The holiday of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is considered one of the most significant in the church calendar, which emphasizes the incredible significance of this image for the entire Orthodox world. Tsars and great generals prayed to this icon, they liberated Russian lands with it, it led pioneers to explore Siberia and healed the sick.
Let us turn to the brief history of this image and see how many miracles it has managed to create since its appearance in Rus'. After getting to know her, it will certainly become clear why medallions and bracelets with Our Lady of Kazan are so popular among Orthodox Russians.
History of the discovery of the shrine
The icon is called “Kazan” because it was discovered in Kazan. The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God appeared inexplicably from a materialistic point of view: it is unknown who painted this image and how it got to where it was found. The history of the origin of the icon is full of secrets and mysteries, but this is understandable: we are talking about a miracle!
The discovery of the icon dates back to 1579. It was a troubled time: less than three decades had passed since the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible, and Orthodoxy in this primordially Muslim city was just beginning to take root.
But there was already an Orthodox church in the conquered city - the Church of St. Nicholas of Tula. Almost the entire Orthodox population of Kazan went there to pray. It is from the church of St. Nicholas and a fire began that practically destroyed the entire city.
The actual appearance of the icon is closely connected with the nine-year-old girl Matrona, the daughter of the Tsar’s archer Danila Onuchin. She dreamed that the Mother of God commanded her to find her image in the ashes, indicating a specific place.
Matrona told her parents about the vision, but they were preoccupied with earthly problems: it was necessary to restore the burnt home. In a word, no one paid attention to the words of the young seer: you never know what the child will come up with.
But the Most Pure One came to the girl again and again, Matrona increasingly insistently asked to take measures to find the icon. In the end, the mother told the priests about her daughter’s miraculous visions. At first they were also skeptical, but after numerous requests they decided to organize a search.
Imagine the surprise of all those present when, during the excavation of the ashes indicated by Matrona, an icon of the Mother of God, wrapped in linen, was found. Moreover, she was found only when the little seer started digging!
The icon looked as if it had just been painted by a brilliant painter: the colors shone with newness. Nevertheless, the author of the image remained unknown to history, as well as the reasons why the miraculous face was buried in the ground and ashes.
The image, not damaged at all by the fire, was transferred to the St. Nicholas Church, and on the site of its acquisition the Virgin Mary Monastery was erected. And a little later - the cathedral, the main shrine of which was the Kazan Mother of God.
The news of the miraculous appearance of the icon reached Moscow and reached the sovereign ears of Ivan the Terrible. It was he who initiated the construction of the monastery and cathedral.
The young Matrona and her pious mother became the first novices of the new monastery. And the icon immediately became famous as miraculous and received permanent registration in Kazan. A copy of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was almost immediately made and sent to Moscow, to John himself. And in subsequent years, lists from this image spread throughout Rus'.
Theft of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God in 1904
The original icon did not leave the Kazan Mother of God Monastery for more than three centuries, until it was stolen in 1904. It was stolen by a certain Bartholomew Chaikin (Stoyan) with several accomplices. The thieves were found and interrogated. They revealed that they had stolen the church treasury and several historical images, lured by rich vestments. According to them, the precious frames were sold, and the image itself was destroyed.
Silver icon “Kazan Mother of God”
The Orthodox world still cannot come to terms with the loss of the revealed icon. Moreover, after the revolution, icons very reminiscent of the original were discovered abroad every now and then. But in reality they turned out to be ancient and very skillful, but still lists of a revealed prototype.
Believers do not lose hope that the stolen shrine will one day return home and defend the eastern borders of our Motherland. They believe that Chaykin stole and burned a much later copy, while the revealed original is still traveling around the world.
Where is the original icon stored?
If you ask any Orthodox native of the capital of Tatarstan where the original Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is located, he will point to the nearest church. And he will be right in his own way: in Kazan there are several revered copies of the sacred prototype.
As mentioned above, it is not known where the revealed icon is now, but those who wish can pray to the miraculous image in many Russian cities.
