no greater service than to bring joy to the bereaved.The word "sorrow" in the old days had a broader meaning than today.It refers not only to bitter experiences, but also physical suffering from illnesses and failures of everyday life plan, and everything that we now call the word "negative".This is through these trials and tribulations of life, which is full of peace, joy and brings comfort icon of the Virgin "All the Afflicted".
Grace supplied through icons
Before you start talking about it, we must emphasize one very important fact - not the icon itself works wonders and brings people to divine grace, as depicted in her the Mother of God.It also creates it through his images, to whom we offer up her prayers.Among them are the great icons, which are called miraculous.This means that the Queen of Heaven on them chose, and she was pleased by the grace of these icons come down.For this, we honor them, but they did not pray, not boards, covered with a beautiful layer, but the one whose sacred image imprinted on them.
to name icons in question, used the words of one of Marian stichera (special liturgical text) - "All the Afflicted".Our Lady with the same name appeared in Russia in the XVII century.Critics note in her iconography tangible impact of Western European schools.In addition, it should be noted the lack of it in a variety harass (options) single compositional schemes.The result can be seen in icons with this name are significant differences.
As an example of the saints depicted on it.In the early recensions these figures were missing and there were only icons painted after 1688.The explanation is the following: this year icon of the Virgin "All the Afflicted" brought a miraculous healing of an illness sister Patriarch Joachim - Euphemia.Since then it began its glorification, and the story began to make beautiful pieces of suffering, thereby focusing on the healing power of the image.
Features common iconographic tradition
the years developed a tradition of portraying the Virgin in full length, standing in the so-called mandorla - vertical oval radiance.A curious fact: like the image characteristic of the Christian and Buddhist art.This halo to portray the figure of Christ, the Virgin Mary and Buddha.In Christian iconography common image of Christ in the mandorla on the icon "The Transfiguration of Christ" and "The Second Coming", and in Marian iconography - the icon "Assumption."
addition to the Virgin and figures, suffering ailments, has become a tradition to represent the icon of the angels, those who do acts of mercy on behalf of the Queen of Heaven.In addition, you can find numerous plagued with images of saints, standing on the right and on the left side of the Virgin.Despite the fact that the icon of "Our Lady of the Afflicted" appeared after the schism, which served as a known cause of reform of Patriarch Nikon, it is very common in the Old Believers.Especially a lot of it there was a list made in the Belarusian village of Vetka.
history of glorification of the icon
should dwell on the history of the icon.As mentioned above, the glorification of it started in 1688 with the healing of ailments patriarchal sister Euphemia Papineau.Legend has it that she was suffering from non-healing wound in his side.Then one day while praying I heard Euphemia marvelous voice, announcing that it will bring healing icon of the Virgin "All the Afflicted".
on Ordynka have Transfiguration Church in which to look for this icon.After the prayer before her miracle happens and illness sick leave.Voice added that Euphemia will have to practice this miracle, praising the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary.Soon, the icon was brought to the suffering, and after praying to her wound began to heal quickly.It happened on October 24.In carrying out the mandate of the Blessed Virgin (which she owned that voice), brother Euphemia - Patriarch Joachim - he commanded to make a prayer service the image of "All the Afflicted".Our Lady has been praised ever since, along with other miraculous icon.
Among the residents of Moscow and all Russia, this story became widely known, which is not surprising - it was the sister of the main character of the Patriarch.Akathist was written "All the Afflicted".Besides the already mentioned services made "The Tale of the icon," which detailed the all the circumstances of the incident, and the king's master painters started manufacturing lists with her.Unfortunately, it was not possible to determine from which fell into the Church of the Transfiguration icon "All the Afflicted".The value of it to Russian Orthodoxy is large, and the lack of information about its early history is a big gap.
Create a list with icons and departure to St. Petersburg
further events related to the miraculous icon, refer to the 1711.During this period the Russian capital was moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg.I moved back and the royal family.From historical documents it is clear that the sister of Tsar Peter I - Princess Natalia Alexeevna, leaving to the new capital, ordered a copy of the icon "All the Afflicted".Our Lady was brought to St. Petersburg.But here there is disagreement in the documents - according to some sources, on the banks of the Neva went copy and the original remained in Moscow, other sources say otherwise.
should be noted that after the glorification of the icon of the Savior Transfiguration Church, which was consecrated in her honor limit, was called by the people "Skorbjashchenskoj" or "All the Afflicted" in Ordynka.It is safe to say that that icon, which left Muscovites Princess Natalia, was in the church until the Revolution.Then begin the puzzle.
