Miraculous icon Mother of God "Gracious"

In the Cathedral of the Conception Monastery in a white-stone tent in an old icon case, there is a miraculous image Holy Mother of God, called the "Merciful", and exudes currents of miracles with faith, resorting to Her grace-filled Protection.

Monastic tradition connects this miraculous icon with the ancient icon of the Mother of God "Merciful-Kykkos" (Eleusa, which means "source of mercy").

Abbess Maria (Box)

The first mention of the Merciful is found in the monastery inventory of the 18th century. Before the closure of the monastery, the image of the Queen of Heaven was in the cathedral church of the monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. In the inventory compiled in 1909 under the last abbess Maria (Box), this icon is called one of the most revered shrines of the Conception monastery. It is indicated that on Wednesdays in front of the miraculous image of the Mother of God "Merciful" a prayer song with an akathist was performed.

In 1918, the Soviet government issued a decree on the nationalization of church lands and property, and the confiscation of church values ​​began. In order to protect the shrines and charitable institutions of the monastery, Abbess Maria founded a brotherhood in the name of the Heavenly Queen, in honor of Her Graceful Icon, under the patronage of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon of All Russia.

Before the closure of the monastery, in 1923, the miraculous image, along with some other revered icons, was transferred to the temple of the Prophet Elijah in Obydensky Lane.

The expensive silver and gold robe had to be removed and hidden in order to avoid desecration of the shrine. Abbess Maria gathered the sisters for the last prayer service before the miraculous image of the Mother of God. With a feeling of heartfelt sorrow, with tears, the sisters offered fervent prayers to the Queen of Heaven, realizing that a new life, full of trials and suffering, was beginning for them. Having performed the rite of prayer singing, Abbess Maria uttered a parting word, entrusting the nuns and the entire monastery to the care and intercession of the Heavenly Abbess - the Most Holy Theotokos. She said that from now on, the Merciful Mother of God is an abbess, a mentor, and a leader of the sisters. In confirmation of her words, mother left her abbot's rod at the icon of the Mother of God "The Merciful".

The entire subsequent history of the Conception monastery testifies to the truth of those words. With the closure of the monastery, many of the nuns were sent in stages to the camps of Kazakhstan and Siberia, others were forcibly evicted from the monastery without providing housing, some of the sisters went to their relatives and friends in the villages. The sisters who remained in Moscow huddled in basements and attics, feeding on the labors of their hands, doing any job they saw. Some were sewing, quilting blankets. A small community of nuns and novices of the Conception Convent secretly continued their monastic life in the world, supporting, if possible, the traditions of the monastery. They were praying now in the Ilyinsky Church, where in the right side-altar in the name of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul a precious treasure was kept until the time - the miraculous image of the Mother of God "Merciful". With love, the sisters looked after the icon, bringing the Queen of Heaven their heartfelt reverence and tender prayers for help and intercession, for the preservation of faith and strengthening of the spirit. Nun Magdalene, one of the nobles, who until the closure of the monastery fulfilled obedience to the head of the monastery's passport office, until the end of her days was relentlessly at the icon, adjusting the icon lamps, keeping the icon case and the image clean. The sisters had a special place in the temple, where they stood during the divine services. Every year on November 25, on the day of the celebration of the "Merciful" icon of the Mother of God, almost all the monastics of the Conception Monastery gathered in the Elias Church for services. According to the monastery tradition, the day before, a solemn all-night vigil with the singing of the akathist. After the Divine Liturgy, the Conception sisters with the clergy gathered for a festive meal at one of the nuns. Preserving the monastic custom, in their monastic rule the sisters constantly recited the akathist to the Mother of God "Merciful". The shrine of the monastery was reverently venerated by the parishioners of the Elias Church. In the 50s, the zeal of believers cast a gilded silver riza with embossing and precious stones.

In 1991, a sisterhood was formed in honor of the Merciful Icon of the Mother of God, and soon work began on the revival of the Conception monastery.

From the first days of their new life in the monastery, the sisters began to think about the return of the monastery shrines and, first of all, about the return of the main shrine - the miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Merciful".

