As the legend says, during the life of the Mother of God, Evangelist Luke, one of the apostles of Jesus Christ, created several of her images, one of which is the icon of the Mother of God “Right-Handed,” and he used a board from the table at which the Holy Family ate.
The peculiarity of this icon lies in the position of the Divine Child: usually the Mother of God holds Him on her left hand, and on the icon of the Mother of God “Right-Handed” - on her right, which is why it was given such a name. In iconography, images like the “Right Hand” have become widespread. Such icons are also characterized by the presence of a bright scarlet maforium on the Virgin Mary.
The ancient image, the writing of which is attributed to the hand of the Apostle Luke, is located in Greece, in the monastery of Mega Spileon, which translates as the Great Cave, which is why it is often called the Cave Icon. As narrated in monastic sources, the Apostle Luke arrived in Achaia, the northern region of the Peloponnese, to spread the true faith, and brought as a gift to the first converts the image of the Mother of God and Child, which he had taken from Palestine. This was the “Right-Handed Woman” icon. When the persecution of Christians became especially fierce, they secretly hid in a cave, and the icon was also hidden there. There were fires more than once in the monastery on the site of the cave, and as a result, the icon darkened.
A list of the very first icon, “The Right Handmaiden,” is kept in a temple specially built for it in Athens, another one of the most famous is in the Sinai monastery of St. Catherine. All these places are centers of worship; Many pilgrims flock there every year to venerate the miraculous icon of the Mother of God and ask Her for help in their needs.
Until 450, the “Right-Handed Woman” icon was kept in Jerusalem, but then was transferred to Constantinople. In the 12th century, Grand Duke Yuri Dolgoruky received a list from it as a valuable gift.
In Byzantium, the image of the Right-Handed One was often applied to cast serpentine amulets. From here they came to Rus' and are still widespread on the left bank of the Dnieper. Almost every shrine (home iconostasis) included an icon of the Right-Handed Lady. The antiquity of the icon, as well as the fact that it was a copy of an image created by the Apostle Luke himself, was the reason that such an image was considered more correct than a left-handed one. That is why the image became so widespread among the population of Kievan Rus and was adopted from there by all the Eastern Slavs.
Description of the icon of the Mother of God “Right Hand”
The “Right Handed” icon depicts the Virgin Mary and Her immaculately born Son of God, Jesus Christ. The image received its name due to the presence of a characteristic feature: the mother holds the child in her right hand, and not in her left, as is depicted in most Orthodox iconographic images of the Virgin Mary.
The Mother of God appears waist-deep in the icon. The heads of the Mother and Son, illuminated by holy halos or Divine luminosity, are turned towards each other. Traditionally, in the image of the “Right-Handed Lady,” the head and shoulders of the Virgin Mary are covered with red maforia with a golden, or less often blue, border. The maforium is also marked with three stars of Bethlehem.
On some lists, Jesus holds in his left hand a book of Holy Scripture, which speaks of the great mission of the Child, or an orb symbolizing God-given authority. The fingers of the Savior's right hand are folded in a blessing gesture. Sometimes in the left hand of the Divine child you can see an unrolled scroll of the Holy Scriptures.
Meaning of the Shrine
A copy of the original handwritten icon is located in the Russian outback, in the village of Yelets, Moscow region. Thousands of pilgrims go to the Shrine every year to receive blessings, protection and healing. Church records contain information about unique healings and fateful events that cannot be called anything other than miraculous. The list from the ancient canvas was brought to the Church of the Intercession in 1999 and since then has been considered the main relic of the temple.
Fig 2 The name of the holy image is due to the fact that in the image the Mother of God holds the baby Jesus on her right hand, although on most icons he sits on her left.
Researchers believe that the painting of the Right Hand is the very first image created by Saint Luke. It was in relation to this icon that the words of the Mother of God were spoken: “The grace of the One born of Me and Mine will abide with this image.”
In Athens there is a huge temple created in honor of the image of the Right Hand, and it is in it that the earliest copy of Greek icons is kept. All legendary paintings have miraculous properties. Each of them has high religious, spiritual, historical and material value for all Orthodox Christians.
The history of the appearance of the miraculous icon
The prototype of the icon of the Mother of God “Right Hand” was created by the apostle and icon painter Luke. The righteous man personally knew the Virgin Mary and created the image after he saw the baby in his mother’s arms with his own eyes. It is believed that the very first icon was painted on a wooden tabletop, at which the family of Jesus Christ ate.