Some sources claim that the revealed icon never left Kazan and now resides in the Church of the Yaroslavl Wonderworkers, in the Arskoye cemetery. However, there is no official confirmation of this.
And in the Kazan Mother of God Monastery, a Vatican list of the Mother of God is now presented with a very complicated fate and many miracles revealed behind the holy shoulders.
Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the Church of Yaroslavl Wonderworkers
Lists of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
Among the lists of the Kazan Icon there are several no less famous shrines than the lost original. These are Moscow, St. Petersburg, Peschansky, Chimeevsky, Vyshensky, Korobeinikovsky and other lists. Unfortunately, many of them were destroyed during the revolution and subsequent decades of total godlessness.
After the theft of the revealed icon, Russian troops began to suffer crushing defeats. The Russian-Japanese War, the First World War, and then the October Revolution are indicative. Perhaps this is a coincidence, but still...
In the 20s of the last century, the Bolsheviks traded in cultural values on an unimaginable scale: the young country was in dire need of money, and the religious shrines of the new government were clearly not needed - they did not correlate with ideology.
Thus, the most valuable copy of the Kazan Mother of God, which later became known as the “Vatican” list, also went abroad. Where has he been?
This image was known in Great Britain under the name of the “Black Virgin of Farley Castle.” He visited the USA and Portugal, and then went to the Vatican, where he decorated the personal chambers of John Paul II. In the end, the sacred relic was solemnly returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and became the spiritual pearl of the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the Kazan Mother of God Monastery.
List of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God of the Holy Cross Church of the Mother of God Monastery
Kidnapping
Throughout the 17th-18th centuries, officially revered lists of the Kazan image were created, but already in the 19th century it was not completely clear where its original was located. Most icon painters were inclined to believe that he remains in the Bogoroditsky Monastery of Kazan. In 1904, sacrilege was committed - the icon was stolen by the thief Bartholomew Chaikin. He sold the precious salary, drank the money away, but burned the image itself. The death of the icon struck the country; it was considered a terrible sign for the Russian Empire.
Theophan, Metropolitan of Kazan and Tatarstan: I can’t believe that the prototype disappeared without a trace. I think: the cathedral will stand, that place will be ennobled, monastic life will go on in full, thousands and hundreds of thousands of pilgrims. And God grant that she, the Queen of Heaven herself, in her Kazan prototype, would return here.
The meaning of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Orthodoxy: “Sovereign Protection”
Both the original and the copies of the holy prototype played a significant role in the history of the Russian state. Many of them are revered as miraculous. The Kazan Mother of God was called the “Sovereign Protection”, for many victories were won under her patronage. The face of the Mother of God is a symbol of the liberation and greatness of the Russian people, the source of their strength and desire for victory.
Many confirmed facts speak about the all-Russian veneration of the found icon. For example, at the end of the 19th century, about 70% of Kazan’s income came from pilgrims who came from all over Russia to worship the shrine.
After the reign of Fyodor (son of John), the Rurik dynasty was interrupted, the usurper Boris Godunov reigned (followed by False Dmitry and Vasily Shuisky) and the Time of Troubles of virtual anarchy and civil war began in Rus'. The warlike neighbors immediately took advantage of this. The Polish interventionists showed particular aggression, seizing a significant part of Russian lands.
However, the Russian people rallied in the face of the enemy. The most important role in this military spectacle was played by the patriotic sermons and message of Patriarch Hermogenes. Under their influence, a militia was formed in the Novgorod lands under the leadership of Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin.
The militia moved towards Moscow, simultaneously liberating Russian lands from the invaders. People's squads from Kazan also joined him, bringing with them a copy of the icon of the Mother of God. And finally, in 1612, the militia liberated Moscow from the invaders. And at the head of the liberation movement was actually the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
In honor of the icon-leader and the victory over the Poles in Moscow, Dmitry Pozharsky built the Kazan Cathedral. The wooden building soon burned down, but a stone temple was erected on the same site in 1630.
Unfortunately, during Stalin's reconstructions, the historical building was demolished. But it was built again according to the surviving drawings and photographs, so that now the Kazan Cathedral again adorns the face of Red Square.
