Korsun Icon of the Mother of God: value

The fact that the Most-Holy Theotokos bent over her son with love, how closely she pressed against his cheek and with what grace she looks at everyone who falls with prayers to her image, proves how much this Immaculate and Holy Virgin loves her son and all people . And how much light in these bottomless eyes, how much kindness, how much dedication! Looking at this marvelous icon, I want to forget about all the pressing problems and worldly affairs.

Who wrote this greatest image

According to the legend, the Korsun Icon of the Mother of God was written by the Apostle Luke. The Most Holy Theotokion, as soon as she saw the shrine, came to be amazed and said the following words: "The grace of the begot From me and mine be with this icon."

Icon Description

Unfortunately, over time the icon changed its color a little. It has acquired a dark shade, but despite this, incredible power comes from the face to this day.

The shrine is 80 cm long and 62.3 cm wide. The upper garment of the Blessed Virgin Mary is red, the bottom is dark blue. The baby is depicted in dark green clothes. On the back of the shrine you can see the image of Nicholas the Wonderworker.

The icon has a very interesting distinctive feature - the shoulder image of the Virgin and her Baby. The artist's attention is most of all focused on the gestures and gaze of Mary and Jesus. Luke wanted to portray the infinite love and protection of the Blessed Virgin to the whole world.

Hands and fingers are very expressive. In the right hand of the Child is compressed the scroll, and in the left - the Mafia of the Virgin. The hands of the Blessed Virgin tenderly embrace Jesus, thereby showing how she cherishes her Son.

This description of the icon is genuine. There are also rewritten images, which are also of great importance for believers.

Interesting events and chronology

About how a wonderful shrine appeared on the territory of the Russian land, tell two legends, which we now tell you.

Vladimir the Great

The first legend says that Prince Vladimir of Kiev very much wanted to be related to the Emperor of Byzantium in order to help him suppress annoying rebels. To do this, he begged his charming sister Annushka. The girl agreed to marry the prince. The only obstacle to marriage was the faith of Vladimir, because he was a pagan. Anna insisted that the prince accept Christianity, which he quickly agreed to, than he deserved the belle's trust.

Later in the city of Korsun was a solemn wedding of Vladimir and Anna. After this significant event the newlyweds went to Kiev. On the long road they were blessed with the very same Korsun Icon of the Mother of God, which the prince took with him to his homeland. From Kiev the image got to Novgorod, then - to Moscow, where he was placed in the Kremlin Cathedral in the name of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin.

Euphrosyne of Polotsk

The second legend says that the icon of Korsunskaya, whose significance is enormous, came to Russia thanks to the efforts of the Monk Euphrosyne of Polotsk. At the end of the 12th century, under her leadership, a nunnery was built, which was in great need of icons. Learning that there is a miraculous image in Ephesus written by the apostle of Luke, Efrosinia immediately sent a messenger Michael with a request to present this holy icon to the monastery. The Byzantines agreed, and the Korsun Icon of the Mother of God went to Polotsk. On the way, Mikhail visited the town of Korsun, hence the name.

The further fate of the icon

In 1239, Saint Euphrosyne married her beloved grand-niece Alexander for Yaroslav Nevsky. Their marriage, Polotsk blessed the Korsun Icon of the Mother of God, and then brought it to her as a gift. Later Alexandra presented the icon to the city of Toroptsu. As it was said in the legend, the shrine repeatedly protected this settlement from brutal attacks from Lithuanians. Thousands of people prayed before the holy face during the terrible epidemic that struck Toropets. When the French approached the city in 1812, local residents, fearing for the shrine, took her to the outskirts. After that, according to Toropets, there was news that Napoleon decided to change his route and went around the city side. Then the shrine was again accepted by the church of the Korsun Icon of the Mother of God.

In 1917, temples throughout the country began to be destroyed. Fearing for the shrine, the clergy decided to give the icon for preservation in the Russian Museum (St. Petersburg). After the end of the repressions, the church of the Korsun Icon of the Mother of God repeatedly tried to restore the image to its native walls, but the authorities considered that the shrine is the property of the state, and refused to give it back. The Korsun Icon of the Mother of God is still in the Russian Museum.

Error restorers

After the relic passed into the possession of the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg, the famous specialists were instructed to restore the icon. They were so carried away by their work that they made a huge mistake, thinking that they cleaned the image of soot. In fact, it was the dark skin of the Blessed Virgin and her Baby. This is how they were portrayed in ancient Byzantine images.

What are they praying for before this image?

Over the course of seven centuries, the icon helped believers cope with illnesses, troubles and grief. Before the face of the Korsun Mother of God they pray for deliverance from grief, sorrow, from mental and physical ailments, poverty. Farmers and agricultural workers are asking to improve weather conditions and harvest a rich harvest.

Pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary with an open heart and dedication, and you will certainly be heard.