It is not possible today to reliably establish when and how images with such a name appeared in Russia. Information about this in different sources sometimes differs significantly from each other. Let's try to bring together disparate data. It might be the whole picture. But first, let's talk about the appearance of such icons in Orthodoxy in general.
The story of the appearance of the image
Church traditions say that the first icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost" appeared in the VI century. According to legend, the monk Theophilus, slandered and expelled from the bishop's house, harbored a great resentment in his soul. He turned away from God and His Mother and entered into an alliance with the devil.
But on the verge of spiritual death, Theophilus was frightened of what he had done and fervently asked the Mother of God for salvation, calling her "Seeking the Lost". The Blessed Mother, having heard his sincere prayers, accepted the sincere repentance of the fallen one, granted forgiveness and freed him from obligations to the devil.
The saved Theophilus devoted the rest of his life to serving God and was glorified as a saint.
EarlyRussian images "Recovery of the Dead"
In the Moscow Church of the Resurrection of the Word, the Russian icon “Searching for the Dead” is kept, which was first mentioned in church records in 1548. Presumably, the drawing belongs to the brush of the Italian master.
Legends say that in 1666 the wounded governor of Saratov, Kadyshev, was healed at the moment such an image appeared to him. A warrior preparing for death saw a wonderful icon in the Volga and stood up. Many more miracles were created by this icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost".
Two hundred years later, Kadysheva, a descendant of the famous governor, organized a convent in the village of Rakovka and became its first abbess. The main shrine of this monastery was a family heirloom: the icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost". The miraculous icon healed many believers and became famous far beyond the Volga region.
Count Sheremetiev, in gratitude for the cure of his son, ordered for this icon an expensive gilded kiot adorned with jewels.
Miraculous Borsk icon of the Mother of God "Search for the Lost"
Special veneration of images with this name in Russia began with the glorification of the Borsky izvod.
A beautiful legend tells of the miraculous rescue of Obukhov Fedot. In severe frost, the peasant left the house and got lost along the way. By nightfall, the unfortunate man was completely exhausted and froze. He lay down in the sleigh and began to fervently pray to the Mother of God. At that moment, he made a vow that if he remained alive, he would order a list of the image of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost" and give it to the parishchurch.
Miraculously, the sleigh ended up at the peasant's house. The owner of this hut suddenly heard a female voice ordering: “Take it!” Going outside, he found Fedot freezing in his sleigh.
Miracles continued. Faithful to this vow, Fedot turns to the icon painter Gurov. But he demands such a sum for the work that Obukhov does not have. As soon as Fedot left the door, the icon painter went blind - another miracle of the Most Holy Theotokos. Realizing that this is a punishment for greed, Gurov promises to write an exhaustion at any price. And then the vision returned!
Other miracles of the holy image
The icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost" was painted and donated by Fedot Obukhov to the church in the village of Bor. Many came to bow to this icon and ask for her intercession. Soon, a new beautiful church was built with donations from parishioners.
And again a miracle: the church warden saw in a dream where this icon would later stand. And soon a decree was received from the Synod on the construction of the temple on this very spot.
In 1871, the Borsk icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Dead" saved the city of Serpukhov from cholera. During the offering, another miracle happened: a mute boy, who had not walked until that day, suddenly spoke and stood up. In gratitude, the residents of Serpukhov donated a Gospel with the image of this icon and records of a miracle to the Borsky temple.
This image was lost with the advent of Soviet power. But in 1985, a list of Boricons. The fact that this is a copy of the famous revered image is evidenced by the inscription on it.
"Recovery of the Dead" in Serpukhov
Every year, starting from 1892, the solemn Procession of the Cross brought this shrine to the city of Serpukhov. Every believer could bow to the shrine and ask the Mother of God for help. A special success for the Orthodox Serpukhovians was the opportunity to accept this image for a prayer service in their own home.
