Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before the icon of Her “Unexpected Joy” in Russian
Oh, Most Holy Virgin, All-Blessed Son, All-Blessed Mother, Patroness of the city of Moscow, of all who live in sins, sorrows, troubles and illnesses, Faithful to the Representative and Intercessor! Accept this prayer song from us, Thy unworthy servants, offered up to You, and like the sinner of old, every day many times before Thy honest icon who prayed, You did not despise, but granted it This gave him the unexpected joy of repentance and you bowed your Son to the many and zealous towards Him intercession for the forgiveness of this sinner and the lost, so even now do not despise the prayers of us, Thy unworthy servants, and beg Thy Son and our God, and all of us, with faith and tenderness, bowing before in Your wholesome image, bestows unexpected joy for every need: for a sinner mired in the depths of evil and passions - all-effective admonition, repentance and salvation; to those in sorrow and sorrow - consolation; to those who find themselves in troubles and embitterment - complete abundance of these; for the cowardly and unreliable - hope and patience; To those who live in joy and abundance - unceasing thanksgiving to God the Benefactor; to those in need - mercy; for those who are sick and long-term and abandoned by doctors - unexpected healing and strengthening; for those who were waiting for the mind from an illness - the return and renewal of the mind; departing into eternal and endless life - memory of death, tenderness and contrition for sins, a cheerful spirit and firm hope in the mercy of the Judge. Oh, Most Holy Lady! Have mercy on everyone who honors Your honorable name, and show everyone Your all-powerful protection and intercession; abide in piety, purity and honest living until their last death in goodness; create evil blessings; guide those who have gone astray to the right path; Make progress in every good work and that which is pleasing to Your Son; Destroy every evil and ungodly deed; in bewilderment and difficult and dangerous circumstances, those who find invisible help and admonition are sent down from Heaven; save from temptations, seductions and destruction; protect and preserve from all evil people and from enemies visible and invisible; float to those who swim; travel to those who travel; Be the Nourisher for those who are in need and hunger; for those who do not have shelter and shelter, provide cover and refuge; Give me clothes to the naked; for those offended and unjustly persecuted - intercession; invisibly justify those who suffer slander, slander and blasphemy; expose the slanderers and blasphemers before everyone; Grant unforeseen reconciliation to those who are bitterly at enmity, and to all of us love, peace and piety and health with long life. Keep your marriage in love and like-mindedness; spouses, in the enmity and division of existence, die, unite to each other and establish for them an indestructible union of love; to mothers and children giving birth, grant permission quickly; raise the babies; Be chaste for young people, open their minds to the perception of every useful teaching, instruct them in the fear of God, abstinence and hard work; protect from domestic strife and enmity of half-bloods with peace and love. Be the Mother of motherless orphans, I will turn them away from all vice and filthiness and teach them all that is good and pleasing to God, but those who have been seduced into sin and impurity have fallen, having taken away the filth of sin, they will perish from the abyss. whitewash out. Be the Comforter and Helper of widows, be the rod of old age, deliver us all from sudden death without repentance, and for all of us the Christian end of our lives, painless, shameless, peaceful and a good answer to Grant a more terrible Judgment of Christ. Having ceased in faith and repentance from this life with the Angels and created lives for all the saints who died by sudden death, the mercy of your Son begged, and for all those who have fallen asleep, who have no time Fathers, begging for the repose of your Son, be a constant and warm Prayer and Intercessor , so that everyone in Heaven and on earth leads You, as a firm and shameless Representative of the Christian race, and, leading, glorify You and Your Son, with His Beginning Father and Consubstantial by His Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Days of celebration
The day of veneration of the “Unexpected Joy” icon is a major church holiday. More precisely, three: the wonderful image has two days of memory (May 14 and December 22). There is another summer moving holiday, celebrated in June.
The Ever-Virgin is highly revered in Russia and in all states where many Orthodox Christians live. In addition to the many feasts of the Mother of God, each famous icon of the Mother of God has 2-3 personal days of veneration. And “Unexpected Joy” is no exception!
Celebration of the Day of the Icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy”
History of the image
Icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy”
A certain person painting icons once, by God's will, came into the hands of the collection “Irrigated Fleece,” which in 1683 the future Saint Demetrius of Rostov wrote to Archbishop Lazar of Chernigov.
This tome contained evidence of the miracles of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos Hodegetria in the Chernigov Elias Monastery, parables, conversations and moral teachings. The soul of the icon painter was touched by the story of a sinner who, praying daily to the Mother of God, nevertheless continued to consciously do evil deeds.
One day, while performing his usual prayer rule, the sinner saw that the icon came to life, wounds opened on the hands and feet of the Infant Christ, from which blood began to flow. Then, horrified by his actions and the inevitable punishment, he began to beg the Mother of God to beg the Son to show mercy and forgive him his many sins.
