Icon of the Feodorovskaya Mother of God. Feodorovskaya icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Where is the ancient image of the Mother of God located now?

Today there are many famous icons in the world that are miraculous and help people at their requests and prayers. Feodorovskaya is one of these. This image has quite a ancient history miracles, gains, healings. Believers turn to her in many sorrows and sorrows, receiving consolation through their prayers.

In this article we will look at various legends that mention the icon of the Mother of God of Feodorovskaya, what this image helps with, how they pray in front of it, as well as the history of its acquisition.

Legends about the appearance of the icon

The first mention of this image appeared around the middle of the 13th century. However, it was written by the Evangelist Luke. There are several legends about the rediscovery of this icon in Rus', and they are all quite contradictory. But for the first time the image was found in an old wooden chapel near the city of Gorodets. This place was marked by grace, and after some time the Gorodetsky Feodorovsky Monastery was built here.

The further history of the icon of the Feodorovskaya Mother of God is rather vague. It is believed that it was in this image that he blessed his son Alexander Nevsky for marriage in 1239. He married the Polotsk princess Bryachislava. A sign of this action is the second image, which contains on its reverse the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God, namely St. much Paraskeva, which is also called Friday. She is considered the patroness of the Polotsk princely house.

Be that as it may, after 1238, when the country was invaded by Batu Khan, the chapel, like many other buildings, was looted and completely destroyed. She was simply burned. Everyone thought that the icon was lost. However, very little time passed, and the image was found again. And here there are several legends about this event.

Rediscovery of an icon

The most popular legend, which mentions the Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God (photo presented below) and its re-discovery, is the following. In the city of Kostroma a warrior appeared who walked through all the streets with this image. The next day she was found by Vasily Yaroslavovich, the younger brother of Alexander Nevsky. This happened on the banks of the Zaprudny River. This event happened in 1263. The found image was identified by residents of Gorodets. And the warrior who brought it was the martyr. Theodore Stratelates.

The second legend regarding the location differs only in that it was found in 1239 (a year after it went missing), and Vasily Kvashnya, the then prince of Kostroma, found it. The image was discovered on a tree near the river, and then transferred to the temple. The icon immediately became revered and capable of working miracles. Subsequently, more than one prayer before the icon of the Theodore Mother of God saved this city from various misfortunes.

Study of the icon and its iconography

It should be noted that there is some debate among experts regarding the origin of the icon. Some believe that it was painted to order from the Vladimir icon (but disagree on who it was for), since the iconography of these images is very similar. Both of them can be attributed to the “Tenderness” type, but the miraculous Theodore Icon of the Mother of God has a number of features and distinctive features.

For example, the main feature of images of this type is preserved - the Baby turns to the Mother and hugs her by the neck, touching her cheek with his cheek. However, the difference from the Vladimir image is that little Jesus sits on the Mother’s hand. This image is more typical for icons of the “Hodegetria” type. Next, the Baby’s feet are depicted in such a way that it seems that he is taking a step. Moreover, the hands of the Mother and the cloth of Maforia are depicted in such a way that a symbolic bowl is formed into which the feet of Christ are lowered. This is a symbolic image of a vessel into which prosphora is lowered and wine is poured during the Eucharist.

The Virgin's clothes are purple, which in ancient times was a symbol of royal power. And even later, in the Christian tradition, the meaning of this color began to refer to the suffering of Christ. The Baby's clothes symbolize his incarnation. Christ's cloak is covered with golden assist rays. In ancient times, the color gold was not only a divine symbolism, but emperors were also wrapped in cloaks of this color during burial. Therefore, this detail of the vestment has a double meaning.

The naked leg of Christ symbolizes the memory of his suffering. In general, the entire image of the Feodorovskaya icon is not only the caressing of the Mother and Son, but also their farewell. This can be seen on icons that relate to the mourning and burial of Christ. The Mother of God in these images has a mournful face.

