Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God - the miraculous icon of the Mother of God. According to the surviving tradition, it was written by the Evangelist Luke. It is noteworthy that a similar legend exists about several more icons, including the Vladimir one. It is considered the main shrine of Poland, one of the most revered shrines of Eastern and Central Europe. Because of her dark face, she is also known as the Black Madonna. Currently located in the Catholic monastery Jasna Gora in the Polish city of Czestochowa. This is one of the largest religious centers in the country, in which the paulins are based - a monastic order founded in the 13th century. In this article we will talk about the meaning of this icon, what they pray for.
Reverence
Interestingly, the Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God is revered asOrthodox as well as Catholics. At the same time, in Poland it is considered the main shrine of the country. Orthodox celebrate her holiday on March 6, and Catholics on August 26.
It is customary in Poland to hold big celebrations in honor of the Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God. On the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin on August 15, large-scale pilgrimages are held, in which believers from many Catholic countries take part.
Polish peasants always give shelter to pilgrims who go to the Czestochowa icon. This tradition has been around for centuries.
History of Appearance
There is a legend according to which the icon was painted by the Apostle Luke. According to legend, Saint Helena Equal-to-the-Apostles, who was the mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine I, visited Jerusalem to venerate the holy places. It was there that she got this icon as a gift, she brought it to Constantinople.
Modern art historians believe that the Czestochowa icon was created in the 9th-11th centuries, and already in Byzantium.
One can reliably state the history of the icon, starting from the end of the 13th century. It was at this time that the Galician-Volyn prince Lev Danilovich brought her to the city of Belz, which is located on the territory of the modern Lviv region, in Ukraine. It was here that the icon became famous for numerous miracles.
In Częstochowa
After Poland conquered the Western Russian lands, among which was the Galicia-Volyn principality, the icon was transferred to Yasnaya Gora, located inarea of Częstochowa. She was brought by the Silesian prince Vladislav Opolczyk in 1382.
The icon was placed in the newly created Pauline Monastery. Since then, it has carried its current name.
The monastery was founded in the same year by the monks of the Pauline order, invited by Vladislav from Hungary. The monastery became known as the place of storage of this relic, since the 15th century mass pilgrimages began to it.
It is known that in 1430 the monastery was attacked by a gang of Hussites from Moravia, Bohemia and Silesia. The monastery was plundered, and the icon was broken into three parts. On her face, the bandits struck several blows with sabers. There is a version that it was from them that scars remained on the icon.
Salvation
The Częstochowa Icon of the Theotokos was saved from total destruction. Restoration was carried out at the court of the Polish king Wladyslaw Jagiello in Krakow.
Techniques were still imperfect at that time. Therefore, although the icon was able to be joined together, the scars from saber blows after some time again appeared through the fresh paint on the face of the Virgin. She was returned to the convent.
In 1466 the monastery was again besieged. This time, the Czech army tried to capture it, but to no avail.
Siege by the Swedes
In the 15th century, a new cathedral was built at the monastery, and in the 17th century, a powerful wall was built to protect the monastery from attacks that had not stopped all this time, turning Yasnaya Gora into a real fortress.
The formed fortifications turned out to be perfectby the way. Soon they were subjected to serious tests. This happened during the so-called Swedish flood - the invasion of the Swedes into the territory of the Commonwe alth, which took place in 1655-1660.
The offensive developed so rapidly and successfully for the attacking side that Warsaw, Poznan and Krakow were captured within a few months. Polish aristocrats massively went over to the side of the enemy, which significantly weakened the position of the king and his entourage. Soon, Jan Casimir fled the country altogether.
Already in November 1655, the Swedish army, led by General Miller, was at the walls of Yasnaya Gora. The superiority of the Swedes in manpower was at that time multiple. The number of the Scandinavian army was about three thousand people. At this time, only 170 soldiers, 70 monks and 20 nobles remained in the monastery itself. Despite this, the rector of the monastery, Augustin Kordetsky, decided to hold the line and fight to the last.
The heroic defense of the monastery has become one of the glorious pages of Polish history, becoming a worthy example for the rest of the country. It is possible that it was then that the Polish statehood was saved. The course of the military confrontation was reversed, which ultimately led to the expulsion of the Swedes from Poland. This was regarded by many as a miracle performed by the Mother of God.
King Jan Casimir, after returning to his country, made "Lviv vows", choosing the Virgin Mary in a solemn atmosphere as the patroness of the entire kingdom.
Description of the shrine
One of the oldest descriptions of the shrine that has survived to our time dates back to the end of the 17th century. It was left by the Moscow traveler Pyotr Andreyevich Tolstoy.
In the description of the monastery, he pays special attention to the miraculous image of the Blessed Virgin, claiming that the icon was painted by the Evangelist Luke. At the same time, Tolstoy compares it with the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which is located in Moscow.
