Theotokos sign. Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign”: what it helps with

Icon Mother of God“The Sign,” now located in the Novgorod St. Sophia Cathedral, became famous in the 12th century, when Vladimir-Suzdal, in alliance with the princes of Smolensk, Polotsk, Ryazan, Murom and others (more than 70 princes in total), sent his son Mstislav to conquer Veliky Novgorod. In the winter of 1170 the city was besieged.

The Novgorodians, seeing the terrible strength of the enemy and exhausted in the unequal struggle, placed all their hope in the Lord and the Most Holy Theotokos. According to legend, Saint John, Archbishop of Novgorod, heard a voice in the altar of St. Sophia Cathedral commanding him to take an icon from the Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyin Street Holy Mother of God and raise it to the city walls.

When the icon was being moved, the enemies allowed in procession a cloud of arrows, and one of them pierced the face of the Virgin Mary. Tears flowed from the eyes of the Most Pure One, and the icon turned its face to the city. By this miracle, the image of the Mother of God gave the besieged a sign (sign) that the Queen of Heaven was praying before Her Son for the deliverance of the city. After such a Divine sign, the enemies were suddenly attacked by inexplicable horror, they began to beat each other, and the Novgorodians, encouraged by the Lord, fearlessly rushed into battle and won.

In memory of the miraculous intercession of the Queen of Heaven, Archbishop Elijah then established a holiday in honor of the Sign of the Mother of God, which is still celebrated by the entire Russian Church on December 10 (November 27, O.S.).

Some images of the Sign, in addition to the Mother of God with the Eternal Child, also depict the miraculous events of 1170, as we can see in the famous Novgorod icon of the mid-15th century, depicting the battle of the Novgorodians with the Suzdalians, which served as a model for other icons on this topic.

For about two centuries after the appearance of the sign, the miraculous image was in the same Church of the Transfiguration on Ilyin Street. In 1352, those affected by the plague received their prayers before this icon. A few years later, in gratitude for the numerous good deeds performed by the Mother of God, the icon was triumphantly transferred from the Church of the Transfiguration to the Church of the Holy Transfiguration, erected in 1354. new temple Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos, which later became the cathedral of the Znamensky Monastery.

The icon also helped the Novgorodians in 1611, when the Swedes captured the city. The enemy rushed into the church where services were being held at open doors, but an invisible force threw the enemy back. After this was repeated several times, the Swedes retreated from the temple, and soon left Novgorod altogether.

Iconography

The Novgorod Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign” is a bust-length image of the Most Holy Theotokos, prayerfully raising Her hands. On Her chest against the background of a round sphere is the blessing Divine Child - the Savior-Emmanuel. In his left hand, Christ holds a scroll - a symbol of teaching. On the margins of the icon are presented Saints George, Jacob of Persia, hermits Peter of Athos and Onuphrius (or).

The iconographic type of the Mother of God with raised arms and the young Christ in a medallion on her chest is one of the very first iconographic images of Her and goes back to the ancient famous image of the Blachernae Church in Constantinople - the Mother of God Blachernitissa. Other greek names of this iconographic type - the Mother of God “Episkepsis”, “Platitera” - “broader of heaven”, “Megali Panagia”, called in Rus' “Great Panagia” or “Oranta”. “Our Lady of the Sign” is a shortened version of the one presented in full height“Great Panagia”, its feature is the half-length image of the Mother of God.

The ancient Byzantine type of the Mother of God with raised arms and the image of the Eternal Child in a circle on her chest has examples in early Christian art. For example, in the tomb of St. Agnes in Rome there is an image of the Mother of God with her arms outstretched in prayer and with the Child sitting on Her lap. This image dates back to the 4th century. In addition, the ancient Byzantine image of the Mother of God “Nicopeia”, 6th century, is known, where the Most Holy Theotokos is depicted sitting on a throne and holding in front of her with both hands an oval shield with the image of the Savior Emmanuel.

In Rus', icons of the Mother of God, representing this iconographic type, appeared in the 11th - XII centuries, and began to be called “The Sign” after a miracle from the Novgorod image, which, by the way, was the earliest example of this iconographic type among icons. These images could differ significantly from their Novgorod prototype. Thus, in the Yaroslavl icon of Oranta “Great Panagia” (circa 1224, Tretyakov Gallery), the Mother of God is presented in full growth, and an eagle rug is written under her feet, a not often encountered detail that reveals the liturgical aspect of this image.

