Every year on November 4, believers celebrate the Great Orthodox holiday dedicated to the Kazan Icon Mother of God. On this special day, prayers read before the shrine of the Virgin Mary are incredibly powerful and capable of miracles. Just imagine how truly believing people get out of such situations (thanks to prayers) in which a common person he would be confused and would not even imagine what solution might await him.
The Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is held in honor of great deeds performed in a holy image. The shrine came to the aid of people in the most difficult days of their lives. She really was always there, faithfully and devotedly helping people and entire states. She has hundreds, if not thousands, of miraculous acts associated with the healing of diseases, as well as the liberation of the country from enemies.
The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is one of the most important and revered images of the Blessed Virgin. People turn to her in prayers in the most difficult and difficult moments of their lives. The miraculous image is capable of healing terrible diseases of the body and soul. The Mother of God helps you gain spiritual enlightenment and truly find your path if you have moved away from it. The Mother of God will not abandon those who need Her support and consolation. When grief and sorrow envelop the souls of believers, hope remains only for a miracle in the person of the protection and intercession of the Mother of God.
Since the icon of the Kazan Mother of God is the patroness of soldiers, defenders of their homeland, before military affairs, campaigns, etc., officers stand in front of her and read prayers.
Our Lady of Kazan protects the house from misfortunes, protects the family from quarrels, blesses marriage and protects children from grief, illness and failure. The face of the Kazan Mother of God is the strongest amulet and an assistant in overcoming any difficulties. But the Mother of God comes to the aid only of true believers, whose prayers are filled with sincerity, love and righteousness.
How is the day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God celebrated?
It is worth noting that for Orthodox believers, the holiday in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is one of their favorites. This day for Christians begins with going to church, attending a service and, of course, praying before the holy image of the Mother of God. At the end of the service, a religious procession is usually held. Traditionally, the solemn procession is led by the miraculous icon of the Kazan Mother of God.
The main celebration takes place in the homeland of the holy image, in Kazan. After all, it was in this city that the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God declared itself and its power, saving the city and its inhabitants from a terrible fire. On this day comes to Kazan great amount believers from all over the world: pilgrims attend services in the temple, pray in front of the shrine, touching the image, feeling the strength and power of the miraculous icon.
Many believers get married on November 4, since the shrine is the patroness of the family and the wedding union. It is believed that people who have concluded marriage ties on this day, they will live especially faithful and happy life together.
If the festival does not fall during the fast week, then women can prepare various delicious dishes for lunch. On this holiday, it is customary to invite guests, friends and relatives to the table to share food with them. Lunch is usually held in a relaxed, relaxed atmosphere, with people filled with joy and good humor.
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The great feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God falls on national unity, which is officially a day off in Russia. This is one of the rare coincidences of Orthodox and state holidays on the same day, so some of their traditions are interconnected. In the evening of November 4, a fireworks display is held in honor of National Unity Day, which Orthodox believers also come to watch.
It is worth noting that the celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is not a time for sorrow and despondency, it is a bright and cheerful holiday when the Orthodox people offer gratitude and honor to the Mother of God, at the same time asking for support and protection before Her miraculous image.
Prayers to the Mother of God in front of the Kazan Icon
As you know, the miraculous image of the Kazan Mother of God never left believers without attention and support. It is necessary to offer prayers before the holy face with all your heart. First of all, you need to believe in the power of the Mother of God and sincerely repent for the sinful acts you have committed.
First prayer:
“Oh, Holy Mother of God! With hope and bright feelings I bring my prayer to You. Do not turn Your gaze away from those who pray to You. Hear our words, O merciful Virgin. Pray before the Lord and before Your Son Jesus Christ for our mistakes and sinful deeds. Don’t let our country fall in the battle for a free life. Do not let soldiers die in war in bloody and dishonorable battles. Protect our homes from evil spirits and quarrels. Do not let us indulge in grief, sadness and despondency. Give us the strength to move forward and live our lives in health, happiness and joy. Fill our hearts with love, loyalty and courage! And never leave us, oh Holy Virgin! May we praise Your Great Name. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".
