The other two additions are less likely. According to one, the icon was sent to Olgerd by the Byzantine emperor John Palaiologos, when the latter learned of Olgerd’s adoption of Christianity. According to another, the icon miraculously appeared on the Sharp Gate on April 14 of the year.
In the possession of Roman Catholics
About a year ago, a Carmelite monastery with the Church of St. Teresia. Some time later, the Carmelites, taking advantage of the carelessness of the Basilians, took both the chapel and the icon into their own hands, and under their care the exclusive veneration of the Pointed Icon was resumed. In the year, the Carmelites built a new chapel in place of the old dilapidated one and, installing an icon in it, turned it towards the church and the city, inside. After terrible fire In the year of Vilna, the icon was moved to the Theresen Church, but in the year, with the restoration of the chapel, it was again placed above the gate.
At the beginning of the 19th century, the Basilians tried to return the icon to their care, the dispute reached Rome, and the pope decided to leave the icon in the care of the Carmelite monastery, as it was closest to the chapel in which the icon is located.
This year the icon was somewhat damaged by the French. In the year the icon was renovated in the Catholic spirit, and, after removing the robe during the work, on the icon there was a song of praise to the Mother of God written in Slavic letters: “The most honorable Cherub and the most Glorious without comparison Seraphim.” With the closure of the Carmelite monastery in 2007, the Terezin Church was renamed Ostrobramsky Church and remained under the jurisdiction of the white Roman Catholic clergy. Subsequently, the icon stayed in the chapel of the Sharp Gates of Vilna, in a huge icon case. The icon was covered with a gilded robe, as well as many metal offerings in the form of images of saints and different parts bodies that testified to the benefits of the Mother of God to the human race. A Latin throne was built under the icon, on which at least two liturgies were celebrated daily. The icon is revered equally by Orthodox and Roman Catholics. According to the established custom in Vilna, not only Christians, but also people of other confessions bared their heads when passing through the Ostrobramsky Gate. You could always see people around the chapel, many of whom were standing right there, on the street, on their knees.
Modern veneration
In the same year, the only church at that time was founded in Kyiv in honor of the Vilna-Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God, where prayer services began to be regularly held in front of the revered copy of this image. Through the works of the rector of the temple, Archimandrite
Before the icon Holy Mother of God They pray to “Vilna” for relief and healing of their ailments.
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before Her icon “Vilna” (“Hodegetria”)
(located in the Vilna Holy Trinity Monastery )
To whom shall I cry, Lady?
To whom shall I resort in my sorrow, if not to You, Queen of Heaven?
Who will accept my cry and my sighing, if not You, Most Immaculate, the Hope of Christians and refuge for us sinners?
Who will protect You more in adversity? Hear my groaning, and bow Your ear to me, the Lady Mother of my God, and do not despise me who requires Your help, and do not reject me, a sinner. Enlighten and teach me, O Queen of Heaven, do not depart from me, Thy servant, Lady, for my grumbling, but be my Mother and Intercessor. I entrust myself to Your merciful protection: lead me, a sinner, to a quiet and serene life, so that I may weep for my sins. To whom shall I resort when I am guilty, if not to You, the hope and refuge of sinners, inspired by the hope of Your ineffable mercy and Your bounty? About the Lady Queen of Heaven! You are my hope and refuge, protection and intercession and help. My most blessed and speedy intercessor! Cover my sins with Your intercession, protect me from enemies visible and invisible, soften my hearts evil people, rebelling against me. O Mother of the Lord my Creator! You are the root of virginity and unfading color cleanliness. O Mother of God! Give me help to those who are weak with carnal passions and those who are sick at heart, for one is Yours and with You the intercession of Your Son and our God, and by Your wonderful intercession may I be delivered from all troubles and misfortunes, O Most Immaculate and Glorious Mother of God Mary. The same with hope I say and cry out: “Gracious One; , Delighted; , Most Blessed; The Lord is with you.
Troparion, tone 4
Intercessor of the faithful, Most Blessed and Swift, Most Pure Virgin Mary!
We pray to You before the saint and miraculously Yours, just as from ancient times You bestowed Your intercession on the city of Moscow, so now too, mercifully deliver us from all troubles and misfortunes and save our souls, like the Merciful One.
Kontakion, tone 8
To the chosen victorious Voivode, as if we had been delivered from the evil, let us write thanks to Thee, Thy servants, to the Mother of God, but, as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call Thee: “The Unmarried Bride.”
Greatness
We magnify You, Most Holy Virgin, and honor Your holy image, for which You bestowed a wondrous victory on the Hagarians to the Orthodox.
Description of the Vilna icon:
According to one of the legends, the icon of the Mother of God of Vilna of the “HODIGETRIA” (Guide) type was painted by the Evangelist Luke. From Palestine the icon came to Constantinople (Constantinople). Subsequently, it was sent by the Greek Emperor to the King of Galicia and Red Rus. After the fall of the Galician principality, the icon of the Mother of God became the property of the Moscow prince. According to another legend, this icon was brought to Moscow by Princess Sophia, who married John III.
