Kazan Day of God. Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is a reliable patroness of the Russian land and its inhabitants.

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is one of the most revered and beloved shrines in Russian Orthodoxy. The miraculous Mother of Kazan repeatedly, in difficult times for Russia, provided help where it seemed there was no longer any hope of salvation. The Kazan icon is used to bless marriage or an important life undertaking, it is given as a gift at the baptism of infants, and it is taken with them on a long journey. Many who resort to this holy image with sincere prayer receive help in various life difficulties from the Most Holy Theotokos Herself.

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was miraculously found on July 21 (new style) 1579 - this date is celebrated as the “Kazan Summer Year”. The appearance of the icon was preceded by a fire, which, starting from the house of the archer Daniil Onuchin, turned half of Kazan and even part of the Kremlin into ashes.
Soon after this terrible event, ten-year-old Matrona Onuchina, the daughter of Daniel, had a vision. The Mother of God herself appeared to her in a dream and indicated the place from which Her Holy Image should be obtained. The girl told her mother about the sign, but she, not believing her, just waved it off. Matrona’s vision was repeated, but the mayors and the archbishop did not believe it in the same way when she and her mother turned to them. After the third, now formidable command of the Most Pure Virgin, Matrona herself, during the excavation of a fire on the site of the stove of her parents’ house, dug up the Holy Image.

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is one of the most revered in Rus'. The celebration takes place twice a year - July 8/21 and October 22/November 4. The iconography of the image is of the “Hodegetria” (“Guide”) type.

The history of the discovery of the miraculous image of the Mother of God goes back to the time of the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible in 1552. After a long siege and a successful assault on the city, the Kazan Khanate was finally annexed to Rus'. A year later, the Kazan diocese was established, and the conversion of pagans and Muslims to Christianity began. In 1579, a terrible fire occurred in the city, incinerating part of the Kremlin and the adjacent territory of the city. In connection with this, the Mohammedans began to say that the Russian God was unmerciful to people and punished them with fire. Then, to strengthen the Orthodox faith, the great mercy of God was revealed - the discovery of the miraculous image of the Mother of God.

To nine-year-old Matrona, the daughter of the archer Onuchin, whose house was completely destroyed by fire, the Mother of God appeared in a dream and revealed that under the ruins of the house there was Her miraculous image. Nobody paid attention to the child’s words about the miraculous phenomenon. The Mother of God appeared to Matrona two more times, indicated the exact location of the icon on the ashes and ordered to inform the archbishop and mayors so that they would remove Her miraculous image from the ground. Finally, the girl’s mother began to dig the ground in the place indicated to her, but the icon was not there. As soon as Matrona herself took the spade, the miraculous icon of the Mother of God was found. The magnificent image, wrapped in an old cloth sleeve, was clear and bright, as if it had just been painted.

After the miraculous discovery, the icon was transferred to the Church of St. Nicholas of Tula, and then to the Annunciation Cathedral. The priest of the St. Nicholas Church Ermolai, the future Patriarch of Moscow Ermogen, became the first author of the troparion and service to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. He also witnessed miracles that happened during the religious procession with the icon: along the way and during the celebrations, several blind people regained their sight.

The autumn celebration of the icon is associated with the liberation of Moscow from the Poles in 1612. During the Time of Troubles, when the capital of Rus' was occupied by the enemy, a copy of the miraculous Kazan icon was handed over to Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. After the fervent prayer of the Russian soldiers in front of the image of the Most Pure One, it became known that the Reverend Sergius of Radonezh, who was in captivity within the Kremlin walls, appeared to Archbishop Arseny of Elasson, illuminated by light, and announced that the next day Moscow would be in the hands of Pozharsky’s militia and Russia would be saved. Such spiritual support gave strength to the Russian army, and the next day, October 22/November 4, the defenders of the Fatherland managed to liberate Kitay-Gorod from the Poles, who then themselves surrendered the Kremlin to the militia. Foreigners were expelled. The clergy solemnly came out to meet the winners with Moscow shrines, at the head of which they carried the image of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. In memory of the liberation of Moscow and Russia from the Poles, the celebration of the icon was established on October 22/November 4, and in memory of the miraculous discovery of the Kazan image of the Most Pure One - on July 8/21.