A distinctive feature of the Feodorovsky image is also that on its reverse there is another image of the saint, presumably Paraskeva Friday. There are several options for the appearance of this image. According to one of them, the image was painted when Alexander Nevsky was married, and the saint was the patroness of the bride's house. According to the second version, the icon was considered altarpiece, since it once had a shaft at the bottom (which directly indicates this). Similar icons were once made in Byzantium.

Meaning of the icon

For the Russian people, the significance of the Feodorovskaya icon is very great. At one time, she saved the country from various misfortunes more than once. For example, in 1272, Prince Vasily set out from Kostroma on a campaign against the Tatars, taking with him the image of the Mother of God. According to eyewitnesses, it emitted bright rays that scorched enemies. Thanks to this, the victory was won.

The icon became more famous after the end of the Time of Troubles, when Mikhail Romanov ascended the throne. This happened in 1613. Since then, the image was considered the patron saint of the royal family, numerous copies were written from it, some have survived to this day. It should be noted that believers still reverence the icon of the Mother of God of Feodorovskaya. You can read below how it helps ordinary Christians.

What does an icon help with?

Not only the country is patronized and assisted by the icon of the Mother of God of Feodorovskaya. How does image help in everyday life? She is considered the patroness of women, those who are getting married or just planning, as well as expectant mothers. If there are any disagreements in your family, and you want to maintain peace and find lost understanding, then you should also turn to the image.

Help in difficult childbirth or the opportunity for a woman to become pregnant - this is what the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God most often helps with. The prayer to get pregnant is quite simple; it needs to be read every day. You need to approach the Mother of God humbly, with a pure soul and a great desire to give birth to a child. Today there are many cases where such prayers actually helped. And besides this, women also got rid of their ailments, which also contributed to a successful pregnancy.

Prayer and Akathist to the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God. Help in worldly affairs

You can turn to the Feodorovskaya icon in different cases (as was written above). Most often this is done by women. There are several prayers to read on different occasions. Of course, you need to turn to the Mother of God every day; for this you can purchase a small home image. But it is advisable to go to the place where the miraculous Theodore Icon of the Mother of God is located. Praying before this image will bring more benefits, but your heart must be pure, and you must really desire a child or a change in the situation in your family. And also be prepared for these changes.

Usually, to be able to get pregnant, you need to read almost the entire akathist to the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God. And then a prayer. It is advisable to talk about this with the priest so that he can give instructions.

Miracles associated with the icon

Throughout the history of the image, the icon of the Mother of God of Feodorovskaya has seen considerable miracles. The very first miracle was her rescue from the burning temple, when it was destroyed by the Tatar-Mongol troops, and then her amazing discovery. When the icon was transferred to the cathedral in Kostroma, in 1260 it saved the city from the destruction of the same Mongols who were attacking Rus' at that time. The rays of light emanating from the image forced the opponents to flee, and the prince ordered the installation of a cross and later a stone chapel at the site of victory. Since then, the Feodorovskaya icon has been considered the protector of the Russian Land.

Less global miracles also occurred, but just as significant. People who began to go on pilgrimage to the miraculous icon began to find healing (this was especially true for women). Numerous families who had been unable to conceive a child for a long time suddenly received this opportunity through their prayers. Women who had illnesses and, as a result, also could not conceive a child, recovered and gave birth. The Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God helped them in all this. What they pray to the image for and why they turn to it is now clear.

Icon Veneration Day

As you can see, the miraculous Theodore Icon of the Mother of God helps in different situations, and everyone is rewarded according to their prayers. And celebrations in honor of this image take place twice a year. The first time this happens is on the twenty-seventh of March according to the new style (or the fourteenth of March according to the old style), and the second time on the twenty-ninth of August according to the new style (the sixteenth according to the old style).

In the first version, this is a tribute to tradition, a memory of the fact that in 1613 the Time of Troubles ended, and Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich ascended the throne. It should be noted that this number was fixed only in 1620; earlier the holiday was determined by fasting. It must also be said that an instruction was issued that this day is equivalent to the Feast of the Annunciation and is celebrated with great pomp even on days of fasting. And the second option is dedicated to the day of the miraculous discovery of the icon.

