The history of the appearance of the Chimeevskaya Icon of the Mother of God
In the mid-18th century, or rather in 1746, a miracle happened in the Trans-Urals. An icon of the Most Holy Mother of God sailed from nowhere to the village of Chimeevo along the Niyal River. The most holy image stood vertically in a boat that was floating upstream. The ancient icon, measuring 108x89 cm, was painted on three glued boards. Not far from the village of Chimeevo, in a pine forest, simultaneously with the miraculous appearance of the holy image, a source with healing water was discovered, and later (in 1996) a chapel was built in the forest.
At the very beginning, the shrine was located in the house of Semyon Bragin. In 1746, local residents, without permission from the higher clergy, built a chapel in their village in honor of the appearance of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God. The priest Ignatius Inozemtsev, having learned about the unauthorized building, allowed the peasants to pray to the most holy image. However, someone reported to Metropolitan Sylvester that the believers of the village of Chimeevo were praying in an unconsecrated chapel. In 1749, a decree was issued ordering the unauthorized construction of the building to be dismantled. In 1750, the order was carried out, and the icon of the Mother of God, along with other images, was transferred to the Tersyuk Church.
In the 50s of the 18th century, the clergy allowed the local residents of the Chimeevsky churchyard to build their own temple. In 1754, the Church of the Mother of God of Kazan was consecrated in Chimeevo. The ancient icon was transferred into it. In the 70s of the 18th century, this church burned down due to an improperly heated stove. Only the holy image of the Mother of God survived, although the image of the Immaculate Virgin was darkened by soot.
In 1779, by order of the clergy, construction of a new church began. In the built and consecrated chapel of Saints Constantine and Helen, they placed an ancient image of the Immaculate Virgin and the Most Holy Child drawn on a board. In 1794, a temple in honor of the Kazan Icon was consecrated in Chimeevo. An ancient image was hung in this church. In 1889, construction began on a new church in honor of the appearance of the ancient icon of the Mother of God. The consecration of the wooden Kazan Church took place in 1890.
With the proclamation of Bolshevik power in Chimeevo, services were held in the local church for several years. However, in 1937 the church was closed. In 1943, the Bolsheviks converted the temple into a grain storage facility, and all the church supplies and objects located there were transferred to the altar. The ancient image of the Mother of God was so heavy that several people could not lift it. The chairman of the village council, Gladkov, wanted to chop the icon with an ax, but, swinging at the shrine, he felt weak. He started bleeding. Three days later the chairman died.
In 1946, the Bolsheviks returned the church and the holy Kazan Icon of the Mother of God to the believers. Since 1947, services have resumed in the temple. Under the clergyman Evgeniy Khramov, the holy image of the Mother of God was moved closer to the altar. At the very beginning of the 21st century, a chapel was erected at the site where the holy icon was found on the banks of the Niyal River.
In 2002, they decided to found a monastery in the village of Chimeevo. The ancient Chimeevsky image of the Mother of God, located in the Kazan Church, became the property of the monastery. In 2004, the ancient icon was canonized and a holiday was established in her honor on July 21.
In the summer of 2022, a fire occurred in the temple in which the ancient image was kept. They wanted to take the icon of the Mother of God out of the building, but they could not lift it, since the shrine was in a heavy sarcophagus with thick glass. The fire engulfed the entire church in fifteen minutes. The ancient icon was completely burnt, only pieces of its frame remained. In the fall of 2022, the men's monastery was presented with a new copy of the Chimeevskaya Icon of the Mother of God. The copy was written by the Russian icon painter A. Vankov.
How to get there?
By car, you need to drive along the Yekaterinburg-Kurgan highway until you turn to Chimeevo. From Kurgan or Tyumen you need to drive along the Kurgan - Tyumen highway until the turn to Chimeevo. You can also take a bus that runs from Kurgan to the village of Yagodnoye. Walks twice a day.
