Which church has the Feodorovskaya icon? How does the Fedorovskaya Mother of God help?

The main shrine of the Kostroma region is the miraculous Feodorovskaya icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The miraculous Feodorovskaya icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been known since the 12th century, when it was in a chapel near the ancient Volga region city of Gorodets. Subsequently, a men's monastery was founded here, called the Mother of God-Feodorovsky; The miraculous image was the main shrine of the monastery until 1239 - when the Mongol-Tatar invaders ravaged and burned Gorodets, and the icon disappeared from the city.

According to legend, confirmed by the research of modern historians, at the time described, the Feodorovskaya icon became a prayer image of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, and it was with this icon that in 1239 Grand Duke Yaroslav Vsevolodovich blessed his son - Holy Prince Alexander - for marriage with the Polotsk princess Paraskeva. Together with the noble prince, the Feodorovskaya icon traveled to the Horde, where Saint Alexander defended the interests of the Russian land; He took this image of the Most Holy Theotokos with him on military campaigns; In front of the face of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, the noble prince, having accepted monasticism, completed his life’s journey.

The miraculous appearance of the Theodore Icon in Kostroma to Prince Vasily Yaroslavich, the younger brother of St. Alexander Nevsky, took place in the late 50s and early 60s of the 13th century. On the eve of the apparition, on the day of the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, many residents of Kostroma saw a warrior with an icon of the Mother of God in his arms on the streets of the city. The Kostroma residents recognized the warrior as the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates - from his iconographic image in the cathedral church of Kostroma. The next day, August 16, according to the old style, Prince Vasily Yaroslavich, while hunting, saw this icon on the branches of a tree near the Zaprudnya river. The found shrine was solemnly brought in a religious procession to Kostroma and placed in the cathedral church in the name of the Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates, after which it began to be called Feodorovskaya.

In memory of the appearance of the miraculous Feodorovskaya icon, a celebration was established on August 16/29 and traditionally accompanied in Kostroma by a citywide religious procession from the cathedral to the Church of the Savior on Zaprudne, erected on the site of the appearance of the shrine. This tradition, forcibly interrupted in the twentieth century, was revived in 1990.

March 14, old style, 1613 in Kostroma Holy Trinity Ipatievsky monastery Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov, in front of the face of the miraculous Feodorovskaya icon, accepted his election by the Zemsky Sobor to the throne of the Russian state. According to chronicles, the cathedral envoys, representing all classes of the Russian land, spent many hours asking Mikhail Feodorovich and his mother, the great nun Martha Ioannovna, to accept the conciliar decision; consent was obtained only after an appeal from the head of the embassy, Archbishop Theodoret of Ryazan and Murom, who called on young Mikhail and his mother to bow before the will of God. At the miraculous Feodorovsky image of the Most Holy Theotokos, Mikhail Feodorovich Romanov took vows of allegiance to the Fatherland, the Orthodox Church and the Russian people. Since this event, which was the beginning of overcoming the Great Troubles, the Feodorovsky image of the Mother of God and the Holy Trinity Ipatiev Monastery of the city of Kostroma became especially revered shrines of the royal house of the Romanovs, and in memory of the calling of Mikhail Feodorovich to the throne, another celebration of the icon was established - March 27 , according to the new style.

Since the second half of the 18th century, many members royal family, including all Russian emperors, starting with Nicholas I, considered it their duty to visit Kostroma - “the cradle of the House of Romanov” - and venerate the miraculous Feodorovskaya icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1913, during the national celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, Kostroma was visited by the holy royal passion-bearers - the last Russian Emperor Nikolai Alexandrovich and his august family. The special veneration of the miraculous image of the Mother of God by the Romanov dynasty found its expression in the construction in Tsarskoye Selo of the Feodorovsky town with a temple in the name of the miraculous Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God, as well as in the fact that those who converted from heterodoxy to Orthodox faith brides of members of the royal family took the patronymic name “Feodorovna”.

During the years of persecution of the Church in the twentieth century, the miraculous Theodore Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos did not leave the temple walls and was preserved as a church shrine. Considering the spiritual and cultural value and significance of the icon for Orthodoxy, this case is unique in modern history Russian Orthodox Church. Since 1991, the miraculous image has been kept in the Epiphany-Anastasia Cathedral of Kostroma (). Also, since 1991, a chronicle has been kept of modern miracles performed through prayers at the Theodore Icon; To date, more than 100 such events have been recorded.

The miraculous Theodore Icon of the Mother of God has long been revered by the Orthodox people as a patron of family well-being, the birth and upbringing of children, and helps in difficult childbirths.

With the blessing of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus', in 2001-2004, the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was brought for the veneration of believers in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Arkhangelsk, on the Solovetsky Islands, in Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan, Tver. In the fall of 2004, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' and at the invitation of the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Vladimir, the main shrine of the Kostroma region took part in the All-Ukrainian religious procession, which passed through 40 large and small cities of Ukraine and brought together several million people.

August 29, 2002 Divine Liturgy and citywide religious procession, in which more than 40 thousand Kostroma residents took part, on the day of the celebration of the appearance of the miraculous Theodore Icon of the Mother of God, during his visit to Kostroma, for the first time in history, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church headed His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'.

In 1891, Moscow craftsmen, using voluntary donations from Kostroma residents and residents of other regions of Russia, with the personal participation of Emperor Alexander III, made a golden chasuble decorated with precious stones, which were collected from all over Russia. The high artistic value of the chasuble made it possible to consider it one of the outstanding works of jewelry art of the 19th century.

