This image is of Western origin, but it became famous in Russia. The only name of its kind - the icon of the “Three Joys” - was given by a miracle that happened through the prayer of one pious woman. The hitherto unknown and even to some extent neglected image began to be widely revered in Moscow, and then throughout Russia.
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Icon "Holy Family"
The Orthodox world venerates many images of the Mother of God, through prayers before which believers receive healing and help. The icon of the “Three Joys” is no exception. However, the history of the appearance of this particular image in Russia goes back to the Catholic image of the Holy Family. Over time, elements characteristic of Russian icon painting were introduced into the image. Already in a modified form, the icon of the “Three Joys” became widespread among the Orthodox.
Icon of the Three Joys
“A holy image, a consecrated and canonically correctly painted image of the Lord, the Mother of God or saints, occupies an important place in the spiritual life of a believer. The honor we give to the image goes back to the prototype. And if we have before us an icon of the Mother of God, then veneration of Her is an integral part of personal communication with the Queen of Heaven and Earth Herself. A truly Orthodox person begins every day of his life and ends it with the glorification of the Mother of God. The basis for such great veneration of the Blessed Virgin is that She became the Mother according to the flesh of the Son of God” (Archpriest Oleg Mikhailov).
Where to put the icon at home
A separate place in the iconostasis is prepared for such an image. Let it be a small corner on the “god”, but precisely in the front “red” corner of the room.
The image should be visible directly from the front door. This way, hosts and guests will have the protection and patronage of St. Mary.
For an indoor iconostasis or “deity” you need a corner on the eastern side of the house. It is from there that the Savior will come, and there people turn their prayers. It would be optimal to build a separate shelf for images, arrange them so that all the faces “look” at people and are not blocked by others. The shelf is kept clean, but the icons are never washed! The faces are cleaned with a soft cloth without the use of detergents or cleaning agents.
If there are icons left in the house as an inheritance, they are not thrown away.
It is believed that the images “grow” to the house or apartment. They do not absorb evil, but only give goodness and hope. It is permissible to consecrate an icon in a temple so that sorrows and sorrows from its previous owners will be “removed” from it. It is not customary to throw away icons. The old images were “released” and carefully laid out in the river stream. But this is what they did with faces that were badly damaged by time and the environment. If the icon can be restored, it was restored and updated.
When reading a prayer, a lamp is lit in front of the faces of the saints. It is extremely important to take care of safety and comply with fire safety measures. Aromatic oils and various “sticks” do not burn in front of icons.
In the temple, the images are fumigated with holy incense; at home, pieces are smoked only on the days of great holidays. Daily prayer is performed without fragrant smoke; candles or a lamp are sufficient.
Icons are not “pictures in paint.” These are images of holy people who lived long before us and went through a bitter path. Despite adversity, they maintained their faith in God. No adversity could turn his face away from Christ the Savior. Therefore, the attitude towards images should be appropriate. You should not hang mirrors next to icons, place decorative accessories or attach posters. The home iconostasis is a place of Hope and Help.
Icon of the Three Joys: the story of its acquisition
During the reign of Peter I (1682-1725), many Russian artists sought to receive education in Europe. This is how one young artist ended up in Italy, whose name remains unknown. After finishing his studies, he brought to Russia a copy of the painting by the great painter Raphael “The Holy Family”. He gave this image of the Mother of God to his Moscow relative, the priest of the Trinity Church at the Intercession Gate. The image was located above the entrance to this temple for a long time. After 40 years, believers began to receive grace-filled help from the image of the Most Holy Theotokos.
There is a legend that three misfortunes befell a certain noble woman at once. Her husband was slandered and sent into exile in Siberia. The estate was taken away in favor of the state. The only son was captured during the war. All this prompted the unfortunate woman to turn to the Most Holy Theotokos for help. One day, after fervent prayer to the Mother of God, she heard a command to find a special image of the Holy Family. The next day the woman began searching. She walked around Moscow churches one by one and found what she was looking for in the Trinity Church. After praying in front of the image, three joys awaited the woman. The husband was acquitted and returned from exile, the estate was returned, the son was released from captivity. This story became known among the residents of Moscow and the icon was nicknamed “The Three Joys.”
After the closure of the Trinity Church at the end of 1929, the icon of the “Three Joys” was moved to the Sretensky Monastery. After the monastery was liquidated in 1930, the image disappeared without a trace.