In 1495, the Grand Duke of Moscow John III blessed his daughter Elena, who was marrying the Lithuanian Prince Alexander, with the icon. The icon was moved to the capital of Lithuania, Vilna ( modern Vilnius), where it got its name - Vilenskaya.
When Helen died, the holy icon Mother of God was placed in the Prechistensky Cathedral, above her tomb. When the relationship between the Moscow and Lithuanian courts was stopped, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible tried to return this miraculous icon to Moscow and offered King Sigismund 50 noble Lithuanian captives for it, but the king resolutely opposed this, because all the clergy, both Orthodox and Uniate, did not want to lose this treasure.
In the Prechistensky Cathedral, the icon of the Mother of God of Vilna remained until half of the XVIII century, and then was transferred along with the metropolis to the Holy Trinity Monastery, which was then at the disposal of Catholics. The Prechistensky Cathedral was given to the Uniates. Only in 1839 was the Holy Trinity Monastery, together with the Vilna Icon, returned to the Orthodox. From that time on, the Vilna Icon of the Mother of God replaced the lost OSTROBRAMIAN icon for the monastery.
First world war in connection with the threat of occupation of Lithuania by German troops Archbishop of Vilna and Lithuania Tikhon (future Russian Patriarch) blessed the evacuation of everything to Russia Orthodox shrines, including the Vilna icon. The miraculous image was placed in the Moscow Donskoy Monastery. Subsequently, the icon disappeared, and its fate is unknown.
Icon of the Mother of God Ostrobramskaya Vilna
Story
Ostrobramskaya (Vilna) icon of God Ma-te-ri is the main shrine of Vilna.
Several stories have been preserved that tell us about the history of the origin of the image. In agreement with one of them, Iko-na was with-not-se-na from Kor-su-ni the great prince Ol-ger-dom and yes- re-na first su-pr-ge Maria. The second su-pr-ha led the prince-in-law, Iuli-a-niya, transfer-re-da-la icon to the Trinity Church, from-to-da once upon a time I fell into an hour at a sharp gate.
Another legend says that the icon was sent to Ol-ger by the Greek emperor John Pa-leo-lo-gom, when he learned about Ol-ger-dom’s adoption of Christianity.
According to the third source, a miraculously creative icon appeared at the sharp gates on the 14th of April 1431 One thing is certain - in 1431 the icon was already in the chapel near the Trinity Church in the Russian (or acute) -the city of Vilna and its name was Kor-sun-skaya.
In 1498, in Vilna, in connection with the emergence of a danger in the Pa-de-Niya Ta-Tar, new city ca-kas were blocked -men-the-walls, co-built gates with a tower, over which there was a clock-house. At this hour (sna-ru-zhi) the Kor-sun icon was placed, facing those who entered in town. Since the cha-so-owl was co-or-on at the “sharp” end of the city above the gate, then the name of the icon is step-by-step-but-for-me-there is something new: it began to be called Ost-ro-vo-ro-t or Ostrobram-skaya (bra-ma - vor-ta ).
During the union, the image of the Most Holy Bo-go-ro-di-tsy passed into the ownership of ba-zi-li-an, and -then, approaching in 1624, kar-me-li-tov, seized both the clock and the icon into his own hands. In 1671, kar-me-li-you arranged a new clock instead of the previous one (old-hoy) and, installing an icon in it, facing it towards the stone and the city, i.e. inside.
After the terrible heat of Vilna in 1714, the icon was transferred to the Terezinsky church, but in 1744 g., when the clock was again from the building, again located above the gate. At the beginning of the 19th century, the ba-zi-li-ans tried to return the icon to their own property, the dispute reached Rome, and pa-pa ordered to leave the icon on the obi-te-li kar-me-li-tov, since she was close to cha -Ovne, in which there was a holy image.
In 1812, the icon was a little damaged in the French, and in 1829, from the re-sta-vri-ro-va-na. After the closure of the Kar-Me-lit-monastery in 1832, the Te-re-zin ko-stele was re-named in Ostrobramsky and remained under the jurisdiction of the Roman spirit.
Iko-na-pi-sa-na on the du-bo-voy board, the picture is clear. The most pure Maiden is depicted at the moment of Bliss.
Iko-na-on-ko-in-chi-ta-et-sya and right-to-glory-us, and ka-to-li-ka-mi.
Prayers
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before the Icon of Her “Ostrobramskaya Vilna”
Oh, Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord of the highest powers, Heaven and earth to the Queen and our city of Kiev, omnipotent Intercessor!
Receive this song of praise from us unworthy Thy servants, and lift up our prayers to the throne of Thy Son and our God, may He be merciful to us sinners, and may He add His goodness to those who honor You and worship Your miraculous image with faith and love.
To whom shall we cry out to the Lady? To whom shall we turn in our sorrows, if not to You, Queen of Heaven? Who will receive our cries and our sighs, if not You, Most Immaculate, the Hope of Christians and the refuge for us sinners? Who will protect you more in adversity? At the same time, we earnestly pray to You: cover our sins with Your intercession, protect us from enemies visible and invisible, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against us.
