The image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the recovery of the lost, is another name. Icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost.” Russian churches “Recovery of the dead”

Today it is not possible to reliably establish when and how images with this name appeared in Rus'. Information about this in different sources sometimes differ significantly from each other. Let's try to put together scattered data. Perhaps a complete picture will emerge. But first, let's talk about the appearance of such icons in Orthodoxy in general.

History of the appearance of the image

Church traditions say that the first icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost” appeared in the 6th century. According to legend, the monk Theophilus, slandered and expelled from the bishop’s house, harbored a great grudge in his soul. He turned away from God and His Mother and entered into an alliance with the devil.

But on the threshold of spiritual death, Theophilus was frightened by what he had done and fervently asked the Mother of God for salvation, calling her “Seeker of the Lost.” Holy Mother, having heard his sincere prayers, accepted the sincere repentance of the fallen one, granted forgiveness and freed him from his obligations to the devil.

The saved Theophilus devoted the rest of his life to serving God and was glorified among the saints.

Early Russian images “Recovery of the Lost”

The Russian icon “Seeking the Lost,” first mentioned in church records in 1548, is kept in the Moscow Church of the Resurrection of the Word. Presumably, the engraving belongs to the brush of an Italian master.

Legends say that in 1666, the wounded governor of Saratov, Kadyshev, was healed at the moment such an image appeared to him. A warrior preparing for death saw in the Volga wonderful icon and stood up. This icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost” performed many more miracles.

Two hundred years later, Kadysheva, a descendant of the famous governor, organized in the village of Rakovka convent and became its first abbess. The main shrine This monastery became a family treasure: the icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost.” The miraculous icon healed many believers and became famous far beyond the Volga region.

Count Sheremetyev, in gratitude for the cure of his son, ordered an expensive gilded icon case, decorated with jewelry, for this icon.

The miraculous Bor Icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost”

Special veneration of images with this name in Rus' began with the glorification of the Borsky Izvod.

A beautiful legend tells about the miraculous salvation of Obukhov Fedot. In the bitter cold, the peasant left his house and got lost along the way. By nightfall the unfortunate man was completely exhausted and cold. He lay down in the sleigh and began to fervently pray to the Mother of God. At that moment he made a vow that if he remained alive, he would order a copy of the image of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost” and donate it to the parish church.

Miraculously, the sleigh ended up at a peasant's house. The owner of this hut suddenly heard a woman’s voice ordering: “Take it!” Going outside, he found Fedot freezing in a sleigh.

The miracles continued. True to this vow, Fedot turns to the icon painter Gurov. But he demands a sum for the work that Obukhov does not have. As soon as Fedot walked out the door, the icon painter became blind—another miracle of the Most Holy Theotokos. Realizing that this is a punishment for greed, Gurov promises to write an exposition at any price. And immediately my vision returned!

Other miracles of the holy image

The icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost” was painted and donated by Fedot Obukhov to the church in the village of Bor. Many came to venerate this icon and ask for its intercession. Soon, a new beautiful church was built with donations from parishioners.

And again a miracle: the church elder saw in a dream where this icon would later stand. And soon a decree was received from the Synod on the construction of a temple on this very site.

In 1871, the Bor icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost” saved the city of Serpukhov from cholera. During the bringing, another miracle happened: the mute boy, who had not walked until that day, suddenly spoke and stood up on his feet. In gratitude, the residents of Serpukhov donated a Gospel with an image of this icon and records of the miracle performed to the Borsky Church.

This image was lost with the advent of Soviet power. But in 1985, a list of the Bor icon was transferred to the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the Tarusa region. The fact that this is a copy of a famous revered image is evidenced by the inscription on it.

“Recovery of the Dead” in Serpukhov

Every year, starting in 1892, a solemn procession brought this shrine to the city of Serpukhov. Every believer could venerate the shrine and ask the Mother of God for help. Particularly fortunate for the Orthodox residents of Serpukhov was the opportunity to accept this image for a prayer service in their own home.

The custom was broken with the establishment of Soviet power in Russia after the October Revolution. The temple in which this was kept miraculous icon, razed to the ground. Many images were lost.

But believers continued to worship this shrine and carefully preserved its copies. One of these lists was in the Trinity Church. However, this church was closed in 1961. And the miraculous icon became inaccessible to believers for 35 years, since all this time it was in the storage of the historical and art museum of the city of Serpukhov.

