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Pochaev icon of the mother of God meaning. How does the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God help?

Pochaev icon The Mother of God is one of the most revered shrines of the Russian Church. She is known to everything to the Slavic world: she is revered in Russia, Bosnia, Serbia, Bulgaria and other countries. Along with the Orthodox Christians of other confessions come to worship the miraculous image of the Most Holy Theotokos.

In the Pochaev Lavra, the ancient stronghold of Orthodoxy, the miraculous Pochaev icon of the Mother of God has been in existence for about 400 years. The miracles that flow from the holy icon are numerous and are attested in the monastic books by the records of believers who prayed for deliverance from incurable ailments, deliverance from captivity and admonition of sinners.

The celebration in honor of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God on August 5 (in a new style) was established in memory of the deliverance of the Dormition Pochaev Lavra from the Turkish siege on July 20-23, 1675.

In the summer of 1675, during the Zbarazh war with the Turks, during the reign of the Polish king Jan Sobieski (1674-1696), the regiments consisting of Tatars, led by Khan Nurredin, approached the Pochaev monastery through Vishnevets, encircling it on three sides. The weak monastery fence, like several stone buildings of the monastery, did not represent any protection for the besieged. Hegumen Joseph Dobromirsky persuaded the brethren and laity to turn to the heavenly intercessors: the Most Holy Theotokos and the Monk Job of Pochaev. Monks and laity prayed fervently, falling to the miraculous image of the Mother of God and to the reliquary with relics Rev. Job.

On the morning of August 5 (July 23, according to the old style), at sunrise, the Tatars held the last advice on the storming of the monastery, while the abbot ordered to sing the Akathist to the Mother of God. With the first words to the "Climbed Voevoda", the Most Pure Mother of God herself suddenly appeared over the temple, "the white-shining omophorion dissolving," heavenly angels holding drawn swords. The Monk Job was near the Mother of God, bowing to Her and praying for the protection of the monastery.

The Tatars mistook the heavenly host for a ghost, in confusion they began to shoot Holy Mother of God and the Monk Job, but the arrows returned and wounded those who fired them. Horror gripped the enemy. In a stampede, without taking apart their own people, they killed each other. The defenders of the monastery rushed in pursuit and captured many. Some of the captives later adopted the Christian faith and remained in the monastery forever.

More than half a century ago, on June 17, 1950, in the Pochaev Lavra, the miraculous healing of nun Varvara (in the world Elena Konstantinovna Putyatina) took place, whose both legs were paralyzed for 48 years. She came from the city of Chkalov (now Orenburg), with difficulty walking on crutches with the help of her companion nun Maria. Attaching herself to the list of the miraculous image of the Mother of God, the nun immediately got to her feet. The crutches she left in the monastery are still standing at the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, testifying to the miracle that had taken place.

Troparion, voice 5:
Before Thy holy icon, the Lady, / praying healings are vouchsafed, / true knowledge of faith is accepted, / and the Hagarian invasions are reflected. / For the same to us, who fall to You, / ask for forgiveness, / enlighten the thoughts of piety of our hearts, / and lift up a prayer to Thy Son / for the salvation of our souls.

Kontakion, voice 1st:
Source of healings and faith Orthodox affirmation of Pochaev Thy icon, the Mother of God, appear as we who come to her from troubles and temptations of freedom, keep Thy Laura intact, affirm Orthodoxy in the surrounding countries, and resolve sins Thy prayer book: the tree is more desirous , you can.

Prayer of the Pochaev Mother of God:

