The icon wall is the indestructible history of its appearance. Meaning and how it helps. "Salvation from troubles with a holy prayer book"

Image of the Mother of God “Unbreakable Wall”. Mosaic of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. 11th century, fragment

Miraculous icon Holy Mother of God“The Unbreakable Wall” is made in the style of a mosaic on the wall above the high place of the main altar of the Kyiv St. Sophia Cathedral. The Mother of God is depicted on a golden background, standing at full height on a quadrangular golden stone with raised arms.

The icon received its name “The Unbreakable Wall” due to the fact that for nine centuries it remained intact, despite the fact that both the cathedral and the city were repeatedly destroyed.

An ancient description of this icon has been preserved: “The growth of the Mother of God is gigantic, like all Her deeds in Rus'. She stands on a golden stone, the unshakable foundation of all those who flow to Her protection. Her tunic and scarlet belt are of heavenly color, and on it hangs a lention, with which She wipes away so many tears. Azure arms on hands raised to the sky. A golden veil falls from Her head and is hung in the form of an omophorion on left shoulder, to the sign of Her covering, the spreading cloud, according to the voice of church songs. A bright star burns on the forehead of the Mother of God and two stars on her shoulders: for She Herself, the Mother of the Unsetting Light, was for us the dawn of the Unsetting Sun.”

The Icon of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall” is made of mosaic on the wall under the vault above the high place of the main altar in the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral. The icon was called the “Unbreakable Wall” because it remained undamaged for nine centuries. According to Kyiv legend, the capital city will not perish as long as the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall” stretches out the hands of the Mother of God over it.

The Virgin Mary is depicted on a golden mosaic background, in full height, without the Infant God, standing on a quadrangular golden stone with raised hands. On the large arc of the semi-vault, along its entire length and almost its entire width, a Greek inscription is laid out in black mosaic. This inscription is translated as follows: “God is in the midst of her and does not move: God will help her in the morning” (Ps. 45: 6).

This is how I described this icon famous traveler Muravyov:

“The growth of the Mother of God is gigantic, like all Her deeds in Rus'. She stands on a golden stone, the unshakable foundation of all those who flow to Her protection. Her tunic and scarlet belt are of heavenly color, and on it hangs a lention, with which She wipes away so many tears. Azure arms on hands raised to the sky. The golden veil falls from Her head and is hung in the form of an omophorion on her left shoulder, as a sign of Her cover, a broad cloud. A bright star burns on the forehead of the Mother of God and two stars on her shoulders (shoulders): for She Herself, the Mother of the unsetting Light, was for us the dawn of the unsetting Sun (that is, Christ).”

The revered image of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall” is one of the most important Orthodox shrines. It is considered an image from which we, through our prayer to the Blessed Virgin, receive protection from a variety of negative events - from natural disasters (fires, floods), from home invasions by thieves and ill-wishers, and other troubles.

The eternal intercession of the Mother of God protects us with an unbreakable wall. And in our time, cases of healing from incurable diseases and other miraculous events are widely known.

Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary “The Unbreakable Wall”

Troparion before the icon “The Unbreakable Wall”, tone 4

Let us now diligently approach the Mother of God, sinners and humility, and let us fall down in repentance calling from the depths of our souls: Lady, help us, having had mercy on us, struggling, we are perishing from many sins, do not turn away your slaves, for you are the only hope of the imams.

Another troparion, tone 4

Like the indestructible wall and omnipotent cover / of You, Thy servants, Lady Theotokos, / who drives away the darkness of sins and sorrows. / In the same way we pray to Thee: / grant Thy peace / and light and salvation to our souls.

The Greatness of the Blessed Virgin Mary

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.