O Mother of the Lord our Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading flower of purity. Accept our unworthy prayer and keep us in spiritual purity, save us from the slander of evil people and from sudden death, and grant us repentance before the end. Have mercy on us in the hours of the day, and in the morning and in the evening, and at all times preserve us: you have guarded those who stand, those who sit, and those who walk on every way, and those who sleep in the hours of the night, provide, cover and protect. ́. In every place and at every time, be for us, Mother of God, an insurmountable wall and a strong intercession. You have appeared to us, the guardian of all life, Most Pure One; Deliver us from demons at the hour of death; Even after death, ask Your Son and our God to find peace.
We, sinners, lift up prayers to You with hope and tenderly cry out: Rejoice, O full of grace; Rejoice, Delighted One; Rejoice, Most Blessed One; The Lord is with You, with You and with us. We resort to You, as to our undoubted and speedy Intercessor, and to You, as the Almighty Helper, we commit ourselves and each other and our entire life according to Christ God, to Him all befits What glory, honor and worship is with His beginningless Father, with the Most Holy and by His good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Another prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before the Icon of Her “Ostrobramskaya Vilna”
Oh, All-Merciful Lady, Queen Theotokos, chosen from all generations and blessed by all generations of heaven! Look mercifully at these people standing before Your holy icon, earnestly praying to You, and act by Your intercession and intercession with Your Son and our God, so that no one will depart from me One hundred of this is empty of his hope and he is put to shame in his hope, but let everyone receive from You all according to the good will of your heart, according to your need and desire, for the salvation of the soul and the health of the body.
Most of all, in the autumn and protect with Your protection, Merciful Mother, Your Holy Church, strengthen our Orthodox bishops with Your highest blessing, protect with peace, and Thy Holy To the whole, healthy, honest, long-living Church, grant the word of Your truth, from all visible and invisible the enemy, with all Orthodox Christians, mercifully deliver, and in Orthodoxy and firm faith until the end of the ages, unfailingly and unchangeably. Look with mercy, O All-Singing One, and with the gaze of Your merciful intercession over our entire country, our cities and this city [or: this temple, or: and the spiritual heliport that exists here], and upon this richness of Thy mercy pour forth unsparingly. You are the all-powerful Helper and Intercessor of us all. Bow down to the prayers of all Your servants who flow here to Your holy icon, hear the sighs and voices in which Your servants pray in this holy place.
If both a non-believer and a foreigner, passing here, pray, hear, O child-loving Lady, and do this kindly and mercifully, even to help him and to salvation. Instruct the hardened and scattered hearts in our countries on the path of truth: convert those who have fallen from the pious faith and bring them back into contact with the holy Orthodox Catholic Catholic Church and the Apostolic Church. In the houses of Your people and in the brethren, protect and preserve the holy abodes of sowing peace, establish brotherhood and humility in the young, support old age, instruct youths, in perfect age Who are wise, intercede for the orphans and widows, comfort and protect the oppressed and in sorrows, raise infants Heal the sick, captivated by freedom, forever protecting us from all evil with Your goodness, and comfort us with Your merciful visit and all benefits to us. Grant, O Good One, fruitfulness to the earth, prosperity to the air, and all timely and useful gifts for our benefit, through Your omnipotent intercession before the All-Holy Life-Giving Trinity.
Our fathers and mothers, our brothers and sisters, who have gone before, and all of us from the years of old have fallen to your holy icon, rest in the villages of the saints, in a green place, in a place of peace No, where there is no sorrow and sighing. When our departure from this life and transmigration to eternal life arrives, appear to us, O Most Blessed Virgin, and grant a Christian end to our life, painless, without shame, I will partake of peace and the Holy Mysteries, and in the future we will all be honored with all the saints , endless blessed life in the Kingdom of Your beloved Son, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, to Him belongs glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever ki centuries. Amen.
Canons and Akathists
Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos before the Ostrobramskaya Vilna icon
Kontakion 1
To the chosen Voivode and wonderful Intercessor of the Christian race, who deigned to pour out streams of grace-filled healings from Her holy icon, let us sing praises to Thy servants, Theotokos. You, as the good Intercessor of those who honor Thee, free us from all troubles, so we call Thee:
Ikos 1
An angel was sent from heaven and quickly said to the Mother of God: Rejoice! We, earthly beings, marveling at the incarnation of Your Son and our God from You, dare to sing to You:
Rejoice, blessed Virgin Mary!
Rejoice, most blessed among women.
Rejoice, for you gave birth to the Savior of our souls;
Rejoice, for you have shown us the Liberator.
Rejoice, Queen of heaven and earth;
Rejoice, for you are greater than every creature.
Rejoice, honored angels in heaven;
Rejoice, glorified people on earth.
Rejoice, for having come to Elizabeth, you yourself prophesied: “From now on, all your generations will please Me”;
Rejoice, for truly everyone who has born to this day will continually please You.
Rejoice, You truly grant speedy help to those who magnify you;
Rejoice, shining like the sun with Your miraculous icons.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 2
Seeing, O all-merciful Lady, from the height of Your holy dwelling the sorrow and cramped life in our kingdom, You wanted to show Your glory here, in Your miraculous image giving consolation to the sorrowing, healing to the sick, help to the needy, and seeing such Your mercy towards us, with grateful lips we all sing To God: Hallelujah.
