Types of icons of the Mother of God. Orthodox icons and their meaning
Icon(from gr. - image, image) - accepted by the Church and consecrated image of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, saints and various events from Sacred and Church history. Icons, according to strictly defined rules (canons), are painted with paints (usually tempera) on a wooden (linden or pine) board covered with a special primer.
Assist- a composition used in icon painting for gluing gold and silver sheets. Looks like a thick, sticky mass dark brown, prepared from garlic or beer sediments by simmering in an oven until the desired state. When used, dilute with water so that it can be used with a brush for the most fine lines. On the asist, gold holds up very well and does not lose its shine.
Icon board– a wooden base for the icon, usually linden, less often pine, spruce, oak or cypress. Several boards are tightly connected with their sides into a single shield the right size, glued with animal glue (for example, casein) and additionally secured with dowels back side or from the ends (so as not to warp). A flat recess is made on the front side - an ark.
Iconography(Greek - description of an image) - a description of the features and canons of the image of a certain person or subject on icons.
Kyoto- a decorated frame for an icon or a glass cabinet for several icons.
gesso(Greek) – white primer for icon painting. Consists of crushed chalk (or plaster) and glue. It is applied gradually, in multi-layers, to the surface of the board intended for writing the icon. The surface of the gesso is carefully polished.
Nimbus– radiance around the head: a sign of God’s grace in the form of a disk or light rays, depicted on icons as a symbol of spiritual glory.
Salary- an overhead decoration attached to the icon on top of the paint layer. It was made from non-ferrous metals, pearls, beads, gold embroidery, carved gilded wood. Sometimes decorated precious stones. The frames cover individual parts of the painting or the entire surface, except for the face, arms and legs.
Folder- a kind of small iconostasis made of several folding doors connected by hinges with icons. Designed for travelers.
"Tenderness" Serafimo-Diveevskaya- an icon of the Mother of God that belonged to Seraphim of Sarov. He died in prayer before her. Celebration on August 10th.
"Quiet my sorrows"- a miraculous icon of the Mother of God, brought to Moscow by the Cossacks in 1640. The Mother of God is depicted on the icon with her head slightly tilted to one side, to which she places her left hand. Her general appearance seems to tell us that the Queen of Heaven listens to the tears and prayers of all believers who turn to Her with their sorrows, needs and sorrows. With her right hand, the Mother of God holds the feet of the Infant God. The Savior holds in His hands an unfolded scroll, on which are inscribed the words of the Divine admonition: “Judge righteous judgment, do mercy and generosity...” Celebration February 7.
- miraculous icon. According to legend, it was written by the evangelist Luke. In Russia, it was originally located in the Feodorovsky Gorodetsky Monastery. During the invasion of Batu, both Gorodets and the monastery were devastated, the inhabitants fled, and did not have time to take the icon with them. Several decades later, on August 16, 1239, she appeared younger brother Alexander Nevsky to Prince Vasily Yaroslavich of Kostroma in the forest, on a tree, during a hunt. The day before, many residents of Kostroma saw a warrior walk through the streets of the city, and in his hands he was holding an icon. The face of this warrior reminded the residents of the iconographic image of the holy great martyr Theodore Stratilates. The discovered icon was placed in the Church of St. Theodore Stratelates in Kostroma and was named Feodorovskaya. At the site where the icon was found, the prince founded a monastery in honor of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. In 1260, a miraculous image saved Kostroma from the Tatar hordes. In 1613, the Feodorovskaya icon was blessed for his reign. young Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, the first sovereign of the Romanov dynasty. Currently, the icon is in the Assumption Cathedral in Kostroma. Traditionally, people pray in front of this icon for a successful birth. The celebration of the icon takes place on March 27 and August 29.
"Healer"- an icon on which the Queen of Heaven is depicted standing at the bedside of a sick person; milk is visible on the sick person’s lips. The story behind this image is as follows. One pious cleric became seriously ill and turned to the Mother of God with prayer; at that very moment he saw the Guardian Angel at his bedside, asking the Mother of God to heal the sick person, and the Mother of God appeared, who poured a saving drop of milk from Her breasts onto the patient’s lips and became invisible. The patient felt completely healthy and told everyone about the miracle that had happened. In front of this icon they pray for the healing of the sick. Celebration of the icon - October 1.
- a miraculous icon, revered by both Orthodox and Catholics. Written, according to legend, by the evangelist Luke. In 326, Saint Queen Helena, having received this icon as a gift, brought it to Constantinople, where it remained for almost five centuries. Then she was transferred to Russia, where she became famous for many miracles. Taken away by the Poles, she fell into the hands of the Tatars, who began to shoot her with bows, but when blood flowed from the icon, they fled in fear. Currently located in Poland in a monastery near the city of Czestochowa. Celebration of March 19th.
Newly converted Orthodox Christians are lost among the variety of images of the Mother of God. Which image should you pray to and what should you ask for? In this article I will tell you everything and show you the icons of the Mother of God, photos and descriptions of them.
Having familiarized yourself with the various icons of the Mother of God, you will no longer stand at a loss near the iconostasis and wonder which image to turn to. This is precisely the situation in which my newly converted friend found herself when she lit a candle in front of the first icon she saw in the church. She was so excited that she almost burst into tears from despair. This awkward situation can be prevented with knowledge.
Four types of images of the Mother of God
If you look into orthodox calendar, you can see many dates for the veneration of the Mother of God icons. Over the course of thousands of years, the Orthodox Church was replenished with new traditions and saw many miracles performed by the Holy Spirit. There has been so much accumulated experience that today it is quite difficult for believers to navigate all the diversity of traditions and holidays. Let's figure out what images of the Virgin Mary exist.
Images of the Virgin Mary:
- Odegetria;
- eleus;
- oranta;
- Akathist.
The type of image “digitria” is distinguished by the fact that the Mother of God points to the Infant God with her hand. Translated from Greek, “ogetria” means “guidebook”. Widespread images of hodegetria are Smolensk, Georgian, Kazan.
