Icon “Tenderness”: meaning, what helps, prayer

In Christianity, among the Orthodox, several main types of shrines are revered, depicting the image of the Blessed Virgin and one of such shrines is the icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness”. It belongs to the main Russian type of icon painting, the so-called Eleusa, where the Son of God sits in the arms of the Mother and rests his cheek on Her. Therefore, on the icon of “Tenderness,” the Mother of God, as a rule, is represented in this type, depicted from the waist up, with the Child, whom she looks at tenderly, with tenderness.

Celebration date:
August 1
10th of August

History of the icon

It is known that the Pskov-Pechersk Icon “Tenderness” or as it is also called Vladimir (name of the same name), is presented as a copy of the famous miraculous icon “Vladimir”, which was delivered from Kiev by Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky in the distant years of the 12th century. The shrine arrived in Moscow, namely in the Assumption Cathedral, after mid-1395. Subsequently, the Pskov-Pechersk Icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness” miraculously survived the blockade of the city of Pskov by the Grand Duke of Lithuania Stefan Batory in 1581, and after and in 1812 it played a significant role in the battle with Napoleon Bonaparte. According to history, the Mother of God was saved from destruction more than once, and thanks to her people were cured of serious illnesses. Thus there was a case when, after long prayers to the Tenderness icon, a blind widow again saw the world around her, and such miracles were not uncommon.

History of the Tenderness Church in Kazan

The religious building was erected in 1999 . It became the first building of the complex, which later included the main temple in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov, a church library, a Sunday school building and economic and administrative buildings. The complex was designed by Kazan architect Alexey Sporius . Thanks to him, all buildings are designed in the same harmonious style. Out of ignorance, they can easily be confused if you don’t know that “Tenderness” is smaller in size than the main temple.

Funds for the construction of a church in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness” in Kazan were allocated by the labor collective of the local association “Teplokontrol”. The construction process was led by Vladimir Kulagin.

Problems arose with the construction of the main church of the parish, which included a lack of financial resources. For the same reason, the Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov was built over about six years - from 2000 to 2006. The available money was only enough for the first stage - construction was almost “frozen.” The situation was saved by financial assistance received from Zarechye Bank, whose general director was Natalya Devyatykh. By the end of 2005, all major work, including finishing, was completed, and the necessary church utensils were purchased. The temple was consecrated in January 2006 . The last cosmetic renovation was carried out here in 2019 .

Lokot Icon “Tenderness” (Seraphim-Diveevskaya)

In contrast to the Vladimir shrine, the Seraphim-Diveyevo Icon of the Mother of God has a number of distinctive features that distinguish it from the rest, since it does not belong to the “Eleus” type. Among its differences is that on the icon of “Tenderness” the Mother of God of Lokot is depicted alone. The hands of the Mother of God are crossed in the chest area, and the Holy Face expresses strong and bright feelings. On the icon of “Tenderness” of Seraphim-Diveevskaya, the Blessed Virgin Mary is depicted during the happiest moment, when the Archangel Gabriel narrates the upcoming birth of the Savior. Her gaze is filled with kindness, sanity, calmness and love in anxious anticipation of her child.

Initially, the icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness” was executed on canvas attached to a cypress board. Later, All-Russian Emperor Nicholas II bestowed a precious frame on the shrine. In 1991, the image of the Saint was presented to Patriarch Alexei II in the Moscow Patriarchal Church, from where it is moved from year to year to the Epiphany Cathedral, where its veneration takes place. Over time, copies began to appear from the original image, however, they are also famous for their abilities no less than the original.

Schedule of services at the Tenderness Church in Kazan

The temple is open every day from 07.00 to 19.00 without breaks for lunch. Services are held daily: liturgy at 08.00, evening worship at 17.00. On holidays and on Sundays, two liturgies are served in the church. The first takes place at 06.30, the second at 08.30.

Novgorod and Smolensk icons

For about 700 years, residents of a town in northwestern Russia have been honoring the Novgorod Icon of Tenderness. The shrine is famous for its miraculous power, which those who prayed before it experienced. She protected the people from ruin, fires and wars, and gave physical and mental healing to those in need.

The Icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness” of Smolensk, in turn, also became famous for the protection of local residents: during the attack of Polish troops on the townspeople at the beginning of the 17th century. The Mother of God is depicted on it together with her Son, and this image has gained popularity since 1103.

Tuesday 02/01/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. St. Macarius the Great, Egyptian. St. Brand,

archbishop Ephesus. Day of Enthronement of His Holiness

Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill.

Friday 02/04/2022 9.00 Water Blessing Prayer Service.

16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Saturday 02/05/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. Sschmch. Clement, bishop Ankirsky and martyr. Agathangela.

St. Gennady Kostromsky.

16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Sunday 02/06/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. 33rd Sunday after Pentecost. Cathedral of the New Martyrs

and confessors of the Russian Church. Blzh. Ksenia

Petersburg.

16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Monday 02/07/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. St. Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop. Constantinople.

Sschmch. Vladimir, Metropolitan Kievsky.

Tuesday 02/08/2022 16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Wednesday 02/09/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. Transfer of the relics of St. John Chrysostom.

Friday 02/11/2022 9.00 Water Blessing Prayer Service.

16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Saturday 02/12/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. Council of Ecumenical Teachers and Saints Basil

the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom.

16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Sunday 02/13/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. Week about the publican and the Pharisee. Bessrerenikov martyr. Kira

and John and with them mcc. Afanasia and her daughters

Theodotia, Theoctista and Eudoxia.

16.00 Vespers with akathist.

Monday 02/14/2022 16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Tuesday 02/15/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. Meeting of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ.

16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Wednesday 02/16/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. After-feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Right Simeon

God-receiver and Anna the prophetess. Equal. Nicholas,

archbishop Japanese.

Friday 02/18/2022 9.00 Water Blessing Prayer Service.

16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Saturday 02/19/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. St. Vukola, bishop Smirnsky. Prpp. Varsanuphia

The Great and John the Prophet.

16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Sunday 02/20/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. Week of the Prodigal Son. Mchch. 1003 Nicomedia.

St. Parthenia, ep. Lampsakian.

St. Luke of Greece.

16.00 Vespers with akathist.

Monday 02/21/2022 16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Tuesday 22.02.2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. Celebration of the holiday of the Presentation of the Lord.

Finding the relics of St. Innocent, bishop Irkutsk.

Finding the relics of St. Tikhon, Patriarch

Moscow and all Russia.

16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Wednesday 02/23/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. Sschmch. Konstantin Rostovsky, Veretsky

presbyter.

Thursday 24.02.2022 16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Friday 02/25/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. St. Alexia,

Metropolitan Kyiv, Moscow and all Rus',

miracle worker.

16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Saturday 02/26/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. Ecumenical parental (meat-free) Saturday.

16.00 Vespers. Matins. 1st hour

Sunday 02/27/2022 7.30 Clock. 8.00 Liturgy. Meat week, about the Last Judgment.

Meat plot.

Equal. Kirill, Slovensky's teacher.

16.00 Vespers with akathist.

The meaning of the “Tenderness” icon

As you know, the images of the Mother of God are one of the main ones in Christianity, therefore the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Tenderness” is of great importance for the Orthodox. The Virgo's face is distinguished by penetration and sensitivity towards those who pray to Her for protection.

The miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness” supports those praying in times of difficult trials and depressing everyday life that suppress their state of mind.

They ask the shrine for assistance in resolving conflicts and reconciling warring parties, for preserving family and homeland. In addition, women and girls often turn to the icon of the Mother of God “Tenderness” with a petition for family well-being and a successful marriage, the birth of a healthy child.

Temple in honor of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Tenderness”

Catechetical conversations before the sacrament of Baptism: Mon 18:00 – first Wed 18:00 – second Fri 18:00 – third

Catechetical conversations before the Sacrament of Marriage: By appointment with the catechist: 8 910 101-67-81 (two conversations)

Spiritual and educational center in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov On the basis of the center there is a training center where everyone who wants to become a catechist, a Sunday school teacher, or deepen their knowledge of the Orthodox faith and culture is trained. Duration of training – 3.5 years. Classes are held three times a week in the church in honor of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Tenderness” at the address: st. Dargomyzhskogo, 15th century. For questions, please call 8 908 233–89–29. E-mail

Sunday school Director – Natalya Vladimirovna Grebenyuk. Address: Nizhny Novgorod, Port-Arturskaya, 12 (Orthodox family) Tel. 8 920 010–03–00 E-mail

Children's Orthodox military-patriotic squad named after saints Ilya Muromets and Alexander Peresvet Created on November 18, 2015. Head – Evgeniy Aleksandrovich Salikov (tel. 8 905 195–59–60). Classes are held five days a week (including Sundays) for 2 hours.

