Dmitry Rostovsky begins the story of this miracle with the words: “A certain lawless man...” A certain sinful man who led a very vicious lifestyle, nevertheless was heartily attached to the Queen of Heaven and felt reverent love before Her. And although he could not deny himself sin - apparently, he was too weak-willed, he prayed daily before Her icon and said in prayer the words of the Archangel Gabriel, which he said to the Virgin Mary in his appearance before Her: “Rejoice, full of grace!”, when he brought Her the news about Her future Motherhood.
It so happened that, getting ready for a sinful task, he stood in front of the icon to pray before leaving. Then he felt a strange heart and body trembling, the image on the icon seemed to move, breathe, and the sinner saw with horror how terrible wounds opened on the arms and legs and on the right side of the Baby sitting on Her lap, from which blood flowed in streams.
The man fell in front of the icon with a cry of horror, asking the Mother of God who did this. To which he was given a sorrowful answer from the Mother of God that sinners, just like him, day after day crucify and crucify Her Son with their sins, and hypocritically they call Her merciful, insulting Her mother's love with their iniquities.
Hearing this, the sinner, in whom, apparently, a particle of faith and purity remained, prayed to the Queen of Heaven, calling Her Lady, so that the measure of his sins would not exceed Her goodness and mercy. He began to pray to the Mother of God that She would intercede for him before the Son.
For the first time, the Lady turned to Her Son, but He refused Her to atone for the sinful deeds of the intercessor.
The second prayer appeal to the Mother of God by St. Dmitry of Rostov is described at length and very instructively. In the icon of the Mother of God, depicted inside the icon “Unexpected Joy”, the one in front of which a sinner is depicted kneeling before Her image, we see Hodegetria, with the Child sitting on Her knees. As the saint writes, the Intercessor seated the Son separately and wanted to fall on her face before Him, but the Son exclaimed, stopping Her: “What do you want to do?” The Mother of God replied that she would lie at the feet of Her Son until He forgives the repentant sinner. To this, the Lord told Her that the Law commands the Son to honor the Mother, but the truth demands that the One who issued the Law Himself honors it and fulfills It. He said that He is the Son of His Mother, and therefore must honor Her by listening to her prayers to Him. Therefore, let it be as Mother wants. The sinner will be forgiven, but let him first kiss His wounds.
Shocked by what he saw, the sinner stood up, joyfully kissed the wounds of the Child, they immediately closed, and the vision stopped. Here he experienced both awe at the greatness of what he saw and great joy, from which he burst into tears of cleansing tears. Again he fell to the icon, praying to the Most Pure One and Her son to preserve the gift of seeing their sins and begging for pardon. From that hour, the soul of this man turned away from sin, and he began to lead a virtuous and godly life. It should be noted that the saint does not indicate what kind of sin accompanied the life of this person, leaving the reader to see his own sins and vices in himself and to pray with faith and strength for healing from them.
What a miracle happened
Starting from the 18th century, when the first copy of the icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” was created, a variety of miracles occurred from these icons - the sick, especially those who had lost their hearing, were healed, and with the return of spiritual hearing, physical hearing also returned. Prayers in front of this icon helped desperate parents whose children had lost their way and went, as they say, along a crooked path.
Many miraculous healings occur in front of the icons of the Lady, but the most magnificent, undoubtedly, is the healing human soul, her salvation through a deep spiritual change.
We are just people. And they are not sinless. Let's admit it. But if we are able to see our reflection in the figure of the sinner on the icon “Unexpected Joy”, and, seeing ourselves from the outside, we begin to understand what a disastrous situation we are in, this is not a disaster. This is a miracle. And it’s wonderful if suddenly a person realizes that he is doing something that urgently requires prayer for himself, following the example of the sinner from the story of St. Demetrius, a petition for the salvation of his soul, because otherwise there will be no joy in life, much less unexpected, like the Lord's grace, which is given like this - unexpectedly... And the Mother of God again and again for each of those who are ready for a change of soul and desired it, is ready to fall on her face before her son. Queen of Heaven - just think about it! – he will again decide to pray for our sins on his knees. And when the miracle of human insight occurs, Divine history within history will be repeated, lifting the veil of the true, as they should be among us, created in His image and likeness, the perfect relationship of Mother and Son and the relationship of the Son to His limitless power, paradoxically limited by His own Law .
