"Joy of All Who Sorrow" is an icon of the Mother of God. Meaning of the icon

There is no higher ministry than to bring joy to the mourners. The word "sorrow" in the old days had a wider meaning than it is in our days. It implied not only sad experiences, but also physical suffering from disease, and the failure of the worldly plan, and in general everything that we now call the word "negative." Here through these troubles and tribulations worldly, with which the world is full, and the joy of the consolation is the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow".

The grace given through the icons

Before we start talking about it, one very important fact should be emphasized: it is not the icon itself that works wonders and brings Divine grace to people, but the Mother of God depicted on it. She does this through her images, before which we offer her prayers. There are among them great icons, which are commonly called miraculous. This means that the Queen of Heaven has chosen them on their own, and it is through these icons that she sends grace. For this we honor them, but we pray not to them, not to the boards covered with a picturesque layer, but to the One whose holy image is imprinted on them.

For the name of the icon in question, the words of one of the Mother of God stichera (a special liturgical text) - "All the Afflicted with Joy" are used. The icon of the Mother of God with this name appeared in Russia in the 17th century. Art historians note in its iconography the tangible influence of the West European school. In addition, it should be noted the absence of a set of its derivations (variants) of a single composite scheme. As a result, you can find in the icons with this name significant differences.

As an example, you can refer to the saints depicted on it. In the earliest times, these figures were absent and appeared only on icons, written after 1688. The explanation for this is this: in this year the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow" brought a wonderful healing from the affliction to the sister of Patriarch Joachim Euphemia. Since that time, her glorification began, and in the picturesque plot began to make figures of the suffering, thereby accentuating the healing power of the image.

Features of the conventional iconographic tradition

Over the years, the tradition of portraying the full-length of the Theotokos standing in the so-called mandorla, a vertical oval radiance, developed. Curious fact: this image is typical for Christian and Buddhist art. In such a halo, it is customary to depict the figures of Christ, the Virgin and Buddha. In the Christian iconography often there is an image of Christ in the mandorla on the icons "Transfiguration of the Lord" and "The Second Coming", and in the iconography of the icon of the icon "The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin".

In addition to the Virgin and the figures suffering from infirmities, it became a tradition to portray on the icon of angels who perform acts of charity in the name of the Queen of Heaven. In addition, you can find numerous outlets with images of saints standing on the right and left of the Virgin. Despite the fact that the icon "Our Lady of All the Afflicted Joy" appeared after the church schism, which was caused by the famous reform of Patriarch Nikon, it is very common among the Old Believers. Especially a lot appeared her lists, made in the Belarusian village of Vetka.

The history of the glorification of the icon

We should dwell on the history of the icon. As it was said above, its glorification began in 1688 with healing from infirmities of the patriarchal sister Euphemia Papina. Legend has it that she suffered from an unhealed wound in her side. And then one day during the prayer Euphemia heard a wonderful voice, announcing that healing will bring her the icon of the Virgin "Joy of All Who Sorrow".

On Ordynka there is the Transfiguration Church, in which one should look for this icon. After prayer, a miracle will come to her, and the sick will leave the sick. The voice added that Euphemia would have to confess this miracle, glorifying the name of the Blessed Virgin. Soon the icon was taken to the suffering one, and after the prayer before her, the wound quickly healed. There was it on October, 24th. Fulfilling the mandate of the Most Blessed Virgin (it belonged to that voice), the brother of Euphemia - Patriarch Joachim - ordered to make a prayer service to the image of "Joy of All Who Sorrow". The icon of the Mother of God was glorified since then along with other miraculous icons.

Among the inhabitants of Moscow and all of Russia this story was widely known, which is not surprising - her main character was the sister of the Patriarch. The akathist of "All the Sorrowful Joy" was written. In addition to the already mentioned service, the "Tale of the Icon" was made, in which all the circumstances of the incident were described in detail, and the royal icon painters began to make lists from it. Unfortunately, it was not possible to establish where the Icon of the "All the Afflicted Joy" came from in the Transfiguration Church. Its significance for Russian Orthodoxy is great, and the lack of information about its early history is a big gap.

