A message on the topic saved by something miraculous. The miraculous image of the Savior
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It is known that icon painters create holy images. It has been this way since time immemorial. In order to paint an icon depicting the Lord, the Mother of God or any ascetic, an unusual artist needs to come to a certain state of mind, before that he must fast and pray. Then the face he created will rightfully serve as a means of communication with the Creator and his saints. However, history also mentions the existence of so-called miraculous icons. For example, many people have heard of such a concept as “”. In a similar way, they designate the image of Jesus Christ, miraculously imprinted on the cloth with which the Savior wiped his face. On August 29, Orthodox Christians celebrate a holiday dedicated to the transfer of this shrine from Edessa to Constantinople.
Origin of the Savior Not Made by Hands
The emergence of the holy image is closely connected with the story of the miraculous healing of one ruler. At the time of the Messiah, a man named Abgar ruled in the Syrian city of Edessa. He suffered from leprosy, which took possession of the unfortunate man’s entire body. Fortunately, rumors reached Abgar about the miracles performed by Jesus Christ. Not seeing the Son of God, the ruler of Edessa wrote a letter and sent it with his friend, the painter Ananias, to Palestine, where the Messiah was at that moment. The artist had to use a brush and paints to capture the face of the Teacher on the canvas. The letter contained a request addressed to Jesus to come and heal a sufferer with leprosy.
Upon arrival in Palestine, Ananias saw the Son of God surrounded by a large number of people. There was no way to approach him. Then Ananias stood on a high stone in the distance and tried to paint a portrait of the Teacher. But the artist did not succeed. By that time, Jesus had noticed the painter, called him by name, to the latter’s surprise, called him over and handed him a letter for Abgar. He promised the ruler of the Syrian city to soon send his disciple so that he would heal the sick man and instruct him in the true faith. Then Christ asked the people to bring water and a towel - ubrus. When the Savior’s request was granted, Jesus washed his face with water and wiped it with a rubbish. Everyone saw how the Divine Face of the Teacher was imprinted on the canvas. Christ gave the ubrus to Ananias.
The painter returned home to Edessa. He immediately handed over to Abgar a piece of cloth with the face of the Son of God imprinted on it and a letter from the Messiah himself. The ruler reverently accepted the shrine from the hands of his friend and was immediately healed of his serious illness. Only a few traces remained on his face before the arrival of the disciple about whom Christ spoke. He really soon arrived - he turned out to be the apostle of the 70, Saint Thaddeus. He baptized Abgar, who believed in Christ, and all the people of Edessa. The ruler of the Syrian city, in gratitude for the healing received, wrote the following words on the Image Not Made by Hands: “Christ God, whoever trusts in You will not be ashamed.” He then decorated the canvas and placed it in a niche above the city gate.
Transfer of the shrine to Constantinople
Townspeople for a long time They treated the Image of Jesus Not Made by Hands with respect: they worshiped it every time they passed the city gates. But this ended due to the fault of one of Avgar’s great-grandsons. When the latter himself became the ruler of Edessa, he turned to paganism and began to worship idols. For this reason, he decided to remove the Image of the Messiah Not Made by Hands from the city wall. But this command could not be fulfilled: the Bishop of Edessa had a vision in which the Lord ordered to hide the miraculous image from human eyes. After such a sign, the priest, together with the clergy, went at night to the city wall, lit a lamp in front of the ubrus with the Divine face and covered it with bricks and clay boards.
Many years have passed since then. The residents of the city completely forgot about the great shrine. However, the events of 545 changed the situation radically. At this moment, Edessa was under siege by the Persian king Khosroes I. The inhabitants were in a hopeless situation. And then the Mother of God herself appeared to the local bishop in a subtle dream, who commanded him to take out the Icon of Jesus Not Made by Hands from the walled up wall. She predicted that this painting would save the city from the enemy. The bishop immediately hurried to the city gates, found a niche filled with bricks, took it apart and saw The Savior Not Made by Hands, a lamp burning in front of him and an image of the Face imprinted on a clay board. A religious procession was held in honor of the discovery of the shrine, and the Persian army was not slow in retreating.
After 85 years, Edessa found itself under the yoke of the Arabs. However, they did not create obstacles for Christians who worshiped the Savior Not Made by Hands. By that time, the fame of the Divine Face on the ubrus had spread throughout the East.
Finally, in 944, Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus wanted the unusual icon to be kept from now on in Constantinople, the then capital of Orthodoxy. The Byzantine ruler bought the shrine from the emir, who ruled Edessa at that time. Both the Image Not Made by Hands and the letter addressed to Abgar by Jesus were transferred with honor to Constantinople. On August 16, the shrine was placed in the Pharos Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The further fate of the holy image of the Lord
What happened to the Savior Not Made by Hands subsequently? Information on this matter is very controversial. One legend says that the ubrus with the Divine Face of Christ was stolen by the crusaders when they ruled Constantinople (1204-1261). Another legend claims that the Icon Not Made by Hands migrated to Genoa, where it is still kept in the monastery in honor of the Apostle Bartholomew. And these are just the brightest versions. Historians explain their discrepancy very simply: the Savior Not Made by Hands repeatedly gave imprints on the surfaces with which it came into contact. For example, one of them appeared “on ceramics” when Ananias was forced to hide the lining near the wall on the way to Edessa, the other appeared on a cloak and eventually ended up in Georgian lands. According to the Prologues, four Saviors Not Made by Hands are known:
- Edessa (King Abgar) - August 16;
- Camulian - date of appearance 392;
- the image that appeared during the reign of Emperor Tiberius - from him Saint Mary Synclitia received healing;
- the already mentioned Spas on Ceramics - August 16.
Veneration of the shrine in Russia
The holiday of August 29 is celebrated on the feast day of the Assumption Mother of God and is also called the “Third Savior” or “Savior on Canvas”. The veneration of this Image in Rus' began in the 11th-12th centuries, and became most widespread in the second half of the 14th century. In 1355, Metropolitan Alexy brought a copy of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands from Constantinople to Moscow. A temple was built specifically to store this canvas. But they did not limit themselves to one church: soon the construction of temples and monasteries dedicated to the Miraculous Image of the Lord Jesus Christ began throughout the country. All of them received the name “Spassky”.
The Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands - the first icon of Jesus Christ in history
Sacred Tradition conveys to us the history of this first icon, which was created by Christ Himself. Read about the history of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands - one of the most important in Christianity.
The image of the “Savior Not Made by Hands” is the first icon of Jesus Christ in the history of mankind
When praying in front of icons, people rarely think about where the icons came from, when and by whom the tradition of icon veneration was established. Prayer before an image is so familiar to us that it seems eternal. Meanwhile, in the Gospel Christ never spoke about icons. But the Holy Tradition tells us the story of the first icon that Christ created - it was not made by human hands, but has a miraculous origin, which is why it is called the Savior Not Made by Hands (the word Savior is an abbreviation for “Savior”, the title of Christ as having saved all people from the slavery of sin) . This image has been preserved by humanity for a long time; it has a long history and deep theological significance.
The icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands is one of the most important in Christianity. In the article you will learn how the first icon was made, what miracles were created from it, what its significance is for the art of icon painting, and what is the difference between the versions of the “Savior Not Made by Hands” “on the ubrus” (Mandylion) and “on the skull” (Keramidion).
The history of the creation and veneration of the Savior Not Made by Hands
In the Gospel and the Apostolic Epistles there is absolutely no description of the appearance of Christ. Nevertheless, all the icons of the Lord show us the same image of the God-Man (even the icons of the Mother of God in Her image are more different from each other). This is explained precisely by the miraculous creation of Christ’s own icon. The history of this amazing event was recorded by the Roman historian Eusebius from Palestine, a Christian, as well as by the Monk Ephraim the Syrian, a holy ascetic of the Syrian Desert. The document is real historical source, thanks to the descriptions of Eusebius, many everyday details of the life of the Roman Empire of that period have reached us.
