Icon "Protection of the Blessed Virgin": meaning, history. What are the icons of the "Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos"?

The icon "Protection of the Blessed Virgin", the importance of her intercession before God was appreciated by people at all times. None of the believers was ever left without her help.

The Place of the Intercession of Our Lady in the cycle of the Virgin holidays

There are special days when the church glorifies the Virgin Mary. They are among the twelve Great Feasts, which are dedicated to the events of the life of Jesus Christ and his Mother. The feast of the Theotokos includes the Nativity of the Virgin, her introduction to the temple, and the Annunciation and the peaceful passing of the Assumption, all of which are the most important dates in her life. The Orthodox revere the parents of the Mother of God - Joachim and Anna, mark the conception of the Virgin Mary.

The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated with special solemnity by the Church. October 14 is a significant day for Orthodox Christians. After all, the Mother of God at all times was considered intercessor and defender of people before God. It is not for nothing that the icon of the Mother of God of the Most Holy Theotokos is found in almost every house.

The greatness of the Queen of Heaven

The Church believes that the Mother of God is the only person who lived in a world that is able to constantly ask the Lord for the salvation of people. This is the greatness of the Mother of God. Her appearance was already predetermined, as well as the Incarnation itself. The Old Testament history contains testimonies about the childhood and adolescence of Mary. When the girl was still a three-year-old child, she was able to ascend the high steps to the temple, and then the priest, at the direction of the Divine, brought her into the Holy of Holies of the temple. Entrance to all women was forbidden.

On the images of the Virgin, there are always three stars that are located next to her head and hands. This means that she has always been and remains a Virgin: before Christmas, in Christmas and after the birth of Jesus Christ. The holiness of Mary allowed her to become the vessel of the Divine Spirit and to preserve the mystery of the incarnation of God. Even after her Assumption she does not leave people, but she prays for them, therefore the icon of the "Protection of the Blessed Virgin" is especially revered. What helps the Mother of God? Most importantly, the Virgin Mary asks God to save the entire human race.

Celebration of the Intercession on Russian land

From ancient times people remembered the saints of God. In the days of their worship they went to the temple and prayed to the saints. The Russian people treated the Theotokos with special trepidation and love. During the twentieth feasts dedicated to the Virgin Mary, all believers tried to attend services. The icon of the "Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos" was especially venerated . What does the Mother of God protect? Everyone can receive the answer to this question by prayerful address to her.

On this day, people, standing at the Divine Liturgy, crying with faith and faith to the Lady of Heaven and Earth with requests for protection, protection, solution of important everyday issues. After leaving the temple, people gave alms to the needy. Currently, all traditions are preserved. Those who can not go to church on that day pray to the Mother of God at home, since the icon of the Protection of the Blessed Virgin, the photo and meaning of which is examined in this article, is available in almost every Orthodox family.

The history of the appearance of the icon

In the 10th century, the Byzantine Empire was often attacked by barbarians. Once during such a raid the enemy attacked Constantinople. The people who lived there gathered in the temple and began to offer their prayers to the Mother of God, tearfully asking her to protect them from the misfortune. By Sunday, the Mother of God, together with a host of angels and saints, was seen by Andrey Yurodivy. According to legend, she first walked through the air, and then, kneeling, she began to pray fervently to her divine Son for the protection of the people and granting them salvation from the enemy.

Then she took off from her head a wonderful shining veil that fell over all the prayers. The vision has disappeared, and the people in the Vlaherna church have experienced an extraordinary flood of grace and joy. Enemies immediately retreated from the city. The people saved the "Protection of the Holy Virgin" - an icon. What people pray about the Mother of God, will remain only in their hearts.

Now this may seem like a miracle, but there is a lot of historical evidence that the siege did take place, and then a storm happened. Since that time, the icon of the Mother of God "The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos" is especially venerated. What the Blessed Virgin protects from, people can always make sure by praying to her.

Description and meaning of the Icon of the Intercession

Most often the Virgin is depicted in full growth. Her head and upper part of the figure is covered by a huge quadrangular board - maforium. The underwear of the Virgin Mary - a tunic - comes to the floor. Most of her clothes are painted in blue and red-brown colors. The first shows purity and purity, and the second symbolizes that Jesus Christ was baptized from the flesh and blood to come to earth in the human form. Three stars on the edges of the Maforia testify to the ever-growing Mary. In the hands of the Mother of God is a veil - omophorion, which she stretches over the whole earth.

The icon "Protection of the Blessed Virgin", the meaning of which is to preserve peace and harmony between people, should occupy an honorable place on the iconostasis of every Orthodox Christian. The main thing is to rely on the grace of the Mother of God, and she will certainly help in all everyday needs.