Nowadays, November 4 is a public holiday in Russia - the day of national unity, which is dedicated to the victory over the Polish invaders in 1612.

Kazan Cathedral on Red Square

In the very heart of Russia, on Red Square stands the majestic Kazan Cathedral. It was built by order of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky for the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God approximately in 1625. At first it was a small wooden church, then a stone church, to which a third tier and a bell tower were eventually added. In 1936 the temple was completely destroyed. The second birth took place in 1990–1993, when, on the initiative of the Moscow city branch of the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments, the cathedral was rebuilt and consecrated on November 4, 1993 by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'.

Troparion to the Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan

O zealous intercessor, / Mother of the Lord Most High, / pray for all Thy Son Christ our God, / and cause all to be saved, / to those who seek refuge in Thy sovereign protection. / Intercede for all of us, O Lady Queen and Lady, / who are in adversity and in sorrow, and in illness, burdened with many sins, / standing and praying to You with a tender soul / and a contrite heart, / before Your most pure image with tears / and irrevocable hope those who have against You, / deliverance from all evils, / grant to everyone what is useful, / and save everything, O Virgin Mary: / For You are the Divine Protection of Your servant.

Anna Kotova

From the words of the ever-memorable Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov)

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

Beloved brothers and sisters, today we solemnly and prayerfully remember and glorify the manifestation of the mercy of the Mother of God to the Russian Orthodox state, expressed in the miraculous deliverance of our dear Fatherland in 1612 from the invasion of foreigners.

Our ancestors, the Russian people, loved the Mother of God and had a special, deep faith in Her heavenly intercession for the Christian race and always turned to Her with fervent prayer in their sorrows and disasters. Although entire countries considered the Most Holy Virgin their Patroness and honored Her, in our Fatherland the name of the Mother of God was surrounded by special veneration - immeasurably greater than anywhere else, and the Mother of God did not pour out so much of Her grace and mercy on any other land, how much for the Russian Land. In almost every Russian city there is certainly a source of the Mother of God’s grace - Her miraculous icons, in which She wanted to give people a heavenly guarantee of Her love and serve as a Consolation for suffering humanity. Our people loved to call the Mother of God by special names befitting Her heavenly protection and mercy, and the Mother of God did not leave their faith in vain, but gave quick help to everyone who asked and to our Fatherland as a whole.

Particularly memorable is the deliverance of our land by the grace of the Mother of God from the dominion of the Poles in 1612. During that mournful time, when the royal family in Rus' was completely extinguished, unrest began to occur in our Fatherland, which led to complete anarchy. The Poles hastened to take advantage of this: they captured Moscow and with it half of the Russian kingdom. Fearing that they would forever remain under the rule of the Polish yoke, the Russian people stood up in defense of their Fatherland, placing their trust in the Heavenly Intercessor, to Whom they turned with an ardent plea for help in the fight against the enemy. The troops took with them the icon of the Mother of God, called the Kazan icon, and, led by Her, approached Moscow. A fast was declared, all the people and soldiers fasted for three days and fervently prayed before the miraculous icon of the Queen of Heaven to grant them victory. And the Most Immaculate Lady heard their prayer and, through Her intercession, asked her merciful Son and Her Lord for help and victory over the enemies of the Russian people. Appearing at night in a sleepy vision to the Greek Archbishop Arseny, who was languishing in captivity among the Poles, the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh told the Bishop that the Lord, through the prayers of His Mother and the Moscow saints Peter, Alexy, Jonah and Philip, would overthrow the invaders the very next day and return the capital of Russia to the hands of the Russian people. .

Encouraged by this news, our soldiers took Moscow on October 22 with the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God without much difficulty and liberated the Fatherland from foreigners. Thus, both the country and the Church were delivered from foreign enslavement. Reverently before the Heavenly Helper, the grateful army and all the citizens of the capital on the next Sunday day performed a prayer service to the Most Holy Theotokos, who saved the Russian state. In a procession of the cross, carrying the Kazan Icon, they walked all the way to the Place of Execution, and at the Kremlin gates they were met by Saint Arseny with another shrine - the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which he had preserved in captivity. And so that the memory of the saving intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos for our Fatherland would not weaken with time, it was soon unanimously decided that the solemn remembrance of Her miracle should be celebrated annually on this day, October 22.

