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Relatively recently, at the beginning of the 21st century, the icon of the Tree of the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in the history of iconography. It can be found in many church shops and on the shelves of Orthodox stores. It is a collective image, since it depicts 16 miraculous faces of the Virgin Mary, which describe Her as the Queen of Heaven after the birth of the Savior Jesus. In appearance, the shrine resembles a family tree, only there is no change of generations. Having understood its structure, it becomes clear that everything grows from the very center of this tree.
What is depicted on the icon?
In the center of the canvas, Jesus Christ is depicted, and it is as if he is chained to a tree and his hands are like branches. This is if we talk about the famous painting of the 14th century, the author of which is Pacino di Buanoguida.
Branches extend from the trunk. There are six branches and they have inscriptions. Each of them has four medallions with Christian scenes, which display different virtues of Christ.
The last branch in the upper right corner symbolizes the entrance to heaven. In earlier icons, the symbol of God’s parental love for people and the redeemed sacrifice of Jesus is the image of a nest with a pelican. The bird has torn its chest and feeds its children with its own blood.
According to legend, the tree of life was grown by the Lord himself in the Garden of Eden. Every month the tree bears fruit, and the leaves have healing powers and heal people from illnesses. The tree itself is a symbol of life and immortality, since thanks to the fruits grown on it, it can be obtained.
In later versions, the icons are heroes from Holy Scripture. At their head sit the Mother of God and Jesus Christ.
Most often they depict Jesus Christ surrounded by his apostles. Or, in the center, the Mother of God with her baby is depicted, surrounded by sixteen Mothers of God.
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Icons Tree of Life in the online store of Orthodox icons Svyatsy.
The Tree of Life is part of world culture
The topic of immortality has long been of interest to humanity.
Both those in power - kings, emperors, and ordinary people - were passionate about the search for the elixir of eternal life. The symbol that personifies immortality in most religious teachings of the world and cultural civilizations is the tree of life. It embodies strength and longevity. The meaning of the tree of life in religions and culture of the world
This concept can be found in the culture of many peoples and religious monuments of the most common beliefs.
Jewish Kabbalah
In Kabbalah, the world is presented as a composition of ten emanations or manifestations of the Supreme Mind. This composition is the tree of life, also called sephiroth or sefirot. It represents elements - sephira, which have Hebrew names and have magical potential. They are connected to each other by a line of “zivug”, which means “mating”. The Sephira also express the names of the planets of the solar system. The highest point - Kether - personifies God. Divine light passes through it, and with each element passed through, its energy weakens. The Divine radiation reaches its lowest point, Malkuth, having diminished many times over. The lower element of the sephirot is Earth.
The Tree of Life, according to Kabbalah, is the expression of a person who has reached the highest state of mind. In the composition of the tree, three main components can be identified, called pillars. The left side is the pillar of rigor, the center is the pillar of balance, and the right side represents mercy. All sephiras express human states at different levels of spiritual development. As a person's soul grows, it passes through all the stages or elements of the tree, and in the sephira of Binah reaches Paradise. And the highest point is available only with complete purification or “correction” of the world.
Bible
The tree of life is also mentioned in biblical stories. They say that God expelled the first people from Paradise, thereby depriving them of this wonderful symbol of wisdom. The tree is mentioned in the Apocalypse and other texts of the Old Testament monuments. In Christianity, this symbol was depicted hung with fruits and guarded by the Serpent, Dragon or Lion.
In other cultures
Also, the tree that bestows immortality is spoken of in many ancient legends, for example in the Hittite memorial text about Gilgamesh, and in Egyptian images. Among different peoples it is represented by different types of earthly trees. Thus, among the Germans the tree of life is the yew, among the peoples who practice shamanism it is the birch.
Commemorative specimens with the tree of life
There are several monuments of world culture that depict this symbol of immortality. For example, the “Tree of Life” icon, which depicts Jesus Christ surrounded by a grape vine. Therefore, this icon also has the name “Christ the Vine” or “Christ the Vine of Truth.” Around him are the apostles and, in some examples, also John the Baptist and the Holy Mother of God. This image is based on the stories of the Gospel.
There is another interpretation of the sacred text, which depicts the Holy Sepulcher, from which a vine with bunches of grapes grows. From the grapes Christ squeezes wine (which expresses wisdom and sacrifice) into a vessel.
The Germans preserved beautiful tapestries with the tree of life depicted on them, which were hung on the facades of fortresses and gates. They were also used as flags on campaigns.
Interesting Facts
Not far from the Persian city of Bahrain, a mesquite tree has been growing right in the desert for 400 years. Local residents call it the tree of life, as it grows in the sun-scorched sands, despite the lack of water. This phenomenon attracts many tourists from all over the world.
