THE ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD, NAMED "SUPPORT OF THE HUMBLE" Commemorated Sept. 16/ Sept. 29

 

HISTORY OF THE ICON

The icon of the Mother of God, called "Look at humility", was revealed in 1420 in the Bezhanitsky region of the Pskov land, on Lake Kamenny.

The circumstances of the miraculous phenomenon are unknown, but it can be assumed that the holy icon was found as a consolation and encouragement to the people of Pskov during a period of great disaster during the reign of Vasily II Dmitrievich: a "pestilence" (famine and epidemic), which then erupted over the Pskov land, and the invasion of the Lithuanian prince Vitovt, who came to conquer the Pskov lands. Then blood began to flow from the right eye of the Mother of God. Thus, the Blessed Virgin gave the Pskov people a sign - she grieves for them and is ready to hurry to help.

The Pskov Chronicle contains two testimonies of the holy icon. One of them reads: “ In the summer of 6934 (1426), behind the old Kolozhe, on Lake Kamena, there was a sign: blood was flowing from the icon of the Holy Theotokos, in the month of Septevria on the 16th day; This is a sign to show the presence of the filthy prince Vitovt and a lot of shedding of Christian shelter . " In another, more complete indication of the miraculous sign from the image, it is said: “In the summer of 6934 (1426), the same autumn, there was a sign from the icon of the Holy Mother of God, on Lake Kamen, at Basil's yard: blood was flowing from the right eye, and the place where she stood, and on the way there was blood, as they carried it, from the icon to the ubrus, as the icon of the Most Holy One was carried to Pskov, in the month of September at 16. In memory of the Holy Great Martyr Euphemia. "

From the chronicle it follows that the icon was transported to Pskov and placed in the cathedral church in the name of the Life-Giving Trinity. With her they began to perform Religious processions and offer fervent prayers for the end of disasters. With the intercession of Bomother, the pestilence ceased.

In memory of this transfer, the celebration of the miraculous icon was established on this day ( September 16/29 ).

ICONOGRAPHY

Iconographically, the image of the Mother of God "Support of the Humble" belongs to the "Hodegetria"  type .

The type of image "Hodegetria" does not correlate with either the text of Holy Scripture, or with the akathist of the Mother of God, which gives a certain freedom to decide the composition of the icon. Therefore, there are versions of the image of "Hodegetria", when the Infant can be on the right or left hand of the Mother of God, be depicted in full growth, or sitting on the lap of the Mother, in his hand can hold a scroll or an attribute of royal power. The appearance of any version of the image could be separated by whole centuries.

The icon "Support of hte Humble" depicts the Most Holy Theotokos, crowned with a crown. In Her right hand there is a scepter, and with her left hand She supports the Divine Infant, who is on Her knees. The Infant Christ, with his right hand, gently touches Her bow, and with his left hand he holds a small ball - a power, a symbol of power over the world. This version of the icon probably differs from the prototype of the icon of Latin origin, where the Divine Infant raised his hand as an orator (rhetorician) speaking at the trial in defense of all unjustly accused and suffering. The name of the Icon comes from the words of the Gospel of Luke "as if he were looking at the humility of his servant." The Savior, holding the Mother of God by the crotch, turns Her face to those who are praying, as if saying: " Look to the humility of those who turn to You with prayer, who so ask for Your intercession ."

MIRACULOUS LISTS

ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD "SUPPORT OF THE HUMBLE"

Unfortunately, the ancient image of "Support of the Humble" has not survived to this day. In the 19th century, there is no longer any mention of the ancient icon in the inventory of the sacristy of the Trinity Cathedral. Since Pskov in the described times was often subjected to devastating fires, it can be assumed that the ancient miraculous icon of the Mother of God perished during one of the natural disasters that befell the cathedral church.

The image of this icon in the Sretensky Church of the Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechersky Monastery was a cell icon of the elder Archimandrite John (Krestyankin) . After his repose, this icon was transferred from the elder's cell to the Sretensky Church.

Currently, the list of the icon is to the right of the altar in the Trinity Cathedral of the Pskov Kremlin .

There are few other lists of the icon "Look at humility". One of them, at the end of the 17th century, is located in the Kiev Florovskaya Ascension convent , and the second is placed in the main temple of the Kiev Svyato-Vvedensky monastery (another mosaic image is displayed on the wall of the temple).

List of the Holy Vvedensky Monastery in Kiev according to legend, it was written by a certain princess who took the schema under the name of Mary. She not only had a talent for painting, but also carried ascetic deeds invisible to the world, for which the Lord honored her to paint the Face of His Immaculate Mother. Women are not allowed to touch the relics, but this icon painter, with the special permission of the highest clergy, was granted such a right. She painted the icon with a bone from the holy relics, dipping it in paints mixed with holy water, making the Jesus Prayer. After the coup of 1917, the icon was kept by Archpriest Boris Kvasnitsky. In 1937 he was repressed. Before his arrest, he managed to hand over the icon to his spiritual daughter - the novice of the Vvedensky monastery to nun Theophania, who kept the shrine for 55 years. When the monastery was dispersed in 1961,

The first miracle was shown by the icon in the Florovsky Monastery: the healing of a deaf and dumb girl . While the adults went about their business, the baby was waiting for them in the cell. When they returned, they found a child who was sick from birth, speaking and hearing. “ Aunt breathed on me ,” the little girl explained as best she could, nodding at the Blessed One.