To You, O Bogomati, we, sinners, flow in prayer, Your miracles in the Holy Lavra of Pochaevsty, revealed in remembrance of our contrite sins. Vema, the Lady, vema, as if it is not befitting us, sinners, to ask for something, only leave us for the hedgehog righteous Judge of our iniquity. Everything we endured in our life, sorrows, and needs, and diseases, like the fruits of our falls, vegetating to us, to this God allowing us to be corrected. Even so, all this, by His truth and by His judgment, the Lord guided His sinful servants, and in His sorrows to Your intercession, O Most Pure One, and in the tenderness of their hearts they cry out to Thee: sins and iniquities of ours, Good, do not remember, but more honorable hand of Thy having raised up, stand up to Thy Son and God, let the fierce deed by us let us go, yes, for the many unfulfilled promises our face will not turn away from His servants, but He will not take away His grace, helping our salvation, from our souls. To her, Lady, wake our intercessor for our salvation and, having not abhorred our cowardice, look at our groans, even in our troubles and sorrows before Thy miraculous way we exalt. Enlighten our minds with affectionate thoughts, strengthen our faith, confirm hope, grant love to the sweetest gift to accept us. These ubo, Most Pure, by gifts, and not by sickness and sorrow, let our belly be raised to salvation, but from despondency and despair of our souls, save us weak from the troubles and needs that are on us, and the slander of humanity and unbearable diseases. Grant peace and prosperity to the Christian intercession by Thy intercession, Mistress, confirm Orthodox faith in our country, in the whole world, do not betray the Apostolic and Cathedral Church to belittling, the statutes of the holy fathers are forever unshakable, save all those who come to You from the ruinous moat. Also, the heresy of our deceived brethren, or the saving faith in the sinful passions that ruined the pack. true faith and bring repentance, so that, together with us, those who worship your miraculous image will confess your intercession. Grant us, Most Pure Lady Theotokos, even in this belly, behold the victory of truth by Thy intercession, grant us gracious joy before our death to perceive, as in ancient times the inhabitants of the thought of Thy appearance showed the conquerors and enlighteners of the Agarens, yes, we are all grateful and with a heart together prophets, and apostles, and with all the saints, Your mercy is glorifying, let us give glory, honor and worship in the Trinity to God the Father who is singing, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

What they pray for in front of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God

Before the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God, they pray for:

Strengthening faith;
Liberation from bad addictions;
Help in any business;
Healing from infirmities;
Protect from enemies.

Through prayers in front of the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God, miracles happened more than once.

The grace of the Most Holy Theotokos did not leave the believers during the time the icon was in the possession of the Uniates.
The man born blind has become clear.
Healing of nun Barbara.

Based on materials open sources internet

Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God. Video

Many miraculous icons of the Mother of God were revealed the Russian people, but not all were able to reach our days. It is difficult to say whether they are lost forever or hidden until the time. But there are those who today remain a spark of hope that the Lord did not leave his people. The Pochaev icon has been such a lamp of faith for several centuries. Having become famous more than five hundred years ago, and today it attracts thousands of pilgrims.

The history of the holy image

In the 16th century. Metropolitan Neophyte passed through Pochaev, where he was greeted very warmly by the noblemen of Goysk. In memory of his visit, he presented them with an icon. Soon the metropolitan became patriarch, and the icon became famous for great miracles. She was destined to become the shrine of an entire people.

The Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God spent several decades in the house of pious Christians until the first healing happened. Then the owner decided that it was unworthy to have such a shrine alone. The image was transferred to the monastery, where it became the property of the entire Orthodox people. True, this did not last long. After the death of Anna Goyskaya, the relatives decided to return the icon to themselves.

The mockery of the holy image was not in vain - the wife of the heir became demoniac. On the advice of a pious monk, the image was returned to the monastery. The quiet life of the monastery was again disturbed in 1721, when it was transferred to the Catholics. They were very respectful of the image - Pope Clement even sent a golden robe adorned with crowns.

Almost a century later, the monastery was returned to the fold of the Orthodox Church. Today it has the status of a laurel and belongs to the Moscow Patriarchate. Every Saturday, an akathist is sung in front of the Pochaev icon. It is made in memory of the miraculous healing of a blind girl.

The meaning of the Pochaev icon

A characteristic difference between the icon is that under the faces of the Savior and the Mother of God there is a footprint. This is the trace of the Mother of God herself. Why did they begin to portray him on the image? This was done in memory of the visit of the Queen of Heaven herself.

The Pochaev Lavra is located on the mountain of the same name. But once it was empty, and one night two monks were awarded a wonderful vision. The Mother of God stood in a pillar of fire - her head was crowned with a crown, in her hand the Virgin held a scepter. The flame did not burn her - it was like the one that Moses saw at Sinai. When the vision stopped, a trace remained on the rock. The print is filled with clean water.

From this place, the monks began to build up the mountain, on which today there are 16 temples. First, the Assumption Church appeared here, then the Cathedral was erected over the footprint of the Virgin Mary. The source, together with the foot, are covered with an ark and fenced off with a grate.

This is what the image of the imprint on the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God reminds of.

The original image was made on a lime board, like many icons. Used oil paints. Thin strip the silver that was deposited on top was lost. It was replaced with a pearl garment. Also unusual is the setting, which resembles a star, the rays of which are richly decorated with stones.

Where is the image

The miraculous icon is placed over royal gates... In the church where the Pochaev icon is kept early in the morning (the monks get up even after dark), the brethren of the monastery serve the midnight office. Then, with the singing of the troparia, the miraculous icon is lowered to the usual level. It hangs on silk ribbons; a monk is always on duty. In turn, everyone who came to the service approaches the icon.