Prayer to the Mother of God

My Most Blessed Queen, My Hope, Mother of God. A friend of the orphans and the strange Representatives. Those who mourn in joy, those who are offended by the Patroness, behold my misfortune, behold my sorrow. Help me, as I am weak, Feed me as I am strange... Weigh my offense, resolve it, as if it were a will. For the imam has no other help, except for You, no other Representative. Not the good Comforters, Only You, O Mother of God... May you preserve and cover me, forever and ever. Amen. Most Holy Theotokos, Enlighten us with the light of Your Son. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

Second prayer

Oh, our gracious Lady Theotokos, Ever-Virgin, accept from us this song of gratitude and offer up to our Creator and Creator your warm prayers for us unworthy, may He, the Merciful, forgive us all our sins, evil and unclean thoughts, nasty deeds. Oh, Most Holy Lady, have mercy and send down a gift according to each need: heal the sick, comfort the sorrowing, bring the lost to reason, protect the infants, raise and teach the young, encourage and instruct men and wives, support and warm the old, be with us both here and in life eternal Wall, Indestructible, deliver from all troubles and misfortunes and from eternal torment, and always praise Your Mother's love, we praise with all our hearts Your Son, with His Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Prayer three

And You, Lady, not in vain called the “Indestructible Wall”, be for all those who are hostile against me and plotting dirty tricks on me, truly a kind of barrier and an indestructible wall, protecting me from all evil and difficult circumstances. Amen.

Since ancient times, the image of the Most Holy Theotokos was considered miraculous, having the ability to help those who came to it with repentance, to ask for forgiveness and the blessing of the Queen of Heaven. One of the most famous icons with the face of the Blessed Virgin is the “Unbreakable Wall” icon - the protector of all those who ask, capable of protecting the believer and his loved ones from any adversity.

History of the icon

Miraculous image Mother of God located in St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. According to ancient chronicles, it was created by order of Yaroslav the Wise, who began the construction of Hagia Sophia in 1034. The prototype of the icon is the famous Oranta, kept in Constantinople. According to the testimony of ancient historians, one of the copies of Oranta was brought to Kyiv just during the construction of the temple, and the icon painters were instructed to create a copy of it.

In turn, several lists of the icon were made. The most famous of them is located in the Resurrection-Mironositsky Monastery near the village of Nikolskoye (Astrakhan region). Throughout the Soviet era, known for its intolerance towards the church, it was kept by one of the parishioners, and only at the end of the 20th century it appeared before the believers.

Today, lists from the miraculous image can be seen in other cities - Moscow, Kaliningrad, Stavropol.

Description and meaning

For nine centuries, the shrine has adorned the central altar apse of the St. Sophia Cathedral. The height of the figure of the Mother of God is approximately 6 meters. It was made using the mosaic technique: craftsmen pressed pieces of smalt, a glassy translucent mass, into the still damp layer of plaster. 177 shades of color were used to create the icon.

The Icon of the Mother of God “Unbreakable Wall” displays the following meaning:

The name of the icon was given by words from an akathist praising the Mother of God and calling her an indestructible wall, which will become salvation for believers. The image of the Blessed Virgin “The Unbreakable Wall” is considered miraculous, full of divine power, because, despite numerous attacks on the temple and the fact that Kyiv was repeatedly subjected to destructive raids and robberies, despite natural disasters, epidemics and wars, none of the disasters touched the bright face, it remained impregnable.

There is also an ancient belief that the “Unbreakable Wall” icon means, according to which the city above the Dnieper is not in danger as long as the Queen of Heaven stretches out her hands in prayer above it.

Who will it help?

Today, as before, thousands of believers flock to the ancient city to go under the arches of Sophia of Kyiv and see the miracle with their own eyes, ask for help and protection.