Churches and temples that are consecrated in honor of the icon, as well as places where you can find its lists

The Feodorovskaya icon of which has great power, is ancient and miraculous. Throughout the history of its existence, many lists have been written from it (most of which were created after Mikhail Romanov ascended the throne), which were placed in many churches. Some of them were also consecrated in her honor. Let's look at the list of temples.

Feodorovsky Cathedral, which is located in the Feodorovsky Monastery in the ancient city of Gorodets.
Theodore Sovereign's Cathedral. It was built in Tsarskoe Selo and belonged to the royal family.
city of St. Petersburg. It was built for the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. Construction was completed in 1913. Also this year its chapels were consecrated.
Feodorovskaya Church in the city of Yaroslavl. It has an ancient history, it was built back in 1680.

Now you need to note in which churches and cathedrals you can find the icon. The most important miraculous image is located in the city of Kostroma, in the Epiphany Cathedral. It is this icon that has been around for more than eight centuries; it was she who helped Alexander Nevsky, and after that she was the intercessor and patroness of the royal Romanov family. A copy of this image, which is revered, is located in Tsarskoye Selo in the city of Pushkin. It was written for Tsar Nicholas II in honor of the fifteenth year of his reign.

Today, a copy of the Feodorovskaya icon is located in the Kashinsky Klobukov Monastery, which is located in Tver. It has a fairly ancient history and was abandoned for some time. In 1994, it was restored, and in 2004, the Theodore Icon was brought to the monastery, thus consecrating a copy of it, which was written specifically for the monastery. The last one was left there.

The image can also be found in other churches, for example, in the Church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki, in the small cathedral in Moscow.

Currently, there are many icons in the world that are miraculous and help people upon their requests and prayers. The Theodorovskaya Mother of God also belongs to them. This image is shrouded in many secrets, miracles and healings. Believers turn to her in moments of illness, sorrow and sorrow, receiving answers to their prayers in the form of miraculous healings.

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Legends of the appearance of the icon

The first mentions of this miraculous icon date back to the 13th century, but in fact, the first person to paint it is considered to be. There are a lot of stories about the re-acquisition of the icon by Russia and most of them are extremely contradictory. The image of the Virgin Mary was first discovered in one of the chapels near the town of Gorodets. It is believed that this place was marked by grace, and therefore, after some time, the Gorodetsky Feodorovsky Monastery was built on this site.

The subsequent history of Theodore's image of the Mother of God is very vague. There is a legend that Yaroslav the Wise blessed his son Alexander Nevsky for marriage in this very way. In 1239 he married the Polotsk princess Bryachislava. It is believed that evidence of this action is the image on the reverse side of the icon of St. Martyr Paraskeva, called Friday. It is she who is considered the patroness of the Polovtsian princely house.

But, after some time, the city was destroyed during the invasion of Batu Khan. The church was not easily destroyed; it was burned to the ground. Most people believed that the icon was irretrievably lost. However, after some time, she was found again. There are several legends about this.

The missing icon and its return

The most popular legend is that a warrior suddenly appeared in the city of Kostroma and walked through its streets with an image in his hands. And the next day the icon was found by Vasily, the younger brother of Alexander Nevsky. This event took place on the banks of the Zaprudnya River. The icon was recognized by all the residents of Gorodtsy, and the soldier who carried it through the streets of Kostroma was the Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates.

According to the second legend, the image of the Mother of God was discovered in Kostroma by Prince Vasily Kvashnya. And this happened a year after the loss of the relic. The icon was found on a tree on the river bank and was immediately brought to the temple. The image was recognized as miraculous, because it immediately began to flow myrrh and work miracles. In subsequent years, many times prayers before the icon saved the city from many misfortunes.

