For today Orthodox Church more than a thousand miraculous icons are known. Moreover, the facts of miracles are by no means decreasing, the number of glorified faces is increasing every day. Where do these miracles come from? What are the reasons for the veneration of images?
When does a holy image become miraculous?
Already from the name it is not difficult to guess that the image is called miraculous due to the fact that some miracles are performed through prayers in front of it. Moreover, these miracles can be of a very different nature: from particular cases of healing and assistance in everyday needs to protection from nationwide epidemics, natural disasters and war.
The fact of grace-filled help has long been the only criterion by which the image of the Lord, the Mother of God or saints was called miraculous. So it was until 1722, when by his decree Peter I forbade keeping the revered image at home, and a certain protocol was drawn up for its examination. Moreover, the commission that composed it must necessarily include one priest. All famous faces were transferred to temples and monasteries.
This protocol form of certification of a miracle lasted until 1917, when it was abolished. Today, in our Church, popular veneration is the main and, in fact, the only basis for calling an image miraculous. However, in some cases it is not possible without a special commission (at least, confirmation of at least one clergyman is needed). There is nothing terrible or bad in this. Why?
The scientific confirmation of a miracle is not a sign of lack of faith or, moreover, blasphemy. It is intended only to protect Orthodoxy from being carried away by false miracles, which, as we know, are especially multiplying in recent times. Miraculous icons do not suffer at all from such studies.
Such an approach cannot be regarded as a manifestation of skepticism or distrust of God, but only as a normal restraint and prudence in relation to miraculous phenomena. The opposite feeling is excessive exaltation. Craving for everything unusual, out of the ordinary is a threat to a believer, can lead him into spiritual delusion. But we must always remember that not faith comes from miracles, but miracles come from faith, and then we will definitely not be mistaken.
Who works miracles?
Depending on the number of miraculous cases, the scale of assistance, respectively, the veneration of this holy face also depends. Some miraculous icons are glorified a little more, some less, but this does not diminish the grace-filled power emanating from them. In many ways, this again depends on the faith of a particular person.
Therefore, the opinion can be considered erroneous, according to which some images are called “strong” in the common people, while others are called less “strong”. First, it is extremely important to correctly understand what is the source of this miraculous power, who actually performs the healing.
The source of any miracle is the grace of God. This grace invariably abides on all holy images. Let us recall at least the words of the Most Holy Theotokos, which, according to legend, she said to the apostle and icon painter Luke, when she saw the first image painted from Her: The grace of the One Born of Me and My mercy with these icons be. However, for some of them this grace is still poured out in special abundance, which is why miracles happen.
The natural question is: why is this happening, for what? Obviously, in order to strengthen us in faith through such a revered image, to show that the spiritual world is much closer to us than it sometimes seems to us. But the main thing is a visible confirmation of the truth of what we believe.
After all, a miracle does not come from the icon itself, not from wood and paints, but from the one who is depicted on it. This is the essence of the correct veneration of the holy faces by the Orthodox, which was enshrined in the decision of the Ecumenical Council:
The honor given to the icon refers to its prototype, and the worshiper of the icon worships the hypostasis of the one depicted on it.
Therefore, there is no reason to reproach the Orthodox with idolatry, as Protestants often do. The Monk Theodore the Studite, who lived in the 8th-9th centuries, wrote about the veneration of icons:
The worshiper of the image worships the one whom the image correctly represents. For he does not worship the essence, that is, the substance of the image, but what is inscribed on it.
Let us also remember that the first image that we can name, and the first miraculous icon, was the so-called “Not Made by Hands Icon”. It was a plate on which the face of the Savior was displayed. Adhering to it, Abgar, the king of Edessa, was healed of his illness.
The Miracle of Myrrh and Bleeding
External manifestations of miraculous phenomena on icons are different (sometimes they may not be). Perhaps the most frequent cases associated with myrrh. Miro is a liquid of unknown origin, resembling oil in appearance, from which an unusual fragrant odor emanates.
Color, appearance, saturation of the world are completely different. Sometimes it appears in the form of small droplets, sometimes it floods the entire face. It happens that unusual moisture resembles dew, and then this phenomenon is called dew and oil flow. Moreover, such a miracle can manifest itself not only on written canonical icons, but also on paper images and even photographs.
For some miraculous icons, this phenomenon can be of a single nature, sometimes it can be repeated. Very often, miraculous moisture comes abundantly all the time from the holy face, so that it can even be collected in vessels, anointed with it, which is why healings occur.
Sometimes the liquid may have a purple color - the color of blood. And in terms of composition, it is blood. Then such an image is called bleeding. This, in comparison with myrrh-streaming, is a rarer phenomenon, which, however, does not happen so rarely today. Usually such "signs" are considered an omen of some terrible, tragic events in the history of a country or of all mankind.
Crying images
Another disturbing "harbinger" of some terrible events are weeping icons. Tears usually flow from the eyes of the holy face depicted on them. Sometimes small indentations appear on the revered image, channels through which they flow. Examination of the liquid also shows that in their composition they are no different from ordinary human tears.
Self-renewal of faces
Also an inexplicable miracle are cases of miraculous renewal of faces. It lies in the fact that the colors on the old, faded images themselves begin to become brighter, lighter, faces clearly appear on them. This may happen with different speed sometimes slowly, gradually; sometimes the whole face is completely updated at once. A well-known example of an update is the Kaspersky icon.
The nature of such a wondrous phenomenon remains unsolved. Most often, this also happens on the eve of some unfortunate events. So, for example, a whole wave of cases of self-renewal of images occurred in our country at the beginning of the 20th century, especially on the eve of the most difficult years.
Miraculously found icons
A number of miraculous icons became famous due to the fact that they were found (obtained) in an unusual way. The most famous for us, of course, is the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. She was found in the ashes after a miraculous threefold appearance in a dream of the Most Holy Theotokos to a little girl.
Different icons were found in different places: on a tree (for example, Yeletskaya in Chernigov), on a stump (Ozeryanskaya), in a temple (Peschanskaya), on the water (Iverskaya) and so on. Usually, in the place where the holy face was found, a temple was built and named after him. This was a sign of special mercy and patronage of the Most Holy Theotokos or a saint over this place. The most mysterious of all these images of the Mother of God is Tikhvin, who appeared many times and in different places.
Cases of Unusual Intercession and Healing
A great many revered images have gained general fame through cases of unusual healing in severe medical cases. For example, many people know about such famous lists as “The Tsaritsa” (they pray before him even in cases of cancer), “Healer”, “Unexpected Joy”, “Life-Giving Spring”, Kozelshchanskaya and many others.
In addition, no less number of holy images became famous thanks to their intercession in wars with foreign invaders. These are well-known images to us: Vladimirskaya, Znamenie, Kazanskaya, Donskaya, Pochaevskaya, Blachernae and so on. Often such patronage of the Mother of God was accompanied by many miracles: the appearance of the Mother of God in a dream and in reality, the flow of tears from her face, the return of arrows on the attackers themselves, heavenly punishment.
Other rare occurrences
All these cases by no means cover the inexhaustible multitude of miracles that appear in miraculous icons. Some images are imprinted on glass (for example, “Prizri for humility” in Kyiv), overgrown along the contour with flowers without a power source (the so-called “Kulevchanskoe miracle”), they crawl to them Poisonous snakes and do not sting (on Greek island Kefalonia), they talk (“Joy or consolation” on Athos) or admonish blasphemers (“Sacrifice”, Kaluga).
As you can see, most of the icons glorified by miracles are Mother of God. This testifies to how much the Mother of God cares for us and pities us like no other person. It is interesting that not only the originals are revered - all lists from the glorified faces "automatically" also become miraculous.
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The icon of "Joy of All Who Sorrow" - why is it so revered by the people? How did she become miraculous, in what sorrows does she help those who turn to the Mother of God? What are the types of the image of the Intercessor, who is usually depicted on the icon, except for the Queen of Heaven herself? About the miracles of healing the suffering - in this article.
(5 votes : 5 out of 5 )Signs of past centuries
All canonical icons in churches or houses are sacred due to their spiritual content and meaning. However, some are chosen by the Providence of God for special signs. The inexpressible light, fragrance emanating from them, St. myrrh - material signs of the appearance of the heavenly world, the Kingdom of God.
The history of the Orthodox Church has about a thousand images that have become famous for miracles throughout the history of Christianity. Most of them are images of the Mother of God, the Heavenly Intercessor of the human race. The main reason for venerating one or another image as miraculous was certified gift of concrete help to people, whether it be healing the sick, intercession from enemies, fires, elements. Sometimes this help was preceded or accompanied by some supernatural event: the Mother of God herself came in a dream or in a vision and told where and how to find Her image; the icons walked through the air, descended or ascended by themselves; a radiance was observed from them when they were found (Eletskaya-Chernigovskaya, Chestokhovskaya-Tyvrovskaya, Tsarevokokshayskaya, Zhirovitskaya, "Meluishaya", Akhtyrskaya, Galichskaya, Dubovitskaya), a fragrance emanated ("Uncle's Eye"), a voice sounded ("Skoroposlushnitsa", Yugskaya, Smolenskaya- Solovetskaya), the icon was updated by itself (Kasperovskaya) or the image on it came to life (“Unexpected Joy”, Seraphim-Ponetaevskaya).