It is noted in the monastic chronicles that when Luke visited the northern part of the Greek Peloponnese peninsula with the aim of spreading the true Orthodox religion, he brought with him the icon of the “Right Handed Woman”. During times of persecution by the authorities of Christians and preachers, the righteous had to hide from persecution in caves. This is where Christians hid the holy image.
Now the ancient shrine, which came from the hand of the Apostle Luke, is kept in the Greek monastery of Mega Spileon, and the first copy from the original is in the Greek capital of Athens, where a temple was erected for the shrine. Another famous list can be found in the Sinai monastery of St. Catherine. The locations of all three ancient icons have become objects of pilgrimage for Orthodox Christians around the world.
Another close copy of the miraculous icon was transferred from Constantinople as a gift to the Russian prince Yuri Dolgoruky. The image, copied from the image created by Luke, was especially revered in Kievan Rus. It was “The Right Hand” that was considered a more correct image of the Mother of God, because the original was written by one who personally knew the Blessed Virgin and saw God the Son.
The miraculous and highly revered copy of the “Right Handed” icon is located in the Yeletsk Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which is located in the Lipetsk region, and every Sunday the image is brought to a small village called Panikovets.
The “Right Handed” icon was given to the temple by a local resident. He brought it and said that the Mother of God appeared to him, ordered him to take the shrine to the temple and promised to alleviate his bodily ailments. The man immediately went to the local temple. This is how the image became available to Orthodox Christians.
Where to hang it in the house
According to popular opinion among believers, it is better to place the iconostasis at home in the eastern corner of the most spacious room in the house. This is what they did in Ancient Rus', because when praying you need to stand facing east. However, modern priests believe that limiting the order of icons with such a rule would not be entirely correct. After all, not every modern apartment can fulfill this condition.
The main thing is that the place is truly separate and arranged with due reverence and respect for the holy image. Icons are placed mainly in the living room or hall, but you can hang several copies in the bedroom or children's room. Don’t clutter your apartment too much with church paintings unnecessarily
It is important that prayers are regularly offered to them and candles are lit.
It is not recommended to place or hang the icon of the Right Hand:
- together with artistic paintings or souvenirs;
- next to photographs of deceased loved ones;
- near music and television equipment;
- together with idols, icons or literature of another religion.
The shrine must be placed on the left or right side of the icons depicting Jesus Christ, because he must be given a central place. Candles or lamps must also be hung on the iconostasis.
Fig. 5 You can place the image of the Mother of God Right Hand anywhere in the apartment
It is important that it is always available for prayer and not located next to other modern interior items or household appliances
You can purchase the canvas illuminated in the church in a church shop, a special store at a monastery or cathedral. In large cities there are Houses of Icons, where you can buy any religious paraphernalia, including holy images created by masters of icon painting. All goods are subject to blessing by priests.
The meaning and how the “Right-Handed” icon helps
The flow of believers to the Panikovets miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Right Hand” continues. Many people gather for the solemn services in front of the shrine, which has its own history and was written by a contemporary of the Virgin Mary and the creator of the worldly path of Jesus Christ. The small church is sometimes crowded with parishioners.
The image is known for its miraculous properties. Many of those who turned to the Mother of God with sincere prayer testified to the assistance of the Blessed Virgin and the speedy resolution of problems. The parish employees keep a book of the miraculous effects of the prayer service in front of the icon, where they record the stories of parishioners.
The iconographic face of the Mother of God “Right Hand” helps:
- heal from illnesses, gain physical and mental health;
- quench grief and sorrow;
- find family happiness;
- conceive, bear and give birth to a child;
- strengthen your faith and receive spiritual support.
Prayers in front of the image help to get rid of bad habits and guide sinners to the right path. The Mother of God hears prayers addressed to her, grants grace and protection to the righteous from various negative influences.
You need to read prayers sincerely, thinking about every word spoken. We should also not forget that Orthodox Christians must keep the Commandments of Christ and live honestly and piously. It is recommended to visit the temple, regularly confess and receive holy communion.
Where is the best place to place the “Three-Handed” icon?
In the house, the image is installed in the main “red” corner of the room.
The icon is placed so that nothing blocks the face.
In this way, the grace of the Mother of God will extend to the owners and guests of the house. They are allowed to hang the list in front of the entrance.