Eusebius wrote that during the life of Christ, the fame of Him and His miracles even spread to other countries. The ruler of the city of Edessa (now located in Turkey) named Abgar sent a servant and a skilled artist to Christ. Avgar was an elderly man and suffered seriously from disease in the joints of his legs. He asked to pray for him and heal his illness, and in order to see Christ himself (due to illness he could not do this, and there were no images of the Lord yet) - he instructed the artist to sketch Christ from life. It was common practice in the Roman Empire to create portraits and sculpt busts from life. Art at the time of Christ’s earthly life was sufficiently developed to depict using chiaroscuro: many believe that the schematic features of icon painting were a consequence of the creators’ insufficient understanding of painting images, but this is not so; Icon painting has its own drawing language, which consists of reverse perspective techniques and symbolism.
When the king's envoys conveyed to Christ a request for healing, the Lord promised that one of His apostles would visit Edessa and enlighten its people with the light of New Testament teaching. At this time, the king’s artist tried and could not sketch Christ. Then the Lord Himself took a towel (handkerchief, “ubrus” in Church Slavonic) and wiped his face with it - the Face of the Lord was imprinted on the handkerchief. That is why this image is called Not Made by Hands: human hands could not depict Him with the help of paints, but the grace of the Lord, His own energy and power created the image. This image was probably similar to the Shroud of Turin, where the Face of Jesus Christ is visible, as in the photograph.
Thus, even during the life of the Savior, the first icon appeared. The royal ambassadors delivered a wonderful image on fabric to Edessa. The Miraculous Image-Mandylion (in Greek - on fabric) began to be revered as a great shrine by the king. And when, after the Ascension of Christ, the holy Apostle Thaddeus visited the city, according to another historian, Procopius of Caesarea, he healed King Abgar, preached Christianity and performed many miracles. Then the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands became a city shrine that protected the Edessians, and was placed above the city gates as the banner of Edessa. Over the course of several centuries, many miracles were performed through prayers before him, and the chronicler Evagrius of Antioch recorded evidence of the miraculous deliverance of Edessa from the siege of enemies thanks to him.
Alas, one of Abgar’s descendants became a pagan and iconoclast. To protect the revered image from destruction, the Christians of Edessa buried the icon with stones in the wall. The image was hidden for so long that the generation of Christians who survived persecution no longer remembered the location of the shrine. Only during new war, in the 6th century, after the townspeople prayed for salvation, the bishop of the city saw in a dream the place where the image was hidden. When masonry removed, it turned out that the Face of Christ was also imprinted on the stones (“on the skull” in Church Slavonic). The small lamp, installed in previous centuries, also continued to burn miraculously.
Both images became objects of worship. The icon imprinted on the stones was called Keramidion and placed in an icon case, and the Mandalion was transferred to the altar of the city cathedral, from where it was taken out for worship by believers only twice a year.
At the end of the 11th century, the Byzantine army besieged the city and demanded to surrender to the rule of the emperor. In exchange for peace, the Constantinople people offered to give them a wonderful Miraculous image- Mandalion. The residents of Edessa agreed, and the icon was transferred to Constantinople. And this day - August 29 according to the new style - is now church holiday. This is the Third, Bread or Nut Savior, the day of remembrance of the transfer of the Image of Christ Not Made by Hands from Edessa to Constantinople. On this day in Rus', the harvest of grain was completed and nuts were ripened, for the collection of which the peasants took a blessing. After the Liturgy, homemade bread and pies baked from flour of the new harvest were blessed.
In 1011, an artist of the Western Church made a copy on fabric from the Image Not Made by Hands. It was transferred to Rome under the name "vero eikon" - the true image and became known with the name "Plate of Veronica". Miracles also occurred from this list, and it provided the basis for the extensive iconography of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Catholic Church.
Unfortunately, the miraculous Mandylion has not survived to this day. During crusade In 1204, he was captured by the crusaders and, according to legend, drowned along with the ship of the kidnappers.
The Mandylion was never brought to Rus', but there were lists glorified by miracles. The oldest Russian icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands dates back to the 12th century and was presumably painted in Novgorod. There is no image of the fabric on it, so the image is attributed to Keramidion (this type of iconography of the Image Not Made by Hands is called “The Savior on the Skull”). According to art historians, this icon is close to the miraculous Edessa image. Perhaps his list was brought to Rus' in the first centuries after its Baptism by Prince Vladimir. The image was a revered shrine of the Moscow Kremlin, and now remains in Tretyakov Gallery.
Features of the iconography of the Savior Not Made by Hands
The description of the icon created by Christ for King Abgar and preserved by the people of Edessa has come to us from historical evidence. It is known that ubrus - fabric with the imprint of the Face - was stretched on a wooden frame, just as today artists make canvas on a stretcher.
The icon is an image of only the Face of Christ with hair surrounding Him, without a neck - indeed, as if a person had washed himself and dried himself with a towel up to his chin.
Perhaps this is the only icon that specifically focuses attention on the Face of Christ, especially His eyes. The symmetry of the image of the Savior’s Face also creates recognition and a special impression of the icon. The eyes of Christ in the image often look to the side, indicating God’s providence for man. The slanted gaze makes the facial expression spiritual, filled with understanding of the Mystery of the Universe. Art critics evaluate the Novgorod copy of the Savior Not Made by Hands as the embodiment of ideal beauty in Ancient Rus' and antiquity, they find in it the proportions of the golden section and the ideal of symmetry - such an image indicates the Perfection of the Lord and what He created.
The expression of the Savior’s Face plays a big role in creating an impression and a prayerful mood when looking at an icon: fleeting emotions are absent on Him, the Face reflects only spiritual peace, purity, and sinlessness.
The Novgorod list is a rarity: more often the Mandalion or “Savior on the ubrus” is depicted on icons of the Savior Not Made by Hands. The face of Christ is revealed in a golden radiance against a background of white fabric (sometimes its purpose as a towel is even emphasized by stripes along the edges) with various folds, knots at the top and even Angels holding the ends of the fabric. Less often, the Face is depicted against the background of the brickwork or just on a gold background.
The meaning of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands for the traditions of icon painting and theology
The miraculous appearance of the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands in the 6th century became a great impetus for icon painting. He appeared precisely during the period of iconoclasm (at this time Christians were even killed for venerating icons, and the icons themselves were mercilessly destroyed - that is why so few images have reached us from the first centuries of Christianity), when the memory of the establishment of the tradition of generation of icons by Christ Himself became the most important argument in disputes with heretics. An icon is a window into the spiritual world, an image of the Prototype (Christ, the Mother of God, the saints), through which we give honor and turn to Himself. That is why it is not entirely correct to say “Prayer to the Icon” or “Kazan Mother of God”: they pray in front of the icon, and the icons of the Mother of God are called, for example: Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
In the first centuries, the icon, in addition to theological, also served as a “Bible for the illiterate” - not everyone could purchase the book; for many centuries they were very expensive. However, to this day, many images are illustrations of events from the life of the Lord, His saints or the Mother of God.
The miraculously remaining imprint of the Face of Christ on the fabric recalls the Divine beginning of icon painting. The image of the Face of the Savior edifies every Orthodox Christian: you need to have a personal relationship with God. Prayer, even in our own words, Communion with God in the Sacraments of the Orthodox Church, changing our lives according to the teachings of Christ - this is what brings us to the Kingdom of Heaven already on earth. No ceremonies and rituals, special words of prayers and spells help. To live with Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven, we need to get to know Him here, in our lives. The gaze of the Savior Not Made by Hands calls us to follow Him, to imitate the Lord in wisdom, kindness, self-sacrifice - this is the meaning of Christian life.
