Prayer to the Mother of God before her icon, (“Vilna”). Ostrobramskaya (Vilna) icon of the Mother of God

(celebration April 14, February 15 - transferred to Vilna in 1495), miraculous; named after its location in Vilno. According to legend, this is one of the oldest icons, painted during the life of the Mother of God by the Evangelist Luke and transferred to K-pol from Palestine (hence the names V. and. “Jerusalem” or “Constantinople”). According to one version, from K-field to Moscow V.I., a Byzantine family heirloom. emperors, arrived in 1472 with Sophia Paleologus, b. led by his wife. book Moscow John III Vasilievich. According to others, less recognized, V. and. passed to the Moscow princes from the Galician princes, titled kings of Red Rus, who in turn received it as a gift from the Byzantines. Emperor. The appearance of V. and. in Vilna is associated with the arrival there on February 15. 1495 Moscow prince. Elena Ioannovna, edge, marrying Vel. book Lit. Alexander, brought with her from Moscow an icon of the Mother of God - the blessing of her parents, led. book John III Vasilievich and Sophia Paleologus. In Vilna V. and. originally was in the princely castle in the chambers of the leader. Kng. Lit. and cor. Polish Elena Ioannovna. After his death he led. Princess (Jan. 24, 1513), according to her will, the icon was placed above her tomb in the Vilna Cathedral Orthodox Church. Assumption (Prechistensky) Cathedral - the residence of the Metropolitan of Kyiv and Lithuania, one of the oldest Orthodox churches. churches in Vilna, built by the great book Lit. Olgerd (consecrated in 1358). There is an opinion that V. and. was previously transferred to the Prechistensky Cathedral by Elena Ioannovna herself.

During Livonian War During negotiations in 1569 (1570?), the Moscow side tried to negotiate the conditions for the return of V. I., in return it was proposed to release 50 representatives of noble litas from captivity. childbirth, but the offer was rejected.

As a result of the proclamation of the Brest Church Union in 1596, the majority of the Orthodox. churches in Vilna became Uniate. In 1608, the Prechistensky Cathedral also became Uniate. Trying to preserve the ancient icon of the Mother of God, the Orthodox in 1608 temporarily moved it along with other church treasures and relics from Prechistenskaya to the church. St. Nicholas, built in 1514 by Prince. Konstantin Ostrogsky in honor of the victory near Orsha. Nikolskaya c. in 1609 it also became Uniate, and V. and. was returned to its original location - the Prechistensky Cathedral. In 1610 the cathedral burned, in 1612 it was restored, but the metropolitan see in 1613 was moved from it to the Holy Trinity Church. Vilna in the name of the Holy Trinity husband. mon-rya, which passed to the Uniates back in 1609. About the finding of V. and. in Trinity Church in the 17th century evidenced by the will of 1652 of Alexy Dubovich, archimandrite. Trinity Monastery, according to which a contribution of 100 zlotys of annual income was made to the monastery for the commission of the Trinity Church. before V. and. every Saturday Akathist (perhaps the transfer of V. and. took place later and was caused by the desolation of the Prechistenskaya Church, as evidenced by the inscription 1748 on the icon, as well as the mention of this event in the archival documents of the Trinity Monastery for 1775).

During the Russian-Polish war (1654-1667), Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich made another attempt to return V. and. from Vilno to Moscow: rus. troops occupied Vilna in 1655, and in 1657 and 1658. book Mikhail Shakhovskoy, appointed by Alexei Mikhailovich as governor of Vilna, carried out a search for V. and., on behalf of the tsar, which turned out to be unsuccessful (some researchers of the 19th century mistakenly believed that Prince Shakhovskoy was looking for the Ostrobramsky Vilna Icon of the Mother of God). As shown by the Russian By the administration of Vilna in 1658, as a result, the icon was taken out by the Vilna tradesman Yuri Seledchik from Vilna along the river. Viliya on a vitin boat to Krulevets (Königsberg) and hidden there by Uniate monks. After 1661 it was returned to Vilna. In and. temporarily left Vilna and during the years Northern War(1700-1721) - together with her precious salary, she was taken out by the monks of the Basilian Trinity Monastery on December. 1701 in Zhirovitsky Assumption Monastery.

