Tikhvin miraculous icon of the Mother of God. Where is the icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God located?

TIKHVIN ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

The fate of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God is closely intertwined with the history ofonly in the North-West of Russia, but throughout our country. She revered as a patroness ruling dynasties and as a protector, a “strong helper” in military affairs. It is not for nothing that it is often called the “palladium of Russia”. Since the time of Vasily III’s visit to the shores of Tikhvin, Tikhvin has been called the “royal pilgrimage.” The highest dignitaries visited Tikhvin until the beginning of the twentieth century. " Military glory» The Tikhvin icon began in the 17th century. Many generations of Russian soldiers went to defend the Motherland with its images.

The Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God is one of the most revered copies of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God, or Blachernitissa, references to which begin around 439 A.D., when it was transferred from Jerusalem to Constantinople. The Blachernae Church was built here for her. In terms of its type, it belongs to the Hodegetria Guide, which, according to legend, was written by the Evangelist Luke.

During the iconoclastic heresy, this image, as legend says, miraculously floated across the sea from Constantinople to Rome. And after the Triumph of Orthodoxy he returned there the same way. In 1383, 70 years before the Ottomans captured Constantinople, the icon miraculously disappeared from the temple, but appeared before the astonished fishermen over Lake Ladoga. The icon appeared through the air in seven places as evidence of its miraculous power (which was important at a time when the process of Christianization of Rus' was still ongoing and the Russian North was not sufficiently covered by it) and finally stopped over the Tikhvinka River.

The previous six times, the icon was not given to anyone, flying from place to place, as if indicating the path to follow it. But here, on the banks of the Tikhvinka, all those gathered began to pray in front of her, and she descended into their arms. They immediately laid it down in front of the priests with prayer. wooden crown- the basis of the future structure, prepared the plank for further construction and, leaving it under guard for the night, left. The next morning, to great horror and sadness, the builders who came and the watchmen who had fallen asleep at night did not see either the icon or the crown. They did not grieve for long - the icon, the crown, and the board ended up on the other side of the river. The Mother of God Herself indicated the final location for Her Tikhvin image.

In those years, this was perceived as transferring her from a country that had lost piety to the new destiny of the Mother of God - to Holy Rus', while leaving the first and second Rome - Constantinople, and moving to the third Rome - the Muscovite kingdom. The icon began to be perceived as confirmation of the special status of Russia in the face of God and, accordingly, as a bright symbol of the Russian centralized state. This was associated with a special iconographic type of the icon of Hodegetria, as the “Guide”.

Widespread veneration of the Tikhvin icon in the Moscow principality begins with Vasily III. Vasily's arrival in Tikhvin was connected with the circumstances of his privacy. In 1525, his divorce from Solomonia Saburova and her tonsure took place. In January 1526, Vasily Ivanovich married Elena Glinskaya. New hopes for the birth of an heir, associated with a new wife, were diligently supported by pilgrimages to famous shrines, contributions to monasteries and cathedrals, and prayers for childbearing. Through his diligence, instead of a wooden church built on the site of the appearance of the icon, a stone one was erected in honor of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.

Ivan the Terrible raises the veneration of the Tikhvin Mother of God icon to a new level. Throughout his life, he treats this icon with special reverence, considering it his patroness. For example, in 1552, during a campaign against Kazan, during the overnight stay of the Russian army on the Piana River. The icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God appeared to the king in a dream and strengthened him “to overcome his enemies.” Later, Ivan Vasilyevich founded a monastery on this site and presented him with a miraculous list created in Tikhvin. He comes to venerate the Tikhvin Icon 15 days before the crowning (and before the wedding with Anastasia) - to receive a blessing for the title of “king” (“Caesar”) from the shrine, revered as Roman and Constantinople. In 1560, by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, a monastery, surrounded by a stone wall.

The Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God was closely connected with the line of new Russian tsars. In the Kostroma Ipatiev Monastery, the mother of boyar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, Elder Martha, blessed him for the kingdom with a copy of the Tikhvin icon.

