Icon of the Zhirovick Mother of God: description and history of the icon

Among the known images of the Most Holy Theotokos, the icon of the Zhirovitskaya Mother of God takes a very special place due to its unique history, as well as the appearance due to the unusual technique of execution in such cases. In addition, it is equally revered by both Orthodox believers and followers of Western Christian trends.

Description of the unique icon

Unlike the usual icons, the Zhirovitsky image is an oval composition in the form of a relief made on jasper. Its dimensions are very small - 5.7 x 4.1x0.8 cm, and outwardly it resembles a breast icon or cameo. The reverse side of the icon is smooth. Jasper, from which it is made, has a natural combination of dark red and green colors that visually form a buffy shade.

The Most Holy Theotokos is depicted holding on the right hand of Her Eternal Infant, while the left one is pressed to the chest. The uncovered head of the Queen of Heaven is tilted toward the Son who clings to her, and touches Him with a trace. The child Jesus is clothed in a short chiton, leaving His knees open. The head of the Mother and the Son are crowned with crowns. On the sides are distinguishable Greek letters, traditional for this type of icons, and denoting their names.

The icon of the Zhirovitskaya Mother of God, the description given above, belongs to the iconographic type, called "Eleus" - Tenderness. This version of the Virgin icons is very ancient, and appeared in Egypt in the early Christian period, when the so-called Coptic art flourished.

The find of the young cowherd boys

The history of the icon is as unusual as its appearance. They tell (and people, as you know, will not say in vain) that in 1470 this icon was first shown in the Grodno region near the village of Zhirovichi, whose name, as you might guess, gave it its name. It so happened that local children grazed cattle in a forest that belonged to a wealthy nobleman, a native of Lithuania, but an orthodox believer. His name was Alexander Soltan.

Suddenly (with this word usually the most interesting begins in the stories), they saw a bright glow emanating from the crown of the pear tree growing on the edge. Overcoming the fright, the cowherd boys came closer, and among the leaves saw a small icon, from which rays ran in all directions. Holding their breath, the children removed a wonderful find from the tree and rushed to her master with a rush. Needless to say, this was the very icon of the Zhirovick Mother of God - Blagozdravnitsa, as it was later called for the many miracles of healing shown through it.

The beginning of inexplicable miracles

Alexander Soltan, very puzzled by such a curiosity, did not know what to do with it, but, giving the boys a coin, just in case locked the icon in the casket, deciding at the first opportunity to take her to Grodno and show the diocesan bishop. Forged casket - a reliable thing, anywhere from it a find (dear, apparently) will not go away. Imagine his astonishment when the next day, wanting to show off to her before the guests, he found the treasured casket empty.

No matter how much the master of the barks was afraid of servants in the next world, and the birches on it, all as one, swore that they did not know anything. Yes, and the key from the casket all night stayed on his neck. Well, clearly, whose hands this matter. They sprinkled Soltan's rooms with holy water, and they stopped thinking about it. When suddenly (again suddenly) the same cowherdess again saw on the edge of the already familiar radiance and, in anticipation of a few more coins, rushed to him.

Short life of a wooden church

Re-acquiring the icon left no doubt that the find was nothing but a miracle, and he, Alessandro Soltan, was chosen by God through whom it was revealed. Wishing to show himself worthy of such a high honor, the prince immediately ordered to build on the edge of the forest, where the shepherdess was the icon of the Zhirovick Mother of God, a wooden church, and put a newly found shrine in it.

In the land, rich in wood, to build anything for a long time - the barin did not have time to look back, just as the axes had died off, and a beautiful church grew up in the middle of the meadow. But, apparently, the Lord did not bless his initiative - not even six months later, when lightning struck her, and a wooden, resin-smelling building burnt down overnight. It happened at night, and while the villagers woke up the zapoloshny bell, while they reached the house, there was already nothing to extinguish. Remained in place of the church only a smoking pile of coals.

