Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God: history and traditions of the holiday. Festive sermon on the day of the appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (2016) Original and copies of the Kazan Icon

On July 21, Orthodox Christians throughout Russia, and not only them, celebrate one of the most famous church holidays in our country - the day of the discovery of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is the most famous and miraculous. All Orthodox people value and honor this icon, which is in almost every home.

Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God - history, traditions, meaning

Even in ancient times, princes, kings and ordinary people turned to this saint. If you believe the beliefs, it helps people cope with illnesses, cure even the most terrible illness, and restore hearing and vision. She creates things that can be called miracles, so people pray to her when they have any difficulties in life.

The appearance of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God

The icon of this saint was seen after a big fire that happened in Kazan. Then, in 1579, a fire burned everything in its path. One little girl dreamed of the Mother of God, who told her to go to the fire and find a shrine in the burnt ruins.

At first, no one believed the girl, but she had dreams every night, after which the girl’s parents decided to go to the site of the fire, where the icon of the Mother of God actually was.

What surprised people most was that the icon looked as if it had just been painted. After the icon was saved, two blind elders were healed who just touched it. After this, people began to believe in the miraculous power of the icon.

A convent was built at the site where the icon was found, and the icon itself was transported to the Assumption Cathedral. In 1904, the icon was stolen by vandals and no one knows what happened to it next; it is possible that it could have been burned. Today there are only copies of the Holy Image, the power of which is no less than that of the original.

The meaning of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God

The icon depicts a baby to the left of the mother's hand. The baby blesses everyone, since his right hand is in the air, and the main sign of forgiveness and approval is two crossed fingers.

The very first icon of the Mother of God appeared in 1606, after which it was sent to the Tretyakov Gallery. In addition, the holy face can be seen in the Prince Vladimir Cathedral in St. Petersburg.

Orthodox people celebrate a holiday dedicated to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God twice a year, namely: July 21 and November 4. At this time, a service is held in the church, where sermons and kontakion are read.

The icon heals everyone who turns to it for help. She helps all believers and those who want to live in harmony.

You can turn to the icon for help in the following cases:

– When it is necessary to heal a disease, especially if there are problems with hearing, vision, skin diseases, as well as problems with internal organs. Meanwhile, the Mother of God can heal the soul and set it on the right path.

– When you need support in a life situation. The Mother of God makes it clear to man that everyone has their own cross, which they must bear and overcome various obstacles with it. The saint helps to console a person in various sorrows.

- When it is necessary to intercede. If you pray in front of the icon, the person will receive a strong amulet that he will have all the time.

– When it’s difficult to make a decision. The saint will always come to the aid of those who have to make a serious choice. It will also prevent you from making mistakes.

- For the protection of warriors. The saint is the patroness of soldiers who defend their homeland.

– If you need to maintain peace and harmony in the family. The icon is a talisman for women. Married women can ask for help in family life, strengthen the family, overcome all difficulties, improve relationships, and bring prosperity.

– Previously, newlyweds who were about to get married were blessed with this icon, and it was also considered a wedding icon. Before getting married, young people need to pray in front of the icon and ask it for a happy life. After this, the family will live in prosperity, and the spouses will not quarrel.

– The Mother of God will give health to the children, she is very supportive of them. The saint helps children protect themselves from various illnesses and sorrows.

Prayers to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

Read both prayers, one after the other. If you don’t have time for thoughtful reading, read one of these prayers. Remember that it is better to devote yourself completely to reading one prayer than to skim through them all.

First prayer

Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Queen of Heaven and earth, the highest angel and archangel and the most honest, pure Virgin Mary of all creation, good Helper to the world, and affirmation for all people, and deliverance for all needs!
Look now, O All-Merciful Lady, upon Your servants, who pray to You with a tender soul and a contrite heart,
falling to You with tears and worshiping Your most pure and wholesome image, and asking for Your help and intercession.
Oh, All-Merciful and Most Merciful Pure Virgin Mary!
Look, O Lady, at Your people:
For we, sinners, are imams of no other help than to You and from You, Christ our God who was born.
You are our intercessor and representative.
You are protection for the offended, joy for the grieving, refuge for the orphans, guardian for widows, glory for virgins, joy for those who cry, visitation for the sick, healing for the weak, salvation for sinners.
For this reason, O Mother of God, we resort to You, and looking at Your Most Pure Image with the Eternal Child held in Your hand, our Lord Jesus Christ, we offer You a tender song and cry out:
have mercy on us, Mother of God, and fulfill our request, for all things are possible through Your intercession, as glory befits You now and ever and unto the ages of ages.
Amen.

