What is the power and spiritual significance of the icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer from troubles” of the suffering? What to pray for, what helps, and where is this icon located? You will find a description, history, photo, as well as a prayer in front of the “Deliverer” icon in this article!
In the Orthodox world there are many shrines to which believers turn in search of salvation and protection. A huge number of miracles were performed by holy people. But no fewer of them belong to revered icons. The holy image can grant healing, deliver from temptations, bad feelings, unhappy events, revive hope and even save from death. A special place among such shrines is occupied by the icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer from Troubles”.
History of the image
The first miracles from an icon in Greece
The image became known when in 1822 the Greek Hieromonk presented the icon of the “Deliverer” to his student Martinian. He tried to lead a hermit’s life, devoting all his time to prayer. Subsequently, Martinian always wore the icon of the Mother of God on his chest.
In 1844, Martinian walked past Sparta. Peasants and city residents suffered from a locust invasion. The monk called them to prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos. Immediately after the end of the prayer, the clouds of insects disappeared.
Since then, the fame of the icon has spread throughout the Orthodox world, and pilgrims began to come to Martinian. He did not refuse petitioners, but there were so many of them that the former hermit had no time left for prayer.
Arrival of the “Deliverer” in the Caucasus
Being a very old man, Martinian stopped at the Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos. After some time, he learned that a monastery was being built in the Caucasus, on the Black Sea coast. It was called New Athos because it copied the structures on the holy Mount Athos.
Many monks were inspired by this news and went to the new monastery to help the Caucasian brethren. Martinian also decided to contribute to the creation of a new monastery, and therefore bequeathed after his death to transfer the icon of the “Deliverer” to the New Athos Monastery.
The abbot brought her to his monastery in 1989. When the icon was taken to the coast of Abkhazia, hundreds of people greeted it with jubilation.
Then another miracle happened. The emperor and his family were vacationing in the Caucasus at that time. On this trip he visited many places, including the New Athos monastery. On the way back, near Kharkov, the imperial train crashed.
Not a single member of the royal family was harmed. This event was associated with the arrival of the icon of the Mother of God and an indicator of her mercy and protection.
Disappearance of an icon after the revolution
The icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer from Troubles” was in the New Athos Monastery for a long time, helping people. Forgivers from all over the world came to the Caucasus to venerate the icon and tell about their troubles and sorrows.
Prayer before the icon worked miracles, which were carefully recorded and confirmed by witnesses.
After 1917, the monks for some time managed to preserve the shrines and the old way of life. The monastery existed until 1924, and then was closed. To avoid robbery and ruin, the monks took with them images and church utensils. The icon of the Heavenly Queen was preserved by one of the Lord’s servants. He subsequently became a clergyman in Gudauta.
Pochaevskaya "Deliverer"
After the Great Patriotic War, the icon of the “Deliverer” left the Caucasus. It is not known for certain where she is now.
But in 1992, a very similar image appeared in Ukraine. Nun Gabriela gave a small icon of the Mother of God to the Pochaev Lavra, where it remains to this day.
According to her, the priest of the Lavra gave her the “Deliverer” two decades earlier, ordering her to set it adrift. At that time, the monastery was under threat of ruin, and thus the minister wanted to save and preserve the icon. But the nun did not dare to take this step and kept the shrine with her all this time.
Appearance of the “Deliverer” in Tashla
In the distant village of Tashle, Samara Region, in 1917, the Mother of God again showed her wonderful image. A cell attendant named Catherine had a vision several times: two angels were lowering an icon of the Mother of God into a ravine. The Lord patiently repeated his message until Catherine and her two friends went to the ravine. Having found the place that the angels pointed to, the women began to dig a hole.
Fellow villagers reacted to this idea with skepticism and distrust. But then a miracle happened - Catherine took out of the ground a bright image of the Virgin Mary “Deliverer”.
The local priest took the shrine to the temple and served a prayer service, at which all the village residents gathered. One of the parishioners was immediately healed from a serious and prolonged illness.
At the place where the hole was dug, a spring began to flow. It was ennobled and people were allowed to plunge into the holy spring.
After 1917, the temple was under threat of ruin several times. The vandals removed the expensive frame from the icon, and wanted to destroy the image itself. But the brave villagers kept the icon for several years after the closure of the temple, passing it from hand to hand. After the Great Patriotic War, it was returned to the newly opened temple.
Marovskaya icon
At the end of the 19th century, another image of the “Deliverer” was painted in Jerusalem. It was decided to bring it back to Novgorod. But along the way, the icon became so heavy that they could not move it. The priest accompanying the image understood that the Lord was telling him, and therefore gave the icon to the Holy Cross Monastery in the nearest village of Mara. Where it is kept to this day.