Description and meaning in Orthodoxy
The icon depicts the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus sitting on her lap. In his hand is a small white flower - a symbol of purity and sinlessness. The Virgin Mary is covered in rich clothing with lush folds. The holy family looks happy and spiritual. Next to the Mother and Son on the icon there are two saints who accepted martyrdom: on the right side of the Virgin Mary is the elder Joseph the Betrothed, on the left is the young man John the Baptist. Both saints look at the infant Christ with love, joy and reverence.
The images of saints on the icon are painted alive, with noticeable emotions on their faces, which is more typical for Orthodox than for Catholic iconography. Among Catholics, the saints on a similar icon are depicted as calmer and more restrained. Even in Catholic iconography, it is customary to paint a white lamb next to the Virgin Mary - a symbol of sacrifice, and the Baptist is depicted not only in youth, but also in adulthood. Elder Joseph is not on the Catholic version of the image; he is present only on the Orthodox icon.
In Orthodoxy, the icon of the “Three Joys” has two meanings - worldly and high. The face of the Holy Virgin is depicted with an expression of great happiness and peace, because she became the mother of the Savior of the human race - this is the joy and honor that one can only dream of. The Virgin Mary, who received a heavenly blessing for motherhood, seemed to become a symbol of two interconnected principles - earthly, human and heavenly, divine.
The icon of the “Three Joys” is included in the list of great Orthodox images with which miraculous phenomena are associated. It is also considered one of the most significant and revered faces of the Virgin Mary. The icon is truly miraculous: if you pray to it with sincerity, then your cherished request can be expected to be fulfilled in a short time.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, the icon of the “Three Joys” was especially revered by the residents of Kuban, the Don River valley. People believed that the miraculous face would help the Don Cossacks return safe and sound to their home. Kuban women often turned to the Holy Family in prayer, as they had no doubt that the Mother of God would help maintain a happy and prosperous life, improve family relationships, calm the heart, get rid of vices, and pacify an overly lively and hot-tempered husband.
It is recommended to seek help from the icon for people who find themselves without the help of loved ones, who find themselves in an unpleasant situation in a foreign country. There are known cases when the Mother of God of the “Three Joys” helped military personnel stay alive in hot spots and prisoners of war to escape to freedom.
Also, the Holy Virgin intercedes for people who have suffered as a result of slander, separated by close circumstances or kilometers. It restores the joy of life and self-confidence, preserves the family hearth, and protects the well-being of the home from negative influences.
A large number of lists of the miraculous icon have been created, but this does not detract from its significance for Orthodox believers. Many people come to Moscow churches from afar to venerate the face of the Mother of God of the “Three Joys” and ask for help and protection.
Icon of the Three Joys: non-random accidents
In 1992, the Trinity Church on Pokrovka in Moscow was opened. The Patriarchate handed over to the parish icons that were seized at customs during an attempt to export them from the country. Among them “accidentally” turned out to be a copy (list) of the icon of the Mother of God of the “Three Joys”, painted in the mid-19th century.
In 1996, a printed copy of the Akathist (praise) was given to the church to be read before the image of the “Three Joys”. This prayer text was compiled in 1898 by Righteous John of Kronstadt (1829-1908). A dispute arose about the advisability of reading the akathist weekly. In the midst of the controversy, a miraculous sign occurred - the lamp in front of the icon lit itself, without human intervention. The issue was resolved in such an unequivocal manner. To this day, a prayer service is held in the church every week on Wednesdays with the reading of the akathist to the Mother of God before Her image of the “Three Joys”
When can you see this icon?
It is difficult to say for what reason the image is not in the hall. Most likely the reason lies in the fact that the church is active. That is, its doors are open in any weather and all year round. And the effect of doors opening, letting in cold or hot air, can be detrimental to an ancient image.
The “Three Joys” icon is available to parishioners once a week, on Wednesdays. At the daytime service, a special prayer service is performed, accompanied by the reading of the lines of the akathist. At this time, the image is removed from the altar and is available for worship.
The day of veneration of the icon is the eighth of January (according to the new calendar style). Lists of the icon, made at the end of the century before last, are in many churches in Russia; services in front of them are held on the day of veneration of the named icon.
Icon of the Three Joys: iconography
The original icon of the “Three Joys” was a copy of an early work (1506) by the Italian artist Raphael (1483-1520). It depicted the Blessed Virgin Mary with the Infant of God sitting on Her lap without clothes. On the right side of the Mother of God stood the righteous Joseph, leaning on his staff. After the image became famous in Moscow for its miracles, icons in the traditional icon painting tradition began to appear in Russia. The image has undergone significant changes.