Research and iconography of the image

There is still debate about the origin of the image. But most researchers agree that it was painted to order from an icon Vladimir Mother of God, because the iconography of these two images is very similar. Both of them can be attributed to the “Tenderness” type of writing, but the miraculous icon of the Theodore Mother of God has multiple differences and features.

common feature All icons of this type are preserved - the Baby reaches out to his mother and hugs her by the neck, pressing his cheek to hers. But the difference between the Feodorovsky image and the Vladimirsky one is that the baby sits in the arms of the Mother of God. This image is more consistent with the type. Another feature of the image is that the baby’s feet are depicted in such a way as if he is taking a step. But the mother’s hands and her cloak are gathered in such a way that the Baby’s feet seem to be lowered into a bowl. In a similar way, bowls are symbolically depicted into which prosphora are lowered during their consecration, and also wine is poured.

The clothes of the Virgin Mary are painted in purple colors, which from ancient times symbolized the royalty of the person, and later the red color of the clothes began to symbolize the suffering of Christ and his blood shed in the name of all people. The clothing of God's son symbolizes his purity and incarnation. On it you can see the golden rays of the sun that illuminate Him. In the Middle Ages, the golden color was considered not only the shade of clergy and saints, but also the color of funeral clothes and bedspreads for rich and noble people. Every detail of the clothing of the Mother of God and the Child on the Feodorovsky image has a double meaning.

Symbolism of the image

The leg of Christ, which is depicted naked, symbolizes his suffering. And if we talk about the entire icon in general, then it shows not only the tenderness and love of a mother for her son, but also their farewell to each other. Similar things can be found in those images that describe farewell to Christ. The Mother of God always has a mournful face on them.

An equally important feature of the image is that on its back there is another holy face. Presumably - . There are many disputes and legends about how the second image appeared. According to one of them, it was written during the wedding of Alexander Nevsky, because Paraskeva was the patroness of his bride’s house. According to another version, the icon was once an altarpiece, as evidenced by the shaft at the bottom of the image. Such icons were once made in Byzantium.

What is the meaning of the image

For Russian Orthodoxy The image of the Feodorovskaya Mother of God is of great importance. She saved the Russian people from enemies and death many times. There is a legend that Prince Vasily went to battle against the Tatars and took an icon with him. It shone with a bright light and scorched the enemies, thanks to which the victory was ultimately won.

But the icon gained its fame and popularity during the time of Mikhail Romanov. This happened at the end of the Time of Troubles and has since been considered a symbol of the ruling Romanov family. Numerous copies were made from it, which are preserved in many churches today.

How does an icon help?

But the icon helps not only the country, it provides enormous assistance to everyone who turns to it in everyday life. However, you should remember that you should pray to each icon only if it is important to you. This image is a symbol and protection:

motherhood;
families;
pregnancy;
bride getting married.

When there is misunderstanding, discord and disagreement in the family, then you also need to pray to the Feodorovskaya Mother of God. She always hears those praying, always gives them her protection and goodness.

When a woman cannot get pregnant for a long time, she should also turn to the image. This miracle is the most frequent in the icon - she gives a child to a family that has lost all hope. But the prayer must be offered with a pure soul and completely sincerely, having a great desire to give birth to a child. Currently, there are many cases where women became pregnant and got rid of many ailments after visiting the temple and venerating the icon.

Akathist to the Feodorovskaya Mother of God

In order for the Mother of God to help, you need to read a prayer to her. To do this, there is absolutely no need to make a pilgrimage or visit a temple. It is enough to place an image of the Mother of God in your house or apartment and read a prayer before it every day.

Of course, if the illness is very serious, then you should still go to holy places and venerate the miraculous icon. But before worship, you must cleanse yourself and be ready for changes in your life. The main thing is to remain grateful for the miracle that has happened..

In order to get pregnant, it is recommended to read the entire akathist for several days in a row, and after it a prayer. But for this you need to visit the temple and take the words of the akathist and prayer from the priest. The icon will help even if it is not prayed to in church.