In 1613 - 1614, Swedish troops led by General Delagardie, having captured Novgorod, tried more than once to destroy the monastery, but through the intercession of the Mother of God the monastery was saved. So, one day, in view of the approaching Swedish army, the monks decided to flee from the monastery, taking the miraculous icon, but they could not move it from its place. This miracle stopped the faint-hearted, and they remained in the monastery, trusting in the protection of the Mother of God. The monastery's small number of defenders successfully repelled attacks from enemy forces that far outnumbered them. The advancing Swedes either saw a large army of Russians coming from Moscow, or some kind of heavenly army, and they fled.

When the Swedes suffered a final defeat in 1617, at the request of the Tsar's ambassadors, a copy of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God was made. The conclusion of a peace treaty in the village of Stolbovo near Tikhvin between Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich and King Gustav II Adolf on February 10, 1617 took place in front of this face of the Virgin Mary. Under the terms of the agreement, the Swedish king recognized the Romanov dynasty. Prior to this, the new dynasty was recognized only by England; the Stolbov Treaty marked the beginning of international recognition of the legitimacy of the Romanov dynasty. The image was then transferred as a revered shrine to the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, and later, at the request of the Novgorodians, it was transferred to the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral. So with early XVII century, the all-Russian veneration of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God began.

The Tikhvin icon and its copies were famous for miraculous rescues and military deeds.

Field Marshal B.P. Sheremetev was saved from a bullet by an icon of the Tikhvin Icon during the Battle of Poltava. He founded the Borisov Tikhvin Convent on his estate, and his descendants, generation after generation, gave rich gifts to the icon in Tikhvin.

IN early XIX century, the frigate "Tikhvin Mother of God" sailed in the squadron of Rear Admiral Sarychev between Kronstadt and Lübeck. The hieromonks of the Tikhvin Mother of God Monastery looked after the Russian navy. In particular, the feat of Hieromonk Kirill became famous, who on July 28 and 29, 1855, during the bombardment of the Sveaba fortress by the enemy fleet, on the ship “Iezerkil” served prayers on the deck of the ship even during the most intense firefight, inspiring the sailors with his example.

According to Moscow legend miraculous icon The Tikhvin Mother of God from the Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God in the village of Alekseevsky temple was flown around Moscow by plane, and after this the defeat of the fascists began near the Mother See. Soon the city of Tikhvin was also liberated.

In 1910, on the initiative of the Committee of Trusteeship of Russian Icon Painting, the ancient icon was revealed from under the later records of G.O. Chirikov. The Church, taking into account the fear of touching the letter of the icon that existed for centuries since the time of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, (since, “Hiddening the most pure likeness,” the Mother of God herself stopped anyone who touchedapproached her image), proclaimed this a new miracle of the Mother of God.

In 1924, the Tikhvin monastery was closed. The miraculous icon was in the Tikhvin Museum of Local Lore until 1941, and then traveled a long way: during the occupation by Nazi troops, it was transferred to Pskov, to the Spiritual Mission. She was there for two years, she was specially given out for Sunday services in Trinity cathedral. Then the icon was transported to Riga, and after some time it ended up in the American occupation zone in Germany, from where it came to Chicago. Here the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God was kept in the Holy Trinity Cathedral, where the rector was Archbishop of Riga John (Garklavs), who brought the icon here in 1949, and then his adopted son Archpriest Sergius, who devoted his entire life to preserving the icon. According to the will of Archbishop John, the return of the icon to Russia was to take place only when the Tikhvin monastery was revived.

In 1995, the monastery was transferred to the Church, the Assumption Cathedral was restored and consecrated.

In 2004, on July 9, after 60 years of wandering abroad, the icon was solemnly returned to its historical place in Tikhvin Mother of God Assumption Monastery .

The Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God has a special significance in the history of our State and in our days. The tradition of receiving the blessing of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God of the first person in the state has also been restored. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Rus' blessed Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in Tikhvin’s way on the day of inauguration Holy Mother of God , which today continues to be the palladium of the Russian state.