Return of the holy image to the church

But in June 1996, the holy icon “Seeking the Lost” appeared again in Serpukhov: it was temporarily placed in the Elias Church for prayers. This event became a great holiday for many residents. Flowers, bell ringing and church chants filled the city on this day.

The procession of the Cross delivered the miraculous image from the Vysotsky Monastery to the Elias Church. WITH early morning The square at the monastery was filled with numerous pilgrims. And many even spent the night there.

Solemn services took place in city churches. An endless stream of believers wanting to receive communion and confession moved towards the Church of the Three Hierarchs. Several priests confessed on this day at the same time. Many people gathered in the central square, where the Akathist to the icon “Seeking the Lost” was read.

The image of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost” was finally returned to the believers in 1997. On May 18, the shrine was transferred by the Serpukhov Historical and Art Museum to the Vysotsky Monastery. This day became a big holiday for Orthodox Serpukhovites. Now the image is available to believers and continues to work miracles.

Moscow icon “Seeking the Lost”

Great is the love of the Mother of God for people and her mercy is limitless. In Russia there is more than one miraculous icon “Seeking the Lost.” In Moscow there is the Church of the Resurrection of the Word, the construction of which is attributed to mid-17th century century. Worship services here never stopped. The icon “Seeking the Lost” is one of the main shrines of this temple.

Legend has it that a representative of a once rich noble family began to be haunted by troubles: first the death of his wife, and then the threat of complete ruin. Many days of fervent prayers before this home shrine averted poverty and misfortune from his family.

As a token of gratitude, the rescued man donated this icon to the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Palashi. In 1812, Napoleon's troops destroyed the church, and the icon “Recovery of the Lost” was cut into several parts. But even in this form, the image did not lose its power, brought healing to the sick and worked miracles. The restored temple worked until 1934 and was closed. The utensils and icons were transferred to other churches and monasteries. The holy image “Seeking the Lost” did not immediately find a new home.

The Mother of God chooses her own monastery

Interestingly, when trying to transport the icon to the Pimenovskaya Church, the cart did not budge. Deciding that the Mother of God herself did not want to be there, they chose a new place to store the shrine - the Resurrection Church, located on Malaya Bronnaya. This time the horses literally flew to their destination.

And when this church was demolished, the icon “Seeking the Lost” found its last refuge in the Church of the Resurrection of the Word.

Other famous Russian images “Recovery of the Lost”

In Marienburg, in the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, a copy of the Samara image “Recovery of the Dead” is kept. This icon was created in 1888 by the nuns of the Rakovsky convent.

After the revolution, this image was lost, but miraculously found in the 50s of the last century in Marienburg. For a long time it was literally underfoot: it was placed as a board on a pedestrian bridge. The find was placed in the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God in the city of Marienburg. It is noteworthy that on the eve of the celebration of the day of remembrance of the icon “Seeking the Lost” in February 1994, this icon began to stream myrrh.

The “Seeking the Lost” icons, which are kept in Moscow churches, are especially revered.

Holy Dormition monastery, located in the Tula region, became a place for storing and venerating the copy of the icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost,” created for the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God in the village of Sebino.

Interesting facts about the icon “Seeking the Lost” from the Rakovsky Monastery

Manuscripts have been preserved that document miraculous changes. appearance this image. In ordinary times, the Rakovskaya Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Seeking the Lost” was dark, the images on it were barely visible. But sometimes the image suddenly brightened, as if light was pouring out from within. This was considered God's message of joyful events. Cases of the appearance of drops of myrrh on the face and hands of the Mother of God and the Child are described. This happened in the period from May to October 1895, from the time of the consecration of the new stone church of the Holy Trinity Monastery.

Iconography of images “Seeking the Lost”

Portions of this type show us the Mother of God sitting. On her knees stands the Christ Child. He puts his arms around Mother’s neck and presses his left cheek to her face. The hands of the Queen of Heaven form a ring around the figure of the Child, her fingers are tightly clasped.

There were several variants of icons of this type - with a covered or uncovered head, sometimes the hands of the Virgin Mary were depicted not clasped.

Sometimes the composition included additional elements: window with a landscape or images of saints. Thus, in the Moscow image, the Mother of God is depicted with her head uncovered, surrounded by saints.