In the images of the Eleus style, the Mother of God tenderly embraces the Infant of God and doves on him. These are very heartfelt images of the Mother of God that do not leave anyone indifferent. Eleusa translated from Greek means “merciful.” Widely known images of Eleus are Donskaya and Vladimirskaya.
The type of images of Orans is distinguished by the hands of the Mother of God raised in an outburst of prayer. The most revered image of this style is the Inexhaustible Chalice. Translated from Greek, the word “oranta” means “sign”. Mother of God intercedes for the human race, begs for the sins of people before the Lord. The Divine Infant has not yet been born; he is still in the womb of the Mother. Also related to this style of iconography is the image of the “Yaroslavl Oranta”.
The akathist type of images is inspired by gospel texts. In these icons, the Mother of God participates in the life of her Son. Widespread images of this type are Unexpected Joy, Burning Bush.
Description of the icons
Icons of the Mother of God have a strong impact on believers and even atheists. The image of a woman who gave her only son to be tortured for the sake of saving humanity cannot leave anyone indifferent. The Mother of God is revered as the intercessor of the entire human race; people turn to her in the most difficult and joyful moments in life. The news of the miracles that her images perform has long reached the most remote corners of the planet.
Looking at the image of the Mother of God, every believer feels her warm love, mercy and forgiveness of sins. This meek woman was honored to be the mother of Jesus Christ himself. This means that the beauty of her soul and holiness were noted by the Creator of the universe.
Recovery of the dead
Before this image, they pray for liberation from serious mental/physical illnesses, for deliverance from addiction to wine and gluttony, for deliverance from gambling and various addictions, for the affirmation of faith and apostates from Orthodoxy. You can also ask the Mother of God to strengthen the marriage if it begins to fall apart.
Feodorovskaya
The image belongs to the type of Eleus, the Infant of God gently clung to the Mother, and she gently presses him to her body. They pray to the Mother of God for help at the birth of a child.
Tikhvinskaya
According to legend, this Face was written by the evangelist even before the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. It is easy to recognize the icon by the scroll in the hand of the Infant God. They pray to the icon for the health of children, restoration of vision and joint mobility. It is also used to cast out demons.
Vladimirskaya
This icon can be immediately recognized by one feature - the visible heel of little Jesus. The icon is considered the patroness of Rus', the main national shrine. Prayers are offered to the Vladimir Icon for enemies, reconciliation of enemies, protection from heresy.
Quick to Hear
This icon belongs to the Hodegetria style and is somewhat reminiscent of Tikhvin. This image is considered miraculous, and its peculiarity is considered to be a quick response to the requests of the suffering. Prayers are offered to the icon for healing of vision, weakness and lameness. The image also helps to free oneself from captivity, from any addiction. In former times, prayers were offered to the icon for people who were shipwrecked.
Semistrelnaya
This image is highly revered among Orthodox believers. There are 7 arrows stuck into the chest of the Virgin Mary, which cause her pain. There are a lot of lists of Semistrelnaya, some of them are called “Softening evil hearts" Prayers are offered to the icon for the reconciliation of warring parties, deliverance from enemies and terrible illnesses.
- Ostrabramskaya icon - protects marriage bonds.
- Burning bush - protects property from fire.
- The Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos protects from troubles, protects children and gives them happiness.
- They pray to the Donskoy Icon for peace, protection from enemies, healing from wounds and illnesses.
- Prayers are offered to the image of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary for deliverance from the fear of death, healing, for the affirmation of faith and the acquisition of humility.
- The Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos is prayed for liberation from prison, for the successful completion of affairs, for receiving favorable news, for freedom from mental/physical ailments.
- The image of the Iveron Mother of God is also called the “Goalkeeper”. They pray to the icon for liberation from illnesses, protection from enemies, protection from heresy, to strengthen faith, protection from natural disasters and accidents.
- The Icon of Tenderness was the favorite image of St. Seraphim of Sarov. The icon is considered miraculous, and even the copies from it have incredible spiritual power. They pray to the icon for childbirth, protection from ill-wishers, reconciliation of quarrels, strengthening of marriage and many other problems.
- The icon of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary settles family problems, the birth of babies, affirms faith, bestows long-suffering and humility.
The meaning of the icons
The Mother of God icons symbolize the unity of the divine and human nature. An earthly woman was honored to give birth to the Child of God, who granted salvation to all mortals. The image of the Mother of God is intuitively understandable to every person, because she symbolizes a mother. Every person understands that only a mother can accept and forgive a child. No matter how mischievous the child is, no matter how guilty he is, he will always find solace on his mother’s breast.
The image of the Mother of God must be approached with a sincere contrite heart, avoiding indifference or disbelief. Only a sincere heart can hear the Most Pure Virgin, and she will certainly console those who suffer, calm those who are troubled and grieving. The miraculous image of the Mother of God teaches humility, fear of God, obedience and virtue. It is important to remain human in all situations and adhere to the commandment given by Christ: “Love one another.”
The icon of the Mother of God is one of the most revered iconographic images among the Orthodox world. It is the image of the Most Holy Theotokos that has always been, is and will be a symbol of the intercessor and guardian of the Russian people. Is it enough Let us remember the fact how the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, according to historical information, helped the Russian people win the Great Patriotic War. The troops entered the war with a highly raised icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, namely the Kazan Mother of God. It was the same when Patriotic War 1812. Since then, it has become a tradition that the image of the Mother of God began to be the protector and patroness of the Russian land, and her icon became a symbol of faith and hope for the salvation of all Orthodox people.
But, despite this general meaning, there are several types of icons of the Virgin Mary and variations of their icon painting, and each type has its own special meaning for the Orthodox believer. Below we present the iconographic types of images of the Blessed Virgin Mary and their dogmatic meaning.