In the same temple, you can get water from a wonderful spring discovered by the Mother of God. The spring itself is located behind a fence, where inextinguishable lamps glow. You can attach to the image of the foot. The water itself is distributed by the novice ("stack"). But the Pochaev Lavra is rich not only in these shrines.

For several centuries, the monastery has been a stronghold of the Orthodox faith throughout western Ukraine... The illustrious prayer book, the Monk Job, reposed here, having lived for more than a hundred years. Now his holy relics are also kept here.

Neither the first nor the second world wars prevented the monks from carrying out their obediences - the monastery was not closed. The German occupation, Khrushchev's persecutions - during all these difficult moments for the country, prayer sounded within the ancient walls, the services continued. They say the world will stand as long as the Liturgy is celebrated. Therefore, monasteries are the spiritual strongholds of the entire earth.

Russian churches of the icon of the Mother of God "Pochaevskaya" are being built in Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, there are existing churches in other cities.

The meaning of the holy image

Most of the icons of the Mother of God fit into several basic types. V in this case this is "eleusa" ("merciful") - although the name is not entirely accurate and is one of the epithets that was awarded to St. Mary, it switched to an iconographic scheme. You can recognize it by its main features:

The Infant and His Mother touch each other with their faces. This opens up a very personal communication between them.
Mary's head bows to the Son.
Christ embraces the Mother of God with his left hand.
The image is half-length.

Pochaev's edition is also distinguished by the fact that the Mother of God in right hand holds the board that the Infant is wrapped around. Also miraculous icon known for its precious salary, which is comparable in size to the image itself. The faces are, as it were, surrounded by a golden glow.

The faces of the saints are present on the icon:

martyr Stephen - it is believed that he was the first to be killed for the Christian faith;
Monk Abraham - in history there were many ascetics with that name, perhaps it is Abraham of Rostov, who destroyed idols and converted several pagan tribes to Christianity;
the prophet Ilya is the most famous Old Testament prophet, the patron saint of paratroopers and pilots, also revered in Islam, Judaism. Known for being taken to heaven alive;
Martyr Mina - the first Florentine martyr;
Great Martyr Catherine - lived in the first centuries of Christianity, was executed after refusing to marry the Roman emperor, deciding to devote herself to Christ;
St. Irina - put to death together with two Christian sisters in the 4th century;
St. Paraskeva is one of the first martyrs who died with her whole family during the reign of Nero.

The meaning of the composition of the Pochaev icon is deeper than it might seem at first glance. Of course, here is shown an affectionate Mother, a loving Son. Anyone can "try on" one of the roles - all were children, even if they themselves did not become parents. But it also depicts the ideal relationship of God and human soul.

What they pray for and how the Pochaev icon helps

Over the centuries, a very extensive list of miracles (more than 500) has been compiled, which the Lord has honored believers who prayed in front of the image. How did the Pochaev icon help people?

The very first known miracle happened in the house church of a noble family, where the image was located. The man, blind from birth, performed prayers in front of the icon, after which he began to see. After this incident, it was decided to transfer the image to the monastery.

One monk was captured by the Tatars. Being in shackles, he bitterly lamented that he would no longer be able to see the walls of his native monastery. And suddenly he found himself in the midst of festively dressed people - the Mother of God took him to the Pochaev Lavra.

Among the Turks, a legend has been preserved about the appearance of the Mother of God during the siege of Pochaev. In the host of angels, she appeared before the attackers, who lost their heads from fear and began to kill each other.

In 1664 a son of a landowner died. His grandmother prayed all night in front of the Pochaev icon, begging for the return of her beloved grandson. By morning he woke up and asked for food.

Among modern wonders- healing little boy who has lost his hearing. This became a complication after the illness. The doctors said it would take a long time to recover. Grandmother brought Yura an icon, which was left overnight in the ward. And in the morning the child was discharged - he was healthy.

Soul education

When meeting with unexplained phenomena a person can get confused, because the mind is used to giving its own interpretation to everything. But not everything lends itself to explanation - even scientists admit it. In this case, prayer will help to collect thoughts. Countless numbers of them sounded at the "Pochaev" icon, many of them received a wonderful response.

Miracle has many meanings, especially in the area of faith. The main miracle that God can perform is the healing of the human soul, the change of heart. It becomes softer, sensitive to the voice of conscience, open to the pain of others. Then a person realizes that he can work miracles himself - showing concern for others, sacrificing something for their sake, becoming an example. One must tirelessly ask the Lord for this.

What else are the Orthodox praying for at the Pochaev Icon?

About healing from ailments of the body, including problems with hearing, vision.
About protection from enemies in any situation.
On the cessation of hostility.
About strengthening faith, healing the soul from the demons of despondency.