On what day is the icon and its temples venerated?

Each icon has its own day of honor. And the image of the Theodore Mother of God has two such days - March 27 and August 26. The first day is considered a tribute to tradition. It was on March 27 that Mikhail Romanov ascended the throne. This day is equal to the Annunciation and is celebrated with special pomp.

The second date coincides with the day of the rediscovery of the icon in Kostroma.

There are many temples in the world that bear the name of Our Lady of Theodore. AND each of them contains a list from the image:

Feodorovsky Cathedral, located in ancient Gorodets;
Feodorovsky Tsar's Cathedral, located in Tsarskoye Selo;
The Cathedral of Our Lady in St. Petersburg, which is revered by many Orthodox Christians; even from Moscow, pilgrims and believers often come here to kneel before the wonderful icon;
Cathedral in Yaroslavl.

But the most important image is in Kostroma, in Epiphany Cathedral. This icon is already more than eight centuries old, it was she who helped Alexander Nevsky fight for peace in the country, it was she who anointed Mikhail Romanov to the throne, and she protected the Romanov family from all troubles for a long time.

One of the copies of the icon is located in the Kashinsky Klobukovsky Monastery in Tver. This temple has its own special history - for some time it was completely forgotten by parishioners and was in disrepair. But in 1994 it was completely restored. And in 2004, the image of the Theodore Mother of God was brought here, with which the temple was illuminated. One of the lists from him remained in the temple.

In Moscow, in the Cathedral of the Don Icon of the Mother of God, there is a copy of the glorified image. Many people go here every day to ask for help and intercession from the holy image. Every day an akathist and a prayer are read at the miraculous icon, and every day the Mother of God fulfills the requests of those praying.

Today there are many famous icons in the world that are miraculous and help people at their requests and prayers. These include the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God. This image has a fairly ancient history of miracles, acquisitions, and healings. Believers turn to her in many sorrows and sorrows, receiving consolation through their prayers.

Legends about the appearance of the icon

The further history of the icon of the Feodorovskaya Mother of God is rather vague. It is believed that it was in this image that in 1239 Yaroslav Vsevolodovich blessed his son Alexander Nevsky for marriage. He married the Polotsk princess Bryachislava. A sign of this action is the second image, which contains on its reverse the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God, namely St. much Paraskeva, which is also called Friday. She is considered the patroness of the Polotsk princely house.

Rediscovery of an icon

Study of the icon and its iconography

A distinctive feature of the Feodorovsky image is also that on its reverse there is another image of the saint, presumably Paraskeva Friday. There are several options for the appearance of this image. According to one of them, the image was painted when Alexander Nevsky was married, and the saint was the patroness of the bride’s house. According to the second version, the icon was considered altarpiece, since it once had a shaft at the bottom (which directly indicates this). Similar icons were once made in Byzantium.

Meaning of the icon

What does an icon help with?

Prayer and Akathist to the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God. Help in worldly affairs

Miracles associated with the icon

Icon Veneration Day

Churches and temples that are consecrated in honor of the icon, as well as places where you can find its lists

The Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God, whose prayer has great power, is ancient and miraculous. Throughout the history of its existence, many lists have been written from it (most of which were created after Mikhail Romanov ascended the throne), which were placed in many churches. Some of them were also consecrated in her honor. Let's look at the list of temples.

Feodorovsky Cathedral, which is located in the Feodorovsky Monastery in the ancient city of Gorodets.
Theodore Sovereign's Cathedral. It was built in Tsarskoe Selo and belonged to the royal family.
Feodorovsky Cathedral in St. Petersburg. It was built for the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty. Construction was completed in 1913. Also this year its chapels were consecrated.
Feodorovskaya Church in the city of Yaroslavl. It has an ancient history, it was built back in 1680.

The most important miraculous image is located in the city of Kostroma, in the Epiphany Cathedral. It is this icon that has been around for more than eight centuries; it was she who helped Alexander Nevsky, and after that she was the intercessor and patroness of the royal Romanov family. A copy of this image, which is revered, is located in Tsarskoye Selo in the city of Pushkin. It was written for Tsar Nicholas II in honor of the fifteenth year of his reign.