In Trinity Church In and. was placed in an icon case built in the middle. XVII century at the expense of the Vilna burgomaster Yuri Pavlovich. The icon in it was covered with a sliding curtain with the image of the Annunciation (according to other sources - the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary). After the fire in Vilna in 1706, which destroyed all the decoration of the Trinity Church, but did not damage V. and., the Uniate brotherhood Immaculate Conception The Mother of God built a new, carved wooden icon case in 1707, and in 1713 it was gilded. In the Trinity Monastery V. and. was located both after the annexation of Vilna to Russia in 1795, and after the liquidation of the union in 1839. At the direction of the Lithuanian Archbishop. Joseph (Semashko) in 1851 for the Trinity Church. instead of the old (Uniate) altar barrier art. Ivan Khrutsky, son of a Belarusian. Uniate priest, a new iconostasis was made, in the local row of which, to the left of the royal doors, V. and. For the convenience of pilgrims, there were steps in front of the icon, and on major holidays the glass frame of the icon case was removed and believers could freely venerate the icon. Reading of the Akathist to the Mother of God before V. and. was performed at Vespers every Friday and collected big number those praying. For help and healing from illnesses, believers decorated V. and. numerous offerings - pendants and silver plates.

After the defeat of the Polish uprising of 1863-1864. glorification of V. and. acquired a political connotation, since this image was perceived as a symbol of the original Orthodoxy of the North-Western region. In this aspect, the history of V. and. became a kind of contrast to the history of the Ostrobramsky Vilna Icon of the Mother of God, which at that time was a symbol of the national. liberation for Catholics and Orthodox Christians (former Uniates) of Lithuania and Belarus. This period is marked a large number publications dedicated to V. and., due to the desire to prove the antiquity of the icon, emphasizing its Orthodoxy. roots. Archim. Joseph (Sokolov), in a book dedicated to the Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God, also published the text of a prayer to the Mother of God asking for the patronage of the Emperor. home, read in the Vilna Trinity Monastery in front of V. and.

In and. (size 134.5´ 90 cm) was written on 4 boards (2 central cypress and side linden). Judging by the photographs and graphic reproductions of the icon in the 2nd half edition. XIX century, it is closest iconographic version The Jerusalem Icon of the Mother of God (in a mirror version - with a baby on the left hand of the Mother of God) and versions of the Georgian and Tikhvin icons of the Mother of God. As on the Tikhvin icon, on V. and. the Baby's right leg is turned with the bare heel outward, left hand The child with the scroll lies on His lap, but His blessing right hand raised higher compared to the position of the hand on the Tikhvin icon.

During his 400-year stay in Vilna, V. and. decorated with numerous precious offerings. In 1677, a chased chasuble was made for it from silver votive tablets presented to the icon. The clothes of the Mother of God and the Child were silver with gilded flowers and eagles, the background was made using filigree technique. The golden filigree crown on the head of the Mother of God was supported by 2 chased silver gilded angels; on the silver gilded crown of the baby there were 3 precious stones. The background of the icon was covered with silver tablets (including votive tablets from 1758 and 1759), on one of which there was a relief image of a kneeling woman (presumably Grand Duke Elena Ioannovna). In archival documents of 1701 and 1781. Many precious stones, silver and gold jewelry were listed that were located on V. and., including 55 strings of pearls at the neck of the Mother of God, and 33 strings of beads at the neck of the Infant of God. In 1866, the frame was dismantled, leaving only the basma silver frame on the margins of the icon. From silver taken from the icon and donated jewelry, St. Petersburg jeweler A. Sokolov made a new frame, applied ornamented halos with diamonds and diamonds, and a crown on the head of the Mother of God; A new bronze frame was also made for the icon. In the same year, artist. V. Vasiliev carried out restoration clearing of V. and.

