The Mother of God in a crown is not the most common image, but still this tradition exists in Orthodox iconography. An example is the Trubchevskaya icon. It was named after the city where it was written.
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History of the icon
In 1765, in the city of Trubchevsk, located in the Bryansk region (formerly Oryol province), the hieromonk, whom everyone called Euthymius in the Cholna Monastery, painted an icon. On the icon he depicted the Mother of God with the Savior in her arms. The monk decorated the head of the Ever-Virgin with a crown. The fact that the icon was painted by Hieromonk Euthymius is evidenced by the inscription on the image of the Mother of God itself - “1765 EVF”. When donations were collected for the Trinity-Skanova Monastery, the monk had nothing more valuable than the Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
History of appearance
The history of the shrine begins in the small town of Trubchevsk, in the present Bryansk region. In 1765, the priest of the local Spaso-Cholsky Monastery, where the icon-painting workshop was located, created an image of the Mother of God. According to some sources, residents of the neighboring Narovchatsky district asked to portray the Heavenly Queen.
At that time, in this small provincial region there was the Holy Trinity Skanov Monastery. The monastery often suffered from fires, and the locals decided to gain the blessing of the Mother of God by ordering Her icon from the neighboring district. The image of the Virgin Mary created by Father Euthymius gained great love among the parishioners and monks of the Scanova Monastery. Records have survived to this day that people came to the shrine with prayer and hope.
In 1831 and 1848, cholera raged in the Narovchatsky district, but after prayers and religious processions with the icon, the epidemic receded. Thus the image acquired the status of miraculous. The image of the Virgin Mary was decorated with a silver chasuble with jewelry. And over time, a separate stone church was built for the shrine next to the monastery. Thus, the townspeople thanked the Most Pure Lady for Her intercession and help in all troubles and misfortunes.
However, at the beginning of the 20th century, which was marked by revolution and the rise of theomachism, the holy monastery and the church in honor of the Trubskaya Icon of the Mother of God were closed. The priceless relic itself ended up in the local history museum in the 30s. By that time, the image had already been stripped of its decorations - the robe and precious stones had been removed. For many years the icon was used as a tabletop. In museum documents, the exceptional exhibit was given the status of lost.
But it’s not for nothing that the image was considered miraculous. When the collapse of the Soviet Union occurred, local historians and journalists found the icon. It was in poor condition - over the years it had become covered with mold, but it was restored and returned to the Skanov Monastery. The shrine is still located in the monastery, where pilgrims come every year to venerate the wondrous image of the Mother of God.
Trinity-Skanov Monastery - refuge of the Trubchevsk Icon
The Trinity-Skanov Monastery was located in the city of Narovchat and belonged to the Penza diocese.
The monastery is famous for its caves, which are longer in length than the caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The caves in the latter stretch for more than five hundred meters, and in the Trinity-Skanov Monastery - for two kilometers. Monks settled in the caves, leading a hermit life with the blessing of the abbot of the monastery, bearing obedience, performing feats of fasting and prayer, testing themselves and their faith.
The Trubchevsk Icon of the Mother of God performed many miracles, and they were not long in coming. It is a pity that there is no documentary evidence left of the phenomena emanating from the icon - a fire in the monastery took away all the documents stored there.
Miraculous image
Our Lady of Trubchevskaya, according to the testimony of old-timers, in the 19th century saved many people from cholera, the epidemic of which twice overwhelmed Narovchat and its environs. People were in panic. They came to the monks and asked for help. The monks and all the local residents made a procession of the cross, carrying the miraculous image of the Ever-Virgin from the walls of the monastery around the city. The prayers were heard, the Mother of God saw the zeal of the believers. After this, the epidemic stopped, and from then on the monks generally did not know what diseases were. People believed in the miraculous power of the icon. The Trubchevsk Icon of the Mother of God became one of the most revered, and people flocked to it.
Origin
It is a rare case when it is known exactly who painted the image and under what circumstances. The author was Hieromonk Euthymius, who lived in the 17th century. The monk lived in the Cholna Monastery. He donated the icon to the Trinity Monastery in the city of Narovchatov, where it began to be located. Soon, through prayers, the first miracle occurred at the Trubchevskaya icon. The epidemic began, it was decided to make a religious procession. The monks surrounded the city with the image, and the disease stopped.
- The Virgin Mary and Child are crowned.
- In her right hand the Mother of God holds a scepter.
- With her left hand she supports Christ, and she also holds the orb.
- Jesus hugs his Mother's neck with his right hand, his left hand rests on the orb.
- The appearance of the omophorion dressed by the Queen of Heaven is unusual - it is embroidered with floral patterns, light on a dark background. Christ is wearing royal robes.
The Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God shows all the glory that the Virgin Mary was awarded in the heavenly abodes. Having ascended to heaven, she was crowned by the Lord Himself. All three persons of the Holy Trinity agreed that Saint Mary was worthy to become the mother of the Lord. In glory before God, according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, even the heavenly armies, which do not have a sinful human nature, cannot compare with it.
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The Mother of God became the foundation on which the Savior grew up - this is indicated by the position of the Baby, He stands leaning on the Mother. Together they hold the symbol of power as they reside together in heaven, praised by saints and angals.
When was the temple built in honor of the icon
Not far from the burial site of those who died from the cholera invasion, people grateful for the salvation built a temple in honor of the Trubchevskaya Mother of God. The temple was consecrated on October 3, old style, October 16, new style, 1853. Since then, the Trubchevskaya icon has been especially revered on this day. Believers, gathering in church, remember how the Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God helps people. An akathist is read in honor of her on this day. During its history, the image has gone through a lot. But by God’s will the icon has survived to this day.
Hard tests
The power of the Bolsheviks was a test for many people, especially believers. The Red Army soldiers plundered and closed churches, destroyed everything that was connected with religion.
The Trinity-Skanov Monastery did not escape this fate, and with it the miraculous image of the Mother of God. In the 30s of the twentieth century, the new government closed the monastery, organizing a poultry farm in it. The caves, which were once inhabited by hermit monks, were blown up. There are only 600 meters left from the two-kilometer caves. All the furnishings were looted, and the Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God was turned into a stand for museum exhibits in the regional local history museum of A.I. Kuprina. All the precious decoration was removed from the icon. And, of course, no one cared about the safety of the miraculous canvas; they even placed indoor flowers on the holy image. In 1975, they made another inventory in the museum and wrote that the Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God was lost. But 18 years later, thanks to the search for missing museum values, the image of the Virgin Mary, painted in Trubchevsk, was found in the storerooms of the same museum.
The miraculous return of an icon
When the Mother of God Trubchevskaya returned to the Trinity-Skanov Monastery (in 1993), three lists were made from her. One day they decided to photograph the miraculous image.
According to the memoirs of journalist V.A. For Polyakov, who was in the church at the time, the day turned out to be unusually cloudy. The clouds covered the entire sky, leaving not a single gap. The corner in which the icon hung was barely illuminated by a lamp. The visitor, taking a camera and pointing the lens at the icon, decided that, although it was hopeless to take high-quality photographs, she still needed to try. Suddenly, sunlight poured into the lattice window located under the very dome of the temple, illuminating the image of the Ever-Virgin so that it sparkled with colors, and the halo above the head of the Virgin Mary lit up. Only two or three photographs were taken before the sun disappeared again behind impenetrable clouds. Everyone who was present at that moment unanimously decided that the icon was rejoicing in its return to the temple. By the way, it was Polyakov - not only a journalist, but also a local historian - who did everything possible to ensure that the icon was found. Of course, after careless handling of it during the years of Soviet power, the icon was badly damaged, it was all covered with mold, the board and canvas were crumpled. But the miraculous icon was restored in the Holy Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The restoration lasted nine long months. But the image was brought back to life.
Our Lady of Trubchevskaya works miracles again
At first, the miracles emanating from the icon were simply a legend. But faith, the Trubchev Icon of the Mother of God, prayer - fervent, with a contrite heart - do their job.
Today, like many decades ago, many people are saved by the grace of the Queen of Heaven. The Trubchevskaya icon helps to overcome illnesses and misfortunes. The only difference is that before it was cholera, and now it is no less terrible tuberculosis, cancer and many other diseases. There are no such queues for this icon as for the Matrona of Moscow, but behind the glass on a chain there are so many gold jewelry brought in gratitude for prolongation of life or the birth of a child, for salvation from death or deliverance from addiction. Each product is evidence of a miracle created through prayer to the Mother of God.
The first of the modern miracles occurred in the early 2000s. The mother of a four-year-old girl told the abbot of the monastery that her daughter did not speak, to which she received advice to pray at the miraculous face of the Mother of God. The woman prayed, then her daughter was anointed with oil from the lamp burning near the icon. A few days later, the girl’s mother reported that the baby began to speak.
How does the Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God help?
The shrine became famous for its numerous miracles. It is impossible to list them all, but the people who turned to the Mother of God talk about many things. If you believe this evidence, the Trubchevskaya icon helps in the following situations:
- in case of serious illnesses, it grants recovery;
- relieves drug and alcohol addiction;
- gives birth to healthy children;
- helps in resolving severe spiritual sorrows.
It is believed that the miracles performed by the Mother of God should not be told publicly. The great mercy that the Heavenly Queen bestows should be kept secret.
Contemporary evidence of the miraculous icon
The nuns of the Trinity-Skanova Monastery can remember many stories of parishioners who were helped by the Trubchevskaya icon. The prayer of the icon by a resident of Penza, who was discharged from the cancer center with the last stage of cancer, has given her the opportunity to come to the monastery for more than seven years, falling with gratitude to the face of the Mother of God and replenishing oil reserves, all from the same lamp that illuminates the Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God .