What do they pray to the Holy Image for?
Already from the name it becomes clear that you can turn to the icon of the Mother of God “Deliverance from Troubles” in any difficult situation. The Heavenly Queen is always ready to listen to the person asking and help him if the prayer was sincere and his heart was pure.
Most often they pray to the Deliverer to:
- get rid of alcohol or drug addiction;
- to be healed from illness;
- get help and support in a difficult situation;
- comfort in sorrow and grief;
- help children in illness or difficulty;
- get rid of temptations and bad thoughts.
They also ask the Mother of God to prevent global catastrophes and save them.
Images on the icons of the “Deliverer” and their meaning
On this icon the Mother of God is written in the image of a “Guide”. She holds the baby Jesus on her left hand and points to him with the finger of her right hand. Hence the name - the Mother of God, as it were, shows us the true path.
Other elements of the image are also interesting.
- Mary's red and blue robe speaks of purity and majesty;
- The white and gold robe of the Infant God speaks of divine holiness;
- In his hand the baby holds a scroll - the Old Testament, which ended when the son of God appeared to the world;
- The gold frame symbolizes the Divine light emanating from the image.
Pilgrimages to the icon and petitions to the Mother of God “Deliverer”
The most famous and revered icon in Russia is the Tashlin icon. For many years, pilgrims from all over the country have been traveling to the village of Tashla in the Samara region to venerate the shrine and bathe in the spring.
The icon is kept in a newly built church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer from the troubles of the afflicted,” next to which there is a source.
Every year, at the beginning of Peter's Lent, a procession of the cross takes place from Samara to Tashla to the famous and beloved shrine. People gather in Samara at the intersection of Tashkent and Democratic streets. In three days, pilgrims walk about 70 km.
Pilgrimage buses also go to the village from Samara, Penza, Togliatti, Volgograd, Uralsk, Kazan, Astrakhan and other cities.
Many miracles occur at this place, witnessed by local residents. The water that pilgrims collect from the spring also has healing powers.
Miracles created
Many miracles were performed at the behest of God through the icon of the “Deliverer.” One of the most famous stories tells of a boy named Anastasy. At a young age he became seriously ill. The doctors could not help him. Seeing that the boy was getting worse, the parents asked the priest to give him communion.
On the way to Anastasius, the priest called Martinian with him, who took with him the icon of the “Deliverer”. Arriving at the patient, they discovered that he had died. The priest was very worried that he did not have time to give communion to the boy. Therefore, he began to pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary, asking to resurrect Anastasia. Martinian and the boy's parents joined the prayer. The icon was placed on his chest. After a passionate prayer, the priest overshadowed the boy’s body three times and suddenly he opened his eyes. The priest immediately administered communion to Anastasia and his illness went away.
The icon helped many people get rid of bad habits and terrible addictions, from various diseases and sinful thoughts.
After praying before the face of the Mother of God, believers note that their attitude towards life is changing for the better. They get rid of sorrows and fears, help you look at the current situation differently and boldly overcome any obstacle.
Prayer in front of such powerful shrines as the “Deliverer from Troubles” icon has always helped those asking if they approached it with pure thoughts and sincerity. Thus, the Lord shows us that He is always ready to support those who are ready to follow Him.
Icon of the Mother of God "Deliverer"
The Icon of the Mother of God "Deliverer" before it was brought to the New Athos Simon-Cananite Monastery in the Caucasus, was located on Holy Mount Athos with the resident of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery, Schemamonk Martinian (+ 1884). The pious schema-monk received this icon from the ascetic Theodulus.
The holy icon has been famous for its miracles since ancient times. By praying before this icon in 1841, the inhabitants of Sparta (in Greece) got rid of locusts.
From the Panteleimon Monastery, according to the will of Schema-Archimandrite Macarius, this icon was transferred to Russia on July 20, 1889 for the New Athos Simon-Kananitsky Monastery opened in the Caucasus, and a festival was established in its honor on October 17. When the first celebration in honor of this icon took place at the Simon-Kananitskaya monastery, a storm washed up more than a ton of fish on the shore near the monastery.
The Icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer” was carried by Emperor Alexander III on the train, returning to the capital with his family after a vacation in the south. As you know, the royal train met with a disaster, but the emperor himself and his household miraculously remained alive and unharmed. Members of the royal family associated their miraculous salvation with the patronage and intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. In memory of the miraculous salvation of the Russian emperor and his family, the celebration in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer” was established on April 17.
Icon of the Mother of God "Deliverer"
On the icon, the Most Holy Theotokos is depicted holding on her right hand the Infant God, blessing with her right hand.