In March 1922, a subcommittee of the Provincial Commission for the Confiscation of Church Valuables removed the robe from the Feodorovsky icon and took it away in an unknown direction.

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

Origin of the image

History of the icon in the XII-XIII centuries

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

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

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

The first legend

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

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

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

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

Legend two

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

Legend three

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

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

Researchers' opinions

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

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

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

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

Further history of the icon

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

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

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

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XX century

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

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

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

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Iconography

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

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

Legends about the appearance of the icon

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

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

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

Rediscovery of an icon

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

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

Study of the icon and its iconography

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

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

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

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

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

Meaning of the icon

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

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

What does an icon help with?

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

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

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

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

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

Miracles associated with the icon

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

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

Icon Veneration Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God

General view of the Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God without frame

Feodorovskaya icon with a legend (2nd half of the 18th century, Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve)

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

The icon was painted in 1164 by order of the Prince of Vladimir for the Gorodets Monastery.

The icon was painted by order of the Prince of Vladimir in 1239 as a gift for the wedding of his son. The wedding nature of the icon is explained by the presence on its back of the image of the Great Martyr Paraskeva, who was revered in Rus' as the patroness of brides and weddings, as well as the former patroness of the Polotsk princely house, where Alexandra’s bride came from.
Regarding the name of the icon “Theodore”, it is hypothesized that it arose due to the fact that Theodore Stratilates was the heavenly patron of Prince Yaroslav and many other Mstislavich princes, with whom Yaroslav and his offspring were connected through his wife Theodosia, daughter of Mstislav Mstislavich Udatny.

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

Temple of Theodore Stratilates in Kostroma

There is no chronicle information about the time of the founding of Kostroma. Tatishchev attributed its foundation and dated it to 1152.

In 1237-1238 Mongol-Tatar conquerors fell on Rus'. After the defeat of Ryazan, their troops entered the territory of the Vladimir-Suzdal land. Continuing to move north and east, the Mongol-Tatars burned Russian cities. Among them was Gorodets [Kiryanov I.A. About ancient Gorodets / Gorodets antiquity. Vol. 1. - Gorodets, 1992. P. 9, 10]. Then, at the beginning. 1238, and the icon of the Mother of God could have been transferred from Gorodets to Kostroma. The details of the “appearance” of the icon in Kostroma, set out in the “Tale”, are intended to confirm the indicated date: “God allow the accursed and fierce and proud and vile apostate and fierce tormentor of Tsar Batu to the entire Russian land and the many Russian cities of captivity (...) and then captivated the city, the verb Gorodets, and cut down all the existing people in it and made it all empty, as is the custom for those who captivate and because of that captivity and destruction that city became desolate and desolate, and this miraculous icon was in it (.. .) Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos did not desire for Her miraculous image to be in an empty place (...) and to give Her possession of the city of Kostroma” [The Legend of the Apparition and Miracles... - P. 210].

In 1239, the Grand Duke of Vladimir restored Kostroma and erected the wooden church of Theodore Stratilates in the center of the city. Theodore Stratilates becomes the heavenly patron of the city.

Prince Vasily Yaroslavich was born in the city of Vladimir. Until the death of his elder brother, Yaroslav III Yaroslavich, he reigned in Kostroma.
It is known from the chronicles that Prince Vasily married in 1266 (the name and family of his bride are unknown) and was crowned in the Cathedral of Theodore Stratilates by Saint Ignatius, Bishop of Rostov.

Then in 1272 he ascended the Vladimir grand-ducal throne.

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

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

Legend two
On August 16, 1239, Prince Vasily Kvashnya of Kostroma, near the Zaprudnya River, saw an icon of the Mother of God hanging on a tree. With the participation of the clergy, the icon was transferred to Kostroma and placed in the cathedral church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Later, the Zaprudnensky Spassky Monastery was built at the site where it was found.
The story of the appearance of the miraculous icon of Feodorovskaya reports that
“Having seen the people of this venerable icon, and beginning to tell the story, saying, yesterday we saw this icon carried through our city by a certain warrior, similar to that warrior with the vision of the Holy Great Martyr Theodore Stratilates, and thus testifying to the people.”
On behalf of the Great Martyr Theodore Stratelates, the icon received its name - Theodorovskaya. Soon a man from Gorodets came to Kostroma, who recognized the icon as the one that had disappeared from their city.

Legend three
According to the third legend, the icon was found on August 16, 1272 by the younger brother of Alexander Nevsky, the prince (1236 or 1241-1277). This date is contained in the “Tale of the Appearance and Miracles of the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God in Kostroma,” compiled in 1670 by Hierodeacon Longin of the Kostroma Ipatiev Monastery.

Assumption Cathedral of Kostroma

In the beginning XV century the city was moved to the Kremlin hill. In mid. XVI century The stone Assumption Cathedral was built in the Kremlin. The temple had one dome and two pillars, on a high vaulted basement. This is one of the first two-pillar churches known in Rus'. There was a second one in his architecture unique feature- the apses turn not to the east, but to the north, towards Zaprudye, where the appearance of the Feodorovskaya icon took place. The two-pillar solution has become very popular in Kostroma. It is possible that the Assumption Cathedral served as a model for the construction of the cathedral in the Epiphany Monastery in Kostroma, now a cathedral, several decades later.