The size of the Bor icon is noteworthy. Its width is 1 meter 25 centimeters, and its height exceeds 2 meters. At the top of the icon is an image of the Baptism of Christ. This is due to the fact that the peasant Obukhov was saved from death precisely on the feast of Epiphany. According to legend, Fedot brought this huge icon to the temple in his arms. So he honored the Mother of God for her miraculous salvation.

Why are these images called that?

Let's try to figure out what the meaning of the icon “Seeking the Lost” is. What does this name mean? It speaks for itself: the Mother of God, in her endless love for humanity, is always ready to grant forgiveness (seek) and help those who are on the verge of death. These images are a symbol of the Mother of God, who tirelessly prays for hopeless patients. The Most Holy Mother saves those perishing in poverty and returns to faith people drowned in vices.

“Seeking the Lost” is an icon whose meaning can be briefly described as follows: this is the last hope for someone who has fallen into despair and cannot help himself.

It is to these images that mothers go with a request to save their babies. The icon, which has repeatedly shown miracles of delivering children from illness and suffering, is considered the patroness and intercessor of minors.

What do believers pray for before the icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost”?

Seriously ill people and their relatives make fervent requests to this image. It helps to get rid of vices, for example, alcohol addiction. Repentant sinners who have turned away from God go to these icons. Women ask in their prayers before the “Seeking of the Lost” for happy marriage and children's health.

People go to this image to ask for healing for sick loved ones who are near death. IN war time Believers call on the Mother of God, begging her to protect the soldiers on the battlefield.

Prayer to the icon “Seeking the Lost” helps with eye diseases, fever, and headaches. It is important that requests come from a pure heart and are full of faith in God. Only then will the Mother of God show her mercy and power of intercession.

You can contact the Blessed Mother with simple in sincere words that come from the heart. But it’s better to learn prayers that can be found even on the Internet. It’s even better to go to church for this.

IN church calendar February 5 (18) is the day of remembrance of the icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost.”

Orthodox traditions continue

In Rus', new churches of the icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost” are springing up. Just one example - on the initiative of the Kharkov Union of Afghanistan Veterans, in 2007, construction of a chapel began in memory of the fallen participants in local wars.

The chapel was conceived to perpetuate the memory of 19-year-old border guard Yevgeny Rodionov, who died “for his faith” in 1996. 100 days in captivity did not change the young fighter’s convictions; he bravely faced death. Eugene is revered by Orthodox Christians as a martyr for the faith.

And already in the summer of 2008, Metropolitan Nikodim of Kharkov and Bogodukhov blessed the transformation of the chapel into a temple. The main shrine was the icon “Seeking the Lost.” You can see a photo of this temple below.

The 26-meter church is crowned with a cross made in Ukraine. The project of the temple complex includes a bell tower and a church park.

August 23, 2008 became a double holiday for Kharkov residents: the anniversary of the liberation of the city from the fascist occupiers and the consecration of a new church in honor of the icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost.”

“Recovery of the Lost” is an icon whose significance for Orthodox Christians is difficult to overestimate. There are not many such images of the Mother of God, but almost all of them are miraculous.

The icon “Recovery of the Lost” acquired great value, which is due to the fact that she helps many Orthodox believers who come to her with requests. In addition, this shrine has a long and very complicated story origin. There is no single opinion about how this miraculous image appeared and became widespread in Rus', but many legends say that the first icon was painted in the 6th century and saved a certain Orthodox monk Theophilus from death.

According to the legends, the clergyman was influenced by slander and evil rumors from envious people and ill-wishers, and then completely expelled from the temple by the bishop. Having harbored resentment and anger in his soul, Theophilus rejected God, renounced his faith and, having known all the bitterness of despair, decided to make a deal with the devil himself. Soon the false rumors about the monk were revealed, and he himself realized what big mistake committed. Tormented by the pangs of conscience, Theophilus made a prayer, asking for forgiveness and protection. And then the Mother of God accepted the man’s sincere repentance, granting forgiveness and healing to the dying man.

Thus, which became widespread already in the 18th century, the icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost” is considered a symbol of comprehensive saving mercy, which helps to cope with the most difficult obstacles on the path of life.

