The name of the image “Don’t cry for Mene Mati” was taken from the 9th song of Kosma Mayumsky, which was written on Holy Saturday. It became one of the sources of iconography.
The Icon of the Mother of God “Do not weep for Mene Mati” is an icon that belongs to the category of passionate ones, since it was laid out on the lectern during Good Friday. Very often it is also called “Lamentation of Christ.”
The icon “Do not cry for Mene Mati” has two more names, one of which is “Mourning of Christ”. Photo: xn--80ancrr3a.xn--p1ai
For the first time, the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin
For the first time, the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. The name of the image is taken from the 9th song of Kosma Mayumsky, which was written on Holy Saturday. It became one of the sources of iconography:
“Do not weep for Me, Mother, seeing in the tomb, You conceived Him in your womb without seed, a Son: for I will arise and be glorified, and I will exalt you with unceasing glory, like God, who magnifies You with faith and love.”
This chant comes from the Savior, who consoles his Mother. He says that with His Resurrection He will conquer death. A photo of the Don’t Weep Mene Mati icon can be seen below.
A more modern version of the “Don’t Weep Mene Mati” icon can be seen in any Orthodox church. Photo: playcast.ru
Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos in honor of Her Icon Do Not Weep for Me Mother
Kontakion 1 Chosen from all generations to the Mother of God and the Queen, falling before Her holy image, we offer prayerful worship. But You, All-Good One, who have incomprehensible power and ineffable love, accept the prayer of Your unworthy servants, who honor the sufferings on the cross of Your Son and our God, and do with us according to Your mercy, so that we call You: Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, at the Cross of Your Son who adopted us all.
Ikos 1 The angels appeared to Thy Son and our God, held in Thy arms, and His Most Pure Body was taken down from the tree, wrapped in a clean shroud, and covered with stinks in a new tomb, and laid. We, worshiping Thy Son with fear and passion, call Ti: Rejoice, astonishment of the Angels. Rejoice, our salvation is paramount. Rejoice, for you have found the Holy Spirit upon You and the power of the Most High in the fall of You. Rejoice, for who was born of You is the Son of God. Rejoice, for the Lord is with You and You with us. Rejoice, you who remained a Virgin at Christmas and after Christmas. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son.
Kontakion 2 Seeing Your ineffable mercy, O Lady, and the many miracles You have revealed through Your holy icons, we magnify You, who has magnified our race with Your favor, and with love we bow to Your most pure image, calling to Your Son Christ God: Alleluia.
Ikos 2 A weak mind cannot comprehend the depth of Your humble service, O Most Pure One, on earth to our Redeemer, who had nowhere to bow his head: in the days of humiliation and suffering His mortal weapon passed through Your heart. For this reason, with pain in my soul, the verb Ti is this: Rejoice, You who bore the Bearer of the universe in Your arms. Rejoice, you who write the Law of the Lord on the tablets of our hearts. Rejoice, for through You human nature has been exalted. Rejoice, for through You you have broken the head of the serpent. Rejoice, thou who openest the gates of Heavenly Jerusalem to us. Rejoice, thou who makes us worthy to be children of God. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son.
Kontakion 3 Strengthened by the power of grace from above, Mother of God, you endured great sorrow at the Cross of Your Son, with your mother’s heart mournfully groaning: “I have found sickness, and sorrow, and sighing, woe is Me,” but crying out to the Creator: Alleluia. Ikos 3 Having in You abundantly the grace of God, Most Immaculate, You have given Your entire life to good cares for Your Son and the Lord, keeping all His words in Your heart. We, sinners, remembering Your sorrowful life on earth, humbly offer You worship, calling: Rejoice, who gave birth to the Lord of the universe in a wretched den. Rejoice, you who heard Elder Simeon’s prophecy and composed his words in Your heart. Rejoice, you who fled to Egypt from the lawless Herod with Your Son. Rejoice, you who sought Your Son with great sorrow in Jerusalem. Rejoice, who was crucified with Him, when His suffering on the cross and His death on the Cross were imminent. Rejoice, for in John the Apostle you have found a son for yourself, according to the words of Jesus. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son.
Kontakion 4 Confused by the storm of sin and aggravated by the sleep of negligence, we fall down before Thy holy icon, which Thou didst sometimes proclaim in the first place: “With this image is My grace and strength,” and we ask Thy intercession and intercession before the Lord for us sinners, Who has glorified Thy name in the universe , we sing: Alleluia.