Some ancient images on the maforia of the Virgin Mary depict five-pointed stars - pentagrams. Since ancient times, the pentagram has meant “chosenness, duty, fidelity.” Unfortunately, starting from the 16th century, the pentagram began to be used by Masonic organizations, and subsequently by communist ones, which led to the emergence of an ambiguous attitude towards this ancient pious symbol.
Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Deliverer”, which depicts the saints Apostle Simon the Canaanite and healer Panteleimon holding the icon of the Mother of God against the backdrop of the New Athos Simon-Canaanite Monastery.
Celebration
Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Deliverer” they pray for the healing of those suffering from demonic possession, from an invasion of locusts, for the healing of mental and physical infirmities in times of disaster, for the sending of grace-filled power in resolving difficult circumstances.
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos in front of Her icon called “Deliverer”
Oh, Mother of God, our help and protection, whenever we ask, be our deliverer, we trust in You and always call upon You with all our souls: have mercy and help, have pity and deliver, incline Your ear and accept our sorrowful and tearful prayers, and as You wish, calm and rejoice us, who love your Beginning Son and our God. Amen.
Troparion to the Most Holy Theotokos in front of Her icon called “Deliverer”
Troparion, tone 4
Like a bright star, asking for Divine miracles your holy image, O Deliverer, illuminating the rays of your grace and mercy in the night of present sorrows. Grant us, O All-Blessed Virgin, deliverance from troubles, healing of mental and physical ailments, salvation and great mercy.
Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos in front of Her icon called “Deliverer”
Kontakion 1
Forbid our enemy to embitter us and, of course, separate us from our Lord, and teach us to sing to You cheerfully:
Ikos 1
Many angels, according to Your command, our Mother, are taking up arms for our deliverance threateningly. Accept this prayer:
Rejoice, you who send angels to our salvation; Rejoice, Queen of the heavenly ranks, granting us their heavenly help.
Rejoice, thou who commandest us as an angel to protect us; Rejoice, you who defeat our enemies with the army of Angels.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion 2
Those in need see so much and much of Your help to those who sincerely call upon You, and are thus instructed to sing to Your Son unceasingly: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
Many people understand that the world has given You Your Son as the Deliverer of the needy, and we also sing to You:
Rejoice, Mother of the needy; Rejoice, consolation to those who suffer.
Rejoice, healing of the sick; Rejoice, unreliable hope.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion 3
The power of the Most High was bestowed upon You to help and save the world and us, who are perishing in troubles. And who is not delivered by You, and who does not sing to Your Son: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Having an incomprehensible love for the human race, what sighs did you not accept, what tears did you not wipe away, and whom did you not force to call upon Thee, crying out:
Rejoice, those in need will soon be heard; Rejoice, consolation to the sad and sorrowful.
Rejoice, quick salvation for those who are perishing; Rejoice, liberation of the captives.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion 4
A storm of misfortunes is upon us, save us who are perishing. To our deliverer, who tamed the destructive storm on earth and accepted our song: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Hearing to mankind, give birth to all Your wondrous love for Christians and Your powerful deliverance from all the evil ones that come upon them, learning to sing to You:
Rejoice, deliverance of the human race from troubles; Rejoice, the storms of life have ceased.
Rejoice, O despondency to the Perisher; Rejoice, Giver of joy after our sorrow.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion 5
More like a godly star, dispelling darkness and darkness in sinful hearts, and in Thy light; in love they will see the Lord and sing to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Seeing Your unexpected deliverance from various troubles, the people of Russia joyfully sing to You:
Rejoice, our Helper in troubles; Rejoice, what is more painful is the taking away of our sorrows.
Rejoice, our sorrows are driven away; Rejoice, consolation in our sorrows.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion 6
They preach Your help and love, Mother, healing, consolation, joy and salvation from troubles by You, and sing to Your Highly Powerful Son: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
The light of salvation has shone for us in the darkness of destruction that surrounds us, and has instructed us to sing to You:
Rejoice, dispelling the darkness of sins; Rejoice, you who consume the darkness of sin.
Rejoice, you who enlighten the darkness of my soul; Rejoice, you who encourage souls with the light of joy.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion 7
Those who want to give in to ultimate despair, the troubles that lie on us everywhere, think about You, the Deliverer, and we are encouraged and comforted, singing to Your Son: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
He showed us Your mercy in a new and unexpected way, accepting us under Your sovereign hand, and from here we cry out to You:
Rejoice, O Queen of Sovereignty; Rejoice, you who have accepted us under Your power.
