Icon of the “Kazan” Mother of God, meaning and how it helps, how to pray

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The Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan is truly miraculous. In ancient times, not only ordinary people, but also princes and kings turned to Her for help.

The patroness was of great importance for the people; according to legend, the miracles of the “Kazan” Icon of the Mother of God healed many people from various ailments, and some were even given lost sight, but She could also help in the fight against enemies and in liberating the state from enemies.

The Intercessor does truly extraordinary things, so people who are in trouble, facing difficulties at work or in their personal lives can ask Her for help in prayer before Her Divine Image. The image of the miracle worker can be hung in your home, as many people do, and can also be given as a gift.

What they pray for to the icon of the “Kazan” Mother of God, its meaning, how it can protect and help, and much more you can learn from this article.

History of the miraculous list

In Kazan, after a fire in 1579, a holy face miraculously appeared. It was discovered by the little girl Matrona, the daughter of a merchant, who in a dream saw the Mother of God, who ordered her and her mother to go to the fire and get the icon from under the rubble. Subsequently, the found image of the Saint, to the surprise of people, was very bright and beautiful, and the colors were fresh.

At the same place where the valuable find was discovered, a monastery for women was erected, and the Divine painting itself was transported to the Assumption Cathedral (Kazan). However, because of its jewelry, the miraculous face was stolen in 1904 and then destroyed. Today, only copies of the Holy Image have survived.

Cover during the war

Archpriest Nikolai Markovsky, rector of the Intercession Church in the village. Zaitsevo:

For us, residents of the village of Zaitsevo, parishioners of the Intercession Church, the most important miracle is that today our temple stands intact and unharmed. Regular services are held there, a Sunday school operates, and the parish lives a full Christian life. Seeing houses literally a few meters from our church that were burned by shells, I understand that this is a real miracle and a sign of the patronage of the Mother of God.

When is the celebration in honor of the holy face?

This divine holiday is usually celebrated twice a year:

July 21, new style (July 8, old style). After the little girl Matrona had visions in her sleep, this event was defined as an important Orthodox holiday, “The Appearance of the Image of the Mother of God,” celebrated annually since the 16th century;
November 4 (October 22). In the autumn of 1612, Moscow was liberated by the Russian army led by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin from the Polish-Lithuanian occupiers.

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Before the decisive battle, the Russian regiments prayed to the divine image, thanks to which the victory was won. In honor of the Saint’s intercession, a holiday was established, celebrated since 1649 throughout Rus'.

After the October Revolution, November 4 ceased to be a non-working day, but the tradition was restored in 2005, and the holiday was called “National Unity Day.”

Every year on November 4 and July 21, the same service is held where a sermon is read and the following kontakion sounds:

“Let us come, people, to this quiet and good refuge, to the ambulance, ready and warm salvation, to the protection of the Virgin. Let us hasten to prayer and strive for repentance: for the Most Pure Theotokos exudes boundless mercies to us, advances to our aid and delivers Her well-behaved and God-fearing servants from all troubles and evils.”

Where is the icon of the Kazan Mother of God located?

The miraculous lists have the earliest dating date - 1606 and are located in the Tretyakov Gallery (Moscow).

At the residence of the Moscow Patriarch in the capital's house church there is another copy of the image of no less importance, which was received as a sign of the end of the rivalry as a gift from the Roman Catholic Church to the Orthodox Church of Russia.

The copy of the Holy Face of the Mother of God is considered to be the closest to the ancient prototype of that time, and it is stored in St. Petersburg in the Prince Vladimir Cathedral.

What does the meaning of the Kazan icon help with?

The face of the Mother of God is an image of Hodegetria the Guide, who has helped people find their true path countless times.

During the Time of Troubles, entire troops went to Moscow under Her protection, soon bringing the liberation of the city from Polish impostors and invaders.

Before the start of the well-known Battle of Poltava, Peter I said some of his most powerful prayers in front of this image of the defender. And in 1812, the same Holy Face helped Russian soldiers repel the raid of French enemies, thereby gaining the beginning of the victories of Russian troops against Napoleon in the Patriotic War. Prince Mikhail Kutuzov also stood before Her in prayer before heading to the active army.

But not only troops and rulers of states can receive the blessing and salvation of the image; ordinary people also turn to the “Kazan” Mother of God for help, and the list of miracles that She bestows on people is constantly growing.