On another ancient icon of the early 13th century from Yaroslavl - “Our Lady of the Incarnation”, in contrast to the Novgorod “Sign”, the Child blesses with two outstretched hands. What distinguishes “Our Lady of the Incarnation” from the “Sign”, which is similar in nature, is the absence of a medallion around the half-figure of the Child Christ. These iconographic features of the two ancient types were preserved in all icon lists, as well as in images on church utensils and in facial embroidery.

The image of the Mother of God with raised hands and the Savior Emmanuel on her chest was often placed on the doors of the artos panagia, as well as in the main apse of the altar, which indicates the symbolic connection of the image with the sacrament of the Eucharist (in Rus' - the image of the Mother of God in the apse of the Church of the Savior on Nereditsa in 1199).

The iconographic type of the Mother of God “The Sign” correlated with the theme of the miraculous sign of the Incarnation of Christ, which is described in the prophecy of Isaiah (Is. 7.14): “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: behold, a virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel.”, quoted in the Gospels (Matt. I:23, Luke I:31) and hymnography ( "And Your womb was the most spacious of heaven"- this is how the Mother of God is called in the Akathist). The quoted words reveal the mystery of the Incarnation, the birth of the Savior from the Virgin. At the moment of contemplating the icon, the Holy of Holies, the inner Mary, is revealed to the prayer, in the depths of which the God-Man is conceived by the Holy Spirit.

The iconography of the “Sign” also reflected the tradition of the Blachernae miraculous image, which exuded agiasma, holy water. In turn, the marble icon of Blachernae was associated with the cult of the robe of the Mother of God, since it was located in close proximity to the reliquary with the robe. It was in front of this marble icon that the emperor took a bath after venerating the sacred robe of the Mother of God.

The motive for venerating the robe of the Mother of God in Blachernae is reflected in one Novgorod custom, recorded in the 17th century: every year on July 2, the day of placing the robe of the Mother of God in Blachernae, a procession was carried out with the miraculous icon of the “Sign” to the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God in the Animal Monastery.

On the reverse side of the “Sign” icon, two saints are depicted stretching out their hands in prayer before the blessing Christ, represented in a segment of the sky. Marginal images are the holy martyrs Catherine (left) and Evdokia (right), Pope Clement and St. Nikolai Mirlikiysky. In the center, above Christ, is Etymasia, “The Prepared Throne.”

For a long time it was believed that the praying saints were the Apostle Peter and the Martyr Natalia, painted in honor of possible customers of the icon. This interpretation of images has been known since the second half of the 16th century: this is how the saints are named on the copy miraculous icon, located in the church of St. Nikita on Molotkov in Novgorod. However, the assumed identification, as was well proven by E.S. Smirnova in his article seems unlikely.

St. Joachim and Anna

On the back of the Novgorod icon, most likely, the parents of the Virgin Mary are depicted in prayer before the Savior for the granting of a child to them. In Byzantine art of the 11th-12th centuries. images of the Holy Fathers of God are found extremely often and the most typical location of their figures is near certain images of the Virgin Mary (mosaics of Nea Moni, 1042-1056, mosaics of the Church of the Assumption in Nicaea, 1065-1067, Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem, ca. 1169 g., etc.).

The cross-cutting idea that unites both compositions of the Novgorod icon has two semantic layers, which can be conditionally called “historical” and “Eucharistic”. That is, on the one hand, the images of Joachim and Anna are reminiscent of real historical people, who gave the world the Mother of God, but also their presence in the icon is interpreted as the personification of the entire human race, awaiting salvation. The Holy Fathers of God are both the givers of the guarantee of Salvation and the recipients of its grace.

Style

Stylistic features of painting of the 12th century. are reflected in the icon quite clearly: in the emotionality of the faces, in the contrast of depressions and protruding parts of the relief, in the stylization of lines, in the schematism of the contours of figures and lines of draperies, which is especially noticeable in the composition on the reverse side. This schematism of form, spiritual openness expressed in the faces, gave the basis to V.N. Lazarev considered the icon as a reflection of local, indigenous artistic traditions, in contrast to the Grecophile movements characteristic of the 12th century.

Revered miracle-working lists from icons

(1295) – celebration on September 8/21, November 27/December 10 (1295) and on the 9th Friday after Easter, March 8/21 (1898 list).

Troparion, tone 4

Like an insurmountable wall and a source of miracles, / having acquired Thee, Thy servants, Most Pure Mother of God, / we overthrow the resistant militias. / We also pray to Thee, / grant peace to our fatherland // and great mercy to our souls.

Kontakion, tone 4

Come, faithful ones, let us brightly celebrate / the miraculous appearance of the all-honorable image of the Mother of God / and from this we draw grace, / let us most tenderly cry out: // Rejoice, Mary Theotokos, Blessed Mother of God.

