The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God where the original is located. Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

Our Lady of Vladimir is the most beloved, revered and oldest of the Mother of God icons. The people in Russia have long been perceived as their intercessor before God, her veneration has always been of great importance, it was a vivid manifestation of Russian piety.

The Russians have constantly turned and are turning to the intercession of the Mother of God through her images. Only miraculous icons with the image of the Mother of God, whose days the church annually celebrates, there are more than 150. But Vladimirskaya is the first among them all.

Coming to Russia

From ancient times

The icon was brought from Byzantium together with another significant shrine - the Mother of God Pirogoscha. The very one to which later comes to bow, returned from captivity, the protagonist of the Word about Igor's regiment.

This event took place in the XII century, around 1130. A stone temple was built for the Mother of God Pirogoshcha in Kyiv, and Our Lady of Vladimir, which, of course, no one has yet called, was placed in the Theotokos Monastery not far from Kyiv.

After Prince Yuri Dolgoruky captured Kyiv, his son Andrei Bogolyubsky, without the consent of his father, secretly decided to bring the shrine to Rostov.

Passing by Vladimir, the horses carrying the relic stopped, could not budge. An attempt to change them did not bring results, and the prince realized that he had received a sign: the icon wished to settle in Vladimir.

The prince erected the Cathedral of the Assumption, declared the city of Vladimir the first throne. An image richly decorated according to the Byzantine tradition was transferred to the temple. There was about one and a half kilograms of gold in the riza, not counting stones, pearls, fragments of silver casting.

Already in the time of Bogolyubsky, the Vladimir Mother of God began to be revered as a talisman and talisman of the Russian lands. The chroniclers paid special attention to the icon. Extensive records are devoted to her, explaining many events of history by the influence of the Vladimir Icon.

In 1237, the soldiers of Batu set fire to and plundered the cathedral, the precious salary disappeared., but the miraculous icon survived. The cathedral was soon restored and prayers continued.

A series of marvelous miracles

The history of the icon is full of miracles. Having defeated Khan Tokhtamysh near the Terek in the summer of 1395, Timur Tamerlane, the Great Emir of the Timurid Empire, pursued the defeated ruler of the Golden Horde all the way to Muscovy.

He ruined the Ryazan lands, conquered Yelets, approached Moscow. And then Metropolitan Cyprian decided to call for help the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. The miraculous icon was delivered from Vladimir. She was carried for ten days in her arms without stopping reading prayers.

On August 26, 1395, Muscovites met the icon at their walls. With continuous prayers, she was brought to the Kremlin. A miracle happened. Timur unexpectedly deployed troops and left the Moscow principality.

Eyewitnesses said that a beautiful woman appeared to Tamerlane during his sleep at the head of an army of many thousands, which, at her command, rushed to the ruler of Samarkand. On the brave man found a terrible horror and Timur decided not to tempt fate.

Since that day, the icon has been revered as the patroness of Moscow. She was returned several times to Vladimir, again transported to Moscow, until she took her place for many years in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

In 1451 another miracle happened. Moscow was surrounded by the Crimean steppe Tatars. The Nogai prince Mazovsha led a huge army.

Metropolitan Jonah organized a procession with the icon along the walls of the city, and the besiegers left. Hearing an unusual noise, the Nogais thought that a well-armed and numerous army of Prince Vasily was moving towards the city and retreated.

In 1480, the shrine was brought to the Russian camp in the area of ​​the Urga River. The victory on the Ugra of Moscow Prince Ivan III over the army of Khan Akhmet eventually led to the fall of the rule of the Golden Horde.

In 1521, thanks to the intercession of the miraculous image, Khan Mahmet Giray left Moscow along with the army, which gave rise to establish another holiday in honor of the icon.

In total, the church annually celebrates three holidays dedicated to the icon: May 21, June 23 and August 26 according to the Julian calendar.

With the image of the Mother of God of Vladimir, Boris Godunov was called by the people to the kingdom. In 1613, the Moscow Metropolitan Arseniy overshadowed with it the winners of the Poles of the militia of Kozma Minin and Prince Pozharsky.

From recent history

Until now, the story of how, during the war years, obeying the oral order of the Father of the Nations, Joseph Stalin, causes controversy, the sky over Moscow flew around the plane with the icon that defended the capital of the Soviet Union from perfidious invaders.

Different versions of the legend attribute the honor of saving the capital of the USSR to different icons. They point to the image of the Tikhvin Mother of God, the legendary Kazan Mother of God.

But many enthusiasts who are trying to find at least some documentary evidence of this miracle are inclined to believe that Moscow, like hundreds of years ago, survived not without the help of the Vladimir Icon.

One of the possible eyewitnesses told a year after the war that as soon as the Douglas transport with the miraculous image of the Mother of God on board circled the capital three times, the weather instantly changed: thick snow began to fall, the air temperature dropped sharply.

Nature itself came to the aid of the defenders of Moscow.

Where is the image now?

In the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was located until the revolution itself. Before her, emperors were crowned and patriarchs were elected, they prayed for her to grant victories, they took a military oath.

After the legendary robbery of the Patriarchal Sacristy in 1918, it, along with many Kremlin valuables and relics, was confiscated from the cathedral. The icon was placed in storage in the Armory.

According to another version, it was undergoing another restoration in the workshop of Igor Grabar. In total, the icon was repainted more than four times, not counting minor repairs to the image.

According to the description, the icon that has come down to us is absolutely not similar to the original work of the Byzantine master. In 1926, the Historical Museum became her refuge. In 1930, the leadership of the Tretyakov Gallery managed to convince the authorities to transfer the icon to the State Tretyakov Gallery.

Today the icon is constantly in the Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi. It is a house church at the State Tretyakov Gallery.

In addition to this icon, there are other exhibits from the gallery's collection.: liturgical utensils, icons, crosses. Every year on the feast of the Holy Trinity, Andrey Rublev's "Trinity" is given to the Temple for temporary storage.