Second prayer:
“Oh, great Mother of God, Protector and Benefactor of Christians. You are the Queen of heavenly souls and the Mistress of humanity living on the sinful earth. You pray for us, thanks to You the Lord gives us repentance and His blessing. Hear our prayers now, for we pray to You before Your Holy Image. Do not leave our souls without Your light and warmth! Fill our hearts with virtue. Drive away malice and deceit, lies and hatred from our lives. Become a talisman for our children, illuminate them life path righteousness. Our refuge is in You. Oh, Most Pure Virgin, we glorify You, we bow our knees before You, we pray to You and we honor You, Great Intercessor. Don't leave us without help. Heal from mental and physical illnesses. Guide me on the right path. Do not leave in terrible moments. In You is our defense, in You is our road to the Kingdom of God. We never your name We will not stop chanting and praising. May the will of the Lord be done. From now on and forever and ever. Amen. Amen. Amen".
On this bright holiday in honor of the great Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, every person has a chance to stand on Right way and change your life for the better, gaining the support of the Mother of God, letting Her into your heart. It is enough just to offer sincere prayers before the face of the Holy Virgin, filling every word with goodness, love and faith.
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The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is the most revered holy image among Russian Orthodox believers. This icon is considered a symbol of the blessing of the Russian people; after all its miraculous appearances in the history of the country, prosperous times came and turmoil ended. It is with this icon that it is customary for Orthodox Christians to bless newlyweds. It is believed that this image shows the right path and helps to gain faith in order to get out of difficult life situations.
Godparents also give gifts to godchildren so that this face will protect the child and guide him through life.
The Kazan image of the Mother of God is a reminder of the highest blessing, alms and intercession of the Higher powers for our land and our country. The construction of many cathedrals is dedicated to this icon, the largest and most revered are on Moscow’s Red Square, Cathedral in St. Petersburg and Blagoveshchensky in Kazan.
The unparalleled veneration of the holy image of the Mother of God led to the fact that religious holiday Believers in Orthodoxy celebrate the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God not once a year, but twice: July 21 and November 4.
The history of the miraculous appearance of the icon of the Mother of God
There are still different hypotheses about the origin of the Kazan Icon. The most widespread version in the history of religion is considered to be the version of the discovery of the icon in 1579 ( old style calculus) in Kazan. Shortly before this miracle, a large-scale fire raged in the city, destroying half of its buildings and many people. The little girl Matryona had a dream in which the Mother of God appealed to her to find a surviving icon in a burnt house. This dream appeared to the girl three times, only on the third morning the parents believed the girl, and her mother took her to the place where in the dream the Mother of God told Matryona to find the icon. They dug up the icon, intact and unharmed, and went to show the shrine to the nearest church. News about miraculous appearance The shrine quickly scattered, and soon Archbishop Jeremiah placed the icon in the Church of St. Nicholas. After this, a prayer service was served near the icon and transferred to the Annunciation Cathedral, which was erected by Ivan the Terrible. In the procession of the Cross, when the icon was being carried, there were two blind men in the procession (Joseph and Nikita), who after that began to see. It became absolutely clear that this was a miraculous icon. It was decided to build Kazansky convent at the place where she was found. The girl Matryona, who saw the wonderful icon in a dream, and her mother were among the first to be accepted into the new cathedral.
It was the day of the miraculous appearance of the icon from the earth and ashes, 21 July, today is the first summer Icon of the Kazan Mother of God.
To venerate the miraculous icon, ask her for healing or direction in business, many people began to come to Kazan. News about her spread very quickly. gradually appeared a large number of lists with images that spread throughout the country. Copies and copies of the icon also had miraculous powers.
