September 17, on the day of the memory of the prophet Moses, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate in honor of such an image as the icon of the "Burning Bush". The history of this relic sends us to the deep past, which can be found in ancient books. In addition, the very image of her is very symbolic.
The Burning Bush icon: origins
This image is a reflection of the Old Testament event set forth in the book "Exodus". So, according to this scripture, the prophet Moses, grazing sheep near the foot of Mount Sinai, saw a wonderful bush. It turned out to be remarkable that it was engulfed in flames, but it did not burn out. When the great righteous man approached him, he heard the Voice of God, which commanded Moses to lead his people out of Egyptian slavery to the promised land. In the Christian tradition, the burning bush is a symbol of the Mother of God herself, her immaculate conception of Jesus Christ from the Holy Spirit, her purity and sinlessness, despite living in a sinful place. The memory of this event is immortalized in a church built on that same Mount Sinai. Near this place grows a marvelous bush, which, according to legend, is the very burning bush. In addition, the icon of the Mother of God "The Burning Bush" immortalized the memory of the Old Testament event. Orthodox Christians worship her to this day.
The Burning Bush Icon Image
This image has a complex composition. Previously, the Burning Bush icon was depicted as a burning flaming bush, over which the Virgin Mary with the Infant Jesus in her arms rises. Now the image is an eight-pointed star surrounding the Virgin Mary. The green color of the ends of the luminary marks the bush itself, while the red color denotes the flame. In the corners of the icon there are four symbols - a man, a lion, a calf and an eagle, as well as archangels, each of them with its own personal prototype, as the Holy Scripture proclaims. Often in the hands of the Virgin depict a bush and a ladder. The latter is also a symbol of the Mother of God, indicated by God to Jacob. The ladder in this context is the connection between Heaven and Earth. It happens that other symbols are also depicted on the icon, such as a mountain (nothing other than the Mother of God herself), a gate and a rod (a prototype of the Savior).
The Burning Bush icon: how to pray
There are prayers dedicated to this particular image. These include the Troparion and a special prayer to this icon. Often they worship the burning bush, saying the prayer "Our Lady of the Virgin, rejoice …". You can read other prayers dedicated to the Mother of God. Not prohibitedto pronounce before the image the words coming from the heart and not recorded as a prayer in any of the holy books. In order to pray to this shrine, you need the Burning Bush icon itself (a photo of its image is also acceptable). The image protects from fires and other natural disasters caused by fire and lightning, therefore it is considered miraculous. The Burning Bush icon is considered one of the most revered shrines in Orthodoxy, so it is important to have it in the house and worship it daily.