The kiot for the Mother of God of Vladimir was made by the Belgorod carver V. Aksenov and V. Panteleev. The temple is open to visitors, services are held in it.

On patronal feasts, the image is transferred to the Kremlin and exhibited in Moscow's Assumption Cathedral for general veneration.

How does an icon help?

Its miraculous power is manifested not only in protection from enemies. Since the time of Prince Bogolyubsky a large number of people receive spiritual and physical healing sincerely asking the icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir for help.

Protects against accidents.

When Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky took the icon to the Rostov lands, a full-flowing river stood in his way. The prince sent a man to search for a ford, but finding himself in the middle of a stormy river, he went to the bottom like a stone.

The prince prayed to the icon, and a miracle happened - the man got out of the water unharmed.

Facilitates childbirth

Chronicles claim that the wife of Prince Andrei suffered greatly and could not be relieved of her burden for more than two days.

The prince defended the service and when it ended he washed the icon with water, and sent the water to the princess. Having taken a single sip, she immediately gave birth to a healthy child and recovered herself..

Treats diseases of the heart and blood vessels

It shows the greatest strength in the treatment of diseases associated with blood vessels and the heart. There is a mass of evidence of this from the time already almost forgotten to the present day.

There is a story about a woman from Murom who suffered from a heart disease. Having sent all her jewelry to Vladimir, she asked for holy water from the icon of the Virgin. And when she drank the brought water, she was immediately cured.

Saves from fatal accidents

Prince Bogolyubsky built the Golden Gate in Vladimir. Many people came to see them. But suddenly, with a large crowd of people, the gate separated from the walls and fell.

The reason for this was the dry lime. As many as 12 people remained under the rubble. Having learned about the tragedy, Prince Bogolyubsky began to pray before the icon of the Virgin.

Sincere prayer was heard. The gates were raised and all the people were alive, no one was found to have any injuries.

And even in front of the icon it will help to understand yourself, your experiences. It will allow you to see the right path in life, the Mother of God will strengthen faith and soften anger. We miss the goodness so much.

Prayer

O All-Merciful Lady Theotokos, Heavenly Queen, Omnipotent Intercessor, our shameless Hope! Thanking Thee for all the great blessings, in the generations of the Russian people from You who were, before Your most pure image, we pray to Thee: save this city (or: this whole, or: this holy monastery) and Your coming servants and the whole Russian Land from gladness, destruction , land of shaking, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare. Save and save, Madam, our Great Lord and Father (name of the rivers), His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and our Lord (name of the rivers), His Grace Bishop (or: Archbishop, or Metropolitan) (title), and all the Most Reverend Metropolitans, Orthodox archbishops and bishops.

Give them good governance of the Russian Church, keep the faithful sheep of Christ indestructible. Remember, Lady, and the entire priestly and monastic rank and their salvation, warm their hearts with zeal for God and, worthy of your title, strengthen each one. Save, Lady, and have mercy on all Your servants and grant us the path of the earthly field without blemish.

Confirm us in the faith of Christ and in zeal for the Orthodox Church, put into our hearts the spirit of the fear of God, the spirit of piety, the spirit of humility, give us patience in adversity, abstinence in prosperity, love for our neighbors, forgiveness for the enemy, prosperity in good deeds. Deliver us from every temptation and from petrified insensitivity, on the terrible day of Judgment, vouchsafe us with Your intercession to stand at the right hand of Your Son, Christ our God, and He deserves all glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever . Amen.

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God depicts the Mother of God. It is one of the most revered relics of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God: Tradition

According to pious tradition, the image of the Mother of God of Vladimir was written by the Evangelist Luke on a board from the table at which the Savior ate with the Most Pure Mother and the righteous Joseph the Betrothed. The Mother of God, seeing this image, said: “From now on, all birth will please Me. The grace of Him who was born of Me, and Mine, be in this way.”

Until the middle of the 5th century, the icon remained in Jerusalem. Under Theodosius the Younger, it was transferred to Constantinople, from where in 1131 it was sent to Russia as a gift to Yuri Dolgoruky from the Patriarch of Constantinople Luke Chrysoverha. The icon was placed in a maiden monastery in the city of Vyshgorod, not far from Kyiv, where it immediately became famous for many miracles. In 1155, the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, St. Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, wishing to have a glorified shrine in his place, moved the icon to the north, to Vladimir, and placed it in the famous Assumption Cathedral erected by him. Since that time, the icon has received the name of Vladimirskaya.

During the campaign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky against the Volga Bulgarians, in 1164, the image of the "Holy Mother of God of Vladimir" helped the Russians to defeat the enemy. The icon was preserved during a terrible fire on April 13, 1185, when the Vladimir Cathedral burned down, and remained unharmed during the ruin of Vladimir Batu on February 17, 1237.

The further history of the image is already entirely connected with the capital city of Moscow, where it was first brought in 1395 during the invasion of Khan Tamerlane. The conqueror with his army invaded the borders of Ryazan, captured and ruined it and directed his way to Moscow, devastating and destroying everything around. While the Moscow Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich was gathering troops and sending them to Kolomna, in Moscow itself, Metropolitan Cyprian blessed the population for fasting and prayerful repentance. By mutual advice, Vasily Dmitrievich and Cyprian decided to resort to spiritual weapons and transfer the miraculous icon of the Most Pure Mother of God from Vladimir to Moscow.

The icon was brought to the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. The chronicle reports that Tamerlane, having stood in one place for two weeks, suddenly became afraid, turned south and left Moscow. A great miracle happened: during the procession with the miraculous icon, heading from Vladimir to Moscow, when countless people knelt on both sides of the road and prayed: “Mother of God, save the Russian land!”, Tamerlane had a vision. Before his mind's eye appeared a high mountain, from the top of which saints descended with golden rods, and above them in a radiant radiance appeared the Majestic Wife. She ordered him to leave the borders of Russia. Waking up in awe, Tamerlane asked about the meaning of the vision. He was told that the radiant Wife is the Mother of God, the great Protector of Christians. Then Tamerlane ordered the regiments to go back.

