“Grant to everyone what is useful and save everything, Virgin Mary”
The celebration of the Most Holy Theotokos, in honor of Her icon, called “Kazan”, was established in gratitude for the deliverance of Moscow and all of Russia from the invasion of the Poles in 1612. The end of the sixteenth and beginning of the seventeenth centuries are known in the history of Russia as Time of Troubles. The country was attacked by Polish troops who mocked Orthodox faith, robbed and burned temples, cities and villages. They managed to capture Moscow by deception. At the call of His Holiness Patriarch Hermogenes, the Russian people stood up to defend their homeland. A miraculous image was sent from Kazan to the militia, which was headed by Prince Dimitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky Holy Mother of God.
Knowing that the disaster was caused by sins, the militia members imposed a three-day fast on themselves and turned in prayer to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother for heavenly help. The prayer was answered. From Saint Arseny (later Bishop of Suzdal), who was in captivity among the Poles, news came that it was revealed to him in a vision that God’s judgment would change to mercy, through the intercession of the Most Holy Virgin.
Inspired by the news, Russian troops took China Town by storm on October 22, 1612, almost completely establishing control over Moscow (the Poles locked themselves in the Kremlin and surrendered a month later to the mercy of the winner). In memory of this event, the celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was established.
Let us recall that the icon of the Mother of God was revealed in 1579 in Kazan, shortly before (in 1552) the capital of the Kazan Khanate conquered by Tsar Ivan the Terrible. The discovery of the icon took place with the direct participation of the holy martyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia (1606-12), at that time a parish priest, who compiled a troparion for the icon “The Zealous Intercessor.” He blessed the militia of Minin and Pozharsky to take as their Patroness the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, which was in the camp of their army.
The celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, established in memory of the first victory, was initially celebrated only in Moscow, but in 1649, by order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, in honor of the birth during all-night vigil under the Kazan heir Demetrius, it was ordered to “celebrate the Kazan icon in all cities in all years,” which has been done ever since. Immediately after the end of the Troubles, Prince Dmitry Pozharsky built a temple in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God on Red Square in Moscow, where a copy of the icon was placed. The original icon was kept in Kazan until 1904, when the shrine was stolen by attackers and its fate has since been unknown.
The idea to celebrate November 4 as National Unity Day was expressed by the Interreligious Council of Russia in September 2004. It was supported by the Duma Committee on Labor and social policy, and thus acquired the status of a Duma initiative. On September 29, 2004, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy publicly supported the Duma’s initiative to establish a celebration on November 4. “This day reminds us how in 1612 Russians of different faiths and nationalities overcame division, overcame a formidable enemy and led the country to a stable civil peace,” Patriarch Alexy said then.
On November 23, 2004, members of the Presidium of the Interreligious Council of Russia addressed the Chairman of the State Duma, Boris Gryzlov, with a request to consider the Council’s statement on the establishment of holiday dates November 4th. The Council supported the initiative to introduce a new holiday. The corresponding appeal, along with the text of the statement, was distributed in the Duma in connection with the consideration in the first reading of amendments to Labor Code of the Russian Federation related to the revision of holiday dates. “We believe that the day of the tragic division of Russia - November 7 - did not become a day of reconciliation and agreement,”- the appeal says. Members of the Interreligious Council of Russia believe that the events that followed “led to the death of millions of our fellow citizens, while the liberation of Moscow from foreign invaders in 1612 united the people and stopped the fratricidal bloodshed.” At the Duma meeting, the bill was adopted in the first reading. Only the communists opposed it.
Since 2005, National Unity Day has been celebrated annually.
Troparion of the Mother of God before Her Icon of Kazan (tone 4):
O zealous intercessor,/ Mother of the Lord Most High,/ pray for all of Thy Son, Christ our God,/ and cause all to be saved,/ to those who flee to Thy sovereign protection./ Intercede for all of us, O Lady Queen and Lady,/ those in adversity and sorrow , and in illness, burdened with many sins, / coming and praying to You / with a tender soul and a contrite heart, / before Your most pure image with tears, / and those who have irrevocable hope in You / deliverance from all evils. / Grant useful to everyone / and save everything, Virgin Mary // For You are the Divine protection of Your servant.