Ikos 2
The mind is blessed by the possessions, the holy forefathers and prophets depicted Your wonderful Nativity and the mystery of Your Ever-Virginity in images, visions and dreams. The apostles of Christ, having understood in spirit, since the image would be desirable for believers Holy Face The Most Pure Virgin Mary, choosing from among herself the divine Luke, like a wonderful painter. And she, having asked for a Motherly blessing from You, supported by fasting and prayer, wrote the first icon of Your Lady, to which You Yourself said: with this image will be My grace and strength. For this reason, with tenderness and love, we sing to You:
Rejoice, high Ladder, seen by Jacob of old;
Rejoice, thou who unitest the earth with Heaven;
Rejoice, O God, who appeared on earth and bore in Your womb;
Rejoice, for Burning bush remaining incorruptible.
Rejoice, luminous Cloud, the most worthless Lord of all, like rain on the fleece, falling on the earth.
Rejoice, wonderful Rod, adorning the flowers of the virtues of the faithful.
Rejoice, Life-Giving Source;
Rejoice, you who gave birth to the hungry and thirsty for eternal righteousness.
Rejoice, Christ, who took the manna of life into His womb;
Rejoice, thou who satisfies our souls with the bread of immortality.
Rejoice, for those who pray to You are preserved from all evil;
Rejoice, for Your honest icons are glorified by miracles.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 3
The power of the Most High overshadows every person who flows with faith to Your celibate icon, which You have granted to people for consolation. For this reason, we, looking with tenderness at Your holy image, as if You are alive and living with us, cry out from the depths of our hearts: autumn and us orphans and helpless, let us sing to the Lord who glorifies You: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Having good care for people, the merciful Lord, allow Thy holy icon to be left for a time as a certain temple of the Orthodox Church, while the monastics of Latinity took up Thy holy image, placing it in their temple. And there You showed the currents of Your grace-filled miracles, so that all Christians will know how strong the help of the Mother of God is, and may they sing with joy to Ty:
Rejoice, helper of all Christians;
Rejoice, glory and consolation to the Orthodox Church.
Rejoice, for as a maiden you entered into the temple of the Lord;
Rejoice, for you were raised in the temple.
Rejoice, the first adornment of holy temples;
Rejoice, for you yourself have become the temple of the Son of God.
Rejoice, you who brought the child Jesus to the temple of God on the fortieth day;
Rejoice, for what was predicted for You in the temple by Simeon the Receiver of God will come true.
Rejoice, loving all who honor the temples of God;
Rejoice, solid fence of the holy temples.
Rejoice, for you reign forever in the Heavenly Temple;
Rejoice, for you have striven to bring all the faithful into this temple.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 4
Seeing the storm of our earthly sorrowful life in weakness and illness, the Most Merciful Mother of God deigned to be the miracle of the appearance of her image in the city of Kiev, and with inexpressible joy we fall to You, Lady, and from the depths of our souls we thank You, the wondrous Intercessor, singing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Hearing near and far about the wondrous miracles of Thy holy icon, Most Pure Lady, with zeal many flowed to Thy wholesome image, receiving from it the gifts of Thy innumerable benefits. In the same way, even though we are unworthy of existence, we worship You with reverence and joy before this wonderful image and duly please You with songs:
Rejoice, you who took a vow of virginity to the Lord;
Rejoice, having observed it to the end.
Rejoice, you who combined virginity and Christmas;
Rejoice, for after the Nativity you remained an immaculate Virgin.
Rejoice, acceptor of good vows;
Rejoice, you who punish those who do not keep their vows.
Rejoice, patroness of pilgrims who come to You by vow;
Rejoice, Thou who grantest mercy to those who pray to Thee.
Rejoice, you who promote good intentions;
Rejoice, destroyer of evil undertakings.
Rejoice, good Guide in the days of our earthly journey;
Rejoice, you who lead us to a quiet haven.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 5
Like a radiant star, Your holy miraculous icon, O Virgin Mary, has risen in our country. We, illuminated by the radiance of Your most radiant miracles, bow our hearts and cry out to God, the Giver of miracles: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Seeing that the help of earthly doctors is in vain, unable to heal his sick son, his God-loving mother began to offer fervent prayers to the heavenly Doctor. Having received admonition, call on You, Mother of God, for help, hasten to Your temple, to Your holy image and, having performed fervent prayer singing before it, ask for the miraculous healing of your son. For this reason, we who are weak, hoping for Your all-powerful help, dare to sing to You:
Rejoice, granter of health to the weak;
Rejoice, healer of all diseases.
Rejoice, you who accept those left by doctors under Your protection;
Rejoice, you who give them healing.
Rejoice, quenching the fire of fierce disease;
Rejoice, you who rise from the deathbed.
Rejoice, hopeless hope;
Rejoice, our unshameable hope.
Rejoice, healer of spiritual infirmities;
Rejoice, instructing sinners on the right path.