In memory of the miraculous deliverance of Russia from the invasion of Tamerlane, on the day of the meeting in Moscow of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God on August 26 / September 8, a solemn church holiday of the Presentation of this icon was established, and a temple was erected at the very place of the meeting, around which the Sretensky Monastery was later located.

For the second time, the Mother of God saved Russia from ruin in 1480 (commemorated on June 23 / July 6), when the army of Khan of the Golden Horde Akhmat approached Moscow.

The meeting of the Tatars with the Russian army took place near the Ugra River (the so-called “standing on the Ugra”): the troops stood on different banks and waited for a reason to attack. In the front ranks of the Russian troops they kept the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, which miraculously put the Horde regiments to flight.

The third celebration of the Mother of God of Vladimir (May 21 / June 3) commemorates the deliverance of Moscow from the defeat by Makhmet Giray, the Khan of Kazan, who in 1521 reached the limits of Moscow and began to burn her settlements, but suddenly retreated from the capital without harming her.

Before the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, many important events of Russian church history took place: the election and installation of St. Jonah - Primate of the Autocephalous Russian Church (1448), St. Job - the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (1589), His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon (1917 .), as well as in all centuries, oaths of allegiance to the Motherland were taken before it, prayers were performed before military campaigns.

Iconography of the Mother of God of Vladimir

The icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir belongs to the “Carssing” type, also known under the epithets “Eleusa” (ελεουσα - “Merciful”), “Tenderness”, “Glycofilus” (γλυκυφιλουσα - “Sweet Kiss”). This is the most lyrical of all types of iconography of the Virgin, revealing the intimate side of the communication of the Virgin Mary with her Son. The image of the Mother of God caressing the Infant, his deep humanity turned out to be especially close to Russian painting.

The iconographic scheme includes two figures - the Mother of God and the Infant Christ, clinging their faces to each other. Mary's head is bowed to the Son, and He embraces the Mother by the neck with his hand. A distinctive feature of the Vladimir icon from other icons of the “Tenderness” type: the left leg of the Christ Child is bent in such a way that the sole of the foot, the “heel”, is visible.

In this touching composition, in addition to its direct meaning, there is a deep theological idea: the Mother of God, caressing the Son, appears as a symbol of the soul, which is in close communion with God. In addition, the embraces of Mary and the Son suggest the future sufferings of the Savior on the Cross; in the caressing of the Infant by the Mother, his future mourning is foreseen.

The work is permeated with a completely obvious sacrificial symbolism. From a theological point of view, its content can be reduced to three main themes: "the incarnation, the predestination of the Infant to sacrifice and the unity in love of Mary the Church with Christ the High Priest." This interpretation of the Mother of God Caressing is confirmed by the image on the back of the icon of the throne with the symbols of the Passion. Here in the 15th century they wrote an image of the throne (etimasia - “the throne prepared”), covered with an altar cover, the Gospel with the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, nails, a crown of thorns, behind the throne - the Calvary cross, a spear and a cane with a sponge, below - the floor of the altar flooring. The theological interpretation of etimasia is based on Holy Scripture and the writings of the Church Fathers. Etimasia symbolizes Christ's resurrection and His judgment on the living and the dead, and the instruments of His torment - the sacrifice made for the atonement of the sins of mankind. The juxtaposition of Mary caressing the Child and the turnover with the throne clearly expressed the sacrificial symbolism.

Arguments have been put forward in favor of the fact that the icon was two-sided from the very beginning: this is evidenced by the same forms of the ark and the husks of both sides. In the Byzantine tradition, images of the cross on the back of the Virgin icons were not uncommon. Starting from the 12th century, the time of the creation of the “Vladimir Mother of God”, in Byzantine murals, etimasia was often placed in the altar as an image behind the altar, visually revealing the sacrificial meaning of the Eucharist taking place here on the throne. This suggests the possible location of the icon in antiquity. For example, in the Vyshgorod monastery church, it could be placed in the altar as a double-sided altar icon. The text of the Legend contains information about the use of the Vladimir icon as an altar and remote icon that moved in the church.

The luxurious attire of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which she had according to the chronicles, also does not testify in favor of the possibility of her location in the altar barrier in the 12th century: decorate yu, put in the c (e) rqui of yours in Volodimer. But many of the portable icons were later strengthened precisely in iconostases, like the Vladimir icon in the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow, originally placed to the right of the royal gates:<икону>to the blessed temple of her glorious Assumption, which is the great Cathedral and Apostolic Church of the Russian Metropolis, and put it in a kiot on the right land, where it still stands visible and worshiped by all ”(See: Book of Power. M., 1775. Part 1 pp. 552).

There is an opinion that the "Vladimir Mother of God" was one of the lists of the icon of the Mother of God "Carssing" from the Blachernae Basilica, that is, a list from the famous ancient miraculous icon. In the Tale of the Miracles of the Icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir, she is likened to the Ark of the Covenant, like the Virgin Mary herself, as well as her Robe, which was kept in the rotunda of Agia Soros in Blachernae. The Legend also speaks of healings that are performed mainly thanks to the water from the ablutions of the Vladimir Icon: they drink this water, wash the sick with it, and send it to other cities in sealed vessels to heal the sick. This miraculous work of waters from the washing of the Vladimir icon, emphasized in the Legend, could also be rooted in the rituals of the Blachernae sanctuary, the most important part of which was the chapel of the spring dedicated to the Mother of God. Constantine Porphyrogenitus described the custom of bathing in a font in front of a marble relief of the Mother of God, from whose hands water flowed.