In the Russian version of the icon, the Most Holy Theotokos is depicted in the center. Her head and shoulders are covered with a dark cherry maforium (long veil), decorated with stars on her head and left shoulder. The stars symbolize the Virginity of the Mother of God - before Christmas, at Christmas and after the Nativity of the Son of God. She holds in her arms the Infant of God, covered with a white or red veil. With his left hand, Jesus lovingly embraces his Mother's neck. To Her right stands Saint Joseph the Betrothed, and to Her left is young John the Baptist.
How to pray in front of this icon
A prayer addressed to the “Three Joys,” like any other, must be sincere, come from a pure heart and be filled with faith. What exactly to say, how to do it (out loud or silently) does not matter.
A prayer to the image of the “Three Joys” could be like this:
“Most Holy Theotokos, Son of God and you, Saints John the Baptist and Saint Joseph the Betrothed. I pray you do not leave me (proper name) in vain sorrows, earthly anxieties and worries. I pray (listing what is needed). I pray that you grant me great joys in my needs and worries. Amen".
Although the legend about the appearance of the name is just a legend, there is an important point in it that modern people need to pay attention to. The icon acquired miraculous status and received its name only after the suffering woman returned to it with gratitude and prayed as fervently as during adversity. This means that after praying in front of the image with a request, you need to return to it with gratitude.
The value and significance of prayers to the Mother of God before the image of the “Three Joys”
The meaning of the image of the “Three Joys” for believers is reflected in the name itself - this is the expectation of consolation from the Most Holy Theotokos. Everyone has their own joys. Therefore, every Christian addresses his specific grief in prayer, pinning his hope on the help and intercession of the Mother of God. For example, in Russia there has been a tradition of praying in front of this icon for prisoners and people who have been slandered. They also make requests for family well-being.
However, Orthodox prayer is devoid of magical effect. This is not a magic formula by which you can immediately get your desires fulfilled. For a Christian, the main goal of life is to be reunited with the Lord in a new, eternal life. In magical consciousness, the question of God has a completely different character. Here the opinion arises that you can negotiate with God and force him to fulfill what he asks. This is unacceptable for a Christian. The meaning of prayer to the Lord, the Mother of God and the saints is not that what you want will certainly come true.
Intercessor of the Orthodox
This communication can be compared to what happens in a good family. The child turns to his father, mother, and older relatives with his grief or dream. He asks and at the same time asks for advice in order to understand whether what he asks is good and correct. For Orthodox Christians, a prayerful appeal to the Mother of God is a conversation with Her. In this appeal, believers pour out their sorrows before the Most Holy Theotokos and ask for help.
“Now the Mother of God sits at the right hand of Her Son; before Her, the most honorable Cherub and the most glorious Seraphim, all the Archangels and Angels in heaven bow down and all the faithful Christians on earth praise Her. But, experiencing the greatest joy and experiencing indescribable bliss, which we cannot even imagine, She, nevertheless, remembers and does not forget the land of crying and sobbing - the earth, for in Her soul the memories of what She experienced and endured remained deeply and forever. mother's pangs.
That is why She is always with us - no matter where we are and no matter how we live. She is always ready to provide us with Her help, to ease our suffering, to pour consolation into our tormented, restless and grieving soul, and in Her motherly embrace to calm, comfort, support and encourage us. There is no refusal in Her maternal heart for any prayer, for any request! (Archimandrite Kirill Pavlov).
How does the image help those praying?
People believe that a pure prayer to the icon of the “Three Joys” will help in trouble. She is asked to console heartfelt sorrows and get rid of physical infirmities. People bring to the Queen of Heaven thoughts and aspirations about financial ruin, begging to be relieved of severe need. The icon helps the suffering:
- find peace and tranquility in the soul, heart;
- free yourself from the slander of envious people and enemies;
- resolve unfair court cases;
- awaken the conscience of those who robbed and lied, took away their business;
- bring people back from their trip.
They pray to her for those who are fighting in hot spots and are now on the front line. The intercessor helps restore spiritual strength to the desperate and heal from physical ailments. Relatives of people who are facing difficult therapy or a complex operation pray especially.
The icon helps parents who are desperate to turn their children onto the right path, and those who do not yet have children. Requests are made to the Mother of God for the protection of the family hearth, calming the temper of the husband (wife), and even for the return of stolen or lost things.
The feast of the icon is celebrated on January 8
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The icon gives everyone hope of salvation
Icon of the Three Joys: miraculous help through the prayers of the Mother of God
In March 2022, a young girl A. was visiting relatives, who gave her the icon of the Mother of God of the “Three Joys.” On this day, her fiancé, a military man, was going to buy plane tickets to return home at the end of his contract. On the way to the ticket office, the young man was talking to his fiancee on the phone, planning to call back when he bought tickets. However, the girl never received a message from him: he did not answer the phone. The girl turned with fervent prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos. She did not part with the image of the “Three Joys”, read the akathist, and constantly repeated the troparion.