Troparion, tone 4
Today, like the bright sun, Your all-honorable icon, O Lady, has risen for us in the air, enlightening the world with rays of mercy, great Russia, as if he had reverently received a certain Divine gift from above, he glorifies You, the Mother of God of all, the Lady of all, and joyfully magnifies Christ our God who was born from You. Pray to Him, O Lady Queen Theotokos, that He may preserve all Christian cities and countries unharmed from all the slander of the enemy, and save by faith those who worship His Divine and Your Most Pure Image, the Virgin without art.

Kontakion, tone 8
Let us come, people, to the Virgin Mother of God Queen, giving thanks to Christ God, and to that miraculous icon, let us look tenderly and cry out to Her: O Lady Mary! Having visited this country by the miraculous appearance of Your honorable image, save all Christians in peace and prosperity, heirs showing heavenly life. We truly call to you: Rejoice, O Virgin, salvation of the world.

Prayer of the Mother of God before Her Tikhvin Icon
We thank Thee, O Most Blessed and Most Pure, Most Blessed Virgin, Lady, Mother of Christ our God, for all Thy good deeds, which Thou hast shown to the human race, especially to us, the people of Russia named after Christ, about whom the most angelic tongue will be pleased with praise. We thank Thee, as even now Thou hast surprised Thy ineffable mercy upon us, Thy unworthy servants, with the supernatural self-coming of Thy Most Pure icon, and with it Thou hast enlightened all Russian country. Likewise, we, sinners, worshiping with fear and joy, cry out to Thee: O Most Holy Virgin, Queen and Mother of God, save and have mercy on Thy people, and grant them victory over all their enemies, and preserve the reigning cities, and all Christian cities and countries, and deliver this holy temple from every slander of the enemy, and grant everything for the benefit of all, who now come with faith and pray to Your servant, and who worship Your Most Holy Image, for blessed are You with the Son and God born of You, now and ever and unto the ages of ages . A min.

How does the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God help and what do they pray for in front of the Tikhvin Icon? The meaning and role of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God for Russia. Read more about everything in this article!

Even during Her lifetime, Christians knew that the Virgin Mary would receive great honor in the Kingdom of Heaven. Evangelist Luke wrote the Image of the Mother of God in order to forever capture the Face of the Mother of all Christians, which was later called Tikhvin. The Mother of God is rightly called the Queen of Heaven, patron of Russia.

There was not, no, there will never be a woman equal to Her in honor. She is above the ranks of angels and saints of God forever. No one will eclipse Her Glory. After all, Christ is not only Lord, but also Son. She will do whatever She asks and will not refuse. Therefore, people most often turn to Her, knowing and believing that the Most Holy One will always respond to trouble and quickly come to the rescue.

The significance of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God for Russia

All Christians respect the Mother of God, but Russians love Her most of all. Our people have a special relationship with the Virgin Mary. It was through prayers to Her, no matter how, that countless miracles were performed, and many victories were achieved over the enemies of the Holy Land. After all, the Queen of Heaven Herself chose her, consecrating her with Her miraculous images.

There is a belief that the Mother of God protects Russia from all sides. In any case, this was the case until 1904. Until the miraculous Kazan Icon was stolen. A hundred years later, in 2004, the Vatican donated one of the ancient lists. In the same year, the famous Tikhvinskaya returned to Russia from the USA. Now our country is under Heavenly protection:

From the east, the land is consecrated (for now by list) in the Kazan image.
In the west, the cordon is guarded by Smolensky.
Iverskaya keeps the southern side.
The miraculous Tikhvinskaya returned to the north.
The central part is consecrated by the Derzhavnaya and Vladimirskaya.

From all sides, the Mother of God shows miracles of healing, revives faded faith, instills fear in enemies, and protects the holy land. We may not be worthy of such care, but knowing and thanking the Intercessor is our sacred duty. As long as the Immaculate Queen is with us, we are not afraid of any enemies.

Note: The appearance of the icon in the air, carried by angels, was received by the worshipers of Tikhvin in 1383. In Russia, the day of finding the miraculous image is celebrated: June 26 according to the old style or July 9 according to the new style.

How does the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God help?

There are more than 400 images of the Virgin Mary. For most of them, compiled special prayers associated with the acquisition of miracles. But the Mother of God is One and Only. It doesn’t matter what you ask for in front of this or that Face, because you are addressing not an image, but a Personality.