In addition, this opinion is supported by the fact that under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky in his Vladimir principality, the cult of the Mother of God, associated with the Blachernae shrines, received special development. For example, on the Golden Gates of the city of Vladimir, the prince erected the Church of the Deposition of the Robe of the Mother of God, directly dedicating it to the relics of the Blachernae Church.

Style of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

The time of writing the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, XII century, refers to the so-called Komnenos' revival (1057-1185). This period in Byzantine art is characterized by the extreme dematerialization of painting, carried out by drawing faces, clothes with numerous lines, whitewash engines, sometimes whimsically, ornamentally lying on the image.

In the icon we are considering, the most ancient painting of the 12th century includes the faces of the Mother and the Child, part of the blue cap and the border of the maforium with a gold assist, as well as part of the ocher, with a gold assist chiton of the Infant with a sleeve up to the elbow and a transparent edge of the shirt visible from under it, a brush left and part of the right hand of the Infant, as well as the remains of a golden background. These few surviving fragments are a high example of the Constantinopolitan school of painting of the Komnenos period. There is no deliberate graphic character characteristic of the time; on the contrary, the line in this image is nowhere opposed to volume. The main means of artistic expression is built on "the combination of insensible fluids, giving the surface the impression of miraculousness, with a geometrically clean, visibly built line." “The letter of the personal is one of the most perfect examples of “Komnin's floats”, combining multi-layered successive modeling with the absolute indistinguishability of the brushstroke. The layers of painting are loose, very transparent; the main thing is in their relationship to each other, in the translucence of the lower ones through the upper ones.<…>A complex and transparent system of the correlation of tones - greenish sankire, ocher, shadows and highlights - leads to a specific effect of scattered, flickering light.

Among the Byzantine icons of the Komnenos period, the Vladimir Mother of God is also distinguished by the deep penetration into the realm of the human soul, its hidden secret sufferings, characteristic of the best works of this time. The heads of Mother and Son pressed against each other. The Mother of God knows that Her Son is doomed to suffer for the sake of people, and sorrow lurks in Her dark, thoughtful eyes.

The skill with which the painter was able to convey a subtle spiritual state, most likely, served as the origin of the legend about the painting of the image by the Evangelist Luke. It should be recalled that the painting of the early Christian period - the time when the famous evangelist-icon painter lived, was the flesh of the flesh of the art of late antiquity, with its sensual, "vivid" nature. But, in comparison with the icons of the early period, the image of the Vladimir Mother of God bears the stamp of the highest “spiritual culture”, which could only be the fruit of centuries-old Christian thoughts about the coming of the Lord to earth, the humility of His Most Pure Mother and the path they traveled of self-denial and sacrificial love.

Honored miraculous lists with icons of the Vladimir Mother of God

Over the centuries, many lists have been written from the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Some of them became famous for miracles and received special names depending on the place of origin. It:

• Vladimir - Volokolamsk icon (commemorated Mr. 3 / 16), which was the contribution of Malyuta Skuratov to the Joseph-Volokolamsk monastery. Now it is in the collection of the Andrei Rublev Central Museum of Ancient Russian Culture and Art.
• Vladimirskaya - Seligerskaya (memory D. 7/20), brought to Seliger by Nil Stolbensky in the 16th century.
• Vladimirskaya - Zaonikievsky (memory M. 21. / In. 3; In. 23 / Il. 6, from the Zaonikievsky monastery), 1588.
• Vladimirskaya - Oranskaya (memory M. 21 / In. 3), 1634.
• Vladimirskaya - Krasnogorskaya (Chernogorskaya) (memory M. 21 / In. 3). 1603.
• Vladimir - Rostov (commemorated Av. 15/28), XII century.

Troparion to the Icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir, Tone 4

Today, the most glorious city of Moscow flaunts brightly, / like the dawn of the sun, O Lady, Your miraculous icon, / to her now, flowing and praying to You, we cry out to you: / oh, wonderful Lady Theotokos, / pray from you to our incarnate God, / may deliver the city this and all the cities and countries of Christianity are unharmed from all the slander of the enemy, // and our souls will be saved, like Mercy.

Kontakion to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, Tone 8

To the victorious Chosen Voivode, / as if they were delivered from the evil ones by the coming of Your honest image, / Lady Theotokos, / we lightly create the feast of Your meeting and usually call Thee: / Rejoice, Bride Unbrideed.

Prayer to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

O All-Merciful Lady Theotokos, Heavenly Queen, Omnipotent Intercessor, our shameless Hope! Thanks to Thee for all the great blessings, in the generations of the Russian people from You who were, before Your most pure image, we pray to Thee: save this city (or: this whole, or: this holy abode) and your forthcoming servants and all the Russian land from gladness, destruction , land of shaking, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare. Save and save, Madam, our Great Lord and Father Kirill, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and Our Lord (name of the rivers), His Grace Bishop (or: Archbishop, or: Metropolitan) (title), and all the Most Reverend Metropolitans, Archbishops and Orthodox bishops. Give them good governance of the Russian Church, keep the faithful sheep of Christ indestructible. Remember, Lady, and the entire priestly and monastic rank, warm their hearts with zeal for Bose and, worthy of your title, strengthen each and every one. Save, Lady, and have mercy on all Your servants and grant us the path of the earthly field without blemish. Confirm us in the faith of Christ and in zeal for the Orthodox Church, put into our hearts the spirit of the fear of God, the spirit of piety, the spirit of humility, give us patience in adversity, abstinence in prosperity, love for our neighbors, forgiveness for the enemy, prosperity in good deeds. Deliver us from every temptation and from petrified insensibility, on the terrible day of Judgment, vouchsafe us with Your intercession to stand at the right hand of Your Son, Christ our God. To Him is due all glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

______________________________________________________________________

These long and numerous movements of the icon in space are poetically interpreted in the text of the Tale of the Miracles of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which was first found by V.O. Klyuchevsky in Milyutin's Chetia-Minei, and published according to the list of the collection of the Synodal Library No. 556 (Klyuchevsky V.O. Legends about the miracles of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. - St. Petersburg, 1878). In this ancient description, they are likened to the path that the solar luminary travels: “When God created the sun, he did not set it to shine in one place, but, going around the whole Universe, it illuminates with rays, so this image of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is not on one place… but, bypassing all countries and the whole world, enlightens…”

Etingof O.E. To the early history of the icon "Our Lady of Vladimir" and the tradition of the Blachernae cult of the Theotokos in Russia in the 11th-13th centuries. // Image of the Mother of God. Essays on Byzantine iconography of the 11th-13th centuries. - M .: "Progress-Tradition", 2000, p. 139.