Iconography of the Intercession

The very miracle of the phenomenon of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Andrew the Elder, unfortunately, was not captured in Byzantine images. In Russia, in the course of time, two types of icons were created, dedicated to the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos: Central Russian and Novgorod. This began to happen after the introduction of the holiday by Prince Andrew Bogolyubsky, who, after hearing the story about the vision of the holy fool, reacted with attention to this event. Thus, he entrusted the care of the Mother of God to all of our land.

In the Central Russian (Vladimir-Suzdal) iconographic tradition, the connection between the Bogolyubsky icon of the Mother of God and the "Cover of the Blessed Virgin" is traced. On this type of images, the Heavenly Queen herself holds the veil, at her foot sits Roman the Sweetheart. Novgorod icons are depicted as the image of Our Lady in the form of Oranta (praying). The angels are holding a veil over it. Every detail of her image is thought out by the artists, because the icon "Protection of the Blessed Virgin", the meaning and meaning of which lies in the heavenly help of the Intercessor of all Christians, gives hope to people at the mercy of the Lord.

The Mother of God is the defender of the Russian land

With the beginning of the adoption of Christianity, people gradually realized that they needed the help of the Lord and the intercession of the Mother of God. The Russian people believed with all sincerity and sincerity, to which they were only capable, that the Lord would protect them from all ills and misfortunes. The Mother of God was considered to be the intercessor in the face of her Son for all who truly believe in him and want to save the soul, then to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. In most Orthodox churches there is an icon of the Protection of the Holy Virgin. What does the Russian Lady protect heaven and earth from? We always had a lot of trouble and sorrows: hunger, wars, natural disasters.

And the Virgin Mary never leaves people in grief. Since ancient times the patroness of the Cossacks was considered to be the icon "Protection of the Holy Virgin." What helps the Mother of God to the soldiers? During the invasion of enemies and all kinds of oppression, when they had to go to fight for their native land, they, with faith in God and trust in his mercy, went into battle and returned with victory. Then they, being in the temple, thanked the Mother of God and the Lord.

In which cases does the Mother of God help?

It is unlikely that there will be such an Orthodox person who has never experienced the intercession of the Virgin Mary. The holiday, called the Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, an icon about what people are praying - all this indicates that the people often resort to the help of the Queen of Heaven. In our time, people ask her for a successful marriage, protection from harassment at work and service, about the healing of diseases, about peace in the family.

It is the "Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos" - an icon (which means "image" in Greek), which helps people to become purer and kinder. Expressing their gratitude, they carry decorations in the temple: rings, earrings, chains and other donations. There are also certain thanksgiving services dedicated to the glorification of the Virgin.

Traditions associated with the Veil

People since the ancient times had their own peculiarities of celebrating on October 14. On this day, it was accepted first of all to glorify the Mother of God. In the red corner, along with others stood the icon "Protection of the Blessed Virgin", the significance of which for the Russian people was simply invaluable. Also required:

• First visit the Divine Liturgy, and then necessarily give alms to the poor and miserable, standing at the entrance to the temple;
• Bake pancakes, refresh them with all the corners of the apartment, and then leave an offering to the housekeeper;
• Take the apple tree branch, set it on fire and smoke the whole house to attract well-being;
• Prepare a lot of delicious food and make a merry feast in the circle of all relatives and friends.

Folk features on the Pokrov

Our ancestors built their forecasts in the course of observations and rarely made mistakes. People believed that if the Pokrov is good weather, it's warm outside, then the winter will not be too cold. When you find out which side the wind is blowing from, then you must wait for frost, in case this is an eastern direction, then there will come the cold. They basically began precisely on October 14, so those who did not warm the house in winter froze. The cleverest drowned on this day bake the branches of the apple tree, drawing heat into the hut.

"The Protection of the Blessed Virgin" - an icon that means and symbolizes peace and harmony. The answer to the question of why she should pray was known to all Russian girls. They tried not to be sad on such a day, but spent it cheerfully. It was believed that this would attract the groom. On the holiday, they put candles in the image of the Queen of Heaven, because the first one who does this will get married first. The icon of the Mother of God "The Protection of the Blessed Virgin", the meaning of the holiday itself - all this is very important for the Russian people. People also believed that there would be many weddings if the snow on the Pokrov was going all day.

Famous churches and monasteries in honor of the Intercession

All in Russia at least once heard about the church of St. Basil the Blessed, which is on Red Square in Moscow. Initially it was the Intercession Cathedral. It was built under Ivan the Terrible in memory of the Russians' victory over the Kazan Tatars.

The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl is depicted in all school textbooks. It is in perfect harmony with the surrounding nature. The church was erected during the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky, and it is considered a pearl of Russian architecture.

Pokrovsky Monastery in Suzdal was founded in 1364. The rise of the monastery is connected with the name of Basil III, who donated a large sum for his maintenance. Currently, this women's abode is active. You can always visit it to pray there and see the preserved ancient architectural buildings.

In conclusion, it must be said that the feast "Protection of the Holy Virgin", the icon, the meaning, the prayer addressed to the Theotokos should be familiar to all true believers.