It is interesting that the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, as the first Christian icon and as the most important expression of the teachings of Christ, is obligatory for student icon painters. In many schools this is the first independent work students.
What do people pray for to the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands?
The life of the Son of God on Earth, the mystery of the Incarnation are described in detail in the Gospel, interpreted in many books of the Fathers of the Church. The Lord gave himself as a sacrifice for human sins and defeated death itself, returning the entire human race to paradise in His Resurrection. That is why, despite the importance of our prayers to the saints - our holy helpers - and the Mother of God, turning to God Himself is a necessary daily prayer. Let us remind you that the Church blesses the daily reading of the morning and evening prayers, turning to the Lord and the Heavenly Powers.
They pray to the Lord in all their needs:
- About recovery from illnesses;
- About God's mercy in the needs of you and your loved ones;
- About the health of yourself, your family and children;
- About help in business, well-being;
- About the right choice, making the right life decisions;
- About deliverance from sins and vices.
Conduct a prayerful dialogue with God, measure your actions with the example of Christ, more often - imagine what God Himself would say, seeing your deeds and hearing your thoughts - after all, He is Omniscient. Do not despair at any mistakes, rush to the temple for Confession and unite with God (with proper preparation, which is better to read about in Orthodox literature) in the Sacrament of Communion. Under no circumstances should icons be used in spells, divination, or rituals. Communication should only be with God and His saints, His Angels - psychics, “traditional healers” and sorcerers communicate only with evil spirits, No one can command angels.
Thank God for His help in your life: He responded to your requests, expressed and unspoken - remember the many happy incidents in life. The Lord really controls our lives for the better, showing our capabilities, leading to gratitude to God for everything. And humility in the face of difficulties, turning to God with prayer and without anger at this time is the key to our salvation and education of the soul, personal growth. We must strive for a life pleasing to God, attend church, pray during divine services, help people, forgive the sins and mistakes of our neighbors, and behave calmly in conflicts.
The Lord is great Power and great Love, you just need to believe - and that means trust Him with your life and your soul. Christ, being the Almighty, voluntarily, in order to erase the past and future sins of mankind from the history of the universe, went to humiliation, torture and terrible suffering on the Cross. The teaching of the Lord Jesus is a call to repentance, to the love of all people for each other, compassion and pity even for terrible sinners.
You can pray to the Lord Jesus Christ in front of the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands both in your own words and in church prayers. It is worth reading more often before this image the Lord’s Prayer, recorded in the Gospel from the words of Christ Himself - “Our Father”. You can read it in the morning and before bed, before meals and before starting any task.
You can pray to Jesus Christ in front of the icon “Savior Not Made by Hands” in Russian online using the text below:
Our good Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God! Are you in ancient times, during Your earthly life, Your flesh, Your face was washed with holy water and wiped with rubble, Your Face was miraculously depicted on this towel, You blessed to send it to the King of Edessa Abgar to heal his illness.
So now we, Thy sinful servants, suffering from mental and physical illnesses, seek Your Face, Lord, and with the psalmist King David we pray with a humble soul: do not turn away from us, but take away Your anger from Your servants, be our Strong Helper, do not reject us and don't leave us alone. O All-Merciful Lord, our Savior! Dwell Your grace in our souls, so that living on earth in holiness and truth, we may become Your true sons and daughters, and heirs of Your Kingdom, where we will never cease to glorify You, all the mercies of our God Who gives us, together with the Beginningless Father and the Holy Spirit. forever.
God! I am Your vessel: fill me with the gifts of Your Holy Spirit! Without Your help I am empty and without grace, often full of all kinds of sin. God! I am Your ship: fill me with a load of good deeds. God! I am Your ark: instead of passions, fill me with love for You and for Your image - my neighbor. Amen
May the Good and Merciful Lord protect you!
And Euphrates, from 137 BC to 242 AD there was a small state of Osroene, which was the first to declare Christianity the official state religion. Here the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands is mentioned for the first time.
Legend of the icon
According to numerous legends, the Ostroenian king Abgar V, whose residence was in the capital of the state of Edessa, fell ill with an incurable disease - black leprosy. In a dream, a revelation appeared to him that only the face of the Savior would help him. The court artist, sent to Christ, was unable to capture his image because of the divine radiance emanating from Jesus, who, meeting the royal pleas, himself washed his face with water and wiped it with a towel (scarf). A bright image remained imprinted on it, called “ubrus”, or Mandylion, or the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands. That is, in the classic version, it represents the face of Christ, made on a canvas, along the edges of which there is an outline, and the upper ends are tied in knots.
After the miraculous healing of Abgar, there is no mention of this icon until 545, when Edessa was blockaded by Persian troops. How often does this happen in Hard time Providence comes to the rescue. In the nave above the city gates, not only the perfectly preserved icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands itself was discovered, but also its imprint on ceramic wall vaults, or Ceramidione. The blockade of the city was lifted in the most miraculous way.
Features of the icon
This miraculous image in both its manifestations (made both on canvas and on ceramics) has a number of features and customs associated with it. Thus, it is recommended for beginning icon painters as their first independent work.
The Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands is the only image in which the halo around the head of Jesus has the shape of a regular vicious circle with a cross inside. All these details, like the color of the Savior’s hair, the general background of the icon (on the most ancient icons the background always remained clean), carry their own meaning.
There are opinions that a portrait created without a brush and paints, which is, in essence, the icon of the “Savior Not Made by Hands,” is a photo of Christ, capturing his face.
In Orthodoxy, this icon has always, since the import of its copy from Constantinople in 1355, played a special role. Although the most ancient icons of this type appeared in Rus' back in the 11th century, only from the second half of the 14th century everything connected with the “Savior Not Made by Hands” was positioned at the level of state cult and introduced everywhere. Temples are built under it, it is depicted on the banners of Russian troops in the most decisive battles for the country - from Kulikovo to the battles of the First World War. The word “banner” is gradually being replaced by the word “banner” (from “sign”). Banners with the image of the “Savior Not Made by Hands” became an integral part of the victories of Russian weapons.
Icon “Savior Not Made by Hands” today
The arrival of this miraculous icon, the fame of which spread throughout Rus', from the Novospassky city of Vyatka to the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin, acquired national scale and significance. Thousands of Muscovites and visitors came out to meet the icon and fell to their knees at the sight of it. The Frolovsky gate, through which the icon was carried, began to be called Spassky. It was possible to pass through them only with a bare head, as a sign of the divinity of the face.
“The Savior Not Made by Hands” is an icon whose significance cannot be overestimated. It is perceived as one of the main symbols of Orthodoxy; in its semantic meaning it is equated to the cross and crucifixion.
IN last years, which is sometimes rightly called the Second Baptism of Rus', an unprecedented number of churches, monasteries and temples are being built. In Sochi, for the opening of the Olympics, the Temple of the Savior Not Made by Hands was erected in record time and consecrated on January 5, 2014.
More than 1000 years ago, in 988, Rus', having received Baptism, saw the face of Christ for the first time. By this time, in Byzantium - its spiritual mentor - there had already been an extensive iconography of Orthodox art for several centuries, dating back to the first centuries of Christianity. Rus' inherited this iconography, accepting it as an inexhaustible source of ideas and images. Images of the Savior Not Made by Hands have appeared in Ancient Rus' since the 12th century, first in the paintings of churches (Savior-Mirozh Cathedral (1156) and the Savior on Nereditsa (1199)), later as independent images.