The traveler describes that the Czestochowa icon is installed in the church high above the altar. The kivot of the icon is made of walnut wood. Under the icon are two golden maces with precious stones. In front of the image itself, on both sides, there are six candlesticks and several lamps in which oil is constantly burning. The icon is opened during services, when people come to pray to her.
Napoleonic Wars
In 1813 the monastery was captured by Russian troops during the Napoleonic wars. After the defeat in the Patriotic War of 1812, the French army rapidly retreated, surrendering the positions it had previously captured.
The abbot of the monastery, grateful to the Russian army for the liberation, presented the commanders with a copy of the icon. It was brought to Russia and kept for a long time in the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg.
When the communists came to power, the cathedral was closed. Since 1932, the list has been moved to the State Museum of the History of Religion.
Symbol of the Fall of the Iron Curtain
The icon came into the spotlight in 1991. It was then that the Polish Częstochowa hostedWorld Youth Day celebrations.
The Pope John Paul II took part in them. On this occasion, a mass pilgrimage was organized to the icon. In total, about one million people took part in it. Among them were many young people from the Soviet Union.
This event was a vivid and symbolic evidence of the fall of the Iron Curtain.
Iconography
The icon belongs to the Hodegetria type. This is one of the most common types of images of the Mother of God with baby Jesus in iconography.
The baby is sitting in the arms of the Virgin. In his left he holds a book, and in his right he blesses.
The icon itself is made on a wooden panel.
Akathist
Akathist to the Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God is read on all important religious holidays. Including on the day of the Assumption of the Virgin.
This is a solemn hymn or song of praise. It is believed that the akathist to the Czestochowa Icon helps in resolving cases, and it is also read for consolation.
It is customary to read it while facing the icon. It consists of ikos and kontakia. Kontakions are small songs that briefly describe the deeds and stories associated with the Mother of God. Ikos - praising and solemn songs that reveal in more detail the event described in the previous kontakion.
Prayers
This icon is also known as "Invincible Victory". It is considered one of the main shrines throughout the Christian world. Prayers have been addressed to the Czestochowa Icon for many centuries. It is believed that she helped a large number of people escape from severe forms of disease. It is said that some even left crutches next to her, as they were no longer needed.
It is worth noting that the division of prayer petitions to different icons of the Mother of God is nothing more than a convention. In fact, a believer can get help by turning to any icon. At the same time, there are several reasons for which the Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God is prayed for most often. Requests are made to her:
- about salvation;
- about peace between parties that are at enmity with each other;
- about healing from incurable and serious diseases;
- about mercy;
- about a safe journey;
- about wisdom.
This is what the icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa prays for. It is believed that the miraculous image can help from many misfortunes. The most important thing is that the appeal is really sincere.
There is a special prayer to the Czestochowa Icon of the Mother of God, which must be read in the temple in front of her icon:
O All-Merciful Lady, Queen Mother of God, chosen from all generations and blessed by all generations of heaven and earth! Look graciously at these people standing before Your holy icon, earnestly praying to You, and do Your intercession and intercession with Your Son and our God, so that no one will depart from this place of hope of his skinny and put to shame in his hope; but may everyone accept everything from You according to the good will of their heart, according to their needs and needs, for the salvation of the soul and for the he alth of the body.
Moth,Merciful Lady, most heavenly God, may she always keep her holy church, strengthen our Orthodox bishops with her highest blessing, protect the world and the saints of her church who are whole, he althy, honest, long-lived and the right of those who rule the word of their truth grants, from all the same visible and invisible enemies with He will graciously deliver all Orthodox Christians and in Orthodoxy and firm faith until the end of time, relentlessly and invariably preserve.
Look down with mercy, All-Perhaps, and with the contempt of Your merciful intercession for our entire kingdom of All Russia, our reigning cities, this city and this holy temple, and pour out Your rich mercy on me, Thou art the all-powerful Helper and Intercessor of all of us. Bow down to the prayers of all Your servants, flowing here to this holy icon of Yours, hear the sighs and voices, with them Your servants pray in this holy temple.
For many centuries of its existence, the icon has been credited with many perfect miracles. And they continue to happen to this day. Each miracle is recorded in a special register, which is kept in the monastery.
For example, it contains information about a married couple who, for many years, unsuccessfully treated for infertility, until the doctors reached the final verdict: they will never be able to conceive a child on their own. Friends advised them to go to this icon, seeing how the husband and wife suffer.
To the great surprise of the doctors, after returning from the monastery, the woman came for another examination, already several weeks pregnant. In early 2012, the couple had a baby girl.
There is a story about an American woman who was predicted to die soon by doctors in 2010. According to them, she had no more than two weeks to live. Due to a serious illness, they stopped eating, even taking water. A miraculous healing took place in front of the icon of the Mother of God. A year later, the woman came to the monastery again, completely he althy and pregnant.
It is believed that all these and many other miracles in the monastery are created by this icon. Therefore, the flow of pilgrims who come every year to bow to her never dries up. The Mother of God helps those who really believe in her.
