The Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God "Hodegetria" is one of the icon-painting types. According to the legend, the icon was painted in ancient times by the Evangelist Luke. In Russia, Hodegetria appeared only in the 11th century. Only in the XII century it began to be called Smolensk, when it was placed in the Smolensk church of the Assumption of the Virgin.
What do the icons pray for?
Prayer to the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God has been revered by many Christians for many centuries and helps incredible miracles happen. Smolensk "Hodegetria" is considered the patroness of travelers, they ask her to save them on the way from unpleasant situations, various diseases, unforeseen troubles. All the suffering also pray to her, asking her to protect and save her home from ill-wishers and enemies. Throughout history, Christians have asked for help from God's Smolenskmothers in times of severe mass epidemics.
Icon type
The name of the icon is the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God "Hodegetria". Otherwise, they call it "Guide". This is not the only specific icon, this is the name of one of the types of writing of the Virgin compositions.
Iconography is divided into several types of writing:
- Eleussa - Emotion.
- Oranta - Prayer.
- Hodegetria - Guide.
- Panahranta - Pure.
- Agiosoritissa (without the Child).
In other words, all the icons of the Mother of God are divided into groups, each of which has its own characteristic features of writing images. To identify the icon, you just need to determine how in space the faces of the Christ Child and the Mother of God are depicted on it.
What is characteristic of the Hodegetria icon? Here the image of the Baby is a little distant from the image of the Mother. Christ either sits in her arms or stands next to her. The Christ Child holds his right hand raised in a blessing gesture. With the other hand, he holds a book or scroll, which symbolizes the Law of God. One of the versions why the icon is called the "Guide": it indicates to believers that the true path is the path to Christ. The Mother of God with her hand points to the Infant as the "Truth, the Path to Life", to which all believers who want to be saved should strive.
Description of the ancient icon
According to church traditions, the miraculous icon of the Smolensk Mother of God was painted during the earthly life of the Virgin Mary. The masterpiece was created by the holy evangelist Luke. The work was commissioned by Theophilus, an ancient ruler of Antioch. The icon was brought from Antioch to Jerusalem, and only later Empress Eudokia presented it to the Emperor's sister Pulcheria in Constantinople. Here the icon was kept for a long time in Blachernae Church.
The board that was used to write the icon has changed a lot under the yoke of time. Now it is difficult to determine what kind of wood it is made of. It is very heavy in weight. The Mother of God is depicted waist-deep. With her left hand she supports the Baby Jesus, the right one rests on her chest. The Divine Infant holds a book scroll in his left hand, and makes a blessing gesture with his right hand. The clothes of the Virgin Mary are dark coffee in color, Jesus is dark green with gilding.
Who does the Mother of God help?
The Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God "Hodegetria" will help to preserve peace and tranquility on earth and in every home. The prayer offered to the Holy Virgin protects people in military service, all those who protect the peace of the Motherland. They also pray to her during outbreaks of various diseases. Protects "Hodegetria" and everyone who is on the way, protects from accidents, helps to find the right path.
Hearing earthly prayers, the mistress helps us reach out to God, her Son, begs us to forgive our sins, to save us from the wrath of the righteous. Strong helper, protector Hodegetria, but who does she help?
Only the God-fearing, devout, praying Mother of God helps, protects from terrible misfortunes and evil. The Mother of God will not come to the aid of those who have no fear of the Lord, the depraved. There is nothing surprising in this. By their iniquity, sinful actions, people again crucify the Truth of Christ. Well, what kind of mother would help the enemies of her son? The Mother of God has mercy on repentant sinners, on those who come to God with repentance, asking for help with tears and prayers. The Mother of God helps such sinners, everyone who wants to take the true path, correct their mistakes, and start a righteous life. She cares for the penitent, for those who, like the prodigal son, return to the faith of Christ, confess and ask for forgiveness and deliverance from the burden of sin. The Blessed Virgin Mary does not care about those who do not repent of their sins, do not care for the soul.
Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. History of appearance in Russia
At the beginning of the second millennium, the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX (1042-1054) gave his beautiful daughter Anna in marriage to the Russian prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich. On a long journey, he blessed her with the "Hodegetria" - a miraculous icon. She accompanied the princess on her way from Constantinople itself to the Chernigov principality. According to one version, this is why the icon was called "Hodegetria", that is, the Guide.