Prayer

O Most Holy and Most Blessed Mother of our Sweetest Lord Jesus Christ! We fall down and worship You before Your holy, miraculous icon, remembering the wondrous sign of Your intercession, which was revealed to the great Novegrad during the days of the military invasion of this city. We humbly pray to You, O All-Powerful Intercessor of our family: just as in ancient times You hastened to help our fathers, so now we, weak and sinners, have been made worthy of Your maternal intercession and care. Save and preserve, O Lady, under the cover of Your mercy, the Holy Church, Your city (Your abode), our entire Orthodox country and all of us who fall to You with faith and love, tenderly asking with tears for Your intercession. Hey, Madam All-Merciful! Have mercy on us, overwhelmed by many sins, stretch out Thy God-receiving hand to Christ the Lord and intercede for us before His goodness, asking us forgiveness of our sins, a pious peaceful life, a good Christian death and a good answer at His terrible Judgment, yes, we are saved by Thy almighty to Through His prayers, we will inherit the bliss of heaven and with all the saints we will sing the Most Honorable and Magnificent Name of the Most Worshipful Trinity, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, and Your great mercy to us forever and ever. Amen.

Notes:

For more details on the traditions of the Blachernae cult of the Mother of God, see - Etingof O.E. TO early history icons of the “Vladimir Mother of God” and the traditions of the Blachernae cult of the Mother of God in Rus' in the 11th-13th centuries. // Image of the Mother of God. Essays on Byzantine iconography of the 11th-13th centuries. – M.: “Progress-Tradition”, 2000, and also – Smirnova E.S. Novgorod icon “Our Lady of the Sign”: some questions of the Mother of God iconography of the 12th century. // Old Russian art. Balkans. Rus. – St. Petersburg: “Dmitry Bulanin”, 1995.

Smirnova E.S. Novgorod icon “Our Lady of the Sign”: some questions of the Mother of God iconography of the 12th century. ...

History remembers many cases when images and relics of saints worked miracles and helped overcome serious illnesses and others life difficulties. That is why Orthodox people pay considerable attention to religious attributes. One of these is considered to be the icon “The Sign of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. How does it help and how to properly approach the image?

Description

This icon dates back to the 12th century. The author is not exactly known. The Mother of God is depicted in a traditional maforia with her hands raised in prayer (Oranta iconographic type). On her chest is a baby - Jesus Christ. Our Lady is standing. Original image is two-sided. The reverse contains images of the righteous Anna and Joachim, who are in prayer before Jesus Christ. Initially it was decorated with a golden chasuble with precious stones.

Four centuries after its creation, the “Sign” icon was restored. The master was supposedly Archbishop Macarius (future Metropolitan of Moscow). Then from ancient painting Only fragments of the Virgin's clothing have survived. The reverse side remains unchanged. Currently, the image is in the St. Sophia Cathedral (Novgorod).

Story

According to sources, in 1170, Suzdal troops led by Andrei Bogolyubsky besieged Veliky Novgorod. The forces turned out to be unequal. And the townspeople turned to the Lord in prayer for salvation. On the third night of the siege, a voice from heaven commanded Archbishop John to take the image of the Virgin Mary from the church on Ilyinskaya Street and take it to the city walls. During the religious procession, opponents began to fire at the fortress. One of the arrows hit the icon. Tears flowed from the Mother of God's eyes. After this, the enemies were suddenly seized by inexplicable horror. Quarreling among themselves, they rushed away from the city walls. Taking advantage of this confusion, the Novgorodians began to pursue the Suzdalians and won.

This historical incident is described in detail in the famous iconographic story. And the Novgorodians themselves remember and honor the icon, which depicts the savior Mother of God (“The Sign”). The meaning is reinforced by other miracles that were performed in different times holy image

Celebration

In the 12th century, after military events, a celebration was established in honor of the icon (December 10, new style), which is still celebrated in the Russian Church today. A service is held on this day. The clergy read prayers, appeals and canons, asking the Mother of God for intercession and confirmation in the faith.

Miracles

For two centuries the image was in its “native” wooden church on Ilyinskaya Street. However, in the middle of the 14th century there was a fire. And the icon showed another miracle. The fire died down just near the prayer service where the holy face hung. After this, a new stone temple was built next to the ashes, which received the status of the Icon finding a new home.

In the 16th century, after the restoration of the image, another, larger fire occurred in Novgorod. The fire spread to several streets. No efforts of the townspeople could pacify the formidable elements. Then Metropolitan Macarius turned with prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos and, with her famous image in his hands, made a religious procession along the banks of the Volkhov. Suddenly it blew strong wind towards the river - the fire stopped.

