With boundless love and reverence are in the Christian world to the Queen of Heaven - the Blessed Virgin Mother of God.And how can you not love our Advocate and Molitvennitsu before the throne of God!Her eyes clear aspiration to us with countless icons.It showed to great miracles to people through their image became famous as miraculous.One of the most famous among them is the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source."
miracle revealed in the sacred grove
Holy Tradition tells us that in the old days, when Byzantium was more prosperous state and the heart of world Orthodoxy, near its capital of Constantinople, not far from the famous "Golden Gate" was sacredGrove.It was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.Under the shade of its branches it flowed out of the ground source, casting cool on hot summer days.There were rumors then the people that the water in it has some medicinal properties, but no one took them seriously, and gradually forgot the source of all overgrown with grass and mud.
But one day, in the year 450, a warrior named Leo Marcellus, passing through the woods, met a blind man astray among dense trees.Warrior helped him, supported as he got out of the bush, and sat in the shade.When he began to look for water to drink traveler, I heard a wonderful voice commanded him to find nearby overgrown power and water to wash his eyes blind.
When compassionate warrior is fulfilled, then suddenly the blind received sight, and they both fell to their knees, offering up prayers of thanksgiving to the Blessed Virgin since realized that it was her voice heard in the woods.Queen of Heaven Leo Marcellus foretold the imperial crown, which came to pass after seven years.
Temples - the gifts of grateful emperors
reached the highest power, Markell has not forgotten the miracle revealed in the sacred grove, and predictions about its so amazing elevation.On his orders, a source of clean up and was surrounded by a high stone border.Since then, he became known as the Life-giving.It also built a temple in honor of the Blessed Virgin, for him was written by Mother of God "Life-giving source."Since then many famous miracles of grace and power icons kept in the temple.Thousands of pilgrims flocked here to the most remote parts of the empire.
a hundred years right then Emperor Justinian the Great, suffering from a severe and incurable disease, arrived in the sacred grove, where there was a temple of the Mother of God "Life-giving source."Except they wash in the fertile waters and conducted a prayer service before the miraculous, he again gained health and strength.In gratitude, the emperor ordered to build a happy next to another temple and, in addition, a monastery, designed for a large number of inhabitants.So more and more glorified icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring", a prayer in front of which was able to heal from the most serious illnesses.
fall of Byzantium and the destruction of churches
But befallen Byzantium terrible disaster in 1453.Great and once prosperous empire collapsed under the onslaught of the Muslims.Sunset great star of Orthodoxy.The wicked invaders betrayed fire Christian shrines.He was defeated in the ruins of the temple and the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring", and all the monastery buildings standing nearby.Much later, in 1821, it was an attempt to renew in the sacred grove prayer meetings, and even built a small church, but it was soon destroyed, and filled the land fertile source.
but could not look calmly at this sacrilege the people in whose hearts was a fire of true faith.Secretly, under the cover of night, cleared his Orthodox desecrated shrine.And so secretly, risking their lives, they have carried hidden under clothing, containers filled with holy water.This lasted until until they change the internal policy of the new masters of the country and the Orthodox has not been given some relief in the commission of worship.
then was built on the site of the destroyed Temple of the small church of the Mother of God "Life-giving source."And since Orthodoxy can not exist without mercy and compassion, the church built in the poorhouse and a hospital, where the prayers to the Blessed Mediatrix took on our health, and many sufferers crippled.
veneration of holy icons in Russia
When the fall of the Byzantine Empire in the East, the sun had set the Orthodox, then with renewed vigor shone it in Holy Russia, and with him appeared in a variety of liturgical books and the holy image.And then life was unthinkable without the humble and wise faces of the saints of God.But it was a special relationship to the image of the Savior and His Blessed Mother.Among the most revered icons are the ones that are written in the old days on the banks of the Bosphorus.One of them is the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source."
should be noted that since the XVI century in Russia has become a practice to sanctify springs and ponds, located on the monastery grounds, or near them, and at the same time devote their Holy Mother of God.This practice came to us from Greece.It is also a proliferation of numerous lists of the Byzantine image of the "Life-Giving Spring".However, compositions written in Russia before the XVII century, has still not been found.
image of the Virgin in Sarov
As an example, a special love for her can recall the famous Sarov hermitage, which brought glory to his name nezakatny beacon of Orthodoxy - St. Seraphim of Sarov.To the monastery has been specially erected the temple, which houses the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source."The value of it in the eyes of believers was so high that the Reverend Elder important occasions sent pilgrims to pray the Virgin Mary, kneeling in front of her miraculous icon.As is clear from the memoirs of contemporaries, there was no case to prayers are not heard.
image, strengthened in the fight against tribulations
What is the force that has the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring"?What makes it and what can it ask for?The most important thing that brings people to the miraculous image - getting rid of afflictions.Life, unfortunately, is full of them, and do not always have enough mental strength to cope with them.