There are no restrictions for those who need help. When you have faith, honor the Most Holy Mother with Christ, then you will receive what you ask for, if it does not cause harm. It is wrong to think that if “The Inexhaustible Chalice” helps to get rid of alcohol addiction, then by turning to “Tikhvinskaya” you will not get it.

Of course, there are special blessed, miraculous icons that are most often approached with the same requests. But this does not mean that there will be no answer in resolving other problems. By faith, miracles are given; there are no conditions, no barriers for those asking, especially those standing at the miraculous image.

What do they pray for in front of the Tikhvin icon?

The Gospel says little about the Mother of Christ. Almost nothing is known about the earthly life of the Virgin Mary. There is a legend that when She saw Her images, including the future Tikhvin image, she said: “Let the grace of the One born of Me and Mine be with these icons.” Another amazing incident is known that occurred during Her burial.

When the stretcher was being carried, a hater of Christian teaching ran up to them to turn over the body of the Most Pure Virgin Mary, bringing it to desecration. He furiously grabbed the edge of the stole. At that very moment the Angel cut off his hands. In fear and despair, the blasphemer immediately repented and asked for forgiveness from the Mother of God. She took pity on him: her hands fell into place as if nothing had happened.

From this story it is clear that nothing is impossible for the Mother of God. The Tikhvin Intercessor is asked: for the priesthood, leaders, judges, mentors. The icon can be recommended for a believer statesman so that he makes wise and fair decisions, and draws help and strength from the Giver of blessings. The Tikhvin Guide helps:

find peace, love and harmony for spouses;
in raising obedient children;
endure sorrows, gain patience and complacency;
heal the soul and body (there are known cases of recovery of the blind, paralyzed, injured, unable to walk, hearing impaired, etc.);
old people gain strength and longevity;
to young people - chastity, piety and rationality;
childless - to have a child;
for pregnant women - to give birth safely;
for the sick - to get back on their feet;
missing persons - find;
those who have fallen into wickedness - take the path of Truth.

Conclusion: The Queen of Heaven leads everyone to the Son so that they may find eternal life. Before the Tikhvin (any other) image, first of all, they pray for the salvation of the soul: cleansing the heart, correcting the lost. We turn not just to the Celestial Goddess, but to the Mother, who will never refuse a requester with humility and love.

One of the most revered miraculous icons in Orthodox Church is considered the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, which, according to legend, appeared to people in 1383 near the city of Tikhvin. In 1560, the first stone of the Tikhvin Monastery was laid on the banks of the Tikhvinka River.

History of the icon

It is believed that the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God was painted by the famous evangelist Luke. He presented the icon as a gift to Theophilus of Antioch, supplementing the gift with the text of the Gospel. After some time, the miraculous icon ended up in Byzantium. In Constantinople, the Blachernae Church was built for her, which amazes with its splendor. This church is one of the most significant in the history of Eastern Christians.

In 1383, the Tikhvin Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to people in Holy Rus'. According to legend, the holy image was carried by angels in their arms. So the icon was transported through the air from Byzantium. The first to see the miracle were the fishermen when the icon floated over Ladoga. As the legend about the appearance of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God says, believers and a priest came to the river bank in order to pray to the holy image. For sins, the icon left the Byzantine people, but appeared on the territory of Holy Rus' in the Orthodox Church.

In the place chosen by the Mother of God herself, a wooden Church of the Assumption was soon erected. After some time, it was replaced with a stone one, and now the Tikhvin Mother of God Assumption Monastery operates there, as it is not difficult to understand that in the city of Tikhvin there is an icon where believers can worship this image. During World War II, the icon ended up in a Riga church. The occupiers of the Tikhvin Monastery first sent her to Pskov and then took her to Riga. It was returned to Russian soil, to the city of Tikhvin, in 2004. In this regard, the church established the celebration of the return of the icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God in the Orthodox calendar.

How does the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God help?

The Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God is considered the patroness of infants. Mothers whose children are sick, capricious and have trouble sleeping come to her.

That is why the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God is also called the Child-Giver, that is, she protects children, and also gives healthy children.