Recognition of the miraculous icon

Miracle from the icon of Our Lady of Theodore in the Battle of the Holy Lake (fragment of the icon with a legend, 1680s, Kostroma)

The first miracles of the icon include stories about its miraculous salvation in a fire (legends report two fires: one destroyed the old wooden church, the second occurred in the new stone church). “The Legend of the Appearance and Miracles of the Feodorov Icon of the Mother of God,” which was created over several centuries and has come down to us in a number of copies, tells of the miraculous salvation of Kostroma from the Tatar troops in the Battle of the Holy Lake.
... and departed from the city as if there were two fields or in the distance there was little and a stash near a certain lake, and as if the regiments were close to each other, and the sinners drew their weapons and strained their bows to shoot the right and humble-hearted, small Christian army, and suddenly from the miraculous the image of the Most Holy Theotokos lifted up the divine and most luminous rays, especially sunbeam and like a fire scorching and attacking them and burning the Tatar regiments, and from that illumination and the ray of the divine and from the burning, all the opposite regiments were confused, and many of them were blinded and did not know each other, and fear and trembling were in them, and weapons were in them and their hearts and their warriors were crushed and the Russian hordes attacked them and killed many of them, the remnants of the wicked disappeared and perished for their iniquity, and the Russian captives were filled with all by the intercession and help of the Most Holy Mother of God.
- “The Legend of the Appearance and Miracles of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God”

The last miracle later received the name “Miracle of the Icon of Our Lady of Theodore in the Battle of the Holy Lake,” since the lake began to be called Holy. At the place where the icon stood during the battle, a worship cross was first erected, and then at the end of the 17th century a stone chapel was erected.

Holy Lake and 17th century chapel

Calling to the kingdom of Mikhail Fedorovich

In 1613, the Zemsky Sobor elected Mikhail Romanov to the kingdom, which was confirmed by the final document - Conciliar oath. After this, an embassy was appointed from Moscow to the Kostroma Ipatiev Monastery, where Mikhail Fedorovich lived with his mother, nun Martha. In this embassy, according to later legends, the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God played a special role, but the details of how the icon was involved in this event are quite vague.

Calling to the kingdom of Mikhail Romanov (Grigory Ugryumov, ca. 1800). From left to right: nun Martha, Mikhail Romanov, Archbishop Theodoret of Ryazan.

The embassy was headed by Archbishop Theodoret of Ryazan, cellarer of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery Avraamy Palitsyn and boyar Fyodor Ivanovich Sheremetev. Due to the importance of the issue, a Moscow shrine - the Petrine Icon of the Mother of God from the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin - went with the embassy. The embassy arrived in Kostroma on March 23 (13), 1613, and the next day, March 24 (14), were received by Mikhail Romanov and his mother at the Ipatiev Monastery. Both mother and son refused the throne, but as a result of persuasion they agreed. These events took place in one day. According to the New Chronicler Patriarch Philaret - “There was great joy on that day in Kostroma, and a celebration was held for the miraculous icon of the Most Pure Theotokos of Feodorovskaya” - the day became the day of celebration of the icon, which is still celebrated.

According to a number of modern historians, nun Martha blessed her son with the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God when he was elected to the kingdom. In the legend about the icon there is the following parting word, attributed to the nun Martha:
Behold, to You, O Mother of God, Most Pure Mother of God, in Your Most Pure Hands, Lady, I commend my child, and as you wish, arrange for it to be beneficial for him and for all Orthodox Christianity.

On the other hand, a direct participant in the events, Abraham Palitsyn, does not mention this icon in his “Legend”. He writes that when the nun Martha and her son Michael refused for a long time the offer to take the royal throne, then “... the archbishop took up on his hand the miraculous icon of the image of the Most Holy Theotokos, which Metropolitan Peter had already painted, and the Trinity cellarer, elder Abramaeus, took up the image of the great miracle workers Peter and Alexei and Jonah, and brought it before the empress..."

One way or another, the icon became especially revered in the new royal family. Mikhail took the copy of the icon with him to Moscow and placed it in the court church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary “on Senya”. In 1618, he sent decorations for the icon to Kostroma, and in 1636, on the instructions of the tsar, the icon was renewed, removing the ancient drying oil, and decorated with a precious robe. With the growing popularity of the icon, numerous lists begin to be created from it, from the second floor. XVII century lists with stamps depicting the history of the image are becoming common. In 1745, at the direction of the Holy Synod, the icon was again renewed and decorated with a new golden chasuble. The work lasted from August 16 to September 15, it was carried out by Yaroslavl priest John Andreev.

Assumption Cathedral has not retained its original architecture. It was updated and rebuilt many times after fires - in 1654, 1773 and 1843. In mid. XVII century it was expanded from the west. Having been converted into a four-pillar cathedral, the cathedral received five chapters instead of one. In 1666, a side church was added to it in honor of St. Theodore Stratilates. The most revered icons in the city were kept in the cathedral, including the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, as well as the banners of the Kostroma militia.
The saintly and royal letters were addressed until the beginning. XVII century to Kostroma, mainly in the name of “the archpriest of the cathedral church, Theodore Stratilates” (meaning the archpriest of the Assumption Cathedral). Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich sends letters to the archpriest of the “cathedral church of the Most Pure Mother of God and Theodore Stratelates.”

