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.
Description of the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir
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 for 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. The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God 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 savedRussian 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, being presented by the Patriarch of Constantinople Yuri Dolgoruky. 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 miraculous icon needed its own, separate place.
Andrey 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 location of her image - not far from the city of Vladimir, near the Klyazma River. Since then, the icon has becomebe called Vladimirskaya in honor of the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God.
Assumption Cathedral
The construction of the temple in honor of the Blessed Virgin was completed in just 2 years. The erected cathedral amazed everyone with its splendor and surpassed even St. Sophia 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 awaiting the Assumption Cathedral - the temple burned to the ground 25 years later.
Andrey Bogolyubsky's Campaign
The further history of the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir is very interesting and full of 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 a thanksgiving prayer service - and a miracle happened: a light descended from the icon and the Cross of the Lord, 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 14.
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 churches took the image of the Vladimir Mother of God and carried it around the city, after which the unrest subsided.
Patrine 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 Sretensky Monastery was founded. The monastery began to be erected in honor of the meeting of the Vladimir Icon with 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 6th. On that day, an event took placewaited a long time - 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 casu alties.
Amazing dream of a nun
But the enemies calmed down for a while. 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 her dream. People, having learned about the prophetic vision, gathered in the temple and began to pray incessantly, after which the Tatar troops retreated. Great day of salvationMoscow is now captured 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 house. 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 foreign tribes.
Akathist before the image
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 praise 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 you cannote Vladimirskaya-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 (Trinity-Sergius Lavra), 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 a 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 chosen by God.