Meaning of the icon
By type, the icon “Unexpected Joy” refers to Hodegetria - a guide to Christ; all ancient images are executed in the Byzantine style. A sinner is kneeling in front of the icon, holding out his hands to it. Sometimes from his lips, in the form of ribbons, icon painters depicted the text of prayers addressed to Her. Under the image of the icon of the Mother of God inside the general icon there is initial words from the description of this miracle in “The Irrigated Fleece” - “A certain lawless man...”
Hodegetria “Unexpected Joy” once again testifies that everyone who sincerely wants to be forgiven will be forgiven. Moreover, in the narrative of St. Dmitry of Rostov it is said that the repentant sinner prayed for the gift of a vision of his sins, and this does not mean that he was going to lead a vicious life again. The saint shows us that every person is a sinner - such is our dual nature, but if sin suddenly, unfortunately, due to human weakness, happens, then, seeing it in person, we get the opportunity to repent and, perhaps, complete repentance, which will become another the stage of salvation in the spirit.
And other! The sinner was enlightened in spirit when he saw that the Mother of God was ready to fall on her knees before the Son for every sinner who cried out to Her for mercy. However, this is not the only shock in this amazing story. The height of the relationship between Mother and Son is a stunning example of the true - already heavenly! – the relationship between Mother and Son, which gives us an understanding of why the Lady is our first Intercessor and Intercessor to the Lord. This is how you should treat your Mother, how to honor Her. The Lord Himself, the Almighty King, cannot fail to fulfill Her prayer, because the petition comes from the Mother, whose request He cannot resist only because She is His Mother.
How many conclusions can we draw for ourselves! Such a reassessment of values, an audit of the soul, is periodically simply necessary. From the events that became the inspiration for painting the icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy”, by learning about the icon and its history, we are enriched morally. Comparing our own life in our family, we see: this is how children should respect their parents and how parents should respect the status of their grown children. To a status that is not only social – the status of an adult who must be spared from parental tyranny, which often drags on for a very long time.
We are further given an example of reverence for the law, first of all, by the legislators themselves - another sore subject in our society. Here it is, the highest example of the attitude towards the execution by those in power of the laws they themselves publish. The law established by the Lord commands us to honor the Mother, and since He established this Law, then first of all the Lawgiver Himself is obliged to follow it. Christ stands as a model of a true attitude towards power; He Himself is evidence of the exceptional decency of the Ruler, which is so difficult to meet on earth.
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1 “Rejoice, watered fleece, hedgehog Gideon, Virgin, before seen” - akathist to the icon “Unexpected joy”. The sign of wool and dew, given by God to one of the judges of Israel, Gideon. Old Testament. Book of Judges of Israel. Ch. 6. pp. 36–40.
Unexpected joy symbolizes the highest miracle for Orthodox Christians, which they no longer hoped for in moments of despondency and loss of spiritual strength. It is something unexpected, unpredictable, sudden. A believer turns to the icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” when hope has faded and faith is not enough.
The shrine is shining example physical and spiritual rebirth, when a person, abandoning pride, comes to the Mother of God to thank for the joy given. The Most Pure Mother of God with the Lord Jesus Christ himself remind man of repentance. What is the significance of the icon of the Mother of God of Unexpected Joy, how does the face help and what are the rules for pronouncing prayer in front of it, read on.
The history of the miraculous image
The history of the appearance of the icon “Unexpected Joy” can be divided into two parts: the first is the appearance of the image of the Most Holy One with the Infant Christ to one of the ancient sinners; the second is the writing of a divine image.
The verbal image of the Saint was brought to life by the wonderful Russian saint Demetrius of Rostov in his work “The Irrigated Fleece.” He told in the book a story about a man who was greatly tormented by sinful passion - presumably fornication. The sinner knew that he was violating church laws, but, being a highly moral person, he constantly came to the face of the Mother of God “Hodegetria” to pray. He asked to forgive his sins, not to punish him for his weakness.