The image can also be found in other churches, for example, in the Church of St. Nicholas in Klenniki, in the Church of Elijah the Prophet, in Obydensky Lane, in the Small Cathedral of the Don Icon of the Mother of God in Moscow.

The Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God is revered as miraculous in the Russian Church. Tradition attributes its authorship to the Evangelist Luke; the iconography is similar to the Vladimir Icon.

Origin of the image

History of the icon in the XII-XIII centuries

Nothing is known for certain about the appearance of this icon in Rus'; the first legendary mentions of an image of similar iconography date back to the 12th century. It was located in a wooden chapel near the town of Gorodets; at the beginning of the 13th century, a monastery was built on this site in the name of the icon of the Mother of God, which became its main shrine. Later it began to be called after the icon of the Mother of God, the Mother of God-Feodorovsky, and now - Feodorovsky. In 1238, during the invasion of Batu's troops, the city was destroyed, and the monastery also burned down.

Modern historians point out that the existence of the monastery in the 12th century has not yet received any direct evidence. But at the same time, there are no studies refuting such a statement. One way or another, the place where the icon was located was completely looted, destroyed and burned. Contemporaries of the events believed that the icon was also lost, but after several years it was found again.

There are several legends about the re-discovery of the icon:

The first legend

On August 16, 1239, Prince Vasily Kvashnya of Kostroma, near the Zaprudnya River, saw an icon of the Mother of God hanging on a tree. With the participation of the clergy, the icon was transferred to Kostroma and placed in the cathedral church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Later, the Zaprudnensky Spassky Monastery was built at the site where it was found.

The story of the appearance of the miraculous icon of Feodorovskaya reports that:

seeing the people's honorable icon, and beginning to tell the story, saying, yesterday we saw this icon, carried through our city by a certain warrior, similar to that warrior with a vision of the holy great martyr Theodore Stratelates, and thus testifying to the people.

From the name of the Great Martyr Theodore, the icon received its name - Theodorovskaya. Soon a man from Gorodets came to Kostroma, who recognized the icon as the one that had disappeared from their city.

Legend two

It repeats the plot of the above, but differs in dates and the name of the prince. According to him, the icon was found on August 16, 1263 by the younger brother of Alexander Nevsky, Prince Vasily Yaroslavich. This date is contained in the “Tale of the Appearance and Miracles of the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God in Kostroma,” compiled in 1670 by Hierodeacon Longin of the Kostroma Ipatiev Monastery.

Legend three

The icon was found by Prince Yuri Vsevolodovich (1188-1238) in a dilapidated wooden chapel near Gorodets (the Gorodetsky Feodorovsky Monastery later arose on this site). After his death, the icon passed to Yaroslav Vsevolodovich (Yuri’s younger brother), who blessed with it the marriage of his son Alexander Nevsky with the Polotsk princess Alexandra Bryachislavovna. After the death of Prince Alexander in 1263, the icon passed to his younger brother Vasily (the second legend about the discovery of the icon also reports about him), who moved it to Kostroma.

This and other events formed a series of events that later formed the basis of the legend about the icon. One way or another, the icon was transferred from Gorodets, devastated by Batu, to Kostroma, where it was placed in the church of the Great Martyr Theodore Stratilates. This fact is confirmed by the “Tale of the Appearance and Miracles of the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God in Kostroma.” From that moment on, the name “Feodorovskaya” was assigned to it.

Researchers' opinions

Researchers, based on the identity of the iconography of the Feodorovskaya icon with the Vladimirskaya, consider it a copy from the famous ancient shrine and put forward three versions of its origin:

The icon was painted in 1164 by order of Andrei Bogolyubsky for the Gorodets Monastery.