Prayer to the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God

To You, O Bogomati, we, sinners, prayerfully flow in Your miracles, revealed in the Holy Lavra of Pochaevsty, remembering our contrite sins. Vema, the Lady, vema, as if it is not befitting us, sinners, to ask only for the hedgehog Righteous Judge of our iniquity, leave us. Everything we endured in our lives, sorrows, and needs, and diseases, like the fruits of our fall, we are vegetating, this God allows us to be corrected. Even so, all this by His truth and by His judgment, the Lord guided His sinful servants, and in His sorrows to Your intercession, Most Pure One, and in tenderness of hearts, they cry out to You: the sins and iniquities of ours, Good One, do not remember, but more honorably lift up Your hand. Come to Thy Son and God, let the fierce deed by us let us go, but for the many unfulfilled promises our face does not turn away from His servants, so He does not take away His grace, helping our salvation, from our souls. To her, Lady, wake our Intercessor for our salvation and, not abhorring our cowardice, look at our groans, even in our troubles and sorrows before Thy miraculous way we exalt. Enlighten our minds with affectionate thoughts, strengthen our faith, confirm hope, grant love to the sweetest gift to accept us. These ubo, Most Pure, by gifts, and not by diseases and sorrows, let our belly be erected to salvation, but, from despondency and despair of our souls, protect us, save us, the weak, from the troubles and needs that come upon us, and the slander of mankind, and intolerable diseases ... Grant peace and prosperity to the Christian life through Thy intercession, Lady, affirm the Orthodox faith in our country and throughout the world. Do not betray the Apostolic and Cathedral Church to belittling, the statutes of the holy fathers are forever unshakable and save all those who come to You from the ruinous moat. Also, bring the heresy of our deceived brothers or saving faith in sinful passions that have ruined the packs to true faith and repentance, and together with us, worshiping Your miraculous image, they will confess Your intercession. Grant us, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, even in this belly behold the victory of truth by Thy intercession, grant us gracious joy before our death to perceive, as the ancient inhabitants of Pochaev showed Thy appearance the victors and enlighteners of the Agarens, may we all be with a grateful heart and taste the prophets, and the apostles, and with all the saints, Your mercy is glorifying, let us give glory, honor and worship in the Trinity to God the Father who is singing, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Among the many holy images of the Most Holy Theotokos, a special place is occupied by the miraculous icon located in the Pochaev Holy Dormition male monastery(lavra) in Volyn (Ukraine). She is revered not only by Orthodox Christians, but also by adherents of other religions.

For about four centuries this miraculous image has been located within the walls of the Holy Dormition Cathedral, which laid the foundation for the monastery complex. And all these years miracles, shown to believers through their prayers in front of the icon, do not stop. Mother of God.

The history of the icon itself begins in a miraculous way: The Mother of God seemed to have chosen the place where her holy image will be located... Therefore, it is worth starting with the background.

In 1340, two monks settled near the mountain on which the Lavra later grew. Once one of them, having completed prayers, went to the top, but suddenly he was struck by an extraordinary vision: on the stone, as if enveloped in flame, stood the Mother of God herself... The monk called his comrade, and he, too, was honored to see the appearance of the Intercessor of the human race.

Seeing the wonderful radiance emanating from the mountain, John Bosoy, a village shepherd, who was grazing nearby cattle, ran there. Three of us eyewitnesses God's miracle began to pray and praise the Lord God and His Most Holy Mother.

As evidence of the appearance of the Virgin, her foot was imprinted on the stone where she stood right leg... Today a stone with a "pile", as believers love this imprint, is in the same Assumption Church and is constantly filled with water, mysteriously exuded by the stone.

Water, believing in her miraculous power, pilgrims are constantly recruiting, of whom a great many come to the Lavra, they are used to heal from various diseases, but the source stop does not become scarce.

Often on the lists of the icon of the Mother of God of Pochaev, the image of the foot is also placed.

According to the existing legend, in these places the icon of the Mother of God, which was later called Pochaev, came as a blessing gift for the noblewoman Anna Goyskaya from the Greek Metropolitan Neophytos.

Following to Moscow from Constantinople, the future Patriarch of Constantinople traveled through the lands of Volyn and stopped for a few days to rest in Urla, the estate of Goiskaya. Touched by a warm and cordial welcome, the distinguished guest blessed the hostess with an old in the image of the Mother of God, which he had never parted with before.