Classes are held at the address: st. Port-Arturskaya, 12.

Working  with  youth

The parish interacts with the department of youth policy, sports and culture of the Leninsky district administration; with the Diesel Engineering College of the Leninsky District (round tables, film lectures, conversations with a priest). There is a volunteer movement. Excursions around the city and region, pilgrimage trips are organized.

Social  work

The parish interacts with social and medical institutions: State Budgetary Institution "City Hospital No. 33", Municipal Medical Institution "City Hospital No. 11", Municipal Medical Institution "City Clinical Hospital No. 7", Municipal Medical Institution "City Psychiatric Hospital No. 2", social rehabilitation, hospice in the microdistrict Red Etna, by the Optimist Society of Disabled People.

Consultations on social issues for pensioners, large and single-parent families, people in difficult life situations (without a fixed place of residence, pregnant women at risk, refugees and fire victims):

Help for alcohol and drug addicts:

Every Tuesday at 18:30 a prayer service is served before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “The Inexhaustible Chalice”. After the prayer service there are conversations with a priest, an Orthodox psychologist and peer consultants (former addicts). Psychological assistance is provided to loved ones and relatives of addicts.

How does the “Tenderness” icon help?

As mentioned earlier, the shrine of the Virgin Mary is very important for believers. Thus, the face of the Virgin Mary helps in difficult life circumstances and illnesses, giving strength to those praying. The especially miraculous icon of “Tenderness” patronizes the weaker sex, favoring the preservation of purity and chastity, and also supports at significant moments in the life of every representative of the female half: marriage, family, conception, birth of a child.

We recommend reading:
The meaning of the icon “Don’t cry for me, Mati”
How does the Pechersk Icon of the Mother of God help?

Where is the icon of the Tenderness of the Blessed Virgin Mary located?

The shrine of the Mother of God can be found in Golitsyno in the Cathedral of Seraphim of Sarov. In the last century, somewhere in the 60s, from the Seraphim-Diveevo Monastery, one of the nuns handed over the miraculous copy of the cell image of the Most Holy Theotokos Seraphim of Sarov for safekeeping to the icon painter Alexei Artsybushev.

This miraculous icon of Tenderness, which was painted in the 19th century, was in the artist’s house for over 40 years, but after that he donated the shrine to the Cathedral of St. Seraphim of Sarov (Golitsyno) that was under construction.

One of the most revered copies of the divine image is in the Trinity Cathedral of the Seraphim-Diveyevo Church, in whose honor the border was even consecrated. The face was painted somewhere in the late 19th - early 20th centuries by the nuns of the monastery. Although the image exists relatively recently, during this time it has become widely known due to its miraculous properties.

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In honor of this face, special days of veneration were even determined, which fell on December 9 and July 28, and before the start of the service, every week on Sunday the Paraklis church chant is held in front of the divine image.

The most revered shrine among the Orthodox people is located in the capital in the Patriarchal Epiphany Cathedral.

Prayers before the icon “Tenderness” Seraphimo-Diveevskaya

If you pray correctly in front of the Tenderness icon, then help will certainly come. First of all, it is necessary to give power to words so that they return in double size. They ask the shrine for deliverance from suffering and mental pain, for easier childbirth, for harmony, but even despite the diversity of these petitions, they need one thing - sincerity, the purity of what they want. Therefore, having gathered your heart to receive the support of the Blessed Virgin, you need to say the following prayer:

Troparion, tone 4

Let us fall to the Mother of God with tenderness, / all who are burdened with sin, / kissing Her miraculous icon of Tenderness / and crying out with tears: / Lady, accept the prayer of your unworthy servants x/ and grant us, who ask,// Your great mercy.

