, the enemy could not move forward, was frightened by frightening visions, and German weapons failed. Moscow was saved thanks to a miracle revealed through the prayers and intercession of the Ever-Virgin. The liberation of the mother of Russian cities, Kyiv, took place on the day of the celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

Lists of the Kazan shrine

Many mercies and miracles were revealed through the first-discovered icon (original) and its numerous copies (copies). The most famous copies are:

• Petersburg list;
• Kazan Icon in Moscow;
• Kaplunovsky Kazan image of the Virgin Mary;
• Kazansky Tobolsk the face of the Queen of Heaven;
• Nizhnelomovskaya
• Voznesenskaya;
• Pavlovskaya;
• Yaroslavl Kazan image of the Mother of God.

It should be noted that in relation to holy images the concept of “original” is conditional. The Most Pure Virgin hears sincere, humble prayers, regardless of the place and image to which they are pronounced. Of course, if only this face is consecrated. Although some express the opinion that the Mother of God wished to present to the Orthodox a certain face, in which a gesture, color, turn of the head, manner of writing - everything has a secret or obvious meaning, a symbol. And when creating lists, iconographers often make changes to the composition of the image, possibly adjusting its meaning.

The original Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is a small-sized image that was found by the girl Matrona (1579), and then lost in the 10s of the twentieth century. Copies and copies made from it are large in size, may differ in the brightness of the colors (the first image was quite dark, covered with mica), and in some compositional features.

Loss of the Kazan Icon given by the Mother of God

The original of the miraculous icon has been in the Bogoroditsky Monastery in the city of Kazan almost all the time (from the moment of its acquisition). The deprivation of the image happened during the years of revolutionary unrest at the beginning of the twentieth century. Many people have lost the faith of their fathers and humility, so what happened should be a serious edification for everyone.

The theft of the Orthodox relic took place on the night of June 28-29 (old style), 1904. The thieves chose the moment when there was no one near the shrine, and the monastery guard was locked in the basement of the church. The robbers were primarily attracted by the rich decoration - the precious vestments of the icons (the Savior and the Kazan Face of the Mother of God). Thanks to the assistance of the population, the criminals were quickly detained and arrested. The robbery was committed by 28-year-old peasant Bartholomew Chaikin (Stoyan) with Ananiy Komov, their accomplices were Fyodor Zakharov, Nikolai Maksimov, and Chaikin’s cohabitant Praskovya Kucherova and her mother covered up the criminals.

During the investigation, it was established that Chaikin and Komov stole ancient shrines in precious frames. They took away the gold, silver, and stones to sell, and the icons themselves (according to the testimony of Kucherova’s daughter and mother) were chopped up and then burned in the oven. The people were outraged by the crime, all participants were severely punished.

Until today, several facts have been discovered that allow us to hope that the holy Kazan relic has not been destroyed.

• According to one version, the icons were not chopped up and burned; instead, they were sold at a high price to the Old Believers. Later, the image of the Virgin Mary ended up abroad and was eventually presented to Pope John Paul. Over time, the Vatican wished to return the image to Russia, but only during a personal meeting between the Pope and His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow. Since this is impossible, the transfer was postponed for a long time. But on August 15, 2004, the Pope's envoy returned the image to its homeland. Researchers have found that the face is undoubtedly valuable, since it is an old copy of the original. This icon was transferred to the Kazan Monastery in place of the lost one.
• According to another version, due to the fact that earlier attempts had been made to steal the image, the abbess of the Kazan monastery secretly replaced her original shrine every night an exact copy, leaving the precious salary in place. Thus, the icon stolen and destroyed by Chaikin was only an exact list. The original image was preserved in the Church of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers, which is at the Arskoye cemetery.

Iconographic canons of the Kazan image of the Virgin Mary

The Kazan image of the Blessed Virgin Mary belongs to the iconographic type of images of Hodegetria (Guide). Most of This type of icon represents the Virgin Mary with the Child of God on her right hand. But there are places where the Baby is placed on the left side. The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is a chest image.

The Virgin Mary should be dressed in a blue tunic - a long undergarment, mostly with narrow sleeves. Its color symbolizes the virgin purity of the Ever-Virgin. The head and entire figure of Mary is covered with maforium - this is a quadrangular cloth that was worn over the tunic. Three stars should be written on the maforia - symbols of purity:

• The star on the right shoulder is the Virgin before the Nativity of Jesus.
• The star on the head is the Virgin at the moment of the Nativity of the God-Man.
• The star on the left shoulder is the Virgin after the Birth of the Son of God.

Also, three stars symbolize the Holy Trinity (God the Holy Spirit, God the Father, God the Son). Since there is Jesus (the third star) in the image, it covers the one on the shoulder. Halos are written around the heads of the Virgin Mary and Christ. The Divine Infant has a halo with an inscribed cross. Near the figures there are signatures written in Greek letters.

The figure of the Blessed Virgin Mary is depicted frontally. The head is slightly tilted to the side towards Christ. This gesture simultaneously means tenderness towards the Son, admiration for the Savior, indicating movement - Christ is Salvation, Truth and Way.

The baby sits on the left hand of the Virgin Mary, the right one is hidden. The right hand of Jesus Christ is raised in a blessing gesture, the second is hidden under his clothes. The glances of the Most Pure One and the Savior are directed towards the one who prays in front of the image. This creates an atmosphere of spiritual closeness, attention to each person, his requests and pleas.

Kazan icon Mother of God- a miraculous icon of the Mother of God revered by Orthodox Christians. Read about all the details of its appearance in the article.

Kazan Icon of the Mother of God: history

1579 White mercilessly scorching sun, dust in a column on the roads of Kazan. Dust and ashes from a recent fire - a terrible fire burned here a week ago. It started near the Church of St. Nicholas and spread to the Kazan Kremlin. For long hours the glow blazed, women were wailing, children were crying - but how will it spread to the houses, what will happen?! And many laughed maliciously - where was your God that the church burned down? Apparently, all your priests are lying - it was so blazing. And what do you say to this? And it’s true that many in those days doubted their faith - perhaps God did not like that they were turning to Christ from Islam? “The Faith of Christ,” says the chronicler, “has become a byword and a reproach”...