The very name of the icon suggests that the Most Holy Mother of God is ready to give her love, forgiveness and help to any sufferer standing on the brink of life and death. This shrine is a kind of last hope for those who can no longer cope with difficulties on their own and have fallen into despair.

People turn to the “Recovery of the Lost” icon for help:

• people who are physically or spiritually close to decline, death, sincerely thirsting for repentance and healing;
• those who want to pray for the health and well-being of loved ones;
• people who want to strengthen faith and willpower to get rid of addictions;
• sinners who decided to repent and find faith in God to save their souls;
• parents who want to protect their children from bad influences and help them choose the right path in life;
• women and girls who dream of creating a strong, happy family;
• travelers who long to return home safely from long journeys.

Miracles of the Holy Image

The Most Holy Mother of God is ready to accept any sincere requests from people. It doesn’t matter at all what exactly your words and prayers are about. If they come from the heart and express your true, pure and good intentions, the Mother of God will definitely help you cope with all the hardships.

It is worth saying that “Recovery of the Lost” has important, because everything she helps the suffering with saves them from death, both physical and spiritual. There are many known cases when the holy image saved people from suicide, ruin and poverty, granted healing to the hopelessly ill, and showed the way to the lost. And the faith of people who come to the icon for help only strengthens its miraculous power every day.

Celebration day: February 18 to present style / February 5 according to Art. style

voice 7

Rejoice, Blessed Virgin Mary, / who bore the Eternal Child and God in Your arms. / Ask Him to give peace to the world / and salvation to our souls. / For the Son, O Mother of God, proclaims to You, / that all Your requests will be fulfilled for good. / For this sake and we cringingly pray to Thee/ and he who trusts in Thee, may we not perish,/ your name we call:/ You are, O Lady,/ The seeker of the lost.

Icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost"

Troparion of the Mother of God in honor of Her Icon Recovering the Lost

voice 4

Seek us, the perishing, Most Holy Virgin, not because of our sins, punish us, but because of your love for mankind: deliver us from hell, illness and need, and save us.

Icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost"

Kontakion of the Mother of God in honor of Her Icon Recovering the Lost

voice 6

The intercession of Christians is shameless, / intercession to the Creator is immutable, / do not despise the voices of sinful prayers, / but advance, as the Good One, to the aid of us, / who faithfully call Thee: / hasten to prayer and strive to entreat, / ever interceding, the Mother of God, those who honor Thee .

Icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost"

Prayer 1

Oh, Most Holy and Most Blessed Virgin, Lady Theotokos! Look with Your merciful eye on us, standing before Your holy icon and praying to You with tenderness, raise us from the depths of sin, enlighten our minds, darkened by passions, and heal the ulcers of our souls and bodies. We are not imams of other help, not imams of other hope, do You, Lady, weigh all our infirmities and sins? We resort to You and cry out: do not forsake us with Your Heavenly help, but appear to us ever and with Your ineffable mercy and bounty, save and have mercy on us , dying. Grant us correction of our sinful life and deliver us from sorrows, troubles and illnesses, from vain death, hell and eternal torment. You, Queen and Lady, are the quick Helper and Intercessor of all who flow to You, and a strong refuge for repentant sinners. Grant us, O Most Blessed and All-Immaculate Virgin, the Christian end of our life, peaceful and unashamed, and grant us, through Your intercession, to dwell in the heavenly abodes, where the unceasing voice of those celebrating with joy glorifies Holy Trinity, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 2

Zealous Intercessor, Compassionate Mother of the Lord, I come running to You, the accursed one and the most sinful man above all, listen to the voice of my prayer, hear my cry and groans, as if my iniquities have surpassed my head, and I, like a ship in the abyss, am plunging into the sea of ​​my sins . But You, All-Good and Merciful Lady, do not despise me, desperate and perishing in sins; have mercy on me, who repent of my evil deeds, and turn my lost, accursed soul to the right path. On You, my Lady Theotokos, I place all my hope. Thou, Mother of God, preserve and keep me under Thy roof, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost"

Prayer 3

ABOUT Holy Lady and the Mother of God, the highest Cherub and the most honest Seraphim, God's chosen Youth, deceased Recovery and to all who mourn, Joy, grant consolation to us who exist in perdition and sorrow, unless You have no other refuge and help than the Imams. You are the only one who is the Intercessor of our joy, and as the Mother of God and Mother of Mercy, standing at the Throne of the Most Holy Trinity, you can help us: no one else, who flows to You, leaves in shame. Hear us now, on the day of destruction and sorrow, falling before Your icon and praying to You with tears: take away from us the sorrows and troubles that are upon us in this temporary life, so that through Your omnipotent intercession, do not deprive us of eternal, endless joys in the Kingdom Your Son and our God. Amen.