The icon of the Mother of God "Merciful" has recently been popularly called "The Hearer", because the ear of the Mother of God in the image is slightly open. The Queen of Heaven hears all the prayers and sighs raised to Her, and certainly shows Her mercy and motherly love.

Believers who come to the Conception Monastery under the grace of the Queen of Heaven pray with zeal before the miraculous image of the Mother of God "Merciful". And their prayers are always answered. For some, help comes immediately, for others, changes in their lives come months or even years later. There are times when the Queen of Heaven does something unusual, at first glance not related to what is asked or expected. But in everything one can see the love of the Most Holy Lady for Her sinful children, who raise up weak but sincere prayers from their suffering hearts, with faith and hope for Her omnipotent intercession.

The Mother of God heals and admonishes, kindles faith and does not leave in the most hopeless everyday circumstances. Many people, coming to the monastery, testify to the grace-filled help they received from the Most Holy Theotokos through Her image of the “Merciful”.

So, one servant of God, whose old mother-mother fell seriously ill, came to church and poured out her heartfelt need of the Mother of God, saying only three words to Her before the image of the "Merciful", and a miracle happened! Five days later, the patient was discharged, while of her two roommates with the same disease, one died, and the other received serious complications.

One of the already middle-aged spouses, after sudden attacks of severe headache due to vasospasm, the Mother of God in a dream commanded to come to the Conception Monastery. The pains have not recurred since then, and when the couple came to the monastery together, they recognized in the image of the "Merciful" the icon they had married many years ago in the temple of the Prophet Elijah the Ordinary, and the priest who performed the Sacrament turned out to be serving in the monastery now.

One servant of God N, widowed, for eleven years alone raised two daughters and sometimes grieved deeply. Arriving for the first time in the Conception monastery for divine services, she saw the icon of the Heavenly Queen "The Merciful", and faith was kindled in her heart and hope was strengthened in the successful outcome of her everyday hardships. Soon the daughter, about whom she was so worried, with the help of the Queen of Heaven, who sent people and arranged the circumstances, entered the university to the great joy of her mother, who found in the Most Holy Theotokos a faithful Intercessor and Helper.

For more than twenty years, the servant of God Anna was treated for infertility by various doctors, but to no avail. Finally, she turned to an expensive clinic, where they promised to help using new methods of treatment, but also without success. Putting her hope on Divine help, Anna came to the Conception monastery, ordered a prayer service for health in front of the icon of the "Merciful" of the Most Holy Theotokos, she herself prayed for a long time at the miraculous image. A miracle happened, Anna was able to conceive and after the allotted time gave birth to a daughter.

The servant of God Angelina with reverence presented the image of the "Merciful" Mother of God with one of her adornments in gratitude for the help of the Queen of Heaven, rendered to her son Demetrius. A loving mother prayed with zeal in front of the "Merciful" icon, asked for the arrangement of her personal life and good work for her son, which happened after a while. The son met his future wife and found a decent job.

In our difficult time of the multiplication of lawlessness and the impoverishment of love, the Mother of God does not leave those who sincerely seek the way of salvation, in Her miraculous images giving an invaluable opportunity - to touch Divine grace, healing, restoring, transforming, replenishing the human soul stricken by sin.

Legends say that the "Merciful" icon of the Mother of God is the creation of the Evangelist Luke. They named it that way because the Mother of God on it begs Jesus to preserve the human race. Its other name, "Kykkos" or "Kikkiotisa", was born from the name of Mount Kykkos (island of Cyprus).

After writing, the image was transferred by the Apostle Luke to the Egyptian Christian community. The face of the Mother of God remained in Egypt until almost the end of the 10th century. In 980, there began persecutions against all who believed in the One God and the "Merciful" Queen of Heaven was transported to Constantinople, and the royal palace became her place of residence until the end of the 12th century.

Description

There is an extraordinary peculiarity in the appearance of the Kykkos shrine. It is not known when and how the image changed, but part of it from the upper left to the lower right corner seemed to be covered with a veil hiding the faces of the Divine Infant and his Mother.