After the revolution the church was closed, its building was used for public needs.There is a version that the icon kept there had disappeared during the hard times of the Church, and the image, now located in the restored church - is given to her by Patriarch Alexy I list the XVIII century.But there is another version according to which the original icon miraculously survived the years of rebellion and is now on its original site.
Petersburg icon of the Virgin
However, fast forward to St. Petersburg and trace the one icon, which brought here from Moscow, the sister of the king.It remains so unclear, the original or a copy of it, but no matter what, and the Moscow icon, and her sister St. Petersburg revered equally miraculous.This is confirmed by the fact that, starting in the Prut campaign in 1711, the king ordered to take her with him as a pledge of heavenly protection of the army.
Princess Natalia Alexeevna put it brought back an icon in the chapel of his own palace, which was located on Shpalernaya.In those years, there was a famous child and her brother - Foundry Yard, which cast guns for the army and for the navy anchor.It was created military and economic might of Russia.
Natalia Alekseevna spared no means to holiness.Salary icons, made of silver and covered with gold, richly decorated with the family jewels.According to the established tradition, he had placed the holy relics and other relics.Over time, the pious princess arranged at his palace almshouse, and walked to where the church after her death in 1716.
veneration of icons monarchs
Half a century Empress Catherine II with a special reverence belonged to the miraculous image "All the Afflicted".Our Lady gave her strength during the smallpox epidemic that broke out in 1768.It is known that the Empress is one of the first to be vaccinated against this terrible disease itself and heir to the throne, by submitting an example to others.
He was very important as vaccination in those years were a novelty and were greeted in a society with fear and misunderstanding.Before you decide on such a move, Catherine II came to the chapel of the princess Natalia.Prayer icon "All the Afflicted" instilled in her confidence.As a result of vaccinations made by her example, saved the lives of hundreds of people.In gratitude, he was soon made a new, even more rich salary icons.
During the reign of her grandson Alexander I Shpalernaya house church was completely rebuilt by the architect Luigi Rusca to the icons created a special niche on the right side of the iconostasis.This period is the creation of a new, third in salary for the icon.
He was executed with extraordinary generosity.In its production it went almost seven kilograms of gold.Also, for decorating it was used in a large amount of precious stones.Photos of lithography icons, made in 1862, can be seen in this article.The salary was also placed the relics of many saints.After the solemn consecration that has been committed by Metropolitan Grigory (Postnikov), salary took his place.Three
list with icons
It should also be noted that in addition to the temple in Shpalernaya icons in question, there were three more taken with her list, but they are lost.We only know that one of them was practically the same in their iconographic features of what brought Natalia Alexeyevna.He decorates his precious salary.In 1847 the icon was transferred to the ownership of Saint Euphrosyne convent in Polotsk, and its place was taken by a copy made painter PMShamshina.
On two other copies are known to have had their iconographic features.Their composition included figures of the suffering that speaks to their later writing.Picturesque manner in which they were made, is more typical of the western school.One of the icons is in the upper room in the gallery.Its authorship is attributed to the well-known at the time the artist FABronnikov.The other was made in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the temple reconstruction.It was written by the artist on the copper board, IATyurin.
Later was performed reconstruction of the church, and since then it was called Skorbyaschinskoy.It was also known as the Church of "All the Afflicted".It lasted until 1932, when together with many Russian churches it was closed.After that it disappeared without a trace and store it in a miraculous icon - heirloom Princess Natalia.
In St. Petersburg, in the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral, is an icon that many believe is the one lost when you close the temple Shpalernaya.But this, unfortunately, is a misconception.Vintage lithograph, made with icons that belonged to Princess, proves their non-identity.It is more likely that in the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral is the honored list, which, as is known, kept in precious settings icon next to Natalia Alexeyevna and was transferred to the cathedral after the closing of the house church.