In 1611, Novgorod was attacked by the Swedes. They brutally killed townspeople and plundered houses and churches, taking away sacred utensils and desecrating icons. There is a known case when several strangers approached that very temple on Ilyinskaya Street. At this time there was a service going on there. As soon as they stepped on the threshold, the Swedes were thrown back by an invisible force. Their further attempts to penetrate the temple were unsuccessful. Having learned about this, the enemies no longer approached the temple, and the Novgorodians, on the contrary, could save themselves in it.

During the October Revolution (1917), the icon was moved to the Novgorod Museum, during the Great Patriotic War- evacuated, and then returned to the museum-reserve. And finally, in 1991, the Novgorod diocese defended the saving image. Accompanied by an amazing celestial phenomenon - a rainbow around the dome of the temple - the icon “The Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos” was transferred. How does the holy face help individual people and what requests can one make to it?

Meaning and Prayers

It is known that in 1352, hundreds of people were miraculously healed during a plague epidemic. And later cases of recovery from severe mental illnesses and blindness were recorded. This, according to the confessors, was favored by the icon “The Sign of the Most Holy Theotokos,” in which it still helps today.

Also, people who wish for peace in their family or country, or want to find missing relatives, come to the image. However, the clergy are convinced that no matter what a believer asks for, with sincerity and purity of thoughts, the Most Holy Theotokos will definitely help. Its significance since the birth of Christianity on earth has been enormous. The Gospel describes many cases when she helped needy and sick people, converting them to faith.

Also significant is the question of how to pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary. There are many lines written specifically to address her. So, there is also a petition to the “Sign” icon. However, according to the same confessors, no matter what text a person turns to the image, his inner faith will always come first.

Miracle Lists

The history of icon painting knows several lists or copies made based on the icon of the Mother of God “The Sign”. They are located in Russia and abroad. Their names correspond to the location of the images: Abalakskaya, Kurskaya, Vologdaskaya, Pavlovskaya, Solovetskaya, Tsarskoye Selo, etc. All of them have holy power and demonstrate miracles, like the original icon “The Sign of the Blessed Virgin Mary”. How does the image help Christians? First of all, gain faith.

For this purpose, in the fall of 2009, an “Orthodox expedition” took place - a flyby of the icon to spaceship around the Earth. During the project, 176 orbits were completed. Permission and blessing for such a religious procession was received from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill himself.

Icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" © depositphotos

The Icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" is one of the most revered in Orthodox world. The celebration in honor of the icon takes place on December 10. Website tochka.net will tell you about the history of this icon and about prayer to it.

The icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, depicted with a gesture of intercessory prayer (Oranta) - with outstretched arms and open palms - is called the Sign as a sign of the Mother of God's mercy to people.

History and day of celebration

The icon of the Mother of God, called the Sign or Znamenskaya, was found in Rus' in the 12th century. Novgorod land. It was not by chance that she began to be revered as a defender of Russian lands - she saved the city and its inhabitants from a bloody battle.

Initially, Novgorod was a city isolated from other lands. Residents did not want to submit to Grand Duke Andrei Bogolyubsky and defended their independence with all their might. In 1170, one of the sons of Prince Andrei Mstislav with his army approached the walls of the city and demanded submission to the capital of Rus'. He failed to convince the Novgorodians to surrender, and then the army began to besiege the walls of the city.

Saint Elijah prayed in the holy temple for three days for the salvation of his people and city in front of the icon of Jesus Christ. On the third day, he heard a divine voice, which ordered him to take the icon of the Mother of God in the church on Ilyinskaya Street and take it to the city walls.

Archbishop Elijah now has hope for salvation. He fell before the image of Christ and prayed all night. The next morning he gathered all the clergy and townspeople and told about the epiphany. Then it was decided to follow the Savior’s command and bring an icon of the Mother of God.

When the clergy came to the church for her, the first miracle happened - they could not lift her and move her. Then Archbishop Elijah fell in front of the icon and turned to the Mother of God in tearful prayers. The holy image seemed to tremble, which meant the favor of higher powers.

The icon was solemnly erected on the city wall and its face was directed towards the enemies besieging Novgorod. When an enemy arrow pierced the holy image, tears flowed from the eyes of the Mother of God, and the icon itself turned to face the city. Fear and horror fell on the attackers, and the Novgorod warriors, inspired by a miraculous divine sign, rushed with renewed vigor towards their enemies.