Second prayer

Oh, Most Holy Lady and Lady Theotokos!
With fear, faith and love, falling before Your honorable icon, we pray to You: do not turn Your face away from those who come running to You.
Pray, merciful Mother, to Thy Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, to preserve our country peacefully and to keep His holy Church unshakable from unbelief, heresies and schism.
There are no imams of any other help, no imams of other hope, unless You, Most Pure Virgin, are You the all-powerful Helper and Intercessor of Christians.
Deliver all who pray to You with faith from the falls of sin, from the slander of evil people, from all temptations, sorrows, troubles and from vain death.
Grant us the spirit of contrition, humility of heart, purity of thoughts, correction of sinful lives and the remission of sins, so that we all praise Thy greatness with gratitude, we will be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven,
and there, with all the saints, let us glorify the Most Honorable and Magnificent Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.

Prayer three

O who will not please Thee, O Blessed Virgin, who will not sing of Thy mercy to the human race.
We pray to you, we ask you, do not leave us perishing in evil, dissolve our hearts with love and send your arrow to our enemies, so that our hearts may be wounded by peace against those who persecute us.
If the world hates us - You extend Your love to us, if the world persecutes us - You accept us, give us the grace-filled strength of patience - to endure the trials that happen in this world without grumbling.
Oh, Lady!
Soften the hearts of evil people who rise up against us, so that their hearts do not perish in evil - but pray, O Blessed One, Thy Son and our God, may he pacify their hearts with peace, but let the devil - the father of evil - be put to shame!
We, singing Thy mercy towards us, the evil, the indecent, will sing to Thee, O Most Wonderful Lady of the Blessed Virgin, hear us at this hour, the contrite hearts of those who have,
protect us with peace and love towards each other and towards our enemies, eradicate from us all malice and enmity, so that we may sing to You and Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: Alleluia! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

The feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is celebrated twice a year: on July 21 - in memory of the appearance of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in Kazan - and on November 4, in gratitude for the deliverance of Moscow and all of Russia from the invasion of the Poles in 1612.

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is one of the most revered in Russia. Of the many icons of the Mother of God venerated in the Russian Orthodox Church, not one is distributed in as many lists as the Kazan icon.

History of the holiday

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God has a very interesting history. It was found in 1579 by a nine-year-old girl in the ashes of a terrible fire that destroyed part of the city of Kazan.

The fire in Kazan started in the house of the merchant Onuchin. After the fire, the Mother of God appeared to the merchant’s daughter Matrona in a dream and revealed to her that under the ruins of their house there was her miraculous image buried in the ground.

It still remains a mystery how the shrine fell into ruins. It is believed that it was buried by secret confessors of Christianity during Tatar rule.

At first they did not pay attention to the girl’s words, but when the dream repeated itself three times, they began to dig and found an icon of amazing beauty in the ashes. The holy image, despite the fire, looked as if it had just been painted.

The image was solemnly transferred to the parish church of St. Nicholas of Tula, the rector of which was then the pious priest, the future Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Hermogenes.

The future saint, who died at the hands of the Poles for his fidelity to Orthodoxy and was canonized, compiled a detailed account of the miracles of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

The fact that the icon was miraculous became clear immediately, since already during the procession the sight was restored to two Kazan blind people. These miracles were the first in a long list of cases of grace-filled help.

At the site where the icon was found, a convent was subsequently founded, where Matrona and her mother took monastic vows.

So by the time difficult times came in Russia, the icon of the Kazan Mother of God was no longer just known, but also very revered.

At the turn of the 16th-17th centuries, a series of tragic circumstances occurred in Russia and this era went down in history as the Time of Troubles. This is the era of the deep crisis of the Moscow state, caused by the suppression of the royal Rurik dynasty.

The dynastic crisis soon developed into a national-state crisis. The united Russian state collapsed, and numerous impostors appeared. Widespread robberies, robbery, theft, and widespread drunkenness struck the country.

At the call of His Holiness Patriarch Hermogenes, the Russian people stood up to defend their homeland. A list of the miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Kazan was sent from Kazan to the Nizhny Novgorod people's militia, which was led by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin.