Over time, Russian masters contributed to the development of icon painting. In their works of the 13th – 15th centuries, the image of Christ loses the harsh spirituality of the Byzantine prototypes, and features of kindness, merciful participation and goodwill towards man appear in it. An example of this is the oldest Russian icon of the Yaroslavl masters, the Savior Not Made by Hands of the 13th century from the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, which is currently kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery. The face of Jesus Christ on the icons of Russian masters is devoid of severity and tension. It contains a benevolent call to a person, spiritual demands and support at the same time.
The icon of Jesus Christ the Savior Not Made by Hands by icon painter Yuri Kuznetsov supports the traditions of ancient Russian masters. An encouraging trust emanates from the icon, akin to man spiritual power that allows him to feel his involvement in divine perfection. I would like to include the words of N.S. Leskova: “Typical Russian image Gentlemen: the look is straight and simple... there is an expression in the face, but no passions” (Leskov N.S. At the edge of the world. Works in 3 volumes. M., 1973. P. 221).
The image of Christ immediately took a central place in the art of Ancient Rus'. In Rus', the image of Christ was initially synonymous with Salvation, Grace and Truth, the highest source of help and consolation for man in his earthly suffering. The system of values of ancient Russian culture, uniting its religious meaning, image of the world, human ideal, ideas about goodness and beauty are inextricably linked with the image of the Savior Jesus Christ. The image of Christ illuminated the entire life path of a person in Ancient Rus' from birth to his last breath. In the image of Christ, he saw the main meaning and justification of his life, embodying his Creed in high and clear images, like the words of a prayer.
The image of the Savior Not Made by Hands was associated with hopes for help and protection from enemies. It was placed above the gates of cities and fortresses, on military signs. The miraculous image of Christ served as protection for the Russian troops. Thus, the troops of Dmitry Donskoy fought on the Kulikovo field under the princely banner with the image of the Holy Face. Ivan the Terrible had the same banner when he took the city of Kazan in 1552.
Before His Image Not Made by Hands, people turn to the Savior Jesus Christ with prayers for healing from deadly diseases and for giving greater vitality.
The meaning of the Miraculous Image
In the early Christian (pre-iconoclastic) period, the symbolic image of Jesus Christ was widespread. As you know, the Gospels do not contain any information about the appearance of Christ. In the painting of catacombs and tombs, reliefs of sarcophagi, mosaics of temples, Christ appears in Old Testament forms and images: the Good Shepherd, Orpheus or the Youth Emmanuel (Is. 7:14). Great importance for the formation of the “historical” image of Christ, His Image Not Made by Hands is used. Perhaps the Icon Not Made by Hands, known since the 4th century, with its transfer to Constantinople in 994, became “an immutable model for icon painting,” as N.P. believed. Kondakov (Kondakov N.P. Iconography of the Lord God and Our Savior Jesus Christ, St. Petersburg, 1905. P. 14).
The silence of the evangelists about the appearance of Jesus Christ can be explained by their concern for the spiritual rebirth of humanity, the direction of their gaze from earthly life to heavenly life, from material to spiritual. Thus, keeping silent about the historical features of the Savior’s face, they draw our attention to knowledge of the Savior’s personality. “In depicting the Savior, we do not depict either His divine nature or His human nature, and His personality, in which both of these natures are incomprehensibly combined,” says Leonid Uspensky, an outstanding Russian icon painter, theologian (Uspensky L.A. The meaning and language of icons // Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate. 1955. No. 6. P. 63).
The Gospel story also did not include the story of the Image of Christ Not Made by Hands; this can be explained by the words of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian: “Jesus did many other things; but if we were to write about this in detail, then, I think, the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).
During the period of iconoclasm, the Image of Christ not made by hands was cited as the most important evidence in favor of icon veneration (Seventh Ecumenical Council (787)).
According to Christian tradition, the miraculous image of the Savior Jesus Christ is one of the proofs of the truth of the incarnation in human form of the second person of the Trinity. The ability to capture the image of God, according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, is associated with the Incarnation, that is, the birth of Jesus Christ, God the Son, or, as believers usually call Him, the Savior, the Savior. Before His birth, the appearance of icons was unreal - God the Father is invisible and incomprehensible, therefore, incomprehensible.
Thus, the first icon painter was God himself, His Son - “the image of His hypostasis” (Heb. 1.3). God acquired a human face, the Word became flesh for the salvation of man.
How the Image Not Made by Hands Was Revealed
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There are two widespread versions of the legend about the origin of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands. We will present the eastern version of the legend about the Image of Jesus Christ Not Made by Hands, based on the book of the spiritual writer and church historian Leonid Denisov, “The History of the True Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, Based on the Testimony of Byzantine Writers” (M., 1894, pp. 3–37).
During the years of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, Abgar V the Black reigned in Osroene (the capital of this miniature kingdom was the city of Edessa). For seven years he suffered unbearably from “black leprosy,” the most severe and incurable form of this disease. Rumor of appearance in Jerusalem extraordinary person, performing miracles, spread far beyond the borders of Palestine, and soon reached Abgar. The nobles of the King of Edessa, who visited Jerusalem, conveyed to Abgar their enthusiastic impression of the amazing miracles of the Savior. Abgar believed in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and sent the painter Ananias to him with a letter in which he begged Christ to come and heal him from his illness.
Ananias walked for a long time and unsuccessfully in Jerusalem for the Savior. The masses of people surrounding the Lord prevented Ananias from fulfilling Abgar’s instructions. One day, tired of waiting, and, perhaps, despairing that he would be able to fulfill the instructions of his sovereign, Ananias stood on a ledge of a rock and, watching the Savior from afar, tried to copy him. But, despite all his efforts, he could not depict the face of Christ, because his expression was constantly changing by divine and incomprehensible power.
Finally, the Merciful Lord commanded the Apostle Thomas to bring Ananias to him. He had not yet had time to say anything when the Savior called him by name, asking for the letter Abgar had written to Him. Wanting to reward Abgar for his faith and love for Himself and fulfilling his ardent desire, the Savior ordered water to be brought and, having washed His holy face, wiped it with the rubbish given to him, that is, a four-pointed handkerchief. The water miraculously turned into colors, and the image of the divine face of the Savior was miraculously imprinted on the lining.
Having received the ubrus and the message, Ananias returned to Edessa. Abgar prostrated himself before the image and, venerating it with faith and love, received, according to the Savior’s word, instant relief from his illness, and after his baptism, as the Savior predicted, complete healing.
Avgar, revering the ubrus with a miraculous image of the face of the Savior, overthrew the statue of a pagan deity from the city gates, intending to place the miraculous image there to bless and protect the city. IN stone wall A deep niche was built above the gate, and the holy image was installed in it. Around the image there was a golden inscription: “Christ God! None of those who trust in You will perish.”
For about a hundred years, the Icon Not Made by Hands protected the inhabitants of Edessa, until one of Abgar’s descendants, having renounced Christ, wanted to remove it from the gates. But the Bishop of Edessa, mysteriously informed by God in a vision, came at night to the city gates, reached a niche along the stairs, placed a lit lamp in front of the image, covered it with ceramide (clay board) and leveled the edges of the niche with the wall, as he was told in the vision.
More than four centuries have passed...
The place where the Icon Not Made by Hands was located was no longer known to anyone. In 545, Justin the Great, under whose rule Edessa was then, fought with the Persian king, Chosroes I. Edessa constantly passed from hand to hand: from the Greeks to the Persians and back. Khozroy began to build wooden wall near the city wall of Edessa, in order to then fill up the space between them and thus create an embankment above the city walls, so that arrows could be thrown from above on the defenders of the city. Khozroy carried out his plan; the inhabitants of Edessa decided to build an underground passage to the embankment in order to light a fire there and burn the logs holding the embankment. The fire was lit, but had no outlet where, having escaped into the air, it could have engulfed the logs.