In that fire, many families were left homeless, but there was nothing to do, no one would return what was burned, and they had to build soon - in time for winter. The archer Daniil Onuchin, among other fire victims, was also in a hurry to complete the construction. Daniel had a daughter, Matrona. Parental sorrows were less understandable to her - for children even a fire is quite funny - so much remains after - where the glass is beautiful, where the pebble is unprecedented. Only in the evening, when you go to bed, do you remember that after the fire everything is different, unusual.

One night Matryosha woke up from something unprecedented - the Mother of God Herself, the Most Holy Theotokos, appeared to her in a dream. And she didn’t just appear, but commanded to get Her icon out of the ground. It shone with a bright light - and the girl woke up. You still have dreams and visions, you imagine everything, all your miracles are endless - the skeptic reading these lines will say. And it will anticipate our story, because this is exactly how the family answered nine-year-old Matryosha. “Dreams sometimes come from God, but only saints have visions, so it’s better not to attach importance to dreams,” said the parents. And they were right. But that dream was still a vision, because it was repeated a second time and on the third night. Then the parents decided to check the girl’s words.

Matryosha and her mother went to the place where, as the girl remembered from the dream, the icon should have been located. We started digging. Even deeper, even more - is it really her! And sure enough – an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. They cleared it of dust and earth... But how did it end up there? Apparently, long ago the secret confessors of Christianity in the camp of other faiths hid the icon of the Queen of Heaven in this way. The news of the miraculous discovery of the icon spread faster than fast bird, and now the priests of the surrounding churches are rushing to this wondrous place, Archbishop Jeremiah, reverently receiving the icon, solemnly transfers it to the church of St. Nicholas, from where, after a prayer service, she was transferred with a procession to the Annunciation Cathedral - the first Orthodox church in the city of Kazan, erected by Ivan the Terrible. It immediately became clear that the icon was miraculous - already during the religious procession, two Kazan blind men regained their sight. We even know their names: Joseph and Nikita.

And those who just a few days ago mocked the Orthodox faith, embarrassedly hurried to the icon - with requests - Queen of Heaven, help, enlighten, heal!

These miracles were the first in a long list of miracles and healings. The story of the discovery of the icon so impressed Tsar Ivan the Terrible that he ordered the construction of the Kazan Cathedral and the founding of a convent. There, after some time, Matrona and her mother took monastic vows.

The image of the Kazan Most Holy Theotokos is similar in type to the icons of Hodegetria - the Guide, and indeed, she more than once showed the right path to many of our compatriots. So, with the Kazan Icon, the militia moved to Moscow, liberating the city from the impostors of the Time of Troubles. In the besieged Kremlin at that time, Archbishop Arseny of Elasson (later Archbishop of Suzdal; † 1626; April 13), who had arrived from Greece and was seriously ill from shocks and experiences, was in captivity at that time. At night, Saint Arseny’s cell suddenly illuminated with Divine light, he saw St. Sergius of Radonezh (July 5 and September 25), who said: “Arseny, our prayers have been heard; through the intercession of the Mother of God, God’s judgment on the Fatherland was transferred to mercy; Tomorrow Moscow will be in the hands of the besiegers and Russia will be saved.” The next day Kitay-Gorod was liberated, and 2 days later the Kremlin.

Kazan Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow

Kazan Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow - one of the most famous Moscow churches was built in 1636. The liberator icon was moved there, and now the image is kept in the Epiphany Cathedral.

Before the Battle of Poltava, Peter the Great and his army prayed before the icon of the Kazan Mother of God (from the village of Kaplunovka). In 1812, the Kazan image of the Mother of God overshadowed Russian soldiers who repelled the French invasion. On the feast of the Kazan Icon on October 22, 1812, Russian troops led by Miloradovich and Platov defeated Davout’s rearguard. This was the first major defeat of the French after leaving Moscow; the enemy lost 7 thousand people. That day snow fell, severe frosts began, and the army of the conqueror of Europe began to melt.

The icon showed the way not only to statesmen and squads - according to good tradition, it is this icon that is used to bless young parents for marriage; a long list of miracles is accompanied by this image of the Mother of God - one of the most beloved in Rus'.

Troparion to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, tone 4

O zealous intercessor, / Mother of the Lord Most High, / pray for all Thy Son Christ our God, / and cause all to be saved, seeking refuge in Thy sovereign protection. / Intercede for all of us, O Lady Queen and Lady, / who are in adversity and in sorrow, and in illness, burdened with many sins, / standing and praying to You with a tender soul and a contrite heart, / before Your most pure image with tears, / and having irrevocable hope on Thee, / deliverance from all evils, / grant useful things to everyone / and save everything, Virgin Mary: // For You are the Divine Cover of Your servant.

Kontakion to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, tone 8

Let us come, people, to this quiet and good refuge, / the quick Helper, the ready and warm salvation, the protection of the Virgin. / Let us hasten to prayer and strive for repentance: / for the Most Pure Mother of God exudes boundless mercies to us, / advances to our aid, and delivers from great troubles and evils, // her well-behaved and God-fearing servants.

Prayer before the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

O Most Holy Lady Lady Theotokos! With fear, faith and love, falling before Thy honorable icon, we pray to Thee: do not turn Thy face away from those who come running to You, beg, O Merciful Mother, Thy Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, to keep our country peaceful, and to establish His holy church May he preserve the unshakable from unbelief, heresies and schism. There are no imams of any other help, no imams of other hope, except You, Most Pure Virgin: You are the All-Powerful Helper and Intercessor of Christians. Deliver all those who pray to You with faith from the falls of sin, from the slander of evil people, from all temptations, sorrows, troubles and from vain death; Grant us the spirit of contrition, humility of heart, purity of thoughts, correction of sinful lives and the remission of sins, so that we all praise Thy greatness with gratitude, let us be worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom and there with all the saints we will glorify the Most Honorable and Magnificent Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

21 July. Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

This icon appeared in 1579, shortly after the capture of the Kazan kingdom from the Tatars by Ivan the Terrible. The Most Holy Theotokos revealed her miraculous icon here in order to further confirm in it the newly converted from the local residents; those who did not believe will no longer be favored Christian faith. She Herself appeared in a dream to one pious maiden named Matrona, the daughter of an archer who was burned during a terrible fire in Kazan, and ordered that the archbishop and the mayor be informed to take Her icon from the ground, and at the same time indicated the very place. The girl told her mother about her dream, but she explained it as an ordinary childhood dream. The dream repeated itself twice more.

