Prayer to the Mother of God “Mammal-Nurser” for the gift of milk

When does it help? Situations

How does the Mammal icon help?
Reviews write that, according to legend, she helps pregnant women carrying a child, nursing mothers about preserving the health of a born child and the nutritional value of breast milk, girls dreaming of the happiness of motherhood, men about acquiring a family and an heir. The joy of a woman from breastfeeding her own child, and not from artificial formula, is touching. Also, how does the icon of the Mother of God “Mammal” help? It helps with the child’s illnesses, with painful weaning of the baby, when the amount of milk has decreased or health problems have appeared in wives who have been relieved of their burden. Requests and prayers before the holy face of the Virgin Mary are consolation and hope for those who suffer.

How does the “Mammal” icon (its photo is presented in the article) help when making prayers? Let's look at possible situations:

Obtaining protection for mother and child during the breastfeeding period.
Help in healing a sick baby.
A request for a pain-free birth.
Healing for women's diseases.
Diseases of the mammary glands in a nursing mother.
Getting rid of family troubles.
Cure for infertility in a man or woman.
Forgiveness for forced termination of pregnancy associated with preserving the life of the mother.

The fear of losing a child is the strongest feeling of a mother who carried the baby and put it to her breast, feeding with milk and the spiritual strength given by God to raise the baby. Many problems that plague the path of life constantly threaten the health and happiness of the child, forcing him to seek and ask for help from the power that helped bring the great mystery of birth into reality.

The West at one time revered milk as spiritual nourishment, depicting similar scenes with the wet nurse in jewelry, wall mosaics, and stained glass windows. His cult was also present in Bethlehem, where travelers are shown the cave in which the Savior was born and was nursed by the Mother of God. The value of the milk that a woman gives to her child after birth is a divine sacrament.

Meaning in Orthodoxy

The Icon of the Mother of God “Mammal” has a double meaning, which is very important for Orthodox believers. 5 centuries after the birth of the Savior, the movement of Monophysitism appeared in Christianity, which refuted the physical essence of the Son of God.

Monophysites argued that Jesus Christ did not have a real human body of flesh and blood. The Mammal icon became a decisive tool in the fight against heretical trends. The holy image of the Mother of God is close and understandable to any person. It shows the tender care of the Mother for the Baby, their mutual love.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born and nurtured by an earthly woman, which is the cornerstone in Christianity, affirming the dual essence of the Savior.

Images of the Mother of God for prayers for a child

All maternal petitions were heard by the Intercessor. Therefore, Christians in Rus' have always revered the Mother of God. To this day, the holy image is hung over children’s beds. Young women pray for a long-awaited pregnancy, a safe birth, and a healthy baby. Most often, petitions came to the most revered icons:

Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Helper in Childbirth” - helps with labor pains, assists expectant mothers during childbirth, and helps to bear a healthy baby.
Icon “Tikhvin” - the Mother of God blesses newborns, giving them health and peace. Protects from the negativity of the environment. Strengthens the relationship between children and parents.
The “Mammal” icon is a respected image in Italy, in front of which mothers pray for the health of their babies.

The new image of the Virgin Mary, “Addition of Mind,” was painted in the 17th century. From that moment on, it became a good tradition to pray to the icon for schoolchildren and students. The Mother of God will guide the child to acquire new knowledge; learning will be easy and interesting.

Many parents of disobedient and “difficult” children turn to the image “Education” with prayers to the Virgin Mary for their children. This icon is located in St. Petersburg in the Kazan Cathedral.

The Mother of God protects children from misfortune. The image “Savior of Drowning People” will save you from bad weather.

“Akhtyrskaya” is an icon of the Mother of God about the future of a child, about the life structure. Before her they pray for the blessing of the children, so that their life will be easy and comfortable.

Reading rules

Since the text of the akathist written to the “Mammal” icon is quite long, the Orthodox Church does not prohibit reading it from a piece of paper. Before starting a prayer appeal to the Mother of God, you should definitely purchase an icon and read the akathist while looking at it. In the last stages of bearing a baby, it is difficult for a pregnant girl to stand on her feet for a long time, so in this case it is allowed to read the prayer while sitting.

Also, the akathist “To the Mammal” can be read by close relatives of a pregnant woman if the expectant mother is not feeling well and she cannot do it on her own. It is recommended to start reading the text even before the baby is born.

If, after turning to the Mother of God, the birth was successful and the mother has enough milk to feed her baby, it is necessary to visit an Orthodox church and thank the intercessor by ordering a special prayer service from the priest in honor of the Queen of Heaven.

Icon “Mammal” of the Mother of God, meaning and what it helps with

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The joy of motherhood is quite often accompanied by a number of problems and difficulties that a young mother faces. The original calling of a woman was to give birth and feed her child. The intercessor of the mother-nurse is the Image of the Mother of God “Mammal.”