Icon with groshikami
Among Petersburg Marian icons there is one unique in its own way.It is called the icon "All the Afflicted" with groshikami.There is a legend that one day, in the middle of the XIX century, it Neva waves washed ashore next to the name of the merchant Kurakin.From them, the icon was transferred to the merchant Matveyev, who prepodnёs her as a gift a chapel built in honor of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God in the Village Shreds near St. Petersburg.There is a chapel nearby Petersburg glass factory.
Popularity this icon received after a terrible storm, raging over the city July 23, 1888.The documents remaining from that time, we know that lightning, fallen into the chapel, scorched interior walls and there are icons.Most suffered mug for donations - it was completely broken.Remained intact only in the chapel is an icon - a gift merchant Matveeva.Moreover, flown apart from lightning coins inexplicably stuck firmly to the surface of the icon.
When opened after a storm damaged the chapel, they discovered that the image of the Virgin tacked earlier in the corner on the cord from the bounce went down.But most striking was the fact that the face of the Mother of God, darkened by time itself enlightened and refreshed.This miracle had a lot of witnesses, rumors quickly spread about it in St. Petersburg.
It began with the celebration of the fact that at the behest of the ruling bishop of the Metropolitan Isidore (Nikolsky) began regular prayer service before the icon.By this time, and the first reports of miraculous healings, committed for prayers before this newfound way.From the records it appears that after the December 6, 1890 was a prayer icon "All the Afflicted", the boy Nikolai Grachev 14 years old, was healed from epilepsy.The following case was recorded in February 1891, when 26-year-old Vera Belonogova completely lost due to illness throat ability to speak, suddenly found her voice.
Ruined Temple "All the Afflicted" (St. Petersburg)
pious emperor Alexander III in 1893 celebrated a prayer service before the icon.Five years later, thanks to funds donated by them to a designated area for it erected a stone church "All the Afflicted".He towered on the Neva River.However, in his thirties, he suffered the same fate as many of the temples of our country - it was demolished.Now it resembles a miracle preserved chapel.
Fortunately, managed to save itself miraculous icon, and now she is also on the banks of the Neva, in the church of the Holy Trinity, which is popularly for its architectural features called "Kulich and Easter".In honor of this icon set is a special day of celebration - 5th August.By the way, its official name Petersburg icon "All the Afflicted" with groshikami received on the personal instructions of the Patriarch Alexy II in 1998.All made with her then copies the coin depicted paint.
Lists, famous for miracles
known that many miracles have become famous not only icons, which are mentioned in this article, but also made a list of them.In its iconographic type these icons often repeat as Moscow, St. Petersburg and icon.They are in different parts of the country, but legends about the phenomenon of miracles in the public domain.
should be more on this stop.The most famous of these icons - Reshnёvskaya.Its name comes from the village Reshnёv, where it was specially built temple "All the Afflicted".According to legend, the icon received from the wandering monk pious and wealthy landowner - M. Savic.On its facilities and the temple was built.
Tradition says that on the day of its consecration miracle - through the prayers of the mother was healed the boy, who suffered from paralysis.The icon itself is somewhat different from other icons of this type.It is almost completely copies the "Iberian Virgin," however, locals and even among his admirers referred to as icon "All the Afflicted".The value of its believers is a sense of reality intercession and assistance sent down the Holy Virgin.
Lists icon, famous hospitals and prisons
For several centuries the icon "All the Afflicted" helps people who have lost all hope of recovery.An example of this is the image that is in a hospital belonging to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.Tradition says that the icon donated to the founder of the hospital - Svyatosha Prince Nicholas, later glorified among the saints.Next legend tells that a hospital guard repeatedly witnessed how the hospital raided an unknown woman, and those patients to whom it approached, soon recovered.There was also a monk, who suffered from an incurable disease and is already ready to finish his earthly journey.One day on his headboard in the moonlight appeared a distinct image of the Virgin.The patient saw her and soon healed.
Since ancient times in Vologda in the prison hospital was a miraculous icon of "All the Afflicted".The value of it and appreciated it.People trapped by his own fault or the circumstances behind bars, like no other need help and intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary.Residents of the city, revered icon, made for her silver-gilt salary and make every procession.Unfortunately, this miraculous image has not been preserved to this day, completely disappeared during the revolution.
icon from Voronezh Voronezh Theological
church is also known for its miraculous icon.