For the third time, by miraculous force, Matrona was thrown out of the window into the courtyard, where she saw an icon on which such menacing rays emanated from the face of the Mother of God that she was afraid of being burned by them, and a voice came from the icon: “If you do not fulfill my command, then I will appear in another place, and you will perish.” After this, mother and daughter went to Archbishop Jeremiah and the mayor, but they did not believe them. Then on July 8, in deep grief, both of them, in the presence of the people, went to the indicated place. The mother and the people began to dig the ground, but the icon was not found.

But as soon as Matrona herself began to dig, the icon was found. It was wrapped in a piece of cloth and shone with a wonderful light, as if it were completely new, just written. It is believed that the icon was buried even before the conquest of Kazan, by one of the Christians who hid their faith from the haters of the faith, the Mohammedans. The rumor about the appearance of the icon spread throughout the city, many people flocked, and the archbishop, in the presence of the mayors, carried the icon with a procession to the nearest church of St. Nicholas, and from there to the Annunciation Cathedral. When the icon was brought to the temple, many sick people, especially the blind, received healing.

One might think that this primary purpose of blindness served as a sign that the holy icon appeared to enlighten with spiritual light those darkened by the blindness of Mohammedan false teaching. The copy of the icon was sent to Moscow, and Tsar John Vasilyevich ordered the construction of a church and a nunnery on the site of the appearance of the icon. The first nun and then abbess in the monastery was the maiden Matrona. In 1768, Empress Catherine II, listening to the liturgy in the monastery, decorated the crown of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God with a diamond crown.

November 4. Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

In 1611, in winter, St. The miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was sent back to Kazan, but on the way there, in Yaroslavl, it was met by a militia from Nizhny Novgorod, assembled by Minin, over whom Prince Pozharsky took charge and who, having learned about the miracles performed by the icon in Moscow, took it with him and constantly prayed before her, asking the zealous Heavenly Intercessor of the Christian race to send them help. The Most Holy Theotokos showed Her mercy, took the faithful sons of the fatherland under Her Protection, and with Her help Russia was saved from its enemies. The militia that arrived in Moscow with Prince Pozharsky met many insurmountable obstacles. human strength obstacles, namely: it was necessary to take a city well fortified and stubbornly defended by the Poles, to repel the fresh, numerous forces that had approached Moscow Polish army, to pacify the willfulness and riot of the Russian troops, who met the arriving militia almost with hatred and showed them only hostility and treason. In addition, the lack of food in the devastated area and the lack of weapons caused a strong decline in courage in the arriving army. And many of the faithful sons of the fatherland, losing their last spark of hope, exclaimed in deep sorrow: “Forgive me, freedom of the fatherland! Sorry, sacred Kremlin! We have done everything for your release; but it is clear that God is not pleased to bless our weapons with victory!”

Having decided on a last attempt to liberate the dear fatherland from enemies, but not relying on their own strength, the entire army and people turned in prayer to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother, establishing a special solemn prayer service for this purpose and strictly observing a three-day fast. God heard the prayerful cry of those who cared for the fatherland and the inviolability of the Orthodox Church and showed them His mercy. Being in grave captivity among the Poles, in the Moscow Kremlin occupied by them, who came to Russia with the Greek Metropolitan Jeremiah, the sick Archbishop of Elasson Arseny appeared in a dream and announced that, through the prayers of the Mother of God and the great wonderworkers of Moscow Peter, Alexy, Jonah and Philip, The Lord, on the very next day, will overthrow the enemies and return saved Russia to her sons, and to ensure the fulfillment of his words, he granted healing to Arseny. Encouraged by the joyful news, the Russian soldiers called on the Queen of Heaven for help and courageously approached Moscow, and on October 22, 1612 they liberated Kitay-Gorod, and two days later they took the Kremlin itself. The Poles fled. The next day, Sunday, the Russian army and all the residents of Moscow, in gratitude for their deliverance from their enemies, made a solemn religious procession to the Place of Execution, carrying the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, sacred banners and other Moscow shrines. This spiritual procession was met from the Kremlin by Archbishop Arseny with a miraculous Vladimir icon Our Lady, preserved by him in captivity. Seeing this icon, the soldiers and people bowed their knees and with tears of joy kissed the holy image of their Intercessor.

In memory of such a miraculous deliverance of Moscow from the Poles, with the permission of Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich and the blessing of his father, Metropolitan, later Patriarch Philaret, the Church established annually on October 22 in Moscow the celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God with a procession of the cross. First, the procession took place at the Church of the Presentation of the Mother of God, on Lubyanka, where the house of Prince Pozharsky was located, and after the construction of a new church in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, built at the expense of Prince Pozharsky (which is now the Kazan Cathedral, on Resurrection Square), the procession took place is already taking place in the cathedral. The miraculous icon that was with him in the ranks of the army was also transferred there by Prince Pozharsky himself.

Tobolsk Icon of the Mother of God

This miraculous icon is located in Tobolsk in cathedral. She appeared in 1661. This year, on July 8 in Tobolsk, in the Znamensky Monastery, on the day of the celebration of the Kazan Icon, at Matins, when Hierodeacon Ioannikiy read the legend about the appearance of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in Kazan and reached the place where it is said that the Archbishop of Kazan did not previously believe the appearance of the icon , then in front of all the people he prayed to the Most Pure Lady for forgiveness of his sin, he suddenly fell unconscious on the floor along with the lectern.