Rejoice, Thou who hast given us Thy protection; Rejoice, thou who has slain our enemies.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion 8
A strange miracle for the doomed and innumerable languishing in need, they suddenly receive salvation and deliverance from You, the All-Loving One, singing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
All who are in the darkness of sorrows, all who are overwhelmed by the storm of misfortunes, come to the good refuge and our help, the protection of the Virgin Deliverer, crying to Her:
Rejoice, source of joys; Rejoice, banishment of sorrows.
Rejoice, troubles have diminished; Rejoice, Giver of all peace.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion 9
All human beings praise Thee, everyone sings Thee, who brings manifold deliverance, instead of sorrows, giving joy to those who sing: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
Vetia of many minds was distraught, seeing Your quick and miraculous deliverance from the troubles of the afflicted, and fell silent to us, singing to You:
Rejoice, you who surprised the world with miracles; Rejoice, you who strengthened us with miracles.
Rejoice, you who destroyed godlessness through miracles; Rejoice, having confounded your enemies by the power of God.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion 10
Although you have saved every human soul, caring for it with all your love, until you teach it to sing to Your Son: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
As a wall, protecting the Christian world and protecting every soul from enemies, Your icon, the Deliverer, appeared in the Orthodox world and became glorified by miracles. To you the people of God sing:
Rejoice, our Teacher, who chose the Holy Mount Athos as her lot; Rejoice, our Deliverer, who blessed New Athos with Your blessing.
Rejoice, our joy, who showed the sign of the unbreakable union of Your earthly inheritances through Your icon; Rejoice, our eternal joy, who favored the young New Athos monastery with wonderful care.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion 11
They bring you unceasing singing through Your deliverance, and through You they have again found joy, and they sing joyfully to Your Divine Son: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
Appear to us as a luminous and radiant luminary in the darkness of sin, Your icon, the Deliverer, instructing us to sing to You:
Rejoice, thou who deliverest us from famine; Rejoice, you who drive away harmful nature from the plant world.
Rejoice, saving crops and forests and all that grows from destruction; Rejoice, consolation to the grieving farmers and blessing to their labors.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion 12
Grace, from Your icon, the Deliverer, flowing, abundantly giving streams of healing and enlivening hearts with joy, conquers everyone by the will of singing to You, Mother, and to Your Son and God: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
We sing of the healings, we sing especially of the resurrection of the youth Anastasia, and we sing hymnically:
Rejoice, you who raise the dead; Rejoice, you who revive dead hearts; Rejoice, you who take away from death and eternal fire.
Rejoice, our posthumous hope and protection.
Rejoice, Deliverer, who saves us in need from grief, troubles and death.
Kontakion13
O our All-Singing and All-Beloved Mother, have mercy now and have mercy, delivering us from the fierce and hopeless sorrows that exist, teach us to heartily sing to God who forgives us: Alleluia. This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1.
The icon of the Mother of God, which is considered healing, is located in the Caucasus, in one of the monasteries. This image has a long history, shrouded in legends and miracles.
Location of the icon
At the moment, the icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer” is located in the New Athos Simon-Kananitsky Cathedral at the foot of Mount Athos in Abkhazia. This is a monastery founded in 1875 by the monks of the Church of St. Panteleimon with the participation of the Russian Emperor Alexander III.
Since 2011, it has been transferred to the Abkhazian Orthodox Church. Christian pilgrims in their dozens and hundreds try to overcome a long journey to get to this cathedral. It is not he himself who seduces them, but a wonderful icon depicting the Virgin Mary. The “Deliverer” icon was transferred from the holy Mount Athos in Greece, where elders live who constantly pray in churches for the salvation of the human race from various misfortunes.
The shrine was given to the new temple by monk Martinian in 1884. He lived in the Monastery of St. Panteleimon, which is traditionally considered Russian.
Martinian received the “Deliverer” icon from Theodulus, his ascetic. However, only retellings of the miraculous acts of the image at the moment when the monk owned it were included in church records. Theodul was not endowed with the ability to retell the will of the Virgin Mary.
Legend from Greece
The “Deliverer” icon created many miracles, proving more than once that prayers can be heard. Her first miracle was saving an entire city.
According to legend, the image helped the inhabitants of the Greek city of Sparta resist the attack of locusts. The bad weather came suddenly when the townspeople were not prepared. Large swarms of insects began to destroy the crops, and people were doomed to starvation and extinction.
Martinian stopped in their city with a miraculous icon. He learned that people in the city were afraid of imminent death, and convinced them to begin to frantically pray to the Mother of God. Five thousand believers followed the monk who had come to the nearest field and began to pray to the icon that the elder had installed in the middle.