A week passed in excitement and tears. One morning, after praying to the Mother of God, the girl felt spiritual relief. It was at this time that a message from the groom arrived on the phone from an unknown number. It turned out that he had a conflict with a police officer, he was detained and put in jail. He faced a real prison sentence. Miraculously, the girl was able to find money and time to travel to Moscow. For several days she went to the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Gryazekh, praying in front of the image of the “Three Joys”. During this time, a qualified, experienced lawyer was found. The case was won, the young man retained his freedom.
What do they ask for an icon?
The icon of Our Lady of the Three Joys is requested:
- strengthen faith;
- guide on the true path;
- help preserve the health and life of family and friends on the battlefields;
- protect travelers and people who are abroad, far from home, from adversity;
- about the successful outcome of difficult treatment or surgery;
- free from bonds, from captivity;
- about returning sanity to people who have lost reason and a sense of reality.
Parents ask for children who need help with addictions. Childless people pray for offspring, innocently slandered people pray for the restoration of their honest name.
The All-Blessed Intercessor answers fervent prayers for the return of lost and stolen things. She blesses the newlyweds and helps restore peace of mind.
Prayer before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Three Joys”
Oh, Most Holy Virgin, the all-merciful Son, the all-merciful Mother of the reigning city and the holy temple of this patroness, faithful representative of all who live in sins, sorrows, troubles and illnesses intercessor! Do not despise the prayers of us, Thy unworthy servants, and beg Thy Son and our God, that He may grant to all of us, who with faith and tenderness worship before Thy miraculous image, according to our needs. Here is joy: consolation to those who are in sorrow and sorrow, mercy to those who are in need, and mercy to those who are in great distress. unexpected healing and strengthening.
O Most Holy Lady, have mercy on all who honor Your all-honorable name and show to everyone Your all-powerful protection and intercession: make haste in every work pleasing to Your Son; Destroy every evil work; in bewilderment and difficult and dangerous circumstances, to those who find invisible help and admonition were sent down from heaven. Raise babies, train young ones to be chaste, open their minds to accept every useful teaching. Protect and preserve from domestic warfare and from enemies visible and invisible. Preserve marriages in love and like-mindedness and protect from enmity of half-bloods with peace and love.
And give us all love, peace and piety, and health with long life. Having ceased in faith and repentance from this life, create the lives of the angels and all the saints, so that all in Heaven and on earth may lead You as our steadfast and unashamed Representative, of the race of Christ Iansky, and, leading, they glorify Thee and Thy Son with Thee, with His Beginning Father and by His Consubstantial Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Troparion
From Your holy icon You filled the heart of the pious wife with inexpressible joy. Oh, Most Pure Lady of the world, Omnipotent Queen of joy, Ever-Virgin creature, when she returned her husband, and son, and her property, so be merciful to all of us, grant fulfillment good wishes, exuding an ever-flowing source of joy to those who pray to You and cry out with all their hearts: Joy to the whole world who gave birth, fill those who worship Thee with unfailing joy.
Kontakion
There are no imams of other help, no imams of other hope, except for You, the Lady. Help us: we rely on You and we boast in You, For we are Your servants, let us not be ashamed.
Rules of prayer
The Prayer of the Three Joys must be read reverently and from a pure heart - this is the main requirement. The Lord is merciful, He forgives all people, all their sins, if they sincerely repent of them. The main thing is the desire to correct the situation and no longer commit sins, in order to eventually enter the Kingdom of Heaven in purity.
Before reading the prayer book, it is necessary to perform the Sacrament of Confession and Communion, because the Holy Trinity cannot dwell in the soul of a person burdened with sins, therefore, prayer will not help, no matter how fiery it is.
Before the highly revered face of the “Three Joys,” Orthodox parishioners of churches offer the sincere and fiery prayer of the Three Joys:
- About calling for help for yourself and your family and loved ones who are in trouble;
- About forgiveness of committed sins;
- About strengthening in faith;
- On preserving the lives of military personnel located in the battlefields;
- About liberation from enemy captivity;
- About salvation from enemies;
- On resolving important cases;
- About healing from illnesses;
- About successful marriage and marriage;
- On the gift of children to infertile couples;
- About restoring the minds of people who have lost their minds.
The holy icon is of great importance for people living in other countries who find themselves in difficult situations in a foreign land.