Kontakion of the Mother of God before Her Kazan Icon (tone 8):
Let us, people, come to this quiet and good refuge, / the quick Helper, the ready and warm salvation, the protection of the Virgin, / let us hasten to prayer and strive for repentance, / for the Most Pure Mother of God exudes unto us boundless mercies, / advances to our aid and delivers us from great troubles and evil // His well-behaved and God-fearing servants.
On November 4, the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God - one of the most beloved miraculous images of the Mother of God by the people.
The celebration of the Kazan Icon takes place on July 21 - in memory of the appearance of the icon in 1579 and November 4 - this is a holiday in honor of the day of the liberation of Moscow from the Poles in 1612. For a long time in Rus' this day was celebrated as a public holiday. The whole country glorified one of the most beloved images in Rus', the Kazan image of the Mother of God, who showed her miraculous intercession for Rus' during the Time of Troubles. In 1737, the revered image of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was transferred to the cathedral built in St. Petersburg (Kazan Cathedral). The Kazan Icon was in the militia led by Kuzma Minin and Prince Dimitry Pozharsky when Russian troops liberated the Kremlin and Moscow from the enemy. In memory of this event, the Kazan Cathedral was erected on Red Square, which was liquidated in the summer of 1936. A significant event was marked on November 4, 1993, when the restored Kazan Cathedral was opened in Moscow on Red Square.
History of the holiday of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God Overall very interesting. Let's start with the fact that this icon appeared absolutely miraculously in the city of Kazan at the end of the 6th century. But that's a completely different story. For now, we are interested in the history of the celebration of the Kazan Mother of God on November 4.
What do you know about this holiday and the events of that time? But not much, to be honest... So read with interest. This is our history, our faith.
A miracle of Russian history... From Baptism in the waters of the Dnieper to the disaster of 1917, our Fatherland followed the direct Christian path. Reminders from above about the proximity of the Kingdom of Heaven to Russia gave our ancestors spiritual support both in everyday concerns and in matters of sovereign service. Despite everything, this thousand-year heritage is inseparable from today.
Meanwhile, the eventual outline of Russian history is permeated with the light of God's Providence. This light is revealed dazzlingly brightly in its main, key moments and it comes from the miraculous icons of the Queen of Heaven.
The most important historical milestone in the life of our Fatherland was marked by the liberation of Moscow from the Poles in 1612. The Orthodox army then went to save Moscow with a prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos, hoping for help from Her Kazan Icon. The celebration of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan on October 22 (November 4) is connected with this event.
The terrible Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, the anointed of God, crowned king in the Moscow Kremlin in 1547 as Emperor of the Third Rome, was sent down from above great gifts for the sake of his sacred royal service. But at the height of this service, the sovereign forgot about its incompatibility with low earthly passions. The horrors and untruths of the reign of Ivan IV - right up to the villainous murders of the holy martyr Metropolitan Philip, and in direct connection with this - the decline of morality in the Orthodox people brought God's punishment - the royal family was cut off, and then the whole country was plunged into the abyss of disasters. The Russian land plunged into chaos.
Three years in a row - famine, plague, they were replaced by endless Civil War, received in national history short name - "Troubles". Impostors, four large ones - many small ones, Polish-Swedish intervention, moral collapse of the nation, and ultimately - complete state collapse. If it had not been for him, it is unknown how our history would have turned out.
From 1610 to 1612, Russia did not exist as a state. The Poles were allowed into Moscow by the then supporters of “ universal human values", the Russian North was captured by the Swedes, Polish-Russian-Tatar gangs scattered throughout the country, robbing everyone, regardless of religion and nationality.
During the years of the Troubles, many, too many Russian people lost the ability to distinguish true from false, good from evil, and all this time the lonely accusatory voice of St. Hermogenes, since 1606 - His Holiness Patriarch, sounded. He was considered too harsh, even harsh, but if you impartially evaluate the role of the Patriarch in those terrible and shameful events, an interesting thing becomes clear: the man who once blessed the people with the newfound image of the Kazan Mother of God did not make a single mistake in assessing people and situations, he is the only one He always knew exactly what to do, he was the only one who was not tempted even by seemingly saving compromises. Everyone who considered himself a patriot checked his actions according to the model created by Patriarch Hermogenes. Like an alarm bell, the voice of the eighty-year-old Saint sounded over the dying country, a voice carried by hundreds of letters copied by hand.