With the beginning of the First World War, Russian. government and church authorities organized the evacuation of the most ancient and valuable Orthodox churches. relics from the front-line zone of Lithuania and Belarus to the interior of Russia. In Aug. 1915 V. and. together with the relics of 3 Vilna Orthodox Churches. Martyrs was taken to the Moscow Donskoy Monastery, her further fate is unknown.

Lit.: Koialowicz W. Miscellanae rerum ad statum ecclesiasticum in magno Lituaniae Ducatu pertinentum. Vilnae, 1650; Image of icons of St. Mother of God. M., 1848. Part 1. P. 8; Correspondence between Russia and Poland on diplomatic papers // CHOIDR. 1860. Book. 4. Dept. 2. P. 1-189; Western Russian monthbook for 1865. Vilno, 1864. P. 67; The case of the Vilna Holy Trinity Monastery on the decoration of the chasuble on St. icon of the Mother of God // Lithuanian EV. 1868. No. 5. P. 222; PRSZG. 1874. Issue. 6. P. 50, 105; Shcherbitsky O. IN . Vilna Holy Trinity Monastery // Lithuanian EV. 1885. No. 25. P. 255; Petrov N. I., Gorodetsky M. AND . Belarus and Lithuania: East. fate of the North-West the edges. St. Petersburg, 1890. Part 1. P. 173 (ill.), 258; Part 2. P. 28, 54; Joseph (Sokolov), archimandrite. Pointed, or Strobramsky miraculous icon of the Mother of God, in Vilna. Vilna, 18902. pp. 39-40, 253 (note 123 - list of literature about V. i.); Ivanovsky K. IN . Vilna St. and the miraculous icon of the Mother of God: On the 400th anniversary of her stay in Vilna. Vilna, 1895; Historical commemoration: To the 400th anniversary of the stay in Vilna of the miraculous Constantinople Icon of the Most Holy. Theotokos Hodegetria // Tsved. 1895. p. 265; R-v A. Reflection of the war // Old years. 1915. Sept. P. 58; Chomik P. Kult ikon Matki Bożej w w wielkim księstwie litewskim w XVI-XVIII w. Białystok, 2003. S. 148.

Yu. A. Piskun

ORIGIN

There are several legends about the origin of the Vilna Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God.

One of them is based on the legend that the icon miraculously appeared in Vilna, the capital of the Principality of Lithuania, on the Sharp Gate on April 14, 1431.

Another is that the icon was sent to the Grand Duke of Lithuania Olgerd by the Greek Emperor John Palaiologos as a sign of the prince’s acceptance of Christianity.

According to the third version, the image of the Mother of God was brought from Tauride Chersonesus (or Korsun) by the Grand Duke of Lithuania Olgerd among military trophies. It is known that in 1341-1373 Prince Olgerd made several successful campaigns against the Crimean Tatars

There is no direct evidence about when exactly the icon was brought. However, researchers are inclined to believe that this happened after the victorious campaign against Korsun in 1363. The version is based mainly on the testimony of the Wenden canon Daniel Lodziata, who lived in the 17th century. When writing the book “Ancient History of the Lithuanian People,” the historian Teodor Narbut had at hand the manuscript of Daniel Lodziata, which he referred to twice.

In a note dated 1653, Canon Lodziata reports the following: “ Grand Duke the Lithuanian Olgerd enriched his treasuries with the treasures of Chersonesos; his heirs most church decorations were distributed to churches in the city of Vilna. Among these treasures is an authentic image Holy Virgin Maria; She seems to be standing in front of the Divine messenger Archangel Gabriel. Now we see the Lady of Grace in the Carmelite chapel on the eastern gate of the city, usually called Sharp, which is documented by the written evidence of the mentioned order.” The testimony of Canon Lodziata is the most ancient of the surviving testimonies about the Ostrobramsk Icon of the Mother of God.