Since time immemorial, the Russian people, sacredly believing in the all-powerful help of the Most Holy Theotokos, have adopted the name “Seeking the Lost” for Her, as the last refuge, the last hope of perishing people.

No reliable information has been preserved about the origin of the image “Recovery of the Dead.” There are several miraculous icons known under this name, through which the Mother of God showed Her mercy to people who had already crossed the threshold of death.

In the middle of the 17th century, in the village of Bor, Kaluga province, the pious peasant Fedot Obukhov was caught on the way by a snowstorm on the feast of the Epiphany. The horses were exhausted and stopped at an impassable ravine. Seeing no means of salvation, Obukhov lay down in the sleigh and began to fall asleep, not realizing that he would be completely frozen.

But in these terrible moments, with all his being he cried out to the Queen of Heaven for help and promised to make an icon “Recovery of the Lost” for his parish church. And She heard his heartfelt prayer: in a neighboring village, one peasant suddenly heard someone’s voice under his window: “Take it.” He went out and saw a half-frozen Obukhov in the sleigh. Having recovered, the saved one immediately fulfilled his vow and ordered a copy of the icon from the St. George Church in the city of Volkhov, Oryol province. Since that time, the Bor icon “Seeking the Lost” has become famous for many grace-filled signs and wonders. The miraculous images “Recovery of the Dead” are known: from the village of Malizhina, Kharkov province, revealed in 1770, which three times saved the inhabitants from cholera; from the village of Krasnoye, Chernigov province, from Voronezh, Kozlov, Tambov province. In 1835, at the Moscow Alexander Orphan Institute, a temple was consecrated in honor of the icon “Recovery of the Dead.”

Of particular interest are the surviving legends about the icon of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost,” located in the church in honor of the “Resurrection of the Word” in Moscow. This icon was moved from the Church of the Nativity of Christ in Palashevsky Lane. Its last owner was widowed and was on the verge of complete poverty. Diligent prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos saved him from despair and arranged the fate of his orphan daughters. This man considered himself unworthy to have a miraculous image in his house and transferred it to the temple. In 1812, the Palashevsky temple was plundered by the French. The desecrated shrine was found split into three parts among all sorts of rubbish. When the icon was found, many miraculous healings took place.

Brides turned to this icon when they got married so that the marriage would be salvific; people mired in drunkenness, dying in poverty, suffering from illnesses came to her, mothers turned to her with prayers for their dying children. And the Queen of Heaven sent down help and support to everyone: “Seek us, the perishing. Most Holy Virgin, do not punish us because of our sins, but because of your love for mankind: deliver us from hell, illness and need, and save us” (troparion, chapter 4).

First prayer

O Most Holy and Most Blessed Virgin, Lady Theotokos! Look with Your merciful eye on us standing before Your holy icon and praying to You with tenderness; raise us from the depths of sin, enlighten our minds, darkened by passions, and heal the ulcers of our souls and bodies. There are no imams of other help, no imams of other hope, except for You, the Lady. You weigh all our weaknesses and sins, we run to You and cry out: do not abandon us with Your Heavenly help, but appear to us ever and with Your ineffable mercy and bounties, save and have mercy on us who are perishing.

Grant us correction of our sinful life and deliver us from sorrows, troubles and illnesses, from sudden death, hell and eternal torment. You, Queen and Lady, are the First Helper and Intercessor of all who flow to You and a strong refuge for repentant sinners. Grant us, O Most Blessed and All-Immaculate Virgin, the Christian end of our life to be peaceful and unashamed, and grant us, through Your intercession, to dwell in the Heavenly Abodes, where the unceasing voice of those celebrating with joy glorifies the Most Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. . Amen.