As we see, dear brothers and sisters, the main reason for saving the country from destruction was the strong Orthodox faith of our ancestors. When there was no longer any hope for human strength, then all the true sons of the Church and the Fatherland undertook a three-day fast and prayed to the Mother of God before Her miraculous Kazan Icon. And their prayer was heard. In addition, since ancient times, the Russian people have been distinguished by their simple, reverent faith and sincere, heartfelt love for the Lord Jesus Christ. In this faith of ours and in our love for the Son of the Ever-Virgin Mary lies the reason for Her special mercy towards us. What mother will remain indifferent to someone who will show, who will show clear signs of concern and love for her children? Reverent faith, strong love for the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, undoubtedly brings special joy to His Most Pure Mother in heaven. And from here it happens that Her intercession and help are poured out on all who, from ancient times, sacredly honor and confess the Lord Jesus Christ, reverently worship Him and lovingly obey the Church He established on earth.

What does the memory of the miraculous help of the Mother of God to our Russian Land oblige us to? The closer, the more merciful and attentive the Mother of God is to us, the more careful we must be about our behavior and our faith. The more is given, the more will be collected from us. Who, if not the people of God, the Jewish people, saw such obvious, such miraculous help of God above them? His entire story from beginning to end is imbued with, filled with descriptions of the wonderful, direct guidance of God. But at the same time, how much, how hard he, this chosen people of God, suffered for his repeated apostasy from the true God, for his frequent betrayals of the faith of his forefathers! Why? Because justice and the greatness of God require it: the Lord cannot leave unpunished a single offense that offends the dignity of His holy Law. “Let us leave here,” was heard in the very Sanctuary of the Jewish Temple, and soon the abomination of desolation appeared in the holy place and will remain there, according to the word of the Lord, until the end of the century - after the Jewish people did not believe in the Only Begotten Son of God.

Let us thank, dear ones, the Lord and His Most Pure Mother for such great benefits shown to the establishment and exaltation of our Fatherland, brought to its glory through severe trials by the sole hand of God. Let us cherish, brothers and sisters, the holy union with the Lord Jesus Christ and His Most Pure Mother, who chose our land as Her heritage. The Lord Jesus Christ and His Mother are jealous of us with love. Let us remember who is our Intercessor, who is our help and hope, and we will not break our union with Her, but we will establish it with faith, our life and hope.

Thinking that Orthodox Christians constitute the property of Her Son and enjoy Her special protection, let us not forget at the same time that the true property of Orthodox Christians is, in fact, to follow Christ in everything as the only Lawgiver and to endlessly love Him as our only Savior. We must hold fast to the path that our Orthodox ancestors walked, which Jesus Christ showed us, which the Holy Church also shows. The Lord outlined this path for us in His Holy Gospel, and we must sacredly preserve and observe it. If we retreat from this path, from this covenant with Christ, our Intercessor, the Queen of Heaven, will also retreat from us, because She cannot be in union with the enemies of Her Son, who trample His teaching, His commandments, His Treasured Blood, just like Christ. , Her Son, cannot be in union with Belial.

Let us pray today to the Queen of Heaven that She Herself will confirm us on the path of salvation, for She is always ready to intercede for us, if only we would resort to Her intercession with warm and earnest prayer, with firm faith and hope. And then She will never leave us with Her mercy, but will always preserve and save us from all evil. Let us offer up fervent prayers to Her with all our hearts, and call upon Her with tenderness: Rejoice, zealous Intercessor of the Christian race!

The celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is established twice a year: July 8/21 - in honor of its miraculous discovery and October 22/November 4 in honor of the deliverance of Moscow and Rus' from the Polish invasion.

November 4/October 22 - “Autumn Kazan”.
In October 1612, the Russian militia led by Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky liberated Moscow from the Polish-Lithuanian invaders. Before the decisive battle, the Russians prayed before the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The victory was won thanks to the intercession of the Mother of God, so a holiday was established in honor of her icon. At first it was only Moscow and Kazan, but in 1649 it began to be celebrated throughout Rus'. Before the October Revolution, this day (November 4, new style) was a non-working day. Since 2005, the tradition has been restored, the national holiday is called “National Unity Day” and is a day off.