What do they pray for to the icon of the Kazan Mother of God:

When healing any bodily ailments, they especially ask for help in healing from loss of vision, but also in spiritual insight, to find the right path when the fire of faith weakens in the soul;
In prayers they ask for a protector and for support in difficult life situations, when there is not enough strength to fight adversity. With any sorrow and sorrow, the Mother of God will help with her instructions and consolation;
The guidebook will help you make the right decision, protect you from making mistakes and misfortunes, and will also show you the path to a good goal. Many stories describe the appearance of the Holy Face in the dreams of those in need, where the Mother of God said how to avoid or correct the consequences of trouble, what needs to be done and what is best not to do;
They also pray to the Saint for help to soldiers defending their native land and from getting rid of enemy attacks;
Not only in times of adversity, but also in joys, they turn to the Kazan Mother of God, blessing the young for marriage.
There are many signs associated with this icon. For example, if a wedding falls on the celebration of the Holy Image, then family life will be happy, and the spouses will live in harmony;
For those married couples who ask the icon of the Kazan Mother of God to improve their relationship, it helps to avoid troubles and strife, as well as to bring harmony and well-being;
The Kazan Mother of God especially shows her favor towards children, protecting them from misfortunes, sorrows and helping them on the path of life.

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This is where the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God helps, everyone who needs it, everyone who believes, asks for protection and blessings, everyone without exception.

Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary

People turn to the icon of the Mother of God for help, protection and consolation. They pray in front of her image to save themselves and their loved ones from all troubles. That is why there is such a variety of images of the Virgin Mary.

Those who want to save their home keep an icon of the Mother of God . It is known that those who pray to her are protected spiritually and physically from any evil. Since ancient times, people have hung an image above the entrance and asked for its protection. In total there are more than 800 names of images. Those with a child in their arms relieve ailments and help the soul to see the light. Prayer only reaches if it comes from the heart and with good intentions.

Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Kinds

There are four types of icons of the Mother of God:

1 Sign. The Mother of God prays on these icons. They write it to the waist or to its full height. On her chest is an image of the unborn Christ. This icon symbolizes the Immaculate Conception;

2 Hodegetria. Occurs most often. The main idea is that the Mother of God leads to faith. Depicted in full height, waist-deep or shoulder-deep. She has a baby in her arms. She points to him with one. Jesus blesses the mother and the believers;

3 Eleusa. On icons of this type, the Mother of God is always depicted holding a child in her arms. Symbol of the unity of mother and son;

4 Akathist. On them the Virgin Mary is depicted without a child. It is considered a collective image of mothers who worry about their children.

Origins

The first image of the Virgin Mary was found in the second century AD in the catacombs.

Her images were applied to vessels for incense. In the 5th century, Mary was granted the right to be called the Mother of God. In the images that have survived, she holds a child in her arms and sits on a throne. Her images were mosaiced in old churches, such as the Church of Santa Maggiore and the Church of Panagia Angeloctista . Images of Mary were created in Byzantium . One of the icons was brought to Russia. Later it was called Vladimir and began to be considered the standard of icon painting. A copy of Byzantine icons is the Novgorod icon.

How to pray

Icons of the Mother of God are considered truly miraculous and believers turn to them for help. The Mother of God protects. If you approach her with pure intentions, she will fulfill the request. Simply reading prayers does not work; only sincere faith will help. You can pray at home or in church after the service. The most common:

From hunger. The harvest increases, income increases;
For ailments. More often they ask about vision;
From drunkenness. The drunkard will become a teetotaler forever;
From grief. The soul calms down;
To protect your home. Ill-wishers will not pass.

Ministers claim that you can read prayers from sight if you can’t learn them. You can also state your request in your own words. After fulfilling the request, you need to thank the icon.

Miracle

Many images are considered miraculous. From Moscow:

Gracious. Located in the Conception Convent. She grants motherhood to women;
Tikhvinskaya. Gives protection. It is interesting that under communism the church with this icon was not closed;
Vladimirskaya from the Church of St. Nicholas. There is a legend that she saved Rus' from enemies three times. This icon is venerated in June-July and September.
Kazan Mother of God. The first miracle was her rescue from the fire - she remained intact. Heals and protects.

Nobody knows why icons stream myrrh. This usually happens before tragic events. It is interesting that this phenomenon appears only on icons made on wood. The icons streamed myrrh before the events in Georgia, Beslan and Ukraine. The seven-shot icon has been streaming myrrh for 20 years.

Meaning

Church dome painting

Icons of the Mother of God symbolize the unity of God and man.

Her image is collective - a mother who forgives her child, understands and protects him. Therefore, there are many icons and holidays dedicated to this image. The clergy instruct that there is no greater pain than the death of one’s own child. The Mother of God went through these torments and teaches humility to believers. She lived in patience, orphaned. The Mother of God married a widower; his children did not love her.

Reading prayers without faith and indifferent visits to the temple will bring nothing. Our Lady teaches people to remain virtuous, to be humble in difficult moments of their lives and to know that everything can turn out for the better.

Traditions

It is customary to draw the throne in Greece and Italy. The Virgin Mary on it or in full growth in Russia was usually depicted on frescoes or iconostases - on large-scale canvases. Icon painters mostly painted it up to the waist or shoulders. She is an intercessor and protects those who ask.