Rejoice, you who take away sinful filth;
Rejoice, bathhouse, washing the conscience.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 6
Standing before Your image, the class of bishops, priests, monastics and all people preach Your innumerable good deeds, which are abundantly poured out from Your holy icon. For this reason, we, sinners, who now stand before Your miraculous image, believe and trust that You have asked for all that is good and useful to us from Your Son and our God, and to Him we boldly cry out: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
Grace arose from Thy holy icon, and sometimes I saw the robbers in reality; and having honestly confessed all our sins and having been delivered by You from certain spiritual death, we have been taught to sing these praises to You:
Rejoice, you who save us from vain death;
Rejoice, thou who deliverest from mortal sin.
Rejoice, you who gave birth to the Chief of life and death;
Rejoice, Mother of the Belly, death of the one who killed.
Rejoice, for at the hour of Your death You quietly reclined on Your bed;
Rejoice, for Thy Son and our God meekly separated Thy soul from the body.
Rejoice, for you were taken to heaven with your body:
Rejoice, for you are alive even after death.
Rejoice, thou who grantest us a shameless death;
Rejoice, you who intercede for us at the hour of our death.
Rejoice, who does not leave us even after death;
Rejoice, you who save us from airy ordeals.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 7
If you wish to show His great love for people, the Lover of Mankind, the Lord grants You, His Immaculate Mother, protection and protection to the Christian race, so that you may give consolation to the sad, joy to the grieving, hope to the desperate, deliver eternal torment through Your intercession and bring everyone to heavenly joy, crying out incessantly with the voice of praise. To Your Son and our God: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
You bestowed a new miracle, O Virgin Mother of God, from Your divine icon, when You returned the children abducted by their parents, zealously flowing to Your holy face with prayer. We, with love glorifying Thee, our All-Very Helper, cry out in silent voices:
Rejoice, who enriches us with Your coming;
Rejoice, you who accept all those who come running under your roof.
Rejoice, thou who graciously heals the wounds of sin;
Rejoice, thou who art quickly quenching the righteous wrath of God against us sinners through Thy prayer.
Rejoice, thou who hast provided the patient sufferers with gifts of grace;
Rejoice, you who call us to repentance.
Rejoice, you who do not reject the prayers of sinners;
Rejoice, fulfiller of God's desires.
Rejoice, quick joy giver;
Rejoice, you who look upon the humble.
Rejoice, conqueror of our visible and invisible enemies;
Rejoice, you who love and honor Thee, delivering You from all troubles.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 8
It is strange and disconcerting for non-believers to hear how miracles flow from Your holy icon, for the hearts of these people are clouded, as if they do not see with seeing and do not hear with hearing, and will not turn to You, may He heal them. We, diligently revering Your miraculous image, bend our knees, tenderly kissing it, crying out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
The whole world is filled with God-bright stars, Your miraculous icons, Virgin Mary, in which, like the radiant Sun, having the moon at its foot and surrounded by these stars with signs, Your Ostrobramskaya icon gracefully shines with wondrous miracles and warms our cold hearts with the banner of Your merciful care for us. For this reason we honor the holy image of Your Most Pure Face and cry out to You before it:
Rejoice, good patroness of pious monks and nuns;
Rejoice, praise to the reverent priests.
Rejoice, in the days of our sorrowful life on earth, a quick helper;
Rejoice, all-powerful protector in all troubles and misfortunes.
Rejoice, you who hunger for the nurse;
Rejoice, inexhaustible drink for those who thirst for life.
Rejoice, invisible teacher of orphans;
Rejoice, intercession of widows.
Rejoice, heavenly ladder, by which God descended to us;
Rejoice, bridge, lead the sushi from earth to heaven.
Rejoice, key of the kingdom of Christ;
Rejoice, thou who openest the doors of heaven to us.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 9
Thou art above all angelic nature, O Virgin Mother of God, most honorable cherub, and most glorious without comparison seraphim, standing before Thy Son in Heaven, pray to Him for the Christian race, for this reason the inscription of this angelic song on the icon of Thy Imasha. Do not stop praying for us, the unworthy, at the throne of the Almighty, and cry out to the Lord with joy: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
The centuries of multi-proclamation will not be able to adequately praise the wonderful miracles that appear from Thy holy icon, but every mind is amazed by singing to Thee, Mother of God. You, as a good being, accept this praise from us:
Rejoice, you who earnestly pray to Your Son for Christians;
Rejoice, covering our country with Your holy omophorion.
Rejoice, you who lead our minds to God;
Rejoice, you who eradicate our evil thoughts.
Rejoice, inflaming our hearts with love for God;
Rejoice, you who guide our desires for good.
Rejoice, the wrath of God, righteously driven upon us, quickly quenching;
Rejoice, destroyer of the wiles of the spirits of evil.
Rejoice, you who protect us from their attacks;
Rejoice, strong helper in the temptations of the flesh and spirit.