It is interesting that this symbol of immortality is used very often in our lives. For example, the philosophy of attracting wealth and abundance is common. Practitioners of this system grow money tree (crassula) at home. Various jewelry is also made that imitates this element, for example, beaded pendants. There are meditation techniques called “Money Tree of Life” that promote well-being.
This symbol has existed since time immemorial and continues to find its new meaning in the modern world. Even in the scientific world this concept is quite relevant. After all, the tree that gives eternal life personifies the genealogical structure of man, his evolution. Further study of this element can reveal new secrets of the universe to people.
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The meaning of the painting "Tree of Life" from Jerusalem
More often, the “Tree of Life” icons depict a tree in the form of a grapevine. In the center is the image of Christ, on separate branches are depicted the Mother of God, John the Baptist, and images of the apostles. The branch itself symbolizes the unity of all believers and the intercession and support of the Heavenly Father.
Christ said that he is like a vine, and his Father is like a vinedresser, and that Christ is the vine, and believers are its grapes.
Grapes symbolize wisdom, immortality, sacrifice. A well-kept vineyard symbolizes peace and prosperity. The fruits are received by the one who managed to grow such a vineyard with his labor and diligence.
The life of each person is a kind of tree of the clan, family, which grows and bears fruit, according to God’s commandments. Only that believer will reach Paradise who will cherish and groom his tree. Family is the understanding of a large Christian community, part of which is the believer’s family and all its heirs.
When visiting Jerusalem and other holy places, tourists and believers take home the “Tree of Life” icon, which carries a deep meaning, admonishing the person praying, guiding him on the true path. She is a symbol of spreading love and wisdom among people.
The second name of the icon is “True Vine of Savior”; this image symbolizes the multiplication of the family and the icon is bought for the development of one’s family, to instill in children a sense of respect for their parents.
Compositional features
The icon “Tree of the Blessed Virgin Mary” appeared relatively recently - at the beginning of the 21st century. This is a very young age for an icon, but today it can be found everywhere - in churches, church shops and home altars. The main feature of the icon is its collectivity, since it depicts 16 faces of the Virgin Mary; in general, it somewhat resembles a family tree, but each individual image describes the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven.
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The icon is characterized by its collectivity - in total there are 16 different images of the Virgin Mary, which are arranged in the form of branches of one tree. Each Mother of God holds the Child Christ in her arms.
The composition consists of:
- 7 images on the right;
- 7 images on the left;
- "Vladimirskaya" from below;
- Birth of Christ from above;
- outlines of heavenly Jerusalem under the image of “Vladimirskaya”.
The central link is the cave in Bethlehem, in which Christ was born, the Mother of God and the Baby Jesus, located in a manger. This image is larger than the others. Since the Child Christ is the only One who should be worshiped, He cannot but be on the board. It was His birth that made the Virgin Mary the Mother of God. That is why the picture of His birth is presented in the center - this is the most important event for humanity.
Under the painting of the birth is the image of the “Sweet Kiss” as a symbol of the special love and connection between the Mother of God and Jesus Christ. And on the sides of the birth picture there are seven famous icons of the Mother of God, which are considered miraculous by the Orthodox world.
The tree is decorated with large roses and leaves as a symbol of life, which comes from the Lord God.
Compound
Each of the 14 images is made in a classic manner: the shape of an elongated oval, which is enclosed in a kind of medallion. The main difference between these images and canonical icon painting is that the Virgin Mary is depicted smiling in each image.
For reference! The only icon in which the Virgin Mary smiles is the “Bethlehem” one, but the author did not depict it on the “Tree”.
There is no analogue of this icon in Orthodox icon painting. Images of a tree, in principle, are quite often found in various images, but here the image of a tree is supplemented with fruits - separate paintings with the Virgin, and this method was no longer used by artists.
Immediately below the painting depicting the birth of Christ is the image of the “Sweet Kiss”. The image is made according to the type of Eleus - one of the main types of icons, with the Queen of Heaven drawn. This type is often used by Russian artists, since the gestures of the characters depicted are simple and understandable - this is a loving Mother and Son.
The distinctive features of the image are:
- Baby and Mother touch cheeks;
- they hug tightly;
- Christ is depicted with a desire to hug the Mother’s neck with one hand.
In addition to the “Sweet Kiss,” the “Tree” also depicts the following images:
- "Iverskaya";
- "Smolenskaya";
- "Kazanskaya";
- "Mammal"
- "Tikhvinskaya";
- "Quiet my sorrows."
In total, the Virgin Mary is depicted 17 times on this board (mostly in the style of Eleus), including her in the painting of the birth of the Child.
Icon of the Mother of God “Tree of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
In what cases does an icon help?
A believer in moments of spiritual and physical weakness turns to his Guardian Angel for help or prays in front of images.