From some images, blood, tears, myrrh miraculously exuded. The outflow of blood (“Sacrifice”, Dolisskaya, Chestokhovskaya, Iverskaya, Cypriot, Pakhromskaya, “Unexpected Joy”), as a rule, came from a wound inflicted on the image - to admonish people who offended the shrine. Tears flowing from the eyes of the Most Holy Theotokos (“Crying”, Tikhvinskaya-Afonskaya, Ilyinskaya-Chernigovskaya, Pryazhevskaya, Ryaditenskaya, Kazanskaya-Vysochinovskaya, Kazanskaya-Kargopolskaya, “Tenderness” -Novgorodskaya, Kaplunovskaya, Mirozhskaya, “Sign” -Novgorodskaya, Korsunskaya- Izborskaya), were perceived both as a sign of the grief of the Mother of God for human sins, and as a sign of the mercy of the Lady, crying for her children. From April 16 to April 24, 1662, the Ilyinsky-Chernigov Icon of the Mother of God wept. This happened four years after writing the image. Subsequently, this icon became famous for many wondrous miracles described by the saint in the book "Irrigated Fleece". In 1854, Bishop Melchizedek of Romansk became one of the eyewitnesses of the flow of tears from the icon, which later received the name “Weeping” (in the Romanian Sokolsky Monastery). Vladyka said that similar events took place in ancient times and that this "always foreshadowed severe trials for the Church of Christ and for the Fatherland."
Church tradition knows several icons from which holy myrrh exuded. Even in ancient times, in the 6th century, oil flowed from the hand of the Virgin on the Pisidian icon. Subsequently, this miracle was confirmed in its truth VII Ecumenical Council. In the 13th century, after the fervent prayer of blessed Procopius and people for salvation from the stone city of Veliky Ustyug, the icon of the Annunciation ("Ustyug") flowed myrrh - a sign of the Mercy of Our Lady over the city. On September 16, 1392, myrrh arose from the right hand of the Mother of God on Tolga icon. In 1592, the image of the “Praise of the Most Holy Theotokos” was stolen from Athos by robbers. But when the icon was covered with fragrant myrrh, they repented and returned the shrine. On the fifth week of Great Lent in 1635, in the Oransky Bogoroditsky Monastery of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese, during the evening doxology with an akathist on the Vladimir-Oransky icon, myrrh flowed from the head of the Infant Jesus and the whole church was filled with fragrance. In 1848, in Moscow, in the house of Colonel D.N. On Easter, the icon shone, and they saw drops that looked like raindrops on it. To the touch they were oily and fragrant. Through the anointing with miraculous moisture, the sick were healed. The image was donated to the temple, where it became famous for other miracles.
By itself, myrrh-streaming was not an event on the basis of which the icon was considered miraculous. Usually she revealed her healing power through prayers before her before or after the myrrh-streaming, which only indicated that the icon was chosen. Almost always, myrrh was collected and used precisely for the healing of mental and bodily ailments (just like the wonderful world from the relics of saints). This property was even included in the definition of the concept given in the "Complete Church Slavonic Dictionary" (compiled): "Myrrh-streaming - exuding miraculous myrrh for the healing of diseases."
To glorify the image with miracles, it does not matter whether it is ancient or new, “prayed” or not, what material it is made of (wood, stone, metal, paper), what colors it is written with. So, in the 19th century Tikhvin icon in the village of Pavlovsky, it was revealed to the people by a special revelation of the Mother of God, who ordered to renew the image. The church elder, to whom the image seemed dilapidated and unsightly, did not honor him and was punished for this by the Lady. Subsequently, the icon, already famous for healing, was arrested (!) by the Moscow Consistory as “non-Orthodox”, but was rescued thanks to the intervention of Metropolitan Philaret and, after correcting the image, was returned to its original place.
The question often arises, why do non-canonical icons painted in a pictorial or “academic” style become miraculous? Reflecting on this fact, the well-known connoisseur of icon art L. says: “The order established by God is violated by Him for the salvation of man. Miracles happen by the grace of God<…>and in violation of church canons.<…>But a miracle, by its very definition, cannot be the norm: it is precisely the miracle that goes beyond the norm.
Two periods of universal signs
Until the 20th century, the myrrh-streaming or lachrymation of an icon (in E. Poselyanin’s book “Tales of the Miraculous Icons of the Mother of God and Her Mercies to the Human Race” are described 6 and 12, respectively, over the 2000-year history of the Church) was a rare, exceptional phenomenon. Mass signs are observed in Russia only in the twentieth century. The first such period was in the early 1920s.
Today we are contemporaries of another amazing miracle - ubiquitous signs from icons, the beginning of which can be definitely attributed to 1991. Although individual cases have been observed before (for example, myrrh-streaming from the icons of the Kazan Mother of God and St. Ambrose in Optina Hermitage on November 16, 1988), it is from 1991 that reports of miracles from icons begin to arrive one after another from various places in Russia. In the following decade, hundreds of cases were recorded. Icons are miraculously acquired, renewed, and myrrh streaming - in churches, monasteries, in the homes of ordinary people. And above all, it is myrrh-streaming and crying icons. Now a rare issue of a church magazine or newspaper, central or regional, does not contain a mention of a new similar miracle. This period is also the longest: it has been going on for ten years, and so far its intensity has not decreased.
Before turning to the spiritual meaning of modern wonderworkings, let us designate their external features.
As in previous centuries, signs from icons are most often given during the days of Great Lent - a time of deep repentance and contrition for sins. Often they are correlated with the twelfth feasts, the memory of a particular Mother of God icon or saint.
Their extraordinary diversity is striking. Nowadays, blessed dew or myrrh often appears not on one, but on several icons of the temple, on icon cases, crucifixes. It happens that moisture appears and swells on the glass covering the image, or appears on the icon itself under it. The antiquity or novelty of the icon, its material does not matter: images on wood and paper, glass and metal radiate myrrh, photographs and reproductions of icons exude myrrh (including on wall posters, pocket calendars, images of icons in liturgical books and etc.).
The type, color and consistency of the resulting liquid are diverse: from thick, viscous resin to dew, therefore, sometimes they speak of "untreated" or "drip". It may have a fragrant aroma, reminiscent of the smell of flowers (roses, jasmine) or incense. The shape and size of the droplets are also extremely variable. Sometimes they cover the entire image, sometimes they seem to flow from certain points. There are cases when the myrrh flowed from the bottom up, contrary to the law of gravity. Miro can disappear for a while and then reappear.
Even on one icon, the myrrh streams are surprisingly diverse. Here is one example. During the first week of Great Lent 1996 in the church in the village of Nizhnyaya Baigor but Voronezh region The Iberian Icon of the Mother of God streamed myrrh: on February 24, on the eve of Forgiveness Sunday, the myrrh flowed from the icon in a stream, so that a towel was placed under the icon, and the temple was filled with an indescribable fragrance. On Pure Monday, myrrh flowed from under the crown and from the brow of the Mother of God; on Tuesday - drops all over the icon; on Wednesday, the icon dried up, and tears flowed from the eyes of the Lady.
Renewals and myrrh-streaming are more often observed not in those churches that were opened before (in Soviet times), but in churches and monasteries that are being restored or reopened. For example, in the St. Petersburg diocese in the 1990s, they took place in the monasteries transferred to the Church (St. liturgical life began to revive.
But the most significant feature, we repeat, is their ubiquitous character.
In the 1920s, icons were updated around the country in waves, affecting only certain areas. In our days, the whole of Russia has become a place of signs: urban and rural churches, monasteries, houses of pious people. Never before has the Russian Orthodox Church met with icons crying and streaming myrrh everywhere! This is an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of the country - an undoubted historical fact, which has a huge spiritual meaning. This is the clear voice of God addressed to all the Russian people.
What is he pointing to? What does it call for, what does it warn against? It is probably impossible to answer these questions completely. But it is obvious that one cannot remain indifferent to it, one cannot leave it without attention and reflection.
Signs and modern Russia
If we correlate the signs with the current spiritual and historical processes, then we can note the following important points.
1. Connection with the modern history of Russia.
One often hears that a sign from an icon is a harbinger of trouble, a call to prepare for the coming shocks. Indeed, there have been such cases in history. But if we consider the periods of multiple miracles, then a somewhat different picture is observed. The mass signs of the 1920s took place not before, but after the catastrophe of 1917, and, as it were, accompanied the sorrows of those years. In the same way, the mass signs of the 1990s come after a grandiose turning point in the life of Russia, at the same time as the difficult trials of the last decade.