Rejoice, quick rise of the fallen;
Rejoice, our boldness is towards God.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 10
Seeking salvation, we resort to You, Merciful Mother, and now we honor Your holy icon with reverence and faith, for You give speedy help to all who worship You, and in other cities and towns who honor You you fulfill a useful request. Moreover, remembering Your countless miracles, we cry out to Almighty God: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
Thou art the wall, protecting us from all illnesses, to all who with faith call upon Thee for help, O Most Holy Virgin Theotokos. You, Mother, gave healing to a baby who was suffering greatly. For this reason, glorifying Your Motherly mercy, with grateful lips we all cry out to You from the depths of our souls:
Rejoice, for through prayer before Your icon, fierce illnesses cease;
Rejoice, you who provide all useful and good things to everyone in every need.
Rejoice, you who weep for no one;
Rejoice, those who call upon You to intercede.
Rejoice, you who create peace and friendliness in families.
Rejoice, you who quickly and painlessly relieve mothers of childbearing children from their burdens;
Rejoice, thou who graciously protects their children.
Rejoice, you who help mourning widows and orphans;
Rejoice, you who help us in our battle with the spirits of evil.
Rejoice, you who save us from the slander of the enemy;
Rejoice, protector from slander and annoyance.
Rejoice, good Housebuilder, who organizes our life well.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 11
Our singing, even if it were numerous, does not suffice for the worthy glorification of Your mercies, O All-Praised Lady, which You continually pour out to the human race. You did not leave the prayer of the childless spouses who came to Your miraculous icon in vain, but You granted them the grace of childbearing. In the same way, let us not appear ungrateful before You; according to our strength, let us sing praises to You with love, crying out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
Like a light-receiving light we see Your honorable icon, the Most Pure and Most Blessed Virgin Mary, immaterial in our souls kindling the fire of love for You, O All-Blessed One. Accept our faith and zeal, direct our path on the paths of truth, pray to the Lord and Your Son to save us, according to the message of our destinies, so that we do not perish in unrepentance for our sins, and hear the prayer of those who cry to You:
Rejoice, thou who hast done good to us through Thy icon;
Rejoice, Mother of Thy generosity pouring out upon us.
Rejoice, you who powerfully drive away sinful thoughts:
Rejoice, admonisher of those of little faith.
Rejoice, enlightener of incorrect meanings:
Rejoice, you who understand God's mercy and help us.
Rejoice, you who put the fear of God in the hearts of the faithful;
Rejoice, consoling those who care for the temples of God with spiritual joy.
Rejoice, you who awaken us from the sleep of laziness;
Rejoice, illuminating the darkened with the light of knowledge of God and piety.
Rejoice, earthly blessings, vain and fleeting, teaching us to despise;
Rejoice, you who raise our minds and hearts to heavenly and eternal treasures.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 12
Having desired the grace of giving, the Lord has given us Thy celibate icon, before it we lift up fervent prayers, we raise our minds to the Primordial Image - You, Mother of God, asking to grant us good and useful in this temporary life, and in the future life, endless bliss, may we sing with the angels and to all the saints in heaven: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing Your miracles, which You abundantly exude to us from Your holy icon, we praise You, Most Holy Theotokos, and standing before Your most pure image with tears, a tender soul and a contrite heart, we cry out to You:
Rejoice, zealous Intercessor of the Christian race;
Rejoice, Mother of the Lord and our Mother and patroness.
Rejoice, you who exude boundless mercies to all of us;
Rejoice, who delivers Your well-behaved and God-fearing servants from all troubles and misfortunes.
Rejoice, health of our bodies;
Rejoice, salvation of our souls.
Rejoice, for you prayed for all of Your Son and our God;
Rejoice, for you have made it possible for everyone to be saved.
Rejoice, deliverance of all evils;
Rejoice, thou who is useful to all, and bestower.
Rejoice, for You are the only hope of the Imams;
Rejoice, for You are the divine protection of Your servant.
Rejoice, Lady, through Your Ostrobramskaya icon showing us grace and mercy.
Kontakion 13
Oh, all-sung Mother, who gave birth to all the saints most holy word, having accepted the offering at this prayer service and looked after our needs, give us the power of Your grace, guide us on the path of salvation and beg us to bestow upon us the mercy of Your generous Son, and to Him we offer great praise in tenderness: Alleluia.
This kontakion was spoken three times, therefore Ikos 1: An angel was sent from heaven to quickly speak to the Mother of God..., also Kontakion 1: To the chosen Voivode and wonderful Intercessor of the Christian race...
Prayer
Oh, Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord of the highest powers, Heaven and earth to the Queen and our city of Kyiv, omnipotent Intercessor!
Accept this song of praise from us, unworthy Thy servants, and lift up our prayers to the throne of Thy Son and our God, may He be merciful to us sinners, and may He add His goodness to those who honor Thee and worship Thy miraculous image with faith and love.
To whom shall we cry out to the Lady? To whom shall we resort in our sorrows, if not to You, Queen of Heaven? Who will accept our tears and our sighs, if not You, Most Immaculate, the Hope of Christians and refuge for us sinners? Who will protect You more in adversity? In the same way, we earnestly pray to You: cover our sins with Your intercession, protect us from enemies visible and invisible, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against us.