What else do they pray for when standing before the miraculous face? For example, an aunt living in the city of Saransk came to the monastery to pray for her niece from America. Then a powerful hurricane hit the state in which the niece’s house was located, wiping out, as it turned out later, an entire city from the face of the earth. But one house still survived - the house of that same niece on a piece of land with a radius of ten meters. What is this if not a miracle? This is a miracle that was accomplished by the Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God, prayer and faith.
And the nuns can also remember the story about a mother and a drug addict daughter from a Protestant sect. The exhortations of the abbess of the monastery to confess and receive unction did not convince them. The women said that only when they see the miracle with their own eyes will they believe. After these words, the daughter’s legs became so swollen that she could not move, and when the girl went through the sacrament of unction, the swelling went away on its own. A few years later, this girl returned to the monastery without her mother, but with her husband and beautiful daughter.
Prayer before the Trubchevsky Icon of the Mother of God
“Oh, Most Pure Lady, peace to the Intercessor, Mother of All! Look mercifully at Your people approaching with fear, falling with faith and love before Your miraculous icon. Hear the much-painful sighing of our souls, look down upon us from Thy holy height. We are immersed in sins and overwhelmed by sorrows, looking at Your honest image, as if You were alive and living with us, we offer humble prayers from the depths of believing hearts to You, Lady. We pray to You on our knees: do not turn Your face away from those who come running to You, be the Intercessor and Patroness for us, sinners, before God and His righteous anger for our iniquities, which is brought upon us, will soon soften and turn away. Just as you once had mercy on the people of the land of Scanova who resorted to Your protection and delivered them from a deadly plague. So, deliver us all, who pray to You with faith, from the falls of sin, from the slander of evil people, from the temptations of the world and temptations, sorrows and troubles, and from sudden death. Enlighten and teach us to walk without blemish along the path of this earthly life, put into our hearts the spirit of the fear of God, the spirit of piety, the spirit of meekness, humility, patience, unforgettable malice, soften our evil hearts, send down zeal for our souls and for the salvation of the blessed. Grant to all of us who pray to You the Christian end of our lives and a good answer at the Last Judgment of Christ. We entrust our belly to Your protection and providence, and joyfully and always sing to You with all the saints: Rejoice, Most Gracious, Rejoice, Delighted, Rejoice, Most Blessed, Rejoice, Most Blessed, forever. Amen".
Fri, 15 Oct 2022 15:29:25 +0300
Golaeva Irina
Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God: where is it located?
Returning to the Trinity-Skanov Monastery, the icon still occupies a place of honor there. Not only residents of Russia, but also believers from other countries come to pray to the icon.
Our Lady of Trubchevskaya enjoys special veneration among Catholics. The image of the Virgin Mary in a crown is atypical for Orthodoxy, but a common phenomenon among Catholics. Due to the constant change of affiliation with one state or another in the 14th-18th centuries, Trubchevsk and other settlements in this area were exposed to Western Christian culture. Apparently, this is where Our Lady’s crown comes from. In Trubchevsk itself, even before the revolution, there were several copies of the Trubchevsk icon. Many pilgrims passed and still pass through the monastery where the icon is located. This shrine is revered in many countries of the world.
To believe in God or not to believe, of course, is everyone’s business. But, regardless of the faith of each person, miracles sent in the form of healings, salvation from death, through prayers to certain icons, have occurred and will continue to occur. When faced with similar cases, which cannot be explained in any way except for the help of higher powers - the Lord, the Most Holy Theotokos and other saints - a person says that this is a miracle. Even atheists are beginning to think about the existence of God. The Trubchevskaya Icon of the Mother of God, like other miraculous icons, helps people gain and strengthen their faith.
Description and meaning of the Trubchevskaya icon
Art historians attribute the Trubchev icon to the Hodegetria type. In position, this is a half-length image of the Virgin Mary with the Child Christ. In terms of composition and details, the image correlates with a 17th-century engraving created by Vasily Andreev. The engraving copied the famous image of the Mother of God “Unfading Color”.
The Mother of God is depicted wearing a crown, with a scepter and an orb. The robes of the Most Pure One and Christ are decorated with floral patterns. Flowers also decorate the sphere around the Mother of God. On the sides of the sphere are written texts glorifying God and the Heavenly Queen. The composition combines dark shades of blue, green, black and light tones of red, white and gold.
The tender and merciful Mother of God turns her face to her son. Despite the royal regalia, the viewer sees a loving mother. The beautiful flowers surrounding Her emphasize this meek, affectionate look of the Heavenly Queen, filled with kindness and mercy. Christ is depicted in adolescence. He looks at the Virgin Mary with love and hugs her neck.