Since then, the image of the Mother of God, which protected the city from the siege, began to be called the “Sign”. According to the old style, the day of veneration of the icon is celebrated on November 27. IN Julian calendar The Icon of the Sign is honored on December 10.

Miracles

The image is famous for its miracles. There are many stories and legends about his divine power. The icon saved some from illnesses, while others helped escape from fires and enemy raids.

In the 14th century people who came with her were healed from the plague that broke out in those days.
In 1356 The Church of the Savior, where this icon stood, caught fire. The disaster ended after a prayer service before the holy image of the Virgin Mary.
In the 16th century The icon again saved the city residents from the fire.
Early 17th century The icon protected the Novgorodians from the Swedish invasion. When enemy troops entered the temple, an unknown force drove them back. Frightened, the Swedes wanted to flee from the church, but its gates suddenly closed.
In 1636 Luke Melters tried to rob the Znamensky Temple. When he tried to take the icon in his hands, divine power pushed him away and he fell unconscious. Waking up in the morning, the thief repented and told everyone about the next miracle of the Znamensky Icon.

What do they pray to her for?

The Znamenskaya Icon of the Mother of God is considered an intercessor for everyone who needs help and strength. Since she became a protector from enemies, lists have been drawn from her, which later also saved cities from diseases and the attacks of enemies. This icon truly became the intercessor of the Russian lands and gained the glory of a miraculous image. What else is it customary to pray for before the face of the Virgin Mary of the Sign?

about reconciliation warring
about the world and peace in the family
about healing from illnesses
about fire rescue and natural disasters
about protection against theft and criminals
about intercession before enemies and envious people

Lists icons

Throughout Russia, lists of the Sign of the Mother of God are also revered. Copies are called copies that were redrawn by icon painters with different corners Russian land. In total, about ten lists are known, some of which have not survived to this day.

Prayers

Prayer
Oh, Most Holy and Most Blessed Mother of our Sweetest Lord Jesus Christ!
We fall down and bow to You before Your holy, miraculous icon, remembering the wondrous sign of Your intercession, which was revealed to Great Novugrad from it during the days of the military invasion of this city.
We humbly pray to Thee, O All-Powerful Intercessor of our race: just as in ancient times Thou hast hastened the help of our fathers, so now we, weak and sinners, have been granted Thy maternal intercession and care. Establish your holy church, your city and our entire Orthodox country, and all of us who fall to you with faith and love and tenderly ask with tears for your intercession, have mercy and save.
Hey, Lady All-Merciful! Have mercy on us, overwhelmed by many sins, extend Thy God-receiving hand to Christ God and intercede for us before His goodness, asking us forgiveness of our sins, a pious, peaceful life, a good Christian death and a good answer at His terrible judgment, that we may be saved by Thy almighty to Through our prayers we will inherit the bliss of paradise, and with all the saints we will sing the Most Honorable and Magnificent Name of the Most Worshipful Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and Your great mercy to us forever and ever. Amen.
Troparion
Like an insurmountable wall and a source of miracles, which Your servants, Most Pure Mother of God, have acquired for You, we overthrow the resistant militia. We also pray to You, grant peace to Your city and great mercy to our souls.
Kontakion, tone 4
Thy people celebrate the honorable sign of Thy sign, O Mother of God, to whom Thou hast bestowed a wondrous victory against Thy city, in the same way we cry to Thee by faith: Rejoice, O Virgin, praise to Christians.
Greatness
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.

The oldest image of the Mother of God “The Sign” in Rus' is the Novgorod icon, painted in the second quarter - mid-12th century. But the name “Sign” begins to be associated with it, oddly enough, only at the end of the 15th century, especially clearly from the 16th century, and is finally consolidated in the 17th century. They began to celebrate the feast of the icon on November 27, apparently, even before the miracle it showed to the Novgorodians, which happened on February 25, 1169 (1170). The First Chronicle of Novgorod reports that the Novgorodians defeated the Suzdalians “by the power of the cross and the Holy Mother of God,” that is, no name has yet been associated with the icon. The chronicler simply calls the icon “the Holy Mother of God,” without a specific epithet. The word “sign” was then usually used in the same meaning as in V.I. Dahl: “A sign is a sign, a sign, a sign; brand, tamga, seal; natural phenomenon or miracle for sign, proof; a foreshadowing of something."

The etymology of the word “sign” is directly related to the verb “to know.” Indo-European ĝen - “to know” is identical to ĝen - “to give birth, to be born” and comes from this latter. It is the concepts “to be born” and “to know” that make up the meaning of the word “sign”.