1991 was, without a doubt, a fateful year for the Fatherland. The dismemberment of the collected for centuries began united state. A huge country was plunged into the abyss of fiery trials.
This year has been marked by amazing signs. Here is their short history. At the very beginning - the unexpected acquisition of the relics of two great Russian saints, whose prophecies and miracles are directly related to the future of Russia - the reverend and saint. It happened in the Imperial Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg. The Lord sent two of His saints to support and especially help Russia on the eve of grave sorrows, as intercessors and prayer books for their earthly Fatherland, for the consanguineous people before the Throne of God. The appearance of the relics of two saints seemed to foreshadow the coming of two saints to earth in the time of the Antichrist, predicted in the Apocalypse.
During Bright Week 1991, the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God from the Nikolo-Perervinskaya Convent in Moscow exuded fragrant myrrh. May be, Holy Lady testified that, having assumed the succession of the Russian power with the end of the Orthodox monarchy in 1917, She does not leave Her covert reign in the new Time of Troubles? (It is impossible not to note the fact that in subsequent years many signs were revealed precisely on the day of the Sovereign Icon).
In the summer, in one of the ancient temples of Vologda, tears flowed from the eyes of the Lord on the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. On August 18, an ancient icon of the Mother of God wept in Georgia. August accounts for the largest number of signs that took place in 1991. The world-famous Iberian-Montreal miraculous icon, constantly exuding holy myrrh, it was in August 1991 that she wept for the first time: as its keeper noted, “the Mother of God had a tear that simply held on and did not fall for a long time.” At that time, he himself did not know anything about the events in Russia ...
On November 18, 1991, enemies of the Church threw an incendiary bomb through the window of the Small Cathedral of the Moscow Donskoy Monastery. But God cannot be mocked! At restoration work, February 19, 1992, the Lord showed His mercy and erected another strong intercessor for the Church and the Fatherland: relics were obtained.
On November 22, 1991, the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God shed a tear in the Assumption Cathedral in Smolensk. Smolensk, the ancient city-fortress with great shrines, miraculous images, has protected Russia from invasions from the West for many centuries. He and the closest Russian city to Belarus, on whose territory two weeks later (December 8) the Belovezhskaya conspiracy was concluded ...
So, several icons cried out, showed sorrow at once in different parts of Russia and beyond. "Tears of the Mother of God! A phenomenon that leads to awe and reverence,- writes about weeping icons Fr. . - It testifies how close the Mother of God is to the world. But - let these tears not be! If there is no greater grief in the family for children than to see their mother crying, then what a strong and terrible shock it must be for Christians to know that the Mother of God sheds tears for them and because of them! .. Do they testify that Heaven see sorrows, that they hear those weeping, and that the Mother of God, through her icon, broadcasts a consolatory: “I am with you”? Does the Mother of God grieve over the disorder in the Orthodox Churches? We don't know. But let us not divert from ourselves the thought of the great significance of these signs for all of us and for each of us, we will not allow the thought that "this does not apply to us." Reproachfully for us, and warning, and a call to repentance, we must accept the tears of the Mother of God!
Signs from icons in the North Caucasus marked the beginning of the bloody first Chechen war: on May 27, 1994, the icon of St. Nicholas in Stavropol was renewed, and on June 9, on the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, in the presence of hundreds of pilgrims in the church of the village of Zelenchukskaya, tears streamed from the eyes of the Mother of God on two icons - "Iberian" and "Skoroshlushnitsy".
Recall that a great miracle, the appearance of the Mother of God occurred in June 1995, when the Basaev bandits attacked the peaceful Stavropol city of Budennovsk (formerly known as Holy Cross). In the sky above the hospital, where the hostages were languishing, many saw the Blessed Virgin praying before the Cross. On the basis of eyewitness accounts, the Metropolitan of Stavropol blessed to paint an icon of the Mother of God, which received the name "Holy Cross". She became another evidence of the intercession of the Mother of God for Russia.
2. Many miracles are undoubtedly associated with the patron saints of Russia - the Royal Martyrs.
It is known that the ancient miraculous Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, the family shrine of the Romanov dynasty, suddenly turned black shortly before the arrest and murder of the last Sovereign and His Family (it remains in this form to this day). The mysterious connection of the Royal Martyrs with their Heavenly Protectress was manifested in the signs from the lists from the Feodorovskaya Icon in Tsarskoye Selo. In 1992, services were resumed in the Feodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral, erected by the goodwill of Sovereign Nikolai Alexandrovich and which became the spiritual and historical shrine of Russia. On March 15, the day of the Triumph of Orthodoxy (that year, which coincided with the day of the forced abdication of the Tsar from the throne and with the celebration of the Sovereign Icon), a small icon was donated to the temple. The year before, the boy had found her in a nearby park, on the bank of a stream. Only in the temple they dismantled the half-erased inscription on the salary - "Feodorovskaya ...". So miraculously found the image consecrated the cathedral of his name. In September 1994, in Tsarskoe Selo, another Feodorovsky image became myrrh-streaming. This is a miracle from the patron icon Royal House many believers connected with the fact that on the same day in the Peter and Paul Cathedral they buried the remains of Grand Duke George Alexandrovich, defiled by blasphemous exhumation in July of that year.
In the Intercession Church of Marienburg (near Gatchina), built in memory of the miraculous salvation royal family during a train crash near the Borki station, the icon “Searching for the Dead” began to stream myrrh. This happened on February 17, 1994, on the eve of the celebration of this icon. First, a thin light stream flowed from the eye of the Mother of God, then tears flowed one after another, then three strips of peace appeared from the left shoulder. Later, the entire surface of the icon became myrrh-streaming. The miracle lasted about two months. The icon itself was also painted in memory of deliverance from the death of the Imperial family.
Several miracles took place in the St. Petersburg Church of the Epiphany, built and consecrated in memory of the miraculous rescue of the Heir to Tsesarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich during the attack on him by a Japanese samurai on St. Thomas Week, 1891. from the painting "Assurance of the Apostle Thomas". In 1998, a miraculous renewal of the icon of the Nativity of Christ was recorded by the diocesan commission. The miracle happened on the evening of March 14, on the eve of the feast of the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God.
On January 31, 1997, in the house of a parishioner in the city of Voskresensk, Moscow Region, a small paper icon of the Tsar-Martyr Nicholas Alexandrovich and St. equal to ap. Prince Vladimir. And in 1998, the now widely known icon of Sovereign Nikolai Alexandrovich began to flow myrrh. The icon is one of the lithographic copies of the image painted in California. The porphyry-bearing Anointed One of God is depicted on it in golden-red tones, in an unearthly radiance, with symbols of royal power - an orb and a scepter in his hands. “This holy icon was painted to glorify the Tsar-Martyr in Russia,” reads the inscription on the icon. The myrrh-streaming of the icon is perceived by believers as another sign of the Sovereign's holiness, another evidence of the need for his speedy canonization in his earthly Fatherland. In 1999, the image began its journey through the temples and cities of Russia, where it is transferred for worship. He was among other icons on board the aircraft during the "air procession" around the borders of Russia in June 1999.
3. In many ways, our time can be called the era of a new iconoclasm. It manifests itself in a variety of ways, sometimes in sophisticated forms. Everyone remembers the public ritual cutting of icons with an ax in the very center of the capital of Russia, in the Manege. The desecration of the holy images depicted on calendars and posters, newspapers and magazines, which, after reading, are thrown into the trash, has become widespread. Yes and in outlets such printed materials are often lying on the floor in the subway, adjacent to sodomite pictures. Another expressive example: a certain prof. E.K.Duluman, a "candidate of theology", on the Internet site "Atheism" gives a recipe on how to fake myrrh-streaming: you need to take an icon and lightly several times scratch it with sandpaper and then spray the oil with a spray bottle. The hierarch confesses how he himself did this with the icons.
Therefore, the words spoken by Vladyka Methodius about the 1920s are quite applicable to our time: “The fury of the persecutors of the faith rushed primarily to the desecration of holy icons, churches of God and other shrines. With the sign of renewal, the grace of God clearly affirms the truth of the veneration of holy icons, the sanctity of the temples of God and Orthodox worship and denounces the madness of the blasphemers of holy icons, atheists and sectarians.
4. It is impossible to ignore the fact that the signs of the myrrh-streaming and weeping of icons are given to the entire Orthodox world in different parts of the earth.
The most famous myrrh-streaming icon of the 20th century was the Iberian-Montreal icon of the Mother of God. A copy of the ancient Iberian icon painted by an Athos icon painter was presented to Joseph Munoz, an Orthodox Spaniard, who placed it in his apartment in Montreal. Beginning in 1982, this icon constantly exuded holy myrrh, and in August 1991, for the first time, tears were seen on it. Quite a lot of cotton wool with wonderfully fragrant world was sent to Russia. Healing mercy poured out on people who resorted to the Intercessor in sorrow and illness. The families of pious Christian prayer books exude myrrh-paper reproductions and photographs of the Montreal icon. A number of circumstances indicated that the image was mystically connected with the fate of Russia, the feat of the New Martyrs.