The existence of such information is also mentioned by the Carmelite writer Hilarion, who wrote about the Ostrobramskaya icon in 1761.
Catholics see in the Ostrobramskaya icon the image of the Immaculate Virgin Mary, which arose in Western European art in the second half of the 16th century.

The Polish version supports the hypothesis that the Ostrobramskaya Icon was painted in 1619 in Krakow in the workshop of Lukasz Porenbski. The theory was based on the similarity of the Vilna Ostrobramsky icon with the icon of the Virgin Mary from the Krakow Church of Corpus Christi, painted by Porenbsky.

All versions of the origin of the icon are of rather historical interest. For prayerful veneration, the question of who painted the icon and in what century is not of significant importance, since it is not the creation of human hands that is venerated, but the Prototype - the one whose image the icon painter embodied on the board. Revered by both Catholics and Orthodox - the Mother of God.

STORY

It is believed that the holy icon was originally donated to the temple Life-Giving Trinity, built with the assistance of the wife of Grand Duke Olgerd, Princess Juliana Alexandrovna of Tver, and then placed above the Sharp Gate. There is evidence that in 1431 the icon of the Mother of God was already above the Sharp Gate.

The further fate of this image is closely intertwined with the fate of Orthodoxy in Lithuania. After the signing of the Lublin Union of Lithuania with Poland in 1569, church union with Rome began to be established in the Lithuanian lands. Many churches, including the Holy Trinity Monastery, passed into the hands of the Uniates, but the Orthodox managed to transfer the icon to the Church of St. Nicholas. However, in 1609 this temple also passed to the Uniates, and the icon returned to old place over the Sharp Gate.

Icon without salary

In 1624, a Carmelite monastery with the Church of St. was founded right at the gate. Teresia. The Carmelites built it in 1671. instead of the old one new chapel, and the icon was turned to face the church. After the fire of Vilna in 1741. The icon was transferred to the Terezin monastery, and in 1744. again placed above the gate.

In 1812 it suffered during the French invasion, and in 1829. restored. After closing in 1832 Carmelite monastery, Terezin Church was renamed Ostrobramsky and remained under the jurisdiction of the Roman Catholic clergy.

Subsequently, the icon stayed in the chapel of the Sharp Gates of Vilna, in a huge icon case. The icon was covered with a gilded robe, as well as many metal offerings in the form of images of saints and different parts bodies that testified to the benefits of the Mother of God to the human race. A Latin throne was built under the icon, on which at least two liturgies were celebrated daily.

ICONOGRAPHY

The Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God belongs to a rare type of image of the Mother of God without a baby in her hands.

The icon is painted in tempera on two joined oak boards measuring 1.63 x 2 m and 2 cm thick, covered with a thin layer of soil. The chasuble was made in the Baroque style by Vilnius craftsmen at the end of the 17th century.

The Ostrobramskaya icon is part of the composition of the Annunciation, so the image was sometimes called the Korsun Annunciation Icon. The Virgin Mary is depicted at the moment of the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to her; the corresponding part of the image of the archangel has been lost. There's an expression on her face deep peace, concentration and virginal modesty. Above Her head, a two-tiered crown is attached to the chasuble - the baroque crown of the Queen of Heaven, the rocaille crown of the Queen of Poland. Long rays extend from the face in all directions.

Later (in 1849), a large silver vota (a gift given by vow, for the sake of healing or the fulfillment of some desire) in the form of a crescent with an engraved text in Polish was placed at the bottom of the icon: “I give thanks to You, Mother of God, for listening to my requests, and I ask You, Merciful Mother, keep me as before, in the love and care of Your Most Holy WII1849.”

The Vilna Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God is a miraculous icon, widely revered by Orthodox and Catholics in Belarus, Lithuania, Ukraine and Poland. Currently, public worship before the Ostrobramskaya icon is performed according to the Roman Catholic rite, but Orthodox Christians continue to flock to this image with personal prayer and worship.