Holy Kazan Chimeevsky Monastery
Address: Kurgan region, Belozersky district, village. Chimeevo Phone: 8 (35232) 2-84-46, 8 (35232) 2-84-49, 8 (35232) 2-84-75, 8 (35232) 2-84-91 Email: Website: chimeevo.ru
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: s42
Photo by: Alexander Alpatkin
Description and meaning of the image of the Kazan Mother of God from Chimeevo
The Holy Chimeevskaya Icon of the Mother of God is a shoulder-mounted image of the Immaculate Virgin and a waist-length image of the Holy Infant, and belongs to the Hodegetria type. The Mother of God looks at the believers. In her arms is the Holy Child, blessing people with his right hand. The Savior’s gaze is also fixed on those praying. The Holy Chimeevskaya icon had a precious frame, decorated with gold, silver and diamonds.
The most holy image of the Kazan Mother of God was in the church of the village of Chimeevo for about three centuries. Pilgrims from all over Rus' came to pray to the shrine. The Kazan Immaculate Virgin with the Holy Child in her arms helped believers, protected them from enemies, and healed serious illnesses. Miracles emanating from the holy image strengthened the faith of Christians in the Savior and the Mother of God.
A wonderful event
The Chimeevsky Monastery arose miraculously. It all started when the children, who were frolicking near the river bank, saw that the water was carrying a board. But its location surprised everyone, because it was vertical.
Later the image on the board became visible. She was a woman whose eyes were impressive with an almost childlike expressiveness. This was a case of the Lord’s mercy - people found the holy miraculous face. Time passed, and they gave it a name - the Chimeevskaya icon of the Holy Kazan Mother of God.
After a miraculous discovery, the appearance of a miraculous spring was recorded in this area. This situation is not uncommon. The holy powers gave a kind of sign that the area here was special.
What do they pray for at the icon?
Before the most holy image of the Kazan Mother of God, believers repent of their sins and ask the Immaculate Virgin to forgive their sins and grant mercy. They pray to the Mother of God for intercession before the Savior. Believers ask the Mother of God to beg her holy Son to forgive human sins and grant grace to believers. The Immaculate Virgin is prayed for protection from enemies, deliverance from misfortunes, and healing of ailments. Believers ask the Mother of God to cover people from all evil with her most holy veil.
Living water
The appearance of the holy spring was very important, since the area suffered from poor water due to the proximity of swamps. But the taste of spring water from the new source was especially pleasant.
Local residents began to notice that the water from the source had special powers. It heals various ailments, gives cheerfulness, warms, and gives hope for the best. Therefore, the life-giving source is inextricably linked with the miraculous appearance of the icon of the Mother of God.
Prayer text
Believers turn to the Immaculate Virgin and her most holy Son with the words of holy prayer, asking for forgiveness of sins and the granting of mercy. They pray to the Mother of God to preserve peace in the camp and protect the church from schism, heresy and unbelief. Christians ask the Most Pure Virgin to deliver them from spiritual decline, evil slander, misfortune, and unnecessary death. They pray to the Mother of God to intercede for the offended, to bring joy to the mourning, to cheer up those who cry, to grant healing to the weak, and salvation to sinners.
Troparion to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, tone 4
O zealous intercessor, / Mother of the Lord Most High, / pray for all Thy Son Christ our God, / and cause all to be saved, seeking refuge in Thy sovereign protection. / Intercede for all of us, O Lady Queen and Lady, / who are in adversity and in sorrow, and in illness, burdened with many sins, / standing and praying to You with a tender soul and a contrite heart, / before Your most pure image with tears, / and having irrevocable hope on Thee, / deliverance from all evils, / grant useful things to everyone / and save everything, Virgin Mary: // For You are the Divine Protection of Your servant.
Translation: Zealous intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High, You pray for everyone, Your Son, Christ our God, and You promote the salvation of all who come running under Your powerful protection. Protect us all, O Lady, Queen and Lady, who are in misfortunes, sorrows, and illnesses, burdened with many sins, coming and praying to You with a tender soul and a contrite heart, before Your most pure image with tears, and having firm hope in You for deliverance from all evils. Grant useful things to everyone and save everyone, O Virgin Mary, for You are the Divine protection of Your servants.