The third finding of a wonderful image

It was a pity to the peasants of their labors, and to the master - the means, ruined for nothing, but most of all they regretted the miraculous icon, which they found dead in the fire. She did not want to see more of the same (suddenly the same thing happened for the third time) the same children, but already returning from school - apparently, she was already in the 15th century in the village of Zhirovichi, - she noticed a woman sitting on a rock, Who held the familiar icon in their hands.

After listening to the confused story of the youth, the villagers, believing that they were again visited by God's revelation, hurried to the place indicated, not forgetting to call with their local father, and he, in turn, took his father-deacon with banners and images. In general, a religious procession went to the church ashes.

And although everyone was ready for the miracle, but involuntarily froze, when on the stone, blackened by the soot, before them appeared completely untouched by the fire icon of the Zhirovitskaya Mother of God. History may seem incredible, but for almost six centuries it has been listened to and listened to by generations of Christians with trembling sincerity and read by many generations of Christians both in Mother Russia and in the lands of strangers.

The temple that initiated the creation of the monastery

The impression made on Alexander Soltan by the icon, resurrected from the ashes like a fairy bird Phoenix, was akin to a thunderclap. He immediately ordered to build a stone church for her, sincerely cursing himself for having stinted at first, and built a wooden church for such an invaluable shrine. Well, yes, the stingy, as you know, pays twice. He hired craftsmen-masons, and those who blessed, built a stone Uspensky temple, which was solemnly placed icon of Zhirovitskaya Mother of God - twice lost and three times found.

At the beginning of the 16th century, a monastic community was formed around the temple, then transformed into a monastery. The genus Soltanov, pretty impoverished by that time, still continued to dominate in those parts, and one of his representatives named Yakov even intended to build another stone temple on the territory of the monastery. However, his plans could not be realized, since in the middle of the century the village of Zhirovichi was lent to banker Yitzhak Mikhalevich for his debts, and was bought out only by the heirs of Jacob, who by that time had converted to Catholicism.

Monastery under the authority of the Uniates

In 1605, the Zhirovichi again changed the owner, he became Lithuanian nobleman Ivan Meleshko, who transferred the monastery on the territory of his possessions to the Uniate Church, which, as we know, preserved part of the Orthodox rites, but obeyed the Vatican. So the Orthodox icon of the Zhirovitskaya Mother of God was under the shadow of the Roman pontiff.

This small image of the Blessed Virgin brought the monastery a wide fame thanks to the miracles revealed through it. For example, when in June 1660 the Lithuanian hetman Pavel Sapega managed to inflict a tangible blow to the Russian troops near the village of Polonka, then, according to general opinion, his success was the prayer of the Zhirovitskaya Icon of the Mother of God, which the voivode heard publicly before the battle began.

True, that in the autumn of the same year the Pskov boyar Prince Khovansky asked him a good whip, tried not to remember, most importantly, that hundreds of pilgrims were going to worship the miraculous icon, while not forgetting to replenish the monastery treasury.

The fresco found in Rome

The Zhirovick icon of the Mother of God, the photo of which is presented in this article, was further glorified in the 18th century. It so happened that in 1718 in the Roman department of one of the Catholic monastic orders, making repairs, under the layer of plaster found a fresco, exactly the same as the image on the Žirovice icon. It was restored, and very soon the first evidence of miracles manifested through it appeared.

This forced the Vatican representatives to pay the most serious attention to the icon in the village of Zhirovichi, and the papal chapter - the clergy collegium at the episcopal department - examined in detail two hundred records of its miracles. Based on these certificates, the icon was recognized as a miracle-working icon and it was decided to coronate it. Yes, yes, Catholics also have such a rite.

The Coronation of the Icon

Celebrations were held in Zhirovichi in September 1730. Never before had this modest village seen such a conglomeration of people. On the eve of the appointed day, three processions of pilgrims arrived, accompanied by a regiment of Janissaries, who were under the command of the sovereign Pan Radziwill. For what to commit, let Catholic, but still Christian ceremony attracted Muslims - history does not specify.