It is advisable to have an icon of the Three Joys on your home iconostasis, which must be placed in the Red Corner of the room. Red means Main, Beautiful, Divine. It should be visible at the entrance to the home. It should be located on the east side and kept especially clean. The Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) during prayer should be illuminated by the fire of a lamp or church candle.
It must be remembered that icons are not colorful pictures. From the images, the faces of people who lived before us and managed, despite various, sometimes painful adversities, to maintain faith in God, look at us. Paintings, posters, mirrors, figurines, lamps and other decorative elements should not be placed near the Red Corner.
Miracles that happen through prayers surprise even believers, because in a modern world mired in sin, almost every person is accustomed to relying only on himself.
One thing is clear - sincere faith and the Heavenly Father will help to cope with life’s adversities, for whose intercession we beg the saints and especially the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven.
Prayer before the icon
O Most Holy Virgin, all-good Son of the all-good Mother, patroness of the reigning city and holy temple of this temple, faithful intercessor and intercessor to all who live in sins, sorrows, troubles and illnesses! Do not despise the prayers of us, Thy unworthy servants, and beg Thy Son and our God, that He may grant to all of us, who with faith and tenderness worship before Thy miraculous image, joy according to our every need: to those in sorrow and sorrow, consolation, to those in need, mercy, to those in great distress. unexpected healing and strengthening.
O Most Holy Lady, have mercy on all who honor Thy all-honorable name and show to all Thy all-powerful protection and intercession: make progress in every work pleasing to Thy Son; Destroy every evil deed; in bewilderment and difficult and dangerous circumstances, invisible help and admonition were sent down from heaven. Bring up infants, young ones to be wise, open their minds to accept every useful teaching. Protect and preserve from domestic warfare and from enemies visible and invisible.
Preserve marriages in love and like-mindedness, and protect your brothers and sisters from enmity with peace and love. And give to all of us love, peace and piety, and health with long life. Having ceased in faith and repentance from this life, create a life with the angels and all the saints, so that everyone in Heaven and on earth will lead You as our steadfast and shameless Representative of the Christian race, and, leading, glorify You and Your Son, with His Beginning Father and by His Consubstantial Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Pilgrimage
Of course, having learned the history of the icon, many believers would happily fall to it... But the original image of the “Three Joys” was lost during the times of the USSR. Fortunately, the lists (that is, copies and subsequent versions) remained intact, and some of them also have miraculous powers.
They can be seen:
- in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity (the village of Gryazi, Moscow region - here, by the way, a prayer service with an akathist in honor of this image is performed every Wednesday, and the icon is solemnly taken out of the altar);
- in the Church of the Deposition of the Venerable Robe of the Virgin Mary (Moscow);
- in the Temple of the Deposition of the Robe (Leonov);
- in the house church at the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
You can make a pilgrimage to the image in Moscow in the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, in the village of Gryazi. Unfortunately, the original “Holy Family” disappeared without a trace due to the revolutionary period, but a copy remained that has no less miraculous properties.
Copper folds
The copper folding icon is a whole page in religious history. Such icons were made in copper foundries. Vyg's copper plastic is considered the most valuable. However, there were masters of their craft in other foundry areas in Rus'. Orthodox foldings had a variety of sizes. For example, “Holidays” is a heavy, large item, and the vests were small in size. Due to their lightness and miniature size, they easily fit into a traveling bag; some could even be hung around the neck next to a cross; on top of the fold there was an eyelet for a rope.
Modern collectors, and even believers, appreciate the plastic art of antiquity. It arouses increased interest. Some people strive to create an entire exhibition at home, where an ancient triptych icon occupies a central place. Of course, all these objects of religious worship are highly valued because the icons have been prayed for centuries and have special power.
Antique copper folding doors are now rarely seen, and therefore they very quickly find new owners. Lovers of antiquity never cease to be amazed at the fine work of the masters; their work remains eternal.
Ancient folding icons
Since ancient times, the tricuspid fold has been popular among Christians, the variety of types of which is enormous: body, icon case, chest.
Ancient folding boxes were called travel icons. Orthodox Christians always took them with them on long journeys. Many icons were called camp icons. Every warrior, without exception, in Rus' since the 18th century had holy images stored on his chest in the form of a fold. Before a difficult battle, the soldiers worshiped them and asked for protection from the Lord.
The very first ancient foldings are considered to be cast triptychs, which were brought to Rust from Byzantium back in the 10th century. Already in the 19th century, entire iconostases and large calendars were replaced with cast folding panels.
The process of making folding frames was very delicate and painstaking, so a small number of them have survived to this day, and they are considered very rare and valuable.