Knowledge about the meaning of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon and how it helps allows you to pray before the holy image of the Mother of God in the following cases:

Before a long trip, you need to pray shortly before leaving home. With this prayer, the believer asks to protect his home from evil during his absence.
If the relatives of the person praying need protection from any harm.
When a misfortune happens in the house or someone close to you becomes seriously ill, you need to pray to the Mother of God in solitude, kneeling before the icon. You need to read the prayer as prescribed by the canons of the church, and then ask the Blessed Virgin for protection from troubles and illnesses in your own words.
In case of marital quarrels and the desire to strengthen and preserve the family, a prayer is also read first, and then a request for protection of the home follows.
When a person has become a victim of slander.
With the threat of wars and conflicts.

It is important to remember that the icon helps only those who sincerely believe, therefore, before turning to the Most Pure Virgin, you should repent of your sins, cleanse your soul of evil, and your mind of dark thoughts. Prayer should come from the heart, and not be some kind of convention or fashion statement.

You should firmly remember the canonical text of the two prayers addressed to the image of the Blessed Virgin. Their translation into modern language sounds something like this: “Most Holy Virgin, be merciful to us, heal the sick, give comfort to the mourning, and faith to the lost. Help save children, raise the young, encourage women and men, support and warm the elderly. Deliver us from troubles, torment and sorrow. We will forever sing your maternal love and give praise to your Son and Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen!".

Selecting a location

Those wishing to contact the Protectress should best go to the Kiev Saint Sophia Cathedral or to any city where one of the icon lists is kept. If this is not possible, you need to buy the image, and then ask yourself where to hang the “Unbreakable Wall” icon.

The best place for it is in the house, directly opposite the entrance or above the door: from there the Blessed Virgin will be able to watch everyone who enters the house. It is believed that a person who comes with malicious intent will feel uncomfortable under her all-seeing gaze, and he will try to shorten the time of his visit, and next time he is unlikely to want to cross the threshold of the home. Before hanging the icon, you must read a prayer and ask the Mother of God for intercession.

There should not be any foreign objects near the image of the Protectress; you cannot hang the icon in the corner or next to any household appliances: TV, computer. It is also undesirable to place the “Impenetrable Wall” icon in a home iconostasis, where it will be visible only to the person praying: the Holy Face can protect only when the eyes of everyone who enters the house meet Her eyes, capable of guessing people’s secret thoughts.

Can I give it to someone else?

Protect your loved ones or friends from harm, help establish family life, save them from illnesses and bring peace and happiness to their home by giving an icon that has miraculous power, is a completely natural desire for a believer. But is it possible to do this? Do I need to wait for any occasion (holiday, birthday, wedding) or can the gift be given on any chosen day?

The Church does not object to offerings of this kind; moreover, it believes that icons can and should be given when a person especially needs the support and protection of higher powers. But there are several conditions, without which the gift may lose its miraculous power and even cause misfortune.

This will not happen if:

In all other cases, the "Unbreakable Wall" will become the best gift for relatives, a talisman against evil and disease, protection and support that helps to survive adversity.

In the most difficult moments of life, every person, regardless of whether he is a believer or an atheist, begins to hope for the help of a Higher Power, capable of working real miracles and getting rid of any illness.

We resort to the Mother of God with our prayers and receive according to our faith. Of particular importance is the icon “The Unbreakable Wall”. Therefore, each of us should know how it can help.

Another name for it is “Goalkeeper”. This image represents “Oranta the Protector,” which for many centuries no adversity, war or natural disaster has been able to destroy. “The Unbreakable Wall” refers to the icon of the miracle worker, capable of helping, protecting and healing. In addition, it is a real work of art, as it is made in a mosaic style.

What is shown on the icon

Before understanding the meaning of this icon, let's see what is shown on it. “Oranta the Protector” is presented in a blue robe, which is a symbol of the sky. She stands on a golden stone that has a quadrangular shape. The towel located behind the belt symbolizes the cloth that wipes away the tears of all the unfortunate and mourning. Mother of God is surrounded by gold, representing the Holy Spirit. Raised hands show intercession before Our Father.