Ibid, p. 137. In addition, N.V. Kvilidze published a painting by the deacon of the Church of the Trinity in Vyazemy at the end of the 16th century, where on the south wall there is a liturgy in the temple with an altar, behind which is the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir (N.V. Kvilidze. Newly discovered frescoes of the altar of the Church of the Trinity in Vyazemy. Report in the Department of Old Russian Art at the State Institute of Art Studies, April 1997).

Etingof O.E. To the early history of the icon "Our Lady of Vladimir" ...

Throughout its history, it was recorded at least four times: in the first half of the 13th century, at the beginning of the 15th century, in 1521, during alterations in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin and before the coronation of Nicholas II in 1895-1896 by the restorers O. S. Chirikov and M. D. Dikarev. In addition, small repairs were carried out in 1567 (in the Miracle Monastery by Metropolitan Athanasius), in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Kolpakova G.S. Art of Byzantium. early and middle periods. - St. Petersburg: Publishing House "Azbuka-Klassika", 2004, p. 407.

Ibid, p. 407-408.

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The holy image more than once helped the Russian army win decisive battles - this is one of the most revered shrines of the Russian Orthodox Church, which established a three-time celebration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.

How the Holy Image ended up in Russia

According to legend, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was painted by the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke during the earthly life of the Mother of God on the board of the table at which the Savior ate with the Most Pure Mother and righteous Joseph.

The Virgin Mary, seeing Her image, said: “From now on, all births will please Me.

© photo: Sputnik / Yuri Kaplun

The icon of the Mother of God remained in Jerusalem until 450, then it was transferred to Constantinople. At the beginning of the 12th century, Patriarch Luke Chrysoverg of Constantinople sent a special list (copy) of it to Kyiv as a gift to the Holy Prince Mstislav.

After arriving in Russia, since 1131, the icon was in the Bogorodichny Monastery, which was located in one of the northern suburbs of Kyiv - Vyshgorod. Rumors about her wonderful creations circulated throughout Russia.

How did the icon get its name?

Vyshgorod became the inheritance of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, son of Yuri Dolgoruky, in 1155. Deciding to move to his native Suzdal land, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky took the icon with him and fervently prayed before it on the way.

After a rest in Vladimir, the prince was about to continue moving, but having driven quite a bit from the city, his horses stopped. All attempts to force them to go further were unsuccessful. Even after changing horses, nothing has changed.

The surprised prince began to fervently pray to the Mother of God, and during the prayer, the Mother of God appeared to him, who ordered him to leave the miraculous icon in Vladimir and build a cathedral that would become her home. The prince placed the icon in Vladimir and since then the image has been called the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.

Patroness of the Russian people

The icon was first brought to Moscow in 1395, when the conqueror Khan Tamerlane (Temir-Aksak) with his hordes invaded Russian lands, took the city of Yelets and headed for Moscow.

Moscow Prince Vasily Dmitrievich, who ruled from 1389 to 1425, went out with an army to Kolomna and stopped on the banks of the Oka.

The Grand Duke prayed to the Hierarchs of Moscow and St. Sergius for the deliverance of the Fatherland and wrote to the Metropolitan of Moscow, St. Cyprian, so that the coming Dormition Fast would be dedicated to fervent prayers for mercy and repentance.

© photo: Sputnik / Ivan Shagin

Clergy were sent to Vladimir, where the glorified miraculous icon was located. After the liturgy and prayer service on the feast of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos, the clergy received the icon and carried it to Moscow with a procession of the cross. Countless people on both sides of the road, on their knees, prayed: "Mother of God, save the Russian land!"

According to legend, at the very hour when the inhabitants of Moscow met the icon on Kuchkovo Field, Tamerlane was dozing in his tent - in a dream he saw a great mountain, from the top of which saints with golden rods were walking towards him, and above them in a radiant radiance the Majestic Wife appeared , which ordered him to leave the borders of Russia.

Waking up in awe, Tamerlane asked about the meaning of the vision, to which those in the know replied that the radiant Wife is the Mother of God, the great Protector of Christians. Then Tamerlane ordered the regiments to turn back.

In memory of the miraculous deliverance of the Russian land from Tamerlane, on the Kuchkov field, where the icon was met, the Sretensky Monastery was built, and on September 8, a celebration was established in honor of the Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

One of the greatest shrines of Russia

The icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir has always taken part in important events of the Russian state and is considered one of the greatest shrines in Russia.

So, during the attack of the Tatars on Moscow in 1451, Metropolitan Jonah carried the icon in procession along the city walls. At night, the attackers heard a loud noise and decided that Prince Vasily Dmitrievich was coming to the aid of the besieged with his army, in the morning they lifted the siege and retreated from the city walls.

And in 1480, the battle of the Russian troops with the Tatar-Mongols was to take place - the opponents stood on different banks of the river and prepared for the battle, but it never took place.

This "great standing on the Ugra River" ended with the flight of the Tatar-Mongolians, into which the Mother of God turned them through her Vladimir icon, which was in front of the Russian army.