There are five types of images of the Mother of God, visualized in iconography:
1.Hodegetria(Guidebook);
2. Eleusa(Tenderness);
3.Oranta, Panagia and Sign(Praying);
4. Panahranta and the Tsaritsa(All-Merciful);
5. Agiosoritissa(Intercessor).
First type - Guidebook
Hodigtria- the most common type of icon painting of the Mother of God, according to some information, for the first time written by the evangelist Luke. This type is usually depicted as follows: Holy Mother of God shown to the waist or, in the case of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, to the shoulders, less often - to her full height. A characteristic feature Her position is considered to be a slight tilt of her head towards her son Jesus Christ. The Mother of God holds him on her left hand, and right hand points to him. Jesus Christ holds a scroll in his left hand, or less often a book, which symbolizes the image of Christ the Pantocrator.
Meaning This type of icon represents the mutual relationship between mother and son. But the semantic load in this case is not an expression of boundless love, as in other icons of saints, but an indication of Jesus Christ as the Almighty King. From a dogmatic point of view, this is the meaning of the appearance into the world of the Heavenly King and Judge and the indication of him by the Virgin Mary as the true Path for every believer. That’s why this type of iconography is called a Guide.
Second type - Tenderness
Eleusa is always depicted like this: the Virgin Mary presses Jesus Christ to her cheek, thereby showing her love, tenderness and compassion for him. IN this type image there is no distance between the son and mother, which symbolizes boundless love and unity. And since the image of the Mother of God is a symbol and ideal of the human race (the Earthly Church), and Jesus is a symbol of the Heavenly Church, this type of iconography of the Blessed Virgin Maryhas the meaning of the unity of heavenly and earthly, divine and human. Also, one of the main meanings is the expression of God’s boundless love for people, since the love and compassion of the Virgin Mary depicted on the icon reminds us of his great sacrifice for the salvation of all mankind.
Third type - Praying
There are three subtypes of this type of image of the Mother of God in icon painting -Oranta, Panagia and Sign. The most popular is the Sign. The Virgin Mary is depicted from the waist up or at full length with her arms raised up, and Jesus Christ is depicted in the middle at the level of his mother’s chest and his head is in a holy halo (medallion). The meaning of this subtype of icons is the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary about the birth of Jesus Christ, a foreshadowing of the Nativity of Christ and subsequent events occurring after it. This type of iconography of the Virgin Mary distinguishes it from other icons by its monumentality and symmetry in the image.
Fourth type - All-Merciful
In this type of image, the Mother of God sits on a throne or throne, which symbolizes her royal greatness, and on her knees she holds her son Jesus Christ. The meaning of this icon is the greatness of the Virgin Mary, as an all-merciful queen and earthly intercessor.
Fifth type - Intercessor
In the fifth type of Agiosoritissa, the Mother of God is depicted without her son Jesus Christ. Her image is performed in full height and turned to the right, and the hands are raised to God, in one of which there may be a scroll with a prayer. The meaning of the icon is a prayer for the intercession of humanity by the Most Holy Theotokos before Jesus Christ.
So, we looked at 5 types of iconography of the Mother of God in Orthodox tradition and their dogmatic meaning. But people also have their own meanings attributed to each of them. We have already written about strength and action of miraculous icons, and the icons of the Mother of God are not an exception here, but rather, on the contrary, an indicator. Each of the presented types of icons has its own miraculous properties.
One of the few who is able to pray to icons is Marfa Ivanovna. Her ability to endow icons with great capabilities has long been no longer in doubt. Perhaps no one can boast of such a huge number of saved destinies. It was she who was the first to understand that each person needs an individual approach, which means praying to the icon must be done individually for each person. The icons prayed to by Martha Ivanovna will serve as a protection for many years.
Let's consider prayers to the icon of the Mother of God, as well as the most popular icons and signs associated with them.
Mother of God, save us!
Healing icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Of the many icons of the Mother of God revered in Russian Orthodox Church, none is distributed in as many lists as Kazan.
Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is a miraculous icon of the Mother of God that appeared in Kazan in 1579.
People most often turn their attention to her in troubles, illnesses and hardships: “O zealous intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High, pray for all Thy Son Christ our God... grant to all what is useful and save all, O Virgin Mother of God: for Thou art the Divine protection of Thy servant.” .
The holy image overshadowed Russian soldiers marching to liberate Russia from foreign invaders.
Usually, it is this icon that is used to bless young people for their crown; it is this icon that is hung near children’s cribs, so that the gentle face of the Mother of God looks with love at young Christians. They pray to her for the healing of eye diseases. 
New style celebrations:
July 21 and November 4./Which corresponds to the old style:
July 8 and October 22.
ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD
"THREE-HANDED"
Associated with the name of an adherent of the veneration of icons of St. John of Damascus, who was slandered before the caliph in Damascus and punished by cutting off his hand. But John begged the Mother of God for the severed hand and, in gratitude for this miracle, added an image of a silver hand to Her icon. This icon was in the 13th century. brought to Serbia by St. Savva, and then was on Athos. In Russia, her list appeared in 1661 and was placed in the Resurrection Monastery (New Jerusalem). An exact list of it also appeared in the men's Beloberezh Desert in the Oryol province. The miraculous image is celebrated twice: June 28 and July 12. 
Before the icon of the Mother of God “THREE-HANDED” - they pray for diseases of the hands, feet, mental unrest, and in case of fire.
Memorial Days: June 28 (11) (July 12 (25)
Holy Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”
The holy icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” has become known since 1688, when during the reign of Tsars Ivan Alekseevich and Peter Alekseevich it miraculously healed the sister of Patriarch Job, Euphemia, who lived in Moscow on Ordynka and suffered for a long time incurable disease.
How much comfort is contained in the very name of this icon - awakening, strengthening people’s faith in the Mother of God as a wondrous intercessor, Who hurries wherever the groan of human suffering is heard, wipes away the tears of those who cry and in the very grief gives moments of consolation and heavenly joy. They pray to her for general illnesses and painful conditions. Rejoice forever, O Heavenly Joy of the Sorrowful!