The “Unbreakable Wall” icon has been a worthy decoration of the altar vault belonging to the Kyiv “Sofia” for several centuries. According to research, an even older icon called “Blachernitissa”, presented on the wall of the altar, is its prototype. It is located in Constantinople in the Church of the Mother of God.

There is a legend that the icon became famous after a vision came to a certain monk named Gabriel, who served in the Pskov region in the Savior-Eleazar monastery. He saw a city of extraordinary beauty, which was located on high mountain. He attracted him so much that the elder set off on the same day following a crowd of people walking along a wide path.

The monk also realized that his fellow travelers did not notice the terrible giant who loomed over them and began to throw a net at them so that they would get off this road. Gabriel thought that he too might fall into a trap. Not knowing what to do, the elder noticed nearby a very steep and narrow path going up next to a steep cliff. Travelers also walked along it, whom the monster also wanted to catch in its nets, but could not do this: the trap only hit the wall and immediately bounced back.

Gabriel remembered the words from the akathist, where the rock is associated with an unbreakable wall. Then he realized who was protecting this narrow path and decided to follow it, despite the nets flashing nearby. All the way to the beautiful city, the elder read prayers to the Mother of God, who protected and saved the people.

Title: "The Unbreakable Wall" has a direct relationship with the fact that the Kiev icon of the Mother of God remained safe and sound for a long time. It is known that the image of God in the Kiev monastery was subjected to numerous wars and disasters, and the Cathedral of St. Sophia was repeatedly destroyed and looted. This was a symbol of resistance to any adversity and great power. This cannot be a mere coincidence - it is a real miracle.

Now righteous people are sure that it is this indestructible icon that is capable of helping and protecting them from everything bad. The Mother of God protects us from all misfortunes, attacks of enemies and curses. People turn to her to get rid of both mental and physical illnesses.

People seek protection and help from this shrine. God's image protects their homes from various misfortunes and illnesses. She averts troubles from families and their homes are spared all enemies and fires. It is believed that this icon strengthens well-being and happiness in the home. You can often hear that it is thanks to her that everyone in their family is healthy and friendly.

Where is the icon

The main location of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon has always been considered Kyiv St. Sophia Cathedral. The image of the Virgin Mary is located above the mountainous place at the main altar. Today in the village Nilsky in the Resurrection-Myrrh-Bearing Monastery there is another image. For a long time this icon was not shown to anyone. People saw it only in the second half of the last century.

According to people, this icon began to endow the righteous with its protection only in beginning of XXI century. Records were found in the archive indicating that it was consecrated by John of Kronstadt. During the period of general atheism, the monastery was brutally plundered and destroyed. However, one of the parishioners was lucky enough to save the shrine. She kept it for herself and later gave it to the temple.

The image of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon has given many unique phenomena to people all over the world. These lists are located:

in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary;
Monastery of the Icon of the Mother of God Unbreakable Wall (Krasnodar Territory);
Church of God of the Apostles Peter and Paul (Moscow);
in the Essentuki Church (Stavropol Territory);
in the chapel of the Cathedral (Kaliningrad).

In these places, you can see many parishioners seeking protection every day. People says that if you say a prayer immediately before the image, it will definitely be heard. The Absheron Convent (Kuban) was named in honor of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon. For several centuries this image has been revered by pilgrims who treat it with great respect, because it is a unique creation, miraculous properties which have been proven by time.

On the Kiev original, there is an inscription all over the icon, repeating the shape of the temple arch, made of black mosaic, which is a quote from the Psalter.

There is even a legend, What former capital Kievan Rus will never perish, and all the Slavs will not know any grief as long as the image of the icon exists and stretches out its hands over them.

The day of celebration is considered to be the first Sunday after Trinity (All Saints' Week).

What requests should you make to the icon?