The Mammal Icon of the Mother of God is an image of a woman breastfeeding a baby. Not a single icon, except this one, reveals the sacred sacrament - a mother feeding her child - the Mother of God feeding her son, His Holiness Jesus Christ. The greatest sacrament in the world is feeding a child, for which every mother is ready to do anything in order to realize the ability given by God to feed her baby.

The meaning of the Mammal icon

Many clergy and scientists tried to describe the image of the Mother of God, the meaning and symbolism that she hides within herself. She is a helper, she is an intercessor, she is a patroness, she is a rare icon of iconography.

Mother's milk is the greatest value that every woman can give after the birth of a baby. The Mother of God feeds her child, Jesus, performing an incredible, secret sacrament.

This shrine is classified as one of the most ancient images. Initially, it was kept for a long time in the Holy Place - Jerusalem, in the Church of the Sanctified Laurus Sava. Then, it was transported to Mount Athos, to the Church of the Karelian Kelia of the Hilandar Monastery.

There are a large number of miraculous lists from the image of the Virgin Mary, which are truly magical, they work miracles. Mandatory symbols inherent in all lists of shrines are the image of the moon and the sun.

According to legend, every woman who is going to become a mother should have such a face, then she will experience only the joy of motherhood, without knowing unnecessary troubles and troubles, and breastfeeding will not cause the slightest worry.

What does the “Mammal” icon help with?

As a rule, pregnant girls turn to the Mother of God in the form of a nursing mother for a blessing for the successful feeding of their unborn baby, as well as those who have given birth and who, for some reason, have problems with feeding the baby. This shrine helps in the following situations:

Every pregnant woman who wants to feed her treasure – her child – turns to the Queen of Heaven.
The image of the Mother is an intercessor. People turn to her to heal illnesses in children.
The prayer of the Mother of God “Mammal” helps mothers with diseases of the mammary glands, gynecological diseases, and also helps to easily endure childbirth. It’s not for nothing that they say that when you go “to childbirth”, put an icon of the Virgin Mary in the pocket of your robe or shirt and the birth will be painless.
Mothers and babies always receive the strongest protection and protection from the Virgin Mary.
They also turn to the Mother of God for help in family problems, in order to find mutual understanding and peace of mind; they say that she gives everyone who asks “milk of the soul.”

Icon of the Mother of God “Mammal” what do they pray for?

Like any image, the Mammal icon requires respect, sincere prayer, and pure thoughts. Standing in front of the image, it is imperative to think about the problem that worries you and, with all the purity of your soul, read the prayer to the Mother of God “Mammal.” And it sounds like this:

Where is

The most revered image is located on Mount Athos in the north of Eastern Greece, in the Church of Karelian Kelia. In the capital of Russian cities - Moscow, this face can be found in the Epiphany Cathedral and in the Church of St. Nicholas, and on the territory of Ukraine, in the beautiful city of Odessa, a list of the holy face is kept in the Holy Dormition Monastery. Next to the image in the Odessa church, there is a rare shrine - part of the most holy robe of Jesus Christ.

God bless you!

You will also be interested in watching a film about this miraculous icon:

What is the power of an image?

In the icon you can see the Mother of God breastfeeding the newborn Christ. They are depicted with the inscriptions Sun and Moon. There are interpretations with mirror reflections and other symbolism. Angels place a crown on the head of the Virgin Mary.

The method of depiction refers to post-Byzantine painting. The faces are painted in two dense layers: a preparatory dark tone of sankir and light pink ocher.

The golden crown has decorations made of stones and crosses, and transparent glaze paints are used. The clothes of the Virgin Mary and Christ are painted with gold, silver and red-orange colors. The green chitons depict floral patterns in gold and silver tones. On the Maforia of the Virgin Mary, a ribbon with a letter ornament runs along the border.

Milk Grotto in Bethlehem

The icon has decorations in the form of votive overlays in silver and gilded colors:

crown of Our Lady;
halos;
cuffs;
stars of Bethlehem;
2 cartouches.

According to legend, this image was kept 18 miles from Jerusalem in the monastery of Saint Sava. On his deathbed, he predicted the coming of a Serbian pilgrim with the same name as his. As a blessing, he is given the icon of the Mother of God “Mammal.”

Saint Sava died in the 6th century, and his prediction came true in the 13th century. Archbishop Sava came to Palestine, the monks gave him the image of the Mother of God and the icon of the “Three-Handed Woman”. On his way to Serbia, he visited the Hilendar monastery, which he himself founded on Mount Athos. There Saint Sava left the icon of the Mother of God “Mammal” as a gift. The image is kept there today.

There are legends about miraculous lists. In Russia, the most famous image is the one found in the village of Krestogorsk in 1650. The miraculous lists from Moscow and Odessa, Greece, and Jerusalem are also famous.