The image is attributed to the "Eleusa" type ("source of mercy"). The faces of the Virgin and the Son are tilted to the left. The baby's right hand holds the edge of the red maforium, in which His Mother is clothed, and the left hands of Mary and Jesus hold the Greek scroll together.

The miraculous power of the icon

Tsargrad Emperor Alexy Komnenos had a daughter. Once she was struck by an incurable disease. It was then that the ruler of the island of Cyprus, Manuel Vutomit, turned to Alexis, having received instructions from above to ask for the wonderful icon of the Mother of God "Merciful", which was kept by the emperor. She needed to be delivered to a monastery located on Mount Kykkos. As soon as Alexy agreed to transfer the image to the Cypriot monastery, his daughter was healed.

But after that, the emperor began to regret his hasty decision and pulled the icon to be transported to the monastery. Then the ailment fell upon the ruler of Constantinople himself, and in a dream he saw the appearance of the Mother of God, who commanded him to immediately fulfill the promise. Then the emperor ordered to make an exact copy of the face of the "Merciful" and kept it with him, and the miraculous image itself, with many honors, transported to the island of Cyprus, where it is to this day.

The Kykkos mountain became the site of the arrangement of the temple and monastery, named Imperial, in honor of the ruler Manuel Vutomit, who provided funds for its creation. In the monastic chronicles there is a huge number of records testifying to miraculous power icons. Her grace extends not only to Christians, but also to representatives of other confessions, to everyone who suffers from sorrows and diseases.

By now, the icon has acquired another name - "The Hearer", since in the image the ear of the Mother of God is slightly open. The Virgin Mary hears all the prayers and requests, and she answers them, showing her mercy to people full of faith.

For example, she helped the servant of God Anna, who visited many doctors and visited countless clinics, to recover from infertility. The woman ordered a prayer for health in the church in front of the "Listener", and she herself offered her long and ardent prayers. After some time, she conceived, safely endured and gave birth to a daughter.

And the Mother of God helped the slave Angelina by answering requests for her son, who was still able to find a decent job and meet his future wife.

And these are just some examples of the great miraculous power of the image of the "Merciful" Theotokos.

The image in the Conception Monastery

In Moscow, the icon of the Mother of God "Merciful", which is located in the Conception Monastery, enjoys special respect. The first mentions of this list can be found in the inventory of the monastery (18th century). Before the monastery was closed, the face of the "Merciful" was placed in its cathedral church dedicated to the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. The last abbess Maria (Korobochka), compiling an inventory of 1909, designated the icon as one of the greatest values ​​that the sisters had. Every Wednesday a prayer song with an akathist was addressed to the miraculous image.

A few years later (1918), the Soviet government issued a decree according to which the land and property belonging to the church should be nationalized. In order to protect the shrines and the monastery itself, the abbess decides to found a brotherhood in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos and her image "The Merciful". His Holiness Patriarch All-Russian Tikhon patronized her in this matter.

Before leaving the place of her former life, the abbess and her sisters served the last prayer service, and in her parting words, Mary entrusted the nuns with the care of the Most Holy Theotokos. She called the Virgin Mary the Heavenly Abbess, who will instruct the sisters in their ministry, and, confirming what she said, laid her abbot's rod before the face of the "Merciful".

In the post-revolutionary period (1923), when the monastery was ravaged, the icon, along with several other shrines, was preserved. For several decades she was in the temple of the prophet Elijah (Obydensky lane). Then a difficult time began. The sisters tried to accomplish their monastic deed in the world at the same time, interrupting with odd jobs. For prayer, they came to the Ilyinsky temple, where there was a miraculous face, which they looked after with all care and love, asking them to preserve their faith and strengthen their spirit. Every year on November 25, on the day of veneration of the icon of the Mother of God "Merciful", almost all the sisters came to the service.

Throughout this time, the robe that adorned the face of the Mother of God was removed so as not to incur abuse on the shrine. However, in the 50s of the 20th century, thanks to the diligence of the parishioners, a new chased frame was made of gilded silver, adorned with precious stones.

When the Conception Monastery was restored (November 1999), the ceremonial return of the icon to the bosom of the native monastery was carried out.