Three times the Mother of God asked the Lord, remembering Her love and suffering at the Cross, and three times He refused Her. Then the Most Holy Virgin Mary was about to fall to her knees, and Christ, seeing Her intention, forgave the sinner out of respect for His Mother. After this, the sinful man reverently kissed the wounds of the Lord and was pardoned. His heart was filled with joy, and from then on he completely changed his lifestyle.
Useful materials
an icon was born
“Unexpected (that is, the one that was no longer
expected
, was not expected, was not hoped to receive) Joy.” It depicts a conversation between that same sinner and a revived image of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Child. On most lists, the man extends his hands to the Mother of God looking at him or folds them on his chest in a prayerful gesture. At the bottom of the icon are written the first words of the story from “The Irrigated Fleece,” referring us to the history of the appearance of the plot of this image.
Lists of “Unexpected Joy” began to spread throughout churches
the first throne since the mid-19th century, many of them became famous for their miracles.
Now one of the most recognizable Moscow lists is located in the Church of the Prophet Elijah in the second Obydensky lane.
Interesting fact
One of the most revered copies of the icon in Moscow now resides in the Church of Elijah the Ordinary, which is often popularly called “Unexpected Joy” in honor of this icon.
What do believers pray for before this image?
- First of all, in front of this icon, the Mother of God is asked to grant spiritual and mental strength to fight sin and despondency, to correct life.
- They also pray for forgiveness and salvation of the soul.
- About a chance meeting with a person whom I had long wanted to see.
- About finding a missing person.
- About admonition and repentance of the lost, walking along the sinful path.
- About helping women who are pregnant and want to become pregnant.
- About recovery from bodily illnesses, especially those related to hearing.
- About the successful resolution of protracted disputes and complex problems.
Saint Demetrius of Rostov in his book “Irrigated Fleece” wrote about the Mother of God’s help to people:
“Behold, we have the teacher of wisdom and the giver of meaning, the Blessed Virgin. She will teach us, She will enlighten us, She will instruct us in everything. You know that everyone who is foolish is enlightened by a book, the ignorant is taught by wisdom, the ignorant is instructed by a leader. The Most Pure Virgin is both the Book, and the Wisdom, and the Leader.”
How to pray for health at home and at a prayer service in church
You can pray at home, or you can attend prayer services and services. Besides prayer
given above, there is also
a kathist and a canon
for this icon.
Prayer services
(special short
services
, independent of the Liturgy) to the Mother of God, a baptized person can order in any Orthodox church.
To do this, you just need to submit a note to the church shop. In the note, you can indicate the “addressee” of the prayer and list the baptismal
of those people for whom the prayer service will be performed.
In temples and monasteries
, where there is the “Unexpected Joy” icon, especially glorified for its miracles, prayers with an akathist in front of it are served on certain days. The schedule of such services can be found on the temple’s electronic pages.
Day of Remembrance
Remembrance Day of the Icon is celebrated on December 22 and May 14 according to the new style.
Julia Basenkis.
What do they ask for before the image?
They pray in front of the “Unexpected Joy” icon when women have health problems (can’t get pregnant, can’t bear a child). They ask the holy image for help in giving a child, at the birth of children (so that the birth is easy, the newborn is born without pathologies).
A prayerful appeal to the Mother of God helps to free oneself from sinful thoughts and deeds and begin to build life in a new way. For married couples, the prayer “Unexpected Joy” gives hope for the restoration of a trusting relationship based on love and respect.
Prayer in front of the icon calms the nervous system, which makes it possible to assess the life situation calmly and find a way out, for example, in case of conflicts with children.
It is necessary if loved ones are in places that are extremely dangerous to life and health. Eg:
- military in a war zone;
- firefighters extinguishing a fire;
- rescuers in a disaster zone;
- police officers when apprehending dangerous criminals.
A long journey is always associated with unforeseen situations. Turning to the icon will make the road safe. When there is no hope of a cure for a serious illness, one must hope for a miracle by offering prayer daily to the Most Holy Theotokos.
Reading rules
It is best to read the prayer in front of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Unexpected Joy” in the church. But you can do this at home in privacy.
Prayer is a very powerful petition that gives peace and faith in God’s providence. After reading the canonical text, you can state the request in your own words.
Chosen from all generations of the Mother of God and the Queen, who sometimes appeared to the lawless man, in order to turn him away from the path of wickedness, we offer thanksgiving singing to Thee, the Mother of God; But you, who have unspeakable mercy, free us from all troubles and sins, and let us call you: Rejoice, you who grant unexpected joy to the faithful.
Troparion, tone 4
Today, faithful people spiritually triumph, glorifying the zealous Intercessor of the Christian race and flowing to Her Most Pure Image, we cry out: Oh, Merciful Lady Theotokos, grant us unexpected joy, burdened with many sins and sorrows, and deliver us from all evil, praying to Your Son, Christ Our God, save our souls.