Once again, the enemy hordes approached Moscow in 1521, began to burn the settlements, but unexpectedly moved away from the city without causing significant harm to the capital. This event is also associated with the protection of the miraculous icon, in honor of which its third feast was established, which is celebrated on June 3.

© photo: Sputnik / Yuri Kaver

With the icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir, the people went to the Novodevichy Convent to see Boris Godunov in order to install him as king. With this icon, the troops of Minin and Pozharsky met, who in 1613 expelled the Polish invaders and so on.

The most important events of Russian church history also took place before the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Including the election and installation of St. Jonah - Primate of the Autocephalous Russian Church (1448), St. Job - the first Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (1589), His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon (1917).

On the day of the celebration in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, His Holiness Patriarch Pimen of Moscow and All Russia was enthroned on June 3, 1971.

Moving to a new home

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was transferred for permanent storage to the Moscow Assumption Cathedral in 1480. In Vladimir, the exact copy of the icon, written by the Monk Andrei Rublev, remained.

© photo: Sputnik / Alexey Bushkin

Horse of the artist Andrei Rublev "Vladimir Mother of God" (1408)

In 1918, the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin was closed, and the miraculous image was transferred to the State Tretyakov Gallery. On September 8, 1999, the miraculous icon was transferred from the Tretyakov Gallery to the church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi, connected to the museum by a small corridor.

Description of the Holy Image

According to art historians, the icon was painted in the 12th century, presumably in Constantinople. The icon belongs to the ancient type of images of the Virgin, which is called "Eleusa", that is, "Merciful, Tenderness".

These are the most tender icons of the Mother of God, on them the Blessed One clung to her Son, and He to Her. They seem to be conducting some kind of internal dialogue between themselves, and the one who prays becomes, as it were, a participant in this conversation between the Mother and the Divine Infant.

The icon is two-sided: on the front side - the image of the Mother of God with the Child, on the back - the throne and the instruments of the Passion of Christ. The background is light ocher, the manure is lilac, with marbling brown stains, the margins are dark ocher, the inscriptions (IC XC. NI KA) are red.

Lists were often written from the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, some of which received special names and are miraculous.

An exact copy of the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is also located in the Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral. The gift of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia was delivered to Georgia in September 2009.

What helps

The Mother of God of Vladimir helps every believer who turns to Her with sincere prayer - She is an intercessor and protector, protects the house and helps in many everyday needs.

The Blessed Virgin Mary helps to find the true path, make the right decision, gives strength to overcome the difficult period of life, strengthens faith, protects from enmity, delivers from sinful thoughts and confusion.

The Mother of God also heals from physical ailments, especially often they pray to Her for the healing of diseases of the heart and eyes, which symbolizes insight not only bodily, but also spiritual.

The Mother of God also contributes to a happy marriage, for strong family ties, without quarrels and strife, are the key to a strong country.

prayers

Prayer one

Oh, the All-Merciful Lady Theotokos, the Heavenly Queen, the Almighty Intercessor, our shameless Hope!

We thank Thee for all the good deeds that have been from You by the Russian people, from ancient times to the present day from Your miraculous icon of perishable. And now, Blessing the Lady, look upon us sinful and unworthy Thy servants, show us Thy mercy and pray to Thy Son, Christ our God, that we be delivered from all evil and be saved to every city and village, and to our whole country from gladness, destruction , coward, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare. Ask an Orthodox Christian for prosperity and peaceful life, health, long life, good haste and salvation in everything. Preserve and make wise the pastors of the Church, who are worthy to shepherd the flock of Christ and the right to rule the word of truth; strengthen the Christ-loving All-Russian army, give the spirit of advice and reason to the military commander, the mayor and everyone who is in power; Send down Your holy blessing to all Orthodox Christians who worship Thee and pray before Your whole-bearing icon. Be our Intercessor and Intercessor before the Throne of the Most High, where you stand. To whom shall we resort, if not to Thee, O Lady? To whom shall we bring tears and sighs, if not to Thee, Most Holy Theotokos? Not imams of other help, not imams of other hope, except for You, Heavenly Queen. We flow under Your protection, with Your prayers send down to us peace, health, fruitful land, good dissolution of the air, deliver us from all troubles and sorrows, from all ailments and diseases, from sudden deaths and from all the embitterment of enemies visible and invisible.

Enlighten and teach us, O All-Merciful Intercessor, how sinlessly to pass the path of this earthly life; You are all our weakness, weigh and our sins, but you also weigh faith and see hope; grant us the correction of sinful lives and soften our evil hearts.

Strengthen the right faith in us, put in our hearts the spirit of the fear of God, the spirit of piety, the spirit of humility, patience and love, prosperity in good deeds; deliver us from temptations, from pernicious soul-harming teachings, from unbelief, corruption and eternal death. We ask you, Most Pure Lady, and bowing down before Your holy icon, we pray, have mercy on us and have mercy on us, on the terrible day of judgment, by intercession and intercession by Your, make us worthy to stand at the right hand of Your Son, Christ our God, and all glory, honor is due to Him and worship, with His Father without beginning, and His Most Holy and Good and Consubstantial Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer two

To whom shall we cry, Lady? To whom shall we resort in our sorrow, if not to Thee, Queen of Heaven? Who will receive our weeping and sighing, if not You, immaculate, the hope of Christians and the refuge of us sinners? Who is more in mercy to You? Incline Your ear to us, Lady, Mother of our God, and do not despise those who demand Your help: hear our groaning, strengthen us sinners, enlighten and teach us, Queen of Heaven, and do not depart from us, Your servant, Lady, for our grumbling, but be our Mother and Intercessor, and entrust us to the gracious cover of Your Son: arrange for us, whatever your holy will will be, and lead us sinners to a quiet and serene life, let us cry for our sins, but we will always rejoice with You , now and ever and forever. Amen.