Judging by the biography and history of the icon, You need to pray to her in the following cases:

When turning to an icon with prayer, you must adhere to ancient traditions:

If you are getting ready to travel, you should pray right before leaving the house.
In case of great grief or illness loved one You need to pray in complete solitude. At the same time, they kneel in front of the image, read a prayer and God's canon (the unbreakable wall of the akathist). Only after this you need to turn to the Mother of God in your own words.
The main thing is sincerity coming from your heart.

Now we know that the “Unbreakable Wall” Akathist icon is our protection from the curses of enemies and all misfortunes. This is an indestructible wall that repels everything bad. But this is not enough, you also need to know in what places can it be hung?.

The ideal place is the wall opposite the entrance to the house.
It is very good to hang the icon right above the front door. It is believed that this is how the Mother of God watches over everyone who enters her. If someone enters with bad thoughts, he will immediately feel uneasy and want to leave this house as quickly as possible.
You can put the icon on the iconostasis.

Remember that there should be no foreign objects near this shrine. You should not hang the icon in a corner or near household appliances. There is a wonderful tradition - to give an image to your dear and close people for protection from troubles and illnesses.

The miracles that the icon performed

Over the course of several centuries, many cases have been identified that have proven the miraculous power of the “Indestructible Power” icon. Often the Mother of God herself comes to the supplicant in a dream and gives a hint so that he can find the icon in front of which he should pray. Documents have survived to this day in which The following unique events were recorded:

The significance of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon cannot be overestimated, and every year it becomes more and more important for us. Thanks to the Renaissance, believers are increasingly asking Heaven for help. The difficult times of fratricidal conflicts that arise on Orthodox soil cannot be resolved without the support of the main intercessor of the Russian people - the Mother of God, who stands up to protect them with an unbreakable wall.

My husband and I lived at the dacha all summer. Even though we are pensioners, we are still strong, so we didn’t sit idle - we plastered the walls, put up wallpaper (not expensive, but elegant, so that we wouldn’t be ashamed to invite our grandchildren), we even installed water in the bathroom.

But autumn came, and it was time to return to the city apartment - heating the dacha throughout the winter would cost us a pretty penny. But it became scary - what if, while we are not there, drug addicts will sneak in here and plunder everything? I asked the neighbors to keep an eye on me, but that didn’t seem enough. Well, the matchmaker advised hanging a protective icon of the Mother of God inside the house, above the entrance. Thanks to her, our country house overwintered without incident...

The original icon has been decorating the Kiev Monastery of St. Sophia for about a thousand years.

True, our distant ancestors created it as a copy of the image from the Blachernae Church of the Virgin Mary in Constantinople. It is called "Blachernissa" and is still placed there near the altar.

Where is the strongest “Unbreakable Wall” located?

The main icon is not painted on canvas or even on a board. This is a mosaic laid out on the wall of St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. In the history of this cathedral there were many enemy raids and plunders, but evil people It was never possible to damage the wall image. He survived both communist times and the bombings of World War II. This image is considered the most powerful.

The icon is decorated with an inscription on Greek. This is a quote from the Psalter. If you translate it into Russian, it will turn out: “The Lord is at her center, she will remain unshakable, the Lord will help her from early morning.”

Kyiv Orthodox believers are confident: their city will not perish, and the Slavic peoples will not disappear from the face of the earth as long as this mosaic exists.

Russian Orthodox Church The saint venerates another icon, “The Unbreakable Wall.” This is a copy of the Kyiv mosaic, which you can see in the village of Nikolskoye, in the Resurrection-Mironositsky convent. This is also a list of Kyiv icons. The ancient image appeared to the world only towards the end of the 20th century, and before that it was securely hidden. Despite the short church history, the image has already become known as healing. In addition, it was consecrated by Kronstadt himself.

Other miraculous icon lists are:

in the Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul (Lefortovo, Moscow - this image also came here from Kyiv, where it was painted);
in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Moscow);
in the Cathedral (Kaliningrad - the icon that interests us is in the chapel and is also made of mosaic);
in the Monastery of the Icon of the Mother of God (in the Krasnodar Territory);
in the Essentuki Church (in the Stavropol Territory).

