Icon of Our Lady of Vladimir. Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God: photo

One of the most ancient and revered in Russia sacred images has always been the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir. It is believed that it was written by the Evangelist Luke on a board that once served as a table, at which Jesus, the son of God, was eating with his parents - the Virgin Mary and the Elder Joseph.

Description of the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir

The image is written in the lyrical iconographic type "Tenderness". Such a style of depicting the Mother of God with the Child embodies the tenderness, love and affection that the Immaculate Virgin shows to her Son. The baby Jesus sits on the right hand of the Mother of God, clinging to the face of the Queen of Heaven. The son of the Blessed Mary reaches out to her with his right hand, another gently embracing her neck. The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is the only image on which the heel of the Child Jesus is turned out so that it is clearly visible.

On the image, you can also see two inscriptions - monograms, which are depicted on the icon - Jesus Christ and the Mother of God.

Journey Through the Ages

The icon of Our Lady of Vladimir dates back more than 2000 years. For all time of the existence this image repeatedly saved the Russian people. Until the 5th century AD. E. The icon was in Jerusalem, then it was transported to Byzantium. And only in the 12th century it fell on the Russian land, being donated by the Patriarch of Constantinople Yuri Dolgoruky. In turn, the prince placed an icon in one of the monasteries, located not far from Kiev. It is believed that even from those times the image performed real miracles - at night the icon changed its location, and even flew through the air. This soon became known to Andrei Bogolyubsky, the son of Yuri Dolgoruky. It was then that the young prince decided that this miraculous icon needed its own, separate place.

Andrew takes the image of the Mother of God and goes to Suzdal land. On the way, the prince serves before the icon of the prayer. In response, the image of the Blessed Virgin manifests many miracles: the servant Andrew Bogolyubsky, hitting the abyss, remains unscathed, and the priest, who went with him on the road, survives after his trampled horse.

The way of the prince lay through the Vladimir land, after which he could not continue on. The horses, as if dead, got up and did not move from their seats. When the prince and his travelers tried to harness other blacks, the same thing happened. Andrei Bogolyubsky took this as a sign from on high. The prince began to pray earnestly to the Mother of God, who descended to him with a scroll in her hand, commanding to leave the icon in Vladimir, and in the place of Her appearance to establish a temple.

Thus, the Queen of Heaven herself chose the location of her image - not far from the city of Vladimir, near the river Klyazma. Since then, the icon also became known as Vladimirskaya in honor of the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God.

Assumption Cathedral

The construction of the church in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos was completed in just 2 years. The erected cathedral amazed everyone with its splendor and surpassed even Sophia in its beauty.

When the Golden Gate was erected in Vladimir, a misfortune happened: when laying, the stone wall fell on the workers. The prince, learning about this, began to pray diligently before the Vladimir icon, which saved him more than once. And then the Mother of God did not leave Andrei Bogolyubsky: when they dismantled all the rubble, the people under them were unharmed.

This accident was the harbinger of future events that awaited the Assumption Cathedral - the church burned to the ground after 25 years.

The campaign of Andrei Bogolyubsky

The further history of the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir is very interesting and filled with miracles. She protected the prince until his death. So, one day Andrew Bogolyubsky went on a campaign on the Volga Bulgars, taking with him a holy image. Before the battle, the prince and the warriors performed a moleben. Spiritual, they went into battle, where they could win. After the battle, the prince and the soldiers read a thanksgiving service - and a miracle happened: from the icon and the Cross of the Lord came the light that lit up everyone. On the same day in Constantinople, the same divine phenomenon was seen by Emperor Manuel. After a wonderful vision, he was able to defeat the army of Saracens. In honor of this manifestation of heavenly forces, a feast was celebrated in honor of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, celebrated on August 14.

When in 1175 Andrei Bogolyubsky was killed, a rebellion broke out in Moscow. It was possible to stop it only by the grace of the Most High forces: the abbot of one of the temples took the image of Vladimir the Mother of God and carried it through the city, after which the excitement subsided.

Patronal Feast - September 8

The memory of this image is celebrated 3 times a year. The first date is September 8, according to a new style. On this day the Sretensky Monastery was laid . The monastery was built in honor of the meeting of the Vladimir Icon by Russian troops. At that time, Rus was subjected to Tatar raids. Tamerlane, who led them, was a strong opponent. Russian troops could only hope for a miracle. Grand Duke Vasily asked the Metropolitan of Russia to transfer the sacred image from Vladimir to Moscow. While the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir was on the road, confident of its victory, Tamerlane had a dream: as if a shining maiden was coming upon him with 12 angels piercing his sword. In fear, having awakened from what he saw, the warrior told his wise men who were with him on a march about his dream. They explained to Tamerlane that the dreamed Virgo is the Mother of the Christian God and the Intercessor of the Russian Land. At that moment, the Tatar military leader realized with horror that his campaign was doomed to failure. He ordered to leave Russia and left with his troops.