The icon was painted by order of Prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich in 1239 as a gift for the wedding of his son Alexander Nevsky. The wedding nature of the icon is explained by the presence on its back of the image of the Great Martyr Paraskeva, who was revered in Rus' as the patroness of brides and weddings, as well as the former patroness of the Polotsk princely house, where Alexander’s bride came from.

The icon was painted by order of Yaroslav Vsevolodovich in 1218-1220 in connection with the return of his wife Theodosia, taken away by her father in 1216 during the confrontation, and the birth of his first-born Theodore from her.

Further history of the icon

The first miracles of the icon include stories about its miraculous salvation in a fire (legends report two fires: one destroyed the old wooden church, the second occurred in a new stone church) and about the miraculous salvation of Kostroma from Tatar troops in 1260:

the Tatar abomination came to the city of Kostroma, and the prince great Vasily go against them; He commanded the Mother of God to carry that icon before her. And then she saw the fiery rays of fire from the icon, and having seen it, she became confused and rushed to run.

The last miracle was called “The Miracle of the Icon of the Theodore Mother of God in the Battle of the Holy Lake” and in the place where the icon stood during the battle, a worship cross was first erected, and then at the end of the 17th century a stone Theodore chapel was erected.

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XX century

After the October Revolution, the icon did not end up in museum collections, but continued to be in the church. In 1919, in Kostroma, in order to reveal the original paint layer, it was examined by a commission of the museum department of the People's Commissariat for Education. In 1922, the Assumption Cathedral and Theodore Icon passed to the Renovationists, who owned it until 1944. In 1929, the Kostroma community brought the icon to Moscow to the Central State Restoration Workshops. During the restoration work, experts came to the conclusion that the main part of the 13th century painting was lost.

The icon was not restored for long; the work was carried out by V. O. Kirikov. At the same time, due to the lack of more ancient layers of painting of the New Age, it was necessary to leave them on the face and hands, as well as on the clothes.] In the 1930s, the Assumption Cathedral where the icon was located was destroyed and the image was transferred to the Church of St. John Chrysostom. In 1947, a simple copper-gilded chasuble from one of the lists was placed on the icon. In 1948, Patriarch Alexy I visited Kostroma and wished to decorate the icon with a new precious robe, corresponding to its status as a revered shrine. Fundraising took several years, and in the spring of 1955, Moscow craftsmen made a silver-gilded frame for the icon.

Since April 1964, the icon began to reside in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ on Debra, where the bishop's see was moved. Since 1990, the tradition has been renewed on the day of celebration of the icon, August 16 (29), to make a religious procession with it to the place of its appearance. On August 18, 1991, the Feodorovskaya icon was transferred to the Epiphany-Anastasia Cathedral of Kostroma, which was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. Also, since 1991, a chronicle has been kept of modern miracles performed through prayers at the Theodore Icon; To date, more than 100 such events have been recorded.

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Iconography

The Feodorovskaya icon belongs to the iconographic type of Eleus (Tenderness). Its general iconography is very close to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. For this reason, many researchers consider it a replica copy. The difference between the Feodorovskaya icon and the Vladimirskaya icon is the left leg of the Infant Christ, naked to the knee. According to the ancient description, when the icon was transferred to Kostroma, it had the following appearance.

The icon of the Feodorovskaya Mother of God, according to legend, painted by Luke himself, the author of one of the Gospels, is recognized as one of the most important shrines in Russia. The mystery of its appearance in Rus' is still connected with it, since no one has yet explained when it was brought to Russian lands and to whom this merit belongs.

Many interesting cases and events related to the image have been preserved in people’s memory. Below are just a few of them.

Legends and traditions

The icon received its name after the discovery of St. Feodor Stratelates. It was found on a pine tree near the town of Gorodets. After a while, at this place the monks founded a new monastery, called the Gorodetsky Feodorovsky Monastery.

From that moment on, miracles began to happen: the face was not damaged during several devastating fires of the Kostroma Cathedral. And before the last Russian emperor abdicated his throne, his face darkened. Not many people know that the image has two painted sides. On the reverse side is an image of torment. Paraskeva (Friday). According to one hypothesis, he has a connection with the wife of St. Nevsky.