In the Russian tradition, the icon is a satellite . They took it with them, prayed before it and passed it on to their descendants. It is believed that the older the image, the more powerful it is. In Russia it is customary to have more than one icon at home, and there are countless of them in churches. Many images of the Mother of God are considered miraculous.

Canons

details are used to depict the Mother of God :

Blue tunic;
Blue cap;
Maforius;

Every element on the icon has a meaning.

The stars on maforia signify the stages of life: conception, birth and death. Border - glorification. The scarf symbolizes motherhood and divine affiliation. Blue color is a symbol of virginity and purity. Sometimes tradition is broken to emphasize a particular detail. The Mother of God without mafori is also considered a departure from church canons. In Orthodoxy, the crown is written on top of the scarf. The image of the crown itself came from the west. In early icons, the Mother of God was only in maforia.

Holidays

More than two hundred images are recorded in the religious calendar.

One of the important holidays is the Intercession of the Virgin Mary. It is named after the icon of the same name. On it the Mother of God is depicted in full height. In her hands she holds a cloth with the image of Jesus, sometimes she is depicted without it. One of the most revered icons is the Triumph of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

How to pray in front of the Holy Image

In order for the Mother of God to hear your request, you must pray to her correctly. This can be done both in the temple and at home. If at home you want to ask a holy image for help, it is best to pray in the morning:

After you wake up, wash yourself well with water, cross your hands in advance and set yourself up for positive emotions;
Calm down and get all annoying and negative thoughts out of your head;
Light the candles, kneel down and then begin the ceremony;
The quantity is not the most important thing, but what is important is that all the words of the prayer are spoken sincerely, from a pure heart;
After you have prayed, you can express your request to the Mother of God. But remember that a request will not be heard if it contains at least one negative wish.

Prayers to the “Kazan” Icon of the Mother of God

Oh, Most Holy Lady and Lady Theotokos! With fear, faith and love, falling before Your honorable icon, we pray to You: do not turn Your face away from those who come running to You. Pray, merciful Mother, to Thy Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, to preserve our country peacefully and to keep His holy Church unshakable from unbelief, heresies and schism. There are no imams of any other help, no imams of other hope, unless You, Most Pure Virgin, are You the all-powerful Helper and Intercessor of Christians. Deliver all who pray to You with faith from the falls of sin, from the slander of evil people, from all temptations, sorrows, troubles and from vain death. Grant us the spirit of contrition, humility of heart, purity of thoughts, correction of sinful lives and the remission of sins, so that we all sing gratefully of Your greatness, we will be worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom, and there with all the saints we will glorify the Most Honorable and Magnificent Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Second prayer:

Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Queen of Heaven and earth, the highest angel and archangel and all creatures, the most honest, pure Virgin Mary, good Helper to the world, and affirmation for all people, and deliverance in all their needs! Look now, O All-Merciful Lady, upon Thy servants, Praying to You with a tender soul and a contrite heart, falling with tears to You and worshiping Your most pure and wholesome image, and asking for Your help and intercession. Oh, All-Merciful and Most Merciful Virgin Pure Mother of God! Look, O Lady, at Thy people: for we are sinners and imams of no other help than to You and from You, Christ our God born. You are our intercessor and representative. You are protection for the offended, joy for the sorrowing, refuge for the orphans, guardian for widows, glory for virgins, joy for those who weep, visitation for the sick, healing for the weak, salvation for sinners. For this reason, O Mother of God, we resort to You, and hold Your Most Pure Image with the Eternal One in Your hand As an infant, our Lord Jesus Christ, looking at You, we offer tender singing and cry: have mercy on us, Mother of God, and fulfill our request, for all things are possible through Your intercession, for glory is due to You now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

God bless you!

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A Lesson in Moderation in Prayer

Archpriest Leonid Dotsenko, dean of the Dobropolsky district:

The Mother of God helps, but sometimes it turns out that we are not ready to accept Her help. We ask: “Mother of God, give this, that, the third, the tenth!” She gives, and when we receive, we understand that we don’t need it at all.

I’ll tell you about a lesson I recently received from the Most Holy Theotokos. The priests of our deanery and I asked about one important matter. The Mother of God heard us, we received help, but we continued to ask further: the more good, the better. In the end, they gave us more, but it became clear: it would be better if we stopped in time.

We need to ask that it be not the way we want, but the way the Lord and the Mother of God want it. They know better how to help us. It is also important not to overdo it. You see what has happened - everything, you need to stop, otherwise it will be too much. Remember the cartoon "Golden Antelope"? The magic antelope asked the king: “Are you sure that you need a lot of gold and you will never say “enough”?” You need to be able to tell yourself “enough is enough” in time. If you ask for a little, stop. If not fulfilled - wait. Sometimes it turns out that we don’t need what we are asking for at all. The desired can come true in such a way that a person will not be happy.