The history of the loss of the Kazan icon
If the appearance of the icon was a sudden miraculous insight that united the people who suffered after the fire, giving them hope and confidence in God's intercession, then the disappearance of the icon occurred for a very everyday and low reason - theft. This happened on the night of July 29 (old style) 1904. The thief locked the watchman in the basement, stole the icon and money from the donation chest, and escaped while the monks were sleeping after a long evening service. The fact is that the Kazan image of the Mother of God was very revered. In the built stone church where the icon was placed, hundreds of believers prayed to it every day. The priests decided to ennoble the icon. Back in 1676, they decided to decorate the icon with gold and place it in a new casket. The icon was decorated generously: large diamonds, gold, pearls, more than 2 thousand. precious stones. It was they who attracted the criminal.
An investigation into the theft of the icon was carried out, but neither the thief nor the shrine could be found. This has not been proven, but some reports said that the robbers did not believe in the miraculous nature of the icon. They removed all the gilding and jewelry from the image, and burned the icon itself to prove that the robbery was not sacrilege, and the icon was in no way incinerable. Partially contradicting this is the fact that information has been preserved about several cases of the sale of a precious icon, very similar to the Kazan icon, in Europe into private collections. But it was not possible to establish the originality of the sold images.
But another sad fact is known for certain. Soon after the disappearance of the icon, Kazan, which flourished for almost two centuries and was not drawn into any military conflicts, was defeated in the 1905 war with Japan. This event marked the beginning of a new troubled period in the history of Kazan and the entire empire.
Even after the disappearance of the Holy Image, the history of the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God did not stop. Believers worshiped copies of the original icon and asked the Mother of God to show mercy, to guide them on the right path, to heal soul and body, to grant harvests, to protect families from disintegration and cities from destruction.
Miracles of the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan
The miracle of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan can be described as an “epiphany,” physical or spiritual. Even after the first appearance of the icon to the people in the procession of the Cross, two believers were healed of blindness. After this, blind people who wanted to heal their illness were brought to the icon to worship. But the icon also healed people from spiritual blindness. The miraculous image of the Mother of God sowed the first crumbs of insight even by its sudden appearance.
Today, those who do not know which path is best to take, what to do, those who are tormented by the problems of difficult choices come to pray to the icon. It is best to read a prayer before the miraculous image on the feast of the Kazan Icon, so that the Mother of God will prompt, direct on the right path, protect from the wrong choice, and give hope.
The Kazan icon is also associated with large-scale historical events, which could not do without miraculous intervention. These include the so-called “ troubled times", the apotheosis of which was the end of 1620 - the beginning of 1622, when the military-political situation in Russia became extremely tense. At that difficult time, Polish nobles laid claim to power in the country; the country was shaken by the civil war.
There was no strong ruler and commander on the throne at that time, so the monks, led by Patriarch Ermogen, began to call the people to the militia. The spiritual symbol of the militia was the image of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan, because the country was being liberated not only from the invaders themselves, but also from the faith they implanted (the Poles promoted Catholicism).
When the militia was almost assembled, the Poles had almost captured the Kremlin. On the eve of the assault, the Russian army announced a fast and prayer in front of the icon. After this, on the morning of October 22, the successful liberation of Kitay-Gorod and the Kremlin began.
Since that time, November 4 (new style) has been considered one of the holidays in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
Original and lists of the Kazan Icon
This icon is one of the most widespread and revered in Orthodox Russia. No other is written in as many lists as the Kazan Mother of God.
Here we need to clarify. When we're talking about about an icon, there is no concept of “copy” or “original”. All icons of the Mother of God have miraculous power, from the first copy made from the original icon, to a postcard with the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God or a small icon with a prayer. All images of icons in the Kazan image are shrines in front of which you can pray. The Mother of God will hear prayers, no matter what icon they sound in front of.
In the case of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, the original is considered to be the same icon that the girl Matryona found through a vision from prophetic dream. It is known to have been lost or destroyed. All other icons are lists, some of them also have miraculous powers.
The icon in front of which they prayed on the eve of the assault by the Poles, who almost captured the Kremlin, is also lost; it was a copy of the original icon. It was brought by militia members from the east.
Another list - the St. Petersburg one - is also associated with many miracles that happened in the 1730s. Field Marshal Kutuzov prayed to her before going to the front line in the war with the French.
The following lists of icons are considered miraculous: Kaplunovskaya, Yaroslavlskaya, Vysochinskaya and Tobolskaya.
New discovery of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God
Another newest stage The history of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God happened in 2004. Patriarch Alexei was contacted by Pope John Paul II to discuss a certain icon that was discovered at the papal court in 1993. It is known that such an act of the Pope was another step in resolving Christian conflicts between faiths. But, whatever his motives, he returned a long-lost shrine to our land. Later it was determined that this was not the original icon that appeared in Kazan, but it was a very ancient copy of it, most likely from the original.
Delivered in 2004, the icon is today kept in Kazan in the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross of the former monastery of the Mother of God, where the first icon was lost.
Summer holiday of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God on July 21
First summer holiday The icons of the Mother of God are celebrated on July 21 according to the new style. This is the day the icon was found, when little Matryona and her mother found a shrine that had survived the fire. At first this day was celebrated only in Kazan, but later it became a holiday throughout the country.
This feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was celebrated in 2017 Procession of the Cross, service with an akathist to the Mother of God.
The Kazan Icon is also called the “Guide”. The baby in the icon contributes a hand to baptize, and the Mother points her hand in the direction of the Son of God. The miraculous power of the icon was manifested in the fact that it was able to suggest to those praying the right path in life, helped them make difficult choices, and blessed them for good but difficult deeds.
On the bright day of July 21, priests advise not to send each other postcards on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, but to go to church, pray or bring your children or other relatives to church. dear people who face an important choice: where to go to study, is it time to enter into a marriage?
The priests also advise listening on this day to the signs given Higher power, perhaps, in this way the Mother of God will “admonish” us on this holiday.
Day of Our Lady of Kazan - women's day
No matter what temple you go to, you can notice one pattern: most of those praying are women. And on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in 2017, many more women came to churches than usual. This holiday has long been considered women's day; women came to the temple with requests that they could only voice before the Mother of God. On this day, mothers and wives ask the Mother of the Lord for spiritual and physical healing, wisdom and intercession, and pray for their children and husbands, who often find “more important” things to do than prayer in church.
On what date is the feast of the Icon of the Kazan Mother of God celebrated in the fall?
For the second time in our country, the Day of Our Lady of Kazan is celebrated in the fall, namely on November 4, according to the new style. This is the day when prayer in front of the image of the Kazan Mother of God helped our compatriots liberate the capital from the siege of the Poles.
On this day, in front of the icon they pray for peace and prosperity, for the prosperity of the state, which has been protecting the image of the Kazan Icon for how many years.
And every parishioner can ask the Mother of God for peace and harmony in his family, to bless him for marriage or other good union.
A marriage or wedding on the eve of or on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is considered a good sign. Congratulations and warm wishes for a long, happy life on this day are supported by the blessing of the Mother of God, who will protect the couple from envious people and ill-wishers.
How the Day of the Kazan Icon is celebrated in the Orthodox tradition: worship, sermons, congratulations
The Day of the Kazan Icon is considered a big day. The previous evening, churches serve evening service, and on the morning of November 4, people gather in cathedrals to listen festive service and pray at the Holy Icon.
On this day you cannot do dirty and heavy things. This holiday is not a national holiday, but it is quite possible to avoid washing, working with a needle, etc. on this holy day.
Also, priests do not advise quarreling, sorting things out, or setting ultimatums on the feast of the Kazan Icon. This is a holiday of peace and hope, a holiday in which it was proven that people are protected by higher powers.
Since ancient times, women have prepared a festive dinner for the evening, because Lent follows in a week and a half.
The sermon on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God has special meaning. Sometimes the purpose of a sermon is to instruct and warn believers, but on the day of the Kazan Icon it is important to let people understand that the Lord, the Mother of God and the Guardian Angel will always help, give hope, harmony, understanding, and bless for a good deed. Our land at some stages was saved by the holy patronage of the Kazan Icon, and every resident can hope for the help of the Holy Intercessor in difficult moments.
Folk signs on the day of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God
On the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, signs have special meaning.
Throughout history, people have composed many omens and legends on the day of the icon of Our Lady of Kazan. This is a day of special power and miracles; it is believed that on this holiday the Mother of God instructs people on the right true path, so people have long begun to notice little things and interpret them in a holy, mystical way.
People, for example, said that if on this day it's raining, then this is a good sign, this is the Mother of God crying for all people, begging forgiveness from the Lord for people. Another rain on this day is associated with good harvest next year. Dry weather, on the contrary, predicts a lean year.
“What Kazanskaya shows, winter will say” means that the weather, especially snow on this day, “sets the tone” for the weather for the entire coming winter.
Counts good sign on the feast of the Kazan Icon to marry, woo or baptize children. Such unions promise to be strong and happy.
The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God saved Moscow from destruction and this happened on November 4th. By church calendar celebration Orthodox Day The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God takes place on July 21, after this icon was miraculously discovered in Kazan in 1579. And it happened like this.
History of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
Long before the arrival of Ivan the Terrible’s troops in Kazan, most of the city was razed to the ground by a terrible fire. One of the victims was a certain archer Onuchin. A miraculous vision came to his daughter when the Mother of God came to her during sleep and told her about wonderful icon, buried under the ashes. Kazan is a Muslim city, so the Orthodox image was hidden by one of the believers.
How did the holiday Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God appear?
In memory of the liberation of Moscow, the Day of celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was established - November 4. It was this icon that helped fight the invaders back then. And what’s most interesting is that the icon was found in exactly the same place that was indicated to the girl in her prophetic dream.
The meaning of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
The icon found then has incredible power and its acquisition by believers was accompanied by a variety of miracles. And a copy of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, painted in the 19th century, more than once healed the sick due to their sight.
Often the miraculous icon saved Russian lands from invasions; it was revered by our great warriors and generals who lived in different time. The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was owned by the militiamen Minin and Pozharsky, Kutuzov prayed to it before Borodino, and even despite the excommunication of the church from the state during the Soviet era, they relied on it before the start of the Battle of Stalingrad.
WITH miraculous icon associated with the end of the Troubles in Russia. Thanks to her, the militia, Minin and Pozharsky, managed to expel the Polish interventionists from Moscow. According to historians, at the most difficult moment, Minin and Pozharsky were sent from Kazan a Holy image - an icon of the Mother of God.
After this, the army maintained a strict three-day fast, after which they turned to God and the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God with a prayer for help. As a result, on November 4, 1612, the Poles were defeated, troubled times finally ended in Russia, and the end of strife and conflicts came. In honor of the glorious victory, the Kazan Cathedral was laid on Red Square, which was completely destroyed in the 30s of the last century, but in our time it has been restored.
IN modern calendar this holiday is revered only by deeply religious people, and 300 years ago the Orthodox holiday of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was nationwide. It was believed that true winter was coming the next day. It was considered a good sign for young people and girls to get married on the Day of the Kazan Mother of God. This meant that the family would be strong and happy.
When is the Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God?
Every year, on November 4, hundreds and thousands of believers celebrate a bright Orthodox holiday - the Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Congratulate your loved ones on this great Day - the day of liberation from invaders and the unity of the Russian people!
The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is one of the most revered in Rus'. The celebration takes place twice a year - July 8/21 and October 22/November 4. The iconography of the image is of the “Hodegetria” (“Guide”) type.
The history of the discovery of the miraculous image of the Mother of God goes back to the time of the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible in 1552. After a long siege and a successful assault on the city, the Kazan Khanate was finally annexed to Rus'. A year later, the Kazan diocese was established, and the conversion of pagans and Muslims to Christianity began. In 1579, a terrible fire occurred in the city, incinerating part of the Kremlin and the adjacent territory of the city. In this regard, the Mohammedans began to say that the Russian God was unmerciful to people and punished them with fire. Then, to strengthen the Orthodox faith, the great mercy of God was revealed - the discovery of the miraculous image of the Mother of God.
To nine-year-old Matrona, the daughter of the archer Onuchin, whose house was completely destroyed by fire, the Mother of God appeared in a dream and revealed that under the ruins of the house there was Her miraculous image. To the child's words about miraculous phenomenon no one paid attention. The Mother of God appeared to Matrona two more times, indicated the exact location of the icon on the ashes and ordered to inform the archbishop and mayors so that they would remove Her miraculous image from the ground. Finally, the girl’s mother began to dig the ground in the place indicated to her, but the icon was not there. As soon as Matrona herself took the spade, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God was found. The magnificent image, wrapped in an old cloth sleeve, was clear and bright, as if it had just been painted.
After the miraculous discovery, the icon was transferred to the Church of St. Nicholas of Tula, and then to the Annunciation Cathedral. The priest of the St. Nicholas Church Ermolai, the future Patriarch of Moscow Ermogen, became the first author of the troparion and service to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. He also witnessed miracles that happened during the procession with the icon: along the way and during the celebrations, several blind people regained their sight.
The autumn celebration of the icon is associated with the liberation of Moscow from the Poles in 1612. During the Time of Troubles, when the capital of Rus' was occupied by the enemy, a copy of the miraculous Kazan icon was handed over to Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. After the fervent prayer of the Russian soldiers in front of the image of the Most Pure One, it became known that the Reverend Sergius of Radonezh, who was in captivity within the Kremlin walls, appeared to Archbishop Arseny of Elasson, illuminated by light, and announced that the next day Moscow would be in the hands of Pozharsky’s militia and Russia would be saved. Such spiritual support gave strength to the Russian army, and the next day, October 22/November 4, the defenders of the Fatherland managed to liberate Kitay-Gorod from the Poles, who then themselves surrendered the Kremlin to the militia. Foreigners were expelled. The clergy solemnly came out to meet the winners with Moscow shrines, at the head of which they carried the image of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. In memory of the liberation of Moscow and Russia from the Poles, the celebration of the icon was established on October 22/November 4, and in memory of the miraculous discovery of the Kazan image of the Most Pure One - on July 8/21.
Nowadays, November 4 is a public holiday in Russia - the day of national unity, which is dedicated to the victory over the Polish invaders in 1612.
Kazan Cathedral on Red Square
In the very heart of Russia, on Red Square stands the majestic Kazan Cathedral. It was built by order of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky for the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God approximately in 1625. At first it was a small wooden church, then a stone church, to which a third tier and a bell tower were eventually added. In 1936 the temple was completely destroyed. The rebirth took place in 1990–1993, when, on the initiative of the Moscow city branch of the All-Russian Society for the Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments, the cathedral was rebuilt and consecrated on November 4, 1993. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'.
Troparion to the Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan
O zealous intercessor, / Mother of the Lord Most High, / pray for all Thy Son Christ our God, / and cause all to be saved, / to those who seek refuge in Thy sovereign protection. / Intercede for all of us, O Lady Queen and Lady, / who are in adversity and in sorrow, and in illness, burdened with many sins, / standing and praying to You with a tender soul / and a contrite heart, / before Your most pure image with tears / and irrevocable hope those who have against You, / deliverance from all evils, / grant to everyone what is useful, / and save everything, O Virgin Mary: / For You are the Divine Protection of Your servant.
Anna Kotova
From the words of the ever-memorable Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov)
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!
Beloved brothers and sisters, today we solemnly and prayerfully remember and glorify the manifestation of the mercy of the Mother of God to the Russian Orthodox state, expressed in the miraculous deliverance of our dear Fatherland in 1612 from the invasion of foreigners.
Our ancestors, the Russian people, loved the Mother of God and had a special, deep faith in Her heavenly intercession for the Christian race and always turned to Her with fervent prayer in their sorrows and disasters. Although entire countries considered the Most Holy Virgin their Patroness and honored Her, in our Fatherland the name of the Mother of God was surrounded by special veneration - immeasurably greater than anywhere else, and the Mother of God did not pour out so much of Her grace and mercy on any other land, how much for the Russian Land. In almost every Russian city there is certainly a source of the Mother of God’s grace - Her miraculous icons, in which She wanted to give people a heavenly guarantee of Her love and serve as a Consolation for suffering humanity. Our people loved to call the Mother of God by special names befitting Her heavenly protection and mercy, and the Mother of God did not leave his faith in vain, but gave ambulance to everyone who asks and to our Fatherland as a whole.
Particularly memorable is the deliverance of our land by the grace of the Mother of God from the dominion of the Poles in 1612. During that mournful time, when the royal family in Rus' was completely extinguished, unrest began to occur in our Fatherland, which led to complete anarchy. The Poles hastened to take advantage of this: they captured Moscow and with it half of the Russian kingdom. Fearing that they would forever remain under the rule of the Polish yoke, the Russian people stood up in defense of their Fatherland, placing their trust in the Heavenly Intercessor, to Whom they turned with an ardent plea for help in the fight against the enemy. The troops took with them the icon of the Mother of God, called the Kazan icon, and, led by Her, approached Moscow. A fast was declared, all the people and soldiers fasted for three days and prayed fervently before miraculous icon The Queen of Heaven about granting them victory. And the Most Immaculate Lady heard their prayer and, through Her intercession, asked Her merciful Son and Her Lord for help and victory over the enemies of the Russian people. Appearing at night in a dream vision to the Greek Archbishop Arseny, who was languishing in captivity among the Poles. Venerable Sergius Radonezh told the Vladyka that the Lord, through the prayers of His Mother and the Moscow saints Peter, Alexy, Jonah and Philip, would overthrow the invaders the next day and return the capital city of Russia into the hands of the Russian people.
Encouraged by this news, our soldiers took Moscow on October 22 with the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God without much difficulty and liberated the Fatherland from foreigners. Thus, both the country and the Church were delivered from foreign enslavement. Reverently before the Heavenly Helper, the grateful army and all the citizens of the capital on the next Sunday day performed a prayer service to the Most Holy Theotokos, who saved the Russian state. In a procession of the cross, carrying the Kazan Icon, they walked all the way to the Place of Execution, and at the Kremlin gates they were met by Saint Arseny with another shrine - the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which he had preserved in captivity. And so that the memory of the saving intercession Holy Mother of God for our Fatherland has not weakened with time, soon it was unanimously decided to make an annual solemn remembrance of Her miracle on this day, October 22.
As we see, dear brothers and sisters, the main reason for saving the country from destruction was the firm Orthodox faith our ancestors. When there was no longer any hope for human strength, then all the true sons of the Church and the Fatherland undertook a three-day fast and prayed to the Mother of God before Her miraculous Kazan Icon. And their prayer was heard. In addition, from the most ancient times, the Russian people have been distinguished by their simple, reverent faith and sincere, heartfelt love for the Lord Jesus Christ. In this faith of ours and in our love for the Son of the Ever-Virgin Mary lies the reason for Her special mercy towards us. What mother will remain indifferent to someone who will show, who will show clear signs of concern and love for her children? Reverent faith, strong love for the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, undoubtedly brings special joy to His Most Pure Mother in heaven. And from here it happens that Her intercession and help are poured out on all who, from ancient times, sacredly honor and confess the Lord Jesus Christ, reverently worship Him and lovingly obey the Church He established on earth.
What does the memory of the miraculous help of the Mother of God to our Russian Land oblige us to? The closer, the more merciful and attentive the Mother of God is to us, the more careful we must be about our behavior and our faith. The more is given, the more will be collected from us. Who, if not the people of God, the Jewish people, saw above them such an obvious, so wonderful help God's? His entire story from beginning to end is imbued with, filled with descriptions of the wonderful, direct guidance of God. But at the same time, how much, how hard he, this chosen people of God, suffered for his repeated apostasy from the true God, for his frequent betrayals of the faith of his forefathers! Why? Because justice and the greatness of God require it: the Lord cannot leave unpunished a single offense that offends the dignity of His holy Law. “Let us leave here,” was heard in the very Sanctuary of the Jewish Temple, and soon the abomination of desolation appeared in the holy place and will remain there, according to the word of the Lord, until the end of the century - after the Jewish people did not believe in the Only Begotten Son of God.