When he came to his senses, he immediately asked for a confessor and revealed the following to him:

“On June 21st, after Matins, I came to my cell and fell asleep. Suddenly I see a saint coming to me in full vestments, like John Chrysostom; I considered him to be Metropolitan Philip. The saint said to me: “Get up and tell the archimandrite, the governor and all the people, so that not far from the Church of the Three Hierarchs in the city they build a church in the name of the Kazan Mother of God, they would build it in three days, and on the fourth they would consecrate and bring into it the image of the Mother of God of Kazan - that the one that now stands in the porch of this Church of the Three Hierarchs in a closet, facing the wall. Tell this image to be celebrated in the city. Because of your sins, I am angry with you, you use foul language and fill the air with your foul language, like a stench: it is a stench to both God and people; but our Lady, with all the saints, prayed to His Son Christ our God for your city and for all the people, so that He would turn away His righteous anger.” But I, getting up from sleep, was amazed, and didn’t say anything to anyone. A little later, when I was in my cell and began to write irmos: Adorned with divine glory, suddenly the same saint came to me and graciously said to me: “Why didn’t you tell what was said to you from the Most Holy Theotokos through me, Her minister? – and he disappeared. I fell to the ground out of fear, glorified God, but was afraid to talk about the vision, lest it cause confusion among the people, and for fear that they would not believe me. A few days later, during my sleep, the saint appeared to me again and said with anger: “Why didn’t you say what was commanded to you? Because of your neglect, the wrath of God will come upon your city for your sins. Your bread is rotting and your water is drowning - get up quickly and tell the archimandrite, the governor and all the people; If you don’t say it, you’ll soon lose your life. If the townspeople obey, then the mercy of God will be in your city and its surroundings; If they don’t listen, then it will be hard for your city: your cattle will die, the rain will destroy your houses, and you will all disappear like worms, and the image of the Mother of God will be glorified in another place.”

But I didn’t tell anyone about this third phenomenon either, and on July 6th, when after evening singing I came to my cell, went to bed, fell into a light sleep and heard in the monastery the wonderful ringing of two bells and the singing of extraordinary voices: Let us exalt Thee, Immaculate Mother of our God. One of the singers told me: “Because you did not say what was commanded to you, tomorrow you will be punished before all the people.” And so, when at Matins I began to read about the appearance of the miraculous image of the Mother of God in Kazan, I saw that the saint who had appeared to me before was coming from the porch and blessing the people on both sides; Having come to the meal, also blessing people, he came up to me and said: “You read this and why don’t you believe it yourself? That image was in the ground, and this one stands in the porch facing the wall; why didn’t you tell about him?” And he, shaking his hand at me, said: “From now on, be decrepit until the divine deed is accomplished.” Having said this, he became invisible, and I fell to the ground out of fear and now I’m telling you.”

The people, having learned about the miraculous phenomena, glorified the mercy of the Most Holy Theotokos with tears, and everyone with zeal and a procession of the cross carried the icon to the place where it was indicated to build the Church, and the church was built in three days and consecrated on the fourth. Before the church was built, the narrator notes, there were torrential rains and water rose in the rivers, as if in spring, and when they began to build the church, there was a bucket; breads and vegetables have since recovered.

Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Images

• Kaplunovskaya-Kazan icon
• Karpov-Kazan icon
• Katashinskaya-Kazan icon
• Ascension-Kazan icon
• Pavlovsk-Kazan icon
• Irkutsk-Kazan icon
• Kargopol-Kazan icon
• Yaroslavl-Kazan icon
• Kazan, located in the Moscow Simonov Monastery
• Kazanskaya, located in the Vyshenskaya Hermitage
• Kazan, located in the Tambov Cathedral
• Kazan, located in Suzdal

Kaplunovskaya-Kazan icon. This icon is located in the village of Kaplunovka, Kharkov diocese. Appeared in 1689 as follows. To the priest of this village, who was distinguished by his especially pious life, John Umanov, someone, an old man adorned with gray hair, appeared in a dream and told him that icon painters would soon come to him from Moscow with icons and that he should buy for himself the eighth from a bunch of icons from the oldest of them in years. account, the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “From her you will receive grace and mercy,” added the elder. The priest did so, but before doing this he strictly fasted. Soon a new vision followed in a dream to priest Umanov: the Most Holy Theotokos herself appeared and ordered the icon to be placed in the church. The priest reported his vision to the people and triumphantly transferred the icon to the church, and from that time miracles began to be performed from the icon. The icon was called Kaplunovskaya. In 1709, when Emperor Peter the Great was at war with the Swedish king Charles XII, he summoned a priest with the Kaplunovskaya icon to his army in Kharkov and ordered it to be carried in front of the regiments, while he himself prayed with tears to the Queen of Heaven for help. Meanwhile, King Charles, stopping with his army near Kaplunovka, stayed with the traitor Hetman Mazepa in the house of the priest John. Then some of his violent warriors wanted to burn the church. They covered it with straw and wood, but no matter how hard they tried to set it on fire, neither the wood nor the straw caught fire. Having learned about such a miracle and also that St. The icon is in the Russian camp, Karl told Mazepa: “If they could not light the church without the icon, then where it is located will be unreliable for us.” This is exactly what happened. The Battle of Poltava brought Great Peter victory over Charles. There is a miraculous Kaplunovskaya icon in the settlement of Kozeevka, 80 miles from Kharkov.

Nizhnelomovskaya-Kazan icon. This icon appeared in 1643 at a spring two miles from the city of Nizhny Loma, Penza province. At the site of her appearance, a chapel was first erected, and then a church and a monastery.

Karpov-Kazan icon. This icon is located in the Kursk Znamensky Monastery. It was brought here in 1725 from the Karpov Desert.

Katashin-Kazan icon. This icon appeared in 1622 in a grove near the village of Bely Kolodezya, Chernigov province, to the local priest and was placed by him in the village church. In 1692 it was established here monastery, called Katashinsky.