The foreigners decided to break the will of the ancient elder, most who spent his life in the feat of fasting... by hunger! Those who saw the Patriarch imprisoned in the monastery dungeon these days (nobleman Roman Pakhomov and townsman Rodion Moiseev) said that the Saint prayed before the image of the Mother of God, and tears continuously flowed from his old eyes. On February 17, 1612, His Holiness Patriarch Hermogenes died of hunger, but his calls were heard. The forces of the Second Militia moved towards Moscow (the first died in 1611), led by a simple Nizhny Novgorod butcher Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, who suffered from constantly opening untreated wounds.
There is a bitter Russian proverb that speaks of extreme need: “If you kill someone, the blood will not flow!” This is what Russia could say in the event of the death of the Second Militia. Minin and Pozharsky led the last crumbs of the country's healthy forces. Death was on the heels - assassination attempts were constantly being made on the leaders - death lay ahead: the traitorous Cossacks conspired with the Poles to jointly stab the militia in the back. The last hours of Russia's life were inexorably shortening - the selected royal army, led by Hetman Khodkevich, was in a hurry to unite with the Poles entrenched in Moscow. Too many “accidents” had to coincide for the work of the holy martyr and miracle worker His Holiness Patriarch Hermogenes to be crowned with success...
During his lifetime, the Saint managed to order that the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God be brought to the militia. Minin and Pozharsky prayed before her; she accompanied the warriors on the campaign. On August 14, 1612, the militia stopped at the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, waiting for the stragglers. On August 18, the day the militia set out for Moscow, a prayer service was served, immediately after which the wind suddenly changed: from a strong headwind it became a strong tailwind.
The chronicle story reports that the riders could barely stay in their saddles due to the wind at their backs, but everyone’s faces were joyful, promises to die for the house of the Most Pure Mother of God were heard everywhere. The militia barely had time to approach Moscow and get ready for battle when Khodkevich appeared. On August 22, a battle broke out, the main events of which took place not far from the walls of the Novodevichy Convent. In the most difficult battle, the militia retreated, the blow of the Polish cavalry was especially terrible - of course, the famous “winged hussars”, the best armored cavalry in Europe! But here the traitor Cossacks standing at a distance could not stand it, whose leaders had not yet decided which side to take. At first, a few, then hundreds after hundreds, without listening to the commanders, they went over to Pozharsky’s side, and the influx of fresh forces decided the matter. Khodkevich was defeated and driven back from Moscow.
But look at what a unique intersection we get again. IN Nizhny Novgorod A second militia is formed, troops are gathered from all over Rus', from the northeastern region.
And the army comes from Kazan - bringing with them a list of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
And this icon becomes the guide of the second militia.
Under the icon, the second militia marches on Moscow and wins all its victories. Therefore, it is natural that on October 22, 1612, the question arises that it is necessary to storm Kitay-Gorod.
Everyone who sits in the Kremlin (and it’s not just Poles and Lithuanians, there are also Swedes, and Swiss, and Germans, and all kinds of mercenaries there) is scared. The main thing for the militia is to take Kitai-Gorod, because the strongest wall is in Kitai-Gorod.
And the Kremlin will surrender on its own, there are no more questions there. There is no food. At the same time, the Kremlin was already eating each other... They were eating rats. Okay, the rats ate each other. The fact is that when they entered the Kremlin, there was horror there. There were barrels of salted by human hands, legs, pieces of the body. They ate human flesh.
Historians have a concept in this regard – where did Ivan the Terrible’s library disappear to? There is an opinion that it was eaten during the occupation of the occupier, because there was mostly parchment there, and it is edible. A message on parchment from Queen Elizabeth of England to Ivan the Terrible has survived to this day - and it appears to have a piece gnawed out in the middle. Either burnt or chewed out. If the rats chewed it up, then nothing. God knows...
So here it is. The militia had to take Kitay-Gorod. The entire army of the second militia prays on the night of October 22 to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
And at this time a miracle happens. The Mother of God appears and says that tomorrow Moscow will be saved.
On October 22, the city was taken by the militia, three days later the Kremlin surrendered. That's it, the troubles for Moscow are over, Moscow is liberated!