Second prayer

Zealous Intercessor, Compassionate Mother of the Lord, I come running to You, the accursed one and the most sinful person above all; Hear the voice of my prayer, hear my cry and groaning. For my iniquities have exceeded my head, and I, like a ship in the abyss, am plunging into the sea of ​​my sins. But You, All-Good and Merciful Lady, do not despise me, desperate and perishing in sins; have mercy on me, who repent of my evil deeds, and turn my lost, accursed soul to the right path. On You, my Lady, Mother of God, I place all my hope. Thou, Mother of God, preserve and keep me under Thy roof, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer three

O Most Holy Lady and Mother of God, Supreme Cherub and Most Honest Seraphim, God's Chosen Maiden, Retribution for the lost and Joy to all who mourn! Give consolation to us, who live in perdition and sorrow; Are there no other refuge and help for you from the imams? You alone are our Intercessor of joy, and as the Mother of God and the Mother of Mercy, standing at the Throne of the Most Holy Trinity, you can help us, for no one who comes to You leaves in shame. Hear now also from us, on the day of destruction and sorrow, who fall before Your icon and pray to You with tears: take away from us the sorrows and troubles that befall us in this temporary life, but do not, through Your omnipotent intercession, create eternal, endless joy in the Kingdom of the Son and God. ours. Amen.

Prayer Four

To my most blessed Queen, to my Hope, to the Mother of God, Friend to the Orphan and Strange, Representative! Joy to the mourning, to the offended Patroness! See my misfortune, see my sorrow: help me as I am weak, feed me as I am strange. Weigh my offense, resolve it as if by will: for I have no other help except You, no other Representative, no good Comforter except You, O Mother of God, for you will preserve me and cover me forever and ever. Amen.

Fifth prayer

O Most Blessed Lady, Protector of the Christian race, refuge and salvation of those who resort to You! We know, truly we know, how much we have sinned and been angry, O Merciful Lady, the Son of God begotten in the flesh of You. But the Imam has many images of those who angered His mercy before me: publicans, harlots and other sinners, to whom forgiveness of their sins was given for the sake of repentance and confession. Thou, therefore, imagining the images of those who have been pardoned by the eyes of my sinful soul and looking at the great mercy of God that I have received, I am bold and I, a sinner, will resort with repentance to Your mercy.

Oh, All-Merciful Lady! Give me a helping hand and ask Your Son and God, through Your motherly and most holy prayers, for forgiveness for my grave sin. I believe and confess that He Whom You gave birth to, Your Son is truly the Christ, the Son of the living God, Judge of the living and the dead, reward everyone according to his deeds; I again believe and confess that You are the true Mother of God, the source of mercy, the consolation of those who mourn, the seeker of the lost, a strong and unceasing intercessor to God, who dearly loves the Christian race, and a helper of repentance; Truly, there is no other help and protection for us except You, the Most Merciful Lady, and no one, trusting in You, was ashamed when, and by You begging God, no one was quickly abandoned. For this sake and I pray to Your innumerable goodness: open the doors of Your mercy to me who have gone astray and fallen into the dark times of the depths, do not disdain the foul me, do not despise my sinful prayer, do not leave me the accursed, as an evil enemy seeks to kidnap me to destruction, but beg for me Thy merciful Son and God born of Thee, may He forgive my great sins and deliver me from my destruction, for even I, with all who have received forgiveness, will sing and glorify the immeasurable mercy of God and Your shameless intercession for me in this life and in the endless eternity . Amen.

The image of "Recovery of the Lost" has existed for many years. He is widely known, but there are many legends around him. In our country they treat him as a miracle worker. The icon received its name due to what happened in the seventeenth century with the priest Theophilos.

Icon of recovery of the dead, how does it help?

Priest Theophilus is the main character in the history of the origin of the name of this image. There lived a priest in Turkey who had a son. At that time he was an archdeacon or church administrator. He was offered to become a bishop, but he refused it because he was too modest. But due to the fact that another minister was appointed in his place, he had a desire to take revenge.

It was at that moment that a deal was made between the prince of darkness and the priest. The exchange was the renunciation of Christ and the Mother of God. Thus, he could get his rank back. For long period the priest calmly ruled the church. But his conscience haunted him and forced him to repent. Thus, in prayer and during fasting, the sinner asked for help. Then the Mother of God appeared to him and promised to help. Thus, the contract that the bishop concluded appeared to him and he was forced to take it to the newly elected one to this rank.