Let us consider the symbolic and theological meanings of the iconography of the image. At the same time, let’s not forget about the conventions of the language of the icon and the difference between the image and the depicted. I.K. Yazykova writes: “At the moment of contemplating the icon, the Holy of Holies, the inner Mary, is revealed to the one praying, in whose bosom the God-Man is conceived by the Holy Spirit.” Let's emphasize this “as if.” With this caveat, one of the meanings of the circle in which Emmanuel is depicted should be understood and perceived as symbol revelations. But anyway revelations- Divine sign. And although the most secret things are revealed to us, nevertheless this is only the first stage of the icon’s conversation with us, when a sign is a “foreshadowing of something.” On the second step, the Mother of God, knowing The Savior even before Christmas, still in the womb, gives birth- on the icon, as if from eternity, he sends - the Infant of God into the world for the salvation of the human race.

The hands of the Mother of God are raised to the sky, they are open to meet the One who is above the entire universe, and at the same time they bless those praying. This is a very ancient prayer gesture: according to Tertullian, the hands of Christians of his time were raised and spread out, “imitating the passion of the Lord.” The raised hands of the Mother of God in prayer also mean intercession for people before God. The inscription on one of the Byzantine seals of the early 13th century reads: “Ostretching out Your hands and offering Your intercession to the entire universe, give me Your protection, O Most Pure One, for what I must do.” Moses also prayed with his hands raised to heaven during the battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites: “And when Moses lifted up his hands, Israel prevailed, and when he lowered his hands, Amalek prevailed; but Moses' hands grew heavy, and then they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, and Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. And his hands were raised until the sun went down” (Ex. 17: 11-12). Here the significance of the entire psychophysical side of prayer is clearly confirmed: it is not enough to utter words in the heart, last role plays the pose of the praying person and his gestures. Let us also pay attention to the theme of light and grace that accompanies this gesture. The name “Aaron” is translated as “mountain of light”, “Or” - “light”. And the hands of Moses himself were “raised until the sun went down,” that is, the hands, supported by “lights,” stretched out to the Light and received the grace of God. In the same way, during the liturgy, the priest stretches out his hands in front of the throne, exclaiming: “Woe is our hearts.” Therefore, we can talk about the canonicity of this gesture, which has been used in the liturgy since ancient times, about the unique connection through this gesture of the Old and New Testaments.

The same thing is inherent in the iconography of the Mother of God image “The Sign”. And here we see the execution Old Testament in Novy. The Divine Infant is figuratively conventional, but eternal is born into the world for its salvation. That is why He is often placed in a mandorla, through the circles of which Divine energies seem to emanate into the world (again, the theme of light and grace, reflected even in the color of Emmanuel’s clothes). Mandorla in this case acts as sign movements - movements of the Baby and light. And when, during the siege of Novgorod, an arrow from the Suzdalians hit the icon and the icon turned away from the attackers, the Suzdalians thereby lost light and grace, and the Novgorodians, on the contrary, received this grace for decisive action and victory over the enemy. Let us remember that the Greek ενέργεια is translated as active force, and a sign, according to V.I. Dahl, there is a sign. But in Greek a sign - σημειον - is a miraculous sign, not an ordinary one. In the Novgorod Festive Menaion (c. second quarter of the 14th century) given word in relation to the miraculous icon it is used precisely in the meaning of “omen”, “miracle”. Another purpose of the mandorla in this case is to emphasize the Christocentrism of the icon: both with concentric circles around the Infant God - “Light has come into the world” (John 3: 19), and with its high hierarchical status in the system of iconographic symbols. The hands of the Divine Infant stretched out from the medallion in Great Panagia(from the Greek Παναγία - All-Holy) indicate the penetration of eternity into time, and therefore the abolition of time, which is characteristic of the Orthodox worldview.

So, the first meaning of the “Sign” icon is revelation. At the same time, there is another meaning hidden in it: Christians, for their part, find out The birth and coming into the world of the Savior, know Him and we testify of Him as recognized. That is, birth (γέννησις), in fact, occurs in the name of creation (γένεσις), in order to return creation to the Divine plan: so that man becomes a created god by grace. In other words, without division and confusion, the dual unity of “God and me” arises - the unity that S.L. wrote about in his time. Franc. Let us recall that the word “Divinity” in theology indicates a property, a nature, and the word “God” indicates a Person. As a super-temporal or timeless act, the words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled: “Behold, a virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call His name Emmanuel, which means: God is with us” (Is. 7: 14; Matt. 1: 23). In the 15th century, this text of Isaiah is given not only on the icons of the prophetic order of the iconostasis, as in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, but also serves as the basis for free literary adaptations, in which the word “sign” is used in relation to prophecy.