There are no other imams of help, no other imams of hope, unless You, Lady, help us, we hope in You and we boast in You, for we are Your servants, let us not be ashamed.
Oh, Most Holy Virgin, the All-Blessed Son of the All-Blessed Mother, the Patroness of this city, faithful to the Representative and Intercessor of all who are in sins, sorrows, troubles and illnesses! Accept this prayer song from us, unworthy of Your servants, offered to You: and like the sinner of old, who prayed many times before Your venerable icon, You did not despise Him, but You granted the unexpected joy of repentance, and through Your zealous intercession with Your Son for the forgiveness of the sinner Thou hast bowed thus, and now do not despise the prayers of us, Thy unworthy servants, but pray to Thy Son and our God, and to all of us, with faith and tenderness before Thy celibate image, who, according to each need, grant unexpected joy: may all in heaven and on the lands lead You as a steadfast and unashamed Representative of the Christian race, and this leading, they glorify You and Your Son with His Originless Father and His Consubstantial Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
In order to get rid of a serious illness with God’s help, enthusiastically read the Orthodox prayer addressed to the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Unexpected Joy”.
My dear reader, I try my best to help those who have lost all hope of healing. Being a sinful and unstable person, let me apologize to you.
Every day, by sorting out the manuscripts I inherited, I am becoming closer to religious Orthodoxy. And now, when there is impassable darkness outside, I want you to find happiness and suffer less.
In a painful illness, without refusing the treatment prescribed by doctors, turn your lips to prayer lines. You will get better and stronger. I promise you.
Gather your strength and go to the Orthodox Church. Buy an arbitrary number of candles. Set aside a few of them for home prayer.
Place candles at the icon of the Virgin Mary “Unexpected Joy”. When making the sign of the cross on yourself, say these prayer lines barely audibly.
Most Holy Theotokos, with the great mercy of heaven, illuminate me with delightful joy. Heal from painful weakness, and get rid of feigned nastiness. Thy will be done. Amen.
With a humble and inspired step, you return back.
In between traditional treatments, when you have free time, retire to a locked room. Light the remaining candles. Place the icon of the Virgin Mary “Unexpected Joy” nearby. Place ointments, bandages, injections and pills nearby.
Remember those who miraculously managed to be healed. So know and do not doubt that any illness can be overcome. It is in the power of Jesus Christ to grant you the long-awaited recovery. And he will certainly do it.
Start reading the Orthodox prayer repeatedly and leisurely.
Most Holy Theotokos, Virgin Mary, grant me bodily healing and illuminate me with a ray from heaven. So that not a trace of the disease remains and vanity does not blind me. Let me rejoice, and not be afraid, and look at this world with kindness. Whoever I accidentally judge and say a bad word, let me not deserve punishment. Most Holy Mother of God, I am not able to cope with the pain and get rid of the merciless illness. Don’t let the ulcer fester and the infection penetrate my body. May I be healed from cancer and not feel the tearing pain. I will turn to Christ with all my soul and pray to him in gratitude. In the name of the father, and the son, and the holy spirit. Amen.
Make the sign of the cross three times in a row. When all the candles have gone out, carefully take their stubs back to the Orthodox Church. Collect and drink holy water. Confess and partake of the holy gifts.
And may the Lord God grant you a speedy recovery!
From time immemorial, many people have worshiped and revere the image of “Unexpected Joy”. Even those who are passing through Moscow come to pray to her.
Prayer to the icon “Unexpected Joy” helps the suffering and heals the sick. Its very name seems to be clear to everyone, but there is still a certain misunderstanding.
Few people are familiar with the history of the origin of the prayer appeal “Unexpected Joy”. Once upon a time there lived a sinful man. Once again about to sin, he turned in prayer to the icon. Before he could utter the words of Archangel Gabriel “Hail, O Blessed One,” he fell silent in shock.
The sinner, in horror, bowed face down in front of the icon, and in fear asked who did this.
In response to his question, the sinner heard the reproachful words of the Most Holy Theotokos, pointing to lawless deeds, endless insults and sins of sinful people. These words affected the man so much that he began to cry in tears for mercy, for forgiveness. He asked the Son of the Mother of God to pray for his sinful actions. When he was completely desperate, he heard words of forgiveness. Joy came to the sinner when he no longer hoped or hoped. From that time on, his life changed; the sinner began to lead a pious life.
It was thanks to this story that the image of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” was created. It depicts a kneeling man stretching out his hands to the face of the Mother of God and the Child of God.
In what cases is an icon used?
The image of the Mother of God was created in the eighteenth century. Since its writing, it and other lists from it have revealed miraculous events. Prayer to the icon “Unexpected Joy” helps to heal many diseases, promotes early marriage, and helps lost souls return home. Prayer to the icon inspires a person to moral rebirth. And if he prays for his loved ones in front of the icon, often listens to the audio prayer message online, those who despair of salvation will receive unexpected joy with its help, deliverance from troubles and sorrows.