Lists of the Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God occupy their rightful place both in Orthodox churches Lithuania, and in the homes of believers.

VILENA-OSTROBRAM ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

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Description

The icon is painted on two solid oak boards measuring 2.5 x 2 arshins, the image is half-length and life-size. The Most Pure Virgin appears at the moment of the Annunciation, with her hands folded crosswise on her chest. On Her face is an expression of deep peace, concentration and virginal modesty. A two-tiered crown is attached to Her robe above Her head. Long rays extend from the face in all directions.

Story

Orthodox shrine

There are several legends about the origin of the icon. According to the most widely accepted version, it was brought to Vilna from Chersonese (Korsun) by the Grand Duke of Lithuania Olgerd Gediminovich after one of his Crimean campaigns against the Tatars and presented by him to his first wife Maria. His second wife, Juliana, donated it to the Holy Trinity Monastery, which arose in Vilna on the spot where the court boyars of Prince Olgerd, Saints Anthony, John and Eustathius, suffered from the Lithuanian pagans.

The other two additions are less likely. According to one, the icon was sent to Olgerd by the Byzantine emperor John Palaiologos, when the latter learned of Olgerd’s adoption of Christianity. According to another, the icon miraculously appeared on the Sharp Gate on April 14, 1431.

In any case, in 1431 the icon was undoubtedly already in the chapel near the Trinity Church in the Russian, or Ostroy, end of the city of Vilna and was called Korsunskaya. She was celebrated on April 14 - the day of remembrance of the Lithuanian martyrs.

In April 1498, due to the danger from the invasion of the Tatars, with the personal participation of the Grand Duke and his court, the foundation of new wall and a gate with a large tower at the Sharp end, called the "Sharp Gate" (in Polish "Ostra Brama"), on top of which a chapel was built. The Korsun Icon was placed in this chapel, outside (on the south side), facing those entering the city. From that time on, the previous name of the icon began to be gradually replaced by a new one: Ostrovorotnaya or Ostrobramskaya. When in 1495, the bride of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander, the daughter of the Grand Duke of Moscow John III, Elena, brought with her to Vilna the Constantinople Icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria, this icon attracted predominant prayerful veneration, and the Ostrovorotnaya was somewhat forgotten.

In 1596, a church union was declared in the region, and the Holy Trinity Monastery, to which the icon and chapel belonged, along with all the buildings and the suburb involuntarily went to the Uniates. The pointed gate icon was taken by the Orthodox and placed in one of the parish churches, but in 1609 it was forcibly seized by the Uniates from the St. Nicholas Church and placed again in the chapel of the pointed gate, under the care of the Basilians who settled at the Trinity Church.

Vilna Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God
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In the possession of Roman Catholics
Around 1624, a Carmelite monastery with the Church of St. Teresia. Some time later, the Carmelites, taking advantage of the carelessness of the Basilians, took both the chapel and the icon into their own hands, and under their care the exclusive veneration of the Pointed Icon was resumed. In 1671, the Carmelites built a new chapel instead of the old dilapidated one and, installing an icon in it, turned it towards the church and the city, inside. After the terrible fire of Vilna in 1714, the icon was moved to the Theresien Church, but in 1744, with the restoration of the chapel, it was again placed above the gate.

IN early XIX For centuries, the Basilians tried to return the icon to their care, the dispute reached Rome, and the pope decided to leave the icon in the care of the Carmelite monastery, as the closest to the chapel in which the icon is located.