What to pray for

The icon of the Mother of God "Merciful" is asked for help during a drought. She can be prayed if you want to stop bleeding, cure infertility and restore the ability to fertility. The image supports those praying in need and sorrows, helps to carry the monastic cross and heal the relaxed, soothes headaches, and resolves family troubles. Honoring Day: November 25/12, January 8 / December 26 (New / Old Style).

According to the iconographic type, of which three are distinguished: "Eleusa" ("Tenderness"), "Odigitria" ("Guide") and "Oranta" ("Praying"), the Graceful icon belongs to the "Eleusa" type, a characteristic feature of which is the contact of faces Theotokos and Savior, symbolizing love without barriers - unlimited love.

The Icon of the Merciful is a mysterious image. The face of the Mother of God with the baby Jesus is covered with a veil (shroud), which depicts the outline of the image. Even the patriarchs do not dare to open the image, because everyone who encroaches on is inevitable God's punishment. Only once, in 1699, Gerasim - Patriarch of Alexandria dared to open the veil, for which he was immediately punished with blindness. But the Merciful granted him healing, after Gerasim, repenting, begged her for forgiveness.
And yet the face of the icon is sometimes revealed. To help with the harvest, or to send rain, the icon of the Merciful is taken up the mountain for a prayer service and the veil is removed from it, but even then the monks do not dare to look at the image.

A Brief History of the Gracious Icon

The Evangelist Luke sent her, among others, to Egypt to strengthen the faith of local Christians. Until 980, the miraculous image stayed there. In connection with the iconoclastic persecutions, the icon of the Merciful was transported to Constantinople (Constantinople, now Istanbul) - the capital of the Byzantine Empire. The icon got there not without incident. The ship on which the "Merciful" was transported was captured by the Saracens-pirates, but by the Will of God the Greeks recaptured her, and the Saracens were captured.
In Constantinople, the shrine was placed in the royal palace. But the story of the Merciful icon does not end there.
Once the Cypriot governor Manuel got lost in the mountains. Elder Isaiah met him. The governor rudely and disrespectfully demanded that the elder show the way. The elder ignored his request, and Manuel ordered his servants to beat him. The next day the governor fell ill from an unknown illness. Remembering his deed and associating it with his illness, he sent for Isaiah to apologize to him.
And Isaiah, meanwhile, had a vision at night that everything that happened to him was a sign of God, so that through Manuel he could ask the emperor to transfer the icon to Cyprus, to a temple built specially for her.
Isaiah cured the governor, and he promised his assistance. The elder and Manuel went to the capital. Meanwhile, the daughter of the emperor falls ill with the same disease as the governor. Isaiah, who arrived at the palace, heals her at the most opportune moment, and together with Manuel they present their request to the emperor. After the miraculous healing of his daughter and everything he heard from Manuel, the emperor agrees to transfer the icon of the Merciful to Cyprus. But he is sorry to part with the miraculous image, and he decides to cheat. Isaiah is presented with two images to choose from - the original and his exact list, made by the most skillful icon painter. And then a bee sits on the frame of the true icon, indicating to Isaiah that it is necessary to choose it (now this bee is a symbol of the Kykkos monastery, it is depicted on some copies from the icon of the Merciful).
So the Kykkos monastery found its shrine.

The monastery burned four times, but the icon of the Gracious was always saved.
Many miracles (recorded in the descriptions of the Kykkos monastery) were shown by this icon. These are rains in dry summers, and miraculous healings, including the gift of children to the barren, and the end of epidemics. Once, during a locust invasion, after turning to the icon of the Merciful, a flock of birds flew in from nowhere and completely destroyed the pests.
A hand made of iron is attached to the icon frame. This is the memory of how a certain Moor dared to hit the "Merciful" and immediately paralyzed his hand.

In Russia, lists of the Merciful icon began to appear from the end of the 16th century.
Where can you see this marvelous image?

The best two lists of the ancient shrine belong to the brush of the tsarist iconographer from the Armory Chamber of Simon Ushakov (1626-1686).

