Prayer to a saint or miracle worker helps in various needs, provides effective help and protection. But recently I found out that there is an icon of all saints. I decided to ask my confessor about the meaning of this icon. It turns out that this is a universal icon, which depicts the entire heavenly army. If you do not have an image of your heavenly patron, you can directly turn to this icon.
I prayed about the money issue to several saints at once who help in this area. Literally a week later, my situation was resolved in the most miraculous way. Let’s look at what the icon of all saints looks like with a photo and analyze the meaning. I will tell you who is depicted there and what you can pray for.
Icons of All Saints - photo, description and meaning
It is no coincidence that the Council of All Saints is celebrated after Trinity. After all, the day of the birth of the church is considered the day of the Holy Trinity, and it grew, blossomed and bore fruit in the person of its Saints - martyrs, righteous people, saints, ecumenical teachers, venerable martyrs, holy martyrs, unmercenaries, holy fools and many others.
There is a huge variety of images of cathedral images, which have some differences and were painted in different periods of time.
The icon presented above was painted by an icon painter in the 18th century, where the inseparable Holy Trinity is depicted at the very top. The Holy Trinity consists of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove raised above them.
A little lower is the Intercessor, the Mother of all Christians, the Lady Theotokos, next to whom is the highest of all prophets, the Baptist John. Also on the image are the archangels, great martyrs, saints, saints, martyrs and martyrs, apostles and prophets who serve the Holy Trinity in the name of people living on earth.
It is impossible to depict all the Saints of the universal Church at the same time in one image. On this icon, in the center is the Head of the Church - our Lord Jesus Christ. The Savior is depicted in a circle against the background of the starry sky as the Creator of the Universe. The two circles of blue and light blue around Him signify His divine glory, separating the Lord from the Saints.
The blue background of this image means the heavenly world, where the Saints are located. In the top row there are 8 Archangels, distinguished from the Angels by their larger size. With this symbolic device, the icon painter emphasizes that the Archangels occupy a higher place in the heavenly hierarchy than the Angels.
At the bottom there are many Saints, but they are divided into separate groups. They are depicted according to the order of holiness. Separately prophets, separately apostles and separately martyrs. In this way, the icon painter was able to designate the Saints without depicting each individually. The saints pray to God for us, bowing to the Lord, asking for help for us living on earth. This is the main meaning of the icon.
We bring to your attention an informative article about the history of the creation of Rublev’s Trinity icon.
Icon of All Saints in the online store of Orthodox icons Svyatsy.
What do they ask for before the image?
Having united by the Council on the icon, the saints can help believers by fulfilling the requests addressed to the images:
- Chief among the angels, Archangel Michael divides people into the right and the fallen at the Last Judgment. It is worth praying to the saint to strengthen his moral strength, to free himself from drunkenness, drug addiction, and adultery. A timely word spoken to Michael will make it possible to follow the instructions of the guardian angel in cleansing the soul from filth.
- Matrona of Moscow is credited with the power to cure female diseases and have a successful marriage. The saint gives a woman the opportunity to become a mother and raise physically and morally healthy children.
- The prayer to John the Baptist is offered during times of spiritual unrest. Turning to the image relieves worries and calms the person praying.
- Appealing to the holy prince Alexander Nevsky will help you get a good harvest. They pray to the saint before traveling to distant lands or leaving for military service.
- Saint Boniface deals with deliverance from sins. The prayer should express the desire to get rid of drunkenness, gluttony, and greed.
- A prayer to Anastasia the Pattern-Resolver helps those imprisoned in prison cells. The saint patronizes people under judicial investigation.
- The role of St. George the Victorious is that he will give victory over both external enemies and his own internal passions. They pray to him before going to the army, exams, and litigation.
- There will be peace and harmony in the family after turning to the saints: Samon, Guria, Avava. Saints bring prosperity to the home.
- Any difficult questions are resolved after prayer to John of Kronstadt. The saint patronizes family people, helping in solving everyday and financial problems.
- Ksenia Petersburgskaya relieves drunkenness and gluttony. It brings prosperity to married couples, strengthening their marriage.
- Those who love to travel should know prayers to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. The saint guides you to resolve financial and household issues. When starting any business, they turn to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
- The face of Sergius of Radonezh depicted on the icon patronizes people engaged in study. It frees you from pride, arrogance, and helps you acquire worldly wisdom.
- A prayer to Panteleimon the Healer will bring health and strengthen strength.
- Those who want to avoid quarrels and conflicts need to turn to the face of Elijah the Prophet.
- People related to finance are patronized by Saint Spyridon of Trimythous.
- Seraphim of Sarov helps to heal from diseases, and the Great Martyr Barbara helps solve everyday problems.
But before you pray to the icon of all saints, you need to know the right words. You cannot insert into your appeal desires that contradict the principles of the Christian Church. Sometimes a person needs to go through a series of tests to find the right path in life.
How does prayer in front of the icon of the Cathedral of All Saints help?
In the Orthodox faith, the image of the Cathedral of All Saints has enormous power and helps in deeply hopeless matters. Helps a praying person gain willpower and strengthen faith in the face of enemies in difficult life experiences. Without an icon of the Saint whose name a person bears, you can pray in front of this image - absolutely all the Saints are depicted here.
A prayer in front of this icon, said with great faith, has great power. Believers pray and ask the Saints for healing from illnesses, help in overcoming difficulties in the family circle, resolving conflicts and making important decisions.