The militia, having learned about the miracles performed by the icon, took it with them and constantly prayed in front of it, asking for help. They liberated Kitay-Gorod on October 22 (November 4, new style), and two days later they took the Kremlin. The next day, Russian soldiers went to the Kremlin with a religious procession with a miraculous image in their hands.

How to celebrate

On this day, all people went to church, where they prayed for their homeland, for their loved ones and relatives, so that there would be peace and tranquility in families.

After the liturgy, all believers went to a religious procession - with icons in their hands, they walked around cities and villages, which symbolized the protection of the settlement from harm. Today they are limited to walking along the main streets or just around the church.

Young girls who have not yet found a betrothed can try their luck at Kazanskaya and greet the grooms. According to legend, you need to go to a birch tree, find a leaf on the tree or near it, covered with frost on both sides, and look at it as if in a mirror.

It is also customary to have weddings on Kazanskaya. According to folk superstitions, a family created on this day will be happy and family life will be long.

In the old days, women believed that on this day the Mother of God helped them. There were many protective rituals that women used on this day.

For example, a birch leaf gives beauty and protects against old age. To do this, early in the morning on the holiday, women went to a birch grove, where they looked for leaves covered with frost. Having torn off a piece of paper, they looked at it as if in a mirror. It was believed that after this the face would become clearer and younger, and the woman would look beautiful throughout the next year.

Feast of Our Lady of Kazan: what not to do

The Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God is not one of the twelve church holidays, so work is not prohibited. However, believers who revere this holy image know that on this day it is still better to go to church, pray, and not take on urgent and important matters or wash and clean. It is even believed that hard work on this day does not produce significant results.

In addition, on the day of veneration of the Kazan Mother of God, it is not recommended to quarrel, cry, be sad or regret the past.

On this holiday, it is customary to invite guests, friends and relatives to the table to share food with them in a relaxed, relaxed atmosphere. Thanks to this, people are filled with joy and good mood.

Prayer

Oh, Most Pure Lady Theotokos, Queen of heaven and earth, the highest angel and archangel and the most honest, pure Virgin Mary of all creation, the Good Helper of the world, and affirmation for all people, and deliverance for all needs! You are our intercessor and representative, you are protection for the offended, joy for the grieving, refuge for the orphans, guardian for widows, glory for virgins, joy for those who cry, visitation for the sick, healing for the weak, salvation for sinners. Have mercy on us, Mother of God, and fulfill our request, for everything is possible through Your intercession: for glory befits You now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The image of the Mother of God has long been famous in Rus', and it is no coincidence that the festivities associated with it have a special sacred meaning for all Orthodox people. Therefore, the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (or the feast of the Kazan Mother of God, in common parlance) is considered one of the most beloved and revered among the people.

What does the Kazan Icon protect from?

To this day, parents bless newlyweds with this icon and it shows the right path (or the right decision) to all those who doubt. This amazing icon also has many healing properties, but it is most famous for the numerous cases of healing believers from blindness and other vision problems.

The holiday is celebrated twice a year: July 21 And November 4, because each date has its own story associated with it.

🙏🏻 Prayer to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

Oh, Most Holy Lady, Lady Theotokos! With fear, faith and love, falling down before Your honest and miraculous icon, we pray to You: do not turn Your face away from those who come running to You.
Deliver all those who pray to You with faith from the falls of sin, from the slander of evil people, from all temptations, sorrows, illnesses, troubles and sudden death. Grant us the spirit of contrition, humility of heart, purity of thoughts, correction of sinful life and remission of sins, so that all who gratefully sing of Thy greatness and mercy, manifested over us here on earth, may be worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, and there with all the saints we will glorify the most honorable and magnificent name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen!

July 21 – summer holiday of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

History of the Icon of the Kazan Mother of God

By the way, the very origin and real fate of this miraculous icon, which gives both physical and spiritual insight, are still shrouded in mystery. But, first things first!..

This chain of amazing events began after a terrible fire that occurred in Kazan in the summer of 1579, which left many Kazan residents homeless. Among the fire victims was the nine-year-old daughter of a local archer (according to some sources, eleven-year-old) Matryona (or Matrona) Onuchina, to whom the Mother of God suddenly appeared in a dream, showing the girl the place where Her icon was located underground.

Since none of the adults took the children’s words seriously, in the third dream the Most Pure Virgin became angry with Matryona, threatening her with imminent death if she did not fulfill Her instructions. At this point, the frightened girl and her mother went with the news to the local mayor and archbishop, but they only waved away the annoying visitors.