They pray in front of the “Tree of Life” icon with an open heart and pure thoughts. The Orthodox pronounce the words of prayer clearly and thoughtfully and reverently believe in help and protection.
“Icon of the Mother of God “Tree of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
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“Icon of the Mother of God “Tree of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
“Icon of the Mother of God “Tree of the Blessed Virgin Mary”
“The Icon of the Mother of God “Tree of the Most Holy Theotokos” depicts 16 main miraculous icons (images) of the Most Holy Theotokos with the Infant Jesus Christ, located on a branchy tree. In the center of the tree is the Bethlehem Cave and the Mother of God with the Baby Jesus reclining in a manger. This Nativity of the Lord gave rise to the depiction of the Ever-Virgin Mary as the Mother of God. That is why the Nativity icon is placed on the trunk of a symbolic tree and is highlighted in a larger size compared to other icons. Under the Nativity icon on the trunk is depicted the “Sweet Kiss” icon, symbolizing the wondrous love and continuous connection between the Mother of God and the Son of God Jesus Christ. On the left and right along the branches of the tree there are 7 famous miraculous icons of the Most Holy Theotokos with the Child of God. The meaning of this icon is that it reflects the connection of all the icons of the Mother of God, like branches of one tree that grew in the sacrament of the Nativity of the God-Man Jesus Christ in Bethlehem. You can pray in front of this icon to the Blessed Virgin and the Infant God. Since this icon is composite, i.e. consists of images of 16 icons of the Mother of God, then praying to her as one image is not suitable. You can pray to each icon depicted, or simply to the Mother of God Herself.
In what cases do you turn to the image?
In every complex and difficult worldly life situation, the sacred face of Jesus Christ will come to the rescue, namely:
- To gain strength;
- To strengthen the Spirit, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ;
- To protect the family hearth from quarrels and troubles;
- To protect children from acts that are not pleasing to God;
- For intercession from enemies, attackers, ill-wishers;
- For consolation in sorrows and sorrows;
- For patients with serious illnesses;
- They ask for help in healing the soul and body;
- Upon repentance and upon receiving instructions on the true path.
The semantic load of the image of the world tree
The tree of life is firmly rooted in different cultures; it symbolizes the structure of the universe. The roots are the Navi world (the underworld), the trunk is the waking world (the real world), and the crown symbolizes the government - the world of the gods. Using the world tree growing on the Alatyr stone, located on the island of Buyan, many heroes of folklore travel through the worlds in search of their truth. After all, a tree is an axis that connects all worlds into one.
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Another meaning is the connection of times: the past is the roots, the present is the trunk, the future is the crown.
The image of the world tree is also a symbol of the clan, ancestral memory, where the roots are our parents (and all past generations), the trunk is ourselves, and the branches and leaves represent our descendants (children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren).
It is believed that the more powerful the family connection (roots), the stronger the crown (children and grandchildren), it is not for nothing that the history of the family is studied when compiling a family tree.
Prayers to the icon
When venerating the icon, they read Psalm 1 or the Gospel of John, chapter 15. In addition to this icon, the image of the “Tree of Life of the Virgin Mary” amazes with its beauty and deep meaning.
In the center of the canvas is the Virgin and Child. This face is surrounded by images of the Mother of God. There are 16 of them in total.
The image of the Mother of God is close to every believer and in moments of spiritual weakness or illness, they often turn to her as the Mother of all people. In prayers, a person asks for help and intercession, asks for forgiveness of his sins, hopes for remission of sins.
Praying before the icon of the Tree of Life of the Mother of God, the believer rejoices in the greatness of this image.
The meaning of the face
The main idea of this image is that the Virgin Mary is the one and only Mother of Christ, but her personality is multifaceted and each of them is represented separately in different images by icon painters. Her entire personality is like a large tree, the branches of which are connected by a single trunk - the Birth of Christ in Bethlehem. Each image is the fruit of a given tree.
The icon appeared at the beginning of the 21st century during a period of serious economic crisis in the country and therefore it is especially important and has deep meaning for an Orthodox person. At a time when people are losing their jobs, money, the world is being shaken by wars and natural disasters, the Lord is still close to people. He also calls them to Himself and helps them. The Church is still waiting for people to come and worship their Lord.
Important! This board is designed to remind people that they are all brothers, that they should help each other in difficult moments of life.
The main idea of the board is that all life is from the Lord. Everything was created through Him and by Him, therefore forgetting about Him is tantamount to blasphemy. He does not tolerate such an attitude towards Himself, as it is written in Scripture.
Since the board represents several completely different Mothers of God, each of which is prayed to by completely different people, its meaning is to unite all of them together.
How to pray
Since the “Tree” is a collective image, believers can pray to the Mother of God, Jesus, or separately to each face. This fact is not so important. It all depends on the specific situation.