And then a miracle happened. Hearing the prayers of the parishioners, the icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer” saved those places from locusts. People could again see the sun, which had previously been hidden behind millions of insects.
And those locusts that still remained were eaten by a flock of birds that came from nowhere.
Boy Anastasy and miraculous salvation
It so happened that there and at that time a little boy named Anastasy was sick. Parents struggled in vain with an incurable disease. When she began to progress and there was no hope left, the baby was asked to receive communion. But the local priest did not arrive on time. He invited Martinian with him. Together they went to the sick man's house. But we didn’t have time. Anastasius died.
The priest did not know peace because he was late to the dying man. Martinian brought the icon with him, and he and the priest began to pray to the Mother of God to help and resurrect the child. The icon “Deliverer from Troubles” was always on his body. The priest, the elder, and the parents of the deceased child asked.
After the prayer was completed, Martinian baptized the face of Anastasius with the icon three times. Then the boy's eyes opened. After the priest gave him communion, the child was cured of his previous illness.
After such incredible miracles, people learned about the elder not only throughout the city, but also far beyond its borders. More and more people came to him day by day and asked for help.
Martinian's departure
Every day the elder’s thoughts became more and more difficult. He did not like the fact that people who came to him for help began to venerate both the icon itself and him.
He decided that it was time to leave people. When Martinian found a remote cave near the seashore and was about to settle there, the Mother of God came to him in a vision. She told him to return to the suffering and continue to do good deeds, healing others. Martinian obeyed. By the time he left the cave, the relatives of a certain girl named Elena, who was possessed by a demon, were waiting for him. Only the icon “Deliverer from Troubles” was able to drive away the devil inside Helena.
The icon helps in Russia
After many years of helping people, the elder had to return to Athos, where he took the goalkeeper herself. He took her to the Panteleimon Monastery. There it was decided to transfer the icon to Russia. From there she continued to treat pilgrims.
In 1891, a publication appeared in the press about how three sufferers in the monastery were cured by the miraculous icon “The Deliverer.”
All the deeds that the image performed were entered into the lists of St. Petersburg, in the church at the Naval Hospital. From there you can learn about the miraculous healing of an entire workshop of workers during the cholera epidemic in 1892. Where workers prayed to the face, not a single case of illness was recorded. Other workshops were damaged.
The icon was often carried to factories, praying that the Blessed Virgin would help and protect from disease.
Transferring the holiday icon
Initially, the holiday in honor of the image was scheduled for April 4. But on this day in 1866, Emperor Alexander II was attacked. Despite the fact that the shooter’s attempt to kill the king failed, it was decided to postpone the holiday.
Icon Day began to be celebrated on October 17, still in the old style. The number was not chosen by chance, but in honor of the fact that Emperor Alexander III miraculously managed to survive with his entire family during a train accident at Borki station. It was believed that the icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer from Troubles” helped them.
Icon style
The icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer” belongs to a special style called “Hodegetria”. It can be deciphered as "Guide". This style is characterized by the image of the Virgin Mary only up to the waist. In her left hand lies baby Jesus. facing those praying in front of them. The baby’s right palm is depicted in a blessing gesture, and in his left he has a scroll.
The Mother of God placed her free hand near her chest towards her son.
In ancient times, a pentagram was also depicted on icons with the Virgin Mary - It was supposed to symbolize fidelity and chosenness. But after Masonic organizations appropriated this symbol at the end of the 16th century, and later the communists, the star was stopped being painted on icons.
The Mother of God was often depicted in the past, and is still depicted today, seated with her son on a heavenly throne. This is done in order to emphasize the royal position of the Virgin Mary and God's son. They are also depicted with crowns on their heads.
Characteristic features of this icon
- Our Lady has a royal crown, but her son does not;
- the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Deliverer” differs in very few small details from the image called “Quick to Hear”;
- The image was considered for a long time to be the protector of the monarchical family, in particular the Romanov royal family. However, the icon was unable to protect the family of the last Emperor Nicholas II from brutal reprisals;
- There is another version of the face. It depicts from Athos and Simon the Canaanite. Both support the “Deliverer” icon. There is a temple at some distance from them. And above them in the cloud three angels are sitting at the table.
The icon “Deliverer from Troubles Tashlinskaya” is considered to have been brought from Athos in 1917 to the Samara region. According to church records, a certain Ekaterina Chugunova, a resident of the village of Tashla, saw the Virgin Mary in a dream three times every night. She insisted that her icon was buried in a ravine not far from the village. When three days later the woman was walking near that place, the image of the Mother of God appeared before her. The face was carried by two angels and lowered into this ravine. She told about her dream in the church, and, believing such a sign, the icon was immediately taken out of the ground.