On May 18, 1773, a terrible fire engulfed the entire Kremlin and the ancient cathedral church in it - it destroyed all its treasures, the entire archive, which contained rare manuscripts. The church historian writes that at the same time, “only the ancient, unappreciated shrine was miraculously preserved - the revealed and miraculous image of the Mother of God of Feodorov.” During this fire, many buildings in the Kremlin burned down, including the church of the Holy Cross Monastery, which was then transferred from here to the abolished Anastasiin. The restored Assumption Cathedral remained alone in the Kremlin, in the open space, which made it possible to add the necessary premises to it.
The Kostroma diocese was established in 1744. The bishop's courtyard and the cathedral were located in the Ipatiev Monastery. Nevertheless, the center of spiritual life was the Assumption Cathedral, which, although not the main one in Kostroma, had significant advantages.
In 1775–1778 Seventeen Yaroslavl painters worked there. Scenes were depicted inside the temple and on the gallery Biblical history. G. Lukomsky and V. Lukomsky in 1913, in their book about Kostroma, described the frescoes of this temple, dedicated to the appearance and miracles of the Theodore Icon.
“It is consistently depicted here,” they write, “how Theodore Stratilates carries an icon around the city on the day of the Assumption, how Prince Vasily saw an icon in the forest; further depicts its transfer to Kostroma, a fire in the temple of Theodore Stratelates, where the icon was originally placed, the exit from Kostroma with the icon against the invasion of the Tatars, the battle with the Tatars across the Kostroma River at the Holy Lake and various miracles of healing... Then Vasily Kvashnya with horse is presented retinue and dogs; on the cathedral transfer of the icon to Kostroma, a luxurious city (Kostroma) with a Kremlin is depicted: in the background there is a cathedral with golden domes, and the gates to the cathedral fence are copied from life; and in the image of one of the miracles a grandiose fortress is written - on the walls, in the embrasures there are cannons and warriors with guns and pikes.”

19th century

Feodorovskaya icon in a precious frame (photo by S. M. Prokudin-Gorsky, 1910)

From the end XVIII century German princesses, marrying Russian grand dukes and converting to Orthodoxy for this purpose, according to tradition, received the patronymic Feodorovna in honor of the Feodorovskaya icon. These include Maria Feodorovna (wife of Paul I), Alexandra Fedorovna (wife of Nicholas I), Maria Feodorovna (wife of Alexander III), Alexandra Fedorovna (wife of Nicholas II) and Elizaveta Fedorovna. This tradition dates back to the 17th century, when, in honor of the same icon, the “dissonant” patronymic of Tsarina Evdokia Lopukhina was changed from “Illarionovna” to “Fedorovna,” and when Tsar Ivan Alekseevich married Praskovya Saltykova, her patronymic was not only changed, but and changed her father’s name from Alexander to Fedor.
The icon was repeatedly decorated with precious frames. In the beginning XIX century At the expense of the residents of Kostroma, a new gold frame was made for the icon, in which precious stones from the previous one were placed. In the description of the Assumption Cathedral in Kostroma, written in 1820, the icon is reported:
In this image, the robe, made in 1805 of the purest gold, by the cathedral, and more by the diligence of the citizens, weighs 20 pounds 39 spools with the crown; she and the crown are decorated with diamonds, yachts, emeralds, rubies (of which one red is the most precious), garnets and other precious stones, large pearls and Burmite grains... This image includes cassocks or earrings more than half an arshin in length, with Burmite grains, precious stones, gold dies, rings and pads...

In 1891, a golden chasuble weighing about 10 kg was made for the icon. It adorned the icon until 1922, when the chasuble was requisitioned as part of a campaign to confiscate church property.

List of Feodorovskaya icons of the 19th century

XX century

After the October Revolution, the icon did not end up in museum collections, but continued to be in the church. In 1919, in Kostroma, in order to reveal the original paint layer, it was examined by a commission of the museum department of the People's Commissariat for Education under the leadership of I. E. Grabar. In 1922, the Assumption Cathedral and the Feodorovskaya Icon passed to the Renovationists, who owned it until 1944. The Assumption Cathedral was blown up during the so-called “godless five-year plan.” In 1929, the Kostroma community brought the icon to Moscow to the Central State Restoration Workshops. During the restoration work, experts came to the conclusion that the main part of the painting of the 13th century. lost.

“The Fedorovskaya icon has been so lost from the front side that it gives the researcher nothing but scattered and small fragments. The loss of this monument is especially regrettable because the reverse side of the icon with the image of the martyr Paraskeva, preserved quite satisfactorily, confirms the era of its origin, attributed by legend to the second quarter of the 13th century.”
(A.I. Anisimov).

“Unfortunately, the heads [of the Virgin and Child], as well as the head written on back side Paraskevs, lying on a new gesso, late 18th century. Paraskeva’s clothes are the best preserved” (I. E. Grabar). “Only small fragments have survived from the painting on the front side of the “Our Lady of Feodorov” icon. The image of Paraskeva has survived to this day in better preservation. From the 13th century painting on the image of Paraskeva, only clothes, small pieces of the original white halo and silver background have been preserved.”
(S.I. Maslenitsyn).

Saint Paraskeva, revered as the patroness of weddings (image on the back of the Feodorovskaya icon)

The icon was not under restoration for long; The work was carried out by V. O. Kirikov. At the same time, due to the absence of more ancient layers of painting of the New Age, it was necessary to leave them on the face and hands, as well as on clothes. In the 1930s The Assumption Cathedral where the icon was located was destroyed and the image was transferred to the Church of St. John the Evangelist on Katkina Hill (renovationism), and in the middle. 1940s to the Church of St. John Chrysostom, which became a cathedral. In 1947, a simple copper-gilded chasuble from one of the lists was placed on the icon. In 1948, Patriarch Alexy I visited Kostroma and wished to decorate the icon with a new precious robe, corresponding to its status as a revered shrine. Fundraising took several years, and in the spring of 1955, Moscow craftsmen made a silver-gilded frame for the icon.
Since April 1964, the icon began to reside in the Church of the Resurrection on Debra, where the bishop's see was moved. Since 1990, the tradition has been renewed on the day of celebration of the icon, August 16 (29), to make a religious procession with it to the place of its appearance. On August 18, 1991, the Feodorovskaya icon was transferred to the Epiphany-Anastasia Cathedral, which was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, which became the cathedral of the Kostroma diocese.