Photo 6. “Tree” is a complex collective icon that allows you to pray about many everyday problems.
The unusual icon consists of individual images that have long been revered by Christians. Perhaps this is where her strength lies. Miraculous icons, collected together, make it possible to pray at any time. Not many people can afford to keep 16 images in the house at once. This is not necessary when there is a “Tree” that can help in the most difficult life situations.
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This unusual icon helps absolutely everyone who turns with prayer and an open soul. She is able to solve any difficult problem. They contact her:
- To repent and find the true path.
- To comfort people in grief and sadness.
- To get protection from enemies and troubles.
- In order to overcome illnesses: physical or mental.
- To support and strengthen the shaky faith in the Almighty.
- To protect the apartment and family from evil.
- For the well-being of children and their protection from bad behavior.
It doesn’t matter how or when to read the prayer. It is important that it comes from a pure heart
Words must be pronounced clearly, aware of their meaning. Prayer should not be formal. A person needs to delve into every word and be aware of it. It is preferable to say the prayer out loud in order to understand its meaning.
God's protection can be obtained by hanging the image of the “Tree” in the house. The icon will become a powerful protection against troubles and bad people. With its help you can find peace and harmony.
What does holy image mean?
The sacred icon of the Mother of God appeared in iconography relatively recently - at the beginning of the 19th century. Its author is still unknown, which has given rise to many rumors about its truly divine origin. There are no variations of the icon, and it is quite easy to recognize it in a church or on store shelves. This is a collective image of the Protectress, consisting of 16 miraculous faces, presented in the form of a family tree. The main feature of the shrine is that there is no change of generations: only Jesus and the Virgin Mary are depicted. Each face represents fruit on the branches of a tree.
In the center of the icon is the main image, which differs from the others in size. This is the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem - the Protectress sits next to the manger in which the Divine Infant lies, and the heavenly light illuminates them. This event is the basis of the Christian faith and the postulates that it contains. It symbolizes not only the birth of God, but also the coming of Christians to him.
To the left and right of the Nativity of Christ there are seven faces of the Mother of God, one image is below, and above is the Holy Trinity. Sometimes on some lists the Mother of God is depicted with a smile - this is not at all typical for the canons of icon painting. Let us especially highlight the image of the “Sweet Kiss,” known to all believers. He is a symbol of the inextricable connection between the Intercessor and the Child, meaning the unconditional, pure love of the Almighty for people.
All faces are made in a classical manner, enclosed in elongated ovals, reminiscent of unique medallions. The appearance of the icon is completed by sketches of the city, labeled as Jerusalem on High. The tree is decorated with bright blooming red roses or green leaves. These symbols speak of eternal and beautiful life, unity with God.
Why was a tree chosen for the composition? There is a hidden meaning in this - the Protectress addresses Orthodox Christians through her face and asks them to remember that people are brothers. Everyone should help his neighbor. It's banal, but so vital. In times of difficulty, even the most righteous people forget about those around them. Perhaps because of this, the Lord sends trials to humanity to test its mercy. The essence of comprehensive assistance is easier to convey through the means of a tree, which is designed to unite and unite.
Tree of Paradise?
When hearing the phrase “Tree of Life,” many Christians can imagine the very tree that the Lord planted in the Garden of Eden. From it people could eat the fruits, which gave them immortality. After Adam and Eve were expelled from paradise, this became inaccessible. According to some interpreters, the tree means Christ. But the “Tree of Life” icon does not talk about heavenly times.
In fact, the image is even called differently - the True Savior Loza. This name reflects the Gospel lines that are found in John (Chapter 15, Art. 1, Art. 5). The icon is of Greek origin, dating back to the 15th century. There are several composition options.
- Christ is depicted in the middle of a vine. Branches extend from it, where the Mother of God, the Apostle John (the beloved disciple of Christ and a man who knew the full depth of God's Revelation), and other disciples of Jesus are located. That is, the icon literally illustrates the words of the Gospel.
- The later version is more allergic, not so literal. It reveals the meaning of the phrase in a theological context, since it refers to the Eucharist. A vine grows in the Savior’s hands, which He squeezes into the Chalice for Communion. The Greeks signed their icons “Αμπελος” (grapevine).
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The Church is compared to a Tree in other places in Scripture. The meaning of the Tree of Life icon is deeply edifying. The Church, as a unity of believers, is not something defined once and for all. It is a living organism that develops. Yes, the apostles laid the foundation for it, but the task of every Christian is to contribute, not to be a dry leaf, because the barren branches will be cut down and burned in fire.
The Tree of Life not only feeds a person with the Blood of the Savior, its top touches the heavenly heavens, and the one who is a leaf or branch of this tree will certainly “sprout” into the heavenly abodes.