One day the man was again about to commit a deliberate sinful act, but before doing so he decided to pray at the image. He felt sincere repentance, tried to justify his destructive passion and asked the Most Holy One to keep him from rash actions. When the sinner was already leaving the shrine, he suddenly saw how the image of the Mother of God turned to him and looked at him. At the same time, blood flowed from the wrists, ankles and side of the Infant Christ. The man was overcome with confusion and began to tremble. He asked the face: “Who did this to you, Mistress?” The sinner heard the Holy Mother’s answer that this is done to her by those who consciously follow the wrong path, committing sinful deeds. Each time the Jews crucify her son with their actions, but at the same time they want mercy and forgiveness from her.
The man repented and began to ask the Mother to forgive his actions. “Beg,” the Orthodox Christian began to repent. During the sinner's prayer, the Mother of God turned to her Son. The Infant Christ accepted the man’s petitions, forgave him, but insisted that he kiss his sores. At the moment when the forgiven one kissed the wounds on the body of Christ, he experienced joy and relief. The man received a chance from the Lord to change his life, to be cleansed from spiritual torment. Having found unexpected joy, he began to live according to God's laws.
This story for a long time had no visual embodiment. The image of this divine scene appeared only at the beginning of the 18th century and represented an entire iconographic composition. On the icon on the left bottom corner depicts a man kneeling before the image of the Virgin Mary and praying to her with the Child. Under the scene is usually written the beginning of the story by Dmitry of Rostov, the words “A certain lawless man...”, or part of the prayer to the face of “Unexpected Joy”. On the image are placed in the form of a ribbon the question of a sinner man to the Mother of God, the words of her answer, as well as what the Infant of God said. One of characteristic features face - on it the Most Holy One and her Child are depicted facing the petitioner.
The “Unexpected Joy” icon belongs to the “Guide” or “Hodegetria” type, that is, the one that leads to the Holy One. IN in this case The Mother of God is represented as a leader of people to Christ. It is her prayer for the suffering Orthodox that has highest value
before the Lord. She becomes a guide, which is why sinners first turn to the Mother of God. The veneration of the divine face takes place on May 14, December 22. The main shrine is kept in the Moscow Church of Elijah the Prophet. Several lists have been copied from it, which have the same miraculous properties
, like the original.
How does an icon help, and who can turn to it? A person in his life tends to follow an illusory hope. His essence is that he does not notice the small joys that make up his everyday life. Many people forget to sincerely and openly thank each day for the happiness of living, do not pay attention to loved ones, and demand excessive material wealth. A person elevates petty things that obscure his new day into a cult of obsession. The meaning of existence is instantly crossed out, Orthodox man
Captured by his emotions, he lives in sin.
The meaning of the face “Unexpected joy” is in hope and admiration for God’s will; it also speaks of renunciation of immoral deeds and sinful thoughts.
Every day a person should be grateful, peaceful and grateful.
- It is difficult to pray in front of an icon, forgetting pride, envy, anger and bitterness. After all, these feelings overwhelm people, but the Mother of God teaches differently. This is daily work that requires the pacification of bad thoughts and criminal acts. People are weak - they are prone to sin, but the Intercessor allows them to receive forgiveness and open the way to the right path.
- About the fulfillment of the most secret dream, which they no longer hoped to realize. We are talking exclusively about intangible things - forgiveness, repentance, saving a lost soul.
- Ask the face for healing of diseases, especially for diseases of the heart system and hearing loss. In this case, heart disease and deafness are associated with a loss of moral guidelines that manifest themselves at the level of the body.
- The Mother of God and the Lord help those who are looking for their loved ones. With a thin thread, the Family brings lost relatives to each other, restores trust in married couples with care. Many women turn to the image when their men are at war.
- The icon protects pregnant women. This helps them bear healthy children and give birth without complications.
- The meaning of the image lies in the instruction on Right way and admonition. Therefore, parents whose children have gotten out of hand can turn to the Saint so that she can show them their way. There are cases when the most notorious immoral offspring realized their mistakes and confessed.
- The Mother of God resolves disputes, smooths out the sharp edges of conflicts, reconciles those who have long lost hope of forgiveness, and turns failures to a happy ending.
If a person asked sincerely, from a pure heart, freeing his thoughts from the material and mortal, then the Mother of God and the Lord will definitely help him. They will give such joy, the most amazing, which will become a reward for the suffering experienced and the repentance gained.