O Mother of the Lord our Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading color of purity. Accept our unworthy prayer and keep us in spiritual purity, save us from the slander of evil people and from sudden death, and grant us repentance before the end. Have mercy on us in the hours of the day, morning and evening, and protect us at all times: protect those who stand, those who sit, those who walk on every path, and those who sleep in the hours of the night, provide, cover and protect. In every place and at every time, awaken for us, Mother of God, an insurmountable wall and a strong intercession. You appear to us as the guardian of all life, Most Pure One; Deliver us from demons at the hour of death; Even after death, ask Thy Son and our God to find peace.
We, sinners, lift up prayers to You with hope and cry out tenderly: Rejoice, full of grace; Rejoice, O Delighted One; Rejoice, Most Blessed One; The Lord is with You, with You and with us. We resort to You, as to our undoubted and speedy Intercessor, and to You, as our omnipotent Helper, we commit ourselves and each other and our whole life according to Christ God; to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, together with His beginningless Father, with the Most Holy and His good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
The prayer is different
Oh, All-Merciful Lady, Queen Theotokos, chosen from all generations and blessed by all heavenly generations! Look mercifully at these people standing before Your holy icon, earnestly praying to You, and act through Your intercession and intercession with Your Son and our God, so that no one will leave this place empty of their hope and be ashamed in their hope, but may everyone receive from You all according to the good will of your heart, according to your need and desire, for the salvation of the soul and the health of the body.
Most of all, protect the autumn with Your protection, Merciful Mother, Your Holy Church, strengthen our Orthodox bishops with Your highest blessing, protect with peace, and protect the Saints of Your Church whole, healthy, honest, long-living right ruling word Grant your truth, from all visible and invisible enemies, with all Orthodox Christians, mercifully deliver, and in Orthodoxy and the firm faith until the end of centuries, inaccessibly and unchangeably preserve. Look with mercy, O All-Singing One, and with the charity of Your merciful intercession over our entire country, our cities and this city [or: this temple, or: and the spiritual city that exists here], and pour out Your mercies unsparingly on this rich one. You are the all-powerful Helper and Intercessor of us all. Bow down to the prayers of all Your servants, to holy icon Those who flow here, hear the sighs and voices in which Your servants pray in this holy place.
If both a non-believer and a foreigner, passing here, pray, hear, O beloved Lady, and do this kindly and mercifully, even to help him and to salvation. Instruct your hardened and scattered hearts in our countries on the path of truth: convert those who have fallen from the pious faith and bring them closer to the holy Orthodox Catholic Church and the Apostolic Church. In the houses of Thy people and in the brethren, protect and preserve the holy abodes of sowing peace, establish brotherhood and humility in the young, support old age, instruct youths, make those who are at a perfect age wise, stand up for the orphans and widows, support the oppressed and those in sorrow, comfort and protect them, raise infants Heal the sick, free the captives, protect us from all evil with Thy goodness, and comfort us with Thy merciful visit and all the good things done to us. Grant, O Good One, the fruitfulness of the earth, the goodness of the air, and all the gifts that are timely and useful for our benefit, through Your omnipotent intercession before the All-Holy Life-Giving Trinity.
Our fathers and mothers, our brothers and sisters, who have gone before, and all who have fallen upon this holy icon of Thy from ancient times, rest in the villages of the saints, in a green place, in a place of peace, where there is no sorrow and sighing. When our departure from this life is ripe and to eternal life relocation, appear to us, O Most Blessed Virgin, and grant a Christian end to our life, painless, shameless, peaceful and partaker of the Holy Mysteries, so that in the future we will all be worthy, together with all the saints, of endless blissful life in the Kingdom of Your beloved Son, Lord and God our Jesus Christ, to whom be due glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Days of celebration: February 28 (February 15, old style) and April 27 (14).
According to one legend, this icon of the Hodegetria (Guide) type was written by the Evangelist Luke. From Palestine the icon came to Constantinople (Constantinople). Subsequently, it was sent by the Greek Emperor to the King of Galicia and Red Rus. After the fall of the Galician principality, the icon became the property of the Moscow prince. According to another legend, this icon was brought to Moscow by Princess Sophia, who married John III.
In 1495, the Grand Duke of Moscow John III blessed his daughter Elena, who was marrying the Lithuanian Prince Alexander, with the icon. The icon was transferred to the capital of Lithuania, Vilna (modern Vilnius), where it received its name - Vilna.
When Elena died, the holy icon of the Mother of God was placed in the Prechistensky Cathedral, above her tomb. When the kinship between the Moscow and Lithuanian courts was stopped, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich the Terrible tried to return this miraculous icon to Moscow and offered King Sigismund 50 noble Lithuanian captives for it, but the king resolutely opposed this, because all the clergy, both Orthodox and Uniate, did not wanted to lose this treasure.
The icon remained in the Prechistensky Cathedral until the middle of the 18th century, and then it was transferred along with the metropolis to the Holy Trinity Monastery, which was then at the disposal of Catholics. The Prechistensky Cathedral was given to the Uniates. Only in 1839 was the Holy Trinity Monastery, together with the Vilna Icon, returned to the Orthodox. From that time on, the Vilna image of the Mother of God replaced the lost Ostrobramsky icon for the monastery.