The Kazan Mother of God was also greatly revered by the great Russian reformer Tsar Peter I. It was to her that he prayed before the historical battle of Poltava, in which he won an unconditional victory over the Swedish troops.
By the way, the Kazan Mother of God also received its temple in St. Petersburg, approximately centuries after the founding of Northern Palmyra. This happened literally on the eve of the War of 1812.
Our Lady of Kazan was the inspiration for the victories of Russian troops over Napoleon. Kutuzov, preparing for the battle with the French, earnestly asked for support from the image of Our Lady of Kazan in the cathedral of the same name in St. Petersburg. And his prayers were answered!
One day, on the day of the celebration of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, severe frost struck. The French troops were not ready for this, and the Russian winter, with the support of the Mother of God, helped liberate the lands captured by Napoleon.
In short, by the end of the 19th century, the image of the Kazan Mother of God became one of the most revered in Rus'. And even during the years of godlessness, the Most Pure One did not leave the Russian lands without protection.
One of the lists of the icon was handed over to Russian cosmonauts. Since 2011, it has been on the ISS, in the Russian sector of the station. This once again emphasizes the special status of this Orthodox shrine.
Iconography
Let us give a brief description of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. This icon looks recognizable to every believer, but some confuse it with other versions.
According to the iconographic type, we have Hodegetria, that is, “Guide”. The icon depicts the Mother of God with the child Jesus, whom she holds on her left hand. The gazes of Mary and the Savior are directed not at each other, but at those praying.
Many revered icons belong to the same iconographic type: Iveron, Tikhvin, Smolensk and others. However, the Kazan Mother of God has significant differences. Firstly, this is not a waist-length, but a shoulder-length image, so that Mary’s hand pointing to the Divine Son is not visible. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that Jesus does not sit, but stands on his mother’s hand, and in his right hand there is no scroll with the Gospel.
Image of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
Lists of icons may differ from each other. Differences are observed in the color scheme, the poses of the Most Pure One and the Savior, the features of their faces, and so on. The canon allows this.
How the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God will help
The miraculous icon helps in many life situations when, it would seem, there is no way out and no way out. A prerequisite is sincere faith and good intentions.
They pray to the icon for the most secret and ardently desired things:
- Healing. Immediately after the miraculous discovery, Our Lady of Kazan began to perform miracles of healing. Cases of miraculous deliverance from blindness, infertility and other ailments have been recorded.
- Help for warrior defenders. This publication repeatedly mentioned cases of assistance to Russian soldiers in battles. The miraculous image still helps to win victories.
- Blessing of marriage. The Kazan Mother of God is the protector of family and marriage. It helps to preserve the union and marital love, and not succumb to the sin of adultery.
- Choosing the right path. If you lose confidence in your own abilities and don’t know what to do in a difficult life situation, turn to the Mother of God for help. She will comfort and guide true believers.
- Instructing children. The icon is asked not only for the health of the children, but also for their guidance on the true path. The Most Pure One helps them get rid of bad influences, recover from addictions and stand firmly on their feet.
The most powerful prayers are not for yourself, but for other people. Ask for children, relatives, friends and just strangers who need help. This will later benefit you too!
Children's set “Kazan Mother of God”
Miracles associated with the image
The revealed icon and each of the especially revered lists (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vatican and some others) have an impressive list of documented miracles.
One woman could not get pregnant for several years. She was treated for a long time and one day a miracle happened - the test showed the long-awaited result. However, already in the sixth week, doctors recorded that the embryo had died and put the unfortunate woman in for cleaning. The sad event happened just on the day of remembrance of the icon, and our heroine’s husband went to the temple to ask the Kazan Mother of God for the protection of his wife and unborn child.
Some time after this terrible procedure, the woman came to the gynecologist for an ultrasound. The doctor peered at the monitor for a long time, and then stated with surprise: “Your child is alive and developing normally.” After the allotted time, the happy couple had a charming daughter.