The religious experience of prayerful communication with an icon allows you to discover a new state in yourself, filled with Divine energies. The Greek term ένθεος - lit., is suitable for its designation. "filled with divinity." This state is indicated by the words of Christ: “The kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). We are clothed with Christ, and Christ abides in us. In this case, on a personal level, a real relationship is established between the Prototype and a person through the icon, and on a social level, the icon becomes a national shrine. Thus, the image of the Mother of God “The Sign” became the sacred guardian of Veliky Novgorod. This icon was also considered in Byzantium and Rus' to be the patroness of the Church, which explains the frequent use of its iconography on the seals of monasteries, dioceses and metropolises, in lunettes above the entrance to the temple, in apse conchs. There are grounds for establishing a connection between the image of the Mother of God “The Sign” and the icon of the Annunciation. If in the bosom of Mary “the God-man is conceived by the Holy Spirit,” as I.K. theologically correctly noted. Yazykov, then this is the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophecy about Emmanuel: the good news has entered the stage of its implementation. Therefore E.S. Smirnova is absolutely right when she considers the images on back side The icons are images of Joachim and Anna, and not of the Apostle Peter and the martyr Natalia, as V.N. believed. Lazarev with followers. The theme of the Incarnation is central to the “Sign” icon (therefore, this iconography is canonical for the center of the prophetic order of the iconostasis). Both sides of the famous Novgorod image, with increasing content, testify precisely to the Incarnation. Otherwise, the theological connection between the obverse and reverse of this icon is lost, which comes into conflict with the practice of church life. A similar connection was present in the vast majority of external Orthodox images.

A special rite in honor of the Mother of God, called the “Rite of Raising the Panagia,” is directly associated with the “Sign” icon. But we know that Panagia is also called an encolpion - a small image of the Mother of God, worn by the bishop on his chest over his vestments, and a prosphora, from which a particle was removed during the liturgy in memory of the Most Pure One. During the meal, the prosphora was always placed on a special dish - panagiar - with the image of Our Lady of the Sign, often surrounded by prophets. On the Byzantine panagiars of the 12th-13th centuries you can see the inscription: “Christ is Bread. The Virgin gives body to God the Word.” The inscription was applied not only for decoration; its meaning was to mysteriously unite the rank Panagia and the meaning of holy bread - the body of Christ, received by Him from His Mother. So rank Panagia brings us back to the theme of the Incarnation.

The pedigree of the iconography of the “Sign” goes back to the image of Oranta, which in Rus' was also called the “Unbreakable Wall” because “it was considered the intercessor of “all cities, suburbs and villages” in the fight against eternal enemies - the steppe nomads.” Is it correct to believe that Oranta was depicted as an intercessor, starting with the paintings of the catacombs? In them you can see many images similar in iconography: this is how, for example, the souls of the dead were originally depicted, who prayed for Christians who were still living.

Oranta was and is a symbol of the Heavenly Church. She became such fully and consciously from the moment she was identified with the personality of the Mother of God. Already in the catacombs, “under the image of a praying wife, the ancient Christians were in the habit of sometimes depicting none other than Holy Virgin Maria”, accompanying the frescoes with the inscriptions “Maria” and “Mara”. However, “in these orants we have not portrait, individual type The Mother of God, but a conventional image of Her, accepted for every sedate Christian woman." However, in the “Ascension” stamp of the Monza ampoule (the iconography of the stamps dates back to the 4th-6th centuries), we see Oranta, undoubtedly, in the person of the Mother of God, we see Her as a personification Apostolic Church.

Since the 9th century, the Most Pure One began to be painted in the apse conch. As noted by I.K. Yazykova, since then “the theme of intercession takes on a broader aspect: the prayer of the Mother of God binds together Heavenly Kingdom, presented at the top of the temple, with the “downstream world” under Her feet. Our Lady of Oranta, as it were, opens up to meet Christ, Who descends through Her to earth and is embodied in human form and sanctifies human flesh with His Divine presence, turning it into a temple - hence Our Lady of Oranta is interpreted as a personification Christian temple, as well as the entire New Testament Church."

In the 14th century, Serbian isographers painted a fresco similar to the Novgorod icon “The Sign”, where the Mother of God, depicted full-length, is dressed not in the usual tunic, but in a chiton with claves. Similar examples can be seen on some of Oranta's frescoes in the catacombs. The Mother of God in this case was understood as the Church itself and as a messenger. If earlier the intercession of the Most Pure One implied a movement from the earthly to the heavenly, here it is understood as apostolic and directed from the heavenly to the earthly.