What to do?.. The Onuchins themselves had to begin excavations on the ashes in the place indicated in the dream, where the icon was dug up by Matryona with her own hands and looked surprisingly freshly painted.

How it got into the ground is the first secret of the Kazan icon. Perhaps it was hidden there from Mohammed’s supporters by some Orthodox Christian even before the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible, but these are just assumptions, nothing more...

This time, the “city fathers” did not make a mistake and immediately arrived at the place, after which, in a procession of the cross, they transferred the wonderful icon (through the nearby Church of St. Nicholas) to the first Orthodox church in Kazan - the Annunciation Cathedral.

And it was here (literally along the road) that the Kazan Mother of God began to show miracles of healing, the first of which affected the local blind men Joseph and Nikita.

At the site of the miraculous find, a little later a convent was founded, in which Matryona Onuchina was the first to take monastic vows, becoming Mavra (Martha), in the future its abbess. Matryona's mother followed her daughter.

November 4 – autumn holiday of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

Soon the copy of the miraculous icon was sent to Ivan the Terrible in Moscow (from where it subsequently went to St. Petersburg in 1737 and was placed in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on the site of which the Kazan Cathedral was later erected).

It is interesting that historians do not have exact facts regarding the fate of the original, because some of them claim that it was he who was sent to Moscow, and not the list. It is only known for certain that two miraculous lists were made.

One of the lists of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was brought to Moscow liberated from the Poles on October 22 (November 4), 1612 by Dmitry Pozharsky, who headed the people’s militia. This joyful event gave rise to the “autumn Kazan festival,” which was celebrated at the state level for a long time.

In 1636, this image of the Most Pure Virgin was placed in the Kazan Cathedral erected on Red Square (today the icon is located in the Epiphany Cathedral). Russian rulers turned to the patronage of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God on the threshold of all turning points in historical events (both on the eve of the Battle of Poltava and before the defeat of the French in 1812).

The last secret of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (PHOTO)

In 1904, terrible news suddenly spread among the Russian Orthodox world: the famous icon of the Virgin Mary was stolen and destroyed in Kazan. This crime was taken upon himself by a certain Stoyan-Chaikin, who died later in the Shlisselburg fortress, who committed this blasphemy in order to prove to everyone the “unsanctity” of the icon.

The accusation was based on jewelry found in the thief’s apartment and the testimony of the nine-year-old (is it a coincidence?) daughter of his partner, who allegedly saw Chaikin and his accomplice Komov chop icons and burn them in the oven.

Several loops, pearls, nails and remnants of material were actually found there later. But whether it was the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God that was stolen from the church that was burned then is not known for sure...

Thus, the trace of this shrine was lost... Some believe that the original icon is in Moscow (and the copy was lost in the fire), others - that it is in St. Petersburg, and still others - that the real icon is being preserved by the Old Believers.

I really want to believe in the immortality of the relic!.. But perhaps it is no less important for all of us to keep it in our hearts?..

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is considered the patroness of the Russian land, which is confirmed by many historical facts. Since ancient times, Orthodox people prayed to her, asking for help and support in the most difficult times for Russia.

The Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is celebrated twice a year: in the summer - on July 21 - in memory of the appearance of the icon in Kazan, and on November 4 - in gratitude for the deliverance of Moscow and all of Rus' from Polish invaders.

Phenomenon

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God has a very interesting history. It was found in 1579 by a nine-year-old girl in the ashes of a terrible fire that destroyed part of the city of Kazan.

It still remains a mystery how the shrine fell into ruins. It is believed that it was buried by secret confessors of Christianity during Tatar rule.

The image was solemnly transferred to the parish church of St. Nicholas of Tula, the rector of which was then the pious priest, the future Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Hermogenes.

The future saint, who died at the hands of the Poles for his fidelity to Orthodoxy and was canonized, compiled a detailed account of the miracles of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

At the site where the icon was found, a convent was subsequently founded, where Matrona and her mother took monastic vows.

So by the time difficult times came in Russia, the icon of the Kazan Mother of God was no longer just known, but also very revered.

Many copies were made of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, and the icon itself became famous for its miraculousness - the sick recovered, the blind gained sight, enemies were defeated and expelled.

The most famous miracles of the intercession of the Mother of God are associated with the events of the Time of Troubles. It is believed that it was the miraculous icon that helped the militia led by Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and merchant Kuzma Minin defeat the enemy on November 4, 1612 and liberate Moscow from the Poles.