Orthodox believers especially venerate her, calling her protector, intercessor, and helper. Almost every day in churches, according to the calendar of Orthodox dates, one or another icon of the Mother of God is remembered with a prayer request. Twice a year, on May 14 and December 22, a celebration of the miraculous image is established. Unexpected Joy" Please note that both words in the title are capitalized, because Joy refers to the Most Pure Virgin herself. What does unexpected joy mean? — the one they didn’t expect, didn’t expect. Such an unexpected heartfelt feeling once touched a sinner.
How was the image “Unexpected Joy” revealed?
The exact date and place of appearance of the icon is unknown; it became widespread less than three centuries ago.
It is surprising that an icon is usually called miraculous after it has performed numerous miraculous healings and phenomena. Only the image “Unexpected Joy” precedes a wonderful event. Saint Dmitry of Rostov mentions it for the first time in his work “Irrigated Fleece”. This book was written by the Saint to glorify the locally revered Holy Mother of God Icon of the Elias Monastery in the city of Chernigov.
The last chapter described the following story: one unrighteous man lived wickedly, but always treated the Most Holy Theotokos with special reverence. One day he was about to commit lawlessness once again, and as usual, he said the words of prayer, addressing him with an angelic greeting: Rejoice, full of grace. Suddenly the icon seemed to become alive; instead of joy, sorrow was reflected on its face. She held in her arms the Infant of God, whose shirt was torn and bleeding wounds opened on his arms, legs and under his ribs. The wicked man was amazed at what he saw. He bent down and knelt down, asking who could do this to our Lord Jesus Christ.
The answer he received floored him. The Mother of God replied that this was the work of his hands and other sinful people who crucified her Son again and again. The sinner prayed for a long time, without receiving forgiveness twice. The Mother of God together with him asked the Divine Child for help. For the third time, after the heartfelt repentance of the wicked man and the desire of the Mother of God to pray with him at the feet of the Son, the Lord said that the law commands that the Son honor the mother, let it be as she says. The forgiven one kissed the icon, falling unconscious. Having come into himself, he felt unprecedented joy in his heart, hope for forgiveness for his actions. The man was reborn spiritually and began to lead a righteous life.
This event formed the basis for painting the icon “Unexpected Joy”. It received an incredible response in the hearts of believers; by the end of the 18th century, a list of the miraculous image was in almost every Orthodox church. It can still be found today in many churches; it is especially revered in Moscow in the Church of Elijah the Prophet. Initially, this icon was kept in one of the Kremlin churches, in the mid-20th century it was transported to Sokolniki, and since 1959 it has been in Elias Church Elijah, it is known that Patriarch Pimen often prayed before her.
What type of Mother of God icons does it belong to?
On the icon “Unexpected Joy” the Mother of God is depicted with the Infant Christ in her arms, this is a type that, translated, means a Guide, she, pointing with one hand at her Son, asserting which way a Christian should go. The unique image differs from most canonical images. This is not just an icon, but an iconographic composition (an icon within an icon).
The action takes place in the temple. In the lower left corner there is a man who knelt in prayer before the image of the Mother of God. Sometimes the letters from his mouth are depicted as ribbons to show his earnest prayer. The head of the Queen of Heaven is slightly tilted, her gaze is indirect, directed at the person praying. She points to the Son with one hand, and holds Him with the other as if on a throne. The Divine Infant has wounds from which blood flows, one hand is raised, it blesses all believers. A number of theologians classify “Unexpected Joy” as a type of akathist icon.
Below the image are words from the book of the Saint of Rostov: A certain lawless man. Think about it, after all, each of us daily commits lawlessness, sins: discussing, despondent, shouting, swearing, being proud, performing seemingly harmless actions, thereby becoming an accomplice in this distant history, again and again crucifying the Lord Jesus Christ, the way out is in repentance, hope for forgiveness and prayer help.
What should she pray for?
Often a person finds himself in a critical situation when he can only rely on God’s help. Then they pray to the Mother of God, asking her to cling to the heart of her Son and ask for spiritual joy, help in business, strengthening in faith, for the return of the lost and the preservation of children.