Translation: Let us all turn to the Mother of God with heartfelt contrition, burdened with sins, kissing Her miraculous icon of Tenderness and crying with tears: “Mistress, accept the prayer of Your unworthy servants and grant us, who ask, Your great mercy.”

Kontakion, tone 3

Even as I imitate the barren fig tree,/ I, the accursed one, bear no fruit of tenderness and am afraid of being whipped,/ but, looking at the miraculous icon of Your Tenderness, Lady,/ I groan from my heart and cry out ́:/ was touched, O kindhearted one,/ and to me, with a petrified heart, // deign to give spiritual and heartfelt tenderness.

Translation: Imitating the barren fig tree (Luke 13:6-9), I, the accursed one, do not bear the fruit of humility at all and am afraid of beheading, but looking at the miraculous icon of Your Tenderness, O Lady, I heartily sigh and cry out: “Have mercy, O Merciful One, and bless me, who have become petrified at heart, and grant me spiritual and heartfelt humility.”

First prayer

Oh, Most Holy Lady Lady, Mother of God the Virgin! Accept our unworthy prayers, save us from the slander of evil people and from vain death, grant us repentance before the end, be merciful to our prayers and give joy in sorrow a place. And deliver us, O Lady and Lady Theotokos, from all misfortune, misfortune, sorrow, illness and all evil, and grant us, Your sinful servants, to be at your right hand at the second coming of the Son. him, Christ our God, and our heirs will be blessed with the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life with all the saints for ever and ever. Amen.

Second prayer

Receive, O all-merciful, Most Pure Lady, Lady Theotokos, these honorable gifts, most useful to You, from us, Your unworthy servants: chosen from all generations, all creatures of heaven and earth the highest appearing, for for Your sake the Lord of Hosts be with us, and with You I know the Son of God and have become like His holy Body and His most pure Blood; Moreover, blessed art thou in the lineages of generations, O blessed one, the brightest of the Cherubim and the most honest of the Seraphim. And now, all-singing Most Holy Theotokos, do not cease to pray for us, your unworthy servants, so that we may be delivered from all evil advice and every situation and may remain unharmed from all poison. tago of the devil; but even to the end, through Your prayers, keep us uncondemned, for by Your intercession and help we are saved, we send glory, praise, thanksgiving and worship for everything in the Trinity to the One God and to the Creator of all, now forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer three

Oh, Most Holy Virgin Mary, Christ the King and our Mother God, the Treasure of tenderness and the Source of mercy, the good Giver of soul-saving gifts and the gracious Comforter of grieving souls! We fall to You with love and before Your holy icon we humbly pray: beseech, O Lady, Your beloved Son, Christ our God, to have mercy and save us who are perishing in sins; breathe into our souls sincere repentance and godly tenderness, grant our prayers cleansing tears; beneficial life, temporary and eternal salvation, graciously, Lady, grant us; peace, this holy temple [or: this holy monastery] preserve well, the serenity and abundance of the fruits of the earth have been sent down to us, and at the end of our life, do not deprive us of your maternal intercession and help, yes Through Your intercession we will safely pass through the ordeal of the air and we will be worthy to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven . To her, the All-Blessed Queen, all the joys and consolation of the whole Christian world! Help us now, and always more than ever, we will require Your holy help, and save us with Your Motherly prayers to Christ God, to Him, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, is due all glory, honor and worship food now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

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Church activities

The temple conducts extensive activities: not only are services held here, but there is also a Sunday school, a department of religious education and catechesis, a children's school of liturgical singing, a video room and a library.

185 children and about 80 adults attend classes . The youngest group consists of children over five years old, the middle group consists of teenagers and the oldest group consists of adult parishioners. The teaching staff is quite large - about 30 people work at the school. Sunday school has existed since 2000 . It also runs clubs and studios: embroidery, drawing, a computer club, a folk ensemble and a theater group.

For churchgoers, there is another format - weekly meetings “Gospel Conversations” . They are conducted by the archpriest of the temple. Their activity consists of reading and discussing the texts of the New Testament and the Gospel. Meetings take place every Tuesday from 18.30 to 21.00.