July 8/21 - “Summer Kazanskaya”.
The day of the discovery of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God has been celebrated since the 16th century. The icon was miraculously revealed to people in 1579, after almost half of Kazan was destroyed by fire.

The history of the formation of the holiday is described in detail in the section “Events from the history of the icon.” On July 8 and November 4, the same service is held in the church. The kontakion reads as follows: “Let us come, O people, to this quiet and good refuge, to the ambulance, ready and warm salvation, to the protection of the Virgin. Let us hasten to prayer and strive for repentance: for the Most Pure Theotokos exudes boundless mercies to us, advances to our aid and delivers Her well-behaved and God-fearing servants from all troubles and evils.” Thus, the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is spoken of as the protector of the Russian land. The Mother of God protects and blesses us.

The Russian people treat the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God with great respect. It is found in every city in many churches and homes. Through this image, the Mother of God becomes a Helper and Healer. Orthodox Christians turn to her with mental distress or physical illness, and a miracle happens. It is not for nothing that Russia is called the Mother of God; more than 500 icons of the Mother of God have proven themselves to be miraculous.
On the day of the celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov) spoke about the need to pray to the Queen of Heaven, who helps us follow the path to salvation. She always stands up for us, does not forget us, protects us and saves us from evil. The Mother of God intercedes in prayers for us before God. She sees everyone: those who are in danger from enemies, who are overcome by sorrow and illness.
Loving the entire human race, She notices our every tear, every misfortune and just a sigh, and constantly prays to Her Divine Son and Lord for mercy towards people and to deliver them from all evil. If trouble suddenly happens, you need to remember this and call the Mother Queen of Heaven, and she will immediately come and help.

History and meaning of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God

Appearance of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in the city of Kazan (1579). On October 1, 1552, on the Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, at night, John IV, the leader of the Russian soldiers preparing for a decisive assault on Tatar Kazan, suddenly heard the sound of Moscow bells. The Tsar realized that this was a sign of God’s mercy: through the prayers of the Elected Voivode, the Lord wanted to convert the Kazan people to Himself.

The conquest of Kazan under the protection of the Most Holy Theotokos completed the work begun in 1164 by the holy Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky († 1174; commemorated July 4). The Volga, the country's main waterway, became a Russian river. 60,000 Russian people were freed from Tatar captivity. The enlightenment of the Tatars with the light of the Gospel truth began. The first martyrs appeared - Saints Peter and Stephen (March 24). The newly established Kazan diocese became part of the Russian Church and soon shone with its archbishops: St. Gury († 1563; commemorated December 5) and St. Herman († 1567; commemorated November 6).

But what especially contributed to the rise of Orthodoxy among the Volga Mohammedans was the appearance in the city of Kazan on July 8, 1579 of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God.

The work of preaching the Gospel in the conquered kingdom among hardcore Muslims and pagans was difficult. The Most Holy Theotokos, the patroness of preachers of the Word of God, who even in Her earthly life shared evangelistic labors with the holy Apostles, seeing the efforts of Russian missionaries, did not hesitate to send them Heavenly help by revealing Her miraculous icon.

On June 28, 1579, a terrible fire that started near the Church of St. Nicholas of Tula destroyed part of the city and turned half of the Kazan Kremlin to ashes. The fans of Mohammed gloated, thinking that God was angry with the Christians. “The Faith of Christ,” says the chronicler, “has become a byword and a reproach.” But the fire in Kazan was an omen of the final fall of Islam and the establishment of Orthodoxy throughout the Golden Horde land, the future East of the Russian state.