Celebration October 24/November 6
Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God
One of the most revered shrines in Rus'. It is believed that this image was created by the holy evangelist Luke during the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Until the 14th century, the icon was in Constantinople, until in 1383 it unexpectedly disappeared from the Blachernae Church. According to a legend compiled on the basis of local tradition at the end of the 15th century, the icon miraculously appeared in the northern Russian lands, stopping “in the air” above the Tikhvinka River in the Novgorod region, where the Church of the Assumption was built for it. The year of the appearance of the icon, according to legend, is 1383.
They especially resort to this Icon when children are ill.
The celebration takes place on June 26 (old style) / July 9 (new style)
Icon of the Mother of God “Helper of Sinners”
The icon became famous for its miracles in 1843 in the St. Nicholas Odrina Monastery. The first to receive healing was a paralyzed boy, whose mother fervently prayed in front of the icon. 
In front of the icon of the Mother of God “Helper of Sinners” they pray for deliverance from the epidemic of cholera and plague, paralysis, and seizures.
Celebration (March 7/20; May 29/June 11).
Icon of the Mother of God "Inexhaustible Chalice"
The miraculous appearance of the holy image of the “Inexhaustible Chalice” occurred in 1878. A peasant from the Efremov district of the Tula province, an honored retired soldier, was obsessed with the passion of drunkenness. He reached a beggarly state, lost his health - his legs were paralyzed. One day he dreamed of a holy old man and said: “Go to the city of Serpukhov, to the monastery of the Lady Theotokos. There is an icon of the Mother of God “The Inexhaustible Chalice”; serve a prayer service before it and you will be healthy in soul and body.” 
Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Inexhaustible Chalice” they pray for the healing of those possessed by the disease of the passion of drunkenness and binge drinking, drug addiction and tobacco smoking.
Celebration(5/18 May).
ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD “QUICK TO HEAR”
Quick to Hear" miraculous icon of the Mother of God - a shrine of the Dokhiar Monastery on Mount Athos. According to Athonite legend, in 1664 the Mother of God punished a monk who showed neglect of Her image written on the wall, and then, after his repentance and prayer, miraculously healed him and ordered him to call this image “Quick to Hear.”
Through Her holy icon, the Mother of God performed and continues to perform many healings: she gives sight to the blind, restores the paralytic, and especially helps with epilepsy and demonic possession. She saved many believers from shipwrecks and freed them from captivity. In front of the image of the “Quick to Hear”, they especially pray for spiritual insight, in confusion and bewilderment, when they do not know how best to act and what to ask for, for children, in a request to give birth to healthy children, as well as those who need quick and emergency help with cancer diseases.
Celebration 9/22 November
Icon of the Mother of God, called "Healer"
The history of painting the icon of the Mother of God the Healer is connected with a miraculous event that occurred in Moscow at the end of the 18th century. One of the clergy, Vikenty Bulveninsky, had the pious habit of kneeling before the image of the Most Holy Theotokos when entering and leaving the church and saying a short prayer: “Rejoice, O Blessed One! The Lord is with you! Blessed is the womb that bore Christ, and the breasts that nourished the Lord God, our Savior!” And then one day Vincent became seriously ill. Once, having recovered from another attack of pain, he read his usual prayer to the Mother of God and immediately saw an angel at his head , who together with him began to offer prayers to the Mother of God, asking Her to heal the sick man. At the end of the angel's prayer unusual light The Mother of God herself appeared and healed the sick man. 
People pray in front of this icon for various bodily ailments, as well as for the birth of healthy children.
Celebration of September 18/October 1
Icon of the Mother of God "The Word became flesh"
The Albazin Icon of the Mother of God “The Word became Flesh” is a great shrine of the Amur region, it received its name from the Russian fortress Albazin (now the village of Albazino) on the Amur, founded in 1650 by the famous Russian explorer Ataman Erofei Khabarov on the site of the town of the Daurian prince Albazy. 
The miraculous image is reverently revered throughout the Amur region. Women expecting a child usually pray before him. The miraculous image of the Mother of God depicts the womb of the Divine Child, so the custom of praying before him for mothers during their pregnancy and birth illnesses has taken root. There are known cases of the gracious power of the icon “The Word became flesh” in the grave throes of remission from pregnancy.
Celebration (9/22 March).
Icon of the Mother of God “MAMMAL”
This ancient icon is one of the best examples of the Byzantine school and has rich history. It is associated with the name of Saint Sava the Sanctified - the founder of the monastery, once located 18 miles from Jerusalem. Saint Sava departed to the Lord in 532, prophetically bequeathing the icon to a noble pilgrim from Serbia also named Sava. Six centuries later, the monks waited for another Saint Sava - the Archbishop of Serbia. He transferred the “Mammal” to the Hilendar monastery on Mount Athos, to the founding of which he was directly related. In Russia, the “Mammal” is a very rare icon, although in 1860 a copy of it from Mount Athos was sent to the Kursk province and soon acquired miraculous power.
First of all, nursing mothers turn to the icon for help. But this icon is a great support for all of us. Just as the Divine Infant was nourished by the Mother of God with her milk, so all of us, Orthodox Christians, who seek help and consolation from the Lord, are nourished by the Heavenly Queen with grace, help, and intercession and helps us to enter the Kingdom of God without stumbling, to save our souls in joy Lord and Mother of God.
Celebration (January 12/25).
Icon of the Mother of God “Addition of Mind” (“Giver of Mind”)
This icon owes its origin to the deep belief of the Orthodox in Holy Virgin as an intercessor before God and His Son for the granting of spiritual and material benefits to people, among which the illumination of the mind and heart with the Divine Truth occupies the main place.
The Icon of the Mother of God “Addition of the Mind” is prayed for successful learning, about enlightening the mind in learning. This icon is addressed when “adding intelligence” is needed to help students and schoolchildren study, as well as with sclerosis, atherosclerosis, lack of intelligence, weak mental development. In addition, you can turn to this icon with a prayer for help (addition of mind or admonition) when scientific work, working on a project, etc.
Celebration (15/28 August)
Icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy”
The Icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” is named in memory of the healing of a certain sinner through the holy icon through the prayers of the Most Pure Mother of God.