Where the relic was dug up, a miraculous spring appeared. She was carried to the Church of the Holy Trinity, where a prayer service was immediately served. On the same day when the icon appeared, a certain Anna Trolova from the same village, after 32 years of illness, was miraculously healed. A well was built near the source, to which believers came with their requests for healing.
Having survived church persecution, the icon returned in 2005 to the church, newly erected in honor of it. The well, which was filled with garbage, was restored and they saw that the water continued to flow there.
The style of the image is somewhat different from the icon in the Caucasus Monastery. The inner corners of the painting are decorated according to the New Athos style of iconography. It contains a flower with ten petals, while the Tashlinskaya Sporuchnitsa has eight petals, and the Mother of God looks at her son. The baby in the image has his feet almost touching the bottom edge.
Who prays in front of the icon
Believers who suffer from any problems come to the Mother of God for help, turning to her through the holy image. The icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Deliverer”, according to church beliefs, answers the prayers of people who are pure in spirit.
Most often, those who pray to her are:
- obsessed with any addiction: alcohol, gaming, smoking, and so on;
- suffer from illnesses;
- want to get rid of mental sadness;
- ask for help in times of trouble;
- looking for advice in a difficult situation.
Akathists in honor of the Mother of God
The first akathist written to the “Deliverer” icon asks that the Mother of God take away from enemies the opportunity to influence them, and also teach joy and songs in the name of the Blessed Virgin, who saves from troubles, from grief, from destruction.
The second hymn addresses the Mother of God as the protector of people and the leader of angels, sending them to help humanity.
In the third akathist, both the Mother of God herself and her son are glorified.
The mercy of the Mother of God is poured out on the earth through many revealed icons. Due to the weakness of human faith, in difficult times or on the eve of upheavals, the Mother of God sends Her images to call people to prayer and remind them of the limitations of human efforts without God. This is how the icon “Deliverer from Troubles” appeared in Russia, the history of whose wanderings and miracles shows the mercy and love of the Mother of God for the human race, Her patience and forgiveness of human sins.
The first miracles from an icon in Greece
In 1822, Hieromonk Theodulus from the Peloponnese (Southern Greece) gave a small icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer from Troubles” to his disciple Martinian as a blessing. Martinian led a wandering life, moving from village to village, sometimes stopping in deserted places to pray. He wore the teacher's gift on his chest, having built a small case.
After some time, the Lady deigned to glorify Her image with miracles. In 1844, when the peasants of Sparta were suffering from a locust invasion, Martinian called them to pray to the Virgin Mary.
Prayer before the icon “Deliverer from Troubles”
The icon “Deliverer from Troubles” was installed in the middle of a field, and all the villages gathered for a prayer service. They had barely finished praying when the clouds of pests dispersed, leaving only a small number on the trees. The peasants' despair turned to jubilation when a flock of birds swooped in and pecked at the remaining insects.
Rumors about the event quickly spread throughout the villages and soon people flocked to Martinian, bringing their illnesses and difficulties to the Mother of God. The help of the Blessed Virgin was so generous that the monk did not have enough time for prayer, since he constantly received visitors. Among the miracles of that time, the resurrection of a child who died from illness and the healing of a demon-possessed woman became known.
Martinian decided to flee from human glory, hiding in an inaccessible mountain desert. But the Mother of God demanded to return to the suffering.
Arrival of the “Deliverer” in the Caucasus
Having grown old, Martinian settled in the Russian Panteleimon Monastery on Athos (Greece). At that time it became known that a Russian monastery was being built on the Caucasian shore of the Black Sea, imitating St. Mount Athos, New Athos. Some monks from the Panteleimon Monastery went to establish monastic life there. Imbued with love for the new Caucasian brethren, Martinian bequeathed to send her the miraculous “Deliverer” as a gift after his death.
In 1889, the icon, accompanied by the rector of the New Athos Monastery, Archimandrite. Hierona arrived on the coast of Abkhazia, where a solemn meeting was held for the Mother of God.
About other Russian monasteries:
- Zheltovodsk Makaryevsky Convent in the Nizhny Novgorod region
Icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer”
At this time, Russia was shocked by the disaster that occurred at the Borki station (near Kharkov), when a train carrying the Imperial Family crashed. By the miracle of God, none of the royal persons were injured. Emperor Alexander III was returning after visiting the Caucasus, where he had rested and visited the New Athos Monastery.
In honor of the miraculous deliverance of the Royal Family from death, the celebration of the arriving shrine was set on October 17, the day of the disaster. As soon as the liturgy was celebrated that day, a storm arose in the sea, washing ashore a lot of fish, from which they prepared a treat for the worshipers.