Thus, the icon “Recovery of the Dead” appeared. This image is necessary for those who begin to commit such sin as apostasy. In this way, he can be covered by the love of the Mother of God. If a person is tired and despairing in the fight against various circumstances, then he should pray near this icon. Everyone must remember that death will come in any case. And while a person lives, he can use all means to save his soul.

Icon of recovery of the dead, photo of the image

Many images have been created in the world, but most of them depict the Virgin Mary holding the baby Christ right hand. There are cases when in the image she is holding it with her left hand. The distinctive features of the picture include the following:

1. The head of the Virgin Mary is covered with a red omophorion.
2. The head of the Virgin Mary may be covered with a white omophorion.
3. Many icons depict the Madonna with a halo. Underneath you can see the curly hair of the mother of Jesus Christ.

The omophorion on the head of the Mother of God is her distinctive feature. Since she gave it to cover human sins. This symbol is self-sacrifice. It can manifest itself in the form of shame. Today, a woman has no right to enter a temple without a headdress. Therefore, the Queen of Heaven - the Mother of God - can serve as a reminder of this.

The image shows with what tenderness little Jesus Christ hugs his mother’s neck. One hand hugs her, and the other lies near the collar. In some images he stands on straight legs, while in others the baby sits in his mother’s arms. But distinctive feature The image is that its legs are visible regardless of its origin. At the same time, the palms of the mother of Jesus Christ are closed and support the baby.

• There are several images that show how the Mother of God holds him in full height.
• But there are also those when the image of both is depicted from the waist up.
• In some cases, the Queen of Heaven is depicted barefoot standing on a cloud.

There are quite a few styles of writing icons, but general image is saved. Regardless of who painted the icon, you can pray to any of them. In order for an icon to work, what is important is not the cost of the image in a church shop, but the spiritual mood for prayer.

How will the “Recovery of the Lost” icon help?

Near the icon “Seeking the Lost” you can pray for anything. At the same time, we should not forget that the Mother of God does not limit people’s requests. Let's look at the main options when people ask for help.

1. There is an image that depicts the Virgin Mary with a child who helps travelers. The prayer is said turning to the icon.
2. They ask for those who are sinners and in error, including not only adults, but also children.
3. They ask for those who did not return and turned on their way. Relatives just wait, hope and pray near this image.

In churches, many clergymen recall an incident that took place in Kaluga region. The peasant was caught on the way by a strong snowstorm, but the horses could not go further. Falling asleep, before going to bed, the man asked the Mother of God for help. She really helped him and the peasant was found by residents of a neighboring village. Although he could not even call someone for help because of his condition.

Another case when the image of Recovering the Dead helped is when in the twentieth century the wife of a priest came under repression. She wanted to commit suicide. In a moment of despair, she spoke to the Mother of God. The next day she found a bundle of gold, which prevented her from dying and her children from becoming orphans.

Copies of the icon “Recovery of the Dead”

Copy of the icon which has a miraculous effect is list. Such images get their own history. Today in Moscow the icon is kept in the Church of the Resurrection in Bryusovsky Lane. The image got there after going through many tests and changing various places of your stay.

They say that the icon was painted by an Italian back in the nineteenth century for a nobleman. But troubles began to haunt this family. First, the nobleman's wife died, and then poverty set in. Like many, out of despair in the arms of children, he began to drink. But at one moment he found strength in himself and began to pray in front of the image of the patroness of the human race. His fate improved very soon. He arranged the fate of his daughters. Then the nobleman decided to give it to the temple.

But soon this image was broken, since during Napoleon’s invasion it was split into several parts. After the incident, she was restored. Subsequently, the icon was hidden from the Soviet authorities, but the image was not destroyed. Even during the fire she survived. For two hundred years it has had an incredible flow of people. They contact her constantly. Today, her image is decorated with rings, chains and other objects that are brought to her as gratitude for her healing.

Image of the recovery of those killed in Samara

There is also a sacred icon in Samara. It has been known since the nineteenth century. The first thing that happened to the icon was that it was in a family who lived on the Volga. The commander who found her was healed of a long-standing illness. But despite this, after living for some time, he died. His wife went to a monastery out of grief. Going to the Rakovskaya monastery, she took this image with her.

When the son of a famous count prayed in front of the icon, he was healed. Since rumors about the miraculous image quickly spread, a rich setting was donated to the icon. The icon has distinctive characteristics.

1. It is written on a wooden board. Her dress is red.
2. Her cover is trimmed with gold, including the outfit of Jesus Christ.