Iconography

Fragment of Feodorovsky prototype

The Feodorovskaya icon belongs to the iconographic type of Eleus (Tenderness). Its general iconography is very close to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. For this reason, many researchers consider it a replica list. The difference between the Theodore Icon and the Vladimir Icon is the left leg of the Infant Christ, bare to the knee. According to the ancient description, when the icon was transferred to Kostroma, it looked like this:
...written by oil paints"on a dry tree." The board is 1 arshin 2 vershoks long, 12 vershoks wide. The Mother of God is depicted with her head slightly bowed to right shoulder. Right hand supported by the Infant God hugging the Mother of God. The right leg of the Infant God is covered with a robe, while the left leg is uncovered up to the knee. On back side the holy great martyr Paraskeva, called Friday, is written... The lower part of the icon ends with a handle 1 1/2 arshins in length.
The Feodorovskaya icon is also included in the iconographic version of “Glycofilus” - “walking legs” due to the position of the feet of the Infant God. It is believed that on the Vladimir icon the position of Jesus’ feet was originally the same.
The overall state of preservation of the icon is currently low; it has been renewed several times and the original painting of the faces of the Virgin Mary and Jesus Christ is noticeably worn. On the back of the icon is a half-length image of the Great Martyr Paraskeva. The saint is depicted in red clothes, decorated with gold floral patterns, which, according to I. E. Grabar, represents “a certain echo of ancient Byzantine-Suzdal patterned fabrics.” Her hands are raised in prayer to chest levels.

Temples consecrated in honor of the Feodorovsky icon

The Sovereign's Cathedral in Tsarskoe Selo - the regimental temple of the Consolidated infantry regiment and His Imperial Majesty’s Own convoy, was also considered “the arrival of the emperor’s family.”

Feodorovsky Sovereign Cathedral, Cathedral of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God.

Feodorovsky Cathedral of St. Petersburg - built for the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, in the 1920s it was popularly called the “Romanov Church”.

Feodorovsky Cathedral of St. Petersburg

Feodorovskaya Church - built by parishioners in the 1680s, in Soviet times - the cathedral of the Rostov-Yaroslavl diocese.

Feodorovskaya Church of Yaroslavl

The throne of the Ascension Cathedral of the Orshina Monastery, in which the revered miraculous copy of the icon was kept (currently in the collection of the Tver Art Gallery).

Ascension Cathedral of Orshina Monastery

Chapel in honor of the Theodore Icon at the Alexander Metochion of the Imperial Orthodox Church Palestinian Society in Jerusalem. Consecrated in 2008.

Feodorovsky Cathedral in the Feodorovsky Monastery of Gorodets

Celebration

In honor of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God, the Orthodox Church established the following celebrations:
- August 16/29;
- March 14/27 - in memory of the end of the Time of Troubles and the calling of Mikhail Fedorovich to the throne in 1613.

The Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God is the patroness, first of all, of women - brides, expectant mothers, and prayer to the Mother of God in front of her helps during difficult childbirths. They pray to her for maintaining peace and prosperity in the family, and also if the family is in long time childless. This icon is good to have in a house where there are similar problems. A sincere prayer to Our Lady before her will help you in solving them.
Prayer in front of the Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God helps in cases of long-term childlessness of a family; brides pray in front of it for a successful marriage, expectant mothers, and also pray for women in labor during difficult births. If not everything is going well in the family, then prayer before it will help to improve the shaky relationship between the spouses. This icon is also revered as miraculous and helps heal diseases, especially women’s diseases.
Most of the evidence has been preserved about the help received through prayers in front of the icon for conceiving a child.

First prayer before the icon of the Mother of God Feodorovskaya

Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, the only hope for us sinners! We resort to You and pray to You, for you have great boldness before the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ, who was born of You in the flesh. Do not despise our tears, do not abhor our sighs, do not reject our sorrow, do not disgrace our hope in You, but with Your Mother’s prayers beseech the Lord God that He will grant us sinners and unworthy to be freed from sins and passions of the soul and body, to die to the world and to live for Him. one for all the days of our life. O Most Holy Lady Theotokos, travel and protect and protect those who are traveling, deliver those captives from captivity, free those suffering from troubles, comfort those in sorrow, sorrow and misfortune, alleviate poverty and all bodily suffering, and grant to everyone everything necessary for life, piety and life more temporary. Save, O Lady, all countries and cities, and this country and this city, to whom this miraculous and holy icon of Thy was given for consolation and protection, deliver me from famine, destruction, cowardice, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners, internecine warfare, and turn away all anger towards us who are righteously motivated. Grant us time for repentance and conversion, deliver us from sudden death, and during our exodus appear to us, the Virgin Mother of God, and deliver us from the airy ordeals of the princes of this age, vouchsafe us at the Last Judgment of Christ to stand at the right hand, and make us heirs of the eternal good, may we glorify forever the magnificent name of Your Son and our God with His Originless Father and His Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Second prayer before the icon of the Mother of God of Feodorovskaya