Expulsion of Poles from the Kremlin
Who helped? Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
Therefore, the first thing Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky does when he comes to his senses and more or less gets his affairs in order is build the Kazan Cathedral on Red Square.
Therefore, from that time on, Mikhail Fedorovich venerates the Kazan Icon along with the Fedorov Icon, which he accepted, under which he was informed that he had become a king. And she was revered as the guardian of the Romanov family.
The Kazan icon is revered as the great Russian intercessor. A lot of Kazan churches are being built. And later, in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, three main icons in every home every simple peasant is the Savior, Nikola the Pleasant and the Kazan Mother of God.
It’s amazing that this image has become popular just like St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Peter I prayed before him, preparing to speak at Battle of Poltava; Kutuzov prayed in front of her.
The Kazan icon was amazing. Unfortunately, the original was apparently destroyed. It was kept in Kazan, in 1904 it was stolen and, probably, destroyed then. A lot of lists of those revered have been preserved.
Nothing and no one on Earth lives without water - lake, river, rain, spring. Although needed by everyone without exception, water can still be different. Sometimes God gives sources healing power, and then water not only nourishes, but renews strength and restores health. These healing springs and springs can be hot, have a special taste, color and chemical composition. The beast - by instinct and man - find this water with the mind, and with it - the mercy of the Creator. Why some springs are ordinary and others are miraculous, the One who created heaven and earth and everything that is in them knows.
We see the same thing with icons. A lot of them. In churches and dwellings, large and small, ancient and new, they look at us through the eyes of Christ, the Mother of God, and saints. And through some of them God is pleased to work miracles and show mercy. So He decided, and it was He Himself who made the election. Why this image, and not another, and why now, and not earlier or not later, is also His will. This is the Kazan icon.
Her veneration connects us with persons and events. The main personality is Patriarch Ermogen, defender of the Fatherland and martyr. While still just a priest, he became an eyewitness to miracles from the newly appeared icon. He became a describer of these miracles and the creator of the troparion to the Theotokos: O zealous Intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High, pray for all Your Son Christ our God, and cause all to be saved...
And the main event is the turmoil. There is nothing to compare it with, except perhaps the revolution of 1917 and the subsequent series of nightmares. Habitually complaining about life and expressing dissatisfaction with everything in the world, we can hardly imagine what the turmoil of the interregnum was like, when the Rurikovichs were stopped and the Romanovs had not yet appeared, when a huge country, like a wounded animal, fell into the teeth of countless jackals. Jackals have no pity.
The peasant then does not plow, because the harvest will be taken away anyway. The merchant does not go out onto the road because he will be robbed. Villages then become empty and the roofs of abandoned houses sag. Dogs in empty villages and hamlets at this time have no one to bark at. Rulers change so quickly that people do not have time to remember their names. Kissing the cross for allegiance to first one, then another, then a third, people completely cease to feel the sanctity of the oath and the kiss of the cross. Everything is profaned and devalued. Life becomes a toy, and no one buries abandoned corpses. The first to be corrupted are those who are closer to power, who are immersed in intrigue. Those who sit on two chairs and dream of a crown, but tremble for their own skin. They become cynics, and the defenseless people stop trusting anyone. And now the henchmen of the Polish king wear the Monomakh hat, and in the Kremlin they sing the Liturgy in Latin.
The way out of the turmoil was miraculous and unpredictable in advance. The people organized themselves, became inspired and, forming into regiments, went to liberate Belokamennaya - the House of the Most Holy Theotokos. The leaders were the most unexpected, just as the winner of Goliath, David, was once unexpected. On banners and icons the Face of the Mother of God walked ahead of the people's army.
The saints, among whom was Abba Sergius, appeared to Hermogenes, who was dying of hunger in the monastery basement, and said that through the intercession of the Mother of God, the judgment of the Fatherland had been transferred to mercy.
