Leushinskaya Mother of God - good protector of the suffering

1. Legends about the relic - how the image of the Leushinskaya Virgin Mary appeared
2. Theological interpretation of the relic “I am with you and no one else is against you”
3. Miracles created by the icon of the Mother of God
4. How does the icon “Leushinskaya Mother of God” help?
5. Prayer to the Leushinskaya Mother of God

According to church legend, the first images of the Most Pure Virgin were painted by the Apostle-Evangelist Luke himself. But since then people have created many other relics. And, despite the fact that they are much “younger,” these shrines are just as revered by Christians. Our article will tell you about one of them - after reading it, you will learn everything about the origin, features and significance of the Leushinsk Icon of the Mother of God.

Icon of Praise of the Mother of God, modeled after which the image “I am with you and no one else is against you” is written

Legends about the relic - how the image of the Leushinskaya Virgin Mary appeared

The history of the shrine begins at the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. At that difficult time, believers especially needed the Lord’s intercession, and the unique icon became an inexhaustible source of spiritual strength.

This image of the Heavenly Queen is closely connected with the Leushinsky convent. This monastery was patronized by John of Kronstadt himself , and under his wise leadership, as well as the works of the selfless ascetic - Abbess Taisia ​​(M. V. Solopova), the monastery flourished. It was deservedly compared with the Serafimo-Diveevskaya and Kazan Amvrosievskaya (Shamordinskaya) wastelands. In addition, church researchers claim that the abbess, who was respectfully called “father John’s comrade-in-arms,” became the founder of a school of female monasticism. According to the charter created by her, such monasteries as Ioannovskaya (St. Petersburg), Vorontsovskaya (Pskov region), Ferapontovskaya (Vologda), Chernoezerskaya and Parfenovskaya (Novgorod province) operated.

Abbess Taisia ​​and John of Kronstadt. Leushinskaya Convent

However, in 1862, when the merchant Gabriel Medvedev from Gatchina donated the image of “Praise to the Mother of God” to the temple under construction, the community was just beginning to exist. It was officially established in 1875, Mother Taisiya took the post of abbess in 1881, and the skete received the status of a monastery only in 1885. But all this time, the wonderful icon overshadowed the sisters with its grace. In particular, it was the main relic of the Holy Praise Church (its construction lasted from 1886 to 1889), and soon the Lavra itself received the same name.

After this, the monastery began to expand rapidly. Thus, according to the lists found by parishioner of the Leushinsky monastery T.F. Litvinova, on the eve of 1917, about 700 nuns lived in the monastery, girls from noble families were brought up, and a hospice house operated. There was also an icon shop and an icon-painting workshop in the Lavra - several nuns and novices went to the Academy of Arts in St. Petersburg specifically to work in it.

The most talented student turned out to be Anna Gerasimova, who came from a peasant family. From the age of 9, the girl lived at the monastery, participating in chants in the choir. After training, she took vows of a novice and began to manage other icon painters, and in 1906 she took monastic vows under the name Alipia - in honor of the Monk Alipius from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.

The ascetic created many magnificent shrines. Among them is the face of the Leushinskaya Virgin Mary, painted on the model of the icon donated by the Gatchina merchant. However, the relic has a distinctive feature - the inscription “I am with you and no one else is with you” inscribed by the abbess herself.

The unique icon was presented as a gift to John of Kronstadt, who called it the “Savior of Russia.” And later, the wise elder passed this image on to Seraphim Vyritsky (in the world - Vasily Nikolaevich Muravyov), who was preparing for his famous feat of prayer. For a thousand days, the monk bowed before the relic, asking the Heavenly Queen for protection for all who protected the country from the fascist invaders. After the end of World War II, the shrine was kept by the relatives of the righteous man, and in 1997 it was brought to the Kozeletsky St. George Monastery. At the same time, a holiday was established in honor of the Leushinskaya Mother of God (the fifth Saturday of Great Lent), and a troparion and kontakion glorifying Her were also written.

Since then, more than one copy of the image has been made - and they all carry the hope, happiness and consolation given by the Blessed Virgin. And our icon store will help you purchase a magnificent list of shrines, handmade from precious stones!

Reverence

Despite the fact that the Leushinsky convent was flooded, the icon painted there became one of the most famous images, the significance of which for Orthodoxy of the twentieth century is difficult to overestimate.

Therefore, in 2003, on the territory of the village of Breytovo, the first chapel was consecrated, erected in honor of the image of the Mother of God “I am with you and no one else is with you.” Since it is located on the shore of the Rybinsk Reservoir, in the spring it is flooded and surrounded by water, the face received another popular name - “Virgin Mary on the Waters”.

The day of remembrance of Our Lady of Leushin is celebrated on June 24.

The Temple of the Holy Apostle John the Theologian in St. Petersburg is also dedicated to the iconographic shrine. Here is one of the most revered copies; the Mother of God depicted on it is capable of healing even serious illnesses. Those who seek physical health and healing of spiritual wounds pray before the icon of the Virgin Mary.