The day of veneration of the icon is January 25. On this date, traditional celebrations of the face are held in churches.

Kazan Icon of the Mother of God: history

July 21 is the day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

1579 White mercilessly scorching sun, dust in a column on the roads of Kazan. Dust and ashes from a recent fire - a terrible fire burned here a week ago. It started near the Church of St. Nicholas and spread to the Kazan Kremlin. For long hours the glow blazed, women were wailing, children were crying - but how will it spread to the houses, what will happen?! And many laughed maliciously - where was your God that the church burned down? Apparently, all your priests are lying - it was so blazing. And what do you say to this? And it’s true that many in those days doubted their faith - maybe God didn’t like that they were turning to Christ from Islam? “The Faith of Christ,” says the chronicler, “has become a byword and a reproach”...

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In that fire, many families were left homeless, but there was nothing to do, no one would return what was burned, and they had to build soon - in time for winter. The archer Daniil Onuchin, among other fire victims, was in a hurry to complete the construction. Daniel had a daughter, Matrona. Parental sorrows were less understandable to her - for children even a fire is quite funny - so much remains after - where the glass is beautiful, where the pebble is unprecedented. Only in the evening, when you go to bed, do you remember that after the fire everything is different, unusual.

Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

One night Matryosha woke up from something unprecedented - the Mother of God Herself, the Most Holy Theotokos, appeared to her in a dream. And she didn’t just appear, but commanded to get Her icon out of the ground. It shone with a bright light - and the girl woke up. You still have dreams and visions, you imagine everything, all your miracles are endless - the skeptic reading these lines will say. And it will anticipate our story, because this is exactly how the family answered nine-year-old Matryosha. “Dreams sometimes come from God, but only saints have visions, so it’s better not to attach importance to dreams,” the parents said. And they were right. But that dream was still a vision, because it was repeated a second time and on the third night. Then the parents decided to check the girl’s words.

Matryosha and her mother went to the place where, as the girl remembered from the dream, the icon should have been located. We started digging. Even deeper, even more - is it really her! And sure enough – an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. They cleared it of dust and earth... But how did it end up there? Apparently, long ago the secret confessors of Christianity in the camp of other faiths hid the icon of the Queen of Heaven in this way. The news of the miraculous discovery of the icon flew faster than the fastest bird, and now the priests of the surrounding churches are rushing to this wondrous place, Archbishop Jeremiah, reverently accepting the icon, solemnly transfers it to the church of St. Nicholas, from where, after a prayer service, she was transferred with a procession to the Annunciation Cathedral - the first Orthodox church in the city of Kazan, erected by Ivan the Terrible. It immediately became clear that the icon was miraculous - already during the religious procession, two Kazan blind men regained their sight. We even know their names: Joseph and Nikita.

And those who just a few days ago mocked the Orthodox faith, embarrassedly hurried to the icon - with requests - Queen of Heaven, help, enlighten, heal!

These miracles were the first in a long list of miracles and healings. The story of the discovery of the icon so impressed Tsar Ivan the Terrible that he ordered the construction of the Kazan Cathedral and the founding of a convent. There, after some time, Matrona and her mother took monastic vows.

The image of the Kazan Most Holy Theotokos is similar in type to the icons of Hodegetria - the Guide, and indeed, she more than once showed the right path to many of our compatriots. So, with the Kazan Icon, the militia moved to Moscow, liberating the city from the impostors of the Time of Troubles. In the besieged Kremlin at that time, Archbishop Arseny of Elasson (later Archbishop of Suzdal; † 1626; April 13), who had arrived from Greece and was seriously ill from shocks and experiences, was in captivity at that time. At night, Saint Arseny’s cell suddenly illuminated with Divine light, he saw St. Sergius of Radonezh (July 5 and September 25), who said: “Arseny, our prayers have been heard; through the intercession of the Mother of God, God’s judgment on the Fatherland was transferred to mercy; "Tomorrow Moscow will be in the hands of the besiegers and Russia will be saved." The next day Kitay-Gorod was liberated, and 2 days later the Kremlin.

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Kazan Cathedral. Moscow.

What does prayer in front of an image help with and what does it protect against?

Rice. 8. In front of the “Mammals” icon they most often pray for a successful birth and feeding of the baby. But also, knowing the deeper theological meaning of the image, they turn to it in other life situations.

Pregnant women pray for a prosperous future feeding of the Baby.
They ask the Mother of God for the health of children and healing from illnesses.
Helps women with infertility to conceive and give birth to a healthy child.
Pregnant women also pray for an “easy birth” and the birth of a healthy child.
Helps women with breast and gynecological diseases.
The Mother of God is the patroness of mothers and babies, from whom they receive protection and help in every matter.
Helps build family relationships, bestows love, harmony and mutual understanding between spouses.
Helps to improve spiritually and fight passions.
Helps to comprehend the word of God and follow it, gaining Eternal Life.