The first - the icon of the Merciful ("Eleusa Kikkotissa") (1668) was painted for a Moscow church in the name of St. Gregory of Neokesaria (Bolshaya Polyanka, 29a). In 1935, the original icon was moved to the Tretyakov Gallery (Lavrushinsky Lane, 10, Hall 62), to the exposition of the Department of Old Russian Art.
The image is signed: "In the summer of the Lord 7176, wrote Pimen Fedorov with the call of Simon Ushakov." The baby Jesus on the icon holds in his hand a scroll with the inscription: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, His for the sake of the anointing Me".

And the second - the icon "Our Lady of Eleusa of Kikk" (1675) from the Cathedral Church of the Dormition of Florischeva Hermitage (now located in the State Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve).
There is reason to believe that at the time the icon was painted in Florischeva Hermitage, the future Metropolitan of Suzdal and Yuryev Hilarion, who was a relative of Simon Ushakov, was the abbot.
On the icon of the Merciful, from above, the monograms of Christ and the Mother of God are enclosed in circles, and in the rectangle is written in Greek "Eleusa Kykkotissa". At the bottom, by the hand of Simon, it is inscribed: "7183 Pimen Fedorov, son, nicknamed Simon Ushakov, wrote with a disciple to the monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos on the Red Mountains in the Gorokhovets district, to commemorate the infant Michael unbaptized."

In 1999, its ancient shrine, the Graceful Icon from the Church of the Prophet Elijah in Obydensky Lane, where it had been kept since 1927, was returned to the Conception Convent in Moscow (2nd Zachatyevsky Lane, 2). This list dates back to the 18th century.
Infertile couples come to this icon to pray for the gift of a child. The very name of the monastery - "Conception" inspires hope in people.
The setting of the icon frames the face of the Mother of God so that the left ear is visible, in connection with which the name of the image "The Listener" was strengthened among the people, as if the Merciful attentively listens to the prayers offered to her and fulfills them by faith.

There is also an icon of the Merciful in the All Saints Church in Kulishki (Moscow, Slavyanskaya Square, 2). Characteristic feature of this image is the image of a bee on a frame.

In the Rybinsk State Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve (Rybinsk, Volzhskaya nab., 2) there is an icon "Our Lady of Kikk", made by the icon painter Leonty Yakovlevich Tyumenev (late 17th - early 18th centuries) from the Church of the Renewal of the Church of the Resurrection Hristova (1787) (Borzovo village, Rybinsk region).

Prayer before the Gracious Icon

O Most Holy and Most Blessed Mother of the Lord, God and Savior of our Jesus Christ, Merciful Theotokos and Ever-ever Mary!
Falling to Your holy and miraculous icon, we humbly pray to You, our Good and Merciful Intercessor: listen to the voice of our sinful prayers, do not despise the sighs from the soul, see the sorrows and misfortunes of us, and as if the loving Mother is truly loving to help us, crying to those who have fallen into many and grievous sins and who have always angered our Lord and our Creator, pray to Him, Our Representative, may not destroy us with our iniquities, but show us His benevolent mercy.
Ask us, Lady, from His goodness, bodily health and spiritual salvation, a pious and peaceful life, fruitfulness of the earth, goodness of air, rains are in time and a blessing from above for all our good deeds and undertakings, and as in the old days you have graciously looked upon the humble Aphonology of the novice who sang a song of praise to Thy before Thy most pure icon, and you sent the Archangel Gabriel to him to teach him to sing the Heavenly Song, the angels praise thee with it, accept it graciously and our prayers that are now fervently offered to You, and bring it to Thy Merciful Son and God He will be sinners for us, and will add His mercy to all who honor Thee and worship Thy holy image with faith.
O All-Merciful Queen, All-Merciful Mother of God, stretch out your God-bearing hand to Him, in His image, as if you were carrying a baby, and beg Him to save us all and deliver us from eternal perdition.
Show us, Lady, Your bounties: heal the sick, comfort the grieving, help the needy, make good haste to all of us to bear the yoke of Christ in patience and humility, grant us this pious life of this earthly end, receive the Christian unashamed end to the Heavenly, Mother of God. All glory, honor and worship, now and ever, and forever and ever, befits all glory, honor and worship to the Christ our God born of Thee, to Him with His beginningless Father and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Yurovichi Merciful Icon of the Mother of God
prototype, Krakow, Poland

The miraculous icon of the Mother of God Yurovichskaya "Merciful" has long been revered by the inhabitants of Yurovichi and the entire Mozyr Polesie as an intercessor and patroness.