Church dates for the veneration of the image

The special date of all the icons listed above is the first Sunday after Trinity (the Sunday of All Saints).

Meaning of the image

According to the type of iconography (writing), this image is “Oranta”, that is, “Defender” or “Intercessor”.

The icon received its name due to the fact that it survived many misfortunes that befell the country - disasters, fires, wars. Even the Red Revolution could not wipe it off the face of the earth.

Thanks to its monumental indestructibility, the icon became a prototype of reliability and protection.

What does it help with?

Placed in a house, the image will protect the home from an unkind person, as well as from illnesses, all kinds of troubles and misfortunes (thieves, fires, flooding by neighbors), even from evil spells and evil eye.

There is an opinion that the image helps strengthen the family. People living under his protection are happier and friendlier, they even get sick less often.

Sometimes they pray to the icon, asking protect not only your home, but also your own soul. Some people need protection from evil thoughts or emotions, while others need protection from serious illness. Our Lady helps everyone.

Finally, you can bow before the icon:

during a family quarrel;
getting ready for a long and difficult journey and asking for blessings on the road;
if there is grief in the family (say, someone close to you got sick, went to prison or was in bad company).

You can purchase an image not only for yourself. An “unbreakable wall” is often bought for those whom they love - a child who has grown up and separated from the family, a young married couple, elderly parents, a godson, relatives.

Special prayers created to address this icon

This short prayer about protection. You can learn it and recite it to yourself while standing in front of the door to your boss’s office, an examination room, a doctor’s office, and so on:

This prayer is read, asking for healing from all needs (both physical and spiritual):

This slightly complex text (it is in Church Slavonic) is remembered in times of mental anguish. Although it is short, it is strong:

And this prayer is read in honor praise Mother of God Protector, thanking her for the protection she has shown you. In the church it is considered the main one for prayers to the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall”:

By the way, some people believe that such words are not only gratitude, but also the best protection from the evil eye and everything evil in this world. And this prayer will give the maximum protective effect if read it 40 times without interruption. To help with such a long (almost an hour) reading, this video will help, in which the prayer is repeated exactly forty times, and its lines are constantly displayed on the screen. Just read them or repeat them after the singer, and you won’t get lost!

Where in the house should this icon be hung?

The most the best place - against front door . Place the image so that the Mother of God looks into the eyes of everyone who enters. If a person enters your house with an evil thought in his soul, he will feel uncomfortable with you (perhaps even his conscience will awaken), and he will try to leave quickly, and next time not come at all.

Is there no free space? In that case, hang it up above the door. How?! Is there really a horseshoe talisman or other paraphernalia of an unbeliever already there? Better remove all talismans, the church does not approve of them.

Results

The original icon “The Unbreakable Wall” is located in St. Sophia Cathedral (Kyiv, Ukraine). But she has many healing copies, which can be worshiped in Russia. The most famous is rightfully considered to be the image from the Resurrection-Myrrh-Bearing Monastery (Russia, Nikolskoye village).
The main meaning of the image is indestructibility and protection from all sorts of troubles.
They pray to this icon to protect the house from thieves, fires and the evil eye. It is also believed that it can protect family members from illness and prevent people with bad intentions from entering the door.
We, ordinary Orthodox Christians, buy this icon not for a home iconostasis, but as protection for our home, hanging it in front of the entrance or giving it to people whom we want to protect from all adversity.

But the “Unbreakable Wall” is not the only significant icon in our country. I propose to learn about the twenty most revered Orthodox images. Are there a few more protective images among them? You will learn about this by watching this video:

Tell your fortune for today using the “Card of the Day” Tarot layout!
For correct fortune telling: focus on the subconscious and don’t think about anything for at least 1-2 minutes.
When you are ready, draw a card:

At the very difficult moments in life, believers, as well as many non-believers, hopefully resort to the help and intercession of the Higher Powers, find out where there are icons that work miracles that can cure various ailments, come to them with prayers and requests and receive according to their faith.