Material prepared on the basis of open sources

One of the most ancient and revered sacred images in Russia 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, ate with his parents, the Virgin Mary and the elder Joseph.

The image is written in the lyrical iconographic type "Tenderness". A similar style of depiction of the Mother of God with the Child personifies the tenderness, love and affection that the Immaculate Virgin shows to her Son. The infant 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, gently hugging her neck with the other. Vladimirskaya is the only image on which the heel of the Infant Jesus is turned outward so that it is clearly visible.

On the image you can also see two inscriptions - monograms, which mean those 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 the time of its existence, this image has repeatedly saved the Russian people. Until the 5th century A.D. e. the icon was in Jerusalem, then transported to Byzantium. And only in the 12th century it came to the Russian land, having been donated by the Patriarch of Constantinople. In turn, the prince placed the icon in one of the monasteries, located not far from Kyiv. It is believed that since that time the image has performed real miracles - at night the icon changed its location, and even flew through the air. Andrei Bogolyubsky, the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, soon learned about this. It was then that the young prince decided that this needed its own, separate place.

Andrei takes the image of the Mother of God and goes to the Suzdal land. On the way, the prince serves a prayer service before the icon. In response, the image of the Blessed Virgin shows many miracles: the servant of Andrei Bogolyubsky, having fallen into the abyss, remains unharmed, and the priest, who went on the road with him, survives after he was trampled by a horse.

The path of the prince lay through the Vladimir land, having passed which, he could not go further. The horses, as if rooted to the spot, stood up and did not move. When the prince and his travelers tried to harness other blacks, the same thing happened. Andrei Bogolyubsky took this as a sign from above. The prince began to earnestly pray to the Mother of God, who descended to him with a scroll in her hand, commanding him to leave the icon in Vladimir, and to found a church on the site of Her appearance.

Thus, the Queen of Heaven herself chose the place of residence of her image - not far from the city of Vladimir, since then the icon has become known as Vladimirskaya in honor of the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God.

Assumption Cathedral

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

During the construction of the Golden Gate in Vladimir, a misfortune happened: while laying the stone wall fell on the workers. The prince, having learned about this, began to pray earnestly before the Vladimir icon, which saved him more than once. And then the Mother of God did not leave Andrei Bogolyubsky: when all the rubble was dismantled, the people under them turned out to be safe and sound.

This accident turned out to be a harbinger of future events that awaited the Assumption Cathedral - the temple burned to the ground 25 years later.

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, once Andrei Bogolyubsky went on a campaign against the Volga Bulgars, taking with him a holy image. Before the battle, the prince and the soldiers performed a prayer service. Spiritualized, they went into battle, where they were able to win. After the battle, the prince and the soldiers read - and a miracle happened: from the icon and the Cross of the Lord a light descended, illuminating everyone. On the same day in Constantinople, Emperor Manuel saw the same divine phenomenon. After a miraculous vision, he was able to defeat the army of the Saracens. In honor of this manifestation of heavenly forces, a holiday was established in honor of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, celebrated on August 14th.

When Andrei Bogolyubsky was killed in 1175, a rebellion broke out in Moscow. It was possible to stop him only by the grace of the Almighty forces: the rector of one of the temples took the image of the Vladimir Mother of God and carried it around the city, after which the unrest subsided.

Patronal feast - September 8

The memory of this image is celebrated 3 times a year. The first date is September 8 according to the new style. On this day, the monastery was founded and began to be erected in honor of the meeting of the Vladimir Icon by the Russian troops. At that time, Russia 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, Tamerlane, confident in his victory, had a dream: as if a shining maiden was coming at him with 12 angels piercing him with a sword. In fear, waking up from what he saw, the warrior told about his dream to the wise men who were with him on the campaign. They explained to Tamerlane that the dreaming Virgin is the Mother of the Christian God and the Intercessor of the Russian land. At that moment, the Tatar commander realized with horror that his campaign was doomed to failure. He ordered to leave Russia and left with his troops.

"Silent" victory

The next holiday dedicated to the Vladimir Icon is celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church on July 6. On this day, an event occurred that was long awaited - hordes of Tatars fled after 9 months of standing on the river. Acne. 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 to move. So for a long time, both sides were inactive. As a result, the Tatars fled. The Russian people attributed this "quiet" victory not to themselves, but to the Queen of Heaven, thanks to whom the last battle with the Tatar hordes cost no casualties.

Amazing dream of a nun

But the enemies did not calm down for long. Already 40 years later, in 1521, the Tatars again rushed to Moscow. Tsar Vasily went with his army to the Oka River. In an unequal battle, the Russians began to retreat. Tatars besieged Moscow. On the same night, one of the nuns of the Resurrection Convent had an amazing dream - as if Saints Peter and Alexei rushed through the closed door of the Assumption Cathedral, taking the icon with them. Having overcome the Kremlin gates, the metropolitans met on their way Sergius of Radonezh and Varlaam Khutynsky. The saints asked where Alexei and Peter were going. They answered that they needed to leave the city along 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 begging not to leave the city. As a result, Alexei and Peter returned to the Assumption Church through the closed door.

In the morning, the nun hurried to tell everyone about the dream she had seen. People, having learned about the prophetic vision, gathered in the temple and began to pray incessantly, after which the Tatar troops retreated. The great day of the salvation of Moscow is now imprinted for centuries - the Orthodox Church celebrates this day on June 3 in a new style.

What to pray for in front of the Vladimir Icon?

It is believed that this image should be in every home. 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 icon

In prayer before the Vladimir Icon, we ask for peace in our country and in all cities, for the strengthening of Orthodoxy and deliverance from wars, hunger and disease. “Be our Intercessor and intercede for us before the Lord,” we say, reading the akathist. In prayer, we acknowledge that the Blessed Virgin is our only Hope and Salvation, whose requests are always heard by Her son. 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 glorify our Lord Jesus Christ, the Eternal God.