She is believed to protect children school age from bad influence, the Tikhvin icon helps them find their way in life, helps them make right choice. The icon strengthens the spiritual connection between parents and children. People who want to find an answer to a question that torments them ask her for help. The icon of the Mother of God protects a person from deception and slander. Therefore, if difficulties arise with other people, many confessors advise taking the image of the Tikhvin Mother of God and praying in front of it in order to clarify the situation and understand how things really are.

The Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God has miraculous powers. It always appeared in sparsely populated lands where Christianity was not widespread.

She protected and protected people from disasters, wars and fires.

That is why the importance of the holy image of the Tikhvin icon in Orthodoxy is so great.

Miracle lists icons

The most interesting is the list of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God in Moscow, which was brought to the Assumption Cathedral back in the 17th century. At the very beginning of this century, the Swedes came to Novgorod, who wanted to conquer the city and people planned to flee from the monastery where the icon was. As soon as they wanted to move the image, it seemed to be chained to the ground and moving the seemingly not super-heavy icon turned out to be inaccessible to the inhabitants of the monastery. People understood the hint of lack of faith and remained in the city, in particular in the monastery.

The Swedes continued to attack the walls of the monastery, and the Tikhvin Icon helped the defenders and brought various images to the Swedes. They saw the army approaching from the direction of Moscow and also saw the Heavenly Army, which stood over the monastery. The invaders did not succeed, and over time, ambassadors arrived from Moscow who made a list of the holy image, which they sent to the capital, and thanks to this image they concluded a truce with the Swedes. In addition, in many cities there is a church of the Tikhvin Icon: Bryansk, Suzdal and many other cities.

Prayer before the Tikhvin Icon

We thank Thee, O Most Blessed and Most Pure, Most Blessed Virgin, Lady, Mother of Christ our God, for all Thy good deeds, which Thou hast shown to the human race, especially to us, the people of Russia named after Christ, about whom the most angelic tongue will be pleased with praise. We thank You, as even now You have surprised Your ineffable mercy on us, Your unworthy servants, with the supernatural self-coming of Your Most Pure Icon, and with it You have enlightened the entire Russian country. Likewise, we, sinners, worshiping with fear and joy, cry out to Thee: O Most Holy Virgin, Queen and Mother of God, save and have mercy on Thy people, and grant them victory over all their enemies, and preserve the reigning cities, and all Christian cities and countries, and deliver this holy temple from every slander of the enemy, and grant everything for the benefit of all, who now come with faith and pray to Your servant, and who worship Your Most Holy Image, for blessed are You with the Son and God born of You, now and ever and unto the ages of ages . Amen.

Sometimes there are situations in life when a person can only rely on God’s help. But it’s never a bad idea to simply pray for the benefit of your family and friends. Often when we come to a temple or church, we see many icons in front of us. All depict saints being prayed to for various things. It is believed that each icon needs to be prayed with certain requests. But people who are not versed in religious rules, they rarely know the purpose of each icon. We will tell you which icon to pray for:

"Trinity"- one of the miraculous Orthodox icons, the most important shrine of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Around her they pray about the most important and important things in life, about what can affect a person’s entire future destiny. People who have lost hope and cannot find a way out should pray near her. difficult situation. Before praying, clearly think through your request. You need to pray to the Trinity after repentance and praising the Lord.

"Savior Not Made by Hands." It depicts the Savior, to whom one should turn with requests to save the soul, show the true path, be healed and get rid of bad thoughts. You can ask for mercy both for yourself and for others, but first you need to repent and read the “Our Father.”

"Savior Almighty". She is asked to save family members.

"Crucifixion" helps protect your home from thieves and criminals.

"Savior in the Crown of Thorns" helps to overcome all obstacles on the path to the salvation of the soul.

Icon of the Mother of God "Vladimir" - it is customary to pray for deliverance from the invasion of foreigners, for strengthening Orthodox faith, about preservation from heresies and schisms, about the pacification of warring parties, about the preservation of Russia - the day of celebration is June 23 (6).

Icon of the Mother of God "Kazan"- they pray for the sight of blind eyes, for deliverance from the invasion of foreigners, is an intercessor in difficult times, they bless those entering into marriage - the day of celebration is July 8 (21) October 22 (4).