The icon of the Mother of God of Zhirovitskaya, whose value has since increased incomparably, was crowned in the presence of thirty-four thousand people, and on the services that were held for eight days, they were visited by one hundred and twenty thousand. The icon was given two golden crowns, specially made in Rome, and brought to Zhirovichi by the papal ambassador. By the way, all the expenses associated with the execution of this rite, and the subsequent ceremonies were taken over by the mother of the ambassador - the widow of the Polish King Stanislav Radziwill Anna Katarzyna.

Henceforth, the icon of the Zhirovitskaya Mother of God became one of the most revered among Catholics. It is known that the most high-ranking persons have prayed to her about sending down the Grace of God to her. So, in 1744, specifically for this purpose, the village of Zhirovichi was visited by the Polish King August III, and in 1784 - the last monarch of the Commonwealth, Stanislav August Ponyatovsky. True, his relationship with the miraculous icon was clearly not formed, and in 1795, under the convoy of Russian dragoons, the king was taken to Grodno, where he signed an act of abdication.

Return of the icon of the Orthodox Church

In the late thirties of the XIX century, the process of universal restoration of the Orthodox order of worship began in the West Russian region, and the village of Zhirovichi became one of the first places where it was reborn. The monastery in it once again became Orthodox. Since then, the akathist Zhirovitskaya Icon of the Mother of God, built up shortly after this event, has replaced Latin prayers that the people do not understand very well.

The ills brought by the twentieth century

During the First World War, Grodno and all the surrounding areas were in the center of the fighting, and for the preservation of the shrine it was transported first to the Moscow Intercession Cathedral on the Ditch, and then to the regional city of Vidnoe, where it was kept for several years in the monastery of the Great Martyr Catherine.

In her native village, where she spent almost four and a half centuries, the icon returned in 1922. Across the country an anti-religious campaign was unfolding, and its transportation was fraught with considerable risk. Therefore, specially arrived at the Vidnoye Archimandrite of the Zhirovichi Monastery secretly took out an invaluable shrine, hiding it in a jar of jam.

It was not possible to just deliver the salary of the icon to Zhirovichi, but soon the monks of the Pochayiv Assumption Monastery specially made a kiot for it, in which it was kept for all subsequent years. The presence in the monastery of such a glorified icon contributed to the restoration and reconstruction of its main temple - the Assumption Cathedral. In 1938 with the Zhirovitskaya icon religious processions were carried out in many districts of Western Belorussia, under which all funds collected from donations went to the necessary work.

It should be noted that, despite all the persecutions suffered by the Church throughout much of the 20th century, the pilgrimage did not stop at the great shrine of the Zhirovichi Monastery. It continues today.

Zhirovitskaya icon of the Mother of God in what helps?

The answer to this question can be obtained by referring to the historical works dedicated to it, most of which contain extensive excerpts from the monastic books, describing the miracles revealed through it. If we ignore the very dubious reference to the assistance rendered to the Lithuanians in the clash with the Russian troops in 1660 near Polonka, as described above, most of the records indicate miraculous healings performed by the Virgin on prayers in this manner.

In their reliability it is difficult to doubt, since each was in due time certified by signatures of witnesses. And not only the icon itself was the vehicle of God's Grace, but even the stone on which it was found near the burnt church. In this regard, there is a record telling how several of its grains brought to the bed of a dying woman in labor gave her life back.

Thus, according to the tradition established among the inhabitants of Western Belorussia, Zhirovitskaya icon of the Mother of God is recognized as the healer of the sick. What are they praying for besides gaining health before this honest way? There is no doubt that the Most Pure Queen of Heaven will not hesitate in His help, about what would not be the request. The main thing is that when appealing to Her from the heart of the worshiper, even the shadow of doubt in the omnipotence of God by the boundless mercy of the Blessed Virgin, who intercedes for us before His heavenly throne, is expelled.