People turn to prayer in front of the “Unexpected Joy” icon when they despair of getting any help. Prayer to the Mother of God will protect a person from diseases associated with hearing, not only physical, but also spiritual.
Also, many people turn to the image in search of protection. If loved ones are going on a long voyage or traveling overland, their relatives begin to read a prayer appeal to the Most Holy Theotokos asking them to protect them from all dangers and for the soon successful return of the traveler home.
What is the name of the icon associated with?
The name of the image calls people to both spiritual and prayerful work. Although the results will not appear immediately. It will take a long time to achieve them. The teaching of the ancient ascetics speaks of constant “work and prayer.” The name of the icon of the Mother of God, as well as the prayer itself, speaks of an unexpected, unexpected joy that can well decorate the life of any person.
The “Unexpected Joy” prayer teaches a person gratitude. Before the face of the Most Holy Theotokos, every person is pitiful, although this should not be ashamed at all. You need to accept this fact, accidentally rejoice that you were accepted and opened up unlimited possibilities. Prayerful appeal teaches people to be faithful in deed, in a word, it teaches hatred of sin. Prayer helps to get closer to the heights of faith, gives strength, and enlightens.
There are situations when earthly forces, friends and relatives cannot help, and the person himself understands that he is powerless in a given situation. For example, an incurable illness, insurmountable grief from the loss of loved ones, family discord and disobedient children. At such moments in life, a person is left either alone with himself or with faith and begins to ask the Lord and other saints to help and support him. In order for your requests and prayers to be heard faster, you need to address them directly to one or another saint. In this article you will find out what the prayer to the “Unexpected Joy” icon gives to people, who exactly it helps and why it is called that.
Where to start a prayer
- It is worth taking into account that the process of prayer is not a requirement, but primarily forgiveness. The Lord will not listen to a person who, without proper humility, from the first words points out to the Almighty what he wants from life. Women who want to become mothers and give birth to a healthy child turn to the Mother of God. Such a request will definitely be heard by the Mother of God if the Christian woman is sincere and submissive.
- As mentioned above, prayer is a connection with God; breaking it off and re-tying it “when necessary” is prohibited. After a person’s desire has reached higher powers, he should under no circumstances stop praying. Girls who become mothers should be grateful to the Mother of God for the miracle that was performed. Subsequent rituals are a way to thank her for the miracle performed.
- Before starting the ceremony, it is recommended to receive the blessing of a clergyman. This way you will make your first contact with the Almighty and provide yourself with serious protection from demonic forces. Dark forces will hinder a person in every possible way, but the power of blessing will drive them away and it will be easier for you to make a responsible decision.
- But even before this, it is advisable to undergo the rite of confession and communion. Our souls are weak, they are led by His light. Demonic forces attack us every day, leading us into the abyss of sinfulness, from which it is difficult to get out ourselves. Confession and communion will cleanse your soul and prepare it for communication. Take a closer look at the icon. You see that besides the Mother of God and the Child there is one more person who knelt. This is the one who was forgiven by God because he admitted the wrongness of his sins and took a step towards Him.
The icon will help you find female happiness
Many women or couples turn to the icon together when they have problems conceiving a child. The prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos “Unexpected Joy” helps everyone who passionately desires it to feel the happiness of motherhood and fatherhood. Many cases have been recorded when couples, trying in vain to have a child for a long time, turned to the icon and, lo and behold, they achieved their goal. Everyone knows that keeping the family fire burning is hard work, and also that the life of a modern social unit is like a powder keg.
But wise women who want to preserve the sacred marriage union, instead of discussing problems with their friends, resort to the miraculous power of the icon. Any quarrels or grievances are forgotten between spouses, and complete harmony and mutual understanding, harmony and peace reign in the family.
In what cases do you turn to “Unexpected Joy”
The image of “Unexpected Joy” is glorified by many miracles. To a Christian believer they do not seem incredible: mercy and love for the human race are common for the Mother of God.
About miracles in Orthodoxy:
- Miracles and help of the Virgin Mary
- Lanchang Miracle
- Shroud of Turin
The story depicted on the icon recalls the strong prayer of the Mother of God, overcoming even the righteous anger of the Lord. But to fulfill what is asked, one condition is necessary - repentance of sins.
Virgin Mary with Jesus Christ
The very name of the icon - “Unexpected Joy” - encourages people to turn to it in a hopeless situation. But the love of Christians for this image is so great that they flock to it with any requests, with confidence that they will receive what they ask for.
Important! It is traditional to pray before the image of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” in the following needs:
- serious illnesses
- family feuds
- inability to have a child
- in search of a spouse, etc.