Icon of the Mother of God "Iverskaya" - they pray for deliverance from various misfortunes and for consolation in troubles, from fire, for increasing the fertility of the earth - the day of celebration is February 12 (25) (celebrated on Tuesday of Holy Week).

Icon of the Mother of God "Tikhvin"- they pray for the sight of the blind, the healing of the possessed, for illnesses of children, relaxation of joints, for paralysis, falling sickness, from the invasion of foreigners - the day of celebration is June 26 (9).

Icon of the Mother of God "Ostrobramskaya" helps to find and maintain the happiness of a married couple. They also pray to her that strangers do not interfere in the newlyweds’ relationship.

Icon “Faith, Hope, Love” gives people wisdom, helps strengthen faith, hope and love in people's hearts, and also gives strength to overcome difficult life obstacles.

Icon "Recovery of the Dead". They pray to her for the health, well-being and happiness of children, as well as for the return of lost children to their families (children who ended up in a sect, were subjected to severe drug and alcohol addiction, etc.).

"Peter and Fevronia." Prayers around her help to find family happiness and well-being, you can also ask her for the birth of a child.

"Guardian angel" helps every baptized Christian get rid of need and illness. By praying to this icon, a person turns to his Guardian Angel, who saves him from sins, troubles and misfortunes.

"Seraphim of Sarov". Those who need support and support pray at this icon. Helps to heal from diseases, gives comfort.

"Blessed Matrona" A revered icon of modern times. You can ask her for help on any difficult issue.

"The Inexhaustible Chalice". This icon is asked for healing from harmful addictions such as drunkenness, drug addiction, and gambling.

"Nicholas the Wonderworker." One of the most famous and revered icons in the world. She needs to pray to those who, through life or work, travel a lot or are often on the move. Sailors, fishermen, pilots, travelers and seafarers pray to her. In addition, Nicholas the Wonderworker is the intercessor of the unjustly offended, women, children, beggars, unjustly convicted and prisoners. Therefore, all these categories of the population can turn to the Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker with their requests.

"Holy Great Martyr Panteleimon." People pray to this icon for healing from illnesses.

"Sergius of Radonezh". This saint is the patron saint of all who study. You can ask this icon for blessings for a new academic year, as well as assistance in mastering new knowledge.

Icon of "St. Catherine of Alexandria" helps those who strive for knowledge. Contact her if you want to get a good education. It promotes success in any science, especially in the study of languages and mathematics. The icon helps to find new approaches in pedagogy. In Europe many educational establishments are named after Saint Catherine. Lawyers, prosecutors and judges ask for support in court cases. St. Catherine is also prayed for marriage and help during pregnancy and childbirth.

What is an icon? Why do icon painters create icons of the Virgin Mary . icons of patron saints . icons of the Savior and other Orthodox icons? Why do we one day have an irresistible desire to order an icon? We want the icon to be painted personally for us.

IN literal translation From Greek, icon is an image. Through the icon, each person turns to God in himself, because he is one in everyone. Prince E.N. Trubetskoy wrote that Orthodox icons open to a person “a vision of a different life truth and a different meaning of the world” 1. different from the struggle for survival. No words can convey the power of Divine love and the joy of feeling Divine grace that comes from the icons of the Mother of God, icons of saints and icons of the Savior Jesus Christ, painted by modern icon painter Yuri Kuznetsov.

As you know, icons “have a special language - a system of signs that convey certain information” 2. But “deciphering” these symbols can only be done with the heart. For a person who would like to order an icon, it is important to find not just an icon with the image of the Savior Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, or saints, but behind the Orthodox icon there should be “the discovery of a saint, the place of his mystical presence. An icon is a visual link in the dialogue between a praying soul and a saint: a Christian prays not to an icon, but through the icon to the one depicted on it.” 3. Even a non-believer can experience the power of Divine love emanating from the icon of Yuri Kuznetsov. The icon of the Mother of God of Tenderness, Rejoice, Unbrideless Bride, makes a special impression.