The custom was broken with the establishment of Soviet power in Russia after the October Revolution. The temple in which this miraculous icon was kept was razed to the ground. Many images have been lost.
But believers continued to worship this shrine and carefully kept copies of it. One of these lists was in the Trinity Church. However, this church was also closed in 1961. And the miraculous icon became inaccessible to believers for 35 years, since all this time it was in the vaults of the historical and art museum of the city of Serpukhov.
The return of the holy image to the bosom of the church
But in June 1996, the holy icon "Searching for the Dead" reappeared in Serpukhov: it was temporarily placed in the Ilyinsky Church for prayers. This event has become a great holiday for many residents. Flowers, bells and church hymns filled the city on this day.
The Procession of the Cross delivered the miraculous icon from the Vysotsky Monastery to the Ilyinsky Church. Numerous pilgrims filled the square at the monastery from early morning. And many even spent the night there.
Solemn services were held in city churches. An endless stream of believers wishingto take communion and confess, moved to the Church of the Three Hierarchs. Several priests confessed that day at the same time. A lot of people gathered in the central square, where the Akathist to the icon "Searching for the Lost" was read.
Finally, the image of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost" was returned to believers in 1997. On May 18, the shrine was transferred by the Serpukhov Historical and Art Museum to the Vysotsky Monastery. This day has become a great holiday for the Orthodox Serpukhovians. Now the image is available to believers and continues to work miracles.
Moscow Icon "Seeking the Dead"
Great is the love of the Mother of God for people and her mercy is boundless. In Russia, there is more than one miraculous icon "Seeking the Dead". In Moscow there is a temple of the Resurrection of the Word, the construction of which is attributed to the middle of the 17th century. Worship here never stopped. The icon "Searching for the Lost" is one of the main shrines of this temple.
The legend says that the representative of the once rich noble family began to pursue troubles: first the death of his wife, and then the threat of complete ruin. Many days of fervent prayers in front of this home shrine took away poverty and misfortune from his family.
As a token of gratitude, the saved donated this icon to the Church of the Nativity in Broadswords. In 1812, Napoleon's troops destroyed the church, and the icon "Search for the Dead" was cut into several parts. But even in this form, the image did not lose its strength, it brought healing to the sick and worked miracles. The restored temple worked until 1934and was closed. Utensils and icons were transferred to other churches and monasteries. The holy image of the Seeking of the Lost did not immediately find a new home.
The Mother of God chooses her abode herself
Interestingly, when trying to transport the icon to the Pimenovskaya church, the wagon did not budge. Deciding that the Mother of God herself did not want to be there, they chose a new place for storing the shrine - the Sunday Church, located on Malaya Bronnaya. This time, the horses literally flew to their destination.
And when this church was also demolished, the icon "Search for the Lost" found its last resting place in the Church of the Resurrection of the Word.
Other famous Russian images of "Recovery of the Dead"
In Marienburg, in the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, a list is kept from the Samara image "Searching for the Lost". This icon was created in 1888 by the nuns of the Rakovskaya convent.
After the revolution, this image was lost, but miraculously found in the 50s of the last century in Marienburg. For a long time it was literally underfoot: it was placed as a plank on a footbridge. The find was placed in the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God in the city of Marienburg. It is noteworthy that on the eve of the celebration of the Day of Remembrance of the icon "Search for the Lost" in February 1994, this icon began to stream myrrh.
The icons "Seeking the Dead", which are kept in Moscow churches, are especially revered.
The Holy Assumption Monastery, located in the Tula region, has become a place of storage and veneration of the list of the icon of the Mother of God "RecoveryPerished", created for the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God in the village of Sebino.
Interesting facts about the icon "Seeking the Dead" from the Rakovskiy Monastery
Manuscripts have survived that testify to miraculous changes in the appearance of this image. In normal times, the Rakovskaya icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Seeking the Dead” was dark, the images on it were barely visible. But sometimes the image was suddenly enlightened, as if light poured out from within. This was considered God's message of joyful events. Cases of the appearance of drops of myrrh on the face and hands of the Mother of God and the Infant are described. This happened between May and October 1895, from the time of the consecration of the new stone church of the Holy Trinity Monastery.