There is obviously some answer to our frequent questions and perplexities. After all, there is overseas bondage, there is a tired man, there are deserted villages. There is also the cynicism of nobles, not those who love the country, which is ruled, and ready, if it is necessary to listen to another service in an unfamiliar language. (This is if necessary, otherwise it’s better to do without services)
But there is also the Mother of God. People have love for Her. There is also Her prayer to the Son, as sometimes in Cana of Galilee. There She said: “They have no wine.” Now he says, perhaps: “They have no mind. They have no willpower. They have no love. Their faith is weak." And just as then water became delicious wine after Mary’s request, so today nothing will prevent cowardice from changing into courage, petty selfishness into nobility, and stupidity into wisdom.
If, of course, She prays.
If, of course, we ask Her about it.
Come, you people of Christ, to the pure spring and draw and drink healing water for nothing. This is not water from a tap, but a healing spring that began to flow and did not stop by the will of God.
Grant useful things to everyone and save everything, Virgin Mary. For You are the Divine protection of Your servant.
Archpriest Andrey Tkachev
Do you know?
That on March 13, 2011, the Week of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, at the end of the liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presented the head of Roscosmos Anatoly Perminov with the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
“I would like this image to be taken on board the spacecraft during the anniversary flight. God bless you,” said the Primate, blessing the cosmonauts present in the church.
“Let the Cover of the Most Pure Queen of Heaven extend over our troubled world, torn by contradictions, in which there is so much sorrow and human grief,” said the Patriarch. “In this sense, Russian cosmonauts, in addition to their very complex and important professional duties, will also carry out some kind of spiritual mission.”
On April 7, 2011, the Yuri Gagarin spacecraft delivered the icon to the International space station. Now the icon is stored in the Russian segment of the station.
There are also very interesting signs for the feast of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God.
Kazanskaya without rain - the year will be difficult. People said that on this day the Mother of God prays and cries for all people. She begs the Lord God for forgiveness for people and asks that our lives be easier, that the harvest next year be good, and that there be no famine. That's why it always rains on Kazanskaya. Well, if there is no rain on Kazanskaya, then next year will be very difficult. And you can’t count on a good harvest at all.
It will rain on Kazanskaya in the morning, and by the evening the snow lies in drifts. E that day has always been considered the boundary betweenin autumn and winter. Besides, people said that before Kazanskaya it is not yet winter, and after Kazanskaya it is no longer autumn. Every peasant knew for sure that if it rained in the morning that day, then by the evening expect such a cold snap that the rain would gradually turn into snow. Of course, not all regions of Russia had snow that fell on that day for a long time. But the fact remains that, although not for long, there will be snow.
The history of the acquisition of the miraculous image
The film tells about the miraculous discovery of a revered shrine on Kazan land in the 16th century - the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, and its subsequent mysterious disappearance in 1904, and also gives an original interpretation of these events.
The film “The Holy Sign of Russia” tells about the 4 most known lists from the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, which, by the way, also worked miracles. The idea of the film is this: it doesn’t matter where the icon is located now, which was found by the Kazan girl Matrona in the 16th century. Miraculous copies from the icon form the Holy Protection of Russia, and over time new shrines are opened.
The mystery of the missing icon. Kazanskaya (2008)
Movie information
Name: The mystery of the missing icon. Kazanskaya
Release year: 2008
A country: Russia
Genre: Documentary
Director: Andrey Grachev
About the film: The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God enjoys unprecedented veneration in Russia. It is an unshakable reminder of the mercy of the Mother of God to the Russian land, of intercession in the most difficult years and trials for Russia. At the beginning of the 20th century, the icon disappeared under mysterious circumstances, and long years nothing was known about its existence. The icon of the Mother of God appeared in Kazan in 1579. Her true age and previous history are unknown. To this day, no one knows who wrote it or whether it was written by a human being.
November 4th is a holiday celebrated in the Orthodox ChurchKazan Icon of the Mother of God.
The feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is celebrated twice a year: on July 21 - in memory of the appearance of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in Kazan - and on November 4, in gratitude for the deliverance of Moscow and all of Russia from the invasion of the Poles in 1612.
The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is one of the most revered in Russia. Of the many icons of the Mother of God revered in Russian Orthodox Church, none is distributed in as many lists as Kazan.
history of the holiday
The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God has a very interesting story. It was found in 1579 by a nine-year-old girl in the ashes of a terrible fire that destroyed part of the city of Kazan.
The fire in Kazan started in the house of the merchant Onuchin. After the fire, the Mother of God appeared to the merchant’s daughter Matrona in a dream and revealed to her that under the ruins of their house there was her miraculous image buried in the ground.