The sacred gift was placed in the home prayer room of Anna Goyskaya and was there long time... But somehow someone from the family noticed that the icon was emitting a wonderful light. They reported to the hostess. At first she did not believe it, but then she saw this image in a dream - "in the great light." After that, an inextinguishable lamp was lit in front of the icon and prayers were performed.

The first miracle from the icon happened in Anna's family: before her, the landowner's brother, Philip, was healed. Different sources indicate different ailments from which he got rid of. Some talk about blindness, others - that he was lame. But the fact remains that the healing that took place in 1597 is attested to by history.

After that, the pious Anna Goiskaya decided to transfer the miraculous image for eternal storage to the monks who settled on Pochaev Mountain... And when the temple of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos was built here, the icon with honors was placed in it. And now her history has forever merged with the history of the monastery, of which she was and is.

Four centuries of the Lavra's existence are rich in events. There are many disasters among them. The monastery was oppressed by the Lutherans, besieged by the Turks, captured by the Uniates, but through the intercession of the Queen of Heaven, all troubles passed.

And descriptions of many truly legendary miracles have survived to our time.

In July 1675, the monastery was besieged by hordes of Tatars. The monastery had not yet been fortified, and it was unrealistic to hide behind its walls for a long time. The then abbot appealed to the brethren and the laity who had taken refuge here to pray to the Most Holy Theotokos and the Monk Job, the deceased Abbot of Pochaev.

The morning before the decisive Tatar assault began with prayers. And literally with their first words over the church the Mother of God herself appeared, surrounded by angels with drawn swords... And next to her he prayed for the protection of the Orthodox monastery of St. Job.

Seeing the heavenly warriors and mistaking them for a ghost, the Tatars began to randomly shoot at them, but the arrows flew back, striking those who released them. The enemy was seized with terror and panic, in which they began to kill their own.

The defenders of the monastery, pursuing the fleeing Tatars, took many prisoners. Some of them became Christians over time. and stayed in the Lavra forever.

After the death of Anna Goyskaya, the icon was removed from the monastery by her heir Andrei Firlei, a Calvinist, and owned it for almost 20 years.

Once in front of the guests, Firley's wife mockingly began to depict a prayer in front of the icon and was immediately struck by mental illness - demonic possession. She was healed only when the icon was returned to the Lavra.

In 1721 Pochaev was captured by the Uniates. For Lavra came hard times, but even then more than 500 miracles revealed by the Orthodox shrine were described in the monastery chronicle.

Among them - getting rid of the inevitable death of the count's coachman. Count Pototsky, who professed Uniatism, almost shot him, accusing that the horses carried and the carriage with the rider turned over.

The poor coachman fell to his knees and, turning to face Pochaev Mountain, he fervently prayed to the Mother of God for salvation... Several attempts of the count to shoot from the always trouble-free pistol ended in misfires - the coachman's life was saved.

Potocki himself was so shocked by this that he believed in the power of the icon and donated a lot of funds for the construction of the monastery, in particular, for the construction of the Holy Dormition Cathedral.

Only in early XIX century the monastery was returned Orthodox Church... And this was marked by the healing of Annushka Akimchukova, a girl from Kamenets-Podolsk, blind from birth.

She prayed at the icon, washed her eyes with water from the holy foot and gained the ability to see... The Uniate grandmother who was accompanying her, amazed by the miracle, converted to Orthodoxy.

Healings take place in our days. A case is described of the recovery of a paralyzed nun who, on crutches, with an accompanying person, came to Pochaev from Orenburg, and left on her own.

The crutches left by her in the monastery, as evidence of a miracle, are next to the icon.

This is only a small fraction of the episodes that testify to the miraculousness of the image of the Pochaev Mother of God and are recorded in the monastery folios.

Every year of the most different parts Sveta, numerous pilgrims travel and are going to worship the great shrine and ask for her help. All believers turn with prayer to the icon of the Mother of God of Pochaev: after all, in life as - every person is a problem.

People ask for help in incurable diseases, including those that do not lend themselves to any kind of healing. They pray for the captives and for their release, to admonish the lost and inveterate sinners, for the strengthening of those who waver in the faith.