The son of Vsevolod Yaroslavich Vladimir Monomakh has always been considered a far-sighted, wisest and diplomatic statesman of his time. He became famous as a peacemaker in his native land. He did not rely only on earthly forces and turned with prayers for help to the Most Holy Theotokos, asking for help to direct his reign in the right direction. With great reverence enduredhe miraculous "Hodegetria" to Smolensk from the city of Chernigov. There she was placed in the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was founded in 1101. Since that time, the Hodegetria received the name - the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. With God's help, Vladimir Monomakh managed to humble the recalcitrant princes and become a great ruler in Russia, where peace and quiet was established.
Miracles from the icon. The feat of Mercury
Many miracles were perfect from the Hodegetria icon, but the most remarkable thing for Smolensk is its salvation from the invasion of the Tatars. In 1239, it was the miraculous icon of the Smolensk Mother of God that saved the city from the invasion of the enemy. The inhabitants understood that they would not be able to repel the formidable attack of the Tatars, and with warm prayers, petitions for peace, they turned to the Mother of God. The Great Intercessor heard their prayers. The Tatars stopped not far from the city walls.
In those days, one pious Slav named Mercury served in the Smolensk squad. He was chosen by the Mother of God to save the city. On the night of November 24, in the Temple where the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God was kept, the sexton had a vision. The Mother of God appeared to him and ordered to hand over to Mercury, so that he, armed, boldly went into the camp of the enemy and destroyed their main giant.
Hearing such words from the sexton, Mercury immediately hurried to the Temple. He fell with a prayer before the Holy Icon and heard a Voice. The Mother of God turned with a request and instructions to Mercury, so that he would protect her Smolensk house from the enemy. The hero was warned that it was on this night that the Horde giant decided to attack the city andruin it. The Mother of God begged her Son and God to protect her and not betray her native lands to the enemy. By the power of Christ, Mercury was supposed to defeat the giant, but with the victory, he was also expecting a crown of martyrdom, which he would receive from his Christ.
Joyful tears came out of the eyes of Mercury, praying passionately, calling on the power of the Lord for help, he went to the camp of the enemy and defeated their giant. Only the Tatars hoped for his unknown strength before the battle. Enemies surrounded Mercury, with incredible strength he fought with them, seeing the face of the Holy One in front of him. After a tiring battle, the hero lay down to rest. The surviving Tatar, seeing the sleeping Mercury, cut off his head.
The Lord did not allow the body of the martyr to be left to desecrate the enemy, he gave him the last strength. Mercury, as if still alive himself, entered the city and brought his severed head. With great honors, his body was buried in the cathedral church. Mercury was ranked among the Saints. In memory of his feat, accomplished with the help of the Mother of God in the name of saving the city, every year on this day (November 24) they perform a thanksgiving service and an all-night vigil in front of the Hodegetria image. The Smolensk Epiphany Cathedral to this day keeps shoes and an iron cone that were on Mercury on that fateful night.
Arrival of the Icon in Moscow
The Tatar-Mongolian yoke has not yet been completely defeated, and a new enemy has already pressed Russia from the west. On the western border, Smolensk has become one of the significant objects. Smolensk icon of the Mother of God "Hodegetria" and in thosedashing days became the patroness and protector of the city.
For a short period of time in the XIV century, Smolensk came under the control of the Lithuanian princes, "Hodegetria" was among the heterodox.
But even here the Providence of God saved the image. The daughter of one of the Lithuanian princes Vitovt Sofia married Vasily Dmitrievich (1398-1425), Grand Duke of Moscow. She brought with her a holy image to Belokamennaya. So in 1398 the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God "Hodegetria" ended up in Moscow. It was installed in the Cathedral of the Annunciation, to the right of the Royal Doors.
Moscow residents immediately felt the grace emanating from the ancient Hodegetria. For more than half a century they worshiped her and honored the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. But by the will of God, the Mother of God was destined to return to her home in Smolensk - to the Church of the Assumption, in order to protect the Orthodox, oppressed by the Lithuanian princes and missionaries.