Mysterious and terrible events took place on October 31, 1997: Joseph Munoz was martyred under mysterious circumstances in Greece, and the miraculous icon disappeared.
Other cases are also known. For example, the lamentation of the Mother of God in America: a family of Orthodox Greeks living in New York bought a small paper icon of the Holy Mother of God. In the spring of 1960, tears flowed from the eyes of the Virgin, from which grooves formed on the paper.
In the church of St. Nicholas in Chicago, the Hodegetria icon of the Mother of God wept.
In a small church in the Australian town of Mount Prichard on the patronal feast of the Assumption of the Mother of God, August 28, 1994, a one and a half meter crucifix began to exude myrrh. Drops appeared on the face, arms, chest and legs of the Savior. They were light, oily, and emitted a fragrance reminiscent of roses or incense. During prayers, myrrh-streaming intensified so that drops fell from the icon to the floor. The miracle, which lasted more than a year, produced spiritual fruits. Many eyewitnesses, previously indifferent to faith and God, repented and became truly believing Orthodox people.
In November 1996, in Bethlehem, in the Church of the Nativity of Christ, the image of the Savior began to cry. It is located at the top of a marble column, located on the side of the main altar, in front of the descent into the cave where the Divine Infant was born. The Basilica of the Nativity was erected in the 4th century by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Empress Helena, and over the past sixteen centuries, service in it has never been interrupted. The miracle is officially witnessed by the priests of the Greek Church, one of whom said: "Jesus is crying because the world is going the wrong way."
On February 3, 1997, on the day of the celebration of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy and Consolation”, a list of this miraculous icon wept in the Kykksky Monastery in Cyprus. Tears flowed from the eyes of the Blessed Virgin and the right eye of the Divine Infant at the same time. The archbishop called on the people to repentance, so that the entire island would not suffer the fate of its eastern part, where thousands of Orthodox were exterminated by the Gentiles.
We do not have complete statistics of miracles from icons in foreign countries. But apparently mass signs happening today only in Russia.
Spiritual Summary of the Ten Year Signs
Ten years have passed since the beginning of the signs. Let us try to comprehend the spiritual consequences of this phenomenon, to evaluate its fruits. Has something changed in the spiritual state of the Russian people? Can it be stated with certainty that this voice of God has been heard by Russia?
It is possible that some spiritual processes take place invisibly to us, and only with time will they become visible. However, we do not observe visible results. There is no general churching of the people. And until the world answered the voice of God, did not respond to it.
In many souls, the contemplation of the sign from the icon strengthened faith and strengthened repentance? It is known that modern cases of the miraculous help of the Mother of God and saints "church" people of little faith, such miracles are directly aimed at saving the soul. There are many such facts. But how many people, for example, did the myrrh-streaming of the icon bring to the Church, how many did it move them to change their sinful lives? Probably, there are such facts, but it seems that they remain extremely rare and isolated.
The perception of modern signs from icons by people is manifested in many ways. There are several types of people's attitude to a miracle.
a) For a small part of the churched people, for the closest witnesses of the miracle - reverent veneration, intense prayer. This active response, which has as its consequence the revival and strengthening of man.
b) Seems to be more common occult-consumer an attitude that is characterized by an interest in a miracle as a magical means of help. Having heard, for example, about myrrh-streaming, people strive at all costs to get a healing myrrh in order to cure a specific bodily disease. Of course, the ways of the Lord are inscrutable, and, perhaps, through faith in the wholesomeness of things external people can come to the confession of things invisible. But it is often very difficult to separate such an attitude towards the icon from the search for a new universal cure, advertised by the media or a neighbor. Does the advice to go to the nearest temple and serve a prayer service in front of a local revered icon reach those? Do they understand that the main thing in a person's relationship to God should be humble hope in His mercy?
in) Detached-curious when the manifestation of a miracle remains a fact of consciousness, but does not affect the depths of the soul, has no spiritual consequences.
A paradoxical feature of modern social consciousness has become an attraction to false, demonic miracles, with a striking indifference to the miracles of God. Secular society still does not think about the salvation of the soul, which is given by the application internal forces and humility, and, refusing a true miracle - God-given life, is in a hurry to master the world " secret knowledge". The flow of sensational mysticism deafens a person, extinguishes the spirit, destroys the personality. Where is the difference between lies and truth? The "charging" of water by a psychic is on a par with the miracle from the holy icon ...
Disillusionment and spiritual apathy are noticeable among the people. Maybe that's why many amazing cases of God's true mercy are not perceived by many? In 1996, an amazing miracle took place in one of the churches of the Voronezh diocese: the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God wept and streamed myrrh. This was reported in the press. But the temple was empty. “I did my best to explain to the parishioners what a great grace is being accomplished,” the rector said with contrition. - ... There are one and a half thousand people in the village. At the same time, a car came to the village to take X-rays, and 250 people crowded near the church, but no one entered it, although the service was every day. Spiritually paralyzed…”
d) On the other hand, indifferent the attitude to the miracle became characteristic of many believers and church people. For them, the miracle of the icon has become a familiar, one might say, everyday occurrence. There is a devaluation of a miracle. Let us remember: in the 1980s, the mere consciousness that somewhere, far beyond the borders of Russia, there is still a myrrh-streaming (Montreal) icon was a powerful spiritually strengthening factor for an Orthodox Christian. Today you can come to the monastery and see on one icon a label that it "was renewed then," on the other - that it "streamed myrrh on such and such dates." Having ceased to be unique, the miracle became a mass phenomenon, lost its uniqueness, and, we dare to assume, ceased to influence the mind and heart.
It is significant that all these types of perception of miracles could be observed among those who had the opportunity to contemplate the Iberian-Montreal icon. Joseph Muñoz noted that “radical changes took place in the lives of many believers through this icon”, there were many healings, both physical and spiritual, people were reborn, rushed to God, repented. But “most people (most! – A.L.) come as a spectacle, fun, they just watch how myrrh flows down, how much flows down, and the icon has no spiritual influence on these people.
And believers, especially in last years, began to get used to the miracle of myrrh-streaming, began to take it "for granted". And if the icon was in some parish, people didn’t even come there, saying: “We have an icon every year, I’ll come to next year» .
Today we know that many of them "come next year" failed. In the course of 15 years, this miracle was given to the whole world, and now it is taken away. Is it because people stopped responding to it?
This mournful event should be taken as a formidable sign, as a warning. Maybe one day the outpouring of the world, the dew of God on Russia will also stop. And the present miracles and signs will be taken away from us...
Caution: miracles!
The evil one, the "monkey of God", hurries to cling to everything holy and profane it. As never before, the need arises again and again to recall the sayings of the holy fathers about the discernment of spirits, about false miracles. Truly, the reference book of every Christian should be the work of St. "On Wonders and Signs", extremely relevant today.
It is known that both in the Catholic world and in the Eastern religions there are tears, bleeding, milking - from icons, statues and sculptural images. Do these miracles testify to the truth of these religions? Of course not. The book of Exodus (ch. 7, 8) tells how Moses and Aaron performed miracles in the land of Egypt. They did it according to the command of God. But then some of these miracles were repeated by the Magi "with their charms."
Can the evil one fake the miracle of myrrh-streaming from an Orthodox icon? Is the holiness of the image itself not a defense against the wiles of the unclean? Here is a fragment from the collection of patristic sayings "Spiritual Warfare", where we are talking just about icons:
“Some were inspired by the enemy with the idea that if they are not honored in this life with grace-filled gifts from the Lord, then they will not receive them in the next life. The enemy showed one of these rays emanating from the icon, ordered him to open his mouth and swallow them as gifts of grace. He, out of inexperience, did this and then, injured, died a week later, not taking food for fear. Another fervently prayed before the icon. The lamp wobbled. He took this as a sign that his prayer was pleasing. As soon as he established himself in this thought, he immediately fell into a faint, and then these faints began to repeat with him. The icon of the Mother of God appeared to the third, to which he kissed, became demon-possessed, and soon died. Such are the consequences of trusting one's own opinion, imaginary own holiness and dignity in one's own eyes.
If we trust these testimonies, then should we believe that the myrrh-streaming of the icon can have the same reason as the “beneficial rays” and the “swinging lamp”? No answer to this question has yet been found in the theological literature. But one thing is certain: a person will receive a severe spiritual defeat if he perceives the exudation of moisture on his icon “as a sign of the pleasing of his prayer”!
The Orthodox Church has always called for caution and spiritual sobriety in relation to miracles. This area is secret and dangerous, here you need to be guided by the advice of the holy fathers. And they warned that in no case you can not seek a miracle or strive for it. Otherwise, one may fall into truly terrible temptations such as those mentioned. Meanwhile, in today's Russia there is a phenomenon that causes bewilderment among many Orthodox. Since 1999, many people have been rushing to the Holy Vvedensky Monastery of the Ivanovo diocese so that their icons can be in one cell - there they begin to stream myrrh. Let us use the sincere story of a correspondent, for example, the newspaper "Vera-Eskom", to set out the history and details of the miracle.