How it appeared

There are several versions on this matter. The veneration of Saint Mary nursing the Child has very ancient origins. In any case, this is completely true for the Western church, because Russia adopted Christianity much later than the rest of the world (almost a thousand years later). In Rome, wall images dating back to the mid-2nd century were found, where the Virgin Mary places the Child to her breast.

In Egypt there was a cult of veneration of Isis feeding little Horus. However, Christian veneration has nothing in common with pagan veneration. The “Mammal” icon personifies complete mutual trust between people and God, who created the entire universe, their closest connection. Whereas paganism is a simple exchange of offerings for the “services” of various gods.

In the West, mosaics and decorations with a similar plot are also known. One of Da Vinci's most famous paintings is the Madonna feeding Jesus (“Litta”). In the 7th century. there was even a cult of the milk of the Virgin Mary: pilgrims are shown the cave in Bethlehem where Christ was born (accordingly, there his Mother fed him). Now there is a church owned by Catholics.

In the middle of the 16th century. The Catholic Council banned the depiction of naked bodies, as a result the number of icons where the Virgin Mary feeds her Son decreased.

How to arrange an image in the house

It is customary to place an icon in a house in a corner, on the eastern side of the house/apartment, as is customary in the Orthodox tradition. For the image, a shelf is attached to the wall, the size of which depends on the number of icons in the home iconostasis. When there are several images, the image of the holy face of the Savior is installed in the center. The image of the Mother of God is always placed on the right side of the icon of Jesus Christ or the Holy Trinity.

There should be no household items near the iconostasis and icons: televisions, computers, bookshelves, flower pots, paintings. A towel embroidered with Orthodox symbols is used as decoration. The place where the holy image is located must be accessible for caring for the icon (keeping it clean and tidy).

How to pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary correctly

To enlist the support of the Higher Powers, it is advisable to visit the church shop in advance and buy the “Mammal” icon there. After all, during postpartum troubles and worries, there may not be enough energy and time for this. Some people do not experience difficulties with breastfeeding until a certain point, but stress and fatigue provoke illness. In this case, it is not too late to turn to the Mother of God with a request for help.

During prayer, traditional Christian ritual rules are observed. Before you begin, you need to cover your head with a scarf, light a lamp in front of the images, and read a short introductory rule. While reading sacred texts, signs of the cross and bows are made.

Special prayers to the “Mammal Mother” can be read daily. If a woman responsibly follows Christian norms, then these texts can be included in the morning or evening rule. You don't have to pray at home. If the church that a Christian woman visits has this icon, then you can pray and light a candle here. The frequency of turning to the Mother of God depends on the desires and needs of the woman. There are no strict prohibitions.

Description of the icon

"Mammal" is the only Christian icon in which the Virgin Mary is depicted as a woman breastfeeding a child. The Greek name for this image is Galactotrophus.

As you can see in the photo, the shrine looks very touching and unusual:

The icon depicts the moment in which the Queen of Heaven carefully holds the Son of God in her hands and breastfeeds him.
The Virgin Mary is often depicted wearing a crown and a blue or green maforia, denoting her earthly origin.
In some versions of the painting, the Baby squeezes his own leg with his small child's hand.
Behind the Virgin Mary are often depicted the Sun and the Moon, an adult Jesus Christ, and saints, which could be Nicholas the Wonderworker or John the Baptist.

Some historians and art critics see a connection between the images of the Mammal and the Egyptian goddess Isis, who was also painted while feeding her little son. At the same time, the Christian church denies the connection between them, since the image of Isis is pagan.

History of the image

The Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Mammal" (in Greek - "Galactotrophus" is also called the Hilandar "Typikarnitsa".

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Rice. 2.The first image of the Mother of God “Mammal” appeared in the 5th century on Athos.

This image ends up with the Monk Sava the Sanctified (439-532), who founded the Lavra near Jerusalem, which later began to bear his name. Saint Sava the Sanctified, departing to the Lord, said that this miraculous image of the Mother of God would need to be given to a person of royal origin who would visit this Lavra, his name would be the same as his.

What St. Savva said came true in the 18th century. This man turned out to be Saint Sava of Serbia, who was the son of the Serbian Grand Duke Stefan Nemanja. According to the will of Saint Sava, he was given the image of the “Mammal Mother”, as well as the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Three-Handed”.

When Saint Sava was returning from Palestine to his homeland, he visited the Hilandar monastery on Mount Athos, which he himself founded. The saint transfers the icon into the ownership of the monastery, where it remains to this day.

Rice. 3. Wanting to show the significance of the miraculous Face, the saint places it on the iconostasis of the temple not on the left side of the Royal Doors, but on the right, instead of the icon of the Savior. He places the icon of the Savior to the left of the Gate.

The church where the holy image is kept later began to be called Typikarnitsa, because the special charter of St. Sava of Serbia is kept there.