Iconography of the images of "Seeking the Lost"
Excerpts of this type show us the Mother of God sitting. On her knees is the Christ Child. He hugs the Mother with his hands around the neck, presses his left cheek to her face. The hands of the Queen of Heaven form a ring around the figure of the Child, her fingers are tightly clasped.
There were several versions of icons of this type - with a covered or uncovered head, sometimes the hands of the Virgin were depicted not clasped.
Sometimes additional elements were included in the composition: a window with a landscape or images of saints. So, on the Moscow image, the Mother of God is depicted with her head uncovered, surrounded by saints.
Notable are the dimensions of the Bor icon. Its width is 1 meter 25 centimeters, and its height exceeds 2 meters. ATthe top of the icon - the image of the Baptism of Christ. This is due to the fact that the peasant Obukhov escaped death on the feast of Epiphany. According to legend, Fedot brought this huge icon to the temple in his arms. So he honored the Mother of God for the miraculous salvation.
Why are these images called like that?
Let's try to figure out what is the meaning of the icon "Recovery of the Lost". What does this title mean? It speaks for itself: the Mother of God in her infinite love for humanity is always ready to grant forgiveness (to exact) and help those who are on the verge of death. These images are a symbol of the Mother of God, who tirelessly prays for hopeless patients. The Blessed Mother saves those who are perishing in poverty and returns people drowned in vices to the faith.
"Search for the Lost" is an icon whose meaning can be briefly described as follows: this is the last hope for those who have fallen into despair and cannot help themselves.
It is to these images that mothers go with a request to save their babies. The icon, which has repeatedly shown miracles of delivering children from illness and suffering, is considered the patroness and intercessor of minors.
What do believers pray for in front of the icon of the Mother of God "Search for the Lost"?
Seriously ill and their relatives turn to this image with ardent requests. It helps to get rid of vices, for example, from alcohol addiction. Repentant sinners who have turned away from God go to these icons. Women ask in their prayers before the "Search for the Lost" for a happy marriage and the he alth of children.
To thisimage go to ask for healing for sick loved ones who are dying. In wartime, believers cry out to the Mother of God, begging to protect the soldiers on the battlefield.
Prayer to the icon "Search for the Dead" helps with eye diseases, fever, headache. It is important that requests come from a pure heart and be full of faith in God. Only then will the Mother of God show her mercy and the power of intercession.
You can turn to the Blessed Mother with simple sincere words that come from the heart. But it is better to learn prayers that can be found even on the Internet. Better yet, go to the temple for this.
In the church calendar, February 5 (18) is the day of remembrance of the icon of the Virgin "Search for the Lost".
Orthodox traditions continue
In Russia, there are more and more churches of the icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost". Just one example - at the initiative of the Kharkiv Union of Afghanistan Veterans in 2007, the construction of a chapel in memory of the fallen participants in local wars began.
The chapel was designed to perpetuate the memory of 19-year-old border guard Yevgeny Rodionov, who died "for his faith" in 1996. 100 days in captivity did not change the convictions of the young soldier, he courageously faced death. Eugene is revered by the Orthodox as a martyr for the faith.
And already in the summer of 2008, Metropolitan of Kharkov and Bogodukhovsky Nikodim blessed the transformation of the chapel into a church. The icon "Searching for the Dead" became the main shrine. You can see a photo of this temple below.
The 26-meter church is crowned with a cross,made in Ukraine. The project of the temple complex includes a bell tower and a church park.
August 23, 2008 became a double holiday for Kharkiv residents: the anniversary of the liberation of the city from the fascist invaders and the consecration of a new church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Search for the Dead".
"The search for the dead" is an icon, the importance of which for the Orthodox can hardly be overestimated. There are not many such images of the Theotokos, but almost all of them are miraculous.