It still remains a mystery how the shrine fell into ruins. It is believed that it was buried by secret confessors of Christianity during Tatar rule.
At first they did not pay attention to the girl’s words, but when the dream repeated itself three times, they began to dig and found an icon of amazing beauty in the ashes. The holy image, despite the fire, looked as if it had just been painted.
The image was solemnly transferred to the parish church of St. Nicholas of Tula, the rector of which was then the pious priest, the future Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Hermogenes.
The future saint, who died at the hands of the Poles for his fidelity to Orthodoxy and was canonized, compiled a detailed account of the miracles of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
The fact that the icon was miraculous became clear immediately, since already during the procession the sight was restored to two Kazan blind people. These miracles were the first in a long list of cases of grace-filled help.
At the site where the icon was found, a convent was subsequently founded, where Matrona and her mother took monastic vows.
So by the time difficult times came in Russia, the icon of the Kazan Mother of God was no longer just known, but also very revered.
At the turn of the 16th-17th centuries, a series of tragic circumstances occurred in Russia and this era went down in history as the Time of Troubles. This is the era of the deep crisis of the Moscow state, caused by the suppression of the royal Rurik dynasty.
The dynastic crisis soon developed into a national-state crisis. The united Russian state collapsed, and numerous impostors appeared. Widespread robberies, robbery, theft, and widespread drunkenness struck the country.
At the call of His Holiness Patriarch Hermogenes, the Russian people stood up to defend their homeland. A list was sent from Kazan to the Nizhny Novgorod people's militia, which was headed by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin miraculous icon The Most Holy Theotokos - Kazan.
The militia, having learned about the miracles performed by the icon, took it with them and constantly prayed in front of it, asking for help. They liberated Kitay-Gorod on October 22 (November 4, new style), and two days later they took the Kremlin. The next day, Russian soldiers went to the Kremlin with a religious procession with a miraculous image in their hands.
How to celebrate
On this day, all people went to church, where they prayed for their homeland, for their loved ones and relatives, so that there would be peace and tranquility in families.
After the liturgy, all believers went to a religious procession - with icons in their hands, they walked around cities and villages, which symbolized the protection of the settlement from harm. Today they are limited to walking along the main streets or just around the church.
Young girls who have not yet found a betrothed can try their luck at Kazanskaya and greet the grooms. According to legend, you need to go to a birch tree, find a leaf on the tree or near it, covered with frost on both sides, and look at it as if in a mirror.
It is also customary to have weddings on Kazanskaya. According to folk signs, a family created on this day will be happy, and family life– long.
In the old days, women believed that on this day the Mother of God helped them. There were many protective rituals that women used on this day.
Eg, birch leaf gives beauty and protects from old age. To do this, early in the morning on the holiday, women went to a birch grove, where they looked for leaves covered with frost. Having torn off a piece of paper, they looked at it as if in a mirror. It was believed that after this the face would become clearer and younger, and the woman would look beautiful throughout the next year.
Feast of Our Lady of Kazan: what not to do
The Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God is not a Twelfth Day church holidays, so work is not prohibited. However, believers who revere this holy image know that on this day it is still better to go to church, pray, and not take on urgent and important matters or wash and clean. It is even believed that hard work on this day does not produce significant results.
In addition, on the day of veneration of the Kazan Mother of God, it is not recommended to quarrel, cry, be sad or regret the past.
On this holiday, it is customary to invite guests, friends and relatives to the table to share food with them in a relaxed, relaxed atmosphere. Thanks to this, people are filled with joy and good mood.
O Most Pure Lady Theotokos, Queen of heaven and earth, supreme angel and the Archangel and all creatures, the most honest, pure Virgin Mary, the Good Helper of the world, and affirmation for all people, and deliverance for all needs! You are our intercessor and representative, you are protection for the offended, joy for the grieving, refuge for the orphans, guardian for widows, glory for virgins, joy for those who cry, visitation for the sick, healing for the weak, salvation for sinners. Have mercy on us, Mother of God, and fulfill our request, for everything is possible through Your intercession: for glory befits You now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Every year on November 4, believers celebrate the great Orthodox holiday dedicated to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. On this day, prayers read in front of the shrine of the Mother of God have special power. They are capable of creating real miracles.