Story

Artist G. Lissner. "The expulsion of Polish interventionists from the Moscow Kremlin. 1612."

In memory of the deliverance of Moscow from the Poles by the will of Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich, the first Russian Tsar of the Romanov dynasty, and the blessing of Metropolitan, later Patriarch Philaret, the Orthodox Church established annually on October 22 in Moscow the celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God with a procession of the cross.

At first this celebration took place only in Moscow, but since 1649 it became all-Russian. It is believed that the Most Holy Theotokos took the Russian militia under her protection. The holiday was celebrated in Russia until the 1917 Revolution.

The icon of Our Lady of Kazan became the common shrine of Kazan, Moscow, St. Petersburg and all of Russia, where there were three main miraculous icons of Our Lady of Kazan - the discovered one and two copies.

One of the lists of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was brought into Moscow liberated from the Poles by Dmitry Pozharsky, who headed the people’s militia. Now it is kept in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral in Moscow.

Traditions and signs

On this day, all people went to church, where they prayed for their homeland, for their loved ones and relatives, so that there would be peace and tranquility in families.

After the liturgy, all believers went on a religious procession - with icons in their hands, they walked around cities and villages, which symbolized the protection of the settlement from harm. Today they are limited to walking along the main streets or just around the church.

In the old days, women believed that on this day the Mother of God helped them. There were many protective rituals that women used on this day.

This day is considered happy for marriages and weddings. In the old days, it was believed that on such a bright day of the triumph of the Orthodox faith, it was the right time to start a new family. Those who wanted to live their family life without problems and in happiness, sought to time the wedding ceremony specifically for the autumn holiday of the Kazan Mother of God.

There are many signs associated with the weather: if the ground is covered in fog in the morning, it will be warm, and if it rains, it will snow soon, if the sun is shining brightly, the winter will be just as sunny.

Rainy weather on this day is a good sign. People said that this Mother of God cries and prays for all people. She begs the Lord God for forgiveness for the people and asks that their life be easier, that the harvest next year be good, and that there be no famine.

But dry weather, on the contrary, is a bad omen. People say that if there is no rain on Kazanskaya, then next year will be very difficult. And you can’t count on a good harvest at all.

Also on this day, the villagers went out into their gardens and scattered salt on the ground: “they treated them to bread and salt” so that the future harvest would be rich and plentiful. After this, all the fields were walked around with the icon, and then a festive meal was held on the ground, consisting of gifts of earth and holy water.

What do they pray for?

The Kazan Mother of God is considered a miraculous icon, and prayers to her can be fateful. People believe that during any disaster, grief or misfortune, the Kazan Mother of God can cover a person asking for help from all troubles with her invisible veil and save him.

In front of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God they pray for the healing of eye and other diseases, protection of the house from disaster and fire, deliverance from enemy invasions, blessing of the newlyweds, the birth of children, and family well-being.

Prayer

The material was prepared on the basis of open sources.

The Kazan Autumn national holiday is celebrated on November 4, 2020 (October 22 is the date according to the old style). In the church calendar for this day (starting from 1649), a celebration was established in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, as a sign of gratitude to the miraculous image for the deliverance of Moscow and all of Russia from the Poles in 1612.

Contents of the article

History of the holiday

The 16th-17th centuries are called the Time of Troubles. During that period, the Polish principality mocked the Christian religion and the entire Orthodox faith, plundered churches and monasteries, cities and villages. With the help of deception, it took control of Moscow. Patriarch Ermagen convened the people into a militia to defend the Motherland. It was headed by Prince Pozharsky. An image of the Most Holy Theotokos was sent from Kazan for spiritual support.

The entire Russian people raised a prayer to the Lord God and the Mother of God for help and imposed a 3-day fast on themselves. The prayer was heard, and the wrath of God was replaced by mercy. On October 22, 1612, the militia defeated the invaders and liberated Moscow.

Traditions and rituals

This day is considered a turning point. It is after this that winter comes into its possession.

Kazan autumn - the time of settlements for completed construction work. This day was the last when the owners could pay off all the workers: painters, carpenters, plasterers, masons, simple mercenaries and others. The men returned home with money, where their wives and laid tables, laden with food and beer, were waiting for them.

Traditionally, on this day the basement was ventilated, the juniper was set on fire and the room was fumigated with it. This was done in order to preserve supplies: so that they would not rot and run out.