The modern world of crises and contradictions of the system, oddly enough, is more conducive to the revival of spirituality and Orthodoxy in the Christian world. God is most often remembered at critical moments, poverty and ruin for many are tantamount to death. It is then that a person will know that there is an Orthodox shrine, the help of which, through the prayerful appeals of believers, saves from poverty and ruin. Mother of God "Economissa" - a rare icon of Mount Athos, the savior of the Orthodox from bankruptcy.
Holy Mountain Housekeeper
The Economissa icon traces its history back to the 10th century, the uniqueness of this image is that it never left Mount Athos, it was constantly there. It seems that the keeper of the Athos inextinguishable lamp does not leave her post for a moment. The last economic crisis has attracted thousands of pilgrims there who want to bow and make prayer requests to the image of the Blessed Virgin. In spite ofnumerous requests from believers for the icon to temporarily leave the Athos monastery and thereby provide an opportunity to worship it for everyone, including women, the Economissa continues to remain in its place. And the lists from this miraculous image are already working miracles, helping from spiritual and physical difficulties.
The legend of Athos guardian
The Economissa Icon of the Mother of God has an interesting and unusual, slightly mystical history. According to legend, the story began when a terrible famine broke out on Mount Athos. The monks left the monastery, the elder Athanasius was the last to decide to leave the monastery. On the way he met a woman who asked him where he was going. Surprised by the appearance of a woman on this earth, Athanasius, in turn, asked the stranger about her. To which the woman replied that she knew the grief of Athanasius and could help him. And when asked about herself, she answered that she was the one whose name he named his Abode.
The unbelieving Athanasius asked for evidence, to which he received the answer: “Strike this stone with a rod and you will understand everything.” Water appeared at the place of impact, a holy spring opened, and the Mother of God at the same time noticed that now she would constantly be the steward (economist) of the monastery and Mount Athos. At the behest of the Blessed One and Elder Athanasius, since then there has been no steward in the Lavra on Athos, there is only an assistant to the steward. In memory of the miraculous phenomenon, the Economist icon was painted.
The Second Miraculous Appearance of the Comforter of the Human Race
The second legend says that even whenIn the life of Athanasius, another miraculous appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos occurred. The second time the Holy Virgin was seen by the monk Matthew, known among the brethren in the Lavra for his diligence and piety. During the service, he suddenly saw the image of the Virgin Mary, accompanied by two angels. She approached each monk and presented them with coins, depending on the degree of zeal in prayer. Matthew also got a few coins. Thus, the steward of the Holy Mountain once again showed her patronage and care for the holy monastery. Since then, one of the most revered shrines of Mount Athos has become "Economissa" - the icon of the Mother of God.
Through our prayers it will be given to us…
Like any other holy image, the "Economissa" became famous for miracles and the fulfillment of the requests of those who prayed to her. They pray to this unique image: “…O our sweetest Mother Abbess! Gather us, the scattered flock of Christ into one and save all Orthodox Christians, vouchsafe heavenly life with the Angels and all the saints in the Kingdom of Christ our God, to Him be honor and glory with His Beginningless Father and with the Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit forever and ever. Amen.”
Prayer to the Economissa icon is filled with requests for intercession for the sinful world and intercession before the Lord for sinful people, for unity and peace between people, which is especially important in modern times of unrest and war. The icon itself and the words of the prayer to it seem to remind people of the frailty of everything earthly, that the All-Merciful Lord, at our request, will manage and solve the problems of this world.
Pilgrims inGreek Monastery Great Lavra
The Athos image of the Mother Superior of Mount Athos became especially popular during the economic crisis, copies and lists of the miraculous image began to disperse around the world. Representatives of all religious denominations were attracted to the Athos peninsula by the Economissa icon. What the powerful of this world pray to the holy image is easy to guess. The Lord sent this image to the monk at the time of hunger and deprivation, therefore, one must pray for deliverance from poverty and ruin.
Despite the fact that the Bible says that “it is easier for a caravan of camels to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to go to heaven”, this icon really helps millionaires and the rich of this world. This happens because the poor are the first to suffer from the ruin of the we althy, because with the shutdown of factories and enterprises, people remain unemployed, without a livelihood. The wisdom of the Lord is endless, the miracles that occur at the request of believers, pronounced near such an image as the Economissa icon, are another evidence of this.