The legend of the miracle described by Saint Demetrius of Rostov tells how a certain sinner, spending his life in sins, however, had the habit of bowing before the icon of the Mother of God and bringing her the Archangel greeting: “Rejoice, O Blessed One!” The Mother of God did not reject his prayers. She began to pray to God for mercy on the sinner. And the Lord granted him repentance.
The icon is so called because many who with faith resort to the help of the Most Holy Theotokos receive through this icon the unexpected joy of forgiveness of sins and grace-filled consolation.
They pray to the holy icon when there are difficult problems in life.
Celebration (1/14 May; 9/22 December)
Icon of the Mother of God “Burning Bush”
In church hymns, the Mother of God is often compared to the burning bush (unburnt thorn bush), which Moses saw on Mount Horeb (Exodus, chapter 3, verse 2). The similarity between the burning bush and the Mother of God lies in the fact that just as the Old Testament bush remained unharmed during the fire that engulfed it, so the Most Holy Virgin Mary, who gave birth to Jesus Christ, remained a Virgin before and after Christmas. 
In front of the icon they pray for deliverance from fires and death in fire.
Celebration (4/17 September)
Vladimir icon Mother of God
The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God (icon of the Mother of God) is considered miraculous and, according to legend, was written by the Evangelist Luke on a board from the table at which the Holy Family ate.
The icon was brought to Russia from Byzantium at the beginning of the 12th century, as a gift to Yuri Dolgoruky from the Patriarch of Constantinople Luke Chrysoverkh. Passing Vladimir, horses carrying miraculous icon, stood up and could not move. Replacing the horses with new ones also did not help. The prince saw in this the desire of the Mother of God to remain in Vladimir, where in two years the Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary was built. 
Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Vladimir” they pray for deliverance from violence, enmity between relatives, for deliverance from the invasion of foreigners, for guidance in Orthodox faith, about preservation from heresies and schisms, about the pacification of warring parties, about the preservation of Russia.
Celebration (May 21/June 3; June 23/July 6; August 26/September 8)
Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, called “Hodegetria”
One of the three most revered icons in Russia (along with Vladimir and Kazan). According to legend, she became famous as a great protector during Batu’s invasion. 
in front of the icon they pray for the granting of a safe road. The Mother of God, through Her holy image, intercedes and strengthens us, guiding us to salvation, and we cry to Her: “You are the faithful people - All-Blessed Hodegetria, You are the Smolensk Praise and all the Russian lands - affirmation! Rejoice, Hodegetria, salvation for Christians!"
Celebration (July 28/August 10)
Icon of the Mother of God, called “Quench My Sorrows”
The icon of the Mother of God, called “Quench My Sorrows,” was brought to Moscow by the Cossacks in 1640 and placed in the Church of St. Nicholas on Pupyshi in Zamoskvorechye. Due to repeated reconstructions of the temple, the icon ended up in the bell tower. The veneration of the icon as miraculous began after the healing of a paralytic woman from it. A patient who lived far from Moscow, long years suffered from a serious illness: all members of her body ached, especially her legs, so that she could not walk.
One day, when the patient was unconscious, she saw the icon of the Mother of God and heard a voice from her: “Tell me to take you to Moscow. There in Pupyshev, in the Church of St. Nicholas, there is an image “Quench my sorrows”; pray before him and you will receive healing.”
In Moscow, the patient examined all the icons in the church in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, but did not find the one that appeared to her in a vision. Then the priest asked to bring the old icons that were there from the bell tower. When the icon “Quench My Sorrows” was brought in, the patient suddenly cried out: “She! She!" - and crossed herself. After the prayer service, she venerated the icon and rose from her bed completely healthy.
On this icon, the Mother of God is depicted holding with her right hand the Infant Christ, in Whose hands a scroll is unfolded with the words: “Judge righteous judgment, do mercy and generosity to each of your sincere ones; Do not force a widow or an orphan, and do not create malice in your brother’s heart.” Left hand The Mother of God placed it on Her head, slightly tilted to one side, as if she were listening to the prayers of all those who turn to Her in sorrows and sorrows.
Celebration (January 25/February 7)
According to the faith of the Russian Orthodox Church, the icons of the Most Pure Mother of God, in a gracious overshadowing, settled across the face of our Fatherland, forming its protection and Heavenly cover. The image of the Vladimir Mother of God protects and blesses our northern borders. The Smolensk and Pochaev icons protect the west, and to the east, to the ends of the earth, the influence of the miraculous Kazan image of the Most Pure Mother of God extends.
Greatness
We magnify You, Most Holy Virgin, God-chosen Youth, and honor Your holy image, through which you bring healing to all who come with faith.
Conventionally, the entire variety of types of icons of the Mother of God with the Child can be divided into four groups, each of which represents the disclosure of one of the facets of the image of the Mother of God. The iconographic scheme is an expression of a theological idea.
The first group is the “Sign” type of iconography (a shortened and truncated version - Oranta, from Latin orans - praying). This is the most theologically rich iconographic type and is associated with the theme of the Incarnation. The iconographic scheme is based on two texts: from Old Testament- the prophecy of Isaiah: “So the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Emmanuel” (Is. 7.14) and from the New Testament - the words of the Angel at the Annunciation: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow You, therefore the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God" (Luke 1.35). These words reveal to us the mystery of the Incarnation, the birth of the Savior from the Virgin, the birth of the Son of God from an earthly woman.