The city soon began to rise from the ruins. Together with other fire victims, archer Daniil Onuchin was building a house not far from where the fire started. The Mother of God appeared in a dream vision to his nine-year-old daughter Matrona and ordered her to retrieve Her icon, which had been buried in the ground during the rule of Muslims by secret confessors of Orthodoxy. They did not pay attention to the girl’s words. The Mother of God appeared three times and pointed out the place where the miraculous icon was hidden. Finally, Matrona and her mother began to dig in the indicated place and found the holy icon. Archbishop Jeremiah arrived at the place of the miraculous discovery at the head of the clergy and transferred the holy image to a nearby church in the name of St. Nicholas, from where, after a prayer service, they transferred it with a procession to the Annunciation Cathedral - the first Orthodox church in the city of Kazan, erected by Ivan the Terrible. During the procession, two blind men were healed - Joseph and Nikita.

A copy of the icon revealed in Kazan, a statement of the circumstances of its discovery and a description of the miracles were sent to Moscow in 1579. Tsar Ivan the Terrible ordered the construction of a temple in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God at the site of the apparition, where the holy icon was placed, and the founding of a women’s monastery. Matrona and her mother, who contributed to the acquisition of the shrine, took monastic vows in this monastery.

In the St. Nicholas Church, where the first prayer service was held before the Kazan Icon, the future Patriarch Hermogenes, Saint of Moscow († 1612; commemorated February 17) was a priest at that time. Fifteen years later, in 1594, already being Metropolitan of Kazan, he compiled a legend about the sacred events of which he was an eyewitness and participant: “The Tale and Miracles of the Most Pure Mother of God of Her honest, glorious appearance in Kazan.” The story describes with great factual accuracy many cases of healing that took place from the miraculous icon through the prayers of believers. The manuscript of the “Tale” - the autograph of His Holiness Patriarch Hermogenes - is reproduced in its entirety in the facsimile edition: The Legend of the miraculous Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. With a foreword by A. I. Sobolevsky, M., 1912.

A small icon, found by the girl Matrona on the recently annexed foreign outskirts of the Russian kingdom, soon became a national shrine, a sign of the Heavenly Protection of the Mother of God, revealed to the entire Russian Church, for the soul of the Orthodox people felt the special participation of the Most Pure Lady in the historical destinies of the Motherland. It is no coincidence that the Kazan image is a copy of the ancient Blachernae icon (celebration of July 7) and is of the iconographic type of the icons called Hodegetria the Guide. Many times “Mother of Kazan” showed the path to victory for Russian Orthodox soldiers in fulfilling their sacred duty to God and the Motherland.

In the year of her appearance in Kazan (according to other sources, two years later), the famous campaign “for Kazan” (for the Ural Mountains) of Blessed Herman, Cossack ataman Ermak Timofeevich Povolsky († 1584), began, culminating in the annexation of Siberia. The blessed energy emitted in a miraculous manner was enough for Russian explorer-missionaries to travel to the east for several decades, “meeting the sun” many thousands of kilometers, and on the Feast of the Intercession in 1639 they set out on their first voyage across the Pacific Ocean, preaching salvation to the surrounding peoples.

Orthodox soldiers and missionaries went east, apostates fled to the west. The Jesuits tried to flood Rus' with a wave of impostors and “thieves’ people” at the beginning of the 17th century. By the providence of God during the period of the Polish invasion (1605-1612), which the people called the “Time of Troubles,” the Russian Church was led by the great confessor of Orthodoxy - Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus', admirer of the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, author of the “Tale” about her and the Service to her.

In difficult days, when Moscow was occupied by the Poles, and strife and disorder were spreading throughout the country, an unyielding sufferer for the Holy Faith and the Fatherland, while in custody, managed to secretly send an appeal to Nizhny Novgorod: “Write to Metropolitan Ephraim in Kazan, let him send to the regiments to a teaching letter to the boyars and the Cossack army, so that they would stand firmly for the faith, stop robbery, preserve brotherhood, and as they promised to lay down their souls for the house of the Most Pure One and for the miracle workers and for the faith, they would do so. And write to all cities... speak my name everywhere.” The people of Nizhny Novgorod responded to the call of the high priest. The assembled militia was headed by Prince Dimitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky.

The Kazan squads that joined the militia brought with them a copy of the Kazan miraculous icon, which was handed over to Prince Demetrius in Yaroslavl. The Most Holy Lady took the militia under Her protection, and Russia was saved through Her intercession.