There is a legend about Yaroslav the Wise blessing the young: the son of Alexander with his chosen one Bryachislava. After the nomads attack the city, the image disappears. Many townspeople thought that he died in the fire, but a miracle happened.

A Russian warrior suddenly begins to walk along the streets of Kostroma with an image in his hands. A day later, on the Zaprudnya River, Nevsky’s brother finds his favorite icon. They recognized the soldier as Stratilates, and the image itself was identified as the Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God.

According to another version, the shrine was found a year after it was lost. She was discovered by Prince Kvashnya attached to a tree trunk. Upon returning to the temple, the icon was filled with myrrh and was recognized as miraculous. People with their pain reached out to her, and many found consolation.

Description

Almost all researchers believe that the image was painted in Byzantium to order from the Vladimir Mother of God, since they are very similar. The baby is directed towards the Mother, trying to press his cheek to her. The type of writing they both have is tenderness. Despite this, there are significant differences:

Little Christ sits in his arms.
The baby’s feet seem to be taking small steps, while his legs are bare, indicating his suffering.
Mary's clothes are gathered together, as if her feet are lowered into a bowl.
The color of the robe is purple as a symbol of royalty, blood and the suffering of people.
The Baby's clothing plays with gold, which symbolized burial among the nobility.
A mournful face is a farewell.

Meaning

At all times, rulers treated the Feodorovskaya icon with reverence, praying and turning to it at important moments for themselves and the state. The Romanovs considered it their family, starting with its first representative, Mikhail. Prince Nevsky did not go on his campaigns without an image. After his death (1262), the shrine was again placed in its original place. There is information about the existence of the list from the original, which was provided by the nun.

For the Theodore Icon there was no time without prayer. Many lands and cities were part of her pilgrimage. Here's just a small part: Moscow and St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and even Solovki. Throughout the 20th century, she visited the Assumption Cathedral, the Church of St. John Chrysostom, in the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ. I came to the Epiphany - Anastasia Cathedral in 1991.

It is known for sure that the image is genuine; this was confirmed back in 1919. Previously, the chasuble was gold (10 kg), the new one (since 1955) is made of silver and gilding.

What does the Feodorovskaya icon help with?

The influence of the image is considered miraculous. This is confirmed by many stories. Usually they ask the Most Holy Theotokos for children in families where they cannot conceive. They pray to her before giving birth so that everything goes smoothly and without problems. They also contact us about strengthening the family, health, and a happy marriage.

Miracle of giving children

The family could not give birth to a child for 7 years. For a whole year, day after day, they asked the Feodorovskaya icon for help, turned to prayer, there was not a day when the couple did not cry out to her for help. As a result, the miracle happened and the worshipers found a son.

Another woman, who was seriously ill, received a strict ban from children from her doctors. Failures and illness were predicted for her, but she read prayers and believed, hoping for a miracle. It happened - she became the mother of a healthy baby.

It helped to make a request to the image of the Feodorovskaya Mother of God for a Christian woman with a paralyzed leg. With great difficulty, with the last of my strength, I reached the shrine and prayed fervently. The pain began to recede so quickly that the way back was much easier, and after a day it completely disappeared.

What do they pray for to the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God?

The image helps everyone who turns to it with sincere feeling. Everyone prays about their anxiety, not only makes childbirth easier, but also contributes to the faithful upbringing of the child. We must remember that prayer is not a spell, but a sincere message to the Lord and the Mother of God.

The ultimate form is not suitable for this. If you can’t find the right words yourself, it’s better to read from a sheet and memorize a ready-made prayer. It is better to ask for strength and health than material wealth.

Where is the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God now?

On August 17, 1991, the oldest miraculous image was transferred to the Epiphany Cathedral in Kostroma. She remains there to this day, although she exhibited at Moscow exhibitions in 2013.