Confused and desperate, the residents resorted to prayer to God; on the same night, the Bishop of Edessa, Eulalia, had a vision in which he was given an indication of the place where, invisible to everyone, the Image of Christ miraculously resided. Having dismantled the bricks and taken away the ceramide, Eulaliy found holy image Christ safe and sound. The lamp, lit 400 years ago, continued to burn. The bishop looked at the ceramide, and a new miracle struck him: the same likeness of the Savior’s face was depicted on it, miraculously, as on the ubrus.
The inhabitants of Edessa, glorifying the Lord, brought the miraculous icon into the tunnel, sprinkled it with water, a few drops of this water fell on the fire, the flame immediately engulfed the wood and spread to the logs of the wall erected by Chozroes. The bishop brought the image to city wall and performed litiya (prayer outside the temple), holding the image in the direction of the Persian camp. Suddenly, the Persian troops, gripped by panic, fled.
Despite the fact that Edessa was taken by the Persians in 610, and later by the Muslims, the Image Not Made by Hands remained with the Edessa Christians all the time. With the restoration of icon veneration in 787, the Image Not Made by Hands became the subject of special reverent veneration. The Byzantine emperors dreamed of acquiring this image, but they were not able to bring their dream to fruition until the second half of the 10th century.
Roman I Lekapen (919–944), full of fiery love for the Savior, wished at all costs to bring a miraculous image of His face to the capital of the monarchy. The emperor sent envoys outlining his demands to the emir, since Persia at that time was conquered by the Muslims. The Muslims of that time oppressed the enslaved countries in every possible way, but often allowed the indigenous population to peacefully practice their religion. The emir, out of attention to the petition of the Edessa Christians, who threatened with indignation, refused the demands of the Byzantine emperor. Angered by the refusal, Romanus declared war on the caliphate, troops entered Arab territory and devastated the environs of Edessa. Fearing ruin, the Edessa Christians, on their own behalf, sent a message to the emperor asking him to stop the war. The emperor agreed to stop hostilities on the condition that the image of Christ be given to him.
With the permission of the Baghdat Caliph, the emir agreed to the conditions proposed by the emperor. Crowds of people surrounded and brought up the rear of the procession as the Icon Not Made by Hands was transferred from the city to the bank of the Euphrates, where galleys awaited the procession to cross the river. Christians began to grumble, refusing to give up the holy image unless there was a sign from God. And a sign was given to them. Suddenly the galley, onto which the Icon Not Made by Hands had already been brought, swam without any action and landed on the opposite shore.
The quiet Edessians returned to the city, and the procession with the image moved further by land. Throughout the journey to Constantinople, miracles of healing were performed continuously. In Constantinople, jubilant people flocked from everywhere to worship the great shrine. The monks and saints accompanying the Icon Not Made by Hands traveled around the entire capital by sea with a magnificent ceremony and installed the holy image in the Pharos Church.
The Icon Not Made by Hands was preserved in Constantinople (Constantinople) for exactly 260 years. In 1204, the Crusaders turned their weapons against the Greeks and captured Constantinople. Along with a lot of gold, jewelry and sacred objects, they captured and transported the Icon Not Made by Hands to the ship. But, according to the inscrutable fate of the Lord, the Miraculous Image did not remain in their hands. As they sailed across the Sea of Marmara, a terrible storm suddenly arose and the ship quickly sank. The greatest Christian shrine has disappeared. This, according to legend, ends the story of the true Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands.
In the West, the legend of the Savior Not Made by Hands became widespread as the legend of the Payment of Saint Veronica. According to one of them, Veronica was a student of the Savior, but she could not accompany him all the time, then she decided to order a portrait of the Savior from the painter. But on the way to the artist, she met the Savior, who miraculously imprinted his face on her plate. Veronica's cloth was endowed with the power of healing. With its help, the Roman Emperor Tiberius was cured. Later another option appears. When Christ was led to Calvary, Veronica wiped the sweat and blood stained face of Jesus with a cloth, and it was reflected on the material. This moment is included in the Catholic cycle of the Passion of the Lord. The face of Christ in a similar version is painted with a crown of thorns.
Which icons are the most famous?
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Church historian L. Denisov mentions one of ancient icons Savior Not Made by Hands (XIV century). The icon was brought to Moscow by Saint Metropolitan Alexy from Constantinople and since 1360 it has stood in the iconostasis of the cathedral church of the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery. In 1354 Kyiv Metropolitan Alexy was caught in a storm on his way to Constantinople. The saint made a vow to build a cathedral in Moscow in honor of that saint or holiday on the day of which he would safely reach the shore. The day fell on the celebration of the Savior Not Made by Hands, and the Metropolitan built a monastery in his honor. Visiting Constantinople again in 1356, Alexy brought with him the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands.
Chronicles and monastery inventories for centuries noted the presence of a Constantinople icon in the monastery. In 1812, she was evacuated from Moscow and then returned safely. According to the Nezavisimaya Gazeta report dated June 15, 2000, “... in 1918, this icon disappeared from the Andronikov Monastery and was discovered in one of the Moscow repositories only in 1999. The painting of this icon was rewritten several times, but always according to the old drawing. Its small size and rare iconography place it among the few exact repetitions of the Constantinople relic.” Further fate We were unable to trace this icon.
The Icon of Christ the Savior Not Made by Hands, erected by an unknown person and unknown when in the city of Vyatka on the porch of the Ascension Cathedral, is widely known. The image became famous for the numerous healings that took place before it. The first miracle happened in 1645 (this is evidenced by a manuscript kept in the Moscow Novospassky Monastery) - the healing of one of the city’s residents occurred. Peter Palkin, having been blind for three years, after fervent prayer before the Icon Not Made by Hands, received his sight. The news of this spread widely, and many began to come to the image with prayers and requests for healing. This icon was transported to Moscow by the then reigning sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich. On January 14, 1647, the miraculous image was transferred to the Kremlin and placed in the Assumption Cathedral. The gates to the Kremlin through which the image was brought in, which had been called Frolovsky until that time, began to be called Spassky.
The icon was kept in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin until the reconstruction of the Transfiguration Cathedral in the Novospassky Monastery was completed; on September 19, 1647, the icon was solemnly transferred to the monastery procession. The miraculous image gained great love and veneration among the residents of the capital; they resorted to the icon’s help in cases of fires and epidemics. In 1670, the image of the Savior was given to help Prince Yuri, who was going to the Don to pacify the rebellion of Stepan Razin. Until 1917, the icon was in the monastery. Currently, the whereabouts of the holy image are unknown.
In the Novospassky Monastery there is a preserved copy of the miraculous image. It is installed in the local row of the iconostasis of the Transfiguration Cathedral - where the miraculous icon itself was previously placed.
Another miraculous image of the Savior Not Made by Hands is located in the Transfiguration Cathedral in St. Petersburg. The icon was painted for Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich by the famous icon painter Simon Ushakov. It was handed over by the queen to her son, Peter I. He always took the icon with him on military campaigns, and he was with it at the foundation of St. Petersburg. This icon saved the life of the king more than once.
The emperor carried a list of this miraculous icon with him. Alexander III. During the crash of the royal train on the Kursk-Kharkov-Azov railway On October 17, 1888, he emerged from the destroyed carriage along with his entire family unharmed. The icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands was also preserved intact, even the glass in the icon case remained intact.