Another parishioner said that fervent prayer to the Kazan image helped her in solving financial problems - a huge debt was simply written off. And the “bleeding” icon from the village of Log, near Volgograd, was noted for more than one miracle of healing. In particular, after her father’s prayers, she brought back to life a girl who had been in an accident, although the doctors had actually given up!
Signs
Signs are mostly related to weather conditions in the near future and their impact on a person’s fate.
- If there is no rain this week, which the holiday falls on, then it will definitely fall on Ilyinskaya.
- The harvest begins when all the blueberries are ripe.
- To find out whether the rye is ripe, you just need to take a closer look at the acacias. If they are already ripe, then the rye is ripe.
- A proven method to know if there will be a drought is the behavior of bees. They feel the drought and begin to behave aggressively.
- An interesting sign is that to find good luck for the whole year, you just need to meet an insect on your way. Ordinary midges and insects will not work. During the period in which the holiday falls, warm winds blow. They also bring pests to the garden with the wind. Since there are a very large number of these midges, they roll into a small ball. Whoever gets this ball under his feet will be happy all year.
When and how is the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God celebrated?
Our Lady of Kazan has not one day of remembrance of the icon, but two, celebrated throughout Russia. In addition, some churches celebrate holidays related to the history of the revered lists stored in them.
All-Russian dates for the holidays of the Kazan Mother of God are July 21 and November 4 (new style). The celebration in July is associated with the miraculous appearance of the image of the girl Matrona. And the date November 4 is the day of the liberation of Moscow from the Polish invaders.
November 4 is a national holiday, National Unity Day. And it is very symbolic that it coincides with the holiday of the Intercessor and Defender of the Russian people!
“Bleeding” Kazan Icon of the Mother of God from the village of Log
How to pray to an image correctly
You can pray to the image both at home and in church. Moreover: you can call on the Ever-Virgin at any moment when the need arises. However, if you want to follow the rules, you should fast, confess and take communion before praying. This way there will be more chances that your words will be heard from Above!
Texts of prayers
You can address the Kazan Mother of God with any of the prayers invoking the Queen of Heaven. But there are several texts intended to address specifically the Kazan Mother of God.
First prayer
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos! With fear, faith and love, falling before Your honest icon, we pray to You: do not turn Your face away from those who come running to You, begging, Merciful Mother, Your Son and our God, the Lord and May Jesus Christ keep our country peaceful and His holy Church unshakable May he preserve and deliver from unbelief, heresies and schism. There are no other help, no other hope, except You, Most Pure Virgin: You are the all-powerful Helper and Intercessor of Christians. Deliver also all those who pray to You with faith from the falls of sin, from the slander of evil people, from all temptations, sorrows, illnesses, troubles and from sudden death; Grant us the spirit of contrition, humility of heart, purity of thoughts, correction of sinful lives and the remission of sins, and all, gratefully chanting Your greatness and mercy, manifested over us here on earth , let us be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven and there, together with all the saints, let us glorify the most honorable and magnificent name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.
Second prayer
Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Queen of Heaven and earth, the highest angel and archangel and all creatures, the most honest, pure Virgin Mary, good Helper to the world, and affirmation to all people, and to all what needs is deliverance! Look now, O All-Merciful Lady, upon Your servants, praying to You with a tender soul and a contrite heart, falling with tears to You and worshiping Your most pure and wholesome image , and asking for Thy help and intercession. Oh, All-Merciful and Most Merciful Pure Virgin Mary! Look, O Lady, at Your people: for we are sinners and have no other help, except for You and from You, Christ our God who was born. You are our intercessor and representative. You are protection for the offended, joy for those who mourn, refuge for the poor, keeper for widows, glory for virgins, joy for those who mourn, visitation for the sick, healing for the weak, salvation for sinners. For this sake, O Mother of God, we resort to You, and looking at Your Most Pure Image with the Eternal One in Your hand, holding the Baby, our Lord Jesus Christ, looking at You, we offer tender singing to You and opium: have mercy on us, Mother of God, and fulfill our petition, for all that is Thy intercession is possible: for unto Thee is glory due, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