Disappearance of an icon after the revolution
For a long time, the “Deliverer of Troubles” adorned the temple built for her in the New Athos Monastery. Miracles from the image did not stop; they were recorded, sealed with the signatures of many witnesses, incl. high officials. The entries were short: such and such a Cossack or peasant was healed from the image, date and month. People from all over Russia flocked to the Caucasus.
After the revolution of 1917, the New Athos brethren managed for a long time to keep the monastery from closure and ruin. But in 1924 the monastery was finally closed and the monks dispersed to the mountain slums, saving the shrines of the monastery. The icon “Deliverer” was taken by one of the monks, who later became a priest in Gudauta (Abkhazia).
Procession with the icon of the Mother of God "Deliverer"
Interesting. After the Great Patriotic War, attitudes towards the Church improved, and a temple was opened in Gudauta, where the “Deliverer” was placed in a decorated icon case and opened for veneration by parishioners.
But soon the Mother of God deigned to leave the Caucasus.
Pochaevskaya "Deliverer"
Attention. The current location of the original "Deliverer" is unknown. There are suggestions that she was taken to Pochaev (Ukraine).In 1992, an ancient icon of small size (12 by 15 cm), similar to the original, was transferred by the elderly nun Gabriela to the Lavra, where it remains to this day. The old woman received the icon from the priest of the same Lavra in 1970 with the instruction to “let the icon flow along the Dnieper.” In those years, the Pochaev Lavra was under threat of ruin and thus he wanted to save the shrine. But the nun did not dare to throw the image into the river and kept it in her house.
Pochaev Lavra
After some time, the image of the Mother of God was miraculously renewed and the nun decided to transfer it to the Lavra. Since the stay of the miraculous icon in the Church of the Exaltation of the Cross, cases of healing have been recorded.
Appearance of the “Deliverer” in Tashla
Important. The Most Holy Virgin hid the location of the original of Her icon, appearing in different places in Russia as Her holy image of the “Deliverer.” By this She showed that grace does not come from a specific thing, but is present everywhere according to the will of God.In 1917, the appearance of the image of the “Deliverer of Troubles” occurred in the village. Tashla, Samara region. A resident of an inconspicuous village, Ekaterina Chugunova, more than once saw in reality two Angels lowering the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary into a ravine. The long-suffering Lord repeated the phenomenon, overcoming the mistrust of Catherine and her fellow villagers. Obvious miracles of God occurred even when the woman persuaded the neighbors to go into the indicated ravine with shovels to look for the holy icon.
Tashla. Temple of the Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Having dug a large hole filled with water, the peasants finally found in it a small image of the Virgin Mary, written on a board that exactly resembled the New Athos “Deliverer”. A local priest was called, the icon was taken to the church and a prayer service was served. A resident of Tashla, who had been ill for 32 years, was immediately healed. At the site where the “Deliverer” was found, a spring began to flow, and a chapel was built over it.
In the post-revolutionary years, the church in Tashla, which preserves the miraculous image, suffered severe oppression. They tore off the expensive robe from the “Deliverer,” and they tried to steal and destroy the icon itself, but the Blessed Virgin returned Her image to its place. After the closure of the temple in 1932, the residents of Tashla kept the icon in their homes, passing it on to each other. The church was reopened after the Great Patriotic War and the “Deliverer” returned to the place where it remains today.
Marovskaya icon
Another miraculous copy from the “Deliverer” was made in Jerusalem at the end of the 19th century. He was brought to the Nizhny Novgorod province. When the image was being transported past the village of Mary, the icon suddenly became so heavy that the cart could not budge. Understanding the will of the Blessed Virgin, the image was left in the local Holy Cross Monastery. After the closure of the monastery in 1927, the holy icon was preserved by the inhabitants of Mary. Currently, the shrine has returned to the reviving monastery. The image is glorified by many miracles.
Church on the site of the Marovsky Monastery
Images on the icons of the “Deliverer” and their meaning
The Mother of God is depicted in the image of “Hodegetria” (Guide), according to legend, first written by the Evangelist Luke. The Divine Infant sits on Her left hand, holding a rolled scroll in his hand. The Mother of God points with her right hand to Christ - the only path of the believer (hence the name “Guide”). The artistic details make sense too:
- The Mother of God's clothing - a blue tunic and a red maforium - symbolizes virgin purity and royal grandeur.
- Three stars on the map of the Mother of God mean Her indestructible virginity, while one star is covered by the figure of the Infant God. This symbolizes the incarnation of Christ from the “virgin womb.”