Later they began to make copies of the icon, which also became famous for many miracles. The most famous of them are in Russia (Moscow and Odessa), Greece and Mount Athos. In our country, such miraculous lists appeared thanks to St. Gabriel of Athos.

Rice. 4. One of these lists is kept in the Elokhovsky Epiphany Cathedral in Moscow.

There is an inscription on the icon: “This holy icon was written and consecrated on the Holy Mount Athos in the skete of the holy prophet Elijah and is sent as a gift and blessing to the reigning city of Moscow to the Church of the Epiphany, which is on the Field of Elohov. In unforgettable memory of the 2-month stay in this temple of the miraculous image of the Most Holy Theotokos “Mammal,” which belonged to the above-mentioned monastery when Archimandrite Gabriel was its rector. 1894."

Rice. 5. The Odessa copy of the “Mammal,” which was also brought by Saint Gabriel of Athos, resides in the Holy Dormition Monastery.

Another miraculous image of the “Mammal” was found in 1650 on a tree in the Krestogorsk tract near Minsk. At the site of the appearance of this icon, the Assumption Church was subsequently built.

Rice. 6. This miraculous icon is placed above the Royal Doors. And in order for anyone praying to venerate it, a special mechanism was installed by which it goes down.

The icon became famous for its many miracles, through prayers before which believers received healing from various ailments, received help in various needs and deliverance from troubles and misfortunes.

Origin story

The first image of the Virgin Mary breastfeeding the baby Jesus dates back to the beginning of the 2nd century. An ancient fresco was discovered in an early Christian underground burial in Rome. At the beginning of the 2nd millennium, there was a family cemetery of noble Romans here.

The representative of the family, Priscilla Glabaria, was a secret follower of the teachings of Christ. By order of Emperor Domitian, she was executed. On the walls of the catacombs in her honor there were images of the Mother of God with the Child and the Prophet, and the adoration of the Magi.

The second ancient center of the cult of the Blessed Virgin Mary was the Coptic Church. Artists of the early Christian community borrowed the plot from the ancient Egyptians, who depicted the goddess Isis breastfeeding the god Horus (god of the sky and sun). Frescoes based on the Mammal theme have been preserved in the ruins of the Coptic monasteries of St. Jeremiah and Apollonius of Egypt.

Coptic images became the basis for Western European and Byzantine icon painters. The cover of the French Gospel (Metz) and mosaic panels of the 9th-13th centuries in Ravenna, Tuscany, and Florence are made in a similar style. The first Mammal icon on wood was made at the end of the 14th century by the painter Barnaba da Modena.

The Council of Trent of the Catholic Church (in the middle of the 16th century) prohibited the depiction of a naked body on icons, which caused the disappearance of holy images of the breastfeeding Virgin Mary in the Western Church.

The most famous Orthodox holy image of the Mother of God “Mammal” was located in the Lavra of Saint Sava near Jerusalem. According to his will, the miraculous icon was given in the 13th century to Saint Sava, a descendant of the Serbian Grand Duke.

Savva the Serbian transported the “Mammal” icon to Saint Athos and installed it in the iconostasis of the Hilendar monastery. Miraculous lists were made from it, one of which is located in Russia (Moscow).

Ikos 7

The new saint Savva, the saint of the Serbian land, came to the ancient monastery and received the holy icon according to his words and brought it to Mount Athos to the Hilandar monastery, and all its inhabitants joyfully cried out to the Lady of the world:

Rejoice, you who always provide for us sinners.

Rejoice, you who forget us sinners.

Rejoice, renewing Your mercy a thousandfold in Your holy, miraculous icons.

Rejoice, now pouring out a new sign of Your bounties.

Rejoice, having loved those who love and honor Thee dearly.

Rejoice, you who never put those who pray to shame.

Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.

Song 5

Irmos: Enlighten us with Your commandments, O Lord, and with Your high arm grant us Your peace, O Lover of Mankind.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Enlighten us, darkened by our sins, Lady, with the radiance of God’s grace and grant us to purely see Your holy icon and reverently contemplate on it the miracle of miracles, this is the Creator of the universe, like a Child, nourished from Your breast.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Enlightenment and salvation of those who hope in Thee, O Virgin Mother of God, grace our thoughts worthy to glorify Thee and sing Thy miracles, even from Thy icon, called the Mammal, Thou hast shown and continues to show for our consolation and salvation.

Glory:

Having enlightened the sky with the sun and the foundation of the earth, having established His Word, the Creator of all things in Thy womb, O Most Pure One, was not closely combined and from Thy breast, like a Child, was nourished, but to us Thy holy icon is the source of miracles, bestowed upon us.

And now:

Having been enlightened by Divine grace, the abode of the great prophet and God-seer Elijah, having received Your icon, the Lady of God, as our inheritance, we also honor You with due worship, and we silently please You, our Representative, in songs.