"Quiet" victory

The next holiday, dedicated to the Vladimir Icon, is celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church on July 6. On this day there was an event that was long awaited, - hordes of Tatars fled after 9 months of standing on the river. Ugra. As you know, before the battle, Russian troops came ashore with the Vladimir icon. On the opposite side were the Tatars, who did not dare move. For a long time both sides were in inactivity. As a result, the Tatars fled. The Russian people attributed this "quiet" victory not to themselves, but to the Heavenly Queen, thanks to which the last battle with the Tatar hordes was without sacrifice.

A surprising nun's sleep

But the enemies calmed down for a little while. In 40 years, in 1521, the Tatars again rushed to Moscow. Tsar Vasily went with his army to the river Oka. In an unequal battle, the Russians began to retreat. The Tatars besieged Moscow. The same night one of the nuns of the Resurrection monastery saw an amazing dream - that the saints Peter and Alexei rushed through the closed door of the Assumption Cathedral, taking with them an icon. After overcoming the Kremlin gates, metropolitans met Sergiy Radonezhsky and Varlaam Khutynsky on their way. The saints asked where Alexei and Peter are going. They replied that they needed to leave the city together with the Vladimir icon, since the inhabitants of Moscow had forgotten the commandments of the Lord. Hearing this, the saints fell at the feet of the saints, tearfully praying not to leave the city. As a result, Alex and Peter returned to the Assumption Church through a closed door.

In the morning the nun hurried to tell everyone about the dream. People, learning about the prophetic vision, gathered in the church and began to pray unceasingly, after which the Tatar troops retreated. The great day of the salvation of Moscow is now sealed in the centuries - the Orthodox Church celebrates this day on June 3 with a new style.

What should we pray for before the Vladimir Icon?

It is believed that in every house there must be this image. Praying before the Vladimir icon, we ask for the reconciliation of enemies, the strengthening of faith, protection from the split of the country and the invasion of foreigners.

Akathist before the image

In prayer before the Vladimir Icon, we ask for the bestowal of tranquility in our country and in all cities, the strengthening of Orthodoxy and getting rid of wars, hunger and disease. "Be our intercessor and intercede for us before the Lord," we say, while reading the akathist. In prayer, we recognize that the Blessed Virgin is our only hope and salvation, the requests of which her son always hears. Before the image of the Most Holy Theotokos, we ask you to soften our evil hearts and deliver us from sin. At the end of the prayer, we praise our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal God.

Lists from an image

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God has come a long way in time. At the moment she is in the Tretyakov Gallery and only for the holidays she is carried out to perform the procession. Nevertheless, during its existence, the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, a photo of which you can see in this article, was used to create miracle-working lists, each of which received an additional name. For example, Vladimirskaya-Volokolamskaya icon was donated to the monastery of this city by Malyuta Skuratov. Now the image is in the Andrei Rublev Museum. Also among the miraculous lists can be noted Vladimir-Seliger, transferred to Seliger by Neil Stolbensky.

Temple in honor of the Vladimir Icon

This cathedral is located in Moscow, in the village Vinogradovo. This building is unique, since the temple has a triangular shape. Many attribute the creation of the cathedral to the famous Russian architect Bazhenov.

The church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was erected in 1777. An interesting fact is that even in the years of persecutions the cathedral was never closed.

During the Great Patriotic War, the temple of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God in its walls is a true shrine - the head of Sergius of Radonezh. After the victory, she was returned to the monastery of the saint (Trinity-Sergius Lavra), where she is still. For the preservation of the relic, the Temple of Vladimir the Mother of God was presented with a particle of the relics of the monk.

The Cathedral of the Vladimir Icon in St. Petersburg

This temple was built in the 18th century on the site of a former wooden church. The main relics of her decoration today are the image of Our Lady of Vladimir, the icon of Seraphim of Sarov with a part of his relics and the image of Our Lord "The Savior Not Made by Hands". The Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God functions to this day. A few centuries before his constant parishioner was FM Dostoyevsky.

The Vladimir icon of the Mother of God, whose history dates back to the distant centuries, always defended Russia, and now Russia, from enemies and troubles. Because that's why our country is sacred and God-chosen.