Oh, Most Holy Virgin, Lady Theotokos! I thank Thee with all my heart, as if Thou art honored me, a sinful and unworthy servant of Thy to appear here and worship holy grief Yours. Oh, the colic blessings of those who are so much sinful as Thy mercy. I see, Most Pure One, and I am terrified, and my spirit is languishing, in vain is this multi-healing source of Thy grace with my own eyes, which from ancient times in the trail of Thy holy foot Thou inexpressibly showed Thou, and we bow all reverently on the spot, where the Maiden's Nose stands and Thy Hope, I pray of our souls and bodies: washed me with Your celibate water from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, quench with Your grace-filled streams all my heart's passions, heal with drops from the ever-flowing source of Your all my bodily ailments, yes I was instructed by You, healed and delivered by Thee, I am glad , source of endless joy, rejoice, point of inexpressible kindness. Rejoice, drowning of unclean lusts; Rejoice, depletion of all filth. Rejoice, a stream of the most luminous to the health of the faithful from the mountain of a forest that has fallen into the ground, giving the grace of healings, rejoice, heavenly dew, sending down the currents of wisdom to those who are thirsty for true knowledge from above. Rejoice, praise Pochaev, save us, praying to You, Our hope and consolation. Amen.

Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Pochaev Lavra, in the third tier of the magnificent iconostasis, which was presented to the monastery by Emperor Alexander II. Every morning, the icon on silk ribbons is lowered to the level of human growth - for worship and prayer... The original icon is small. It is set in a salary in the shape of a star with many rays emanating from it.

But in the same cathedral there is a large list of it, which is also called "Pochaevskaya" and is also revered as miraculous. This icon appeared in Kiev after the city was rid of the cholera epidemic. At the bottom of this list, the foot of the Mother of God is already depicted.

The miraculous copy of the icon of the Pochaev Mother of God, glorified by the deliverance from adversity in the same 1848, cholera, year, is located in the Siberian Ioanno-Vvedensky nunnery, not far from Tobolsk.

The Pochaev icon, which is also miraculous, is also in Moscow. She is kept in the church of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki - at the Tverskaya gate. There is a miraculous list of it in the Holy Danilov Monastery - in its Trinity Cathedral.

How do the icons "Burning Bush" and "Exaltation of the Lord's Cross" help?

In the Orthodox Church, many icons are revered as miraculous, and people traditionally turn to them with their troubles.

So, Mother of God the icon "Burning Bush" is considered a defender against fire- for this purpose it is placed at home.

They pray in front of her for those who themselves stand guard over safety - for the military, firefighters, doctors, pilots. People of these professions also consider the "Burning Bush" as their patroness.

In military conflicts, this image of the Mother of God is guarded by prayer of soldiers and military leaders. Those who have sinned strongly believe that thanks to sincere repentance before the icon, its miraculous fire will incinerate all the sins they have committed. It also relieves those suffering from mental ailments.

Concerning icons "Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord", then the prayers before her also concern all human worries and hardships, from getting rid of a toothache and ending with praying to bestow God's mercy in all difficult situations.

Sterile ask for the gift of children and receive what they ask for.

Suffering from migraines, joint pains pray for healing.

The terminally ill turn to the icon with faith.

Those who pray to the "Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord" are filled with the strength of the spirit, which helps them to humble themselves and endure, hope and wait.

The prayer for the icon of the "Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord" is very short and sincere: "I ask the incomprehensible and invincible Divine Power of the Honest and Of the life-giving cross do not leave us sinners. "

A special place is occupied by the miraculous icon located in the Pochaev Holy Dormition Monastery (Lavra) in Volyn (Ukraine). She is revered not only by Orthodox Christians, but also by adherents of other religions.

History and meaning

The history of the icon itself begins in a miraculous way: The Mother of God, as if she herself chose the place where her holy image will be located... Therefore, it is worth starting with the background.

Seeing the wonderful radiance emanating from the mountain, John Bosoy, a village shepherd, who was grazing nearby cattle, ran there. Three of us eyewitnesses of God's miracle began to pray and praise the Lord God and His Most Holy Mother.

As evidence of the appearance of the Virgin, the foot of her right foot was imprinted on the stone where she stood. Today a stone with a "pile", as believers love this imprint, is in the same Assumption Church and is constantly filled with water, mysteriously exuded by the stone.

The water, believing in its miraculous power, is constantly recruited by pilgrims, of whom a great many come to the Lavra, are used to heal from various diseases, but the source stop does not become scarce.

Often on the lists of the icon of the Mother of God of Pochaev, the image of the foot is also placed.

According to the existing legend, to these places of the Mother of God, which was later called Pochaev, came as a blessing gift for the noblewoman Anna Goyskaya from the Greek Metropolitan Neophytos.

Following to Moscow from Constantinople, the future Patriarch of Constantinople traveled through the lands of Volyn and stopped for a few days to rest in Urla, the estate of Goiskaya. Touched by a warm and cordial welcome, the distinguished guest blessed the hostess in the ancient image of the Virgin, which he had never parted with before.