IN male monastery For centuries, pilgrims from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus flocked to the village of Yurovichi, in the Gomel region, to worship the holy image and ask the Mother of God for help and intercession, because she was famous for miracles and healings.

This icon was originally a Catholic shrine. In the second half of the 17th century, representatives of the Catholic order of the Jesuits built a temple complex in these places, in which they placed an icon of the Mother of God, written, as art critics believe, at the beginning of the century in the Ukrainian or Belarusian part of the Commonwealth.

According to legend, it was written or acquired by order of the crown hetman and Krakow kashtelian Stanislav Konceptolsky, whom a fervent prayer to the Queen of Heaven saved from the persecution of the Ukrainian Cossacks.

Since then, Konceptolsky carried the icon with him everywhere, and after his death his relatives transferred the image of the Virgin to the Jesuit order. Soon, both the clergy and parishioners noticed that sincere prayer in front of this icon never goes unanswered - the one asking gets what he wants if it is for his good.

In 1661, priest Martin Torovsky set out on a missionary mission to Volhynia, taking with him the miraculous icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. In 1673 he stayed in the village of Yurovichi. When he was about to leave this area, his horses stopped rooted to the spot, as if they were being held back by an unknown force.

The legend says that at that moment the young priest heard the voice of the Queen of Heaven, commanding him to leave her miraculous icon in Yurovichi, so that the locals would strengthen their Christian faith. Martin Torovsky remained to serve in the village, and pilgrims from all over the region came to bow to the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

During the first one and a half centuries of the existence of the miraculous image, the chronicles described many cases of healings that occurred through prayers in front of him. People were healed of delirium tremens, terrible wounds were healed, unfortunate people possessed by demons were healed, records of the resurrection of the dead were preserved.At the same time, both Catholics and Orthodox believers prayed before the miraculous image, and all of them equally received help and healings And everyone felt that special grace that came from the icon and saved people in seemingly hopeless situations.

At the end of the 19th century, at the direction of the last Yurovichi priest, Gogu Gordzetsky, who feared to lose the miraculous image, an exact copy of the image was made, which was secretly replaced by the original, exhibited in the church.

After the church was closed, the church was consecrated according to the Orthodox rite, and the list of the miraculous image received his holy grace

In 1885, the original image of the icon was transferred to Krakow to the Church of St. Barbara, where it is kept to this day. According to an old agreement, this icon will be able to return to Yurovichi as soon as the church is opened there.

In the Yurovichi Orthodox monastery, one of the three copies made from the miraculous image remained. During the reign of Soviet power, this icon was lost and miraculously acquired quite recently, during the restoration of the monastery. For some time, the icon of the Mother of God "Merciful" was in Mozyr cathedral, now it has been moved to Yurovichi again.

In hungry years, in lean years, people came to pray in front of this miraculous way whole villages, sometimes hundreds of miles away. They served prayers, sang akathists, asked for salvation from poverty and hunger, And they always received help from the Most Holy Theotokos.

For the Queen of Heaven, all people are equal, regardless of religion. All who live on earth are her children, for whom she cares day and night, to whose prayers she responds immediately.

And the image of her Yurovichsky is equally revered by both Orthodox and Catholics.

And now, in times of economically difficult, people turn to the icon with prayers. They ask not only for healings, but also for help in business, for stability in work, for financial well-being. The glory of her miraculous help is spreading more and more widely. And from all over Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, and from other countries, believers come to light their candle in front of the miraculous image, and read the prayer

Before the icon of the Mother of God Yurovichskaya "Merciful" pray for healing, salvation from poverty and hunger

In April 2006, in Yurovichi, an ancient list of the main Polesie shrine was acquired - the miraculous icon of the Mother of God Yurovichi, which for more than 200 years was the patroness and intercessor of Mozyr Polesie, and on September 13 the image Religious procession from Mozyr to Yurovichi was taken to the Yurovichy Holy Nativity of the Theotokos monastery. It should be clarified that in the Middle Ages Mozyr was a povet city of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, and all modern cities in the south-west of the present Gomel region belonged to Mozyr and did not have the status of cities. Therefore, these lands were called Mozyr Polesye.