The miraculous power of the icon

Miracles of healing began immediately after the acquisition of the holy face.

• The Monk Seraphim Vyritsky prayed for a dying boy, whom the doctors had already given up on, and he received healing right after praying at the holy image.
• During one night, which the man spent in front of the miraculous face of “Leushinskaya,” the tumor on his head disappeared.
• Doctors were unable to detect the growth of melanoma in the girl and wrote the most disappointing results, but the Holy Mother of God, by Her great mercy, cleansed the girl’s body of oncology.

Several books contain descriptions of miracles accompanying the appearance of the Leushinskaya icon in various cities not only in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, but also in other countries.

Miracles created by the icon of the Mother of God

The face of the Leushinskaya Mother of God is marked with special favor from the Lord. Even the painting of this image was accompanied by unusual events. Thus, his dramatic story was discovered in a dream of Mother Superior Taisiya - a woman saw herself entering a huge sea that slowly covered the entire earth around. And then the shepherd’s staff fell into mother’s hand, and she heard a beautiful voice saying: “Lean on, and you will not drown.” Suddenly the reservoir began to shallow, and the abbess found herself in a green meadow, along which a fence of white stone wound. Behind it were hidden monastery buildings, an elegant temple and a high bell tower. Then the gates opened and a procession of the cross came out offering prayers to the Virgin Mary.

This vision symbolized the flooding of the city of Mologa and the Leushinsky St. John the Baptist Monastery, which occurred in 1941-1947. In their place, the Rybinsk Reservoir was formed - one of the largest artificial lakes in the world. However, the nuns do not lose hope that the ancient monastery will be revived, and its spiritual forerunner will be the current metochion in St. Petersburg.

Leushinskaya St. John the Baptist Convent in Mologa

Lists of shrines also have the gift of working miracles - which is why everyone who is looking for help should buy an amber icon. In particular, she patronized the Kyiv businessman Alexander, who suffered from the machinations of competitors. The man tried to resist his ill-wishers, but all attempts to reason with his enemies ended in failure. Due to nervousness, he even developed a tumor on his ribs - its size was so significant that the tumor could not be hidden under clothes! And then his wife advised the entrepreneur to rely on the will of the Mother of God. He prayed in front of the Leushinskaya relic, read the akathist dedicated to it, and when he went to bed, he pressed a book of psalms to his chest. Waking up, the businessman did not find a trace of illness, and soon all other problems were successfully resolved.

The daughter of Kiev resident Anna, who had a huge melanoma mole on her face, also received healing. Doctors noted that the nevus was growing rapidly, but the operation did not provide a complete guarantee of recovery. Then the woman ordered a prayer service in front of the image - and the girl got rid of the defect.

The history of the appearance of the holy image

On June 24, the Orthodox Church celebrates the day of the Leushinskaya icon, the prototype of which was the Mother of God herself.

The icon, relatively “young” in historical terms, was painted in 1860. The deeply religious Orthodox merchant Gabriel Medvedev ordered the painting of the holy face of the Virgin and Child to the nuns of the St. John the Baptist Monastery as a gift to the monastery in Leushino, where he was baptized in infancy.

The abbess of the monastery, Taisiya, ordered the construction of the Cathedral of Praise for the donated shrine. The Leushin sisters in the icon-painting workshop made lists of the shrine, one of which was presented to Father John and was consecrated by the Venerable Saint John of Kronstadt.

The authorship of the painting of the holy face belongs to one of the icon painters. This is Anna Gerasimova, who from the age of 9 was at the monastery, studied choir singing and icon painting, and was later tonsured a nun under the name Alipia. The Monk Alipia of Kiev-Pechersk became her patron.

Important! The blessed power of the holy lists written in the Leushinsky monastery consisted not only in professionalism, but also in the fact that they were written by the brides of Christ, while constantly being in prayer and chants.

After the construction of the Rybinsk reservoir, the monastery was flooded, and only at the very top, under the dome of the St. Petersburg courtyard, some lists remained that needed restoration.

The Leushinskaya icon, donated to Vyritsky, was discovered in 1997 in Ukraine, in the village of Danevka. People from all over the world come to venerate the shrine at the St. George’s Monastery. Orthodox Christians from Italy, America, and Canada write about miracles of healing after prayer at the list of shrines; they thank the Intercessor for the mercy and grace granted to heal and resolve life’s problems.

Read about the icons of the Mother of God:

Prayer to the Leushinskaya Mother of God

To the chosen Voivode, victorious, as having been delivered from the evil, let us write thanks to Thy servants, O Mother of God, but as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call to Thee: Rejoice, Unmarried Bride.

O All-Blessed Intercessor of the Christian race, Mother of all who holds Christ our God with Her right hand! Pour His mercy and generosity upon us, and let us not be afraid or intimidated by the enemy, visible and invisible, as You declared to those who trust in You: “I am with you and no one is against you.”