Of course, “... church art has its own special, peculiar to it, features and therefore puts the artist in a special position: the artist must understand the demands placed on him. He must give not an ordinary real picture, not a copy from a sample that came to hand by chance, not an idle invention of the imagination, not sanctified by a clear religious consciousness, but an icon corresponding to its high purpose” 4. And if the prayer, contemplating the icons of the Mother of God, icons of saints, icons of the Savior Jesus Christ or other Orthodox icons will experience a soul-piercing sense of the reality of the spiritual world. If the icon suddenly opens as a bright, shedding light vision, which is recognized as exceeding everything around it, residing in another, its own space and in eternity, then the burning of passions and the vanity of the world subsides, the feeling of God is recognized as above-peaceful, qualitatively superior to the world and acting from its own domain here, among us there are 5.

All of the above was experienced by me personally and by many people who keep icons of the “Kuznetsov letter” in their homes. Everyone has an icon of their patron saint in their home.

An icon, be it the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. icon of the Mother of God the All-Tsarina. An icon of the patron saint, the Savior Jesus Christ or another Orthodox icon is “Church Tradition and the grace of God, manifested through lines and colors, as through color writing. The power of the icon indicates that this world [spiritual approx. KK] is near us, that the soul itself is a particle of this world” 6.

Father John of Kronstadt wrote about the need for icons in the house: “Icons in the church, in houses are necessary, among other things, because they remind of the immortality of the saints who live (Luke 20:38), as the Lord says, that they are in God they see us, hear us and help us” (John of Kronstadt. My life in Christ. St. Petersburg, 2005, p. 468). Through an icon of a saint, an icon of the Mother of God or an icon of the Savior Jesus Christ, we become involved in his life and seem to live it together. Together with the icon of the Mother of God “I am with you and no one else is against you,” the person praying is confirmed in his faith. Literally, the name of the icon sounds like “I am always with you and no one will offend you.”

“The icon begins with a line, and the line begins with the heart; it has no other basis or cause that determines it. The heart in the patristic understanding is the seat of the human spirit or the spirit itself. Therefore, the starting point of the icon lies in invisible world, and then appears and manifests itself, as if descending onto the plane of the icon; it is not a repetition of the line of the sample from which the icon is painted” 7. Imagine a thin silver thread coming from the heart, and every moment of life dyes it in the corresponding color, so you get a multi-colored carpet woven from life’s episodes. This is the essence of the icons of the “Kuznetsov letter”. Icons of the Mother of God, icons of saints, icons of the Savior Jesus Christ or other Orthodox icons are painted by Yuri Kuznetsov according to this principle: each point is an episode of the life of a saint. If we perceive the icon not logically, but in spirit, then in the ornament Vladimir icon The Mother of God can be seen that this icon was brought from Byzantium to Russia at the beginning of the 12th century, as a gift to Yuri Dolgoruky from the Patriarch of Constantinople Luke Chrysoverkh. The icon was placed in convent In Vyshgorod, not far from Kyiv, rumors of her miracles reached the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, who decided to transport the icon to the north.

Such an understanding and reading of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is possible, because “the line on the icon is a cut in spiritual world“, this is a clearing in the world of skeletal and, therefore, in its essence, darkened matter - only grace can enlighten matter” 8. The cut in the icons of the “Kuznetsov letter” is the ornament that lies at its basis. The ornament is rounded, since the line in the icon “should not be pointed and angular, as if broken (angularity, convulsions, breaks, pointed ends refer to the image of dark power). Circumference and roundness, the natural movement of the line is the life of the line...” 9. Variations of the ornament change depending on whether the icon of the Mother of God, the icon of saints or another Orthodox icon or the icon of the Savior Jesus Christ is being painted.

In the process of icon painting, “the mystical experience of communication with the Heavenly Church and the experience of spiritual realities” 10 is very important. It is this experience that gives the true content to the icon.

The canonical form and historical authenticity of an Orthodox icon is given by the sample from which the copy is taken. There is a fundamental difference between the copy and the copy from the icon of the Mother of God, the icon of saints or the icon of the Savior Jesus Christ. “A list is closeness to a person, a copy is similarity, or even a visual match with iconographically" 11. “To make a list, you need to internally experience the icon, read its semantic text, and then write it in your own handwriting" 12.