Retrieved icon list

The Jesuit mission wrote about the miracles that take place through prayers in front of the miraculous image, the book "Krynitsa of the spiritual caresses of the Virgin Mary from the Jurovichi mountains", published in 1742 in the city of Poznan. Here are just a few of these miracles:

One of the parishioners of the Yurovichi Church, Prigorodsky, had a terrible grief in 1686 - his son, whom he loved immensely, died. The boy's parents were grief-stricken. When the time came to put the body of the deceased in the coffin, his father and mother with a cry fell down next to him and began to fervently pray to the Lord and the Most Holy Theotokos for help.

The people gathered to participate in the funeral procession were amazed - in front of their eyes, the boy, who was about to be buried, suddenly rose from the coffin.

In August 1724, a fire broke out in the estate of the Mozyr zemstvo clerk by the name of Teofil Lenkevich, during which his little son suffocated in smoke.Before burying the child, his mother and father placed lighted candles around the coffin and for a long time begged the Mother of God in front of her image "Merciful" to return the child to them.

The neighbors and relatives gathered in their house witnessed the miracle of the resurrection - through the fervent prayers of his parents, the boy came to life.

At the beginning of the 18th century, another miracle was shown to the inhabitants of Yurovichi. During the crossing of the Pripyat River, the boat of one of the local residents - Rutkovsky - overturned, and the man went to the bottom. water appeared Rutkovsky, safe and sound, and he made his way to the shore.

In the year 1865, an old landowner in one village died, and his son-heir turned out to be an ignoramus and a tyrant. what is for sowing, even for food. The elder then summoned the peasants and went with them to bow to the image of the miraculous Mother of God Yurovichskaya "Merciful" - to ask the Mother of God to save them from hungry death. They collected a penny from all the inhabitants - who had what remained to order a prayer service in front of the holy image.

The pilgrims walked for several days, some of them began to fall exhausted when they saw in the distance a church in which the icon of the saint was kept. With the money they had collected, they bought a large candle, lit it in front of the icon, and while it burned, each one prayed for his family and for all those close to him. And when the candle went out, they packed up and set off on their way back.

As they began to approach the village, they saw that a crowd of children was running towards them. The peasants were surprised - when they left, the children all lay in the huts, dying of hunger, and here they were running.

They approach the village and do not believe their eyes - in the empty fields, which there was nothing to sow, the seedlings turn green. And in the village their happy wives meet, show - the pantry grains are full, and tell the following wonderful story:

Several days have passed since the men left to bow to the icon, and suddenly an old woman appeared in the village - in a dress to the ground, in a black scarf She began to knock on every yard and ask for alms They themselves have nothing to eat, but nevertheless they gave the beggar who what could - who poured water to drink, who poured bread crumbs, who found a pretty penny. We left her in one of the houses to spend the night. In the morning they got up - and her trace was gone. And in every house bins are bursting. They went out into the street, and the unseeded fields turn green. Then all the women fell to their knees and began to thank the Mother of God - they realized that their prayer had been heard.

And a week later, there was a rumor that the unlucky young gentleman had lost the old one at cards, and the debt was taken by a neighbor who was known throughout the district as a kind and gentle owner, who took care of his peasants - and he built schools in the villages, and they did not pay taxes. pressed.

Based on materials from the chronicle of the Mogilev province

The images of the Mother of God have incredible power, they are able to help a person in the moment of life's difficulties. Pray sincerely before the face of the Mother of God, and she will definitely answer your requests.