Ikos 4 Hearing Your Lord intercession for us, the Queen of Heaven, fulfills all that was commanded: “Ask, My Mother, I will not turn away from You, but I will fulfill all Your requests.” For this reason, we are filled with joy about this, to You, as the Mother of God, we dare to say: Rejoice, transforming our sorrows and tears into joy. Rejoice, O Merciful Helper of those who suffer from temptation. Rejoice, saving our houses from fire and other destruction. Rejoice, you who protect the faithful from thieves and evil people. Rejoice, destroyer of the slander and intrigues of our enemies. Rejoice, conquering the fear of death in our souls. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son. Kontakion 5 The God-bearing star in the darkness of sinful wanderings you appeared, O Most Holy Virgin: By your admonition you turn sinners away from lawless deeds and run to God with repentance and cry out to Him in tenderness: Alleluia.
Ikos 5 Seeing, Most Merciful Lady, our great contrition for sins, in the image of which we crucify Thy Son and our God, not turning away from us, for we alone resort to You, asking for correction of sinful life: for imams have no other help, no other intercession except for You, Most Pure One Devo. For this sake, we tenderly call upon You, who stretches out Your hand to us with love: Rejoice, you who pray for the whole world before the Throne of the Almighty. Rejoice, through Your prayers you free us from the flames of Gehenna. Rejoice, conqueror of our visible and invisible enemies. Rejoice, you who open the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven for us. Rejoice, you who drive away the flames of passions from people. Rejoice, you who enlighten everyone with the light of your most pure soul. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son.
Kontakion 6 Preaches to the whole world the greatness of Thy suffering, Mother of God: Who stood at the Cross of Thy Son and our God, and seeing Him hanging on a tree, Thou cried out weeping: “Alas for Me, My Child! Woe is me, My Light, and My beloved womb!” We cry out to our Creator and Savior, freely suffering for the human race: Alleluia.
Ikos 6 The Sun of Truth has risen to us, Christ God from Your most pure falsehood, Who suffered for our sakes by His will and gave eternal life to all through His death. But You, the Many-sorrowful Mother of God, standing at the Cross of Your Son and burning with motherly love for Him, you proclaimed: “Even though you suffer on the Cross, yet we know You, born before the Virgin.” We also cry out to You: Rejoice, you who stand before the Cross of Your Creator. Rejoice, you who were not separated from Your Lord until the last hour. Rejoice, thou who preparest us for the Second Coming of Thy Son. Rejoice, our merciful Intercessor at His Last Judgment. Rejoice, zealous Intercessor for the forgiveness of our sins. Rejoice, generous Giver of eternal joy to us. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son.
Kontakion 7 Help those who want us to sing the passion of Your Son, O Lady, and do not reject those who pray before Your miraculous icon, on which we see You, Your sweet Child and beloved in the embrace of your mother, holding and crying out to the mountaineer the song: Alleluia.
Ikos 7 You showed us Your wondrous miracles, O Lord, in Your Most Pure Mother, and You gave us Her wondrous icon, illuminating people more than the rays of the sun, as if they behold the Mother of God Herself and cry out to Her with heartfelt faith and love from the soul: Rejoice, dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Rejoice, vast village of God the Word. Rejoice, all-bright devil. Rejoice, you who produced Divine beads. Rejoice, through Your Christmas you open the doors of heaven to us. Rejoice, you who have shown us a sign of God’s mercy. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son.
Kontakion 8 Wandering in this vale, filled with sorrows and illnesses, we are tempted by the charms of this world and the slander of the spirits of evil; In You, the Lady, we find an inexhaustible source of grace-filled gifts, we hope to reach the Heavenly City of Jerusalem, crying out to Your Son and our Savior Christ God: Alleluia.
Ikos 8 All generations bless Thee, O All-Immaculate Virgin, seeing Thee holding in Her arms the Divine Lamb, for the sins of the world slain, Who lay with tears in the tomb, Thou cried out: “I would like to die with Thee, I cannot bear to see Thee without breath " For this reason, we call Ti with tenderness: Rejoice, thou who grantest the immortal life of the faithful. Rejoice, you who prepare the abodes of paradise for those who live piously. Rejoice, Intercessor of eternal joy for those who honor the passion of Your Son. Rejoice, covering the entire universe with Your grace. Rejoice, you who endured everything without complaining, as a servant of the Lord. Rejoice, Queen of heaven and earth, who accepts the prayers of Her servants. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son.
Kontakion 9 All human nature brings songs of praise to You, O All-Blessed Lady, who brought joy to the whole world with Her Nativity, who later had great sorrow, seeing Her beloved Son on the Suffering Cross and laid in the tomb. We, with love, offer tender singing to You, Most Pure One, singing to Almighty God: Alleluia.