Protographs of the image of the Mother of God “The Sign” have also been known since the 4th century (the catacombs of St. Agnes in Rome) and, judging by the absence of a halo on the Infant of God, they were created before the First Ecumenical Council, that is, before 325. And in V-VI centuries they were already written on icons and in the wall paintings of churches, minted on coins, and reproduced on the seals of Byzantine emperors, which speaks of their Constantinople origin. This iconography became especially widespread from the 11th-12th centuries and became popular throughout the Orthodox ecumene. However, many art historians consider the time of appearance of this version to be only the middle of the 11th century, citing surviving images of coins (nomisma of Empresses Zoe and Theodora, 1042) and sphragistics (seals of Empress Eudokia Macremvolitissa, wife of Constantine X in 1059-1067. and Roman IV in 1068-1071). Apparently, the confusion here occurs due to an unclear classification of the names of iconographic types, since the tradition of fixing stable names for one or another type of Mother of God icons developed only at the time of the decline of the Byzantine Empire, and possibly later - already in post-Byzantine times.

According to I.K. Linguistically, the iconography of Oranta is an abbreviated and truncated version of the image of the Mother of God “The Sign”. Such an opinion cannot but cause objections. Since Oranta’s version is older than the “Sign”, the first cannot be a “shortened version” of the second: you can only truncate what already exists. Here we are not dealing with a reduction in the iconography of the image, but with its construction. Therefore, the “Sign” scheme is more complex than the Oranta scheme, not only externally, but also internally. “This is the most theologically rich iconographic type,” I.K. herself is convinced. Yazykova.

We have already ascertained from the example of Cypriot frescoes the undoubted connection between the images of the image of the “Sign” and the image of the Mother of God Blachernitissa, which only confirms the understanding of the word “sign” as a miracle, because the events of 910 that took place in the Blachernae Church have been celebrated by the Russians for more than eight hundred years Orthodox Church as the feast of the Intercession of the Mother of God. Apparently, it is natural that the icon is called “The Sign” only in Rus' and nowhere else. In other countries it is known under other names, mainly taken from akathists.

In the art of the Byzantine circle, several terms were used for this iconography, which are often used by art historians: “Platitera” (from “Πλαντυτέρα τόν ουρανόν” - “Broadening the heavens”, from the liturgy of Basil the Great), “Episkepsis” (“Επίσκεψις” - “Patroness , Intercessor"), "Megali Panagia" ("Μεγάλη Παναγία" - "Great All-Holy")". Let’s add here “Pantonassa” (“παντο” - “all” + “νάσσα” from “ναίω” - “to live, inhabit; be; inhabit”).

It should be noted that there is a certain iconographic connection between the image of the Mother of God “The Sign” and the icon Our Lady of Nikopea(Victorious). During the restoration of the Blachernae Temple (1030-1031) during the reign of Emperor Romanos III Argir, builders discovered an icon walled up in the wall, which was hidden from the iconoclasts, most likely in the 8th century under Emperor Constantine Copronymus. The found image was described by a witness of the events, John Skylitzes. Its text has long been understood as a description of a translation identical to that of the Novgorod icon “The Sign,” but modern researchers have made a more accurate translation, from which it follows that the Mother of God holds a mandorla with the Infant God in Her hands. This is how Nikopea, known since pre-iconoclastic times, was found. A similar Sinai icon from the 7th century has survived to this day. The role of this excerpt, according to Academician N.P. Kondakova and V.N. Lazarev, echoes the role that the Novgorod shrine - the icon of the Mother of God "The Sign" - is called upon to play.

Let us note how accurately our ancestors gave the name to the image! The miracle is inextricably linked with this icon. Especially for Novgorodians. Miraculously, they received help from her during the siege of the city by the Suzdalians. In 1356, a fire that broke out in the church subsided after a prayer service in front of this icon. In 1611, the Swedes who tried to rob it were thrown out of the Znamensky Cathedral. Relatively recently, many of those present witnessed a celestial phenomenon: on August 15, 1991, during the transfer of the icon from the museum, where it had been kept for a long time, to the Novgorod diocese, a rainbow surrounded the golden dome of the St. Sophia Cathedral, and then began to rise and dissolved in the clear, without a single cloud, sky.

In conclusion, let us recall that the word “miracle” is derived from the verb “sense” - that is, “hear, feel.” God considering human nature, for the salvation of His people, turns to him with the help of signs. As long as we “feel” the all-presence of God and the universal protection of the Mother of God, we can hope for Her intercession and help in sorrows. And through Her image “The Sign” the luminous grace of God will continue to descend upon us.

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