Hierarchy of heaven
The saints include, first of all, prophets. From God himself they received a wonderful gift - to see the future, to see events that should happen hundreds and thousands of years later. The most important of them is the return of the Savior to earth. Among the prophets, Elijah is most revered (the prayer to the icon of All Saints and to him is effective in July-August, on the 20th and 2nd, depending on the style). In addition, Orthodox Christians respect John the Baptist, the days of whose veneration are June 24 (July 7) and August 29 (September 11).
The faces of saints located on the icon of All Saints, with their names and photos
Knowing how certain Saints looked and were depicted, you can recognize them in any image. In the lower half of such icons there are many Saints, who are divided into groups. In the bottom row are the Old Testament Prophets, and nearby you can see the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.
In addition to the prophets and apostles, in the lower ranks there are also martyrs and martyrs. Among the martyrs you can recognize the Great Martyr Catherine.
The icon painter could depict in the image of the saint details that were characteristic of him. From such details you can recognize the name of the saint, if it is not inscribed on the icon. Among the saints you can recognize Basil the Great, as well as John Chrysostom.
People "for Christ's sake"
These include the holy companions who pleased the Lord with their deeds:
- This is Nicholas, so respected by both Orthodox and Catholics: endowed with great abilities, he, for the glory of God, performed many miracles, for which he received the title of Wonderworker. John Chrysostom, Gregory the Theologian and others, called teachers of the Christian Church.
- Those who became like God, that is, the saints - Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov, beloved by all Orthodox people. And to this day, faith in them is strong and unshakable.
- The righteous are family people who lived according to the laws of Christianity and tried with all their might to keep the covenants of God. These are, first of all, the Old Testament prophets, Mary’s parents, her husband, Joseph, Peter and Fevronia of Murom and many others.
- Fools and unmercenaries who help others morally and financially without payment, without expecting any reward, for Christ's sake: St. Basil and Mother Matrona, Ksenia of Petersburg and others.
This is how amazing it is - the icon of All Saints!
Prayers before the icon of the Cathedral of All Saints
Saints appear to people as heavenly patrons, protectors who bring a person closer to God. Personal prayer favors receiving God's help. However, first it is worth turning to the words of the Orthodox prayer, which can be said both in church and at home.
Troparion to the Cathedral of All Saints
voice 4
And throughout the whole world Thy martyr,/ as with scarlet and visor,/ Thy Church is adorned with the blood,/ with them cries out to Thy Christ God:/ unto Thy people Thy bounties have come down,/ peace Grant to Thy habitation, // and to our souls great mercy.
Kontakion to the Cathedral of All Saints
voice 8
Like the firstfruits of nature, to the Planter of creation,/ the universe brings to You, Lord, God-bearing martyrs./ By those prayers in the deep world Thy Church, // Thy residence, has been preserved by the Mother of God by many more kindly
Prayer
To you, O all holiness, as a guiding lamp, who with my deeds illuminated the path of the heavenly sunrise, I, a great sinner, humbly bow the knee of my heart and from the depths of my soul I cry: pray for me, the Lover of Mankind, God, that He will not allow me to wander further along the paths of sin, but May my mind and heart be enlightened by the light of His goodness, so that we are illuminated and strengthened by it, I will be able to continue the rest of my earthly life on the right path without stumbling, and through your intercession to the All-Good Lord I will be honored to be a small partaker of your spiritual meal in the heavenly palace of the King of glory, Him with His Beginning To the Father and the Most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit be glory, honor and worship forever and ever. Amen.
The essence of the name
Why is the image called “Icon of All Saints”? At baptism, every Christian receives a personal heavenly protector, a patron who protects him on the path of life and to whom a churchgoer can turn in prayer with any need or request. In honor of this patron, he is given a new name. However, the icon of All Saints is a universal image, and this is the essence of its name. Whoever your heavenly guardian is - Archangel Michael, Nicholas the Wonderworker or Mother Matrona - your prayer in front of this image will be heard by each of them. Ask for support at all life's crossroads - and you will definitely feel it! What prayers did the Icon of All Saints hear most often? Probably: “Heavenly Fathers, merciful intercessors, pray to God for us!”
Names of saints mentioned in the monthly book. Male names
Abraham
Galichsky, Chukhlomsky, Gorodets abbot 305. Abraham Gorodetsky
Haggai
prophet, from 12 minor prophets 384. Prophet Haggai
Adrian
Poshekhonsky, Yaroslavl schmch., abbot 1628. Adrian Poshekhonsky
Alexander
(Khotovitsky) schmch., protopresbyter 1640. Alexander Khotovitsky
Alexy
(Mechev), Moscow right., Archpriest 1646. Alexy Mechev
Alexy
Metropolitan, Moscow and All Rus' 262. Moscow saints
Alypy
Stylite, Adrianople St. 1650. Alypius the Stylite
Ananias
Apostle of the 70, ep., Damascus, schmch. 1652. Ananias the Apostle from the age of 70
Andrey
Totemsky Christ for the sake of the holy fool 402. Andrey and Epiphanius
Andronik
Apostle of the 70, ep., Pannonian 406. Apostle of the 70 Andronicus
Aristobulus
apostle from the 70s, ep., Britanian (British) 1669. Aristobulus the apostle from the 70s
Arseny
Komelsky, Vologda abbot 1670. Arseny Komelsky
Basil
(Preobrazhensky) Spanish, bishop, Kineshma 1702. Vasily Kineshma
Basil
Ostrozhsky, Trebinsky, Zaholmsky, Skenderiya Metropolitan 1704. Vasily Ostrogsky
Basil
Metropolitan of Ostroh, Trebinsk, Zaholmsky, Skenderiya 640. Saint Basil of Ostrog
Basil
Great Archbishop, Caesarea (Cappodacian) 8. Ecumenical Council of Saints