Ikos 9 The superstitious branches cannot comprehend the motherhood of Thy suffering, which Thou didst endure at the Cross of Thy Son: for Thou, Most Pure One, seeing Him hanging on the tree, cried out weepingly: “Where have You gone, My most beloved Jesus, My Son and Lord? Do not forsake Me, the One, Christ, Who gave birth to You.” We, unworthy, call You with tender voices: Rejoice, you who freely saw the suffering of Your Son on the Cross. Rejoice, O ripening Thy dear Child of the wounded. Rejoice, you who suffered through His suffering. Rejoice, O thou who kissed the lifeless Body of Thy beloved Son. Rejoice, Thou who betrayed Thy Light to the grave. Rejoice, you who had a heart tormented by grief. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son.
Kontakion 10 Desiring salvation for all the faithful, you pour out your gifts of grace-filled help abundantly upon all who flow to you, O Virgin Mother of God, and with your maternal protection you protect from the snares of the enemy all who faithfully cry out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 10 Be an insurmountable wall and fence for us, O Lady, who are exhausted from sorrows and illnesses that come upon us, for You yourself suffered, You saw Your Son crucified on the Cross. Now hear us, crying out to You with prayer: Rejoice, who takes away every tear from the cruelly suffering. Rejoice, you who save perishing sinners. Rejoice, you who deliver us from passions. Rejoice, you who give joy to the broken heart. Rejoice, to all who wish to facilitate the Christian death of the Helper. Rejoice, our Intercessor at the Last Judgment of God. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son.
Kontakion 11 The angels sing Thee, Blessed Mother of God, with whom the human race glorifies Thee, as the Blessed Mother of our Creator and Savior, who freed us through the sufferings of the Cross from eternal death, crying out to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 11 Like a luminous sun, Your image, Most Holy Virgin, has risen in the Orthodox Church, called “Do not weep for Me, Mother,” on which the promise of the Savior is honored: “Do not weep for Me, Mother, beholding in the tomb, Whose womb without seed you conceived a Son : “I will arise and be glorified, and exalt with glory unceasingly, like God, who magnify Thee with faith and love,” faiths are sanctified, preserved and saved from troubles, crying out to Thee with love like this: Rejoice, strong Helper to those who struggle with passions. Rejoice, O intercessor of the offended and oppressed. Rejoice, joy to the poor and needy. Rejoice, for those who are sick have risen from their sickbeds. Rejoice, young Instructor and Teacher. Rejoice, help and strengthening of the elders. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son.
Kontakion 12 Send Thy grace to us, O Most Blessed Mother of God, who venerate Thy holy icon, and who worship Thy Son with the most honorable passion, and sing with faith to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 12 Singing Your all-powerful intercession for the whole world and remembering the miracles You showed through Your holy icon, we pray to You, our All-Good Intercessor: cover us with Your sovereign protection, be our constant Helper and Deliverer from all troubles and temptations of the enemy, and we all gratefully praise Ty: Rejoice, you who gave birth to the Savior of the world. Rejoice, you who do not leave us in Your Assumption. Rejoice, covering us with Your mercy. Rejoice, Unfading Flower, who fragrant us. Rejoice, protecting the faithful with Your grace. Rejoice, protection and protection for our fatherland. Rejoice, Immaculate Virgin Mary, who adopted us all at the Cross of Her Son.
Kontakion 13 O All-Sung Mother of our Sweetest Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ! Accept our sighs and tears, who honor the sufferings of Your Son and our God on the Cross, and deliver from sorrows, illnesses and eternal death all who trust in Your ineffable mercy and cry out to God: Alleluia.