Lists from the image

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God has come a long way in time. At the moment, it is in the Tretyakov Gallery, and only on holidays it is taken out for the procession. However, during its existence, the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, the photo of which you can see in this article, was used to create miraculous lists, each of which received an additional name. For example, the Vladimir-Volokolamsk icon was presented 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-Seligerskaya, transferred to Seliger by Nil Stolbensky.

Temple in honor of the Vladimir Icon

This cathedral is located in Moscow, in the village of Vinogradovo. This building is unique because 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 during the years of persecution, the cathedral was never closed.

During the Great Patriotic War, the temple of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God protected within its walls a genuine shrine - the head of Sergius of Radonezh. After the victory, she was returned to the monastery of the saint, where she remains to this day. For the preservation of the relic, the Temple of the Vladimir Mother of God was presented with a particle of the relics of the reverend.

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 shrines of its decoration today are the image of Our Lady of Vladimir, the icon of Seraphim of Sarov with a particle of his relics and the image of our Lord "Savior Not Made by Hands". The Church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God functions to this day. A few centuries earlier, F. M. Dostoevsky was its regular parishioner.

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, whose history goes back to distant centuries, has always protected Russia, and now Russia, from enemies and troubles. After all, that is why our country is sacred and God-chosen.

In the world there are many different images of the Virgin Mary, which appeared at different times. All of them are revered by Christians and are considered miraculous. But the most revered is the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which has a rather interesting history of origin; numerous miraculous deeds are attributed to it. It differs from all the others not only in the manner of writing, but also in its meaning for Christians.

According to history, the first image of the Virgin was a portrait painted by St. Luke on a board from the table at which little Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Joseph ate. When the Mother of God saw this work, she blessed it and promised that from now on all her images would bring only heavenly grace into the world.

The Vladimir icon was in Jerusalem for a long time. But during the reign of Theodosius the Younger, it was transferred to the capital of the Byzantine state - Constantinople. A century later, the icon was donated to Yuri Dolgoruky. On the territory of Russia, it was kept for a long time in the Vyshgorsky convent. It was from there that the rumor about her miraculous power spread all over the world.

The image stayed in the monastery until 1155, when Andrei Bogolyubsky ordered her to be transferred to the city of Vladimir. Here, for the image, the world-famous Assumption Cathedral was erected. And the icon itself has since received the name of the Vladimir Mother of God. It was at this time that a precious gold and silver frame was made for the image, adorned with a large number of precious stones and pearls.

Since ancient times, the Vladimir icon of the Mother of God guarded the troops of Russia during the raids of the invaders.. The main examples of her miraculous intercession are the victory of Andrei Bogolyubsky over the Bulgars and the defeat of Tamerlane's army. During the invasion of the latter, the image was brought to one of the churches in Moscow and an akathist was read before it by all the monks and ministers. Khan Tamerlane was afraid of the power of the Vladimir Mother of God and retreated before her power. Historians say that in a dream the khan dreamed of a detachment descending from the mountain in brilliant armor, over which the Vladimir Mother of God soared and overshadowed the troops with her blessing.

The day when the icon was brought to the Moscow church has since been celebrated as the Feast of the Presentation. This day usually falls on September 8 or August 26 according to the old style. And in memory of the miracle created by the Mother of God, the Sretensky Cathedral and the monastery were erected.

In the life of every person, a variety of situations can happen that require an immediate solution. If the usual and familiar methods do not give the desired results, then people turn to the Mother of God, who hears everything, sees everything and always comes to the aid of those who pray.

The Mother of God of Vladimir performed many miracles. But the most famous and not interpretable are the following:

Miracles were created not only by the icon itself, but also by numerous lists from it, which are distributed throughout the world. There are legends about these miracles that confirm the power of the Vladimir Mother of God.

This shrine has witnessed many events in Russia. She was able to go through all the military campaigns with the troops, was at the coronation of emperors. Before her was the naming of many patriarchs. Prayers are read to her at the moment when it is necessary to calm the anger of enemies, remove their anger and eliminate the fear of those who go on a military campaign.

Many parishioners turned to the Mother of God with prayers for making a fateful decision or for her to bestow strength in obtaining what they wanted. It is she who helps to get rid of many diseases and heal even the most seriously ill people. The icon of the Mother of God of Vladimir helps:

• strengthen faith and gain strength in order to cope with any misfortune;
• be healed of blindness and heart disease;
• get rid of sinful thoughts and bad intentions;
• make an important and fateful decision when a person cannot understand how to act in a given situation.

The significance of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God has always been great for all Russian people. She helps in the most difficult times, when there is nowhere else to wait for protection and help. But we can say that such an icon is not the only one. And here the mistake will be - this image is very different from the others with a similar context.

If we proceed from the type of writing, then it belongs to the "Carssing" variety. This image is one of the most lyrical of all possible spellings of the face of the Virgin. With one hand, the Mother of God holds the baby, hugging him to her and protecting him from the whole world. Their faces clung to each other, which reveals a completely different side of communication between mother and son. On this icon, they appear not as the Mother of God and the Divine Infant, but as simple mother and son who endlessly love each other.

The canvas depicts only a mother and a baby. Neither angels nor archangels, no one else is on the canvas. The head of the Virgin is tilted towards the baby, and he hugs her neck with his hand. A distinctive feature of the icon is that the baby's leg is bent and his foot is visible.

The main prayer to the face of the Vladimir Mother of God is the following:

Today, the original image is in Tolmachi in the museum at the church of St. Nicholas. But even knowing where the original icon is located, you should not rush to bow to it. You can pray to any of the lists that are located in many churches in Russia.

For every Russian person, the Vladimir icon is of great importance. She helps in the most unexpected and difficult situations. Therefore, in many houses there is an image of the Virgin, in front of which candles are placed and prayers are offered for sending down health to close and dear people.