The meaning of the icon and miracles from it
The veneration of the image began in Rus' back in the 11th century. XII centuries and became widespread in the 14th century, when Moscow Metropolitan Alexy brought a copy of the Icon Not Made by Hands from Constantinople. Churches and temples began to be built in his honor in the state. The icon of the “Ardent Eye of Savior,” which also goes back in type to the original Image Not Made by Hands, was on the banners of Dmitry Donskoy, a student of Metropolitan Alexy, in the battle on the Kulikovo Field with Mamai. It was located above the entrance of new temples and churches, regardless of whether they were erected in honor of the Lord or other holy names and events, as their main protective protection.
The further history of the all-Russian glorification and transfer of the miraculous icon to Moscow begins in the 17th century. On July 12, 1645, in the city of Khlynov, now the city of Vyatka, a miracle of epiphany happened to a resident of the city, Peter Palkin, who gained the ability to see after praying in front of the icon of the Savior in the Church of the All-Merciful Savior. Before that he was blind for three years. After this event, recorded in church documents, miracles of healing began to occur more and more often, the fame of the icon expanded to the limits of the capital, where it was transferred in the 17th century: see the section “In which churches is the icon located.”
An embassy headed to Khlynov (Vyatka) for the miraculous image, the head of which was appointed abbot of the Moscow Epiphany Monastery Paphnutius.
On January 14, 1647, almost all the townspeople came out to the Yauza Gate of the capital to meet the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. As soon as those gathered saw the icon, everyone knelt down on the cold winter pavement, and a festive chime was heard from all Moscow bell towers for the beginning of the thanksgiving prayer. When the prayer service was over, the miraculous icon was brought into the Moscow Kremlin and placed in the Assumption Cathedral. They brought the icon through the Frolov Gate, which is now called Spassky, like the Spasskaya Tower that rises above it - now many, coming to the Kremlin’s Red Square, know the origin of the name of this place, sacred to every Russian person. At that time, the transfer of the image was followed by a royal decree that every male person who passes or drives through the Spassky Gate should take off his hat.
The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral of the Novospassky Monastery was then in the stage of reconstruction; after its completion, on September 19 of the same year, the image was solemnly transferred in a religious procession to the place where the copy from it is now located.
The history of the image is replete with many testimonies of the Lord’s active participation in the destinies of Russia. In 1670, the icon was given to Prince Yuri to help suppress the rebellion of Stepan Razin on the Don. After the end of the Troubles, the saving image was placed in a gilded frame, richly decorated with diamonds, emeralds and pearls.
In mid-August 1834, a severe fire broke out in Moscow, which spread with incredible speed. At the request of the Muscovites, they took the icon out of the monastery and stood with it against the blazing place, and everyone saw how the fire could not cross the line along which they carried the miraculous image, as if tripping over an invisible wall. The wind soon died down and the fire died down. Then the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands began to be brought out for prayers at home, and when a cholera epidemic broke out in Moscow in 1848, many received healing from the icon.
In 1812, when Napoleon’s troops entered Moscow, the French, who were looting the deserted capital, tore the 17th-century robe from the wonderful image. In 1830, it was again encased in a silver frame with gilding, decorated precious stones. In the summer, the icon was in the Transfiguration Cathedral, and in the winter it was transferred to the Intercession Church. Also exact copies from the miraculous image were in both the St. Nicholas and Catherine's churches of the monastery.
The Savior Not Made by Hands, according to some historians of the Russian Orthodox Church, became main part Christian tradition along with the Crucifixion. It is included in the top row of the home iconostasis; it, together with the image of the Mother of God, was taken out as a wedding couple to bless the newlyweds for a happy and settled life together. On the holiday of August 6/19 of the Transfiguration of the Lord, blessing the harvest, they celebrated the Apple Savior; on the first day of the Dormition Lent, on August 14/29, they celebrated the Honey Savior - it was believed that on this day bees no longer take bribes from flowers.
After the revolution of 1917, the icon was in the monastery for some time, but now the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands has been lost, and a copy of that early icon has been preserved in the Novospassky Monastery. But we love and honor this image to this day, and, as was said on VI Ecumenical Council: “The Savior left us His holy image, so that we, looking at it, would constantly remember his incarnation, suffering, life-giving death and redemption of the human race.”
“The Son of Man has not come souls
to destroy men, but to save them” (Luke 9:56)
- the image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, miraculously imprinted on the cloth with which Christ wiped his face. According to the Tradition set forth in the Chetya Menaion, Abgar V Uchama, sick with leprosy, sent his archivist Hannan (Ananias) to Christ with a letter in which he asked Christ to come to Edessa and heal him.
Hannan was an artist, and Abgar instructed him that if the Savior could not come, then at least paint His image and bring it to him. Hannan found Christ surrounded by a dense crowd; he stood on a stone from which he could see better and tried to portray the Savior.
Seeing that Hannan wanted to make His portrait, Christ asked for water, washed, wiped His face with a cloth, and His image was imprinted on this cloth. The Savior handed this board to Hannan with the command to take it with a reply letter to the one who sent it.
In this letter, Christ refused to go to Edessa himself, saying that he must fulfill what he was sent to do. Upon completion of His work, He promised to send one of His disciples to Abgar. Having received the portrait, Avgar was healed of his main illness, but his face remained damaged.
After Pentecost, the holy Apostle Thaddeus, one of the 70, went to Edessa, completed the healing of Abgar and converted him to Christianity. Abgar attached the image to the board and placed it in a niche above the city gate, removing the idol that was there.
Day 16/29 August 944 became the most important in the history of the miraculous image of Christ on a board, called in Byzantium “Holy Mandylion” (TO AGION MANDYLION), and in Ancient Rus' “Holy Ubrus”. On this day, a precious relic, on the eve solemnly transferred to Constantinople from the distant Syrian city of Edessa, was placed in the reliquary church Grand Palace among other most important shrines of the empire.
From this moment on, the general Christian glorification of the Mandylion begins, which becomes perhaps the main relic Byzantine world. In the lists of Constantinople shrines in pilgrimage descriptions, it consistently occupies one of the first places.
UNMADE IMAGE
Troparion, tone 2
We worship Your most pure image, O Good One, / asking forgiveness of our sins, O Christ our God: / by the will of Your flesh you deigned to ascend to the Cross, / so that You may deliver Him from the work of the enemy. / Thus we cry out to You in gratitude: / You filled all with joy, O our Savior, / who came to save the world.
Kontakion, tone 2
Thy ineffable and Divine sight of man, / the indescribable Word of the Father, / and the unwritten image, / and the divinely written one is victorious, / leading to Thy unfaithful incarnation, / we honor and kiss him.
Greatness
We magnify You, / Life-giving Christ, / and honor Your most pure face / glorious imagination.
Foreign greatness
We magnify You, / Life-giving Christ, / and honor Your holy image, / by which You saved us / from the work of the enemy.
Word on the Day of the Image of the Lord Not Made by Hands
This day, which we celebrate in honor of our Savior Jesus Christ, who left His face not made by hands on the canvas, encourages us, brothers, to talk about His ineffable love and mercy for the human race.
Being “the radiance of the glory of the Father” (Heb. 1:3) and “the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15), in whose bosom He dwelt from eternity, He became man and became visible, revealing to all the inexhaustible source of Divine mercy and love .
Constantly surrounded by people, He called everyone to Himself, promising to give peace, healed mental and physical ailments, and attracted everyone to Himself with the inexplicably sweet words of His teaching and the unusually meek appearance of His Divine face.
The hearts of the people of the pagan world who lived before the coming of Christ did not know love, since the whole life of their hearts was exhausted in serving passions and vices destructive to the soul and body.