Icons of the 21st Century is a site created specifically to popularize and promote the work of icon painter Yuri Kuznetsov, as well as to revive and restore Orthodoxy in Russia, to return people to the path of joy, love and kindness. With us you can order an icon“Kuznetsov’s” letter, get acquainted with the stories of the discovery of Orthodox icons, learn about the earthly life of saints and their veneration, read about the meaning and content of the holidays of the Orthodox calendar.

Icons of the Mother of God, patron saints, the Savior Jesus Christ and other Orthodox icons are created using ancient monastery technologies using tempera on a linden board.

Before ordering an icon, we suggest you find out our recommendations. If you want an icon for yourself, an icon that will be with you throughout your life, then this could be personalized icon. that is, an icon with the image of a saint of the same name as you. You can select the appropriate image from the proposed list of already written personalized icons. If your name is not on the list, this does not mean that you cannot order a personalized icon; write to us or call us and we will select a holy image for you. A personal icon does not have to be personal. This could be an icon of the Mother of God, an icon of a saint, an icon of the Savior, or another Orthodox icon.

The peculiarity of the icons of the “Kuznetsov letter” is that the icon painter Yuri Kuznetsov, having a very sensitive perception of a person, writes for him an image that corresponds precisely to his spirit. An icon of an author's letter, written specifically for a specific person, will strengthen his faith and support him throughout his life. difficult moments life. When painting a holy image, it is very important for the icon painter to understand life path the person for whom he reveals the holy image, since after painting the icon the person and the saint will be connected. Therefore, a personal icon: an icon of the Mother of God, an icon of a saint, a personal icon, an icon of the Savior, family icon or another Orthodox icon painted specifically for you must under no circumstances be sold or given to another person.

After you decide on the image, in order to order the icon, you will need to choose its size. Yuri Kuznetsov paints icons of saints mainly in 2 sizes: large - 75x100 cm and small - 35x40 cm.

In which case is it better to order a large icon, and in which case a small one? A large icon allows the icon painter, with the help of ornament and color, to convey in more detail the story of the saint’s life and his spiritual feat. A small icon is more private and easy to transport. Of course, it is possible to choose an icon of a different format, but you need to take into account that this will require additional time to prepare the base for the icon. “The icon is both a path and a means; it is prayer itself." 13. The purpose of an icon, be it icons of the Mother of God, icons of saints, or other Orthodox icons or icons of the Savior Jesus Christ, is to "direct all our feelings, as well as the mind and all of our human nature, to its true goal - to the path of transformation" 14.

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1 Trubetskoy E.N. Speculation in colors / Icons of Russia. M. 2008. p. 117

2 L.V.Abramova. Semiotics of icons. Saransk, 2006, p. 4

3 Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin). About the language of the Orthodox icon/ Orthodox icon. Canon and style. M. 1998, p. 79

4 N.V. Pokrovsky. New church art and church antiquity / Theology of the image. Icon and icon painters. M. 2002, p. 267

5 Florensky P. Iconostasis. M. 2009. P. 36

6 Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin). About the language of the Orthodox icon / Orthodox icon. Canon and style. M. 1998, p. 60

7 Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin). About the language of the Orthodox icon / Orthodox icon. Canon and style. M. 1998, p. 66-67

8 Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin). About the language of the Orthodox icon / Orthodox icon. Canon and style. M. 1998, p. 63

9 Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin). About the language of the Orthodox icon / Orthodox icon. Canon and style. M. 1998, p. 71

10 Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin). About the language of the Orthodox icon / Orthodox icon. Canon and style. M. 1998, p. 60

11 Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin). About the language of the Orthodox icon / Orthodox icon. Canon and style. M. 1998, p. 67

12 Archimandrite Raphael (Karelin). About the language of the Orthodox icon / Orthodox icon. Canon and style. M. 1998, p. 67

13 Leonid Uspensky. The meaning and content of the icon / Orthodox icon. Canon and style. M. 1998, p. 111

14 Leonid Uspensky. The meaning and content of the icon / Orthodox icon. Canon and style. M. 1998, p. 111