No woman has set foot on the blessed land…
Pilgrims from crisis-ridden countries come to venerate the miraculous image. At the same time, it does not matter what faith the newcomer professes, the icon "Economissa" ("Housebuilder") helps everyone with sincere prayers and requests. The only exception: women cannot get to the icon, because they are completely forbidden to visit Mount Athos, so as not to embarrass the peace and tranquility of the monks living there. So the Mother of God commandedmany centuries ago, when she chose the Holy Mountain as her inheritance, this prohibition has been observed for many years. Women have the opportunity to bow to copies of the image or lists from it, which are also not devoid of miraculous power. Repeated requests by the Orthodox for the opportunity to release the icon outside the monastery were invariably refused, since the Economissa - the icon of the Mother of God - is the guardian of the entire Holy Mount Athos.
Your prayers will be answered…
The miracles of faith through the prayers of the Orthodox at the Economissa icon are known throughout the world. In the 19th century, several deeply religious peasants from the Smolensk province went to bow to Mount Athos. After spending several days on the Holy Mountain, having prayed to many Athos shrines, they went to bed at night. One of the pilgrims had a dream that their native places were in great trouble, but the intercessor from heaven sent help and people were saved. Having told their dream to the abbot of the monastery, the peasants were sent to the Great Lavra to the image of the "Housebuilder". After praying for three days at the image, the peasants received a sign that their prayers had been heard. Returning home, the pilgrims learned that a terrible disaster had been averted from their native places through their prayers: hunger and poverty, the death of all living things, were averted. The Economissa icon heard the prayer books. What do the Orthodox pray to her, what does the Abbess of Mount Athos keep the human race from through their prayers? The answer to these questions is the many miracles performed by the way.
The power of prayer is in faith
Prayer appeal toThe Great Intercessor is drawn up with a sincere message, as the holy fathers say, "from the heart." There are cases when the Housekeeper of Mount Athos not only saved from need and deprivation, but also healed from infirmities and diseases. So, back in the 18th century, a pious hardworking woman and her little daughter were healed of illness, hunger and need. A sick and needy woman constantly prayed to the miraculous image and kissed him, a miracle happened, the life of the family improved. So the prayer book of the Russian land showed the world once again the wonders of her mercy and love for the human race. Prayer to the icon "Economissa" more than once rescued those in need and asking for help. The main condition is to draw up your prayer message sincerely and with love.
Holy guardian of hunger and need
Despite the fact that the Economissa icon never left its habitat and went around the world, miraculous copies from this icon helped all over the world, since the lists from this icon carry elements of purity and holiness. There is evidence from believers that during atheistic war times in besieged Leningrad, people were saved from starvation by praying to the image of the Economissa. Despite the fact that hunger, illness and death reigned around, those who sincerely believed in the miraculous Saint were saved, were under the protection that the Economissa, the icon of the Mother of God, determined for them. What else helps a unique shrine? She saves from death and disease caused by poverty and hunger.
The meaning of the image for an Orthodox Christian
For many centuries, this shrine has kept the Orthodox world from troubles caused by poverty and hunger. The modern world is no exception, as financial problems in an era of economic crisis make the threat of poverty and ruin as real and close to almost every family as possible. Some priests, zealously carrying out their service, distributed a small list of a miraculous image to each house of believers, now helping many families is the Economissa, the icon of the Mother of God. What helps? We have already talked about this. From poverty and hunger.
The financial crisis affects every family, both rich and not very we althy people, both owners of firms and enterprises, and their employees. The more important for a modern Christian is the icon "Economissa", the significance of which for an Orthodox person cannot be overestimated. The saint constantly comes to the defense of her earthly children, becomes an indestructible wall between troubles and people, especially where sincere pleas for help are offered. It is not so important where a person turns to this wonderful image: on Mount Athos or in a small village church, in the silence of a monastery or in a city apartment, sincere prayers and appeals will certainly be heard, and a unique and magical icon will once again come to the aid of the supplicant " Economist.”