This is expressed in the iconographic scheme: Mary is represented in the pose of Oranta, that is, praying, with her hands raised to the sky; at the level of Her chest there is a medallion (or sphere) with the image of the Savior Emmanuel, located in the womb of the Mother. The Mother of God can be represented full-length, as in the icon "Yaroslavl Oranta, Great Panagia", or waist-length, as in the "Kursk Root" or in the Novgorod "Sign", this is not so significant. More important is the combination of the figures of the Mother of God and the (half-figure) Christ, which conveys one of the deepest revelations: the birth of God in the flesh, Mary becomes the Mother of God through the incarnation of the Logos. At the moment of contemplating the icon, the Holy of Holies, the inner Mary, is revealed to the prayer, in the depths of which the God-Man is conceived by the Holy Spirit. “Your womb is more spacious” - this is how the Mother of God is magnified in the Akathist. We see Her at the moment of standing before God: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to Me according to Your word” (Luke 1.38). Her hands are raised in prayer (this gesture is described in the Book of Exodus 17.11). In the Yaroslavl "Oranta" this gesture is repeated in the figure of the Child, only Her palms are open, and the position of Emmanuel's fingers is different - they are folded in a blessing. In other versions of the Sign, the Child holds a scroll in one hand - a symbol of teaching, and blesses with the other. The Mother of God's clothes are traditional - a red maforium and a blue undergarment. These are the clothes of the Mother of God on all icons (with rare exceptions), and, let us recall, their colors symbolize the combination in Her of Virginity and Motherhood, Her earthly nature and Her heavenly calling. In the Yaroslavl "Oranta" the clothes of the Virgin Mary are flooded with golden light (depicted in the form of a large assist), which is an expression of the streams of grace of the Holy Spirit poured out on the Blessed Virgin at the moment of conception. On both sides of Mary are depicted the heavenly powers - either archangels with mirrors in their hands (Yaroslavl “Oranta”), or a blue cherub and a fiery red seraphim. The presence in the composition of angelic and heavenly powers means that the Mother of God, with her humble consent to participate in the act of Incarnation, raises humanity to a level above the angels and archangels, for God, according to St. fathers, did not take on the angelic form, but put on human flesh. In the hymn glorifying the Mother of God, this is what is sung: “The most honorable cherub and the most glorious without comparison is the seraphim.”
The iconographic scheme of the “Sign” can be very simple, as in the Novgorod version, or it can be developed and complicated, as in the case of the Yaroslavl “Oranta”. The composition of the latter, for example, includes a not often encountered detail that reveals the liturgical aspect of this image. This is an orlets - a rug under Mary’s feet, such as are used in bishop’s services. In this case, the eagle symbolizes the cosmic nature of the service of the Mother of God, which stands before God for the entire human race. The Mother of God stands on the eagle as if on a cloud amid the golden radiance of God's glory - the Mother of God is a new creation, a transfigured creation, a new man. The diagram of the Kursk Root icon is supplemented with the image of prophets connected to each other in the likeness of a flourishing vine. The prophets have scrolls of their prophecies in their hands. All this symbolizes the fact that the Mother of God and the Son of God, born of Her, are the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecies and aspirations. Thus, in different iconographic variants, in the presence of a common iconographic core, the same theme of the Incarnation is revealed, therefore the iconographic type “Sign” is sometimes called “Incarnation”.
One of the variants of the “Sign” iconography is “Oranta”. In this case, the Mother of God is presented without the Child in the same pose, with her arms raised. An example of this option is the image of “Our Lady - the Unbreakable Wall” from St. Sophia of Kyiv (mosaic, 10th century). Here the Mother of God is presented as a symbol of the Church. For the first time, Augustine saw the Church in Our Lady. This association has received a wide range of interpretations in the history of theological thought.
The second iconographic type received the name " Hodegetria"which in Greek means " Guidebook"That title contains the concept of the Mother of God icons as a whole, for the Mother of God leads us to Christ. The life of a Christian is a path from darkness into God’s wonderful light, from sin to salvation, from death to life. And on this difficult path we have a helper - the Most Holy Theotokos. She was a bridge for the Savior to come into the world, now She is a bridge for us on the way to Him.
So, the iconographic scheme of Hodegetria is constructed as follows: the figure of the Mother of God is presented frontally (sometimes with a slight tilt of the head), on one of Her hands, as on a throne, sits the Infant Christ, with the other hand the Mother of God points to Him, thereby directing the attention of those present and those praying. The Infant Christ blesses the Mother with one hand, and in Her person, us (often the gesture of blessing is directed directly at the viewer), in the other hand He holds a rolled up scroll (there are options when the Infant holds a scepter and orb, a book, an unrolled scroll).
In the gesture of the Mother of God, pointing to Christ, the key to this image is that the Mother of God orients us spiritually, directing us to Christ, for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. She carries our prayers to Him, She intercedes for us before Him, She keeps us on the path to Him. Having become the Mother of the One who adopted us to the Heavenly Father, the Mother of God becomes the mother of each of us. This type of Mother of God icons became unusually widespread throughout the Christian world, and especially in Byzantium and Russia. It is no coincidence that many revered icons of this type were attributed to the brushes of the Apostle Luke.
The most famous variants of Hodegetria include: “Smolenskaya”, “Iverskaya” (Goalkeeper), “Tikhvinskaya”, “Gruzinskaya”, “Jerusalemskaya”, “Three-handed”, “Passionate”, “Czestochowa”, “Cyprus”, “Abalatskaya”, "Helper of Sinners" and many others.
Small iconographic differences in detail are associated with the details of the history of the origin of each specific image. So the third hand of the “Three-Handed” icon was added to St. John of Damascus, when, through his prayer, the Mother of God restored his severed hand. The bleeding wound on the cheek of “Iverskaya” takes us back to the times of iconoclasm, when this image was attacked by those who rejected the icon: from the blow of a spear, blood flowed from the icon, which plunged the witnesses into indescribable horror. The icon of the Mother of God “Passionate” usually depicts two angels flying towards the Child with instruments of passion, thereby foreshadowing His suffering for us. As a result of this plot twist, the pose of the Infant Christ is slightly changed - He is depicted half-turned, looking at the angels, His hands holding the hand of Mary. Each of these details is worthy of careful consideration, but in the absence of such an opportunity in this case, we will leave it for solitary contemplation.
As a rule, in the Hodegetria the Mother of God is represented in a half-length depiction, but there are also shoulder-length compositions of the Mother of God icons; These include “Kazanskaya”, “Petrovskaya”, “Igorevskaya”. The same topic is being developed here, but in some abbreviated version.