Ascension-Kazan icon. It is located in the Ascension Convent in Moscow, in the Kremlin. She first became famous in 1689. Twice it was in danger of burning, but was miraculously preserved. This year, after a prayer service in front of this icon, they forgot to put out the candle, the candle fell, and it burned the lectern on which the icon lay, and the icon itself, despite the fact that it was painted on canvas, remained completely unharmed. Another time, when in 1701 on June 19 there was a fire in the Moscow Kremlin and burned down royal palace and the Ascension Monastery, the icon is wonderfully preserved. When they took out the utensils and icons from the cathedral monastery church, they did not take it out, but meanwhile it ended up with other icons that were taken out; when, after the fire was over, they began to bring things into the cathedral, they saw that the icon was already in its place, although no one had brought it in. And there were many miraculous healings from this icon.

Pavlovsk-Kazan icon. This icon is located in the village of Pavlovskoye, Moscow province, Zvenigorod district. She appeared on a tree near the village where a chapel was built in memory of the apparition; Inside the chapel there is a well, popularly called holy. The first miracle from the icon was the following. One of the peasants of the village of Pavlovskoye fell into a severe illness from an intemperate life. At this time, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared in a dream to another pious peasant and ordered him to tell the sick man to pray to Her for healing and go to the holy well to wash. Then he would give up his intemperate life, otherwise he might perish. The patient with great effort went to the well, washed himself and completely recovered.

Irkutsk-Kazan icon. It is located in Irkutsk in the Epiphany Cathedral and became famous for many miracles. Every year in April or May, after sowing spring grain, it is carried in a religious procession through neighboring rural peasant fields to consecrate the crops. This religious procession has long been established on the occasion of frequent grain harvest failures in the surrounding villages of the city of Irkutsk.

Kargopol-Kazan icon. This miraculous icon is located in the city of Kargopol, Olonets diocese, in the Church of the Ascension. She became famous in 1714. The icon was in the house of the pious widow Martha Ponomareva, who once, while praying before the icon, saw a tear flowing from the right eye of the Most Holy Theotokos, and in fear reported this to the priest. The icon was transferred to the church, and here twice in a short time, in the sight of everyone, streams of tears appeared from the eyes of the Mother of God, which was reported to the then Metropolitan Job of Novgorod.

Yaroslavl-Kazan icon. This icon is located in Yaroslavl in the Kazan convent. The story of her glorification is as follows. In 1588, on July 2, a certain pious man named Gerasim, while he was in Kazan, had a miraculous vision of the Mother of God Herself, and after that, when he wished to purchase Her icon for himself, in a dream he heard a voice indicating where and what icon purchase, and then go to the city of Romanov and tell the residents there to build a temple in the name of the icon. Gerasim found the icon and just took it in his hands when right hand he, who had been ill for a long time, was healed. The temple was built in Romanov, and the icon stood there until 1604, when Romanov was taken by the Lithuanians. At this time, one of them took a miraculous icon from the church and took it with him to Yaroslavl. Here the Mother of God Herself appeared to a certain deacon Eleazar and commanded to build a temple in Her honor. A temple was erected, and then a monastery was attached to it. The inhabitants of Romanov wanted to return the miraculous icon to themselves, but the citizens of Yaroslavl asked Tsar Vasily Ioannovich to leave it in their city, and the tsar, on the advice of Patriarch Hermogenes, approved the desire of the latter with a letter on his behalf, but so that they would make an accurate list of the miraculous icons for Romanov. And the miraculous icon itself is carried every year from Yaroslavl to Romanov.

Kazan, located in the Moscow Simonov Monastery. This icon was donated to the monastery by those who received it for a blessing from Bishop Tikhon of Voronezh. On its sides are depicted St. Tikhon, the angel of the saint, and Martha, the angel of the saint’s sister, Martha. She first became famous for the healing of a maiden, the wanderer Natalia, to whom an icon appeared three times in a dream, but she did not know where to find it. Finally, the hieroschemamonk of the Simonov Monastery, Alexy, appeared to her in a dream with the image itself and said that the icon stood in the monastery in the cathedral church on right side. The icon was found, and the sick woman, after praying before it, received healing. Subsequently, a special chapel was built in her honor and for her at the cathedral monastery church. There were many miracles from the icon.

Kazanskaya, located in the Vyshenskaya Hermitage. This icon was brought from Moscow to the Tambov Ascension Convent in 1812 by the nun Miropiya, who, on the occasion of the ruin of the capital, moved there. The pious old woman heard a voice from the icon three times in reality, commanding it to be transferred to the Vyshenskaya Hermitage, and after her death, according to her will, the icon was transferred. In addition to many healings from the icon, the Vyshensky monks sometimes at night saw a bright light spilling from it throughout the church.

Kazan, located in the Vysochinsky Kazan Monastery. The monastery was named after the icon, and the icon after the village of Vysochino, where it became famous for its miracles. The icon appeared in early XVII I century, during the reign of Emperor Peter I. The village of Vysochino did not yet exist, but there was a government Pinery. On the banks of the swampy Mzhi River, which flowed through a forest and surrounded by swamps, a watchman and his family lived in a hut. The icon appeared to this watchman standing on a marshy hummock. Light rays emanated from the icon. The watchman, with reverence and prayer, took it and placed it in his hut with icons on a shelf. Here the icon soon marked itself with a sun-like radiance emanating from it and at the same time with the healing of a blind and lame old man, the watchman’s father. Then they took the icon to the nearest church in the village of Artyukhovka, but the icon returned three times to the watchman’s hut. The people, having learned about the revealed icon, began to come in large numbers to worship it, and many received healing and consolation. Then the centurion Vysochin, to whom the emperor gave land with a forest - a forest, where a miraculous icon stood in the watchman's hut, for his services during the Battle of Poltava, built a village here, which was named after his surname, Vysochino, and from the village of Artyukhovka he moved a church here, where and the miraculous icon was delivered. Subsequently, a monastery was built here. And in the monastery there were many miracles from the icon.

Kazan, located in the Tambov Cathedral. This icon is richly decorated. Her first miracle was in 1695, on December 6, during an all-night vigil, tears that wetted the shroud and lectern.

Kazan, located in the Temnikovsky Transfiguration Cathedral. It was in the pantry among unusable utensils. The icon appeared three times to a lady who suffered from pain in her legs, and promised healing if she found her. The patient demanded that she be taken to the Temnikov Cathedral. As soon as she saw the icon in the storeroom, she immediately felt relief and, after prayer, was completely healed.