First prayer:
“Oh, Holy Mother of God! With hope and bright feelings I bring my prayer to You. Do not turn Your gaze away from those who pray to You. Hear our words, O merciful Virgin. Pray before the Lord and before Your Son Jesus Christ for our mistakes and sinful deeds. Don’t let our country fall in the battle for a free life. Do not let soldiers die in war in bloody and dishonorable battles. Protect our homes from evil spirits and quarrels. Do not let us indulge in grief, sadness and despondency. Give us the strength to move forward and live our lives in health, happiness and joy. Fill our hearts with love, loyalty and courage! And never leave us, O Blessed Virgin! May we praise Your Great Name. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".
Second prayer:
“Oh, great Mother of God, Protector and Benefactor of Christians. You are the Queen of heavenly souls and the Mistress of humanity living on the sinful earth. You pray for us, thanks to You the Lord gives us repentance and His blessing. Hear our prayers now, for we pray to You before Your Holy Image. Do not leave our souls without Your light and warmth! Fill our hearts with virtue. Drive away malice and deceit, lies and hatred from our lives. Become a talisman for our children, illuminate them life path righteousness. Our refuge is in You. Oh, Most Pure Virgin, we glorify You, we bow our knees before You, we pray to You and we honor You, Great Intercessor. Don't leave us without help. Heal from mental and physical illnesses. Guide me on the right path. Do not leave in terrible moments. In You is our defense, in You is our road to the Kingdom of God. We never your name We will not stop chanting and praising. May the will of the Lord be done. From now on and forever and ever. Amen. Amen. Amen".
On this bright holiday in honor of the great Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, every person has a chance to stand on Right way and change your life for the better, gaining the support of the Mother of God, letting Her into your heart. It is enough just to offer sincere prayers before the face of the Holy Virgin, filling every word with goodness, love and faith. We wish you a bright and clean holiday, take care of yourself and don't forget to press the buttons and
National Unity Day. History and meaning of the holiday
IN church calendar
a lot of holidays in honor of the Mother of God icons: Kazan, Vladimir, Tikhvin and others. In honor of Icons of the Kazan Mother of God There are two holidays: 21 July(July 8, old style) - in honor of the acquisition, And November 4(October 22, old style) - in honor of the deliverance of Moscow from the Poles. On November 4, the Church and citizens of Russia celebrate the autumn (winter) Kazan festival - a holiday in honor of Kazan Icon of the Virgin Mary“deliverance for the sake of the reigning city of Moscow.”
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Ministry of Internal Affairs conducted several investigations related to the “Old Believer trace” in the case of the Kazan Icon. Several times it seemed that the image was about to be discovered. There were witnesses who allegedly saw the icon in a secret underground prayer room and even participated in its movement. Thus, a certain prisoner Torshilov told investigators: “... the icon of the Kazan Mother of God is intact and is kept by the Old Believers in the prayer room, but it is very, very strictly guarded, so it is very difficult to take the icon from the prayer room.” But a thorough check of such testimony indicated the inconsistency of the information.
These rumors, however, have survived to this day. Relatively recently, journalists asked questions about the fate of the Kazan Icon to Metropolitans of the Russian Orthodox Church (Gusev) and (Chetvergov). Perhaps this is just a legend, but the Old Believers really revered and still reverence Kazanskaya. Almost every home has this image. And the procession with the miraculous Guslitsky icon continued even in the 60-70s.
Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Divine service
It is believed that it is Patriarch Hermogenes wrote the holiday service apparition of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. « Zealous Intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High, pray for all Your Son, Christ our God...“- says the troparion for the holiday.
Troparion, tone 4
O zealous intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High, pray for everyone to Your Son, Christ our God, and grant to all those who seek refuge in Your sovereign protection to be saved. And intercede for all of us, O Lady Queen and Lady, who, in adversity and sorrow, and in illness, are burdened with many sins, coming and praying with a tender soul and a contrite heart, to Your most pure image, miraculous icons with tears, and those who have irrevocable hope in You, get rid of all evils. And grant useful things to everyone, and save everything to the Virgin Mary. For You are the Divine protection of Your servant.