The Russian troops experienced enormous difficulties: internal hostility, lack of weapons and food. In the autumn bad weather, the Russian army moved to storm Moscow, which was in the hands of the Poles.

Three days of fasting and fervent prayer before the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God brought the Lord to His mercy. In the besieged Kremlin at that time, Archbishop Arseny of Elasson (later Archbishop of Suzdal; † 1626; April 13), who had arrived from Greece and was seriously ill from shocks and experiences, was in captivity. At night, the cell of St. Arseny suddenly illuminated with Divine light, he saw St. Sergius of Radonezh (July 5 and September 25), who said: “Arseny, our prayers are heard; through the intercession of the Mother of God, God’s judgment on the Fatherland was transferred to mercy; "Tomorrow Moscow will be in the hands of the besiegers and Russia will be saved."

As if to confirm the truth of the prophecy, the archbishop received healing from his illness. The saint sent news of this joyful event to the Russian soldiers. The next day, October 22, 1612, Russian troops, inspired by the vision, won a major victory and took China Town, and 2 days later the Kremlin.

On Sunday, October 25, Russian squads solemnly, with a procession of the Cross, went to the Kremlin, carrying the Kazan Icon. At the Place of Execution the procession of the Cross was greeted by Archbishop Arseny, who emerged from the Kremlin and carried the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which he had preserved in captivity. Shocked by the accomplished meeting of two miraculous icons of the Mother of God, the people prayed to the Heavenly Intercessor with tears.

After the expulsion of the Poles from Moscow, Prince Dimitry Pozharsky, according to the Nikon Chronicle, placed the holy Kazan icon in his parish church of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on Lubyanka, in Moscow. Later, at the expense of the patriotic prince, the Kazan Cathedral was erected on Red Square. The holy icon, which was in Pozharsky’s troops during the liberation of Moscow, was transferred to the newly built church in 1636. Now this holy image is in the Epiphany Patriarchal Cathedral in Moscow.

In memory of the liberation of Moscow from the Poles, it was established that on October 22 a special celebration would be held in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. At first this celebration took place only in Moscow, but since 1649 it was made all-Russian.

In 1709, before the Battle of Poltava, Peter the Great and his army prayed before the icon of the Kazan Mother of God (from the village of Kaplunovka). In 1721, Peter transferred one of the copies of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God from Moscow to St. Petersburg, where the icon was first placed in the chapel, then in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, and from 1737 in the church in honor of the Nativity of the Mother of God on Nevsky Prospekt. In 1811, before the Patriotic War, the holy icon of the Heavenly Intercessor was moved to the newly created Kazan Cathedral.

In 1812, the Kazan image of the Mother of God overshadowed Russian soldiers who repelled the French invasion. On the feast of the Kazan Icon on October 22, 1812, Russian troops led by Miloradovich and Platov defeated Davout’s rearguard. This was the first major defeat of the French after leaving Moscow; the enemy lost 7 thousand people. That day snow fell, severe frosts began, and the army of the conqueror of Europe began to melt.

The Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg was built from 1801 to 1811 - as if specifically to become a temple-monument to Russian glory in the Patriotic War of 1812. The iconostasis of the main altar of fine chased work is made of one hundred pounds of silver: forty of them were donated to the temple by the Don Cossacks, who recaptured this silver from the French in 1812. The walls of the cathedral are decorated with trophies taken from the French in 1812. Enemy banners bowed at the sacred tomb of Prince Mikhail Kutuzov-Smolensky, the savior of the Fatherland, buried in the cathedral. Bronze statues of Kutuzov and Barclay de Tolly stand in front of the temple at the ends of the colonnade, which hugs the cathedral square in a semicircle...

In numerous miraculous lists from the Kazan Icon, the Most Pure Mother of God, Patroness of the Orthodox Russian people, is glorified in Rus'. Of the many icons of the Mother of God revered in the Russian Orthodox Church, not one is as widespread as the Kazan icon. She is sacredly revered by all Orthodox Russia; people most often turn their attention to her in troubles and illnesses, crying out: “O zealous intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High, pray for all of Your Son Christ our God... grant to everyone what is useful and save everything, Virgin Mother of God, You for Thou art the Divine protection of Thy servant.”