The icon of Hodegetria is written on four boards joined together: the middle ones are made of cypress, and the rest are made of birch. In 1864 it was renewed.
During the First World War, in connection with the threat of occupation of Lithuania by German troops, Archbishop Tikhon of Vilna and Lithuania (future Russian Patriarch) blessed the evacuation of all Orthodox shrines to Russia, including the Vilna Icon. The miraculous image was placed in the Moscow Donskoy Monastery. Subsequently, the icon disappeared, and its fate is unknown.
Vilna Icon of the Mother of God
The Vilna Icon of the Mother of God is an ancient image of the Mother of God, according to legend, painted by the Evangelist Luke. The icon was for a long time the ancestral shrine of the Byzantine emperors. According to the most common version, in 1472 the icon was brought to Moscow by Princess Sofia Paleologus, who became the wife of the Grand Duke of Moscow Ivan III. There is also another version, which does not find wide support, that the icon passed to the Grand Duke of Moscow from the princes of Galicia, who once received it as a gift from the Byzantine emperors.
In 1495 Grand Duke blessed his daughter Elena with this icon when she married the Grand Duke of Lithuania Alexander. In honor of the transfer of the icon to Vilna, a celebration was established on February 28 (February 15, old style). After Elena's death, the icon was placed over her tomb in the Prechistensky Cathedral in Vilna. After the conclusion of the Union of Brest, the icon passed to the Uniates. Subsequently, the icon was transferred to the Vilna Holy Trinity Monastery.
Twice the Russian tsars tried to return the icon to themselves:
during Livonian War in 1569, for its return, they promised to release 50 prisoners after the capture of Vilna in 1655 by the troops of Alexei Mikhailovich, on his instructions, the Vilna governor Mikhail Shakhovskoy tried to find the icon, but it was taken to the Uniate monastery in Krulevets (Königsberg).
After the fire of Vilna in 1741, the icon was transferred along with the metropolis to the Holy Trinity Monastery, which was then at the disposal of Catholics. The Prechistensky Cathedral was given to the Uniates.
In 1812 it suffered during the French invasion.
In 1839, the Holy Trinity Monastery, together with the Vilna Icon, was returned to the Orthodox. From that time on, the Vilna Icon of the Mother of God replaced the lost OSTROBRAMIAN icon for the monastery.
During the First World War, many shrines were evacuated from the front line, including the Vilna Icon. She, along with the relics of the Vilna martyrs, was brought to the Donskoy Monastery in 1915, and after that her further fate is unknown.
In the monastery, located on the outskirts of Vilna, there is the Ostrobramsky Vilna Icon. Her image is not similar to the icon of Hodegetria. On it the Mother of God is depicted in full height; She stands on the moon, and above Her most pure head the holy angels hold a royal crown. Cm.
Celebration
Icon of the Mother of God “VILENSKAYA”
Prayers before the icon of the Mother of God “VILENSKAYA”
Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Vilna” they pray for relief and healing of their ailments.
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before Her “Vilna” icon
To whom shall I cry, Lady?
To whom shall I resort in my sorrow, if not to You, Queen of Heaven?
Who will accept my cry and my sighing, if not You, Most Immaculate, the Hope of Christians and refuge for us sinners?
Who will protect You more in adversity? Hear my groaning, and bow Your ear to me, the Lady Mother of my God, and do not despise me who requires Your help, and do not reject me, a sinner. Enlighten and teach me, O Queen of Heaven, do not depart from me, Thy servant, Lady, for my grumbling, but be my Mother and Intercessor. I entrust myself to Your merciful protection: lead me, a sinner, to a quiet and serene life, so that I may weep for my sins. To whom shall I resort when I am guilty, if not to You, the hope and refuge of sinners, inspired by the hope of Your ineffable mercy and Your bounty? About the Lady Queen of Heaven! You are my hope and refuge, protection and intercession and help. My most blessed and speedy intercessor! Cover my sins with Your intercession, protect me from enemies visible and invisible, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against me.
O Mother of the Lord my Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading color of purity. O Mother of God! Give me help to those who are weak with carnal passions and those who are sick at heart, for one is Yours and with You the intercession of Your Son and our God, and by Your wonderful intercession may I be delivered from all troubles and misfortunes, O Most Immaculate and Glorious Mother of God Mary. The same with hope I say and cry out: Rejoice, full of grace; Rejoice, Delighted One; Rejoice, Most Blessed One; The Lord is with you.
Troparion, tone 4
Intercessor of the faithful, Most Blessed and Swift, Most Pure Virgin Mary! We pray to You before Your holy and miraculous image, that just as You bestowed Your intercession on the city of Moscow from ancient times, so now You mercifully deliver us from all troubles and misfortunes and save our souls, like the Merciful One.
Kontakion, tone 8
To the chosen victorious Voivode, as having been delivered from the evil, let us write thanks to Ti, Thy servants, to the Mother of God, but, as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles, let us call to Ti: Rejoice, Unmarried Bride.
Greatness
We magnify You, Most Holy Virgin, and honor Your holy image, for which You bestowed a wondrous victory on the Hagarians to the Orthodox. - June 3, July 6, September 8.