The third type of Mother of God icons in Rus' received the name " Tenderness"which is not an entirely accurate translation of the Greek word" Eleusa"(έλεουσα), i.e. "Merciful". In Byzantium, this epithet was used to designate the Mother of God herself and many of Her icons, but over time, in Russian iconography, the name "Tenderness" began to be associated with a certain iconographic scheme. In the Greek version, this type The icon was called "Glycophilus" (γλυκυφιλουσα) - "Sweet kiss". This is the most lyrical of all types of iconography, revealing the intimate side of the communication of the Mother of God with Her Son. The iconographic scheme includes two figures - the Virgin Mary and the Child Christ, clinging to each other's faces. Head Mary is inclined towards the Son, and He puts his hand around the Mother's neck. This touching composition contains a deep theological idea: here the Mother of God is revealed to us not only as a Mother caressing the Son, but also as a symbol of the soul in close communion with God. God is the mystical theme of many of the writings of the Holy Fathers.The Mother of God of Tenderness is one of the most mystical types of Mother of God icons.
This type was also widespread in Russia. Icons of the “Tenderness” type include: “Vladimirskaya”, “Volokolamskaya”, “Donskaya”, “Fedorovskaya”, “Zhirovitskaya”, “Grebnevskaya”, “Akhrenskaya”, “Yaroslavskaya”, “Recovery of the Dead”, “Pochaevskaya”, etc. .d. In all these icons, the Mother of God is represented in a half-length composition; in rare cases, a shoulder composition is found, as, for example, in the “Korsun” icon.
A variation of the “Tenderness” iconographic type is the “Leaping” type. Icons of this kind were distributed mainly in the Balkans, but such images are also occasionally found in Russian art. The iconographic scheme here is very close to “Tenderness”, with the only difference being that the Baby is presented in a freer pose, as if playing out. An example of this type of icon is “Yakhromskaya”. This composition always contains a characteristic gesture - the Infant Christ touches the face of the Virgin Mary with his hand. This small detail hides an abyss of tenderness and trust, which opens up to an attentive, contemplative gaze.
Another type of “Tenderness” iconography is “Mammal.” From the name it is clear that distinctive feature This iconographic scheme is an image of the Mother of God breastfeeding the Christ Child. Such a detail is not only an intimate detail of this iconographic version, but it reveals a new mystical aspect in the reading of the image of the Virgin Mary. The Mother feeds the Son, in the same way She feeds our souls, in the same way God feeds us with the “pure verbal milk” of the Word of God (1 Peter 2.2), so that as we grow, we move from milk to solid food (Heb. 5.12).
So, the three iconographic types we have named - “Sign”, “Hodegetria” and “Tenderness” are the main ones, leading in the iconography of the Mother of God, since they are based on entire directions in the theological understanding of the image of the Mother of God. Each of them presents to us one aspect of Her ministry, Her role in the saving mission of Christ, in the history of our salvation.
The fourth type does not have the same theological content as the first three. It is rather collective; it should include all those iconographic options that, for one reason or another, were not included in the first three. The name of the fourth type is conditional - " Akathist", since mainly the iconographic schemes here are built not on the principle of a theological text, but on the principle of illustrating one or another epithet with which the Mother of God is magnified in the Akathist and other hymnographic works. The main meaning of icons of this type is the glorification of the Mother of God. These should include those already mentioned images of the Mother of God with the Child on the throne. The main emphasis of these images is to show the Mother of God as the Queen of Heaven. In this form, this image entered into Byzantine iconography - such compositions were especially often placed in the apse conch. In this version, the Mother of God is also present in St. Sophia of Constantinople. In Russian iconography, an example of such an image is the fresco of Dionysius in the apse of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary at the Ferapontov Monastery.
But most of icons of this type are a combination of the central scheme of previous types with additional elements. For example, the iconographic scheme of the “Burning Bush” consists of an image of the Mother of God Hodegetria, surrounded by symbolic figures of glory and heavenly powers (similar to how the image of heavenly glory is depicted in the iconography of “The Savior in Power”). Iconographic diagram of the icon "The Mother of God - Life-Giving Source"includes an image of the Mother of God with the Child seated on a throne, which looks like a font inside a reservoir, and around are angels and people who have come to drink from this source. The composition of the icon "The Mother of God - Mount Uncut" is also built on the principle of mechanical superimposition of symbols - The Mother of God and the Child Christ (according to the Hodegetria type) are seated on a throne, depicted against the background of figures and around them various symbols, directly illustrating akathist epithets: watered fleece, Jacob’s ladder, burning bush, light-receiving candle, uncut mountain, etc. And finally, the icon “Unexpected Joy” is built on the principle of “an icon within an icon,” that is, the plot inclusion of an image of an icon within the ongoing action. Here a man is usually shown kneeling, praying before the image of the Mother of God Hodegetria, who gave him moral insight and healing.
The pinnacle of akathist iconography should be recognized as the image “All creation rejoices in You.” This is an interesting iconography in its own way; it is based on the idea of the cosmic glorification of the Mother of God. In the center is the Virgin Mary with the Child Christ on the throne in a blaze of glory and surrounded by heavenly powers. The image of the universe is presented in the form of a multi-domed temple surrounded by flowering trees- this is at the same time an image of Heavenly Jerusalem. In the lower part of the icon, at the foot of the throne, people are depicted - prophets, kings, saints of various ranks, simply the people of God. We see - the Icon represents the new earth and the new heaven (Rev. 21.1) - the image of the transfigured creature, the beginning of which lies in the mystery of the Incarnation (here the central image partly resembles the diagram of the Sign).
Iconographic options where the Mother of God is depicted without the Infant Christ are few in number; it is not possible to combine them into a special group, since the iconographic scheme in each of them is determined by its own independent theological idea. But to one degree or another they are adjacent to the four types we have already named. For example, “Our Lady of Ostrobramskaya-Vilna” is a variant that gravitates toward the “Sign” type, since the image of the Mother of God is revealed here at the moment of Her acceptance of the Good News (“Behold the servant of the Lord, be it done to Me according to Your word.” Luke 1.38). The position of the hands crossed on the chest (a gesture of humble prayerful adoration) is semantically close to the Oranta gesture. Consequently, this iconographic variant can be classified as the “Sign” type. In addition to Ostrobramskaya, this type corresponds to the icon “The Unbrided Bride” (erroneously called “Tenderness”), which was the cell icon of St. Seraphim of Sarov.