The icons of the Most Pure Mother of God are spread over the face of our Fatherland in a blessed overshadowing, truly forming the Veil of Heaven. Through her tireless intercession, the Divine Son was sent down, sacrificing Himself for the salvation of humanity. The ancient Vladimir holy image of the Mother of God protects and blesses our northern borders, the Smolensk and Pochaev icons protect the west, and to the east, to the ends of the earth, the miraculous Kazan image of our Most Pure Mother shines with rays of inescapable grace.

The feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in 2017 is celebrated on July 21. The history of the holiday, features of worship, folk customs and signs.

The summer holiday of the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary is permanent and is always celebrated 21 July according to the new style in memory of the discovery of the icon in 1579 year in the city of Kazan. After a big fire, the ten-year-old girl Matrona had a vision of the Mother of God in a dream, who ordered her to look for Her icon in a certain place. After a long search, at almost a meter depth, an icon was found, which was a breast image of the Virgin Mary.

In Russia, the icon can be found in any major city. Almost no temple can do without this miraculous shrine. You can venerate the image of the Mother of God in temples, cathedrals and churches:

Moscow city, Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God on Red Square;
the city of Kolomenskoye, the temple of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God;
the city of Kotelniki, the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God;
city of Reutov, Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God;
the city of St. Petersburg, the cathedral in the name of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God;
village of Susanino, Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God;
There are images of the icon in Kazan, Nizhny Novgorod, Yaroslavl, Vladimir and other cities and towns of the vast country.

The miraculous image is the protection of the entire Russian people. She was prayed to from enemies, wars, raids and invaders. They prayed in front of the Kazan Icon for health, asked for protection and protection from any troubles. The icon helps you make the right decisions and find your true path. Mothers in front of the face ask for protection for their children. It is believed that prayers in front of the icon can cure any ailment. Also, with the help of a miraculous image, parents bless the newlyweds for a strong marriage, life together without sorrows and difficulties, and the birth of healthy offspring.

The discovery of an icon is a special sign of the patronage of the Mother of God. Its acquisition after a terrible fire in Kazan means vigilant protection and supervision of Russian lands.

It is believed that through prayers in front of this icon the blind can see. This is confirmed by eyewitnesses. Before her, spiritual insight of hearts occurs, which is very important for the salvation of the human soul.

The Kazan Icon of the Mother of God belongs to the type "Hodegetria", that is, “Guide”, but is its abbreviated form. In fact, the Kazan image already belongs to a separate iconographic type and is widely distributed in various separately glorified lists.

National veneration of the icon began at the end of the Time of Troubles, when it was with the list of the Kazan Icon that the militia of Prince Pozharsky defeated the Polish troops. When the Romanov dynasty was established in Rus', the Kazan Icon began to be revered as a state shrine, which saved Rus' from unrest and Latinism.

Later, another day of celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was set on November 4 (new style date) in honor of the liberation of Moscow from the Poles.

In the Patriotic War of 1812, the mercy of the Mother of God was again revealed to the Russian people through the image of Her Kazan Icon.

According to legend, the image revealed in Kazan, copies of which were widely distributed throughout Rus', was in the Kazan Mother of God Monastery in the city of Yaroslavl until 1904. That year the icon was stolen, presumably because of its precious setting. Since then, opinions have diverged regarding the future fate of the icon. Most researchers assume that it has not survived. However, there are many revered copies of the icon made in the 16th – 17th centuries and later.

Many copies of the Kazan Icon are glorified by miracles; they are often considered protectors of populated areas from troubles and enemy invasions, and are revered as locally revered. There is a legend that during the Great Patriotic War, it was with one of the revered copies of the Kazan icon that a flight was made over the front line at Stalingrad, shortly after which the movement of the Soviet army began in the victorious direction.

Most often, it is the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God that is used to bless young people for the sacrament of marriage.

Summer holiday of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God has always been revered by the people. On this day, they tried to make the first harvest of rye - the most important grain for peasants, from which they baked bread. In many villages and hamlets this day was not a working day, since churches and chapels in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary were widespread throughout Rus'.

It was believed that if the Kazan week is without rain, then Ilyinskaya (the week after Ilyin’s day) will be with rain.