It is difficult to count the exact number of images of the Mother of God existing on Earth. Each of them has its own rich history. Some of them appeared in our life in a miraculous way, but all of them, without exception, were written by talented icon painters who put a particle of their soul into their creations. One of these is the miraculous image of the Mother of God "Merciful". For a long time, the icon wandered around the world, moving from one temple to another, and finally found its place.

The history of the image of the Mother of God

The image of the Mother of God "Merciful" is one of the creations of the evangelist Luke. The icon is also called "Kykkos" - so it was named after Mount Kykkos, which is located in Cyprus. Initially, the icon was in Egypt, but after a rebellion against the believers, it was sent to Constantinople, where Emperor Alexy Komnenos ruled at that time. One day his daughter fell ill with a terrible and incurable disease, and no doctor could help her. At the same time, the ruler of Cyprus, Manuel Vutomit, arrived in Constantinople. He was ordered to solicit the image of the Virgin Mary and take it to the monastery, which was built on Mount Kykkos. After Emperor Alexy gave his consent, his daughter miraculously recovered. However, after that he felt sorry to give the miraculous icon, and he began to delay the fulfillment of his promise. After that, he himself began to be very ill, and one day the Mother of God appeared to him in a dream. She demanded to immediately send the image of the Virgin Mary "Merciful" to Cyprus, and keep a copy for herself. Without hesitation, the emperor fulfilled her request.

Description of the icon of the Mother of God "Merciful"

On the icon we can see the Virgin Mary holding Jesus Christ in her arms. They are both in red robes, and the baby's hand is in the palm of the Mother of God, which shows the son's sincere love for his mother. The face of the Virgin is usually covered with a veil, which is literally sewn into the image. The veil is opened only once a year when the monks climb Mount Kykkos. On this day, they ask the Mother of God to protect them from drought, so that the year will be fruitful. Only at this moment can they look at the face of the Mother of God.

Where is the miraculous image of the Mother of God

The original image is still kept in Cyprus, in a monastery located on the top of Mount Kykkos. The monastery was repeatedly attacked, but no one was able to destroy it.

Copies of icons can be seen in many countries, including Georgia, Bulgaria, Ethiopia, and so on. At the moment, in Russia, you can pray in front of the miraculous image of the Mother of God "Merciful" in the Conception Monastery, which has also repeatedly become a victim of the atheists, but still managed to resist, and its ministers managed to preserve the icon of the Mother of God.

How does the miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Merciful" help?

Throughout the history of the icon's existence, people who turned to the Mother of God for help have repeatedly noticed real miracles. Like most images of the Virgin Mary, the "Merciful" icon helps in curing ailments and serious illnesses.

People engaged in agriculture ask the Mother of God for protection from drought and for a good harvest.

Infertile women pray for the conception of a child. Pregnant women are asked to give them a healthy and happy child.

Many Orthodox believers, faced with life's difficulties and serious problems, also ask the Queen of Heaven for help in front of the "Merciful" icon.

You can turn to the image of the Virgin Mary if you have a headache and severe weakness. It will help you get rid of even minor illnesses.

Date of celebration of the icon of the Mother of God "Gracious"

There are two dates for the celebration of the icon of the Mother of God "Merciful" - November 25 and January 8. On these days, it is advisable to visit the temple, where you can pray in front of the icon and ask the Virgin Mary for help. If you do not have this opportunity, just say the prayer at home. Because of this, it will not lose its power if your faith in the power of the Heavenly Queen is sincere.

Prayer before the icon of the Mother of God

“O Most Holy Theotokos, Mother of God and Our Keeper! I will fall to Your image and share with You the most intimate. See all my sorrows sorrows, find out what troubles me. Send me Your blessing and strength so that I can endure all difficulties and adversities. Pray the Lord God to deliver me from sins and atrocities. Ask Him to be merciful to me. I honor the Heavenly Father and believe in His might. Help me, Lady of Heaven. Hear my prayer requests. Amen!".

Nothing is more important to a person in life than family. It is important for us that our loved ones are always healthy and happy. Sometimes we cannot provide them with maximum protection, in which case a strong prayer addressed to the Mother of God will help you. With its help, happiness and prosperity will always reign in your home. We wish you success in life and sincere love, and don't forget to press the buttons and