Return to Smolensk
In 1456, the icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk returned home. She had enormous significance for her people. All the inhabitants were waiting for her return as a miracle. And so a delegation went to Moscow, headed by Bishop Misail. They tearfully asked the Grand Duke to let the Mother of God of Smolensk go home. The prince with the boyars held a council, after which he decided to fulfill the request. Before "Hodegetria" went to Smolensk, the exact list was taken from her.
A lot of people then gathered in the Church of the Annunciation. First, a moleben and liturgy were performed. Allthe princely family gathered at the icon: the prince, the princess and their children - Boris, Ioan and Yuri, they carried little Andrei in their arms. With reverence, they all venerated the icon. After that, with tears in their eyes, the prince and the metropolitan took the shrine out of the shrine and handed it over to Bishop Misail. Other icons, once brought from there, were given to Smolensk, although the bishop did not ask about it. The metropolitan asked to leave only one icon for the princely family - the Mother of God with the eternal Child. She blessed the entire princely family. The prince gladly accepted the icon and kissed it.
After that, the procession led the Smolensk icon to the monastery of Savva the Sanctified, which is located on the Maiden's Field. Here the last prayer service was performed, after which the icon went to Smolensk.
At the command of the prince, the icon given to him was placed in the Church of the Annunciation exactly at the place where the Hodegetria Icon of the Smolensk Mother of God had stood for many years. Every day there was a prayer service. The list made from the Smolensk icon, the Grand Duke left in his family.
The exact list from the Smolensk icon was made in 1602. In 1666, he and the "Hodegetria" itself were taken to Moscow for renewal. The list was installed on the Smolensk fortress wall (in the tower) directly above the Dnieper Gates. In 1727 a wooden church was erected here. In 1802 a stone church was built. This icon has protected the city from the most terrible troubles and misfortunes for many years.
War with Napoleon 1812
When the hordes of Napoleon attacked the Russian land toto save the Shrine from desecration, Bishop Irenaeus of Smolensk sent the ancient Greek image of the Hodegetria to Moscow, where it was kept in the Assumption Cathedral.
After the Russian troops left Smolensk, the miraculous list of Hodegetria, made in 1602, was taken by them from the city.
On the eve of the Battle of Borodino, the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God helped the soldiers gain confidence in their victory, inspire them to a feat. "Hodegetria" was carried through the camp of the Russian army, the soldiers, looking, prayed to her and gained faith and spiritual strength.
On the day when the Battle of Borodino took place, the Smolensk icon, along with the Iverskaya and Vladimirskaya icons, were surrounded around Belgorod, the Kremlin walls and Kitay-gorod, after which they were sent to the Lefortovo Palace, where the wounded were located. Before leaving Moscow, the icon was sent to Yaroslavl for storage. At the end of the war on November 5, 1812, she was returned to Smolensk. In memory of the liberation of enemies, this day was celebrated annually.
XX century
A little more than a hundred years have passed, and again foreign invaders invaded Russia. The Great Patriotic War claimed the lives of millions of Soviet people. Smolensk stood in the way of the enemy. Despite the fact that anti-religious propaganda was carried out in the country, thousands of believers, faithful to their patriotic duty, asked for help from the defender of their Hodegetria. The Hodegetria Icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk invisibly helped the people. Where is the ancient image now,it is not known, after the occupation, the Greek "Hodegetria" sunk. At the place where it was located, to this day there is a list of the Mother of God, made in the 17th century. For many years he protects the city from troubles, wars, destruction, blesses believers for righteous deeds.
Back in Moscow
In early February 2015, the Hodegetria Icon of the Mother of God of Smolensk was in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. After the restoration, which lasted almost three years, believers were able to see the image of the "Hodegetria" without a heavy silver salary. The salary of 25 kg was completed in 1954 with donations from the Smolensk people. In the difficult post-war years, donations to save the icon could be called an invaluable help to the people, therefore, in memory of this, the salary will be preserved and displayed separately in the Assumption Cathedral.
The icon stayed in Moscow until February 10th. On February 15, after a long absence, she was again met in Smolensk, renewed, she took her former place in order to protect her hometown again.
This is such an ancient, interesting story that the Icon of the Smolensk Mother of God tells us. Photos confirm the many varieties of "Hodegetria", they all keep the sacred sacrament, help believers gain spiritual strength and believe in the Truth of the Son of God.