Numerous springs have been consecrated in the name of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, to which Orthodox Christians often make processions of the cross on this day. At these sources, prayers are often held on this day - special divine services with prayer for the help of the Most Holy Theotokos in some matter.

The robes of the clergy and the decoration of the temple on this day are blue.

On November 4 (October 22, old style), the Orthodox Church established the celebration of the Most Holy Theotokos in honor of Her icon, called "Kazan".

The feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God is celebrated twice a year - on July 21 (July 8, old style) - in memory of the appearance of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos in Kazan - and on November 4 (October 22, old style), in gratitude for the deliverance of Moscow and all of Russia from the invasion 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. She was found in Kazan on July 8, 1579. According to legend, the nine-year-old girl Matrona saw the Most Holy Theotokos three times in a dream, who showed her the place under the ruins of the house where Her miraculous image was located. The girl told the local priest Ermolai about this vision, and the icon was indeed found in the indicated place.

The end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries are known in Russian history as the Time of Troubles. An interregnum began in the country, accompanied by various lawlessness, robberies, murders and unrest. At the same time, Russia was attacked by Polish troops, who managed to capture Moscow by deception. At the call of His Holiness Patriarch Hermogenes, who at that time led the struggle for the preservation of Russian statehood and was the ideological inspirer of the Russian militia, the Russian people stood up in defense of their homeland.

With the blessing of Patriarch Hermogenes, a recently acquired icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (most likely, according to experts, a copy of the original) was delivered from Kazan to help the defenders of Russia. The Kazan squads that joined the militia brought with them a copy of the Kazan miraculous icon, which was handed over to Prince Demetrius in Yaroslavl. It became the main shrine of the militia.

In March 1612, the Russian militia under the leadership of Kuzma Minin and Prince Dmitry Pozharsky set off with the Shrine on a liberation campaign against Moscow, which was occupied by Polish troops. Russian troops experienced enormous difficulties: internal hostility, lack of weapons and food.

In October, after a long siege of Kitay-Gorod, it was decided to take it by storm, and a prayer service was served in front of the Kazan Icon. The entire people and militia imposed a three-day fast on themselves and prayerfully turned to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother for heavenly help.

According to legend, on the same night the Greek Archbishop Arseny (later the Bishop of Suzdal), imprisoned in the Kremlin, appeared in a dream, the Monk Sergius of Radonezh and said that “through the intercession of the Mother of God, the Judgment of God for the Fatherland has been transferred to mercy, and Russia will be saved.”

Inspired by such news, Russian troops liberated Kitai-Gorod on October 22 (November 4, new style), 1612, and five days later the Poles, tortured by hunger in the Kremlin, surrendered.

On October 25, Russian squads and residents of Moscow, in gratitude for their deliverance from enemies, solemnly, with a procession of the Cross, went to the Kremlin, carrying the miraculous Kazan icon, sacred banners and other Moscow shrines. At the Place of Execution the procession of the Cross was greeted by Archbishop Arseny, who emerged from the Kremlin and carried the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which he had preserved in captivity.

In memory of the deliverance of Moscow from the Poles, by order of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich and the blessing of his father, Metropolitan, later Patriarch Philaret, the Church established annually on October 22 (November 4 in the new style) a special celebration in Moscow 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, by order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, local celebrations - Kazan on July 21 (July 8, old style) and Moscow on November 4 (October 22, old style) - became all-Russian.

After the expulsion of the Poles from Moscow, Prince Dmitry Pozharsky, according to the Nikon Chronicle, placed the holy Kazan icon in his parish church of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Lubyanka in Moscow. In 1620, the Kazan Cathedral was erected on Red Square. The holy icon, which was in Pozharsky's troops during the liberation of Moscow, was transferred to the new church.

After the fire of 1635, instead of a wooden cathedral, a stone one was built at the expense of the first Tsar of the Romanov dynasty, Mikhail Fedorovich, and consecrated in 1636.

In 1930, the Kazan Cathedral was closed, and in 1936 it was demolished.

In 1990-1993 The Kazan Cathedral in Moscow was restored. The main altar of the cathedral was consecrated in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

The material was prepared based on information from open sources