In 1812, the icon was somewhat damaged by the French. In 1829, the icon was renewed in the Catholic spirit, and, after removing the vestment during the work, it turned out to be written in Slavic letters on the icon song of praise Mother of God: “The Most Honest Cherub and the Most Glorious Without Comparison Seraphim.” With the closure of the Carmelite Monastery in 1832, the Terezin Church was renamed Ostrobramsky Church and remained under the jurisdiction of the white Roman Catholic clergy. Subsequently, the icon stayed in the chapel of the Sharp Gates of Vilna, in a huge icon case. The icon was covered with a gilded robe, as well as many metal offerings in the form of images of saints and various parts of the body, which testified to the benefits of the Mother of God to the human race. A Latin throne was built under the icon, on which at least two liturgies were celebrated daily. The icon is revered equally by Orthodox and Roman Catholics. According to the established custom in Vilna, not only Christians, but also people of other confessions bared their heads when passing through the Ostrobramsky Gate. You could always see people around the chapel, many of whom were standing right there, on the street, on their knees.

Among the numerous miraculous images of the Mother of God, the Vilna Icon of the Mother of God occupies a special place. She has a very rich story, which dates back to apostolic times. She is also responsible for many different healings, simply helping in various human affairs. Today, a copy of this image of the Mother of God is located in Vilnius, in the Holy Spirit Monastery (and the original icon was lost after the events of the Civil War and the First World War).

Legend about the origin of the icon

Vilenskaya has its own special history of origin (like many others like it). It is believed that it was written at the time when Jesus Christ came to earth, when the Mother of God was alive. According to legend, it came to Constantinople from Palestine, which is reflected in its name - “Constantinople”, or “Jerusalem”.

History of icons in Rus'

There is no exact version of how the Vilna Icon of the Mother of God appeared in Rus'. According to one of them, this ancient image came to Moscow in 1472. The princess subsequently becomes the wife of John III. There is another version of how the icon ended up in Rus'. The Greek emperor sent it as a gift to the Galician king, and after the capture of the Galician principality, it passed to the Moscow ruler.

Be that as it may, in 1495, Princess Elena, daughter of John III, was blessed for marriage. She moved with her to Vilna, the capital of Lithuania. Obviously, this is why it was later named Vilna. While the princess was alive, the ancient image was in her chambers.

After Helena's death, which happened in January 1513, the shrine was placed over her tomb in the Assumption Cathedral in Vilna (this was stipulated in her will). It was the residence of the Lithuanian and Kyiv Metropolitan, as well as one of the oldest and most ancient churches in the capital. Some historians find confirmation that Elena gave this image to the temple in advance, and not from the moment of her death it ended up there.

An interesting fact is that the Moscow principality tried to reclaim this icon more than once. Many ransoms were offered for her, but all attempts were rejected.

The history of the icon during the formation of Uniate rule

The Vilna Icon of the Mother of God, after the Brest Church Union was proclaimed, was transferred to the Church of St. Nicholas. This happened because the Prechistensky Cathedral, where the image was located, became Uniate, and the Orthodox tried to preserve the most valuable shrines in their faith. However, in 1609, the Church of St. Nicholas also went to the Uniates, so it was decided to return the Vilna Icon back to the cathedral.

Further events led to the fact that the Vilna icon ended up in the Holy Trinity Church monastery. After a fire in 1610 in the Prechistensky Monastery and subsequent repairs, the metropolitan see was moved to the Holy Trinity Church. According to some sources, it is said that they immediately took the icon with them; other evidence suggests that after the desolation of the Prechistenskaya Church, the image was transferred to the Trinity Church. Be that as it may, in 1652 there were already documentary references to the fact that an akathist was performed every Saturday in front of the Vilna Icon in the Trinity Church.

Subsequently, she was taken out of the city and the temple more than once during wars. For example, in 1654-1667, during Polish war, as well as in 1700-1721, during the Northern War. The first time they searched for her on the orders of the Moscow Tsar Alexei in order to return her, but she was never found.

In 1707, a new icon case was built for the icon (the previous one had disappeared a year earlier in a fire), and a few years later it was gilded. Attempts to transfer the image to Russian Empire ceased, since it was not touched even after Vilna was annexed to Russia, as well as after the annulment of the union.