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before Her Mammal Icon

O Most Holy Lady our Lady Theotokos, our Heavenly Queen, who nourished us with the milk of Christ our God and nourished us unworthy and sinful with Your rich mercy, save and deliver us, Your sinful servants, from vain slander, from all misfortune and misfortune and sudden death. Have mercy on us in the daytime hours, in the morning and evening hours, and at all times, protect us standing and sitting, and cover and intercede on all the paths of those who walk and in the night hours of those sleeping. Protect us, Lady Theotokos, from all our enemies, visible and invisible, and from every evil situation. In every place and at every time, be for us, Mother of Grace, an insurmountable wall and strong intercession, always, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Song 8

Irmos: Praise and extol the Heavenly King, Whom all the Angels sing, praise and extol forever.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Thou hast incarnated the King of Heaven and earth, O Mother of God, from Thy virgin blood, from Thy virgin blood Thou hast drawn forth the purple of His flesh, and as a Child from Thy breast of That mammal, the true God and Man, praised and exalted for all ages.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

To our Most Blessed Queen and Intercessor, Most Holy Mother of the Lord of the Highest Powers, with them pray Him diligently to grant peace and fruitfulness of the earth and to all of us health and salvation, may we praise and exalt Him to all ages.

Glory:

The Kingdom and Dominion are given to You, Mother of God Mary, Your Son and God, who reign with Him forever and cover the people redeemed by His honest Blood, who glorify Your much-sung name and with faith worship Your miraculous image, the Mammal, praising and exalting the Lord who glorified You in eyelids.

And now:

The King of Heaven's disembodied servant is horrified, O Mother of God, by the depth of Your secrets, and the demons are confused by Your icon, called the Mammal, to which we bow, honoring Thee, the Mother of God.

Prayer when feeding B. M. Mammal Nurse

Breastfeeding is the most important moment in a baby's development! The baby receives in mother's milk absolutely everything he needs for healthy and proper growth. Therefore, it is so necessary to feed the baby with mother's milk.

True, mothers often have difficulty producing milk, and then the Most Holy Theotokos Herself can come to the rescue if you offer Her a fervent prayer in front of Her “Mammal-Nursing” icon!

They also pray in front of this wondrous icon during difficult births and for the health of babies.

Without seed from the Divine Spirit, by the will of the Father you conceived the Son of God, from the Father without a mother before the ages, but for our sake you were from You without a father, you gave birth to the flesh and you nourished the Child with milk, and do not cease to pray that our souls be delivered from troubles.

Prayer before the icon of the Mother of God “Mammal”

Accept, Lady Theotokos, the tearful prayers of Your servants who flow to You. We see You on the holy icon, carrying in your arms and feeding with milk Your Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Even if you gave birth to Him painlessly, and even more so, you weighed the maternal sorrows and infirmities of the sons and daughters of human beings. With the same warmth falling upon Thy whole-bearing image and tenderly kissing this, we pray to Thee, All-Merciful Lady: we, sinners, condemned to give birth to sickness and nourish our children in sorrow, mercifully spare and compassionately intercede, but our babies, who also gave birth to them, from the grave deliver from illness and bitter sorrow. Grant them health and well-being, and their nourishment will increase in strength, and those who feed them will be filled with joy and consolation, for even now, through Your intercession from the mouth of a baby and those who piss, the Lord will bring His praise. O Mother of the Son of God! Have mercy on the mother of the sons of men and on Your weak people: quickly heal the illnesses that befall us, quench the sorrows and sorrows that are upon us, and do not despise the tears and sighs of Your servants. Hear us on the day of sorrow who fall before Your icon, and on the day of joy of deliverance, accept the grateful praise of our hearts. Offer our prayers to the throne of Your Son and our God, may He be merciful to our sin and weakness and add His mercy to those who lead His Name, as we and our children glorify You, the merciful Intercessor and the true hope of our race, forever and ever. . Amen.

Second prayer before the icon of the Mother of God “Mammal”

O Most Holy Lady our Lady Theotokos, our Heavenly Queen, who nourished us with the milk of Christ our God, and feed us unworthy and many sinners with your rich mercy. Save and deliver us, Thy sinful servants, from vain slander, from all misfortune and misfortune and sudden death. Have mercy on us in the hours of the day, in the morning and in the evening, and at all times, protect us: protect us who stand, those who sit, and protect and protect those who walk on all paths, and protect and protect those who sleep in the night hours. Protect us, Lady Theotokos, from all our enemies, visible and invisible, and from every evil situation. In every place and at every time, be for us, Mother of Grace, an insurmountable wall and strong intercession, always, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us!

There were 2 comments left on the entry “Prayer while feeding B. M. Mammal Nurse.”

Good day. Would you like to clarify how to correctly read prayers at home? Robe, do you need a scarf, should you light a candle, in what body position?