Three nuns of the monastery live in the cell - mother Natalya, her own sister mother Larisa with her daughter Masha. In December 1998, a small Tikhvin Icon streamed myrrh there. But mass miracles began later: on February 12, 1999, other icons with the image of the Tikhvin Mother of God were brought to the cell, “just to consecrate - and by the evening all these seven icons began to stream myrrh.” Hearing about this, the other nuns “brought their favorite icons so that they, too, could visit the cell.” In the morning, myrrh also appeared on them. “And since then,” says mother Larisa, “a tradition has appeared: people bring us their icons for a while. We try not to let anyone down. It’s not ours, it’s a miracle of God.”
The monastery keeps records. Total amount myrrh-streaming icons at the beginning of March 1999 amounted to 1047, at the end of April more than 2500 icons were recorded that became myrrh-streaming. On the eve of 2000, the abbot of the monastery on the radio "Radonezh" reported that there were already about 7,000 of them. That is, since the beginning of this miracle, on average, about two dozen icons become myrrh-streaming every day.
Another important circumstance. “As M. Larisa said, if a person brings his icon to them in their cell, then whether it will twirl, it still largely depends on the faith of this person, his prayers.” However, in an interview with the correspondent of the Vesti program, she also assured that “all the icons that arrive are all streaming myrrh ... The Mother of God leaves no one.” Apparently, the dates in which the icons begin to work miracles are different. The cell itself became a place of pilgrimage. This is how the correspondent describes his feelings: “In this cell, the line between material world and disappeared spiritually… The Lord was present somewhere nearby… I just wanted to be here… Something was happening to my soul.”
In response to the report of the rector of the Holy Vvedensky Convent, Archimandrite Ambrose (Yurasov), a diocesan commission was created that tried to investigate this phenomenon and, in turn, already informed the patriarch in the report that “he cannot evaluate these events in any way and leaves their interpretation to the understanding of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church". Nevertheless, the rector nevertheless expressed his interpretation: just as once atheistic mud flowed from the city of Ivanovo throughout the country, so now the Lord wants “the recovery of all of Russia to begin from here.”
We emphasize: we do not undertake to judge mystical the nature of this supernatural phenomenon. (We note that it is not unique: according to rumors, in Kyiv, in the apartment of one woman, the icons brought there also begin to stream myrrh). But one can and should talk about human side of this phenomenon. And, analyzing the motives, moods, goals of people heading to the monastery from all over the country, one cannot fail to notice a clear spiritual danger.
Unfortunately, the Church has not yet given any assessment of this visible side events. Pilgrims bring their icons, leave them in the "miraculous room", pray - about what? About the salvation of the soul - or about a sign what is forbidden by the Savior Himself (“the evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign”,)? To clarify: the Church blesses, for example, a prayer for the healing of a hopelessly ill person, for the resurrection of an inveterate sinner (when they “hope in a miracle” - God’s help; miracle-working acts as a way of realizing the main, good goal of prayer), but not petitions for signs when they become an end in themselves.
If the brought icons do not stream myrrh, this is perceived as evidence of one's own unworthiness and pure sinfulness. But most often (or even always) they stream myrrh - does it mean that their owner is “not too sinful”, “righteous”, “forgiven”? It is obvious that there is a deviation from the Orthodox spiritual dispensation, a direct path to self-deception and delusion. Let us ask ourselves another question: why, in fact, does a believer need myrrh-streaming icon? Or is it not enough for ordinary icons to pray? Or does he believe that such an icon will better protect his home from harm? (How can one not recall the icons in newsstands with captions: “for eye diseases”, “helps in exams”, etc.? However, alas, you come across such a selection on a candle box in one of the cathedrals of St. Petersburg ...)
Let's listen to the ingenuous story of one of the parishioners, Valentina: “I attached an icon to the temple “Tikhvinskaya”. But I really wanted to give the icon in the cell to mothers Larisa and Natalia for myrrh-streaming. Together with her friend Alexandra, she approached the door of the cell. And on the door there is a note: "There is no myrrh-streaming." When she looked at her icon, she saw 4 jets of peace on it. I don't believe it. Yes, here Alexandra says to me: “Look, look ... Glory to You, Lord!” This story is sympathetically conveyed by the nun of the Orthodox monastery. But how much more humble, closer to true theology, are the words of another servant of God, Lyudmila, who, having learned for the first time about mass cases of miracles from icons, writes: “I look at my icon and am terribly afraid that she will not “cry.” If he cries, it means that I am deeply mired in sin.”
The value substitution is obvious: a person goes to the monastery not for holiness, but for a miracle. Not for cleansing from sins, but for “charging” their icon (as recently they charged water in front of TV screens). The longed-for goal of such a pseudo-pilgrimage - a mysterious cell in a monastery - is seen as a magical "room" from the movie "Stalker", where wishes come true. All this can cause irreparable spiritual harm to the soul.
It is very disturbing that this danger is not recognized even by people who are sincere believers, but, apparently, are poorly acquainted with certain aspects of the patristic teaching. In an attempt to comprehend an extraordinary phenomenon in the light of strictly Orthodox tradition, to remind of caution and spiritual sobriety, they sometimes see an unacceptable "blasphemy against the Spirit of God." But the holy fathers teach that there will be no sin if we do not truly accept God's manifestation or vision, fearing deception, which is much more terrible than thoughtless immersion in the elements of the “wonderful”. In February 2000, at the Internet forum "Save and Preserve" ( www.referent.ru/forum) there was a discussion about the events in Ivanovo. In response to bewilderment about the frenetic pilgrimage to receive miraculous images, forum chairman Alexander Kilim severely accused opponents of lack of faith and for some reason stubbornly turned the conversation into a completely different plane: it’s not worth it, they say, to suspect someone of falsification. But questions from the participants arose not about whether it was a miracle, but about their attitude to a miracle. They did not talk about the strangeness of miraculous phenomena, but about the strangeness for the Orthodox consciousness of completely human phenomena - such as, for example, the bringing of an icon from the monastery of St. for her to calm down.
The Orthodox custom of placing icons on a shrine with relics or miraculous icons is not condemned by the Church. The object consecrated in this way becomes a revered shrine in the house, through which help and grace are given according to the innermost faith pious Christian. But who and when from the teachers of the Church blessed the holy images? give away to myrrh"? They taught otherwise: “There is charm in visions and miracles, one must be wary of them and say:“ I am unworthy. The humble will not desire miracles. Yes, we do not need to wish for miracles, but in order not to sin before God. And which icon will become miraculous, which will stream myrrh, and which will be renewed - the Lord always chose, but not man..
The example of the monastery in Ivanovo is the most illustrative, but by no means the only one. There are cases when many icons stream myrrh for months and even years in a temple or monastery. How are these miracles perceived by the rector and parishioners? Can it be considered normal when booklets are published by the same parish, where descriptions of the miracles taking place in it are surprisingly intertwined with the story of the “deeds” of the father, mother, hegumen? How dangerous this path is: one has only to think about the God-chosenness of "one's own" temple, place, personality, as the thought of one's own godliness creeps up. Isn't it more salutary to assume that the icons are crying from a multitude of sins and disorder? For it is said, "Where sin abounded, there grace abounded."
There is a noticeable shift in consciousness in relation to icons in general: it is forgotten that every Orthodox image is holy, every icon in the house is in broad sense miraculous, for it directs our prayers to the prototypes - the Lord, the Most Holy Theotokos and the saints. Let us recall the judgments of the saint:
“It is always fair and spiritually beneficial to honor an icon that is neither witnessed nor declared miraculous.<…>He who has pure and strong faith in the grace-filled power of the Most Holy Theotokos can successfully offer prayer before every icon of Her, because<…>the offered prayer ascends to the Most Holy Theotokos herself and, by faith, can bring down to a person Her grace-filled power and help.
In conclusion, we give a fragment of a conversation with a Valaam monk. It was recorded at the courtyard of the Valaam Monastery in St. Petersburg on October 23, 1994, shortly after several icons were updated within the walls of the Compound. It reflects, as it seems to us, a verified Orthodox view of miracles from icons. When asked what the current myrrh-streamings and renewal of icons mean, the monk answered:
“The fact is that now there is a split between the pious and impious life. It's impossible to stay in the middle. Communicating with a fallen world, one cannot keep oneself pure from sin. The Apostle Paul says: What does light have in common with darkness? What agreement is there between Christ and Belial?(), between God and His adversaries? We cannot be somewhere in the middle. Either you are for me, or you are against me, or you collect or squander - such is the meaning of the gospel commandments. Therefore, the split between people who believe and absolutely unbelievers is increasing.
And the believers are getting harder and harder. Apparently, the Lord consoles them: "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, and the Lord will deliver them all"(). From renewing, myrrh-streaming icons, He shows consolation, but at the same time shows: "... In the world of mourning you will ..." ().