Since then she has been in this monastery, but she was evacuated during the First World War, her further path is unknown. In the church in Vilnius there is now an exact copy of the icon (also, by the way, miraculous).

Iconography of the image

To make this icon, four boards were cut - two cypress and two linden. In its writing, the image is very similar to the Jerusalem icon (obviously, this is precisely why it is sometimes called “Jerusalem”). There are also similarities with Tikhvin and Georgian images.

In the icon you can see the Mother of God holding the Baby in her left hand. His heel is bare and exposed, his left hand rests on his lap with a scroll, and his right hand is raised in a gesture of blessing.

For my for a long time While in the temple, the icon was overgrown with offerings of precious materials. In 1677, a chased silver chasuble was made for the image. The clothes of the Mother and Child were in silver, on which eagles and flowers were depicted in gold. It is also clear that the background of the icon is made using the most skillful filigree technique. On the head of the Mother of God there was a golden crown, which was supported by gilded angels, and on the crown of the baby were gems.

Against the background of the icon there were many silver tablets, as well as various precious jewelry (beads, pearls, precious stones, jewelry made of gold and silver). When the restoration, repair and cleaning of the image was carried out in 1866, a new frame was made from all the jewelry and silver that was removed from the icon, as well as new halos with diamonds and diamonds. They also made a bronze frame for the icon.

Days of celebration

The days of celebrating this image fall on two dates. The first day is the fifteenth of February, which coincides with the event of the transfer of the icon to Vilna, which took place in 1495. And the second day of the celebration is the fourteenth of April.

Prayer to the icon

The Vilna Icon of the Mother of God is very famous for its various miracles. What do they pray for in front of this image? Usually they offer prayers and requests to her to alleviate or heal their ailments, both spiritual and physical. It is these healings that this image is glorified. This is exactly what is said in the prayer-address to the Mother of God in front of this icon.

They also ask for protection from various misfortunes, for deliverance from sins, for protection from various enemies. Exists special prayer, with the help of which you can address the icon, but there is no separate akathist, troparion and kontakion for it.

Thus, based on everything described above, the Vilna Icon of the Mother of God is of great importance for all Orthodox Christians.

Ostrobramskaya icon

There is also an equally revered image in Vilnius, which is also sometimes confused with the one described above. It also has a rich and quite ancient history, and also several options for its origin. This is Vilna, which is currently located in Lithuania, in the Ostraya Brama chapel.

The origin of this icon is quite interesting. Some believe that this image was brought from Chersonese (Korsun), which is why in other sources it is also called the “Korsun Annunciation”. Prince Olgerd brought it from his campaign against the Tatars and gave it to his wife Maria. However, his second wife gave this icon to the Holy Trinity Monastery.

According to the second legend, the icon itself appeared on the Sharp Gate in 1431 on the fourteenth of April. There is also a third legend, according to which, the icon was sent by John Palaeologus to the Lithuanian prince Olgerd after he converted to Christianity. Thus, a miraculous shrine appeared on Lithuanian soil.

Days of celebration and prayer to the icon

Vilenskaya also has its own days of celebration. The first time in a year falls on the fourteenth of April. This is the day of remembrance of the three Lithuanian martyrs. The second day of remembrance falls on the twenty-sixth of December.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would like to note that Vilna, like Ostrobramskaya, is very significant for the Orthodox people. Although the last image is revered by both Orthodox and Greek Catholics due to the events that took place on the territory of Lithuania. This all suggests that true faith has no boundaries, if we turn to our intercessors with a pure heart and reverence, they will certainly help on this sometimes difficult path of life.

Just as in Moscow everyone bares their heads when passing through the Spassky Gates of the Kremlin, in the same way in Vilna everyone reverently bares their heads under the arches of Ostrobramskaya, on which is the miraculous icon of the Mother of God.

The Vilna - Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God has long been main shrine city ​​of Vilna, modern Vilnius. This gate icon got its name from its location: The sharp gate is the city gate of Vilnius.