5 years before her death, the keeper of the icon took the schema with the name of Theodora. And 2 years before her death, in 1992, the schema-nun Theodora († 1994) donated the icon to the newly opened Vvedensky monastery . So the Queen of Heaven returned to Her house, bringing with Her into the temple the grace that rested on Her. The image, installed in a special icon case, attracted numerous believers with its extraordinary beauty.

In 1993, the icon, which was kept behind glass, was decided to be given for restoration, as the image became dull. On August 1, 1993, the glass was removed from the icon. It turned out that the icon remained clear, as it had been before, and only the glass covering it had become muddy. On it, strictly along the contour, as if with light chalk strokes, the silhouette of the Mother of God with the Child was imprinted. The image on the glass was a negative: dark areas became white, light faces, hands, folds - dark. It is noteworthy that it could not have been a print, since the glass did not adhere closely to the image, but was located at a distance from the icon. All who saw the miraculous image on the glass felt a feeling of joy.

Nevertheless, mistrust arose in this miraculous phenomenon, there were suspicions. They tried to accuse the abbot of the temple of fraud and forgery. Specialists came to investigate the display. Scientists from the Kiev Center for Nuclear Physics took scrapings of plaque on glass, conducted scientific research, trying to find out the composition and nature of this unusual oily plaque. After conducting research, Kiev scientists came to the conclusion that the image on the glass is not made by hands , while they could not provide a scientific explanation for the miracle that happened. Nuclear physicists gave their conclusion that the composition of the plaque-imprint on the glass of the icon is of organic nature!

Glass with a wonderful display was installed in the icon case next to the icon. And from the icon itself and from its imprint on the glass, numerous healings began to occur.

Holy Vvedensky Monastery

By the decree of the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on November 9 (22), 1995, the icon of the Mother of God "Look at humility", which is in the Kiev Svyato-Vvedensky monastery, was recognized as miraculous .

One of the first confirmations of the miraculousness of the image was the case of a young woman who fell ill with hepatitis (jaundice) while preparing to become a mother. The doctors who monitored the patient were unanimous in the opinion that the disease would have a detrimental effect on the health of the baby, therefore they demanded that the pregnancy be terminated immediately. But the young woman, being a believer, was afraid to take upon herself the sin, to commit murder in the womb of her own child. For three days she prayed in front of the image of the Virgin, praying for help. Soon, repeated tests were made, which showed the absence of hepatitis virus in the blood, which meant a sudden suspension of the disease. The girl who was born was completely healthy, and Abbot Damian baptized the baby in the Vvedensky Church.

Numerous decorations of the icon are evidence of the gracious help to people and the healing of the sick who turned to the Most Holy Theotokos with prayers.

Before the icon of the Mother of God "Support of the Humble", they pray to the Most Holy Theotokos for the granting of humility and repentance both for themselves and for sinners who do not want to repent and therefore suffer from diseases and spiritual hardships, for the relief of the afterlife of the departed, for protection from false and crafty teachings. Through the prayers of the Mother of God in front of Her icon "Look to humility", help is given to all the oppressed, persecuted, desperate, weak in faith, the truth is revealed and slander and slander are exposed, the innocent are justified. Through the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, healings from cardiovascular diseases, female diseases occur. Prayers before the icon also help in solving housing issues.

Prayer
Oh, Most Holy Lady, Virgin Mary, the highest Cherub and the Most Honorable Seraphim, God's Chosen Young Woman! Look down from the heights of heaven with Your merciful eye upon us, unworthy of Your servants, praying with tenderness and tears before Your Most Pure Image; do not deprive us of Thy intercession and the protection of the Sovereign in this earthly journey, many sorrowful and many rebellious. Save us in the destruction and sorrow of those who exist, raise us from the depths of sin, enlighten our mind, darkened by passions, and heal the ulcers of our souls and bodies. Oh, All-Giving Mother of the Human-loving Lord! Surprise us with the abundance of Your mercy, strengthen our weak will to do the commandments of Christ, soften our petrified hearts with love for God and our neighbors, grant us heartfelt contrition and true repentance, so that we are cleansed from the filth of sin, Let us be vouchsafed a peaceful Christian death and a kind response at the Terrible and impartial Judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ, to Him with His Beginning Father and the Most Holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit, all glory, honor and worship, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.

Troparion, voice 4
Your impenetrable wall is Your image and the source of miracles, as if you gave your intercession to Pskov from ancient times, so and now, mercifully save us from all troubles and sorrows and save our souls, like loving Mother.

Kontakion, voice 3
Most Immaculate Virgin, the display of Your face, who honors grateful gifts, accept it, help the living and the dead, save our city and our country, and bring prayers to your Son, and save us all.

Magnification
We magnify Thee, Most Holy Virgin, God's Chosen Young Woman, and we honor the holy icons of Thy wonderful display.

Source: hram-troicy.prihod.ru