Kazanskaya, located in the city of Vyazniki. It stands in the cathedral church. This icon marked itself with miracles at the beginning of the 17th century.

Kazan, located in Suzdal. It stands in the parish Church of the Resurrection. This icon, as a result of the appearance of the Mother of God herself, was painted by one pious monk of the Shartom Nikolaev monastery, Joachim, who lived in XVII century. A monk lived near the Kazan Church in a hut, where he was buried.

“Miracle-working icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Their history and images,” compiled by Archpriest I. Bukharev. Moscow, “Caravel”, 1994. Published according to the publication: Miraculous Icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Their History and Images). Compiled by Archpriest I. Bukharev. Moscow, Typo-Lithography G.I. Prostakova, Balchug, village of Simonov Monastery. 1901

The prototype of the icon was found back in 1579, it is unknown who exactly and when it was painted. There was a huge fire in the city of Kazan, entire streets were on fire, and most of the wooden buildings were destroyed. According to a legend that has survived to this day, immediately after a terrible fire, the little daughter of the merchant Onuchin appeared in a dream and pointed out the place where the miraculous image, untouched by the fire, lay. The merchant sorted out the rubble of his burnt house and found under it an icon written on a cypress board.

The icon was not only beautiful, but also differed from other famous icons of the Mother of God. On the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, the infant Christ is depicted on the left side of the mother, and his right hand is raised in a blessing gesture.

The icon of the Kazan Mother of God had mysterious healing powers. Many people applied themselves to the image in the hope of healing. There is evidence that the icon restored vision, relieved headaches and other ailments. It was installed in the Annunciation Church in Kazan. Crowds of people came to see and pray at the image.

The news of the miracle icon spread far beyond the city and reached the king. A copy of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God was made and sent to Ivan the Terrible. She made a stunning impression on the entire royal family. Ivan the Terrible ordered the construction of a convent on the site of the holy image.

The role of the icon in the history of Russia

In addition to miracles of healing, the icon of Our Lady of Kazan played an important role in the history of the Russian state. At the beginning of the 17th century, misfortunes befell Russia, the throne was left without a ruler. The Poles took advantage of the turmoil and captured Moscow, and installed their prince Vladislav as king. The prince did not want to change his Catholic faith to the Orthodox faith and honestly rule the Russian people. As a result, Patriarch Hermogenes called on the people to rise up, overthrow the Poles and place an Orthodox king on the throne.

In 1612, a copy of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God was brought to Moscow by Kazan militias; it was in the chambers of Prince D.I. Pozharsky. Before battles, the warriors prayed to the image and asked the Mother of God for help.

After the victory over the Poles, Pozharsky assigned the icon to the Church of the Entry on Lubyanka. In gratitude for victory and salvation in the battles, the prince erected the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square, where the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary was transferred.

The prototype of the Kazan Mother of God is associated with the triumph of Russian troops in the battle of Poltava in 1709, as well as the victory in the war with Napoleon. It is noteworthy that before the Battle of Poltava, Peter the Great prayed with his army in front of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God.

Great Catherine the Second ordered a precious crown to be made and personally crowned the holy image with it.

In 1812, during the First Patriotic War, leaving Moscow to the French, Field Marshal Kutuzov took the icon from the cathedral and took it out on his chest under his overcoat. After the victory, the icon returned to its place.

The third copy of the image of the Kazan Mother of God was brought to St. Petersburg by order of Paul I in 1708. First, she was placed in a wooden chapel on the St. Petersburg side, and then transported to the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary on Nevsky Prospekt. The icon remained here until 1811, then it was moved to the newly built Kazan Cathedral, where it remains today.

The holy image also played a huge role during the Great Patriotic War. According to historical records, the icon was secretly delivered to besieged Leningrad. She was carried through the streets of the city, and he survived. Also, during the war, the icon was taken to Moscow, and in Stalingrad a prayer service was served in front of it. It is believed that the Mother of God is the protector of Russia and helps the country to withstand its enemies.

Miracles of Moscow

It is interesting that in the first days of the icon’s stay in Moscow, many miracles and healings occurred. The story of Savva Fomin has reached our time. This Kazan townsman, who lived in Moscow, decided to commit a terrible crime. He called on the devil and promised to give him his immortal soul. But after the crime was committed, Savva was struck by a serious illness, and over time he wanted to repent of his crime. Preparing for death, he confessed to the priest, after which the Mother of God appeared to him in a dream and ordered him to arrive on July 8 at the Kazan Cathedral. Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich heard about this and ordered the sick Savva to be taken to the cathedral on a carpet. During the service, Sava began to experience severe pain, he began to cry out to the Queen of Heaven, and the Mother of God appeared to him and ordered him to enter her church. To the amazement of the parishioners, Savva stood up and entered the Kazan Cathedral on his own feet. He fell to his knees in front of the icon and promised to devote his life to serving God. Subsequently, he gave away all his property and became a monk at the Chudov Monastery.

The mystery of finding the original icon of the Kazan Mother of God

Currently, many copies of the miraculous icon have been painted, but the location of the original sacred image still remains a mystery.

There are several versions about the disappearance and secret storage of the icon. The original was lost in early XIX century. At that time, there were rumors about the theft of an icon from the Bogoroditsky Monastery. Allegedly, along with the Mother of God, an image of the Savior and valuable church utensils were also stolen. A reward of 300 rubles was offered for the capture of the thieves or information about the location of the icon.

The thief was caught after some time Nizhny Novgorod. He turned out to be a seasoned thief - a repeat offender with 43 years of hard labor behind him, a certain Chaikin. His “specialty” was church robberies. During interrogations, he changed his testimony several times, first he claimed that he burned the icon, then he began to say that he chopped it with an ax. However, neither the court nor the people believed him, since even such an inveterate criminal could not have been unaware of the value of the relic. But until 1917, Chaikin claimed that he had destroyed the icon of the Virgin Mary.