Creating a list with icons and leaving for St. Petersburg

Further events related to the miraculous icon refer to 1711. During this period, the capital of Russia was moved from Moscow to St. Petersburg. The royal family moved there too. From historical documents it is clear that the sister of Tsar Peter I, Tsarevna Natalia Alekseevna, leaving for the new capital, ordered a copy from the icon of "Joy of All Who Sorrow". The icon of the Mother of God was taken to St. Petersburg. But here in the documents there is a disagreement - according to one source, a copy went to the banks of the Neva, and the original remained in Moscow, other sources claim the opposite.

It should be noted that after the glorification of the icon, the Transfiguration Church, where the limit was consecrated in her honor, began to be called the people of "Sorrowful" or "Joy of All Who Sorrow" in Ordynka. It is possible to assert with full certainty that the icon that Tsarevna Natalya left to Muscovites was in the church until the revolution. Then riddles begin.

After the revolution, the church was closed, its building was used for state needs. There is a version that the icon that was stored there disappeared without a trace in the period of church hard times, and the image that is now in the restored church is the list of the XVIII century presented to it by Patriarch Alexis I. But there is another version, according to which the true icon miraculously survived the years of the battle against God and is now in its former place.

Petersburg Icon of the Virgin

However, we will move to St. Petersburg and follow the icon that the sister of the Tsar brought here from Moscow. It remains unclear, whether it is an original or a copy, but in spite of everything, both the Moscow icon and its sister in St. Petersburg were considered equally miraculous. This is confirmed by the fact that, going to the Prut march in 1711, the king ordered to take her with him as a pledge of the heavenly patronage of the army.

Tsarevna Natalia Alexeevna placed the icon brought to her in the house church of her own palace, which was located on Shpalernaya Street. In those years, there was also the famous brainchild of her brother - the Foundry, on which guns were cast for the army and anchors for the fleet. The military and economic power of Russia was created there.

Natalia Alexeyevna did not spare the means for the shrine. The icon's salary, made of silver and covered with gold, was richly decorated with family jewelry. According to the established tradition, it contained particles of relics of saints and other relics. Over time, the pious princess arranged at her palace an almshouse, to which the church departed after her death in 1716.

Veneration of the icon by the reigning people

Half a century later, the Empress Catherine II, with special reverence, treated the miraculous image of "Joy of All Who Sorrow". The icon of the Mother of God gave her strength during the epidemic of smallpox, which erupted in 1768. It is known that the Empress was one of the first to inoculate this terrible disease herself and the heir to the throne, thus giving an example to the rest.

It was very important, because vaccinations in those years were an innovation and were met in the community with fear and misunderstanding. Before deciding on such a step, Catherine II came to the house church of Princess Natalia. The prayer of the icon of "Joy of All Who Sorrow" gave her confidence. As a result, vaccinations, made according to her example, saved the lives of hundreds of people. As a token of gratitude, a new, even more rich salary of the icon was soon made.

During the reign of her grandson Alexander I the house church on Shpalernaya was completely rebuilt according to the project of the architect L. Ruska, for the icon created a special niche on the right side of the iconostasis. To this period is the creation of a new, third salary for the icon.

He was executed with extraordinary generosity. Almost seven kilograms of gold went into making it. In addition, precious stones were used for the decoration. Photo from the lithograph of the icon, made in 1862, can be seen in this article. In the salary were also placed particles of the relics of many saints. After the solemn consecration, which was committed by Metropolitan Gregory (Postnikov), the salary took its place.