They come from the enemy of man, as they are a product of lack of faith in God's providential.Here, in these cases, and brings peace to the souls of men "Life-giving Spring" - the icon of the Mother of God.What pray more Prechistoj our Mediatrix?The fact that has saved us from the very sources of sorrows - the troubles and tribulations of everyday life.
celebrations in honor of the holy icon
As another example of special veneration of the icon should be mentioned, developed over the centuries a tradition to serve on Friday of Bright Week sanctification of waters prayer before this image.He served in all the churches immediately after the liturgy.Since ancient times, it was customary to sprinkle water sanctified this prayer service, gardens, orchards and fields, thus encouraging support of the Blessed Virgin in the talent rich harvest.
Festival Mother of God "Life-giving source" decided to celebrate twice a year.Once this happens on April 4 because on this day in 450 was the Virgin devout soldier Leo Marcellus and ordered to build a temple in the holy grove in her honor and pray to him for the health and salvation of Orthodox Christians.The day certainly marks akathist Mother of God "Life-giving Spring".
second celebration takes place, as mentioned above, on Friday of Bright Week.On that day the church remembers renovated temple in honor of the icon, who was once close to Constantinople.Besides the rank Blessing of the Waters, the celebration is also accompanied by the Easter procession.
features iconography of the Virgin
should especially focus on the iconographic features of the image.It is believed that the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring" dates back to the ancient Byzantine image of the Blessed Virgin, called "The winner of the Lady," which is, in turn, brings forth the image of Mother of God "The Sign".However, no consensus on the issue at the art there.
If you study were distributed at the time the lists of icons, it is not difficult to notice some significant compositional changes made over the centuries.Thus, in the early icons of no image source.Also, not once, but only in the process of developing an image entered his composition cup called Vial, a pond and fountain.
Distribution holy image in Russia and Mount Athos
On the propagation of this image in Russia demonstrates a number of archaeological finds.For example, in the Crimea during the excavations was found a dish with the image of the Virgin.Her figure with upraised hands in prayer displayed in a bowl.Dated find XIII century and is considered one of the earliest images of this kind, in the territory of our country.Description
another image corresponding to the image of "Life-giving Source» XIV century, can be found in the church historian Nicephorus Callistus.He describes the image of the Virgin in the phial, set over the pond.In this icon of the Virgin Mary is depicted with the Christ Child in her arms.
also interesting fresco "Life-giving Spring", located on Mount Athos.It refers to the beginning of the XV century.Its author - Byzantine Andronicus - Virgin presented in a wide bowl with the blessing Eternal Child in her arms.The name of the Greek text of the image is written on the edges of the frescoes.Also similar to the story occurs in some icons that are stored in various monasteries of Mount Athos.
Help, which is poured out through this way
Yet what is the unique appeal of this image, so what attracts people to him an icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring"?What helps and what keeps it?First of all, this image brings healing to all those who suffer in body and in their prayers those who hope to help the Queen of Heaven.From that it began in his glorification of ancient Byzantium.Thus he earned the love and appreciation, being among the expanses of Russia.
In addition, a successful physician icon and mental ailments.But most importantly - save it from resorting to evil passions, so often overwhelmed by our souls.It saves from their influence, "Life-Giving Spring" - the icon of the Mother of God.What are praying in front of her, asking what the Queen of Heaven?First of all, the gift of strength to cope with all the low and vicious that we have built into the damaged original sin human nature.Unfortunately, there is much that surpasses human capacity and what we are powerless without the help of God and His Blessed Mother
source of life and truth
In all cases, whatever the decision of the composite nor stopped the author of a recension of this image,we must first understand that the Life-giving Spring is a very Holy Virgin, through which the world is embodied in the one who gave life to all that exists on earth.
He spoke words that have become the rock on which was built the temple of the true faith, He has a people and the way and the truth and the life.And the blessed Life-giving source, the jet is washed from sin and given to drink a cornfield Divine, became for all of us the Queen of Heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