O Most Merciful Lady, Queen Theotokos, accept our humble prayer, and do not reject us, our Intercession and Refuge, and do not disdain us, unworthy, but as the Merciful One, do not stop praying, Whom You gave birth to, that He may grant us forgiveness of many of our sins, yes will save us in the image and news of destinies. Have mercy on us, Lady, have mercy on us, for there is no salvation for us from works. It is also true that we cry to Thee: have mercy on Thy servants, and show our barren heart fruitful in good deeds. Look down on us unworthy. You are our hope and protection, life and light to our heart. As you raised up the Everlasting Light from Your womb, illuminate our soul, O Pure One, and drive away all darkness in our hearts. Grant us tenderness, repentance and contrition of heart. Vouchsafe us all the days of our lives to do the will of Thy Son and our God and to please Him alone in everything. O Mother of God, do not stop praying to the One born of You for all those who flow with faith to this miraculous image of Yours and give them quick help and consolation in sorrows, misfortunes, and misfortunes, deliver them from slander and human malice, from enemies visible and invisible, and all kinds of needs and sorrows. Save our fatherland, this city and all cities and countries from all troubles and needs, and make the existence of our God merciful to us, turn away all His wrath against us and deliver us from His due and righteous rebuke. O God-loving Lady, adornment of the angels, glory to the martyrs and joy to all the saints, pray to the Lord with them, that he may grant us in repentance to end the course of our life. In the hour of death, Most Holy Virgin, deliver us from the power of demons and condemnation, and the answer, and terrible trials, and bitter ordeals, and eternal fire, so that, having been honored with the glorious Kingdom of God, we magnify You and glorify Christ our God, incarnate from You, glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer three before the icon of Our Lady of Feodorovskaya

To whom will I call, the Lady; to whom shall I resort in my sorrow; To whom will I bring my tears and sighs, if not to You, Queen of Heaven and earth. Who will pluck me from the mire of sins and iniquities, if not You, O Mother of the Belly, Intercessor and Refuge of the human race. Hear my groaning, comfort me and have mercy in my sorrow, protect me in troubles and misfortunes, deliver me from bitterness and sorrows and all sorts of ailments and illnesses, from visible and invisible enemies, pacify the enmity of those who suffer me, so that I will be delivered from slander and human malice; So free me from your flesh and vile customs. Cover me under the canopy of Your mercy, so that I may find peace and joy and cleansing from sins. I entrust myself to your Motherly intercession: be my Mother and Hope, Protection and Help and Intercession, joy and consolation and a quick Helper in everything. Oh, wonderful Lady! Everyone flows to You, without Your omnipotent help does not leave: for this reason, even though I am unworthy, I come running to You, so that I will be delivered from sudden and cruel death, gnashing of teeth and eternal torment. I am worthy to receive the Kingdom of Heaven and to You in the tenderness of my heart the river: Rejoice, Mother of God, our zealous Representative and Intercessor, forever and ever. Amen.

Holy Mother of God Feodorovskaya
Yuri Kuznetsov. Wood, gesso, tempera, varnish

June 3, July 6, September 8.
- July 1st.
Theodore Icon of the Mother of God - March 27, August 29.
- November 4, July 21.
- November 22.
- May 18.

All about religion and faith - “the prayer of the Fedorovskaya Mother of God helps with what” detailed description and photographs.

Each type of icon of the Virgin Mary has, in addition to its general meaning as an image of the Virgin Mary, also special meaning and characteristics. The prayer to the icon of the Mother of God of Fedorov is intended to help young couples who have just cemented (or expressed such a desire) their union, as well as women (men) in solving problems of procreation.

The shrine, kept in the city of Kostroma, has an intricate and rich history, the details of which are little known. But it deserves attention, confirming the very fact of existence of the divine will.

The icon was painted by Saint Luke - the apostle of Christ and the first icon painter, whose brush includes many faces of the Mother of God - but how the creation got to Russia remains the greatest mystery.

There is documentary evidence that already in the 12th century. The icon, endowed with miraculous powers, was visited by pilgrims in a chapel near the small settlement of Gorodets. A legend is also connected with this fact that the icon was allegedly made to order by Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky of Vyshgorod in 1164.

After the burning of the settlement, the icon strangely disappeared and reappeared in the city of Kostroma only a century and a half later: it was seen hanging over a tree branch (just in the air!) by the hunting Prince Vasily of Kostroma, known among the people for his piety and righteousness. The Fedorovskaya shrine began to be called because for a long time was kept in the church of the Great Martyr Stratelates, called Feodor.

Now the image occupies a place of honor among the sacred images of the Epiphany-Anastasinsky Monastery in Kostroma, and many lists (copies) are distributed throughout the cities and villages of Orthodox Rus' and other Slavic states. One of these lists, written by nun Martha in the 19th century, is located in Fedorovsky Gorodets (monastery) of Tsarskoye Selo. This image is famous throughout the Orthodox world because in 1994 (on the day the remains of Prince Mikhail Romanov, killed in 1918, were interred), it cast myrrh, and this miracle lasted for 4 days.

Icon Feodorovskaya: who prays

Confessors advise reading the prayer of the Mother of God of Feodorovskaya to people who are looking for help in matters of finding family well-being and the happiness of childbearing. The Feodorovskaya Mother of God is considered the patroness of brides and the keeper of the family hearth.

She helps single girls and women who have problems communicating with the opposite sex; men suffering from sexual impotence; women who have problems conceiving, as well as pregnant women during pregnancy and difficult childbirth.

Rules for reading prayer

The Feodorovskaya Mother of God shows miracles to those who offer prayers with sincere faith before her icon. There is no need for fasting, candles and divine services; it is important that a person is determined to receive the help of the Most Holy One and believes in a favorable outcome of upcoming events.

If a young woman is predicted to have a difficult birth or is facing C-section, the main thing that is required is the calmness of the woman in labor. On the day of birth or scheduled surgery expectant mother reads a prayer in solitude, preferably several times, so that all bad thoughts go away. It’s good if loved ones go to church and also pray for the health of the woman and her baby.

Patroness Fedorovskaya stands for strong family ties and will never leave those asking for help in trouble.

Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary

In Christianity, the earthly mother of Jesus Christ, one of the most revered personalities and the greatest of Christian saints.

Christian prayer before the icon of Theodore's Mother: comments

One comment

I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or not, but after praying to this icon I got married! I didn’t know the truth about the rules that are described here before (But now I will definitely take this into account! Because I really want a baby) And the icon, by the way, is very beautiful! She really attracts you! Only it has such an effect on me) It probably really has great power)

The Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God: what it helps with

If you want to know how the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God helps and what it protects from, we advise you to read our article.

History of the Icon of the Feodorovskaya Mother of God

This icon was painted by Saint Luke, but no one knows exactly when it was brought to Mother Russia.
And the icon owes its name to Saint Theodore Stratelates, who found it hanging on a pine tree.
The Gorodetsky Feodorovsky Monastery was later built on that site.
This icon survived several fires, but remained unharmed.
It only darkened, but after abdication of Nicholas II happened, she again brightened and shone.
And on March 27 and August 29 she is honored and remembered.

What is depicted on the icon?

This icon is painted in black and red shades.
It depicts the Mother of God and the little Christ.
The baby hugs his mother tightly by the neck, and she presses her cheek to him.
The eyes of the Virgin Mary are sad and full of suffering.
With one hand the Mother of God supports her child, and with the other hand she reaches out to his little hand.
On the reverse side of this icon you can see the face of a martyr named Praskeva. This is how the Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God differs from others. This two-sidedness makes it unique.

Where is she now?

The Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God had to travel a lot around the world to different churches and temples.
But nowadays you can see it in the Epiphany Cathedral, which is located in Kostroma.
It was moved there in 1991, on August 17th.

Who can you pray to before her image?

How to pray before this icon?

You cannot put ultimatums either in front of the Theodore Mother of God or in front of other icons.
Ask for help in raising children, in childbirth, in conceiving a baby, you can also ask for health.
You can ask for strength to live on and strengthen your faith in the Lord.
You can’t ask for a lot of money in order to be richer than everyone else, because happiness does not lie in it, and it won’t bring any good anyway.
If you are poor, you can ask for help in finding a decent job that will provide you and your children with a normal life without hunger and cold.

What words should be read next to it?

If you have this icon, then you can at least read in front of it Orthodox prayer, even your own. Even prayers of one’s own making are pleasing to the Lord.
The text of the prayer might be something like this: “Dear Mother of God, Blessed Virgin Mary, help me give birth to a healthy baby, so that no complications occur during childbirth. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Amen!"

Now you know how the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God helps and what prayers you should read next to it.

How does the Fedorovskaya Mother of God help?

The Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God was created by the Apostle Luke. On the reverse side of this image is the martyr Paraskeva. Every year, believers celebrate the feast of this icon twice a year: March 14 and August 16. The first miracle occurred at the beginning of the 12th century, when the temple and the lands where the image was kept were burned, and it disappeared. By God's will, the icon was returned to Russian lands.

Before we find out what the Fedorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God helps with, let’s find out what is depicted on it. This image belongs to the iconographic type of Eleus. Many believe that it is a replica of the famous icon of the Vladimir Mother of God. There is one significant difference – the leg of the Infant God is bare to the knee. The Virgin Mary and son touch their cheeks to each other, which symbolizes the warm feelings between them. IN at the moment The appearance of the icon is very worn and many details cannot be seen. On the other side of the image, Paraskeva is depicted in red robes, decorated with gold floral patterns. Her hands are raised in prayer at chest level.

How does the Fedorovskaya Mother of God help?

The main purpose of this image is to help girls get rid of existing fears that relate to the upcoming birth. Many representatives of the fair sex are worried about their situation, worried that everything will be fine with the baby, and that the birth will be easy without complications. A prayer addressed to the Feodorovskaya Mother of God will help you cope with all these problems. Offer petitions to the holy woman for family well-being and maintaining warm feelings between lovers. The Mother of God also helps with requests to protect her child from various problems and diseases. Another meaning of the icon of the Feodorovskaya Mother of God is that it helps to get rid of numerous diseases, especially women’s ones.

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Icon of the Mother of God of Fedorov. The miraculous power of the icon

The entire history of the Russian Orthodox Church is inextricably linked with the veneration of icons, especially those that became famous for the miracles revealed through them. They are called miraculous. One of these miraculous images is the Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God. This ancient image Queen of Heaven. Its authorship is attributed to the Evangelist Luke. When and how he came to Rus' is unknown, but many legends and traditions are associated with his stay in Russian lands.