History of the origin of the image

IN Catholic tradition the discovery of an icon is usually attributed to early XVII century, and the manufacture of its frame - at the end of the 18th century. However, there is a number of evidence of the earlier acquisition of this image, famous for its numerous miracles, going back to XIV century- the time of the rule of the Grand Duke Algirdas, known in Rus' as Olgerd, in Lithuania.

Several legends have been preserved about the history of the image. One of them tells that the Greek Emperor John Palaiologos sent the icon to the local prince Olgerd as a gift, thus blessing the pagan Olgerd’s adoption of Christianity.

According to another, more probable one, Algirdas, having conquered Chersonese (Korsun) Tauride on the Crimean Peninsula in 1363, took the Annunciation Icon of the Mother of God in Greek writing from there.

Returning to Vilna, the prince gave the icon to his wife, the Russian princess. Being born from a Russian mother, he married twice, and both times his chosen ones were Russians - first Maria Yaroslavna, Princess of Vitebsk, and after her death - Juliania Alexandrovna, Princess of Tverskaya. Both of them were baptized in the Orthodox faith.

Through the diligence of the pious wife Olga Juliania, a wooden Church of the Holy Trinity was erected in the Russian quarter of the city of Vilna, which later became a monastery church. It was erected at the site of the murder of the Vilna martyrs Anthony, John and Eustathius in 1347. The Korsun icon was placed for veneration by believers in the Holy Trinity Church, where it remained for some time until it miraculously appeared on the Sharp Gate.

The icon depicts the Most Pure Virgin at the moment of the Annunciation. With a humbly downcast gaze, folding her hands on her chest as a sign of submission to the will of God, She accepts the Good News from Archangel Gabriel.

The icon was loved by the townspeople. When new stone city walls were built in Vilna, a tower with a chapel was built on the gates, in which the miraculous image resided, as if blessing everyone who entered the city. Glory o miraculous icon quickly spread, and numerous pilgrims began to flock to worship her.

In the seventeenth century, during the Union, the image passed into the hands of Catholics. The chapel was reconstructed, as a result of which its face turned inward - towards the city.

Currently, the miraculous Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God is revered equally by both Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

Prayer

Oh, Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord of the highest powers, Heaven and earth to the Queen and our city of Kyiv, omnipotent Intercessor!

Accept this song of praise from us, unworthy Thy servants, and lift up our prayers to the throne of Thy Son and our God, may He be merciful to us sinners, and may He add His goodness to those who honor Thee and worship Thy miraculous image with faith and love.

To whom shall we cry out to the Lady? To whom shall we resort in our sorrows, if not to You, Queen of Heaven? Who will accept our tears and our sighs, if not You, Most Immaculate, the Hope of Christians and refuge for us sinners? Who will protect You more in adversity? In the same way, we earnestly pray to You: cover our sins with Your intercession, protect us from enemies visible and invisible, soften our hearts evil people, rising up against us.

O Mother of our Lord Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading color of purity. Accept our unworthy prayer and keep us in spiritual purity, save us from the slander of evil people and from sudden death, and grant us repentance before the end. Have mercy on us in the hours of the day, morning and evening, and protect us at all times: protect those who stand, those who sit, those who walk on every path, and those who sleep in the hours of the night, provide, cover and protect. In every place and at every time, awaken for us, Mother of God, an insurmountable wall and a strong intercession. You appear to us as the guardian of all life, Most Pure One; Deliver us from demons at the hour of death; Even after death, ask Thy Son and our God to find peace.

We, sinners, lift up prayers to You with hope and cry out tenderly: Rejoice, full of grace; Rejoice, Delighted One; Rejoice, Most Blessed One; The Lord is with You, with You and with us. We resort to You, as to our undoubted and speedy Intercessor, and to You, as our omnipotent Helper, we commit ourselves and each other and our whole life according to Christ God; to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, together with His beginningless Father, with the Most Holy and His good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.