Generally speaking, the icon should be myrrh-streaming. From any image in itself, holiness comes, and myrrh-streaming is only a confirmation of this holiness. Let us remember the words of the Lord about the gift and the altar consecrating the gift ( ). So it is here: what is more important for us, what is more: the myrrh that exudes from the icon, or the icon itself?
Any image is holy in itself. And through the miraculous and myrrh-streaming icons, the Lord gives special messages. But this does not mean that other icons should be less revered - after all, the image of God is imprinted on them. For example, Kazan, Iverskaya, Vladimir icons at some time for the country were the defenders of the Fatherland. The “Sovereign” lay in Moscow, forgotten by everyone, but it was through her that the Lord revealed His sign. The Lord Himself chooses the icons that He needs.”
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The action of the good will of God, which shows signs from icons on the face of all of Russia, is clear and undeniable today. The question arises: if it does not bring obvious results, why is it happening anyway? But in the same way, you can ask why the church bell sounds before the start of the service? Why are the words of the gospel heard from the pages of the Gospel? They are heard by everyone, but each person has the freedom to respond to this call or pass by.
Perhaps, at the discretion of God, the next myrrh-streaming occurs only for a few people - the closest witnesses. Or even for one single person.
Today miracles still last. So far it is not noticeable that their number has declined. How long will this unprecedented sign continue? Will it finally bear fruit? Or will God's long-suffering be exhausted, and miracles will be taken away from us, as the myrrh-streaming image of Iberia was mysteriously hidden?
Only time will answer these questions.
Notes
Lyubomudrov Aleksey Markovich – Researcher of the Institute of Russian Literature of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Pushkin House), Candidate of Philological Sciences. Since 1992, with the blessing of Metropolitan John of St. Petersburg, he has been collecting evidence of miraculous phenomena in the Orthodox Church. Author of the book “Signs of God from holy icons. 1991-1996", the electronic edition of which is located in the "Orthodox Christian Library".
Table book of the clergyman. M., 1983. T. 4. S. 54.
The word "world" has several meanings. One of them denotes an artificial composition of various fragrant substances, which, after consecration, is used in the church sacrament of chrismation. Another meaning is oily moisture, which is formed supernaturally on icons or holy relics. Laboratory analyzes show that it is a liquid of organic origin, sometimes resembling olive oil, but how it appears on the shrines remains inexplicable. As a result of the study of moisture taken from one of the weeping icons, it was found that "these are real tears." Myrrh is not exhausted from the substance of the icon, but arises on it “out of nothing”. In a broad sense, in contemporary literature myrrh-streaming is understood as any miraculous appearance of moisture on icons and sacred objects.
Evgeny Poselyanin .. Tales of the miraculous icons of the Mother of God and Her mercies to the human race: In 2 books ... Kolomna, 1993. Book. 1. S. 385-388.
Theology of the icon of the Orthodox Church. Ed. Western European Exarchate. M., 1989. S. 410.
It is described, in particular, in the book of the archbishop. Harbin Methodius (Gerasimov) "On the sign of the renewal of holy icons" (Kharbin, 1925; M., 1999).
To date, attempts have been made to generalize this experience, to collect and systematize evidence, to tell about the most impressive cases. See, for example: Lyubomudrov A.M. “Signs of God from holy icons. 1991-1996" (St. Petersburg, 1997); a series of articles by V.A. Saulkin (“Pravoslavnaya conversation, 1997, No. 1, 2, 3), A.G. Vigasina (“Danilov’s evangelist, 1997, No. 9) and others. icons, and on January 27-28, 2000, within the framework of the VIII Christmas Readings, a conference was held that specifically considered this topic.
The miracle of myrrh-streaming must be perceived in connection with other signs that take place in the same years. These are updates of icons, them miraculous gains(a topic that deserves a separate interesting study); miracles from the relics of saints; signs of the elements (for example, a thunderstorm with hail on Easter 1993 (on this day in the oldest monastery in Russia, Optina Pustyn, three monks were killed), a hurricane in Moscow on the night of the feast of all Russian saints on June 21, 1998).
Prot. About faith. Apologetic notes // Grad-Kitezh. M. 1992. No. 7 (12). S. 28.
Methodius (Gerasimov), archbishop. On the sign of the renewal of holy icons. M., 1999. S. 180.
again. Ed. Antiochian Orthodox Mission. Ben Lomond (California). 1995. V. 18. No. 3. S. 16-18.
Nun Marina (Smirnova). Miracle in the Monastery // Zealot of Orthodox Piety. Barnaul, 1999. no. 12.
In periodicals, including Orthodox, concerns have already been expressed about the trend observed in connection with the Ivanovo phenomenon (Vertograd-Inform. 1999. No. 4. P. 34; Narodnaya Gazeta. 2000. February 10. P. 3).
Spiritual battle. S. 113
Cit. by: St. . About miracles and signs. SPB., 1990. S. 20-21.
Legends about the earthly life of the Most Holy Theotokos. M., 1990. S. 307, 311.
One of the brightest and most famous examples myrrh-streaming from the holy icons a miracle appeared from Iberian Montreal Icon of the Mother of God.
This icon was painted in 1981 on Holy Mount Athos by the hieromonk of the Savior-Christmas Skete from the original image of the Theotokos “The Goalkeeper”. A year later, the monastery was visited by an Orthodox Chilean of Spanish aristocratic origin, Joseph Munoz Cortes, who studied icon painting and taught art history. He wanted to buy this icon. He was refused, but upon departure, the icon was presented to him. Joseph visited the Iberian Athos Monastery and attached the icon to the original.
He returned to Montreal and began to keep the icon at home. The image began to stream myrrh for the first time on November 24, 1982, and then streamed myrrh almost continuously for fifteen years. Here is how Joseph Munoz describes the beginning of myrrh-streaming: “At three o'clock in the morning I woke up from a strong fragrance. At first I thought that it came from the relics or a spilled bottle of perfume, but, going up to the icon, I was amazed: it was all covered with fragrant myrrh! I froze in place from such a miracle!
According to the testimony of people who saw the Montreal icon, the holy myrrh flowed mainly from the hands of the Mother of God and the Divine Infant, as well as from the star on the shoulder of the Mother of God. At the same time, the back side of the image always remained dry. Myrrh, which had a strong aroma, was collected in vessels: there was so much of it.
The keeper of the icon, Joseph Munoz, took the icon to many parishes in different countries. The icon traveled to America, Australia, New Zealand, Western Europe and Bulgaria. Many miracles occurred from the image of the Mother of God, including healing.
Usually the icon exuded myrrh during prayer in front of it. Sometimes the myrrh poured out so abundantly that it appeared through the glass with which the icon was covered, and flooded the foot of the icon, the table and the wall. Myrrh flowed especially abundantly on the days of great holidays.
There are not only many cases of people being healed of incurable diseases after praying before the Montreal icon, but also frequent examples of healing human souls when people, having visited the miraculous image, changed their lives, found consolation in sorrows, turned to prayer and spiritual life. Many representatives of other confessions - Catholics and Protestants - revered the icon.
On the night of October 31, 1997, a tragedy occurred: Joseph Munoz was killed in Athens, and the Iberian Montreal Icon disappeared without a trace.
In 2007, a simple paper copy of the Iberian Montreal Icon began to stream myrrh in Russian. Orthodox parish the myrrh-streaming Iberian-Montreal Icon of the Mother of God in Honolulu, Hawaii.
In our time, the manifestations of myrrh-streaming icons are not uncommon, and this is the great mercy of God to us. Miro, oil have always been signs of mercy, the grace of the Lord. You can often hear from people who do not believe or doubt that the liquid flowing from the icons, which is usually called the world (although the name is conditional, the world, which is used in the Sacrament of Chrismation, is a special, very complex substance, consisting of about forty components), this is resin , some kind of wood secretions or condensate that has settled on the icon. But we know very well that not only icons painted on wood, but also paper reproductions pasted on cardboard, as well as photographs, frescoes and metal icons, stream myrrh. Myrrh-streaming is a supernatural phenomenon that defies any rational explanation. This is a miracle of God. How can one explain that myrrh can sometimes emit a surprisingly pleasant and strong fragrance? Or how will skeptics explain the fact that literally liters of myrrh pour out of some icons?
The authors themselves witnessed a miracle in the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in the city of Ufa. The rector of the temple then was the late Archpriest Boris Rveveev. In the early 90s of the vulgar XX century, several icons streamed myrrh at once in this church. Large crystal vases were placed under the images, which quickly filled with the world.
The outflow of the world happens not only from miraculous icons, but also from the relics (remains) of holy people, the saints of God. For example, the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, Archbishop of the city of Myra Lycian, located since 1087 in the crypt of the basilica named after this saint in the city of Bari (Italy), constantly exude myrrh. It is annually extracted by the clergy through a small hole in the tomb.