Thank you and I apologize for my ignorance

When praying at home, in front of icons, it is advisable for a woman to wear a headscarf. A handkerchief is, of course, not necessary, but it is desirable, since a handkerchief on the head puts you in a prayerful mood. The same goes for lighting a candle. A warm lamp and a candle put us in a prayerful mood. You must pray before God and His Holy Saints while standing, but if your health does not allow you to stand for a long time, then, as an exception, you can sit.

We advise you to study What does the word “amen” mean in Orthodoxy?

Song 6

Irmos: I will pour out a prayer to the Lord and to Him I will proclaim my sorrows, for my soul is filled with evil and my stomach is approaching hell, and I pray like Jonah: from aphids, O God, lift me up.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Numerous prayers are offered up here, before the icon of the Lady, when this was brought to Orthodox Russia from the Holy Mountain by the monks of the Ilyinsky Monastery, to the faithful as consolation and endless joy.

Most Holy Theotokos, save us.

Everyone offer your prayer to You with faith and love before Your most pure image, the Most Holy Mother of God, and you will not leave unheard, for you bestow all good things on everyone, as God and the Nourisher of the Nourisher of the universe.

Glory:

We prayerfully glorify You, Most Pure Mammalian, and, falling with love to Your multi-healing image, we kiss this heart and lips, seeing in it the gracious guarantee of Your maternal favor towards us.

And now:

Always pray earnestly, grant us the desire, O Blessing Lady, for all you can, as the Mother and Mammal of the incarnate God, make Him merciful to us through Your omnipotent intercession and do not allow Your servant to perish completely.

Lord have mercy

(
three times
).
Glory, and now:

How does the holy text help believers?

The Mother of God, who is depicted in the icon as a nursing woman, is approached not only after childbirth, when the mother has weak lactation or no milk at all. It is recommended to purchase the image as soon as the girl finds out that she is pregnant, and turn to it with prayers throughout the entire pregnancy.

Reading the akathist to the Mammal icon helps in the following cases:

If the expectant mother plans to independently feed her baby with breast milk, for a long and abundant lactation.
In the case when the baby was born premature, does not breastfeed well, or has some developmental abnormalities.
They also turn to the Mother of God if the woman who gave birth has some pathologies and diseases of the mammary glands, as well as gynecological problems.
Reading the akathist promotes an easy birth without complications.
To bless and protect both the woman who gave birth and her baby.
Prayer to the “Mammal” icon helps a girl find inner peace and tranquility during pregnancy and after the birth of the baby, as well as find mutual understanding in the family with her husband.

Thanks to the patronage of the Queen of Heaven, many women were able to give their newborn baby adequate nutrition without resorting to artificial formula.

History of the icon

The earliest icon of the Mother of God of Mamre was created back in the 5th century. After this, the icon remained in Jerusalem for seven centuries, and then came to Athos. The icon was kept there until the 19th century, after which it came to Curšia, where a special temple was built for prayer in front of it.

Throughout the history of the image, various cases of healing and assistance have been recorded. In particular, among the things in which the icon of Our Lady of the Mammal most often helps, the following can be noted:

recovery from gynecological diseases;
getting pregnant;
eliminating difficulties during pregnancy;
increased milk supply;
easy birth.

Early versions depicted celestial bodies that pointed to the earthly world. In turn, the figures of mother and child also had symbolic meaning; they talked about the spiritual nourishment of believers. After all, the Mother of God sends Her grace to all believers, preserves everyone and helps everyone.

Prayer to the Mammal for the gift of a child and milk

A girl, a woman, a mother... She has so many tasks in life, each of which is incredibly important, deep, and difficult. One of the key facets of the development of femininity is motherhood. And so that pregnancy, childbirth, and feeding the baby occur safely, a woman has the opportunity to turn in prayer to the Ambulance - Our Lady of the Mammal.

Description

The celebration of the icon of the Intercessor Mother-nurse takes place annually on January 25 (new style).

The Prayer of the Mother of God “Mammal-Nursing” is an appeal to a Woman breastfeeding the Divine Infant

It is this shrine that reveals the secret of an important action - feeding a child with mother's milk, which is the most precious gift that a mother can give to a newborn

After all, it has been known since ancient times that this food is the most healing, healthy, nutritious, and that it is breast milk that gives vitality to every baby. Through it, the baby is filled with love, kindness, harmony, milk gives a feeling of security and safety.

According to legend, this image appeared at the dawn of our era (approximately in the 5th-6th centuries) - in the vicinity of Jerusalem. The Lavra of St. Savva the Consecrated was located here.

The icon was of rare workmanship and beauty. And according to the prediction of the abbot of the monastery himself, it should have been transferred as a gift to the Athos Monastery. This happened 7 centuries later – in the 13th century. Just at this time, the Serbian Archbishop named Savva arrived at the Lavra, through whom the Icon of the Mother of God “Mammal” was transferred.