Kontakion, tone 8
People come to this quiet and good refuge, the quick Helper, the ready and warm salvation of the Virgin’s cover. Let us hasten to prayer and strive to repent. The Most Pure Mother of God exudes abundant mercy for us, comes to our aid, and delivers Her well-behaved and God-fearing servants from great troubles and evils.
Folk traditions of the holiday of the Kazan Icon of the Virgin Mary
Holiday Kazan Icon of the Mother of God always been important date in the folk calendar. This day was considered the boundary between autumn and winter. People said: “Go to Kazanskaya on wheels, and put the runners in the cart,” “Mother Kazanskaya leads a snow-free winter, shows the way to the frosts,” “It’s not winter before Kazanskaya, but it’s not autumn from Kazanskaya.”
During this period, the peasants ran out of seasonal construction works. In the old days, the Autumn Kazanskaya was always the deadline for settlements, the agreement “To Kazanskaya - settlement!” no one dared to disturb, they were also afraid of the coming cold weather.
The holiday of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God is considered one of the most important women's holidays. The Kazan icon has long been considered a female intercessor. Belated weddings were also timed to coincide with this holiday, as there was an ancient belief: “Whoever marries Kazanskaya will be happy.”
Icons of the Kazan Mother of God
Icon of the Kazan Mother of God- one of the most revered, belongs to the Hodegetria type, which means “showing the way.” According to legend, the prototype of this icon was painted Apostle Luke. The main dogmatic meaning of this icon is the appearance into the world of the “heavenly King and Judge.” The Mother of God is depicted with her breasts up, in characteristic clothes, with her head slightly tilted towards the Child. The Child Christ is presented strictly from the front, the figure is limited to the waist. On the icon revealed in Kazan, Christ blesses with two fingers, but in some later copies there is a naming finger. Most often, the Kazan Icon is asked for deliverance from eye disease, invasion of foreigners and help in Hard times.
Temples in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Rus'
In honor of the discovery of the holy image of the Mother of God in 1579, by decree of Ivan the Terrible, a Kazan Bogoroditsky Monastery. The first nun, and then the abbess of this monastery, was Matrona Onuchina (who took the name Martha) and her mother. First, a log church was founded - the predecessor of a large stone cathedral, which was erected in 1595. In the post-revolutionary period, the cathedral shared the fate of most church buildings: at first it was nationalized and used for economic needs, and then blown up. And now, in 2016, work begins on its reconstruction.
Soon after the victory over the Poles, a Temple in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The “Historical Guide to Moscow” (1796) states that this temple, then still wooden, was built in 1625 at the expense of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. Earlier sources know nothing about this church, which allegedly burned down in 1634. What followed was a very complex construction history of the Kazan Cathedral. Kazan Cathedral- the first of those completely lost in Soviet time churches of Moscow, which was recreated in its original forms. It is worth noting that the Kazan Cathedral played a significant role in the history of the Old Believers: it was here that he served as rector Archpriest John Neronov, and later came to him Archpriest Avvakum.
In 1649, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich issued a decree establishing church-wide veneration of the image of the Mother of God revealed in Kazan. The consequence of this decree was the construction of a brick church in the Yaroslavl convent, as well as Church of the Icon of the Kazan Mother of God in Kolomenskoye- a village near Moscow, where there was a wooden royal palace. This five-domed brick church, decorated with a hipped bell tower, has survived to this day almost unchanged.
Old Believer churches in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
Twice a year, in summer and autumn, ceremonial services are held in Old Believer churches. Many of them were consecrated in honor of this holiday. First of all, these are the Belokrinitskaya, Pomorskaya and Fedoseevskaya communities of Kazan.
Patronal feast day today in the communities of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church in, villages and the Temple in the name of the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Old Believer convent in the village. Kunicha (Moldova)
As an epilogue, we present the poem “To the Most Holy Theotokos,” written by nun Livia from the village of Russkaya Tavra:
***
You-Heavenly Queen
And the archangels Kras,
IN new Age You are the Guide
Bridge from earth to heaven.
As we search, we will find
You and I are the answer to the soul,
You are joy and peace to those who mourn,
And in the darkness there is Light for the lost.
From above with a merciful gaze
You always look at us,
You will give help in prayer soon
And you will console me in a bitter hour.
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