Another miracle associated with holy relics is imperishability bodies of some saints. By special consideration, by the Providence of God, the bodies of other ascetics are not subject to corruption.
For example, on the island of Corfu, the relics of St. Spyridon of Trimifuntsky have been resting incorrupt for more than one and a half thousand years. Even the skin on his body retains softness and elasticity. Scientists from many countries have repeatedly subjected the relics of the saint to research and have come to the conclusion that this miracle is inexplicable from a scientific point of view.
After the conciliar service, on Friday, August 26, 2005, a water-blessing prayer service with an akathist to the Mother of God, while worshiping the shrine of the temple, the priests present at the feast, namely, Fr. Georgy Kuchuryan, former rector of the Holy Intercession Church, noticed that the icon was streaming myrrh. Those who were there did not immediately believe. After praying, they really found on the icon drops of peace, like dew, dotting the image. "Dewdrops", gathering together, formed drops and rolled down.
Three days later, the rector of the temple went to the diocesan bishop - at that time the living Metropolitan Macarius, in order to report what had happened. Vladyka blessed to read the akathist to the Theotokos daily before the icon, so that the Lord would reveal the meaning of this sign.
A few days later (on Wednesday, August 31) it was discovered that Golgotha was also streaming myrrh: the face of the Savior, the image of the Mother of God and the Apostle John the Theologian.
On September 5, 2005, he arrives at the temple of r. God's Vasily Antonov from the village. Tomashpol. He had a misfortune: he was torn off by the side of a KAMAZ finger on his hand. The doctor sewed the finger on, put a cast on it, but said that it was necessary to monitor the recovery. Vasily, especially in order to pray at the icon of the Mother of God, every day for a week came to the temple for service and akathist, driving a car with one hand. On the seventh day, he called the priest: "Father John, I want to show you something." At the same time, he shows how his finger moves on his hand.
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A week later, an old woman came, whose son was dying. She asked to bring the hopelessly ill to the icon. With the blessing of the rector, the man was brought to the akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos. He was brought into the temple, and he listened to the entire akathist while lying down. Then they brought it up and put it on the icon, and they also took it away from the temple. After some time, the father rector saw him completely healthy, riding a bicycle.
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In the church of God's Lydia did not walk for a long time.
The first time I went to fast to pray and confess. She had a very bad back pain (pinched nerve), so that she herself could not kneel during the kneeling prayers. However, with the help of a friend, she nevertheless made a few bows. When I got home, I felt healthy.
Great Lent 2006 (April 10) the same river. B. Lidiya, a resident of Otchenashivka, came in with a very severe abscess on her finger, which led to a large purulent edema on her arm. The surgeon scheduled an operation for Wednesday, but the parishioner was very worried and was afraid to open the abscess. Father John - the rector of the temple - offered to anoint the sore spot of St. oil from the icon of the Mother of God. After the third time the next morning, the woman found that her hand was completely healthy.
On Trinity Day B. Lydia pierced her leg with an iron pin. The wound was deep and did not heal. For several months she had to treat the wound in various ways - with ointments, lotions, and drank pills. However, the wound oozed and caused great pain and suffering. August 25, before the arrival of the then ruling Metropolitan Macarius, r. B. Lydia asked the priest to read an akathist to the Mother of God about her health, after which she anointed herself with oil from the icon. Three days later, her wound on her leg was completely healed and no longer disturbed.
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Father John left for Moscow in July 2006 to collect donations for the church. At the same time, he was interested in where the ancient original of the icon of the Mother of God "Passion" (Paletskaya) is located. During the absence of the rector near the Passion Icon, the priest John Danilyuk, who at that time did not have a parish, served. After that, he especially thanked the rector's father for giving him the opportunity to pray at the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, because these prayers were used to resolve his petition for the appointment of a parish for him - on August 5 he had already received a decree.
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Matushka Irina, the rector's wife, had a dislocated jaw. She wished to venerate the icon. After the akathist at the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, the woman's pain in the jaw area began to go away, and soon completely disappeared. - “The face of the Mother of God is distinguished by its special beauty - she, as if alive, looks at her children from a written image,” says the healed one. At the same time, the Finn Roman, who went to church thanks to the priest, asked permission to bow miraculous image Mother of God, hoping for healing (he received a bruise from a tree).
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On the evening of December 7, 2009, the “Passionate” Icon of the Mother of God, accompanied by Father I., was brought to the church “St. vmch. Panteleimon" p. Shofrikany (Moldova). Here the guests were met by the rector of the temple, Priest D., and the parishioners, who waited with great humility for this event. The choir sang “It is worthy to eat” and the “Passionate” icon was placed in the middle of the temple, and an atmosphere of spiritual joy and peace of mind reigned around. The rector of the temple, together with the headman, the regent and two more parishioners, began to decorate the icon with flowers. Suddenly, they noticed that some kind of shine appeared on the surface of the icon and, coming closer, everyone saw that the myrrh was flowing over the glass, leaving an oily trail 50 cm long. The myrrh was flowing from the Angel, who was to the left of the Mother of God, down.
This miracle once again convinces us that the Most Holy Theotokos is our quick Helper and She hears our prayers.
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I, the servant of God V. (born in 1954), come from the village of. Rusians (Moldova). I want to tell you about the mercy of the Blessed One over me.
I heard that the “Passionate” Icon of the Mother of God was coming to our church, I went to meet Her with great joy. Recently, my eyes have been aching and tingling, and there have been headaches. Listening to the service and prayers to the Mother of God, while the “Passionate” icon was in the temple of our village, I prayed and bowed and asked the Virgin Mary to heal my illnesses. And, after a few minutes, I noticed that the pain disappeared. And I feel good to this day.
I want to thank God and His Most Pure Mother for this help, and to everyone who worked hard and brought this miraculous image to our village for worship. We offer deep gratitude and respect!
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I, a servant of God T., from the village of Alekseevka (Moldova), underwent a very difficult operation on the spine and after the operation my back hurt a lot. When the “Passionate” Icon of the Mother of God was brought to the temple of our village, I came to venerate this miraculous image. The joy that was impossible to express filled my heart when I just came home, I realized that my back no longer hurts and I can already work freely.
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I, the servant of God K., come from the village. Klokushna (Moldova). I want to tell you about the great mercy that I received from the Most Holy Theotokos. I don’t want to become like a servant who “hid” the master’s talent, I want everyone to know how quickly the Mother of God hears and answers our prayers.
On December 21, 2009, the “Passionate” Icon of the Mother of God from the village of Otchenashivka, Vinnitsa region, was brought to our village, and I decided to come to meet Her and pray with all the believers.
Near my chest, on the right side, there was a cancerous tumor the size of a pigeon's egg, which hurt with unbearable pain, giving pain even to the back. It was difficult to breathe and, because of the pain, she could not even cough. I came to the temple to bow to the Most Holy Theotokos in Her “Passionate” image and prayerfully asked for help in my grief, so that, as she knows, how she can, have mercy on me. Batiushka anointed us with a consecrated oil from the Passion Icon.
I was also anointed, and it occurred to me to ask the priest to anoint the tumor as well, but I was ashamed. In the end, when the icon was to be taken away from our church, I nevertheless decided to approach the priest with this request. But when I touched the place where the tumor was still there, it was no longer there. I was very surprised and still wonder how much God and His Most Pure Mother loves us, and hears us sinners, fervently praying in sorrow. I thank God and His Most Pure Mother for the help received. I thank everyone who worked and brought this wonderful and priceless icon to our village for worship and strengthening of faith.
I want everyone to know what good god and how much a believer's prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos can do.
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During the stay of the Otchenashevsky shrine in the Holy Iberian Monastery for Men in Odessa, on April 25, 2009, the servant of God E., suffering from the ailment of possession, was brought to the icon in her arms. Why did they bring it in their hands? According to the husband of the sick woman, they were going to come even earlier so that she would venerate the miraculous image, but the “enemy” from the lips of the sick woman threatened her husband with death and plunged the poor woman into insensibility. Therefore, the closest people gathered and, by joint efforts, they brought the suffering woman to the monastery to the Passion Icon of the Mother of God. At the entrance to the temple, the demoniac struck everyone with an unnatural roar. She could not be in the temple. But seeing the suffering of her and her relatives, we, all those praying, knelt before the Passion Icon and prayed to the Mother of God for help and healing of the sick E. To the surprise of everyone, she herself (albeit with periodic cries, roars and shudders) herself approached the image of the Lady. And, embracing the image of the Most Pure One, for some time she tearfully prayed to Her for something. From that time on, the whole family began to visit the temple and the icon every day, earnestly praying to the Mother of God for healing.
And at home, with the blessing, they prayed moderately, read the Gospel and the writings of Sts. Fathers, so that, carefully studying their shortcomings (passions) and their harmful power, through repentance and contrition, in confession, free themselves from them and live a new happy life. So it was every day, and - on the third day they come with a bouquet of flowers. It turns out that the sick woman herself saw how the demon, scolding her for her friendship with the Mother of God, left her. She felt indescribably well, and from this joy she came to thank the Most Pure One.