The prayers addressed to her on behalf of many representatives of the fairer sex back in the early centuries helped: real miracles happened.

For example, a woman who did not have children immediately became pregnant, which was resolved by a successful birth; for those who had just given birth, milk began to flow; for women with gynecological problems, everything recovered and was healed. They also prayed to this icon for the health of the children.

This relic was located in the Hilendar Monastery on Mount Athos. Even Saint Sava of Serbia placed it on the right side of the royal gates, and the image of the Almighty on the left.

In the 19th century, the icon was transported to the Kursk province. At the same time, a men's monastery was erected in Tula - the only temple on Russian lands - in honor of the Mammal icon, called the Mother of God Panteleimonovo-Shcheglovsky.

On the sacred original of the “Mammal” icon, in addition to the Mother and Child, symbols of the moon and the sun are also depicted. Many icon painters make copies from it in order to distribute the shrine throughout the Orthodox world. There are samples with a mirror image of the original. But they all bring healing grace and help to every woman who turns to the “Mammal Mother” in prayer.

Information about the icon of the Mother of God MAMMAL

The Icon of the Mother of God “Mammal” is located on Mount Athos, in the church of the Kareis cell of the Hilandar monastery.

Mammal (Athos. Cell from the Hilandar Monastery)

According to legend, this image originally resided in the Lavra of Saint Sava the Consecrated near Jerusalem. Before his death, the venerable Savva bequeathed to the brethren to hand over the icon to a pilgrim of the royal family from Serbia named Savva. This was fulfilled only six centuries later, when the monastery was visited by the first Archbishop of Serbia, Saint Sava, who abandoned their father’s throne for the sake of monasticism. When he prayed at the tomb of Saint Sava, the abbot's staff standing nearby fell to the floor, and the image of the Mother of God bent several times. Considering this as a prophetic sign, the monks handed him the image of the “Mammal” along with another icon, the “Three-Handed Woman”.

On the way from Palestine to Serbia, Saint Sava visited Mount Athos, where he founded the Hilandar monastery and left the Mammal icon as a blessing.

The miraculous discovery of the Russian (Krestogorsk) “Mammal” took place in 1650 - it was discovered on a tall tree 20 versts from the city of Minsk. In 1848, the most famous list came to Russia - miraculous images from the Athos St. Elias Skete. And in 1893, the Venerable Gabriel of Athonite, archimandrite of the St. Elias Skete, gave the miraculous image of the Mother of God “Mammal” to Christians in the south of Russia. In Odessa, at the Ilyinsky Metochion, a temple was built in the name of this icon. In Moscow, its copy in the Church of the Resurrection of the Word is revered as miraculous.

The celebration of the icon of the Mother of God “Mammal” in the Orthodox Church takes place on January 12 (according to the Julian calendar), and on January 25 according to the Gregorian calendar.

The meaning of the Mammal icon

Mother's milk is the greatest value that every woman can give after the birth of a baby. The Mother of God feeds her child, Jesus, performing an incredible, secret sacrament.

Where to venerate the icon

The ancient image is still kept in the Athos Hilandar Monastery. Its miraculous list is there, in the monastery of Elijah the Prophet. Several lists are kept in churches in other countries - Kosovo, Italy, Ukraine (Odessa), Belarus (not far from Minsk and in the capital itself).

In Moscow you can worship her at:

Epiphany Cathedral;
Church of St. Nicholas of Mirliki (Biryulyovo).

Two more significant figures were added to the “Epiphany” list: St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is depicted to the right of the Mammal, and to the left is John, the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord.

In Russia, you can also name the Mother of God Panteleimon Monastery of Shcheglovsky Monastery (Tula), founded in honor of this image, and the Novo-Tikhvin Convent in Yekaterinburg.

Prayer for the gift of a child

The “Mammal Nurse” is also approached with a request to conceive for couples who, for a number of reasons, have been unable to give birth to children for a long time.

The words of this prayer are sincere and simple, but very effective and help many women get pregnant.

It begins with an appeal to the Most Holy Theotokos. Then follows a request for hope to heal the womb, for the manifestation of a trembling desire to give birth to a baby. Give strength and hope for this great Gift. And in response to the request, send a ray of sunshine. Let the gift of motherhood come to hear the cry of your baby.

A request to the Queen of Heaven to hear crying and prayer for healing and revitalization of the womb. So that a living heart and soul would be sent down into him, which wants to be embodied on the earthly plane through the flesh. Let this be for joy and for the prolongation of the human race. Please give happiness, turn and smile with the hope of happiness of motherhood to the one asking. And do not deny the hope of becoming a mother.

And in conclusion, a promise is made of eternal gratitude and prayer for the Omnipotence of the Mother of God and the glorification of Her Name.