The sacred gift was placed in the home prayer house of Anna Goyskaya and was there for a long time. But somehow someone from the family noticed that the icon was emitting a wonderful light. They reported to the hostess. At first she did not believe it, but then she saw this image in a dream - "in the great light." After that, an inextinguishable lamp was lit in front of the icon and prayers were performed.

The first miracle from the icon happened in Anna's family: before her, the landowner's brother, Philip, was healed. Different sources indicate different ailments from which he got rid of. Some talk about blindness, others - that he was lame. But the fact remains that the healing that took place in 1597 is attested to by history.

Four centuries of the Lavra's existence are rich in events. There are many disasters among them. The monastery was oppressed by the Lutherans, besieged by the Turks, captured by the Uniates, but through the intercession of the Queen of Heaven, all troubles passed.

And descriptions of many truly legendary miracles have survived to our time.

The defenders of the monastery, pursuing the fleeing Tatars, took many prisoners. Some of them became Christians over time. and stayed in the Lavra forever.

After the death of Anna Goyskaya, the icon was removed from the monastery by her heir Andrei Firlei, a Calvinist, and owned it for almost 20 years.

In 1721 Pochaev was captured by the Uniates. Difficult times came for the Lavra, but even then more than 500 miracles revealed by the Orthodox shrine were described in the monastery chronicle.

Only at the beginning of the 19th century, the monastery was returned to the Orthodox Church. And this was marked by the healing of Annushka Akimchukova, a girl from Kamenets-Podolsk, blind from birth.

Healings take place in our days. A case is described of the recovery of a paralyzed nun who, on crutches, with an accompanying person, came to Pochaev from Orenburg, and left on her own.

The crutches left by her in the monastery, as evidence of a miracle, are next to the icon.

This is only a small fraction of the episodes that testify to the miraculousness of the image of the Pochaev Mother of God and are recorded in the monastery folios.

What are they praying for?

Every year, numerous pilgrims come and go from different parts of the world to worship the great shrine and ask for its help. All believers turn with prayer to the icon of the Mother of God of Pochaev: after all, in life as - every person is a problem.

Prayer

Oh, Most Holy Virgin, Lady Theotokos! I thank Thee with all my heart, as if Thou art honored me, a sinful and unworthy servant of Thy to appear here and worship on Thy holy mountain. Oh, the colic blessings of those who are so much sinful as Thy mercy. I see, Most Pure One, and I am terrified, and my spirit is languishing, in vain is this multi-healing source of Thy grace with my own eyes, which from ancient times in the trail of Thy holy foot Thou inexpressibly showed Thou, and we bow all reverently on the spot, where the Maiden's Nose stands and Thy Hope, I pray of our souls and bodies: washed me with Your celibate water from all defilement of the flesh and spirit, quench with Your grace-filled streams all my heart's passions, heal with drops from the ever-flowing source of Your all my bodily ailments, yes I was instructed by You, healed and delivered by Thee, I am glad , source of endless joy, rejoice, point of inexpressible kindness. Rejoice, drowning of unclean lusts; Rejoice, depletion of all filth. Rejoice, a stream of the most luminous to the health of the faithful from the mountain of a forest that has fallen into the ground, giving the grace of healings, rejoice, heavenly dew, sending down the currents of wisdom to those who are thirsty for true knowledge from above. Rejoice, praise Pochaev, save us, praying to You, Our hope and consolation. Amen.

Where is the Pochaev Most Holy Theotokos located?

Holy Dormition Cathedral of the Pochaev Lavra, in the third tier of the magnificent iconostasis, which was presented to the monastery by Emperor Alexander II. Every morning, the icon on silk ribbons is lowered to the level of human growth - for worship and... The original icon is small. It is set in a salary in the shape of a star with many rays emanating from it.

The Pochaev icon, which is also miraculous, is also in Moscow. She is kept in St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki - at the Tverskaya Gate. There is a miraculous list of it in the Holy Danilov Monastery - in its Trinity Cathedral.

How do the icons "Burning Bush" and "Exaltation of the Lord's Cross" help?

In the Orthodox Church, many icons are revered as miraculous, and people traditionally turn to them with their troubles.

So, Mother of God the icon "Burning Bush" is considered a defender against fire- for this purpose it is placed at home.

In military conflicts, this image of the Mother of God is guarded by prayer of soldiers and military leaders. Those who have sinned strongly believe that, thanks to sincere repentance before the icon, its miraculous fire will incinerate everything they have done. It also relieves those suffering from mental ailments.

Sterile ask for the gift of children and receive what they ask for.

Suffering from migraines, joint pains pray for healing.

The terminally ill turn to the icon with faith.

Those who pray to the "Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord" are filled with the strength of the spirit, which helps them to humble themselves and endure, hope and wait.