(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)
Prayer to O Most Blessed and Most Merciful Lady of the World! Behold, we sinners, looking at Thy holy image and on it Thee in sorrow and compassion, Christ the Savior crucified for us, standing before us, we fervently pray to Thee, known about us to Thy Son: do not forsake us in the day of trial and tribulation, but in temptation and the misfortunes that we encounter, protect us with Your all-honorable protection from enemies visible and invisible and give us the strength to fulfill the all-perfect and good will of the Creator and the Master of the world to create. See, our merciful Intercessor, how much we are subject to sin of all kinds: not only do we sin by will, but we also involuntarily fall into many different sins. For this reason, we come running to You, the sovereign Organizer of Christian salvation, and cry out with emotion: enlighten our minds with the knowledge of Divine truth, warm our hearts with the warmth of Christian love and saving desires, and confirm our will in the unhypocritical fulfillment of the Lord’s commandments. To her, Most Merciful Lady, come from the heights of heaven to the sighs and prayers of us sinners: heal the illnesses of the sick, pacify the hearts of the embittered, give patience to the suffering, instill the fear of God in those who offend, strengthen those persecuted for the truth, protect orphans and widows, give comfort to those who cry, ask for forgiveness for those who repent, calm the demonic storm of passions in sinful souls and in the hearts that honor Thee, root Christ’s meekness and love and establish this with the spirit of mercy and compassion; Direct the heretics and apostates who have fallen away from the faith to the knowledge of the truth, and stop the mouths of the wicked, those who blaspheme the Holy Church and those who slander the Orthodox Faith. For our fathers, brothers and sisters who have departed from this life, O Mother of God, ask for forgiveness of sins and the beginning of eternal bliss. When the hour of our death draws near, then, O Lady, receive our souls and rest in this host of the righteous, where the faces of the Angel and saints silently glorify the power and mercy of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and Your motherly intercession and intercession for us, now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Troparion, tone 4 Most Blessed Virgin, Pure Mother of God, standing at the Cross of Your Son and our God, you have endured great sorrow and you have received grace from Him to console those who are in sorrow. At the same time, we reverently look at Your most pure image and see You depicted on it before the Cross of our Savior, and cry out to You with emotion: Zealous, kind and merciful Intercessor! Hasten to deliver us from all sorrow, need and illness and save our souls, so that we glorify Thee with thanksgiving forever.
Kontakion, tone 8 Let us say, faithfully, to the gracious source of mercies and generosity - the miraculous image of the Most Pure Virgin: this has been given to us from above, souls and bodies for salvation, which we worship with love, crying out to the Mother of God: O All-Singing Mother, O All-Merciful Queen, cover and keep us from all evil by Your maternal intercession to God.
The icon shows how the Most Holy Theotokos mourns Her Son
What do we see on this icon? The icon shows how the Most Holy Theotokos mourns her son. The body of Christ is partially in the tomb, since death did not take the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Christ's hands are folded crosswise at his waist. This means a sign of humility in the face of the Victim. Behind His back, we see the cross - this is a symbol of the price that He made for the sake of all mankind.
On many icons you can see not only Christ and the Virgin Mary, but also John the Theologian and other saints who also mourn Christ together with His Most Pure Mother. On this icon, the Most Pure Mother Herself is depicted as a living witness to the suffering of Her Son. With deep sorrow and compassion, She embraces Her Son.
The Icon of Do Not Weep for Me Mother, which depicts not only Christ and the Mother of God, but also John the Theologian and other saints. Photo: pict.belvedor.com
There is also another name for the icon - “The Only Begotten Son”. It is believed that this species appeared around the 14th century. But many claim that this type appeared in the art of Byzantium itself in the 13th century.
February 7
celebration of the icon of Do Not Weep for Mene Mati takes place
The icon “Do not cry for Mene Mati” is presented to us vertically to show that Jesus Christ is a reliable support and protection for us, on whom our entire universe rests. Jesus Christ is the truth, therefore all images point specifically to Him.
Analysis
The composition represents a vertical structure: the Son of God is the stronghold of the universal Church and the central figure of the iconography. Christ is the Truth, to which all additional elements of the image point. The Messiah is not subject to death, but intends to soon perform the Easter transfiguration.
There are several versions of this icon, some of which do not depict the Virgin Mary:
“Lamentation of Christ” is an icon showing the Son of God half in the tomb. Christ reveals humility and extraordinary strength, which will blossom after the Resurrection.
Source
Prayer Don’t cry for Mene Mati - can be read at any time
You can always turn to the Mother of God in your simple words. The most important thing is that your prayers come from the heart, because only the most sincere prayers will be heard. A prayer is also written to this icon. The prayer “Don’t cry for Mene Mati” can be read at any time.
Text of the prayer Do not cry for Me Mati:
To You, Most Pure Mother of God, I, the accursed one, fall down and pray: Consider, O Queen, how I continually sin and anger Your Son and my God. And even if I repent many times, I find myself lying before God: I repent, trembling, lest the Lord strike me, and little by little I do the same things again.
This leader, my Lady, Lady Theotokos, I pray, have mercy, strengthen me, and grant me good deeds. Weigh you, O my Lady Theotokos, as an imam in complete hatred of my evil deeds and with all my thoughts I love the law of my God.
But we do not know, O Most Pure Lady, why I create hatred and transgress what is good. Do not, O Most Pure One, allow my will to be fulfilled, for it is displeasing, but may the will of Thy Son and my God be done in me, may He save me, and enlighten me, and give me the grace of the Holy Spirit, so that I may cease from here, acting filthyly, and may live the rest in the commandments of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ,
To Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His Beginningless Father, and His Most Holy and Good and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