Parents prayerfully ask the Mother of God for their children, so that they are healthy and walk in the right direction. life's path, about their confirmation in faith, about spiritual and physical insight. The image of the Mother of God helps spouses to establish peace and mutual understanding, eliminate divisions, and reconcile those at war. This icon is approached with a request to protect from enemies and spiteful critics. Through prayers from the image of “Unexpected Joy” many healings and miracles occur, but most often people receive healing from deafness. This means not only a physical illness, but also a spiritual one: the inability to hear the words of Holy Scripture, loved ones. Cases have been established when women prayed for a quick marriage, for the return of their husbands from the battlefield, from a trip, they received help, prayer is effective against serious adversity, unjust accusations.
There are several prayer rules, which are read depending on life circumstances. When time permits, it is better to read full text prayers or even an akathist. There is a lot of evidence that reading the akathist helps infertile women: despite the diagnosis, people get the opportunity to experience the joy of motherhood.
Prayer for pregnancy to the Mother of God in front of the icon “Unexpected Joy”:
Oh, Most Holy Virgin, the All-Blessed Son of the All-Blessed Mother, the Patroness of this city, faithful to the Representative and Intercessor of all who are in sins, sorrows, troubles and illnesses!
Accept this prayer song from us, unworthy of Your servants, offered to You: and like the sinner of old, who prayed many times before Your honorable icon every day, You did not despise, but You granted the unexpected joy of repentance, and through Your zealous intercession with Your Son for the forgiveness of the sinner Thou hast bowed thus, and now do not despise the prayers of us, Thy unworthy servants, but pray to Thy Son and our God, and to all of us, with faith and tenderness before Thy celibate image, who, according to each need, grant unexpected joy: may all in heaven and on The lands lead You as a steadfast and unashamed Representative of the Christian race, and this leading, they glorify You and Your Son with His Originless Father and His Consubstantial Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
If there is a lack of time, you can limit yourself to a short call to the help of the Mother of God the Virgin Mary. The clergy emphasize that the main thing is that the prayer comes from a pure heart. It is important to first say the words of prayer, after which formulate a petition in your own words.
Prayer (short):
To the Mother of God and the Queen, chosen from all generations, who sometimes appeared to a lawless man to turn him away from the path of wickedness, we offer a song of thanksgiving to Thee, the Mother of God: But You, who have ineffable mercy, free us from all troubles and sins, let us call to Thee: Rejoice, you who give unexpected joy to the faithful.
Troparion:
Today, return to the people who glorify the zealous Intercessor of the Christian race, and who flow to Her most pure image, we cry out to the Lord: Oh, Merciful Lady Theotokos, grant us unexpected joy, burdened with many sins and sorrows, and deliver us from all evil, praying to Your Son, Christ God ours, to save our souls.
What does the name of the icon say?
Unexpected joy is an image that reminds us that forgiveness of sins is possible with heartfelt repentance and prayer. A joyful feeling does not immediately fill a person; he read the prayer and immediately became happy, no. After heartfelt labor and repentance (remember that Jesus Christ did not immediately forgive the sinner), when it would seem there is no more strength, forgiveness comes, and at the same time, unexpectedly, the heart becomes light and joyful. The icon teaches you to remain true to your word. A person, after repentance and received forgiveness, does not go further to lawlessness, but begins to lead a righteous life.
It is no coincidence that according to legend, the first to go to heaven with Christ was a robber who sincerely repented. No matter what circumstances happen in life, Holy Mother of God becomes the first intercessor of every person. And you need to be able to notice joy in every moment. It is that there is a family, children, a favorite job, that you can hear birds singing and admire nature, it is that there is hope for healing, help, eternal life, there is a heavenly Intercessor ready to help everyone to her to the person who applied.
Rejoice, granter of unexpected joy to the faithful!
Unexpected joy is a miracle that we no longer hoped for or counted on - unexpected, sudden and unpredictable. Believers turn to the Mother of God in prayer in front of the “Unexpected Joy” icon when it seems that the flame of hope has already died out. They ask the Most Pure One for protection from sorrows and troubles, pray for deliverance from mental anxieties and physical illnesses.
Prayer before the “Unexpected Joy” icon helps mothers seek physical and spiritual health for their children. Lost but repentant souls can finally receive forgiveness and find peace. Those who have lost relatives and friends turn to the Mother of God to reunite with dear people. And the sufferers who suffered physical illness, are healed. The icon also helps those who are burdened by a heavy spiritual burden - irreconcilable resentment or deep sadness.
