Icon of the Mother of God "Infant Infantry": meaning, prayer, what helps

The appearance of a baby is the main event in the life of every woman. It is during pregnancy and childbirth that the Lord most clearly reveals to man all the fullness of His power and greatness. When a baby is born the true miracle of God on Earth.

For a successful outcome of pregnancy, many mothers all the time before and after the birth pray to the Lord, the Holy and, of course, the Blessed Virgin. The icon of the Mother of God "Infant of the Infant" is one of the many miraculous icons of the Most Holy Theotokos. In Russia before this image, Orthodox mothers have long spoken hot prayers about the well-being of their children. There is a pious tradition before the birth to pray to the Most Holy Theotokos and perform prayer services with the reading of the akathist dedicated to the icon "Infant of the Baby".

Icon of the Mother of God "Infant of the Infant"

This icon refers to the most common type in iconography, called "Aleus," which is translated from Greek as "gracious." Such works most fully depict the deeply trembling and tender relationship between the Holy Mother and the Divine Child. There is no distance between Mother and Son: The baby presses her face to the face of the Mother of God, showing her sincere love and trust. To the type of "eleus" are many well-known icons of the Virgin, such as: Vladimirskaya, "Tenderness", Yaroslavl and others.

The icon depicts the Savior Jesus Christ sitting on the hand of the Virgin. Tilting his head back, He seems to be playing with his Mother. With one hand, the Savior touches her cheek, thereby showing tenderness. The entire pose of the God-given child conveys His children's immediate character. On this icon, the human side of the Divine Savior is most strongly shown, which is seldom found in other iconographic images of the Virgin.

Notes of specialists

According to the researchers, the genre of the icon "Infant Infantry" comes from some scenes described in the Gospel. The image reminds us of the Gospel theme "Meeting of the Lord", when the Savior Jesus Christ was brought to the Temple of Jerusalem on the fortieth day after birth to perform the rite of consecration to God. Here the Savior is handed over to the elder Simeon, but the God-damsel reaches out to His Holy Mother, showing childlike affection and love.

In Macedonia, the earliest images of the icon "Infant Infantry" were preserved, where they were called "Pelagonitis" (after the name of the region of Pelagonia). Here the holy image was revered with special love and reverence. At a later time, the icons of the Virgin, depicting the theme of Motherhood and the future Christian suffering of the Savior, became common in post-Byzantine art, and most of all among Slavic peoples.

Many researchers who studied the history of the origin of this icon tend to believe that the icon of the Mother of God "Infant Infantry" comes from Byzantium. There is accurate information that in ancient Byzantium this image was revered as a great Christian shrine. The title "Infant Infantry" was already given to this icon in Russia, where it acquired the greatest fame only in the 16th-17th centuries. We can assume that it is a copy copied from the Byzantine model.

A look into the past

The history of the miracle-working icon in Russia dates back to 1795, when the Mother of God ("Infant Infantry") was shown in the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery, located on the territory of the modern suburbs (near Dzerzhinsky). This monastery is famous for the fact that in its place in the XIV century an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and miracle worker was miraculously acquired.

Dmitry Donskoy built this monastery in honor of the victory he won on the Kulikovo field, which happened in 1380. The appearance of the icon of St. Nicholas Mir of Lycia inspired the prince before the battle. Donskoy gave a promise to build a new monastery on the site of its acquisition.

In the sixteenth century, it was in this monastery that the icon of the Mother of God "The Infancy of the Baby" was miraculously revealed. The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates this event on November 20 (according to a new style).

Icon in our days

In the post-revolutionary period, the icon disappeared, and its location for a long time remained unknown. In 2003, a woman donated to the monastery an icon of the Virgin, similar to a miraculous list. According to eyewitnesses, this image was brought to the monastery. He was installed at the same place where the miraculous icon had previously stood. All the witnesses of this joyful event were convinced of the authenticity of the newly acquired wonder-working icon. At present, the image of the Virgin is kept in the altar of the Transfiguration Cathedral.

Miracle-working lists

In addition to the ramsons, other miraculous lists of the icon "Infant Infantry" are also known. Currently they are in the Tretyakov Gallery. Another image is kept in the Moscow Novodevichy Convent. Also the miraculous icon "Infant Infantry" is in the Vatopedi monastery. The latter rises on the holy Mount Athos.

The icon "Infant Infantry". Significance in the Christian world

Before the considered image, many married couples bring a prayer for permission from infertility. It is also customary to ask the Mother of God for help during pregnancy, before and after childbirth.