The prayer for the icon of the "Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord" is very short and sincere: "I ask the incomprehensible and invincible Divine Power of the Honest and Life-giving Cross not to leave us sinners."

In 1559, the Greek (according to other sources - Bulgarian) Metropolitan Neophyte, traveling across Russia, came to Volyn.

By inspiration from above in gratitude for the hospitality that the pious noblewoman Anna Goyskaya, to whose domain Pochaev belonged to, showed him in her estate, Vladyka blessed her with an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Most likely, it was a family icon, perhaps belonging to the family of Neophytos himself.

The southern Slavs, like other peoples, at that time had a pious custom of choosing for themselves special patrons from among the saints, whose memory from generation to generation is celebrated as family celebration... It is noteworthy that in all the inscriptions preserved on that icon, the writing and language are Slavic. This testifies to the fact that, perhaps, "the image of Pochaevsky was painted by the Russian hand."

For a long time there was a shrine in the chapel of the noble estate. The maids saw the icon shining many times, and they told their mistress about it.

The Mother of God in a dream appeared to Goiskaya herself. Finally, one day, having become a witness in reality how a wondrous light emanates from the Image, the pious woman believed that the icon has special grace, and ordered a lamp to be lit in front of the shrine.

Through prayers, miracles began to be performed at the icon. When, thanks to the miraculous image, the blind brother of Goy Philip was healed, Anna, surprised and delighted, called the monks. They served a prayer service, the shrine was religious procession transferred to Pochaev Mountain and given for eternal storage to the monks who lived in a cave on the mountain.

This event took place in 1597. On the mountain, a church was built in honor of the Assumption of the Mother of God, and a monastery was created with it, for the maintenance of which Goiskaya donated funds. From that time on, the icon began to be called Pochaev.
Until 1664, various miracles were not recorded. However, popular rumor about such events quickly spread to all ends of the Russian land. Many pilgrims began to flock to the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God from all sides.
In the summer of 1675, during the Zbarazh war with the Turks, during the reign of the Polish king Jan Sobieski (1674-1696), regiments of Tatars, led by Khan Nurredin, approached the Pochaev monastery through Vishnevets, encircling it on three sides. The weak monastery fence, like several stone buildings of the monastery, did not represent any protection for the besieged.
The abbot of the monastery Joseph Dobromirsky persuaded the brethren and the laity to turn to the heavenly intercessors: the Most Holy Theotokos and the Monk Job of Pochaev. Monks and laity prayed fervently, falling down to the miraculous image of the Mother of God and to the shrine with the relics of St. Job.

On the morning of July 23, at sunrise, the Tatars held the last advice on the storming of the monastery. The abbot ordered to sing the Akathist to the Mother of God. With the first words to the "Climbed Voevoda", the Most Pure Mother of God herself suddenly appeared over the monastery, "a white-shining omophorion dissolving," with heavenly angels holding drawn swords. The Monk Job was near the Mother of God, bowing to Her and praying for the protection of the monastery.

The Tatars mistook the heavenly army for a ghost, in confusion they began to shoot at the Most Holy Theotokos and the Monk Job, but the arrows returned and wounded those who fired them. Terror gripped the attackers. In a stampede, without taking apart their own people, they killed each other. The defenders of the monastery rushed in pursuit and captured many. Some of the prisoners later adopted the Orthodox faith and remained in the monastery forever.

... Nowadays, the miraculous icon is placed in the Assumption Cathedral of the Lavra in a star-shaped icon case in the third tier of the iconostasis. It was donated by Emperor Alexander II in 1859 in memory of a pilgrimage to the Pochaev monastery.

Every day at five o'clock in the morning in the Assumption Cathedral, lit in the early dusk by only lamps alone, the monastic brethren serve a midnight office. After her, while singing the troparion "Impassable Gates", the Miraculous image of the Pochaev Mother of God slowly descends and stops at the level of human growth. The icon is supported by two silk ribbons. Next to her is the hieromonk, who is traditionally called the "kiotny". The monks, and after them all those praying in the church, silently and unhurriedly approach and attach themselves to the miraculous image.

In the same way, the shrine is lowered on Saturdays after the cathedral akathist in front of it, as well as on Sundays and holidays after the late Divine Liturgy.
The healing miracles of this icon are endless, as is the flow of pilgrims from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Serbia and other countries who come to her Lavra.

Far from everyone is poured out miracles from the Pochaev shrine, but everyone who turns to this image with a heartfelt prayer, both secretly and openly, is given spiritual, mental and physical help. Each of those who come to the shrine has something that can only be expressed with a prayer sigh. And there are never enough words for this.