The clergy thought that the icon had fallen into the hands of the Old Believers. The fact is that the Old Believers believed that having found the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, they would receive freedom of religion. In essence, this is practically what happened: in 1905, a law on religious tolerance was issued and the Old Believers were restored to their rights. People began to say that this was a bad sign and troubles awaited Russia. After the bloody events of 1917, the trace of the icon was lost forever.

According to the second version, only a copy of the icon was stolen, and the original was in the chambers of the mother abbess of the monastery at the time of the crime.

The historian Khafizov conducted his own investigation into the mysterious disappearance of the holy image. He believes that the icon was taken from Russia in 1920 during the Civil War and sold at an underground auction to an English collector. After which the icon passed into the hands of new owners several times and was eventually purchased by the Blue Army organization and transferred to the Vatican, from where it returned to Russia in 2004.

There is another version: the original icon of the Kazan Mother of God was not destroyed and was never taken out of the country. The face is securely hidden in a secret place.

Interesting fact: even modern lists from the icon have great power and there are many eyewitnesses who claim that they experienced its miraculous power.

How to contact an icon

You can consult the icon both in the church (temple) and at home. For appeals and prayers you need an image; you can purchase an icon in any church shop. Light a candle in front of the icon and concentrate. The most important condition is sincerity; prayer must come from your heart. Most often, they pray to the Mother of God for the health of children and loved ones, asking for help and intercession in family and everyday matters. It is customary to bless the newlyweds with this icon for a lasting and happy marriage.

IN troubled times before the Mother of God they pray for intercession, the success of soldiers in battles and the liberation of the country from enemy forces.

There is a wonderful maternal custom - to place the icon of the Kazan Mother of God at the head of the crib, thereby protecting the child from adversity and serious illnesses.

There are special appeals for reading in front of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God:

• prayer;
• kontakion;
• troparion

The celebration of the image in Russia takes place two days a year: July 21 and November 4. The summer holiday is dedicated to the appearance of a miraculous face, and in the fall to the liberation of Moscow from the Polish invaders in 1612. Currently, divine services are held every day in the Kazan Cathedral in Moscow, and the gaze of parishioners turns to the holy image.

The Kazan Icon enjoys very special love and veneration in Russia - every believer immediately understands what suits the image speech. It is this image that is given to the newly married couple as a keeper of the hearth and a family heirloom. Unique story appearances, miracles that happened through the prayers of the Orthodox people near the image - all this makes the Kazan Mother of God completely special, among thousands of other icons.

Girl Matryona and the Blessed Virgin - the story of the icon

The name reflects the history of the appearance of the Kazan Icon - it was revealed in the city of Kazan under very unusual circumstances. This was the period after a strong fire, a good half of the Kremlin was damaged, and non-believers began to say that Christian God He is angry with His people.

A young girl (as children from 6 to 14 years old are called) named Matryona saw the Most Pure Virgin in a dream, who told her to go in search of an image. The girl told her parents about her dream, but they did not take it seriously. But the visions were repeated, and finally the mother gave up - she herself went to the ashes. An icon of the Queen of Heaven was found there, which is called revealed (to distinguish the “original” from many subsequent copies).

The news of the miraculous discovery instantly spread throughout the city; the ruling bishop appeared to the ringing of bells to venerate the shrine. During the very first procession of the cross through the city, near the image two people saw the light. puff. In the chronicle of St. Hermogenes, who was an eyewitness to many of the events listed, 16 more miracles are recorded:

• a pilgrim from another city got rid of an incurable disease (which is not specified);
• the blind child received his sight;
• the daughter-in-law of a certain boyar was healed of a leg disease;
• Demons came out of several women - similar events probably happened the rest of the time, because the suffering were immediately drawn to the image.

The image began to be kept in a nearby church, and on the site of the miraculous event, Ivan the Terrible built a monastery: Matryona and her mother became nuns there. In 1594, the foundation stone of the Kazan Cathedral took place, where a lot of jewelry and gold were donated. For example, Catherine II gave the icon a new chasuble with her own diamonds.

Description of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

You can recognize the image, first of all, by the fact that it contains a shoulder-length image of the Virgin Mary. This is one of the versions of the “Guide Book” - after all, the Queen of Heaven is the road to Christ.

• She is the earthly Mother of Jesus.
• The Mother of God prays for the salvation of all humanity.
• The human nature of Saint Mary unites every believer through her with Christ.

The head of the Mother of God is slightly tilted towards her son - this is both a sign of maternal love and worship of God. The Child blesses Mary and all the people in her person. The gazes of both figures are directed towards the praying people, as if emphasizing the unity of Divine and human nature.

The theological meaning of the Kazan Icon is to show believers the true Path to salvation, which lies through Christ. Only the Mother of God has such strong boldness towards the Savior that she can intercede before Him for all the faithful. This idea is clearly visible precisely in icons such as “Hodegetria”, where Saint Mary points to the Infant God with her hand. But since this image made in a shortened version, this gesture is simply not visible (although it is implied).

Robes of the revealed image

Many believers have seen copies of the Kazan Icon, almost completely covered with pearls, precious stones. As written documents and photographs from the end of the last century testify, the icon really had such a frame. And he was not the only one.

The festive robe was made of gold, and another one was put on it - decorated with pearls, diamonds, etc. On ordinary days, they put on a different headband, no less beautiful - Moscow craftsmen completely covered it with pearls, and golden crowns with roses made of diamonds. It was on this frame that the royal crown also adorned itself.

The revealed icon was small in size and had a double ark. The inner frame also contained 12 small icons (stamps): holidays in honor of the Lord and the Mother of God, and the discovery of a miraculous image.

The feat of Saint Hermogenes

The significance of the Kazan Icon is great precisely for the history of the Russian people - from the moment of its appearance, Russia began to enlighten the eastern peoples with the light of Orthodoxy, as if the Queen of Heaven had rediscovered Asia. The special patronage did not end there.

During the Time of Troubles, the throne of the Patriarch was occupied by Saint Hermogenes, who was very worried about the strife within the country. The Poles also haunted the country. It was easier to seize power the more the people of Russia attacked each other, trying to seize more power. The country was overrun by bandits.