Save the true holy Orthodox Church and our monastery from schisms and heresies and lay the foundation for the repentance of our people. Return Holy Rus' to the path of intact faith given to it by God, so that it will be filled with the incense of prayers and bloom like a village tree; May we live in piety and purity, always protected by You from the temptation of the Antichrist, the invasion of foreigners, internecine warfare, cowardice, fire, famine and pestilence, from vain death, captivity and family strife; Strengthen our monastic life and save us, Most Pure One, for we trust in You as You said: “I am with you and no one else is on you.”

Pray for us, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, to the Lord our God, who has mercy and saves, that He may not deprive us of the protection and Kingdom of His appropriation, Who Himself spoke to His faithful: “I am with you and no one is against you.” To Him be glory, power, honor and worship, strength and greatness befitting the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Icon “I am with you and no one else is with you”: the origin of the relic

The face of the Leushinskaya Mother of God is the first shrine painted in the 20th century. It was created on the model of the icon “Praise of the Mother of God ,” which in 1862 was presented to the monastery by the Gatchina merchant Gabriel Medvedev. The relic was highly revered in the monastery, and they even made a special copy of it. With the blessing of Mother Superior Taisia, next to the figures of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin, the inscription “I am with you and no one else is with you” was inscribed. It became a characteristic feature of the image discussed in the article.

Let's summarize

So, the article described such a little-known image as the Leushinskaya icon of the Mother of God. Main aspects of the article:

• The icon was painted in 1860. Later, a copy was made from it with the blessing of John of Kronstadt.
• The courtyard of the St. John the Baptist Monastery, where the icon was painted, is located in St. Petersburg.
• In front of the image they pray for the salvation of Russia, asking for protection from military conflicts. They also ask the Mother of God for help in family troubles.
• The image is not so easy to find. But you can order it from an online store or embroider it yourself.

General rules

We found out the meaning of the Leushinskaya icon of the Mother of God, learned how and in what cases to pray in front of the image. Now it remains to describe the correct prayer attitude and appearance.

• When starting prayer at home, women cover their heads with a scarf.
• Men must wear trousers. Strong representatives of humanity pray with their heads uncovered.
• Should a woman wear a skirt? In home prayer you can do without this. Let us not go to the point of absurdity and emphasize that prayer does not imply too pronounced a degree of nudity. This is understandable even without accents.
• If you are going to church, then the presence of a skirt is mandatory. Just like the scarf. No skirt? You can ask for the candle box in the church. In most temples, skirts and scarves hang at the entrance, where they can be freely taken. Welcome back.
• They behave quietly in the temple. Loud conversations and laughter are prohibited. Would you like to light candles or send notes? Contact the church store. No such desire? No one forbids simply praying before one way or another.
• If a woman has her critical days, she can enter the temple. But you cannot light candles, drink holy water or kiss icons.
• Painted lips are not applied to icons. Did you go to the temple? Wipe off the lipstick. As for the rest of the makeup, it should not be bright and flashy.
• If you come to church during a service, you don’t need to run around the entire church and light candles. Especially in the evening, when the room is in twilight, the sexton or altar boy reads prayers in front of the Royal Doors, and people stand with their heads bowed. This is read as the Six Psalms, during which no movement around the temple is inappropriate. If this is the case in the morning, the priest is reading something very loudly in the altar, and people are listening attentively, then it is likely that you have come to the reading of the Gospel. Wait, listen. You will have time to light the candles, and the notes will not run away.

What do they pray for near the holy image?

The miraculous power of the “Leushinskaya” or “I am with you, and no one will hurt you” icon attracts many people.

Nowadays you can pray before the shrine in a chapel built on the shore of the Rybinsk Sea.

The holy image helps:

• healing from incurable diseases;
• in protection from enemies;
• make peace with your enemies.

Residents and guests of St. Petersburg can pray to the shrine at the Leushinsky Metochion, in the monastery of which divine services were restored only in 2000.

The holy face helps in healing mental illnesses. Young girls pray before him for a meeting with their betrothed, childless girls pray for the miracle of granting the happiness of motherhood.

Interesting Facts

How does the Leushinskaya Icon of the Mother of God help? More on this later. In the meantime, it’s worth touching on some interesting points related to this icon.

• At the beginning of the 20th century, with the blessing of John of Kronstadt, a copy was made from the image. It was consecrated, and the saint himself blessed it with the icon of St. Seraphim of Vyritsky. And he gave him the image.

• It is believed that the same list is located in the St. George Convent, in the village of Danevka.
• The icon was brought there by the spiritual children of Father Seraphim.
• St. John the Baptist Monastery was flooded by the waters of the Rybinsk Reservoir in the early 1930s.
• A chapel was consecrated in honor of the Leushinskaya Icon of the Mother of God. It is located in the village of Breytovo, Yaroslavl region.
• The image has another name - “Savior of Russia”.

How to thank for help?

Let's say there are constant conflicts in the family. The wife begins to pray in front of the Leushinskaya icon of the Mother of God. Quarrels pass. How can we thank our Intercessor for her support and help?

Go to church and order a thanksgiving prayer service. Read the akathist at home in front of the image, if it is not possible to get to the temple. Thank you in your own words, sincerely and from the heart.