- Christ's robe - white with gold - holiness and grace of God
- The scroll in the hand of the Infant God is the Old Law, the action of which ended with the appearance of Christ.
- The golden frame on the icon symbolizes the Divine Light, clothing all that is holy. The floral ornament on its corners is the life-giving power of this Light.
The image of the “Deliverer”, now located in the New Athos Monastery, is complemented by the figures of the Apostle Simon the Canaanite and the Healer Panteleimon. Great Martyr Panteleimon, patron of the Russian monastery on Athos, seems to convey the image to Simon the Canaanite, patron of the New Athos monastery. The board with the figures of saints used to be an icon case for the “Deliverer”; a small image was inserted into a niche cut between the saints.
New Athos Monastery
With the loss of the original icon, the image of the Great Martyr. Panteleimon, Ap. Simon and the image of the Virgin Mary is written as a special subject.
Unfortunately for Orthodox pilgrims, the monastery in New Athos is now in schism with the Russian Orthodox Church, which makes it difficult to pray at the image of the Mother of God: visiting the monastery is not recommended by the hierarchy of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Interesting. The original image of the “Deliverer” has inspired modern artists to paint various versions of the icon, where symbolism and canonicity may not be respected.
Pilgrimages to the icon and petitions to the Mother of God “Deliverer”
The most revered icon in Russia is Tashlinskaya. As the name of the image itself says, prayer in front of it relieves various troubles. People turn to the Mother of God in illnesses, for deliverance from drug addiction, in the dangers of global catastrophes. Tashlin Icon of the Mother of God
The enemy of the human race is not asleep: publications periodically appear in the press about the dangers of the Tashlin spring for health, about the “trade” of holy water. But the Mother of God and faith overcome his machinations and the flow of believers to Tashla has not dried up for decades.
In 2013, the Volga Cossacks, with the blessing of the Patriarch, organized an all-Russian religious procession with the holy icon. The Lady again set out across the earth to heal the suffering.
Watch a video about the miraculous icon of the Mother of God
In the Samara region, not far from the city of Togliatti, there is the village of Tashla. People from all over Russia come here for physical and spiritual healing. After all, it is in the local Holy Trinity Church that the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, whose name speaks for itself - “ Deliverer from troubles" It is also called Tashlinskaya.
The story of the acquisition of the icon is very interesting and mysterious. On October 21 (new style), 1917, cell attendant Ekaterina Chugunova, a native of the village of Tashla, saw the Mother of God in a dream. The saint showed the woman the place where her miraculous image was kept. The next morning, Ekaterina, taking with her two friends - Feodosia Atyaksheva and Paraskeva Gavrilenkova, went to the indicated place.
On the way, Katerina was again accompanied by a vision - two angels carefully carried an icon from which a bright radiance emanated. The vision disappeared as soon as the women reached the right place. However, Feodosia and Paraskeva saw nothing.
In front of the people crowded around Paraskeva, Gavrilenkova dug up an icon in the Tashlin ravine. As soon as the woman took out the holy image, a spring immediately began to flow from the hole. After this, the icon was taken to the temple and consecrated.
However, any miracle can cause mistrust. Not everyone believed in the power of the icon. Therefore, after some time, she disappeared from the temple. They found her in a holy spring. She was floating face up. And again it was given into the hands of only Paraskeva. The holy image was returned to the temple.
The rumor about the wonderful icon quickly spread throughout the province and even far beyond its borders. Lines of people came to worship the shrine. Since then, a series of miraculous healings began, which does not stop to this day. Icon “Deliverer from Troubles” helps to recover from any, even the most terrible illness. There is no disease that she cannot heal.
There are known cases when paralyzed people left the temple on their own feet. AIDS patients recovered by turning to the Tashlinskaya Mother of God for help. The icon helped childless women to conceive a child soon. It is simply impossible to list all the cases of miraculous healing. In less than 100 years, the Tashlinskaya Mother of God has helped thousands of people get rid of all kinds of ailments.
The day of veneration of the Tashlin Icon is October 21 (Old Style – October 8). This is the same day when she was found for the first time. Every year this holiday in the village of Tashla is celebrated with a religious procession to the holy spring and a solemn prayer service. Bow down Tashlinskaya Mother of God On this day, a huge number of both healed and people in need of healing come from all over the country.
Prayer to the icon of the Mother of God “Deliverer from troubles”:
O Mother of God, our help and protection,
May you always be our deliverer,
We trust in You and always call upon You wholeheartedly,
have mercy and help, have pity and deliver,
incline Your ear and accept our sorrowful and tearful prayers,
and as you wish, calm and make us happy,
those who love Your beloved Son, to Him be glory,
honor and worship,
with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