Three lists from the icon

It should also be noted that in the Shpalernaya temple, in addition to the icon in question, there were three more lists made from it, but they are considered lost. It is known only that one of them practically did not differ in its iconographic features from that brought by Natalia Alekseevna. He decorated his precious salary. In 1847, the icon was transferred to the property of the Savior-Euphrosyne Monastery in Polotsk, and its place was taken by a copy made by the painter P.M. Shamshin.

The other two lists are known to have their own iconographic features. In their composition, the figures of the sufferers were included, which indicates their later writing. The picturesque manner in which they were performed is more characteristic of the western school. One of the icons was in the top of the room on the choirs. Her authorship is attributed to the then famous artist FA. Bronnikov. The other was created specifically in honor of the fiftieth anniversary of the rebuilding of the temple. It is written on a copper board by the artist IA. Tyurinym.

Somewhat later, the church was rebuilt, and since then it has received the name Skorbyashchinskaya. It was also known as the Church of the Icon of the "Joy of All Who Sorrow". It existed until 1932, when it was closed together with many Russian churches. After that, the miraculous icon, the family relic of Princess Natalia, disappeared without a trace.

In St. Petersburg, in the Transfiguration Cathedral, there is an icon that many consider to be the one that was lost when the temple was closed on Shpalernaya. But this, unfortunately, is an erroneous opinion. An ancient lithograph made from an icon belonging to a princess proves their non-identity. It is more likely that in the Transfiguration Cathedral there is that honored list which, as you know, was kept in a precious frame next to the icon of Natalia Alexeyevna and was transferred to the cathedral after the closing of the house church.

Icon with small pennies

Among the St. Petersburg icon of the icons there is one unique in its own way. It is called the icon of "Joy of All Who Sorrow" with pennies. There is a legend that once, in the middle of the XIX century, it was nailed to the shore by the Neva waves near the estate of merchant Kurakin. From them the icon passed to the merchant Matveyev, who presented it as a gift to the chapel, built in honor of the icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God in the village of Klochki near St. Petersburg. There was a chapel next to the famous Petersburg glass factory.

This icon gained fame after a terrible thunderstorm, raging over the city on July 23, 1888. From the documents that have remained since that time, it is known that the lightning strike that hit the chapel burned the inner walls and the icons that are there. The mug for collecting donations suffered the most - it was completely destroyed. Only the icon that was in the chapel remained unharmed - the gift of the merchant Matveyev. Moreover, the coins that scattered when struck by lightning struck the surface of the icon in an incomprehensible way.

When, after the storm, a damaged chapel was discovered, it was discovered that the image of the Virgin, attached earlier in the corner on the cord, fell down from a strong blow . But the most striking thing was that the face of the Mother of God, darkened from time, brightened and renewed itself. This miracle had many witnesses, the rumor about him quickly spread over Petersburg.

Her glorification began with the fact that at the behest of the ruling bishop Metropolitan Isidor (Nikolsky), regular prayer services began before the icon. By this time, there are also reports of the first miraculous healings that occurred in prayers before this newly acquired image. It is clear from the records that after the December 6, 1890 prayer of the icon of "All the Sorrowful Joys" was performed, the boy Nikolai Grachev, 14 years old, was healed of epilepsy. The next case was recorded in February 1891, when the 26-year-old Bela Belonogova, who completely lost her ability to speak as a result of her sore throat, suddenly found herself speechless.

The destroyed temple of "Joy of All Who Sorrow" (St. Petersburg)

The pious Emperor Alexander III in 1893 served a moleben before this icon. Five years later, thanks to the financial means donated to them, a stone temple of "All the Afflicted Joy" was erected in a specially designated area for it. He stood on the embankment of the Neva. However, in the thirties it suffered the same fate as many churches in our country - it was demolished. Now it recalls only a miraculously preserved chapel.

Fortunately, it was possible to save the wonderworking icon itself, and now it is also on the Nevsky coast, in the Church of the Holy Trinity, which the people call "Easter cake" for its architectural features. In honor of this icon is set a special day of celebration - on August 5. By the way, its official name was the St. Petersburg Icon of the "All-Sorrowful Joy" with pennies received by the personal order of Patriarch Alexy II in 1998. On all copies made from it later, the coins were painted with paint.