It is worth noting amazing feature image. The icon can change its appearance. It is presented in dark color. But if a joyful event occurs, then her face brightens. In the event that something happens significant event, then the Mother of God begins to flow myrrh. To date, it has been recorded that the icon is located in the Samara Cathedral. Every Tuesday an akathist is sung in it. The image is carried every day during religious processions around the city.

Recovery of the dead: known facts

One of interesting events What happened with the icon is that the saint ordered it for her temple. She saw this image supposedly in a dream and began to collect money in order to order an icon to be painted. As soon as Matrona ordered the icon, she procession delivered where needed. At the same time, the saint was blind and was able to predict the exact time when she would be taken to the village.

Since then, the image of “Recovery for the Lost” has become a major attraction and was famous for various miracles. When there was a drought in the village, they brought it into the field and the rains immediately began. Today the image is in the Moscow Intercession Monastery.

Russian churches “Recovery of the dead”

Since over the centuries the image of the Mother of God has had a miraculous effect, many churches in Russia began to be named after her.

1. In Cheboksary there is a temple that was named after the miraculous icon, where prayers are held in her honor. Its first stone was laid at the end of the twentieth century.
2. A memorial was built in Voronezh, which has a cylindrical shape with narrow and high walls. The entrance was made in the form of an arch.
3. A temple was also built in Moscow at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was re-consecrated only last year. Every Sunday a prayer is held in honor of the Virgin Mary.

When visiting a temple and praying to an icon, you should not ask for one thing. You can ask for many of your needs. Basically, the image is asked for the following:

• Marry.
• Recover from serious illnesses.
• Stop being addicted to alcohol, drugs or cigarettes.
• Gain financial stability.
• Help children get rid of sins.

The meaning of the image of the Recovery of the Lost

The image has nothing to do with dead people. The name identifies a person who has stopped seeing something good around him. That is, someone who has become hopeless, negative towards himself and his own life. The Queen of Heaven helps such people. It can only help those who fight and do not stop fighting for their sincerity in life. It gives people new strength and focus on results.

1. It is recommended for absolutely everyone to pray to the image, and not only on holidays. Especially those who reject the Lord and those who have lost hope for the best.
2. Those who have lost hope of being saved need to pray. Wives and mothers of military men quite often ask the Mother of God to save and preserve.
3. Copy or real authentic icon helps those who are fighting various diseases. Therefore, it is worth contacting her if you want to overcome this illness. It helps those who have constant headaches, as well as many other diseases.
4. She will help those who sincerely wish to get married. And also, it can help those who need strong and happy marriage bonds.

Once a year the Mother of God is venerated. Her holiday falls on the eighteenth of February.

For thousands of years, the icon has helped with different situations. Let's consider the most known cases.

1. Upon marriage. One nobleman urgently needed to hand over his daughters, as he was left on the verge of poverty. Left alone with his problem, he began to drink heavily and ask the Mother of God for help. After prayer, the fate of his daughters was arranged.
2. For diseases and epidemics. In Serpukhov, at the end of the nineteenth century, there was a cholera epidemic, which constantly claimed the lives of several people. Residents heard about miracles that occur thanks to the wonderful image of the icon and began to turn to it. People began to pray in front of her and, unexpectedly for everyone, the disease receded and the Mother of God helped the city.

icon Recovery of the dead

Akathist of the icon of the recovery of the dead

Church singing, which contains a prayer of praise, takes place on this Sunday. Thus, one akathist contains:

1. 13 kontakia;
2. 13 ikos.

They tell about the events that were associated with the appearance of the image and its praise. The akathist may contain pleas for forgiveness and protection. Any requests may be present, and there may also be instructions to deliver all people from the misfortune.

Akathists are sung in all churches where the icon of the Search for the Lost is installed. Quite often they sing even where it is not there, but copies of it are present. It is especially important for those who ask and those who praise her image to be present during church singing. That's why the presence of the sufferer in the temple must be mandatory.

For those who really believe that the icon of the Seeking of the Lost brings joy to the home and good news, it is best to purchase the image for your home and place it in a corner with the other icons. should be done every morning and evening before and after reading Holy Scripture. In addition, before installing the image in the house, it must be consecrated in the church. But if it is not possible to purchase it, you can visit the temple where it is installed.