We must not forget, my dears, that "you are the temple of the Living God." Therefore, it is not necessary to neglect it, filling it with various kinds of vile things: tormenting resentment, striking envy, unforgivable pride, self-confusing lies, self-destructive anger, disfiguring intemperance, wasteful fornication, insatiable greed, incendiary laziness, the hellish flame of condemnation, etc., which make our soul and body suffering (passionate). Fallen state. But, making efforts on yourself, you need to fast, pray and vigil (over your desires and thoughts) to inoculate yourself to Salvation, the Conqueror of death and the devil and the Giver eternal life and happiness - to the Lord and our God Jesus Christ and His Most Pure Mother. Only in this way in the house of our soul and our body will there be the Light of the Transfiguration, illuminating and enlightening the whole person, and giving to everyone who has tasted It, an endless happy life ...
(From the memoirs of the pastor)
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I, r. B. Stepanida, May 12, 2009 came to the Iberian Monastery. There she met Fr. John, and had the good fortune to pray before the "Passion" icon. My husband suffered from the affliction of drunkenness for more than 20 years and eventually dragged our only son into the net of this same passion. My heart, as a mother and wife, was torn from pain and suffering at the sight of all this. I no longer knew what to do and how to live on. I told about all this to Father John, who expressed his condolences to me and my grief. He taught me how to pray correctly, confessed me and blessed me to read the Akathist to the Passionate Icon of the Mother of God every day.
Every day I prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos and read an akathist in front of Her image. AND Holy Virgin heard my prayer and how the Good Mother comforted my grief: my son was healed of the disease of drunkenness.
Stepanida, Illichevsk.
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I want to testify that on August 16, 2010, at 7:30 am, during a prayer service with an akathist in front of the “Passionate” Icon of the Mother of God in the Holy Intercession Church in Sudak, myrrh flowed on the inside of the glass of the icon. Under the image of the archangel holding a cross in his hands (to the left of the Mother of God), three oily streams of peace appeared. There was no fragrance. Those who prayed came to tenderness and joy, and remained in a deep prayerful mood for a very long time.
Hegumen Nikon, rector of the church in the city of Sudak.
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Since the shrine underwent many trials, for more than 100 years, no one restored it - we, with my assistant L., decided to seek advice from the clergyman of the city of Moscow, Archpriest Alexander Saltykov, hoping to get practical advice. But, having arrived at the church (located near the Kremlin), where the priest serves, they came at the “wrong time”: a serious event was going on in the church building: for round table there was intense discussion about the demolition or not demolition of church buildings, which, according to the people concerned, interfere with the construction of commercial skyscraper buildings. Many journalists from television and newspapers were involved in the event, there was a tense struggle, where the priest, who we needed, was located. Naturally, it was impossible to see and talk with the priest, and therefore we were asked to wait for him in the living room. A lot of time has passed. We read the akathist before the "Passion" icon of the Mother of God (list). When the priest learned that during the negotiations, in the same building, a prayer was made to the Mother of God, namely “Passionate,” he loudly declared that a miracle had happened today and he was ready to testify: during the negotiations, suddenly, unexpectedly, the situation turned to the side temple and ended in peace and harmony.
(From the memoirs of the pastor)
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“…I don’t know how to say it right…
Here you go into the Temple, you see the icon, and - tears ... Something so dear, such a state of joy!
And when they were taken away - emptiness and a sense of loss - my mother left ... "
R. B. Marina, parishioner of the Church of All Crimean Saints, Alushta.
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“It so happened that I was the first to see this icon from our deanery. The driver Sergey and I went to Sudak to transport her to Alushta, and when I entered the Sudak Temple, I was shocked by what I saw there. It was dim, and I didn’t see well, so I only realized that in front of me was the icon of the Mother of God and that’s it, without details. I examined the face much later, in Alushta, and then it became clear that this, in addition to everything else, was the highest level of icon-painting art. Well, in Sudak my legs just buckled and I really wanted to kneel, which I did ... It seemed that the entire space of the Temple was filled with the presence of the Mother of God. And it's not even about the size of the icon, which is also impressive, but about some special radiation, warm, unobtrusive, loving and compassionate. We had different icons of the Mother of God in the Temple, once they even brought Pochaevskaya, but the Passionate somehow fell in love in a special way, like my own ... "
R. B. Igor,
methodologist of the Alushta deanery.
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“... Well, how can one express in words the impression of this wondrous Image, the tongue goes numb with delight ... As one Crimean poet said about the icon of the Mother of God: “There are simply no words!”
Irina Kengurova, teacher of the Law of God, Alushta.
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After a short time, the rumor about the icon of the Mother of God "Passionate" Otchenashevsky became known outside of Komargorod, among believers, thanks to her miracles and grace-filled help resorting to the intercession of the Most Blessed Mother of God.
Father John, rector of the Holy Intercession Church, commenting on the healings at the icon, says: - “Everything that the Lord gives us, all the healings and blessings of God should direct us to try to live in God's way, to be like God, and our lives to instill in Christ, for eternity, otherwise there will be no benefit from this, from these miracles, and the Lord will not be pleased with our thanksgiving, our beautiful words and prayers, if we do not regenerate ourselves with our lives and direct us on the path of the Lord.
The Mother of God, like the sun, shines and warms us with the rays of Her love and enlivens our souls with the grace given to Her by God.
We are all burdened with sorrows, life's adversities, illnesses and misfortunes, for we all sin. The Word of God says that there is no person who has lived on earth and has not sinned (see: 2 Chronicles 6, 36). But God is the highest Love (1 John 4:8), and out of love for His Mother and for us, He accepts Her prayers. We believe in Her constant intercession and intercession for us sinners before the Merciful and Humanitarian God and in the power of Her prayers. Let us resort to Her as to a quiet and kind refuge and diligently call on Her all-holy and all-singing name. And She will not leave us with the unexpected joy of salvation.
In ancient times there were many miracles from icons Lord Savior, Mother of God, saints, angels, which, through the sincere prayers of believers, occur in our days. The most important evidence of the recognized power of holy icons is the miracles that occur through holy images sent by the Lord himself. Orthodox Christians who offered up prayers in moments of trouble and despair to the holy images of the icon of the Mother of God, in times of disaster, invasion of foreigners, during fires and floods, during incurable diseases, received inexplicable results. miracles from icons to which they prayed.
The holy miracle icons were not only awarded dominion over the elements of nature, many Christians received prophecies and instructions through them, thanks to their miraculous power, evil spirits were expelled. In ancient times, it was believed that only the elect could have the gift of prophecy and insight.
Today, with prayers to holy images, many receive signs and help in healing diseases and other not unimportant miracles from icons. Today's icon painting masters embody the holy miracle of the icon in their works on icons embroidered with beads, made of precious materials, made of amber, painted in antique style. You can buy miraculous icons in church shops, Orthodox online stores, or order them in specialized workshops.
Miracles from Christian icons
One of the inexplicable unique phenomena associated with the miracles of icons is myrrh-streaming. Some call this miracle of myrrh-streaming tears. A weeping holy icon is a rare occurrence, but a very formidable sign. The tears of the Mother of God always testified to the coming trials. Believers who attached importance to this sign repented, and miraculously, these tests stopped. An even more formidable sign in the Orthodox tradition was the bleeding of a miracle icon.
Nowadays, there have been cases when a Christian icon painted on paper, an icon that miraculously appeared on a tree or on a stone, could also stream myrrh. The history of Orthodoxy also remembers many miracles from miraculous icons that have survived to this day in many parts of Russia. myrrh-streaming miracles from icons- this is a manifestation of God's glory, in which the Lord shows his power over the world, which he created and subordinated to the laws established by him. This is the manifestation of glory and power, thanks to which these laws are overcome. Only the Lord can overcome them - in this He is powerful.
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The text of the Orthodox prayer to St. Arseny the Wonderworker, Bishop of Tver
O all-praised saint of Christ and miracle worker, Father Arseniy! Do not forget us, children of your holy monastery and all who, with faith and love, resort to the race of your honest and multi-healing relics, but remember us in your holy and auspicious prayers to God. Pray for all Christians, Father to St. Arsenios, and for this holy monastery, and give you the Most Pure Lady Theotokos, imaginary for you to stand before Christ our God and His Most Pure Mother and have great boldness towards Them. If only in body you have reposed from us, but alive in soul, relentlessly staying with us in spirit. Save us with your intercession from the machinations of the enemy, from the temptations of the world, lying in evil, and from all sorrow and need. O our good shepherd and teacher, Father Arseniy! We fall down to you and pray to you, praying to the almighty God for the benefit of our souls, and ask us time to repent, so that, cleansed of all filth of sin, the heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven will be honored to be with all the righteous, who from the ages have pleased our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom all glory is due , honor and worship with His Beginningless Father and with the Most Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.