Even the Jewish people, who were preparing for the coming of the Savior, understood little what the love of God is, so that even the chosen apostles of Christ during the earthly life of the Lord were still not freed from the desire for earthly glory, mutual envy, and lack of faith in relation to their Teacher .
And then the One appeared who made a quiet breeze perceptible to all people who lived on earth. Divine love in hearts melting from sorrow, he shed consolation to souls devoted to serving vices, made them feel the weight of the burden that this service placed on them, the joy and ease of fulfilling the Divine law. Everyone sought to listen to Him and be healed of their ailments, or simply to open their soul, exhausted from the passions and sorrows of life, to the breath of love that emanated from Him.
How beautiful and blessed was the life of these people, who constantly saw the Savior comforting, healing, edifying and irresistibly drawing to Himself with His love! Truly blessed were their eyes, which saw what they saw, what many prophets and kings desired to see or hear, although they did not see or hear (Luke 10:23-24)!
If human love makes people’s lives so joyful and filled with bliss, then how much more blessed were the people who were in communion with Him Who, calling Himself the Son of Man out of love for the human race, was God Himself, hitherto unknown to the world in all His fullness Divine life and glory!
Hieromartyr Thaddeus (Uspensky)
Akathist to the image of our Lord Jesus Christ not made by hands
Kontakion 1
We worship Your Most Pure Image, O Good One, asking for forgiveness of our sins, O Christ our God, by the will of You you have deigned to ascend in the flesh to the Cross, so that You may deliver what You have created from the work of the enemy, so we cry out to You with hope: Lord God, my Savior, come to me to the one who is bending and heal from my incurable illness.
“Jesus, my Savior,” Abgar, the prince of Edessa humbly prayed, “come to me and heal my incurable illnesses, in which I have suffered for many years.
Imitating him, I, stricken by sinful leprosy, cry out in prayer to my face: My Lord, Lord, have mercy on me according to Your great mercy, and according to the multitude of Your mercies, cleanse my iniquity. Lord my Savior, with the dew of Your mercy wash me from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Lord, turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Lord, create a pure heart in me and renew a right spirit in my womb. Lord, do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.
Kontakion 2
Seeing the love and faith of Abgar of Edessa, Lord, You wrote to him: “Blessed are you, Abgar, who has not seen Me, and I will send My disciple who believes in Me and He will heal you and give eternal life to you and those who are with you.” Send, O Lord, Thy mercy to me also who cry: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
The mind does not comprehend the mystery of how the Lord, by attaching a veil to His Divine face, depicting His likeness on it, sent it to Abgar, fulfilling his desire. Be filled with this great joy by bowing to the image of Christ. Today we worship Him with reverence, with prayer and faith calling: My Lord, Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will proclaim Your praise, My Lord, Lord, restore to me the joy of salvation and strengthen me with the Sovereign Spirit. Lord, I have sinned against You alone and done evil before You, by Your mercy have mercy on me, My Lord, Lord my Savior, look upon the sorrow of my soul and hasten to help me. My Lord, Lord, hear me and deliver me from all sorrows.
Lord God, my Savior, come to me, who is perishing, and heal my incurable illnesses.
Kontakion 3
Abgar, filled with the power of love and joy, bowed to the Not Made by Hands image of the Savior of the world and, having received healing of his illnesses; crying out in faith, “Christ our God, whoever trusts in You will not be put to shame.” By this teaching we should always trust in the mercies of the Lord and sing to Him: Hallelujah!
Ikos 3
Having love for the fallen human race, You, Christ God, through one of Your disciples, called out to this Ashar from the darkness of sin and enlightened her soul with the light of Your truth. Call me also from the depths of sin, and I will cry out to You with tears:
My Lord, Lord, grant me tears of tenderness, and with them I will beg You - cleanse before the end all my sins, Lord, enlighten my soul with the light of Your Divine knowledge, and lead me by Your mercy into Your Kingdom My Lord, Lord, my enlightenment and my Savior , I came running to You, teach me to do Your will. My Lord, my Lord, my God, enlighten my heart, and drive away the temptation of the evil one from it, and guide me on the path of salvation. My Lord, Lord, do not reject my prayer and hear me, with Your Grace confirm my heart with Your fear. Lord God, my Savior, come to me, who is perishing, and heal my incurable illnesses.
THE SAVIOR NOT MADE BY HANDS, icon, 13th century*
Kontakion 4
The storm of passions and worries of everyday life drowns me, and my heart, overwhelmed by the horror of death, cries out to Ty: Lord, there is no one who helps me on earth, save me, like Abgar of old, and grant me to sing with him: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Hearing that the Jews hate You and want to do something evil to You, Lord, Abgar writes: “I pray: come to me and dwell with me.” Imitating that love, and having risen from the depths of my fall, I boldly pray to Thee, O Christ God:
Lord my God, enter into the house of my soul and remain inseparable from me, a sinner. Lord, God of my heart, come and unite me with You forever. My Lord, Lord, my soul has clinged to You, come and fill my heart with joy.
Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing and heal my incurable illnesses.
Kontakion 5
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord - the Jewish children sang of old when they met the Lord in Jerusalem. Today, we, opening the doors of our hearts to the Savior coming to us, call with tenderness: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
You have spoken wondrous words, O Lord, to all who are perishing: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid; believe in God, believe in Me, and inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” I, thinking about my iniquity, I pray to You, O Good One, confirm my heart and enlighten my mind, crying to You: My Lord, Lord, look upon me and enlighten my eyes, so that I will not sleep into death, my Lord, Lord, the guide of Israel from land of Pharaoh, guide me in Your path, that I may walk in Your truth. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, I believe in You, help my unbelief, my Lord, Lord, do not reprove me with Your wrath, and do not depart from me for my iniquities.
Lord God, my Savior, come to me, who is perishing, and heal my incurable illnesses.
Kontakion 6
Look with my eyes at Your image, Lord, I do not dare, the accursed one, from my evil deeds, but, like a publican, groaning, I cry out to You, God, cleanse me, a sinner, from the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and teach with a pure heart sing to Thy mercy: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
Ascension in my sorrow, Thy comforting word, Thou didst say to my Savior: “I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you.” For this reason, I, having escaped the darkness of despair, with hope in Your love for mankind, came running to You, praying: My Lord, Lord, take refuge in my time of trouble and sorrow, do not leave me alone, my Lord, Lord, sinless, imputed with the lawless, take me away. from the hands of those who hate me. My Lord, Lord, save me from the desecration of visible and invisible enemies. My Lord, Lord, forgive me and accept me, like the prodigal of old, into Your arms.
Lord God, my Savior, come to me, who is perishing, and heal my incurable illnesses.
Kontakion 7
Thou hast shown Thy wondrous works, O Lord, in Thy most pure image, and hast given marvelous consolation to all earth-born, teaching them in the sorrowful circumstances of life to resort to Thy mercy and to sing to Thee with love: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
Wearing the temple and the entire body is desecrated, many of the cruel things I have done, I tremble at the terrible Day of Judgment and pray: open the doors of repentance to me, O Giver of Life, and like David I cry to You: My Lord, Lord, hear my prayer, heed my prayer and have mercy on me. Lord my God, Your seventh, give me understanding and my soul will live. Lord my God, my shepherd, I have gone astray, like a lost sheep, seek your servant and save me. My Lord, Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul for those who have sinned against You.
Lord God, my Savior, come to me, who is perishing, and heal my incurable illnesses.