Among the many miracle-working icons, one can also name an image called the “Unbreakable Wall”. In addition to the fact that this icon, made using mosaic technique, is a real work of art, it is also an intercessor and healer. From the article you will learn the meaning of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon and how it helps.

History of the holy image and photo

This name has been decorating the altar vault of the Kyiv Sophia for almost ten centuries. However, researchers believe that its prototype is an even more ancient icon from the Blachernae Church of the Mother of God in the city of Constantinople, which is located on the wall of the altar and is called “Blachernitissa”.

Legend says that the glorification of the icon occurred after a vision shown to the monk Gabriel from the Spaso-Eleazar monastery in the Pskov region. The beautiful city that appeared before his mental eyes, located high on the mountain, beckoned, and the old man moved along the wide road, following the crowd of people walking along it.

Gabriel noticed, however, that his companions did not see the monstrous giant, literally hanging over those walking and throwing a snare-trap over them, dragging them away from the road. After all, he, too, can get into the network! What to do? Looking around, the elder saw a narrow and steep path very close to the dirt road.

It curled up right next to the sheer rock wall. People also walked along it. The monster tried to capture them with a trapping net, fortunately, without success: it simply hit the rock like a wall and bounced off it.

The rock evoked in the elder a vivid association with the words from the akathist to the Most Holy One, where She is compared to an indestructible wall. Realizing under whose protection the path was, he boldly stepped onto it, not even paying attention to the giant’s trap flashing overhead from time to time. All the way to the wonderful Great City, Gabriel prayed to the Mother of God, who, through the Unbreakable Wall of her protection, granted salvation to the righteous.

What does it mean?

The holy image, having been in one place for many centuries in the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral and remaining unharmed, survived fires and wars, natural disasters and fight against God. Both the city and the cathedral suffered from them, but the icon miraculously survived.

It is possible that it was precisely this resilience that instilled in the people faith in its ability not only to remain indestructible, but also to shelter those who ask for it, especially during enemy invasions and rampant elements.

What does the image look like? It is known that the “Oranta” type of iconography involves the image of the Intercessor of the world with her hands raised to heaven in a prayerful gesture. On the icon of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall” She, depicted in full height, stands on a golden base stone, which symbolizes reliability for all who ask for Her intercession.

The Mother of God's clothing consists of a blue chiton with a dark red belt and a lention attached to it - a towel with which the Comforter wipes the tears of the suffering. Throwed over her left shoulder, like an omophorion, is a golden veil that descends from Her head.

If we talk about the Kiev original, then along the entire length of the image, repeating the shape of the arc of the temple semi-vault, an inscription is laid out in a mosaic of black material - a slightly modified quote from the Psalter - in Greek, which in Russian translation reads like this: “in the middle of it; she will not hesitate: God will help her from early morning” (45, 6).

By the way, according to local legend, the former capital of Kievan Rus will not perish, and the Slavic peoples will prosper - as long as the Mother of God, called the Indestructible Wall, stretches out her hands over them, and the image remains unharmed.

What are they asking for?

Based on the history and biography of the shrine turn to her with prayers in such situations, When:

They want to troubles and illnesses bypassed the house and family.
They want protect the house from fire, robbers, just unkind people.
They dream of a strong, friendly family and life in it in peace and harmony.
A loved one gets sick Human.
Before going on the road(your own or one of your relatives).
wish that “those who are in a quarrel are reconciled”.
They want to protect themselves from enemy attack- both on a national scale and on the scale of a single apartment, curses and all sorts of other misfortunes.
Want to protect yourself from the threat of flooding, drought, fire, epidemics.