Around the 16th century, Dmitry Rostovsky wrote the book “Irrigated Fleece,” in which he described the story that gave impetus to the painting of this holy image. There lived one man who led a very difficult and far from righteous life. But he was very attached to the image of the Queen of Heaven. One day, when he was about to again go on a deed that was not pleasing to God, he fell to his knees and began to pray to the Mother of God for success in his deeds. At that moment, he saw that blood began to flow from the sores on the baby Jesus’ body. The baby’s arms, legs and side were bleeding, and suddenly he heard the voice of the Mother of God herself: “The Jews crucified my son, but you sinners are doing it again. You say that I am Merciful and at the same time insult me with your sins?!” The man realized his sins and from that moment led a righteous life.
The history of this image is still not thoroughly known. There is an assumption that this icon was transferred in a roundabout way to the Church of the Resurrection, which is located in Sokolniki. At that time it was the center of the renovationist heresy. She got there from the Church of Constantine and Helena from the Taininsky Garden of the Kremlin. IN Soviet years(in 1928) the temple was destroyed and all shrines and relics were confiscated. Later, the Renovationist movement was closed; it disintegrated after the “red” government refused to sponsor them. All surviving images and shrines were transferred to other churches and monasteries that were open at that moment.
After the transfer of the icon, the rector of “Ilya the Ordinary”, Father Alexander Tolgsky, turned to Patriarch Sergius with a request for permission to transfer the icon to its present place. The Patriarch blessed this matter and in 1944 the image of the Queen of Heaven was pompously transferred. This action happened on a Friday and now every Friday a solemn service is held in the church, during which the akathist “Unexpected Joy” is read.
The fame of this icon of the Mother of God spread to hundreds of cities. People came to the image and asked for help in having children, to guide their children on the right path, and prayed for help in business and forgiveness.
On the days of veneration of the image, December 22 and May 14, people ask for help and hope that their problems will be solved, mothers ask for their children, and ask for healing of ailments.
The story associated with the discovery and painting of the image of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” can be divided into two parts. The first is the actual appearance of the Mother of God and the Infant Christ to a certain man, which St. Demetrius of Rostov described in his creation “The Irrigated Fleece” in the 17th century (1683). And the second is writing the miracle that happened in an iconographic style.
One man was tormented by a sinful passion (perhaps the passion of fornication) and could not overcome it in himself. At the same time, he was an honest man and, realizing his passion, constantly resorted to the Hodegetria icon of the Mother of God - he cried, asked forgiveness for his way of life, for his weakness, and also read the prayer of the Archangel Gabriel: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you ..."
One day, when this man was once again preparing to commit a sinful deed, he began to pray, as usual, in front of the icon of the Mother of God. In his prayer, he repented for the fact that he could not stop himself from committing a sin, even knowing what he would do. At that moment, when he was about to leave, he was suddenly attacked by confusion and trepidation - the man saw that the image of the Mother of God on the icon turned its face in his direction.
In turn, the Divine Infant Christ, depicted according to tradition together with His Most Pure Mother, developed ulcers on his arms, legs, and also in his side. Blood began to flow from the opened wounds.
Struck by the vision that appeared to him, the man fell to his knees and asked the image: “Oh, Lady, who did this?” In response, he heard the words of the Mother of God: “You and other sinners are again crucifying My Son with your sins, like the Jews. You call Me merciful. Why do you insult Me with your lawless deeds?” In repentance, the man began to beg the Mother of God: “O Lady, may my sins not overcome Your inexpressible goodness. You common hope to all sinners. Pray for me, Thy Son and our God!”
Through the man’s prayer, the Mother of God turned to Her Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, three times with a request to forgive this man. Only for the third time did the Infant God answer:
“I fulfill Your request. Let Your wish come true. For Your sake, this man’s sins are forgiven. Let him kiss My wounds as a sign of forgiveness.”
Repentant and forgiven by the Lord, the man rose from his knees and, falling to the icon, kissed the wounds on the body of the Infant Christ. After this, he experienced a feeling of spiritual joy and relief. And later he completely changed his life and cleansed himself of the passions that tormented him. It was these sincere repentance, internal purification and newfound spiritual joy that became the reason for painting the image of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy”.
The details of the writing of certain images of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” have not reached us, but some of them subsequently began to be revered as miraculous, since prayers in front of these images resulted in healings from various ailments.
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