Icon "The Mother of God of Jerusalem": the history of the image and its meaning

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

There are many all kinds of icons in the world that help in various troubles. Among them is the Miraculous Jerusalem Icon of the Mother of God. Prayers in front of her protect against numerous diseases, and also cure existing diseases, many of which are incurable. This is evidenced by eyewitness accounts. Most often cured of eye diseases, including blindness, paralysis. This icon protects travelers, making their journey less difficult and safer for life. Before her, they pray for protection from natural disasters, mainly from fires, from attacks by enemies on a house or apartment.

How the icon appeared

The icon of the Mother of God of Jerusalem was first painted by the Evangelist Luke. He created it fifteen years after Jesus' ascension to heaven in Gethsemane. By that time, the Christian community in Jerusalem had already been formed, and this image, which, according to typology, was similar to the image of Hodegetria the Guide, was intendedjust for her. The icon was placed in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. As the legend says, while praying at this image, Mary of Egypt heard a voice calling her to end her unrighteous life and devote her remaining years to serving God.

The legend of how the icon got to the temple of Pygias

In ancient times, not far from the Golden Gate of Constantinople, there was a grove that was considered sacred. She bore the name of the Mother of God. She was famous for her miraculous source. Over time, the grove became more and more dense. In the end, this source was lost among the thickets and almost dried up. At that time, the future Emperor Leo I was a simple warrior. Once in this grove he met a blind wanderer who was exhausted from thirst. The lion heard a voice suggesting the location of the source. The same voice prophesied that he should be emperor. When this happens, he will need to clean the source and put a temple in honor of the Mother of God next to it. He got the traveler drunk. Subsequently, Leo became emperor and fulfilled his mission: he cleaned the spring, built the temple of Pygia, to which the icon of the Mother of God of Jerusalem was transported.

Historical journey icons

Slightly more than a century later, when Emperor Heraclinus ruled here, Scythian nomads tried to conquer Constantinople. All the townspeople gathered near the icon and prayed. As a result, the city was spared from attack. In honor of this miraculous event, the icon was transferred to Blachernae Church. Icon of the Mother of God of Jerusalem in this templewas three centuries, until the moment when Emperor Leo VI the Philosopher, who was popularly called the Wise, came to power. In 988, he moved the image to the city of Korsun (Chersonese), which was subsequently conquered by Prince Vladimir. This icon was given to him as a gift and transported to Kyiv.

The Jerusalem Icon of the Mother of God did not stay here for long. In honor of the baptism of the Novgorodians, Prince Vladimir gave it to Novgorod. She was placed in the Hagia Sophia, where she was about 400 years old. In 1571, at the request of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, the image was transferred to the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow, where it stayed for more than two hundred years. During the War of 1812, the French, after their defeat, significantly plundered the capital. Among the many relics taken to Paris was the Jerusalem icon. She is still in France.

Lists with icons and their location

The Icon of the Mother of God of Jerusalem has a sufficient number of locally revered lists. There are two exact ones in the capital. One of them was transported to the Kremlin instead of the lost one. Its distinctive feature is the image on the margins of the holy apostles. The second is in the Pokrovsky Cathedral.