The Queen of Heaven will be able to protect the house from unkind people, harm and disease.
After placing the image, you should take a closer look at the guests in the house. If a person is pleasing to God, he will feel light, warm and comfortable. All intruders will not be able to stay in the room for even half an hour; they will try to leave the walls of the house as quickly as possible.
We advise you to study Prayer so that everything works out in life
In a Christian’s home there cannot be more than one image of the Mother of God “Three-Handed”. As a last resort, two images are allowed, but with a difference in writing - one with a hand belonging to the Queen of Heaven, the second - where the hand is placed separately. Icons should not be placed next to each other; they should be placed in different rooms or at least on different sides of the iconostasis. If the room is small, one image is placed in the red corner (on the shrine), the second is placed opposite the entrance.
“Three-Handed” does not require any decorations in the form of towels, embroidered towels or lace. The image itself is so sacred that additional “decor” will only get in the way. On celebration days, a candle is lit in front of the icon.
It is extremely important to take care of fire safety and prevent damage or fire to images. For candles you need to purchase special stands
It is also unacceptable to place iconostases and burning candles high from the floor level. If a fire starts, it will be difficult to put it out at ceiling height.
Text of the prayer before the image
You can address the Most Holy Theotokos in any form, pronouncing the petition in your own words. Reading Orthodox prayer texts will help you strengthen your requests, glorify the Mother of God and the Lord, and receive protection from above.
Strong prayer to the icon of the Mother of God “Right Hand”
Oh, Most Holy Lady Lady Theotokos, you are the highest Angel and Archangel of all, and the most honorable of all creatures, you are the helper of the offended, the hopeless hope, the poor intercessor, the sad consolation, the hungry nurse, the naked robe, the healing of the sick, the salvation of sinners, the help and intercession of all Christians.
Oh, All-Merciful Lady, Virgin Mother of God and Lady, by Your mercy save and have mercy on the most holy Orthodox patriarchs, the most Reverend metropolitans, archbishops and bishops and the entire priestly and monastic rank, and all Orthodox Christians through the robe of Your honest protection; and pray, Lady, from You, without seed, Christ our God, incarnate, may gird us with His power from above, against our invisible and visible enemies.
Oh, All-Merciful Lady Lady Theotokos! Raise us from the depths of sin and deliver us from famine, destruction, from cowardice and flood, from fire and sword, from the presence of foreigners and internecine warfare, and from vain death, and from the attacks of the enemy, and from corrupting winds, and from deadly plagues, and from all evil. Grant, O Lady, peace and health to Thy servant, all Orthodox Christians, and enlighten their minds and the eyes of their hearts, leading to salvation; and have made us worthy, Thy sinful servants, of the Kingdom of Thy Son, Christ our God; for His power is blessed and glorified, with His Originless Father, and with His Most Holy, and Good, and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
History of the Konevskaya Icon of the Mother of God and the Konevskaya Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery
Konevets Island was named so because of the huge granite boulder located on it in the shape of a horse's head - the so-called Horse-stone. At that time it was one of the Finno-Ugric sanctuaries, and local residents performed pagan rituals with sacrifices there. Arseny learned about this from a certain fisherman named Philip.
Having visited the Horse-Stone, Arseny considered it an eerie place, “surrounded by demonic horror more than a dense forest.” After spending the night in continuous prayer, in the morning he took the icon of the Mother of God, walked around the pagan sanctuary with it and sprinkled the stone with holy water. According to legend, at that same moment a countless horde of black ravens flew out of the stone and flew away to the opposite shore of the island, where they disappeared. Surprisingly, on the same day, all the snakes left the island.
The icon of the Mother of God could now forever remain on the island of Konevets, in the temple built for her, if not for historical vicissitudes. The Monk Arseny died in 1447, and after that the Konevetsky Monastery was destroyed several times. Twice (in 1577 and 1610) the border island was captured by the Swedes, and the monastery inhabitants, taking the icon, waited out the raids near Novgorod, in the Derevyanitsky Resurrection Monastery.
The next devastation occurred in the 20th century. The waves of the Soviet-Finnish and then the Second World War swept through the monastery. As a result, the last nine Konevo monks, after long wanderings, together with the holy image of the Konevo Mother of God, arrived at the New Valaam Monastery in the town of Papinniemi in Finland.