Miracles icons

The miraculous properties of the “Unbreakable Wall” image have been revealed on many occasions. Often, in a dream, the Heavenly Intercessor herself tells those who are suffering where and how to find her icon, in front of which they should offer a prayer. The following miracles have been documented:

At the beginning of this century the vision was one very elderly woman, who was at risk of blindness. The Mother of God consoled her, ordering her to pray in front of this icon, located in the village of Nikolskoye Astrakhan region, And The old woman's vision returned.
People were healed from cancer.
Received assistance with complex surgical interventions.
Parents have found, for a long time considered missing.
Husbands and wives reconciled, being on the verge of divorce, and subsequently led a pious family life.
The killer himself came to confess young girl.

A very interesting episode during the war was described by Archpriest and writer N. Agafonov in a documentary story called “The Unbreakable Wall.”

In the most brutal moments of the fighting, in particular on the Kursk Bulge, many fighters saw a figure standing with her hands raised to the sky. It seemed that she was covering the fighters. The author and his fighting friend survived in this inhuman meat grinder.

Years after the war, when the writer entered the temple to light a memorial candle for a friend who had already passed away, he literally froze in front of the image of the “Unbreakable Wall”: it was That Woman from the battlefield who kept them alive.

Where to look for the shrine?

The main “address” mentioned above is St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. Not many lists of the miraculous icon have survived to this day:

One of them was made in Kyiv’s “Sofia” and was delivered to Moscow in the century before last. Now it is placed in the Church of St. Apostles Peter and Paul (Lefortovo). They say that he appeared here during the dark times of theomachism, when churches and monasteries were closed throughout the country. When exactly and how this happened is not known for certain. People testify that the icon exudes amazing power.
Another copy was written from the Kyiv icon, which is preserved in Resurrection-Mironositsky Convent (village of Zubovka, Astrakhan region). In the atheistic era, the image was reliably hidden by one parishioner, and it was revealed to the world only in the second half of the last century. Miracles began to happen from him already in the new century. According to archival data, the icon was consecrated by the holy righteous John of Kronstadt.
A great number of believers are constantly observed in Kaliningrad - at the shrine, also made in mosaic technique and located in the chapel of the city cathedral.

Icon "Unbreakable Wall" monasteries are also dedicated. This:

Open for 15 years in Kuban Absheronsk Nunnery, bearing the name of the holy image with the same three-altar cathedral, where the icon is placed.
Five years ago, one pious family, in gratitude for the successful resolution of vital matters, built a church in the name of the icon of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall” in the village of Essentukskaya, in the Stavropol region.
Another modern religious building, the church, bears the same name. in Gaspra, near Yalta.

In all these temples the patronal feast day in honor of the shrine is celebrated a week after Trinity, on Sunday, called by the Church the Sunday of All Saints.

Where to hang it in the house?

The “Unbreakable Wall” - a helper and protector, like another Mother of God icon, the “Seven Arrows” - is traditionally located opposite the entrance to a house/apartment or above the front door.

The face of the Blessed Virgin Mary will be constantly turned towards those entering, and many people note: if a person comes to the house with not very good intentions or even thoughts about the owners, he will feel uncomfortable under the gaze of the Intercessor and will try to shorten the time of the visit.

There is a good tradition of giving this icon to family and friends - to protect from misfortunes and diseases.

Prayer

“Oh, our gracious Lady Theotokos, Ever-Virgin, accept from us this song of gratitude and offer up to our Creator and Creator your warm prayers for us unworthy, may He, the Merciful, forgive us all our sins, evil and unclean thoughts, nasty deeds.
Oh, Most Holy Lady, have mercy and send down a gift according to each need: heal the sick, comfort the sorrowing, bring the lost to reason, protect the infants, raise and teach the young, encourage and instruct men and wives, support and warm the old, be with us both here and in life eternal Wall, Indestructible, deliver us from all troubles and misfortunes and from eternal torment, and always singing Your Motherly love, we praise with all our hearts Your Son, with His Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen."