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Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God history briefly. Hodegetria - Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God

On August 10, the Church celebrates the memory of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. The Smolensk Gate Icon of the Mother of God, which is now in the Assumption Cathedral of the city of Smolensk, is a copy of the legendary icon of Hodegetria of Smolensk, which, according to legend, was painted in the first century during the life of the Most Holy Theotokos by the Apostle and Evangelist Luke. This first Hodegetria, having traveled a long way from Constantinople to Smolensk, mysteriously disappeared during the years of Soviet power.

“She’s definitely here somewhere. We did not find any documents that would confirm that it was sold, given away or destroyed,” says Hieromonk Seraphim Amelchenkov, a teacher at the Smolensk Theological Academy. He devoted many years to studying the history of the Smolensk Holy Assumption Cathedral and the shrines stored in it.

The majestic Assumption Cathedral stands on Cathedral Hill, towering over the entire city. In 1922, when the confiscation of church valuables began and an anti-religious museum was made in the cathedral, the icon was seen for the last time, but no longer in the center of the temple, but in the choir. Apparently, it was specially placed so high that believers could not pray in front of it. Then the icon disappeared. In 1941, during the German occupation, the cathedral became operational again for some time, but the icon was no longer found. Then they put in its place a list from the mid-16th century. The list icon was not inferior to its predecessor in the number of miracles and in popular veneration, but Hodegetria of the apostolic letter is still awaited in Smolensk, they still believe that the time will come and she will reveal herself from some hiding place, where she was miraculously preserved all these years , as it once was.

Miracles on Tuesdays

Fifth century after Christ. There is pandemonium in the Blachernae Church of Constantinople on Tuesdays. People came from the far corners of the Byzantine or as it was then called the Roman Empire. Miracles are happening again near the icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria. It is generally accepted that She Herself, even during Her earthly life, blessed this icon, promising that the Grace of the Son born from Her would always be with it. It has been noted that the Mother of God is especially merciful to those who ask on Tuesdays. For many sick and unfortunate people, this miraculous icon became a guidebook; in Greek, guidebook means “digitria,” and that’s how the icon was called. However, it is possible that it is called that because it was for a long time the regimental icon of the Constantinople regiment “Odigon”, but in history it is remembered as healing and showing the correct spiritual path to salvation. Tuesday, as a day of miracles, was noted by the Byzantines in their chronicles. Father Seraphim, studying Byzantine and Russian archives, came to the conclusion that the decree of the Holy Synod of the 1840s establishing Tuesday as the day for reading the akathist to the Mother of God was not accidental.

During the period of iconoclasm, the icon showed its main miracle - it was preserved from desecration and destruction. Many pious people then tried to hide the icons. For example, they hung them somewhere in the temple on the highest place, or walled them up in the wall. Hodegetria was walled up in the wall of the Blachernae Temple. When the terrible times ended and they opened a niche in the wall where the icon had been kept all this time, they were surprised to find that the icon not only had not been damaged, but that the lamp was still burning near it.

Imperial blessing

Constantinople was constantly attacked by the Russian tribes. Either alone, or as part of some other, no less barbaric tribes. By the way, the song of the Mother of God, “The Victorious Voivode Elected,” was composed in honor of the icon of Hodegetria in 866. Patriarch Photius of Constantinople prayed before her while Emperor Michael III was hastily leaving Asia Minor to defend his capital from the Russian troops of Askold. Then the icon was even allowed to float on the sea, and it caused a storm, which frightened the Russians, driving them away from the capital and inspiring respect for the Christian faith.

Who would have thought then that it was the Russian people who would be the guardians of the icon, that the Byzantine princess Anna in 1046 would marry the Chernigov prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich and bring the Hodegetria icon with her to Chernigov as the most expensive thing - a parental blessing. Emperor Constantine, Anna's father, was apparently very worried that he was giving his daughter to a barbarian country so far from home, since he gave her such a blessing on her journey, the greatest shrine of Constantinople. On her deathbed, Anna blessed her son, the future Kyiv prince Vladimir Monomakh, with this icon. When the young prince received his first inheritance of Smolensk, he brought the icon with him and built for it the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God, in which Hodegetria, with interruptions for wars and unrest, stayed all the time until World War II. Based on its location, the icon began to be called Hodegetria of Smolensk.

Border city

Smolensk is a border city. Sitting on the high Cathedral Hill of Smolensk, I want to look into the eyes of those madmen who decided to attack this city, located on steep mountains. Since 1238, Tatars, Lithuanians, Poles, French, and Germans visited Smolensk.

In 1238, the young man Mercury, a Roman by origin, had a vision of the Mother of God, who told him that he must protect the city of Smolensk from the hordes of Tatars, and Mercury himself would die in the process. Mercury's trust in God was great. 25 versts from Smolensk Mercury took the battle and repelled the Tatar regiments. During the battle, the face of the Mother of God appeared in the sky, at which the Tatars shot in fear. But their arrows reflected from the face and flew towards them. But now the battle is over, it seems that everything is over, and the tired warrior is looking for rest. Mercury fell asleep on the battlefield. At this time, one of the retreating Tatars cut off his head.
Mercury himself was buried under the cathedral, the exact location is not known, but his armor was left to be preserved in the cathedral. Now all that remains of them are iron sandals. Napoleon took the spear, believing that whoever possessed it would never suffer defeat, and the helmet was stolen from the cathedral in 1954 by Russian people.
At the beginning of the 15th century, the icon was rescued from the Lithuanians in Moscow. For fifty years she remained in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Under Grand Duke Vasily the Dark, the icon was returned, but Moscow residents kept a memory of it - the Novodevichy Convent, built on the site of the last farewell to the icon. A copy of the icon was left in the monastery, and then a feast day was established for it on August 10 (new style). The farewell was not the last. Before the invasion of the Poles, in 1609, the icon was again sent on time to Moscow, and then to Yaroslavl. The siege of Smolensk, which lasted twenty months, left the Assumption Cathedral in a grave condition. The defenders of Smolensk blew up a powder magazine built in the mountain below the cathedral, causing the cathedral's vault to collapse. The Poles built a church in the dilapidated cathedral. And only when Smolensk finally joined the Moscow state, at the behest of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Hodegetria was returned. The Holy Assumption Cathedral almost no longer existed at that time, its condition was so neglected after the Polish occupation. It was decided to build a new cathedral for the icon. Now it is visible from all points of the city.
On the night of August 5-6, 1812, the icon was again taken out of the cathedral. Again, evacuation along the already tested route Smolensk-Moscow-Yaroslavl. This was on the night of the assault on Smolensk by the French. The entire journey of the icon was accompanied by prayers. And again, after expelling the enemies, Hodegetria returned home.

The border location of Smolensk gave Tsar Fyodor Ioannovich the idea of ​​building a defensive wall around Smolensk in 1602. Boris Godunov was appointed to supervise the construction. Thanks to this construction, a second Hodegetria appeared in Smolensk, an exact copy of the first. The copy was accurate in everything except size.

List

By the day of the consecration of the new Smolensk wall, Boris Godunov became king. The icon-list, which is now in the Holy Dormition Cathedral, was painted in 1535 for the cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin. The icon that, according to legend, was painted by the Apostle Luke was 81 cm long and 63 cm wide. The list turned out to be much larger than the original. A new wall was chosen as a place for the icon-list above the Dnieper or Frolovsky, after the name of the gate church, gates of the city, so that all people entering Smolensk could see it.

Miracles also began to happen from the new icon. Local nobleman Fyodor Bogdanovich Passik, heavily infected with the free-thinking ideas of the 18th century, was healed. During the church service, he allowed himself to speak insultingly about the icon. In the evening of the same day, Fyodor Bogdanovich became very ill. His illness was terrible and vague: paralysis, ulcers, rotting wounds that they tried to treat even with a hot iron. He suffered for a long time until one day he saw a dream in which some old monk predicted death for him if he did not repent. Then in a dream he saw an icon of the Mother of God, which he remembered in its entirety, down to the last folds. She was exactly like Hodegetria of Smolensk, but much larger, from which he realized that he had seen the gate icon. Fyodor Bogdanovich hurried to her. In the gate temple, he saw the old monk from the dream, who turned out to be the caretaker of this temple. After this, Fyodor Bogdanovich again fell into a deep sleep so that everyone thought he had died. But this dream was no longer about death, but about recovery.

The new icon began to be called Hodegetria Above the Gate. The entire Patriotic War of 1812 was fought by the Gate Hodegetria together with the Russian army. Then she received nationwide glorification. Before the Battle of Borodino, M.I. Kutuzov served a prayer service to the Mother of God in front of this icon. A description of this event is in the novel “War and Peace” by L. N. Tolstoy.

She's somewhere nearby

At the beginning of the 20th century, two icons were in the Smolensk Holy Assumption Cathedral. The ancient image was very dark due to old age. The board was heavy and it was impossible to determine the type of wood. The color of the Mother of God's outer clothing was brown, and the lower one was dark blue. The clothes of the Eternal Child were dark green and gold. On the other side of the icon the Crucifixion of the Lord was depicted and the inscription “Basileus estavrofi” was made, which means “The King is crucified.” This is what the icon looked like until 1941, before its mysterious disappearance.

Since 1922, the cathedral has housed an anti-religious museum. A stuffed goat in bishop's vestments was placed on the High Place, and portraits of the leader were hung on all the walls. The ancient icon was located on the choir of the cathedral's twenty-five-meter ceiling. On August 6, 1941, the German occupation of Smolensk began. People themselves opened the Assumption Cathedral to begin services. But neither in the choir, nor within, anywhere did they find an ancient icon.

But they found a large Gate Icon-list, a gift from Boris Godunov. She was lying in garbage and rubbish. They placed it for veneration, covering it with a temporary brocade robe. The first Lutheran service was held by the Germans, and on August 10, the feast of the Icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria, the first Orthodox Liturgy was celebrated by priest Timofey Glebov after many years of desolation. Since then, the Assumption Cathedral has not been closed.

Since no documents confirming the destruction, sale or transfer of the ancient icon were found, and there is no mention of this in oral stories, it can be assumed that Hodegetria of Smolensk is located somewhere in Smolensk or its environs. Maybe it was hidden by local residents before the occupation, as has happened before. Maybe she is walled up in some wall of this harsh ancient city, and is waiting for the hour when she can show us His love in all the splendor of a wonderful providence, as then in the Blachernae temple in 842...

SMOLENSK ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD, CALLED “HODEGETRIA”

The miraculous icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, called the Hodegetria of Smolensk, has been known in Rus' since ancient times. "Hodegetria" translated from Greek means "Guide". There are several versions of the origin of this name, but the fact that the Most Holy Theotokos is a guide to eternal salvation for all Orthodox Christians is an undeniable truth.

According to Church tradition, the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, called “Hodegetria,” was painted by the holy evangelist Luke during the earthly life of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the request of the ruler of Antioch, Theophilus, for whom he wrote an essay about the earthly life of Christ, known as the Gospel of Luke. When Theophilus died, the image was returned to Jerusalem, and in the 5th century, the blessed Empress Eudokia, wife of Arkady, transferred Hodegetria to Constantinople to the emperor’s sister Queen Pulcheria, who placed the holy icon in the Blachernae Church.

The image came to Rus' in 1046. The Greek Emperor Constantine IX Monomakh (1042-1054), marrying his daughter Anna to Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich, son of Yaroslav the Wise, blessed her on her journey with this icon. After the death of Prince Vsevolod, the icon passed to his son Vladimir Monomakh, who transferred it at the beginning of the 12th century to Smolensk Cathedral Church in honor of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary . From that time on, the icon received the name Hodegetria of Smolensk .


Assumption Cathedral (Smolensk)

History of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God

In 1238 The army of Khan Batu approached Smolensk. In that army there was a giant warrior who, according to legend, alone was worth almost an entire army. All Smolensk residents came out to pray in front of the image of the Smolensk Hodegetria Guide. The Tatars had already come almost close to the city, no more than 30 kilometers away by today’s standards, when a certain sexton in the Pechersky Monastery outside the city saw in a vision the Mother of God, who ordered him to bring a warrior named Mercury to Her. Entering the Pechersk Church, Mercury saw with his own eyes the Mother of God sitting on a golden throne with the Child in her arms and surrounded by angels. The Mother of God said that Mercury must save Her own destiny from desecration, which once again indicated Her special protection over the Smolensk land. She also told him about his imminent martyrdom, and that She Herself would not leave him, but would be with him to the end.


Following the command of the Mother of God, the selfless Orthodox warrior Mercury raised all the townspeople, preparing them for the siege, and at night he entered Batu’s camp and killed many enemies, including their strongest warrior. Then, in an unequal battle with the invaders, he laid down his head on the battlefield. His remains were buried in the Smolensk Cathedral. Soon, Mercury was canonized as a locally revered saint (November 24), the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God was also declared locally revered, and the legend “The Tale of Mercury of Smolensk,” which dates back approximately to the 15th - 16th centuries, was written about his feat. Moreover, the legend says that after the burial, Mercury appeared to the same sexton and ordered the shield and spear that belonged to him during his life to be hung at his resting place.


Sandals of the Holy Martyr Mercury - one of the shrines of the Smolensk Cathedral

In 1395 The Principality of Smolensk came under the protectorate of Lithuania. In 1398, in order to avoid bloodshed in Moscow and soften the bitter relations between the Polish-Lithuanian rulers and Moscow, the daughter of the Lithuanian prince Vytautas Sophia was married to the son of Dmitry Donskoy, Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily Dimitrievich (1398-1425). The Smolensk Hodegetria became her dowry and was now transferred to Moscow and installed in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin on the right side of the altar.


Annunciation Cathedral (Moscow Kremlin)

In 1456, at the request of the residents of Smolensk, led by Bishop Misail, the icon was solemnly returned to Smolensk with a religious procession. On June 28, according to the old style, at the Monastery of St. Savva the Consecrated on the Maiden Field in Moscow, with a large crowd of people, the icon was solemnly escorted to the bend of the Moscow River, from where the path to Smolensk began. A prayer service was served. Half a century later, in 1514, Smolensk was returned to Rus' (the assault on the city by Russian troops began on July 29, the day after the celebration of the Smolensk Icon).

In 1524, in memory of this event, Grand Duke Vasily III founded the Mother of God of Smolensk Monastery, which we know better as Novodevichy Convent . The monastery was consecrated and began operating in 1525. From this period, the all-Russian glorification of the icon began, officially established by the Church.


Novodevichy Mother of God-Smolensky Monastery on the Maiden Field in Moscow

However, Muscovites were not left without a shrine - two copies of the miraculous icon remained in Moscow. One was erected in the Annunciation Cathedral, and the other - “measure in moderation” - in 1524 in the Novodevichy Convent, founded in memory of the return of Smolensk to Russia. In 1602, an exact copy was written from the miraculous icon (in 1666, together with the ancient icon, a new copy was taken to Moscow for renewal), which was placed in the tower of the Smolensk fortress wall, above the Dnieper Gate, under a specially constructed tent. Later, in 1727, a wooden church was built there, and in 1802 - a stone one.

The Smolensk miraculous image again showed its intercession during the Patriotic War of 1812 . On August 5, 1812, when Russian troops abandoned Smolensk, the icon was taken to Moscow, and on the eve of the Battle of Borodino this image was carried around the camp to strengthen and encourage the soldiers for a great feat.


Prayer service before the Battle of Borodino

On August 26, the day of the battle in Borodino, three images of the Mother of God - the ancient image of the Smolensk Hodegetria, together with the Iveron and Vladimir icons of the Mother of God, were carried around the capital in a procession of the cross, and then sent to the sick and wounded soldiers in the Lefortovo Palace, so that they could venerate the shrines and thank before them the Mother of God for intercession and ask for recovery.Before leaving Moscow, the icon was transported to Yaroslavl.

After the victory over the enemy, on November 5, 1812, by order of Kutuzov, the Hodegetria icon, along with the illustrious list, was returned to Smolensk to its native Assumption Cathedral.

In 1929, the Assumption Cathedral was closed, but was not subject to desecration and destruction, like many other temples and churches during that period. Intelligence, which can be considered reliable, about the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God - prototype of other, subsequent lists ends in 1941, after the capture of Smolensk by German troops. Then, at the beginning of August 1941, the headquarters of the German command received a message that the list of the icon, attributed according to historical information to the brush of the Evangelist Luke, is in the same place, in good condition, the icon is considered miraculous and its location is a place of worship and pilgrimage. Nothing more is known about that icon.

Now in the place of the missing icon there is a list from the middle of the 16th century, which is not inferior to its predecessor in the number of miracles and in popular veneration, but Hodegetria of the apostolic letter is still awaited in Smolensk, they still believe that the time will come and she will reveal herself from some a hiding place, where it was miraculously preserved all these years, as it once was.


Icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria of Smolensk Gateway, copy from the famous Smolensk Icon. Once it hung above the gates of the Smolensk Kremlin; now it is kept in the cathedral on the site of the Smolensk icon lost in 1941.

Lists with icons

There are many revered copies of the miraculous Smolensk Hodegetria. Many copies of that original but lost icon became miraculous (more than 30 in total) - Igretskaya Pesochinskaya, Yugskaya, Sergievskaya in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Kostroma, Kirillo-Belozerskaya, Svyatogorsk, Solovetskaya, etc.. All these images at different times and demonstrated their miraculous properties to varying degrees.

Iconography

There is little information left about the iconographic features of the image, since the icon, as is known, was lost in 1941, and therefore no one studied it. It was only known that the icon board was very heavy, the ground was made of chalk with glue, as was done in ancient times, and covered with canvas.

The Mother of God holds the Child in her left hand, the Lord’s right hand is raised in a blessing gesture, and in His left hand is the “scroll of teaching.” On the reverse side were written a view of Jerusalem, the Crucifixion and an inscription in Greek - “The King is crucified.” In 1666, the icon was renewed, and later images of the Most Pure Mother and John the Evangelist appeared at the Crucifixion.

The iconographic image of the Smolensk Icon is very similar to the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, but differs in the severity of the arrangement of the figures and the expression of the faces of the Mother of God and the Infant.

Meaning of the icon

The Holy Icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria is one of the main shrines of the Russian Church (along with Vladimir and Kazan).

Amazing historical material is associated with the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, which, through the paths of her wanderings across Western Russian lands, marks all the most important events in the history of Russia up to the last century. It can be said that not a single event where the intercession of the One depicted on it was required was accomplished without Her intervention. Hodegetria the Guide pointed out and defended our West from the aggressive interests of neighboring states, which sought to establish their influence in the Russian state by both military and political means. But even the retreats, which were accompanied by the transfer of the miraculous shrine from its main inheritance - the Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk, were only a strategic necessity, and in no way an agreement with the presence and rule of foreigners and the prevailing Latin faith on our land. The cathedral prayers of Smolensk and Muscovites before her brought their wonderful fruits - sooner or later the enemy was expelled, and the Smolensk Hodegetria returned home to Smolensk.

Believers have received and are receiving abundant gracious help from her. The Mother of God, through Her holy image, intercedes and strengthens us, guiding us to salvation, and we cry out to Her: “You are the All-Blessed Hodegetria to the faithful people, You are the Smolensk Praise and all the Russian lands are the affirmation! Rejoice, Hodegetria, salvation for Christians!”

Celebration

The celebration of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God takes place three times a year - July 28/August 10 , established in 1525, when the miraculous image was transferred from the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin to the Mother of God of Smolensk (Novodevichy) Monastery, founded by Vasily III in gratitude to the Mother of God for the return of Smolensk to Rus' during the Russo-Lithuanian War. The festival was established in memory of the arrival of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God to Rus' in 1046.

The celebration takes place for the second time November 5/18 in honor of Russia's victory in the Patriotic War of 1812.

November 24/December 7 We celebrate the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, remembering the victory of the inhabitants of Smolensk over the troops of the Golden Horde through the common prayer of the people before Her icon - the Smolensk Hodegetria.

The Smolensk Mother of God helps everyone who turns to her with prayers for healing from incurable diseases, in search of family peace and in other difficult and insoluble situations, as the first intercessor for us before God.

Troparion, tone 4
Let us now diligently approach the Mother of God, sinners and humility, and let us fall down in repentance calling from the depths of our souls: Lady, help us, having had mercy on us, struggling, we are perishing from many sins, do not turn away your slaves, for you are the only hope of the imams.

Kontakion, tone 6
The intercession of Christians is not shameful, the intercession to the Creator is immutable, do not despise the voices of sinful prayers, but advance as good help to us who faithfully call Thee: hasten to prayer and strive to entreat, interceding ever since, the Mother of God, who honor Thee.

In Kontakion, tone 6
There are no other imams of help, no other imams of hope, except You, the Lady: Help us, we hope in You and we boast in You: We are Your servants, let us not be ashamed.

Prayer
O Most Wonderful and Above All Creatures Queen Theotokos, Mother of the Heavenly King Christ our God, Most Pure Hodegetria Mary! Hear us sinners and unworthy at this hour, praying and falling before Your Most Pure Image with tears and tenderly saying: lead us from the pit of passions, Most Blessed Lady, deliver us from all sorrow and sorrow, protect us from all adversity and evil. slander, and from the unrighteous and cruel slander of the enemy. You may, O Our Blessed Mother, save Your people from all evil and provide and save You with every good deed; Do You need other Representatives in troubles and circumstances, and warm Intercessors for us sinners, not imams? Pray, O Most Holy Lady, to Thy Son Christ our God, that He may make us worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven; For this reason, we always glorify Thee, as the Author of our salvation, and extol the holy and magnificent name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, glorified and worshiped God in the Trinity, forever and ever. Amen.

Second prayer
To whom shall I cry, Lady? To whom shall I resort in my sorrow, if not to You, Lady Lady Theotokos, Queen of Heaven? Who will accept my cry and my sighing, if not You, O Most Immaculate One, the Hope of Christians and the Refuge for sinners? Bend, O Most Pure Lady, Thy ear to my prayer, Mother of my God, do not despise me, requiring Thy help, hear my groaning and inspire the cry of my heart, O Lady Theotokos Queen. And give me spiritual joy, strengthen me, who is impatient, sad and careless towards Your praise. Enlighten and teach me how You should pray, and do not leave me, the Mother of my God, for my grumbling and impatience, but be my protection and intercession in my life and lead me to the quiet haven of blessed peace, and count me among Your chosen flock and there deign me to sing and glorify You forever. Amen.

Documentary film “Seekers. TRACE OF HODIGITRIA" (2014)

The Assumption Cathedral is one of the most impressive buildings in Smolensk. It was here that the famous icon of the Smolensk Mother of God - the ancient Hodegetria - was kept from the day the temple was built. She, according to legend, saved the city more than once and was considered miraculous, disappeared during the Second World War. There are quite a few versions regarding the fate of Hodegetria. Many researchers are inclined to believe that the legendary image still exists, which means it makes sense to look for it!

The most ancient images of the Mother of God, according to legend, belong to the brush of the Evangelist Luke, who created them during the life of the Most Holy Theotokos. These include the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. She arrived in Rus' as a wedding gift from the Emperor of Byzantium, Constantine IX Porphyrogenitus, to his daughter Anna, who was married to the Chernigov prince Vsevolod, the son of Yaroslav the Wise.

The Smolensk icon is a copy of the icon of the Mother of God “Hodegetria Blachernae”

From the history of icons

The name “Hodegetria,” that is, Guide, is associated with a miracle revealed by the Mother of God herself, who once brought two blind men to the Blachernae Temple, where, by Her will, they received their sight.

The Smolensk Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was also a guide during Anna’s journey from Byzantium to Rus'. After the death of the couple, their son, Prince Vladimir Monomakh, moved the icon to Smolensk, in honor of which it received the name “Smolensk”.

The history of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God “Hodegetria” is associated with many miraculous deliverances

Thus, thanks to the fervent prayer of the residents of Smolensk, their city was delivered from Batu’s invasion in 1239. There are known cases when prayers in front of an icon protected from terrible epidemics, attacks from enemies and enemy conquest. For the Orthodox, the Smolensk Icon “Hodegetria” has indeed always been a Guide, showing the right path.

The icon was so revered that temples were built in its honor. Thus, the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God was built in St. Petersburg, Arzamas, Shuya and other cities. The Shuya Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God became especially famous.

In 1665, Shuya was struck by a pestilence epidemic, and the frightened residents decided that it was necessary to write a copy of the Smolensk icon. The pious icon painter made a sketch, but the next day he discovered that the position of the Baby Jesus had changed: His right leg was placed on his left knee. Deciding that this was his mistake, he corrected the icon, but the next day the position of the Child again became the same.

The icon painter considered this a sign from God and made no further corrections. When the finished icon was brought to the temple, it shone with an extraordinary light, and after the prayer service the pestilence ended. After this, a real pilgrimage to the icon began, more than a hundred miracles occurred, and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich even sent a special commission to Shuya to certify the miraculous power of the Shuya (Smolensk) icon, which was done.

Description of the icon

In terms of iconographic type, the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God is one of the oldest editions characteristic of Byzantine writing.

This is a half-length image of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus. The Blessed Virgin is dressed in crimson (on modern lists often red) clothes, which emphasizes Her status as the Queen of Heaven. On her left hand She holds the Baby Jesus, and with her right hand she seems to point to Him. The meaning of this gesture is that the Guide points the way to salvation through Jesus Christ.

Jesus is also in a royal robe of golden color, that is, in the image of the Almighty. In His left hand is a scroll symbolizing His teaching, and His right hand is raised with fingers folded in a gesture of blessing. The icon seems to emanate an aura of faith and hope that the path to salvation really exists, and Hodegetria points it out.

How does the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God help?

This icon has shown so many miracles that its meaning does not need explanation - it remains for the Orthodox today one of the most revered images of the Mother of God, the patroness and defender of the Russian state. That is why they turn to her with prayers for the protection of the Motherland from enemy invasions and wars; on preserving the life and health of military personnel, especially in hot spots; about getting rid of epidemics.

Our Lady of Smolensk also helps in family matters: she protects the family hearth from envious people and ill-wishers; strengthens steadfastness in faith and helps to resist temptations and delusions; helps to recover from serious illnesses and resolve difficult life situations.

Prayer to Our Lady of Smolensk

O Most Wonderful and Above All Creatures Queen Theotokos, Mother of the Heavenly King Christ our God, Most Pure Hodegetria Mary! Hear us sinners and unworthy at this hour, praying and falling before Your Most Pure Image with tears and tenderly saying: lead us out of the pit of passions, Most Blessed Lady, deliver us from all sorrow and sorrow, protect us from all misfortune and evil slander, and from the unrighteous and fierce slander of the enemy. You may, O Our Blessed Mother, save Your people from all evil and provide and save You with every good deed; Do You need other Representatives in troubles and circumstances, and warm Intercessors for us sinners, not imams? Pray, O Most Holy Lady, Thy Son Christ our God, that He will make us worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven; For this reason, we always glorify Thee, as the Author of our salvation, and extol the holy and magnificent name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, glorified and worshiped God in the Trinity, forever and ever. Amen.

One of the most recognizable icons of the Mother of God - “Smolenskaya”, belongs to the “Guide” type. It is strongly associated in the popular consciousness with the invasion of the Tatars and other military events. According to legend, this is one of the icons painted by the Apostle Luke (there are several dozen of them in total). The image has three celebrations in the church year - one in honor of the transfer, the second in memory of the miraculous deliverance of Smolensk from the Tatar invasion, the third in honor of the victory in the Patriotic War.


The history of the appearance of the holy image

The image is very ancient; it is no longer possible to establish exactly how it ended up in Russia. But most historians agree that the icon was brought from Byzantium. There she was known as the defender of Constantinople, which was often raided. It is believed that one of the daughters of the Byzantine emperor married a Russian prince. As a dowry, the princess brought the shrine with her in 1046.

Actually, the type of “Guide” was formed in the first centuries of Christianity in Palestine. From the most ancient image, several copies were made, which were distributed throughout the Christian world. The “Smolensk” icon of the Mother of God “Hodegetria” began to be called after Vladimir Monomakh moved it to this city. The icon was placed in a specially built temple.

In the 15th century Smolensk was captured by the Lithuanians. Heading to Moscow, one of the lords took the shrine as a gift. So she ended up in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin. There are other versions of this event:

  • The icon was brought by the exiled Smolensk ruler.
  • The Lithuanian prince gave the image to his daughter, who was married to the Moscow ruler.
  • The Tatars took the icon away.

One way or another, the shrine remained in Moscow for some time. In the middle of the 15th century. On behalf of the bishop, the ambassadors turned to the Grand Duke - they begged to return the “Smolensk” icon of the Mother of God. People firmly believed that without her intercession they would not be able to resist numerous enemies. The prince saw this as an opportunity for unification, so he allowed the image to be taken out. But first it was decided to make an accurate list.


National veneration and miracles of the Smolensk Icon

The Smolensk land was freed from the Lithuanian invaders only in 1514. It was in honor of this event that the Novodevichy Convent was opened. The cathedral church was consecrated in the name of the “Smolensk” Icon of the Mother of God. During that period, a nationwide veneration of the image began to take shape, which had previously been only local. Now it has become a symbol of the unification of Russian lands under the Moscow flag.

The original was made on a primed board and was heavy. A canvas with an image was stretched on top. The Mother holds the Divine Infant on her left hand. On the reverse side, the artist depicted the Crucifixion against the backdrop of Jerusalem. In the 17th century The figures of the Virgin Mary and the Apostle John appeared near the cross.

It is believed that the original was irretrievably lost during the Middle Ages. According to another version, the Germans took him out during the Great Patriotic War. The Greek copy also did not survive - it disappeared during Soviet times. But the country has many quite ancient lists (about 500 years old). From the 12th to the 14th centuries, church historians recorded more than 20 miracles: some in Smolensk, some in Moscow, in various monasteries and villages where the image was taken.

The most famous miracles:

  • Helped protect Smolensk from the Tatar invasion.
  • During the Battle of Borodino, the “Smolensk” Hodegetria was surrounded by a religious procession around the Kremlin.
  • Archimandrite of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra Adrian was healed of a serious illness (17th century).
  • In Novgorod, the Smolensk Icon was found, written on the monastery wall. She saved the city from destruction during cholera.

For a believer, the meaning of the “Smolensk” icon is clear without much decoding: it is no coincidence that the Mother of God points to the Infant Christ, she calls on everyone to follow the right path - to strive in everything towards God, as the beginning of all truth and completeness. She played a big role in the history of Russia - she defended the country’s borders, exuded miracles, which have been known since the 11th century. It is believed that through this icon the Mother of God united the scattered Moscow principalities.

You can venerate the shrine in the Kazan Cathedral (St. Petersburg), where the “Smolensk Icon” is located, which visited the battlefield with Napoleon. It is located above the grave of commander M. Kutuzov. List 15th century. kept in the Annunciation Cathedral, in the Novodevichy Convent - a slightly later copy. Feature of the Moscow list - The baby holds the scroll vertically.


Holy patron

The veneration of the Mother of God is especially characteristic of Orthodoxy and Catholicism; there are many holidays for worship, hundreds of images are written. How does the “Smolensk” icon help believers? If you remember the name of the iconographic type, you can understand the most important meaning of the writing: the Blessed Virgin guides and guides the heart of a person, showing him the right path to heaven - through Christ. Accordingly, this image can help those who have little faith.

Given the history associated with many decisive battles, the icon is the patron saint of all those in military service. They pray to her while traveling. It will also help you make the right decision in an uncertain situation. It is believed that the image patronizes the family, since it is strongly associated in the popular consciousness with security and protection from attacks. Will help make peace between warring parties.

How to pray to the Queen of Heaven

The Holy Scripture gives believers very good texts of prayers. For example, the prayer appeal “To the Virgin Mary...” There is the so-called Theotokos prayer rule. The words first spoken by Archangel Gabriel are repeated 150 times. After every ten, other prayers are read - “Our Father”, etc. A complete list of prayers can be found in prayer books.

In order not to lose count, you must use a rosary. To do this, the monks themselves make them from woolen threads. Small rosaries made from large beads are not suitable - they are mainly bought as a talisman. On the Internet you can find master classes on how to weave real monastic rosaries and make them yourself.

Special prayers were written for the “Smolensk” icon. They are sung during services. But you can read them at home, whenever you want. Listening to someone else's performance is not prohibited, but it is not enough; a person must pray himself and make spiritual efforts. The Lord simply does not need another prayer; it is no longer a prayer, but a concert.

Many ascetics and saints composed their own prayer appeals to the Mother of God: for example, St. John of Kronstadt, St. Ephraim the Syrian. Prayers came into use only after approval by the official church. Today, many akathists written by modern authors “walk” around parishes. But for the “Smolensk” icon it has already existed for a long time. Do not neglect what has been tested for centuries. Reading new prayers can be not only unhelpful, but also dangerous.

Even praising the Mother of God needs to be learned, to choose the right epithets for this. Therefore, reading the akathist will be very useful. The theological significance of the Mother of God is very great; it is impossible to understand it in one go. If prayer seems boring and outdated, you should try to understand it more deeply. Read a translation, a book dedicated to prayers or icons. Then familiar words will sparkle with new colors.

Temples of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God

During the Old Testament, it was believed that the Lord lived in the Jerusalem Temple. The Jews revered the sanctuary so much that even the high priest could only enter it once a year. But everything changed when God took over human nature. The first place of His earthly habitation was the womb of an ordinary woman. Over time, the Mother of God began to be revered by theologians as a New Testament temple. It is no coincidence that the Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed. The Book of Revelation says that he will be reborn only before the Second Coming of Christ.

There are two hundred churches in Russia dedicated to the “Smolensk” Icon of the Mother of God.

  • The most famous one is located in the Novodevichy Convent. The very tall temple reaches into the sky like a ship with sails in the form of domes. A list from the 15th century is still kept here. Although the cathedral is considered an architectural monument, services are held there on major holidays.
  • There is a Smolensk Church in Sergiev Posad, on the territory of the famous Lavra. The small temple was built in the Baroque style and is distinguished by its elegance and unusual colors of the facade.
  • Count Grigory Stroganov in the 17th century. built a church in Nizhny Novgorod with his own money. The five-domed temple is distinguished by its grace; the bell tower is located directly above the entrance.

In one of the ancient hymns, the Mother of God is called the Tabernacle - that is, the village, the dwelling place of God. Let everyone find the way to the village of the Lord!

Prayer to the Smolensk Icon

O Most Wonderful and Above All Creatures Queen Theotokos, Mother of the Heavenly King Christ our God, Most Pure Hodegetria Mary! Hear us sinners and unworthy at this hour, praying and falling before Your Most Pure Image with tears and tenderly saying: lead us out of the pit of passions, Most Blessed Lady, deliver us from all sorrow and sorrow, protect us from all misfortune and evil slander, and from the unrighteous and fierce slander of the enemy. You may, O Our Blessed Mother, save Your people from all evil and provide and save You with every good deed; Do You need other Representatives in troubles and circumstances, and warm Intercessors for us sinners, not imams? Pray, O Most Holy Lady, Thy Son Christ our God, that He will make us worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven; For this reason, we always glorify Thee, as the Author of our salvation, and extol the holy and magnificent name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, glorified and worshiped God in the Trinity, forever and ever. Amen.

What you need to know about the Smolensk Icon

The Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, called “Hodegetria,” which means “Guide,” according to Church tradition, was painted by the holy evangelist Luke during the earthly life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Saint Demetrius of Rostov suggests that this image was painted at the request of the Antiochian ruler Theophilus. From Antioch the shrine was transferred to Jerusalem, and from there Empress Eudokia, wife of Arcadius, transferred it to Constantinople to Pulcheria, the emperor’s sister, who placed the holy icon in the Blachernae Church. The Greek Emperor Constantine IX Monomakh (1042–1054), marrying his daughter Anna to Prince Vsevolod Yaroslavich, son of Yaroslav the Wise, in 1046, blessed her on her journey with this icon. After the death of Prince Vsevolod, the icon passed to his son Vladimir Monomakh, who transferred it at the beginning of the 12th century to the Smolensk Cathedral Church in honor of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary. From that time on, the icon received the name Hodegetria of Smolensk. In 1238, following a voice from the icon, the selfless Orthodox warrior Mercury entered Batu’s camp at night and killed many enemies, including their strongest warrior. Having suffered a martyr's death in battle, he was canonized by the Church (November 24). In the 14th century, Smolensk was in the possession of the Lithuanian princes. The daughter of Prince Vytautas Sophia was married to the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily Dimitrievich (1398–1425). In 1398, she brought the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God with her to Moscow. The holy image was installed in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin, on the right side of the royal gates. In 1456, at the request of the residents of Smolensk, led by Bishop Misail, the icon was solemnly returned to Smolensk with a religious procession, and two copies of it remained in Moscow. One was erected in the Annunciation Cathedral, and the other - “measure in moderation” - in 1524 in the Novodevichy Convent, founded in memory of the return of Smolensk to Russia. The monastery was built on the Maiden Field, where “with many tears” Muscovites released the holy icon to Smolensk. In 1602, an exact copy was written from the miraculous icon (in 1666, together with the ancient icon, a new copy was taken to Moscow for renewal), which was placed in the tower of the Smolensk fortress wall, above the Dnieper Gate, under a specially constructed tent. Later, in 1727, a wooden church was built there, and in 1802 - a stone one. The new copy took on the beneficial power of the ancient image, and when Russian troops left Smolensk on August 5, 1812, they took the icon with them for protection from the enemy. On the eve of the Battle of Borodino, this image was worn around the camp to strengthen and encourage the soldiers for a great feat. The ancient image of the Smolensk Hodegetria, taken temporarily to the Assumption Cathedral, on the day of the Battle of Borodino, together with the Iveron and Vladimir icons of the Mother of God, was carried around the White City, Kitay-Gorod and the Kremlin walls, and then sent to the sick and wounded in the Lefortovo Palace. Before leaving Moscow, the icon was taken to Yaroslavl. Our ancestors so reverently guarded these sister icons, and the Mother of God protected our Motherland through Her images. After the victory over the enemy, the icon of Hodegetria, along with the illustrious list, was returned to Smolensk. The celebration in honor of this miraculous image on July 28 was established in 1525 in memory of the return of Smolensk to Russia. There are many revered lists from the Smolensk Hodegetria, which are celebrated on the same day. There is also a day of celebration of the Smolensk Icon, which became famous in the 19th century - November 5, when this image, by order of the commander-in-chief of the Russian army M. I. Kutuzov, was returned to Smolensk. In memory of the expulsion of enemies from the Fatherland, it was established in Smolensk to celebrate this day annually. The Holy Icon of the Mother of God Hodegetria is one of the main shrines of the Russian Church. Believers have received and are receiving abundant gracious help from her. The Mother of God, through Her holy image, intercedes and strengthens us, guiding us to salvation, and we cry out to Her: “You are the All-Blessed Hodegetria to the faithful people, You are the Praise of Smolensk and all the Russian lands are affirmation! Rejoice, Hodegetria, salvation for Christians!”