I recalled Prince Myshkin's monologue from F. M. Dostoevsky's novel "The Idiot", where he reflects on atheists. You listen to them, he says, and it seems that everyone speaks correctly, they argue correctly, but "not about that." Indeed, it is difficult to argue with a logical and balanced mind. He will give a lot of examples, lay out all the facts, prove the unprovable. But a completely different matter is the soul. It's hard to describe it in words. It's impossible to talk about her. It defies logic, it has no patterns. Because infinity and love are hidden in it. You just need to believe in it. Deep. Silently. True. It's difficult and easy at the same time. Difficult, because a lot of fuss. Our eyes are used to seeing. Our ears are used to hearing, and our hands are used to doing. It is difficult for us to stop and drop these habits. It is difficult for us to let go of our body, to refuse it, to admit that it is our temporary shelter, that the world is just an illusion. It is difficult for us to recognize as real what we cannot reach and touch …. But God helps us in this too. He sends us icons - the material embodiment of the soul, near which we can freeze and come into contact withunknown, but real. The Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God is one of those great relics sent to us by the Creator. Let's talk about it in more detail.
Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God
It was 1240. Fleeing from the Tatar-Mongol invasion, two Orthodox monks go to Volhynia. Here, among the dense forests, they find refuge - a small cave in the Pochaevskaya mountain. These lands were mostly uninhabited. As time went. The secluded life of the monks passed in fervent prayer for the deliverance of the Russian land from devastation and suffering. Once one of them, after long prayers, ascended the mountain and saw the image of the Virgin. She stood on a stone, engulfed in a bright flame. He immediately called another monk, and together they became witnesses of a miraculous phenomenon. At this time, the shepherd John Barefoot was passing nearby. He saw an unusual light from a distance. He ascended the mountain and, together with the monks, fell on his knees and began to glorify God and the Mother of God. The phenomenon soon disappeared. However, the stone on which the Mother of God stood became an eternal confirmation of Her descent - a trace of Her right foot remained on it. Since then, this stone has been a source of healing water. Many pilgrims come every year to drink the holy water and fill their vessels with it, but the imprint is still full and the water does not leave. The news of the miraculous phenomenon spread to all ends of the Orthodox land. The glory of the holy mountain was expanding.
A small chapel was built first. And over time, the stone Holy Assumptionchurch and monastery, which becomes the center for Orthodox believers in the western lands of Russia - Pochaev Lavra. How is this tradition connected with the miraculous icon? Yes, indeed, the events described took place long before her appearance in these places, but nothing happens by chance. Various phenomena, our deeds, words and decisions are inseparable links of one chain that leads us to even greater miracles or, conversely, disappointments. It all depends on what thoughts we have inside. The Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God itself appeared within the walls of the Lavra in the following way. In the middle of the 16th century, a certain landowner Anna Goyskaya lived in Volhynia. She was a deeply religious person. One day the Greek Metropolitan Neophyte came to visit her. Presumably, he was returning from Moscow and stopped at the landowner's house to visit the monastery and bow to the Foot of the Mother of God. The mistress of the house received him cordially, and for her sincere hospitality, as a blessing, he gave her an ancient icon of the Mother of God. Now it is the glorified Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God.
Anna Tikhonovna placed a precious image in her home chapel. However, she soon noticed that an unusual light emanated from the icon and all sorts of miracles were happening. Thanks to her, the lame brother of Goysky Phillip got rid of his illness forever. We can say that this is the first recorded fact that the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God helps. And then the true Orthodox believer decided to give it to the Pochaev monks for eternal storage. She created the so-called "fundush record", in other words - a donation, according towhich she and her descendants undertake to financially provide the monastery with everything necessary and help the monks protect the icon. The same grandchildren and great-grandchildren who in the future refuse the decision made will be anathematized and cursed. To feel the will of the God-fearing landowner, her nephew, Andrei Firlei, had a chance. By faith he was a Lutheran, but by heart he was cruel and domineering. He robbed the monastery and brought the icon home, where he kept it for about 20 years. Once, during one of the feasts, he invited his wife to dress in the clothes of Orthodox monks and, instead of glorifying the Mother of God, shout loudly blasphemy. So they did for the amusement of the guests. The punishment came immediately - a terrible illness began to torment the woman. Deliverance came only when Andrei returned the icon back to the monastery…
Icon of the Pochaev Mother of God: meaning
The icon has been in the Pochaev Lavra for hundreds of years. It is known that in only 110 years of its presence with the Uniates, about 539 miracles were recorded. However, it is easy to assume that even during this relatively short time in history, not everything was recorded in the annals. Miracles continue to this day. Something remains in the memory of people, some facts pass by. But that doesn't matter, because the believer's soul doesn't really need that evidence. We come to the icon at the behest of our hearts to share our joy or sorrow with the Creator, to ask for blessings and help, because He is our only abode. Therefore, hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually come to the holy spring andto the miraculous icon. They pray for the healing of all kinds of ailments, for blindness, for release from captivity, for an end to wars, for the admonition of those who have abandoned the faith…