Lists that have become famous for their wonders

It is known that not only the icons that were mentioned in this article, but also the lists made from them, became famous for many miracles. According to their iconographic type, these icons often repeat both the Moscow and St. Petersburg icons. They are in different parts of the country, but the legends about the miracles they have shown are becoming common property.

It is necessary to dwell on this in more detail. The most famous of these icons is Reshnevskaya. Its name comes from the village of Reshnev, where for her was specially built the temple of "All the Sorrowful Joy". According to legend, this icon was received from the wandering monk by a pious and wealthy landowner - M. Savich. At its expense, the church was built.

Tradition says that on the day of his consecration a miracle happened - the boy, suffering from paralysis, received healing from the prayers of his mother. This icon itself differs from other icons of this type. It almost completely copies the "Iberian Mother of God", nevertheless, among the locals and generally among its admirers is referred to as the icon of "Joy of All Who Sorrow". Its significance for believers consists in sensing the reality of intercession and help, sent down by the Blessed Virgin.

Lists of icons, famous in hospitals and prisons

For several centuries, the icon of "Joy of All Who Sorrow" helps patients who have lost all hope of recovery. An example of this is the image located in a hospital belonging to the Kiev-Pechora Lavra. Tradition says that the founder of the hospital, Prince Nikolai Svyatosha, who later was glorified in the saints' image, donated the icon there. Further legend narrates that the hospital watchman more than once witnessed the visit to the hospital of an unknown woman, and those patients, to whom she approached, soon recovered. There was also one monk, who suffered an incurable disease and was ready to finish his earthly path. And one day a distinct image of the Virgin appeared over his head in the moonlight. The patient saw her and was soon healed.

Since ancient times in Vologda in the prison hospital there was a miraculous icon of "Joy of All Who Sorrow". Its value is appreciated there. People who fell through their fault or by force of circumstances behind bars, like no one else, need the help and intercession of the Blessed Virgin. Residents of the city, who worshiped the icon, made for her a silver gilt salary and was carried out for each procession. Unfortunately, this miraculous image has not survived until our days, disappeared without a trace in the years of the revolution.

Icon from Voronezh

The Voronezh Theological Church is also known for its miraculous icon. There is a legend that one of the approximate Peter I, sailing in a boat along the Voronezh River, refused to moor to the shore near the temple and bow to the icon in it. He even allowed himself to be very arrogant about this. However, the storm that broke out soon, threatening the life of both the grandee and his retinue, made him repent of his rash words and, approaching the shore, hurry to the temple. After he kissed the icon, the storm miraculously stopped. This icon is revered as miraculous. There are many evidences of the healings that occurred through prayers before her.

It is difficult to list all miracle-working lists from this blessed icon. They were always honored, for them temples and chapels were built. This chapel "All the Afflicted Joy" was built in St. Petersburg in 1915. It was intended to help mentally ill children and was built under the patronage of Empress Maria Feodorovna. After the revolution, it was closed and re-consecrated only in 1990.

One can not help recalling the list of icons in Tobolsk. There is little information about its creation, but art historians believe that its writing can be attributed to the end of the XVI century. In the temple, this icon was exhibited in a precious salary and decorated with numerous rings, crosses and gains, donated by parishioners on the occasion of giving prayers for help. It is characteristic that in special honor it was at the city merchants, among them it was considered a pledge of successful commerce to carry it through the trading rows. Unfortunately, this icon has not survived to this day. Like many others, it disappeared during the revolution.

Many believers in their household meetings have this wonderful image. Icons in the apartment always create a special atmosphere. Even people who do not identify themselves with religion feel the emanating energy emanating from them. It acts independently of our perception. But if the heart of a person is warmed by faith in God, then the icons become truly miraculous.