While under arrest, the Patriarch did what he could - he drew up an appeal to all ends, trying to reason with and unite the country, which was threatened with complete enslavement. He reminds people that they have forgotten about God, robbing and killing their own brothers in faith. The words of the saint achieved their goal, a militia began to form - the subsequent story is well known to everyone.

Having joined the army of Pozharsky and Minin, the residents of Kazan bring with them the holy image. Since then, it is believed that the Kazan Icon helps to defeat enemies. After all, it was she who then became the spiritual force that united Russia. In the fall of 1612, a religious procession took place in the Kremlin, the image of the Mother of God was left in the church on Lubyanka, then transferred to the Kazan Cathedral, built in honor of the victory over the Poles.

What troubles does the Kazan Icon help with?

At times it seems that your strength is running out, and the only help can come only from heaven. Then you should take a break and read prayers near the Kazan Icon. It’s not for nothing that she is called a Guide - she will guide you on the right path and save you from wrong decisions. Sometimes the Queen of Heaven appears to people in a dream and directly tells them what needs to be done. What else does the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God help with?

• Sorrows of an everyday nature.
• Healing poor vision.
• You can ask for sons who have joined the army or are serving in the military.
• The newlyweds pray for peace in their relationship.
• Women ask for prosperity in their home.
• Special protection for children; the image can be placed near the crib.

There is a special akathist dedicated to the Kazan Icon. It can be read both daily and daily church celebration. Praying in church or at home doesn’t really matter. Sometimes parishioners read the akathists in turn, so that it will sound every day in the temple in front of the image. For such prayers you need to take the blessing of the abbot.

Listen to the Akathist to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

Disappearance of an icon

At the very beginning of the last century, namely in the summer of 1904, robbers entered the cathedral, attracted by the rich decorations on the chasuble.

After the capture, the robbers claimed that the icon was destroyed and the jewelry was sold in parts.. The investigation reached a dead end - the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God disappeared.

Decades later, a certain image appeared abroad - although the icon itself turned out to be a copy, the chasuble is very similar to the stolen one. The image was soon acquired by the Vatican, where it is kept to this day.

Immediately, blows rained down on Russia, which ended in revolution. But pious believers do not lose hope that the true miraculous image will return to Russia.

Stay of famous copies

Where is the icon of the Kazan Mother of God located today? The location of the miraculous image that appeared to the girl Matrona is unknown.

But in Russia there are many revered lists. The most famous, of course, is the cathedral on the capital's Red Square.

The famous list is located in St. Petersburg, in the Kazan Cathedral (Nevsky Prospekt). It was brought by the widow of John the Fifth, Tsarina Praskovya, at the beginning of the 18th century.

This image is externally different from the original. It is much larger in size (60x50 cm), and has square proportions, characteristic of that period. The Christ Child is further away from the Mother, making a blessing gesture of a different form. Images of faces are also made in other traditions.

Revered Kazan Icon of the Mother of God for a long time kept by Pope John II. The list dates from the mid-18th century, the precious frame is later. The image was taken from Russia after the revolution. For some time it was believed that this was exactly the icon that was found in the fire in Kazan. A collector from England offered to buy it back to the Archbishop of San Francisco (Foreign Orthodox Church), but no funds were found.

In 1963, the image was made available for veneration at an exhibition in New York. There were not enough funds to buy it back; it was proposed to write a script for Hollywood and take the icon to Russia, but Archbishop John rejected all these proposals. As a result, the shrine was bought by a Catholic organization.

The Vatican list differs in size from the one shown, although the chasuble is similar to the original. The icon was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church in 2004, on the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. The following year, Patriarch Alexy blessed her to be transferred to the Kazan Monastery.

To this day, the image is located in the Holy Cross Monastery Church, where it enjoys well-deserved respect among believers and attracts masses of pilgrims from all over the world.

The role of the holy image in the 20th - 21st centuries

The significance of the Kazan Icon has not diminished over time. During the Great Patriotic War, Marshal G. Zhukov traveled with the image to the soldiers so that they could pray to their Heavenly Patroness. Prayer services were served both in Leningrad and in partisan detachments. In 1943, the revival of Orthodoxy began, churches began to open, monasteries and theological seminaries were revived.

The rector of the Kazan Church near Stalingrad was St. Seraphim Vyritsky. Day and night he offered prayers to God, the people also prayed in front of the Kazan Icon on the eve of battles. There is a legend that during the assault on Moscow, a plane with an icon flew around the front line. The Russians attribute victory in this terrible war with the intercession of the Mother of God.

New churches and monasteries in honor of the image are especially often built on the borders of the country (in Vladivostok, for example). As before the revolution, the Kazan icon is regimental manner. In honor of the 60th anniversary of the Victory, a temple in her honor was built for the Central Military Hospital.

Miracles through prayers to the Kazan Icon do not dry out in our time; they have been recorded throughout Russia from Ivanovo to Yekaterinburg. Believers consider the flow of myrrh to be a special spiritual sign. There was an outflow of the world (fragrant oil) from the Kazan image on the anniversary of the re-opening of Optina Hermitage.

In Smolensk, the image of the Mother of God began to cry (1991); several years later, in the Kazan Church (village of Puchkovo), the temple icon began to bleed - it was recognized as a local shrine. Numerous cases of healing have been recorded in different dioceses..

As long as life continues on earth, the help of believers from the Queen of Heaven will not become scarce. It doesn’t matter whether prayers are offered to the miraculous Kazan icon, or to an ordinary paper image cut out from a calendar. The main thing is that the prayer comes from the heart itself, then it will definitely be heard.

Prayer to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

Troparion, tone 4

Zealous Intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High! Pray for all of Thy Son, Christ our God, and cause all to be saved, seeking refuge in Thy sovereign protection. Intercede for all of us, O Lady, Queen and Lady, who are in adversity, and in sorrow, and in illness, burdened with many sins, coming and praying to You with a tender soul and a contrite heart before Your most pure image with tears, and those who have irrevocable hope in You, deliverance of all evils, grant what is useful to all, and save everything, Virgin Mary: For You are the Divine Protection of Your servant.