The famous ancient Russian icon “The Mother of God of Bogolyubsk” also depicts the Mother of God without the Child, but standing before God with intercession for those praying to Her (a group of worshipers is sometimes depicted at the feet of the Mother of God). Since here the Mother of God is depicted as an intercessor and as showing the way to those praying, this icon can conditionally be attributed to the “Hodegetria” type. In her hand, the Mother of God holds a scroll with a prayer, and with the other hand she points to the image of Christ written on the left in the segment of the sky. Thus, the same gesture is preserved as in Hodegetria: Christ is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
But for the most part, the Mother of God icons, in which the Mother of God is represented without the Child, belong to the fourth type - akathist icons, since they were written for the glorification of the Mother of God. So, for example, the iconography of “The Mother of God of Seven Arrows” or “Simeon’s Prophecy” can be attributed to this type; this iconographic version is also known under another name - “Softening Evil Hearts.” Here the Mother of God is depicted with seven swords piercing Her heart. This image is taken from the prophecy of Simeon, who during the Presentation uttered the following words: “And a weapon will pierce your own soul, so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2.35). Such iconography, as a rule, is of late origin, apparently came from the Western European tradition and is distinguished by its literary nature. Nevertheless, they also contain their own meaning, revealing to us the image of the Mother of God, which is so necessary for the growth of the Orthodox soul.
Iconographic variants that semantically correspond to the third type of Mother of God icons, known as “Tenderness,” are practically never found, since it is difficult to imagine how it is possible to depict the intimate relationship of the Mother of God and Her Son in the image of the Mother of God alone. Nevertheless, such a turn in iconography is possible. This is the so-called type of Our Lady of Sorrows ("Mater Dolorosa"), when mother of God presented immersed in prayerful sorrow for the crucified Christ. Usually the Mother of God is depicted with her head bowed and her hands folded in prayer near her chin. This option has become widespread in the West, but it is also well known in Orthodox iconography. Some researchers believe that it was initially not independent, but was part of a diptych, on the second half of which the suffering Jesus Christ was depicted (in a crown of thorns, with the signs of the Passion). We can see the same plot in the icon “Don’t Weep Mene Mati”, well known in Balkan art and less known here in Russia. This icon usually depicts the Mother of God and Christ (sometimes standing in a tomb), the Mother mourning the death of her Son, hugging His dead body. In practice, this is a modification of the “Lamentation” plot, but the iconographic scheme is built on the principle of “Tenderness” - only on icons like “Do not weep, Mother of God”, the Mother of God does not press Little Jesus to Herself, but an adult after being taken down from the Cross. The tragedy of the plot reaches an extraordinary intensity - the Mother’s grief is inconsolable, but, as in any icon, there is a message of resurrection, it is in the title of the icon, which is based on the text of a passionate chant: “Do not weep for Mena Mother in the tomb, seeing...”. The appeal to the Mother of God comes in the name of Christ, who conquered death.
It is traditional to depict the Virgin Mary in clothes of two colors: cherry maforia (a modification of red), a blue tunic and a blue cap. As a rule, three golden stars are depicted on the maforia - as a sign of her purity (“she conceived immaculately, gave birth immaculately, died immaculately”) and a border as a sign of her glorification. The dress itself - maforia - means Her Motherhood; the blue color of the dress covered with it - Virginity. But occasionally we can see the Mother of God dressed in blue maforia. This is how She was sometimes depicted in Byzantium and the Balkans. This is how Theophan the Greek painted the Mother of God in the Deesis rite of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Apparently, in these cases, it is more important for the icon painter to emphasize the Virginity, the purity of the Mother of God, to highlight the aspect of Her purity, to focus our attention on this facet of the image of the Virgin and Mother.
Orthodox tradition, in exceptional cases, allows the depiction of women with bare heads. Usually this is how Mary of Egypt is written as a sign of her ascetic-repentant lifestyle, which replaced her previous dissolute lifestyle. In all other cases, be it the image of martyrs, queens, saints and righteous wives, myrrh-bearing women and other numerous characters inhabiting the Orthodox icon world, it is customary to depict women with their heads covered. Likewise, the Apostle Paul writes that it is good for a woman to cover her head, for this is “a sign of authority over her” (1 Cor. 11.5,10). But in some iconographic versions of the Mother of God icons we see, quite unexpectedly, an image of the Mother of God with her head uncovered. For example, “Our Lady of Akhtyrskaya” and some others. In some cases, the plate is replaced by a crown (crown). The custom of depicting the Mother of God with her head uncovered is of Western origin, where it came into use since the Renaissance, and is, in principle, non-canonical. The maforium on the head of the Mother of God is not just a tribute to the Eastern Christian tradition, but a deep symbol - a sign of Her Motherhood and complete surrender to God. Even the crown on Her head cannot replace maforia, for the crown (crown) is a sign of the Kingdom, the Mother of God is the Queen of Heaven, but this royal dignity is based solely on Her Motherhood, on the fact that She became the Mother of the Savior and our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is correct to depict the crown on top of the plate, as we see in such iconographic depictions as “Our Lady of the Sovereign”, “Novodvorskaya”, “Abalatskaya”, “Kholmovskaya” and others. The image of the crown (crown) on the head of the Virgin Mary also came into the Eastern Christian iconographic tradition from Western Europe. In Byzantium this was not accepted at all. Even when the Mother of God was depicted with the upcoming emperors (as can be seen in the mosaics of St. Sophia of Constantinople), which is an expression of the superiority of the Kingdom of Heaven over the kingdom of earth, on Her head we do not see anything other than a motherboard. And this is very characteristic, since in the development of iconography there is over time a departure from laconicism and pure semantics (sign structure) towards illustrativeness and external symbolism.