Pious Christian mothers ask the Blessed Virgin to grant their children spiritual and physical health and help their parents in the upbringing of children. Some fathers ask the Mother of God to instruct the children in the Orthodox faith, so that they grow up to be kind and loving people. In such life situations the icon "Infant Infantry" always helps, its meaning is very great. The Most Holy Theotokos through the icon gives everyone consolation, as well as help, support and protection.

All women who want to give birth to healthy children or who are already bearing the heart fruit should observe the purity of thoughts in a special way and strive to live according to the commandments of the Lord. This way of thinking and pious behavior is necessary to prepare the mother for the greatest mystery of the birth of the baby. In Russia, it was believed that the behavior of a woman during pregnancy directly affects the future nature of the baby. It is the mother who will answer before God for the Christian upbringing of her child, therefore at all times women began to pray to the Theotokos, just preparing to get married and become a mother. Pious Christian women pray before the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking Her for help in conception, during pregnancy and in childbirth.

Prayer for the bestowal of children

Infertile couples who can not have offspring, pray to the Theotokos about sending them a desired child, they are often heard. There are many examples where childless families have gained great happiness thanks to the help of the Blessed Virgin.

In addition to the icon "Infant Infantry", there are other images of the Mother of God, before which one should pray for the gift of children. They are no less famous. These are such icons of the Theotokos as "Tenderness", "Skoroposlushnitsa", "Feodorovskaya" icon of the Mother of God, "Blessed Mother", "Tolga". In addition to prayer, you can come with a request for the gift of children to the holy Righteous Joachim and Anna - the parents of the Most-Pure Virgin.

The parents of the Blessed Mary were barren for many years, they prayed to the Lord all their lives for the gift of a child to them. The holy Godfathers deeply mourned for their childlessness, as in the Jewish people infertility was considered a punishment for sins. The Lord heard their prayer, and Saint Anna conceived and gave birth to a blessed child - Mary, who became the Mother of the Savior Jesus Christ. That is why it is customary in the Christian world to ask the holy ancestors for permission from infertility.

Also, childless couples can pray to St. Matron of Moscow, Zachary and Elizabeth and other saints.

Prayer to the Theotokos during pregnancy

Many Christian believers, while waiting for the child, utter very warm prayers before the various icons. One of the most famous assistants during pregnancy is the icon of the Virgin "Feodorovskaya", "Procession in the Births", "Softening the Evil Hearts" (its other name is "Seven-Storm"), "Sporuchnitsa sinners", "Tenderness" and, of course, " Infanting. "

The icon of the Mother of God is of great importance in the performance of a sincere prayer before her. Also, while waiting for the baby, the young couple pray to St. Joachim and Anna, the holy martyr Paraskeva, the holy Reverend Roman Kirzhachsky and others.

The prayer of the couple before the advent of the heir

Many women in anticipation of the baby worry about how well the delivery will be. In addition to the appearance of restless thoughts, expectant mothers are visited by fear of pain, which is very embarrassing. In preparing for childbirth in the Orthodox Church, it is customary to ask for help from the Most Holy Theotokos, who always hears sincere prayers, and especially women's prayers for the safe appearance of the baby.

A pious tradition to ask the Mother of God for help has long been known in Russia. Russian women warmly pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary before her numerous icons ("Assistant in childbirth", "Tenderness", "Theodore's" Most Holy Theotokos, "Infant Infantry" and others). She, in turn, grants something that Her sincerely ask.

Prayer after the birth of a baby

After the birth of the baby, many mothers pray before the icons "Mammal" and "Education", asking the Virgin to help in the upbringing of their beloved child.

The Theotokos Prayer "Infant Infantry" has a deep meaning. The Virgin Mary is glorified in it, Her help and support during childbirth are sought. Also in the text are requests for the preservation of a newborn baby, about his enlightenment in the sacrament of Baptism, about his upbringing in the Orthodox faith. In addition to prayer before the icon, you can read the akathist.

"Infant-raising" is a miraculous icon, before which many Christians asking for help from the Mother of God found Her holy protection and patronage. The Akathist also contains various requests for support.

Conclusion

The ugresh's icon "Infant Infantry" differs from other versions of this holy image. In some compositions, there are insignificant differences in the image of the Divine Child and His Most Pure Mother. Nevertheless, they all bear the same name - the icon "Infant Infant".

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, uttered from the heart, always brings spiritual fruits. Many believing Christians after the prayer before this icon received solace in their spiritual troubles, as well as deep peace and tranquility. This is the action of the help of the Queen of Heaven, who always helps in various life circumstances.

In Russia, on the day of the celebration of the Mother of God of Ugresh, the feast of all the icons of the Mother of God "Infant Infantry" is celebrated. The ugrish icon of the Mother of God is also venerated as a miraculous image, to which many believing Christians come for worship and prayer.