Kontakion 8
I am terrified at the terrible day of Your coming, O Christ, and I tremble, for I have many sins, but You, Merciful God, before the end, convert me, singing Tn: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
Thou wast all love for fallen man, O Jesus, and Thou gavest them Thy Holy Image, clearly saying to all who are in sorrow and sorrow, “Come to Me, all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” For this reason, the one who is perishing, with boldness I pray to Thee, O Christ, saying:
My Lord, my Lord, my guardian, save me from the enemies who attack me. My Lord, Lord, who lives on high and looks down on the humble, look down on me, a sinner, and be my joy. My Lord, Lord, save me, drowning in the abyss of everyday temptations. My Lord, Lord, let not my heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid in confessing Your name. My Lord, Lord, receive me like a publican, like a Canaanite, have mercy, have mercy on me according to Your mercy.
Lord God, my Savior, come to me, who is perishing, and heal my incurable illnesses.
Kontakion 9
All pagans, come, with love and reverence let us worship the most pure image of the Savior of the world, who delivered us from the work of the enemy, and cry out in gratitude to Him, the Conqueror of death and hell: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
All struck by sinful leprosy, I am perplexed as to how it is worthy to magnify Thee, O most merciful Master, but with heartfelt faith I confess Thee, the true Son of God, I humbly stand before Thy Holy image, praying: Lord Jesus, my Joy, grant to me that I may rejoice in mercy Yours. Lord, my Most Gracious Savior, save Your servant from unbelief and lawlessness. My Lord, Lord, Unspeakable Mercy, by Your grace consume my anger and my heart. My Lord, Lord, indescribable purity, give me purity of heart and mind. My Lord, Lord, clothe yourself with singing like a robe, sanctify me, darkened by the sorrows of life.
Lord God, my Savior, come to me, who is perishing, and heal my incurable illnesses.
Kontakion 10
My Lord, Lord, Merciful to my Savior, raise up my soul, weakened by cold deeds, by Your Divine mercy, like the one weakened in ancient times at the sheep’s font, and instruct me in the path of salvation, so that we sing: All-moon.
Ikos 10
Eternal King, Comforter, True Christ, cleanse me from all filth, as you cleansed the ten lepers, and heal me, as you healed the money-loving soul of Zacchaeus the publican, so that I may sing to You, saying:
My Lord, Lord, you who have received our ailments and suffered illnesses, heal the diseases of my heart. My Lord, Lord Jesus, my Helper, help me, as my soul faints from this sorrow. My Lord, Lord, who gave eyes to the blind to see, give me an eye that I may see Your meekness and patience. Lord, long-suffering, deliver my soul from the wicked and save me for the sake of Thy mercy.
Lord God, my Savior, come to me, who is perishing, and heal my incurable illnesses.
Kontakion 11
Bringing all-conciliatory singing to You, and praying with a contrite heart, do not despise me, O Most Blessed Master! Turn away Thy face from my sins! But do not turn Your face away from the servant who sings to You: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
O true Light Christ, who enlightens and sanctifies every person coming into the world, look upon me, Thy sinful and indecent servant, and correct my life according to Thy commandments, and sanctify my soul, that I may offer Thy prayer to thee:
Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Light of the world, shine Your light on me My Lord, Lord, You are the source of life, grant my soul imperishable life and confirm me in Your commandments. Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Sun of righteousness, with Your righteousness warm my soul and illuminate my mind. My Lord, Lord, You are my mentor, teach me to do Your will and love You with all my heart My Lord, Lord, You have opened the eyes of the blind, open the doors of repentance for me and, as you are generous, cleanse all my sins.
Lord God, my Savior, come to me, who is perishing, and heal my incurable illnesses.
kontakion 12
By Your omnipotent grace, confirm my heart in faith, hope and love, grant me through repentance and unflagging fulfillment of Your commandments to reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with the faces of the apostles I will sing: Ti Alleluia.
Ikos 12
You, Good Shepherd, proclaimed to everyone the sorrows and sorrows of those who exist: “My friends, I am going to My Father and your Father to prepare a place for you, but I will come again and take you to Myself, if you keep My commandments.” Hearing this reverently, I dare and, immersed in fierce sorrow, come to You, praying: My Lord, Lord, Merciful to my Savior, save me, who am perishing. My Lord, Lord, drive away from me the clouds of unbelief, evil and enmity, and by Your Good Spirit set me on the path of righteousness. My Lord, Lord, consolation of my soul, comfort me in this present sorrow. Lord my God, for the sake of Your name, revive me and through Your righteousness bring my soul out of sorrow. Lord, Most Mighty King, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.
Lord God, my Savior, come to me, who is perishing, and heal my incurable illnesses.
kontakion 13
Oh, Most Merciful and Most Good Lord God, my Savior, who came into the world to save fallen man, do not disdain me more than all other sinners and do not turn Your face away from me, but look upon the fierce sorrow and sadness of my soul, heal and strengthen me in the Light of truth. and love, let us sing to You: Alleluia!
O my Most Merciful Savior, who came into the world for the salvation of fallen man, seek me who am perishing and with Your grace sanctify my soul, cleanse my body and correct my life, but according to Your commandment, let me sing to You with a pure heart: Alleluia.
O My Most Merciful Savior, look upon Thy servant, I am drowning in the sea of worldly temptations and troubles, and, like Peter of old, drowning, save by Thy grace, sanctify the soul and establish it on the path of Thy commandments, so that with a pure heart and lips I cry out to Thee with love: Alleluia , Alleluia, Alleluia
Prayer
Oh, Most Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, our God, You are more ancient than Your human nature, having washed off Your face with holy water and wiped it with a rubbish, so You miraculously depicted it on the same curb and You deigned to send it to the Prince of Edessa Abgar to heal him from an illness. Behold, now we, Thy sinful servants, are possessed by our mental and physical ailments, we seek Thy face, O Lord, and with David in the humility of our souls we call, do not turn away Thy face, O Lord, from us, and do not turn aside in anger from Thy servants, our helper. wake up, do not reject us and do not leave us. Oh, All-Merciful Lord, our Savior, depict Yourself in our souls, so that in holiness and truth, living, we will be Your sons and heirs of Your Kingdom, and so we will not cease to glorify You, Our Most Merciful God, together with Your Beginning Father and the Most Holy Spirit. forever and ever. Amen
With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II
Dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the gate temple in the name of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands in the Conception Monastery
* Savior not made by hands, XIII century, Wood, gesso, tempera, Place of creation - Balkans, Place of storage - Sacristy cathedral in Laon. Moved from Edessa to Constantinople in 944, the Mandylion disappeared when the city was captured by the Crusaders in 1204. Being common in the frescoes of the 12th century, this image also appears on icons by the end of the century. This icon is one of earlier versions image. Bishop Jacques Pantaleon de Troyes (later Pope Urban IV, 1261 - 1264) received this icon in 1249 in Rome and gave it to his sister Sibylla, abbess of the Cistercian monastery of Montreux-en-Thieraches in France, where this image was definitely located in 1262. It was then moved in the 17th century, probably in 1658, to the monastery of Montreux-les-Dames, la Nouvelle, near Laon, and received a silver setting in 1679. In 1792, the ark was melted down and the image was sent to the parish church. In 1795, the icon came to the Laon Cathedral and was officially transferred to the cathedral sacristy in 1807.
** The day of August 16, 944 became the most important day in the history of the Miracle Image of Christ on a board, called in Byzantium “Holy Mandylion” (TO AGION MANDYLION), and in Ancient Rus' “Holy Ubrus”. On this day, the precious relic, which the day before had been solemnly transferred to Constantinople from the distant Syrian city of Edessa, was placed in the reliquary church of the Grand Palace among other most important shrines of the empire. From this moment on, the general Christian glorification of the Mandylion begins, which becomes perhaps the main relic of the Byzantine world. In lists of Constantinople shrines and pilgrimage descriptions, it consistently occupies one of the first places.