The first information about the miraculous icon

The first information about this miraculous icon dates back to the beginning of the 12th century. It is known that it was kept in a chapel, near the legendary city of Kitezh, in the Gorodetsky Monastery. This continued until they passed through Russian lands Batu's hordes. Gorodets, and with it the monastery, were completely plundered and burned. The miraculous image also disappeared without a trace. Those who were lucky enough to survive the invasion of the Tatars believed that it was hopelessly lost, but after some time what is now called the first of its known miracles happened.

By the will of the Creator, having survived the fire of the conflagration, the image was again revealed to the Russian soil. Legends present us with several versions of this event, and in them the names of different historical figures, who were honored to be the first to take the newly acquired shrine into their hands, but one thing is indisputable - the Queen of Heaven, with the appearance of a miraculous image, testified to her persistent help and support to all who trust in her with deep faith.

Finding the image by Prince Vasily

In connection with this event, Prince Vasily of Kostroma is most often mentioned. It is said that one day while hunting he saw the image of the Mother of God in the branches of a tree. With great honor and accompanied by the clergy, the find was transferred to Kostroma and placed in the city church. There were those who immediately recognized this icon as an image that was considered lost in the fire.

Soon another miracle occurred, which served as the reason for naming the icon as is customary today. One day, the amazed residents of Kostroma witnessed how a certain wonderful warrior in the image of the holy great martyr Fyodor Stratelite walked through the city, carrying a recently acquired icon in his hands. It was from then on that it began to be called the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God.

New disasters and miracles

Further, church tradition tells about new disasters that befell the inhabitants of Kostroma, and about new manifestations miraculous powers. Thus, it is mentioned that soon after the discovery of the icon, the wooden church where it was located burned down, but when the inconsolable townspeople began to rake away the still smoking ashes, they suddenly discovered a completely intact and undamaged image. And this was not the last time when the icon of the Mother of God of Fedorov miraculously remained untouched by fire.

In those days in Rus', buildings were most often erected from wood, which is why fires were not uncommon. After some time, the newly rebuilt cathedral church also burst into flames. When the townspeople rushed to save their shrine from the fire, they suddenly saw how the icon, slowly rising from the fire, hung in the air and was ready to disappear forever into the sky. It became clear to everyone that the Queen of Heaven was leaving them for the sins committed by people. Everyone fell to their knees and tearfully repented before the shrine. Only after this the icon, floating in the air, landed on the city square.

Saving Kostroma from the Tatars

It is difficult to list all the miracles revealed by the Mother of God through this miraculous image of hers. Suffice it to remember how in 1260, when hordes of Tatars again approached the city, the icon saved Kostroma from inevitable destruction. Carried out of the temple in the arms of the city’s defenders, she blinded her enemies with the powerful radiance emanating from her. The enemies, distraught with horror, ran away and never returned. By order of Prince Vasily, the icon was installed in the Assumption Cathedral of Kostroma and decorated with a precious robe. She remained there until 1929. An akathist to the Fedorov Icon of the Mother of God was compiled.

The elevation to the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich

But the most striking event Russian history, in which the icon of the Mother of God of Fedorov played a crucial role, was the accession to the reign of the founder of the Romanov dynasty, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. It is known for certain that the embassy that arrived from Moscow to Kostroma Zemsky Sobor, which had the goal of announcing to young Michael the great mission entrusted to him, brought with it two icons - the Mother of God of Vladimir and the icon of the Moscow miracle workers.

Residents of Kostroma, having met the embassy with the Fedorov icon, went to the nearby Ipatiev Monastery, where the future sovereign was at that time with his mother, nun Matryona. It is known how stubbornly mother and son opposed accepting the royal scepter, and only by the will of the Queen of Heaven, depicted on the miraculous icon, was their consent obtained.

It was in front of the Fedorovskaya icon that the nun Matryona fell to her knees, blessing her son Mikhail Fedorovich to the kingdom. This happened in the memorable year 1613. He put an end to a difficult period in the history of the country - the Time of Troubles. This year began the three-hundred-year countdown of the reign of the reigning house of Romanov.

Icon preserved by God's providence

In the 20th century, with all its upheavals and troubles, God’s providence preserved the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God. How does the Most Holy Theotokos help people? In what is asked of her in fervent prayers. So the Most Pure One preserved her image, heeding the prayers of many, many Orthodox Christians who suffered in the era of atheistic theomachism.

Nowadays, this miraculous image is kept in the Kostroma Cathedral, and in St. Petersburg, the restored and brought back to life Church of the Fedorov Icon of the Mother of God opens its doors every day. It is located in the city center, not far from Nevsky Prospekt, and is always full of people. People come here to pray in front of one of the icon copies, also famous for its miracles. As the Gospel says, everyone receives according to their faith. The Fedorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God also brings help to true believers.

What does she help with and what do you usually ask her for?

You can turn to the Most Holy Theotokos in front of this image of her with any requests - the Lady of Heaven will hear them, and if it is her will, she will help. But most often the prayer to the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God is offered by women during pregnancy and childbirth. It is especially necessary to ask for her help in cases where, for one reason or another, childbirth may be difficult. As in all cases of life, there is no more reliable support and protection than the Protection of the Most Pure Mother of God and her help, revealed through miraculous icons, one of which bears the name of Fedorovskaya.

How does the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God help? The miraculous Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God: prayer, akathist, photo, reviews of miracles, history of the icon

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

Legends about the appearance of the icon

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

Rediscovery of an icon

Study of the icon and its iconography

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

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

Meaning of the icon

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

What does an icon help with?

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

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

Miracles associated with the icon

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

Icon Veneration Day

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

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

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

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