Kontakion to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, tone 8
Let us come, people, to this quiet and good refuge, / the quick Helper, the ready and warm salvation, the protection of the Virgin. / Let us hasten to prayer and strive for repentance: / for the Most Pure Mother of God exudes boundless mercies to us, / advances to our aid, and delivers from great troubles and evils, // her well-behaved and God-fearing servants.
Translation: Let us resort, people, to this quiet and good refuge, the quick Helper, the ready and warm salvation, the protection of the Virgin; Let us hasten to prayer and move towards repentance: for the Most Pure Mother of God exudes unfailing mercies to us, rushes to our aid and delivers Her pious and God-fearing servants from great troubles and evils.
First prayer before the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
O Most Holy Lady Lady Theotokos! With fear, faith and love, falling before Thy honorable icon, we pray to Thee: do not turn Thy face away from those who come running to You, beg, O Merciful Mother, Thy Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, to keep our country peaceful, and to establish His holy church May he preserve the unshakable from unbelief, heresies and schism. There are no imams of any other help, no imams of other hope, except You, Most Pure Virgin: You are the All-Powerful Helper and Intercessor of Christians. Deliver all those who pray to You with faith from the falls of sin, from the slander of evil people, from all temptations, sorrows, troubles and from vain death; Grant us the spirit of contrition, humility of heart, purity of thoughts, correction of sinful lives and the remission of sins, so that we all praise Thy greatness with gratitude, let us be worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom and there with all the saints we will glorify the Most Honorable and Magnificent Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Second prayer
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Queen of Heaven and earth, the highest angel and archangel and all creatures, the most honest, pure Virgin Mary, good Helper to the world, and affirmation to all people, and to all what needs is deliverance! Look now, O All-Merciful Lady, upon Your servants, praying to You with a tender soul and a contrite heart, falling with tears to You and worshiping Your most pure and wholesome image , and asking for Thy help and intercession. Oh, All-Merciful and Most Merciful Pure Virgin Mary! Look, O Lady, at Your people: for we are sinners and have no other help, except for You and from You, Christ our God who was born. You are our intercessor and representative. You are protection for the offended, joy for those who mourn, refuge for the poor, keeper for widows, glory for virgins, joy for those who mourn, visitation for the sick, healing for the weak, salvation for sinners. For this sake, O Mother of God, we resort to You, and looking at Your Most Pure Image with the Eternal One in Your hand, holding the Baby, our Lord Jesus Christ, looking at You, we offer tender singing to You and opium: have mercy on us, Mother of God, and fulfill our petition, for all that is Thy intercession is possible: for unto Thee is glory due, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Gratitude of the local population
The holy image surprised people with miraculous powers, healing people. And the parishioners decided to express their gratitude to the Mother of God. They decorated the holy face with a robe, on which there were decorations in the form of precious stones. This became possible thanks to the special efforts of Ivan Fedorovich Moskvin. He gave the donation for such good purposes. With this money, the novices not only carried out repair work at the Chimeevsky Monastery, but also took care of purchasing various church utensils.
By the end of the 19th century there was significant deterioration of the church. And the local residents asked Bishop Abraham of Tobolsk to bless them by allowing them to build a new temple. The bishop also received the text of such a petition.
Difficulties of the era of atheism
The Chimeevsky Monastery, which was then only a temple, had a hard time surviving the times of godlessness. The Soviet government expelled the priest along with his family. They existed thanks to the support and shelter of compassionate local residents. Father Vasily did not survive. He was shot by security officers for his religious views. Father Alexander Berdinsky had to become the rector of the temple.
In 1937, the church was closed and Father Alexander was shot. During the war there was a granary here. The icons were torn down and thrown into the altar. They said that the image of the Mother of God for a long time did not succumb to the power of evil atheists. Then one of them wanted to deal with the icon with an axe. But an invisible force threw him back. He died due to severe bleeding after three days.