Let us thank, dear ones, the Lord and His Most Pure Mother for such great benefits shown to the establishment and exaltation of our Fatherland, brought to its glory through severe trials by the sole hand of God. Let us cherish, brothers and sisters, the holy union with the Lord Jesus Christ and His Most Pure Mother, who chose our land as Her heritage. The Lord Jesus Christ and His Mother are jealous of us with love. Let us remember who is our Intercessor, who is our help and hope, and we will not break our union with Her, but we will establish it with faith, our life and hope.
Thinking that Orthodox Christians constitute the property of Her Son and enjoy Her special protection, let us not forget at the same time that the true property of Orthodox Christians is, in fact, to follow Christ in everything as the only Lawgiver and to endlessly love Him as our only Savior. We must hold fast to the path that our Orthodox ancestors walked, which Jesus Christ showed us, which the Holy Church also shows. The Lord outlined this path for us in His Holy Gospel, and we must sacredly preserve and observe it. If we retreat from this path, from this covenant with Christ, our Intercessor, the Queen of Heaven, will also retreat from us, because She cannot be in union with the enemies of Her Son, who trample His teaching, His commandments, His Treasured Blood, just like Christ. , Her Son, cannot be in union with Belial.
Let us pray today to the Queen of Heaven that She Herself will confirm us on the path of salvation, for She is always ready to intercede for us, if only we would resort to Her intercession with warm and earnest prayer, with firm faith and hope. And then She will never leave us with Her mercy, but will always preserve and save us from all evil. Let us offer up fervent prayers to Her with all our hearts, and call upon Her with tenderness: Rejoice, zealous Intercessor of the Christian race!
Every year on November 4, believers celebrate the great Orthodox holiday dedicated to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. On this day, prayers read in front of the shrine of the Mother of God have special power. They are capable of creating real miracles.
First prayer:
“Oh, Holy Mother of God! With hope and bright feelings I bring my prayer to You. Do not turn Your gaze away from those who pray to You. Hear our words, O merciful Virgin. Pray before the Lord and before Your Son Jesus Christ for our mistakes and sinful deeds. Don’t let our country fall in the battle for a free life. Do not let soldiers die in war in bloody and dishonorable battles. Protect our homes from evil spirits and quarrels. Do not let us indulge in grief, sadness and despondency. Give us the strength to move forward and live our lives in health, happiness and joy. Fill our hearts with love, loyalty and courage! And never leave us, O Blessed Virgin! May we praise Your Great Name. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen".
Second prayer:
“Oh, great Mother of God, Protector and Benefactor of Christians. You are the Queen of heavenly souls and the Mistress of humanity living on the sinful earth. You pray for us, thanks to You the Lord gives us repentance and His blessing. Hear our prayers now, for we pray to You before Your Holy Image. Do not leave our souls without Your light and warmth! Fill our hearts with virtue. Drive away malice and deceit, lies and hatred from our lives. Become a talisman for our children, illuminate their life path with righteousness. Our refuge is in You. Oh, Most Pure Virgin, we glorify You, we bow our knees before You, we pray to You and we honor You, Great Intercessor. Don't leave us without help. Heal from mental and physical illnesses. Guide me on the right path. Do not leave in terrible moments. In You is our defense, in You is our road to the Kingdom of God. We will never stop singing and praising Your name. May the will of the Lord be done. From now on and forever and ever. Amen. Amen. Amen".
On this bright holiday in honor of the great Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, every person has a chance to take the right path and change their life for the better, gaining the support of the Mother of God, letting Her into their heart. It is enough just to offer sincere prayers before the face of the Holy Virgin, filling every word with goodness, love and faith. We wish you a bright and clean holiday, take care of yourself and don't forget to press the buttons and
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