Konevskaya icon of the Mother of God: description, interesting facts and reviews

The history of the Konev Icon of the Mother of God began far beyond the Russian land - on Athos, but only after it arrived in Russia.

At the origins of history

This honorable event (the arrival of a great icon on the Russian land) took place at the end of the 14th century. A young monk Arseny went to Athos to spend several years in strict fasting and prayer to God.

After three years he decided to return to Novgorod to resurrect the ancient traditions and revive the feat of monasticism in his native land. The abbot of one of the Athonite monasteries named John Zidon, whose monk asked for blessings for a good cause, not only allowed him to carry out his plans with God's help, but also gave a miraculous icon of the Mother of God. In the obedience of the novice, he uttered prophetic words, indicating that he would soon become hegumen.

Upon arrival to the Russian land, the monk immediately went to the archbishop of Novgorod and Pskov John to ask permission and blessing on the foundation of the monastery. With an easy word Archbishop Arseny went to Konevsky Island of Ladoga Lake. The Konev Icon of the Mother of God went with him. There after a while the monastery of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos was erected together with the monastery.

Expulsion of the demons and the triumph of the Mother of God

Arseny knew about the miraculous power of the icon from the time when he lived on Athos. And here in the monastery on Russian soil, not only did he feel the unknown grace and tranquility that emanated from the icon.

Before the solemn arrival of the icon on the lands of Russia, almost all the people who lived on the island professed pagan religion and worshiped the forces of nature, and in the center of the island was the main object of worship - the sacred stone idol. Arseny, armed with the word of God and taking in the hands of the icon of Konevskaya Mother of God, passed with the procession across the island and stopped at a pagan idol-stone. Arseny stood in this place and with all his heart, wholeheartedly prayed to the Lord God.

Great is the power of the sacred thing: at one point the stone ceased to carry in itself pagan strength, and the demons that emerged from it became black crows and flew in all directions. Since then, the main pagan idol has become the main symbol of the revival of Orthodoxy on Konevskaya land.

Cover and protection of the Konev earth

Not before anyone of the islanders did not stand the question, Konevskaya icon of the Mother of God in what helps a person? Yes in everything, and all children and adults in the district knew about this.

Not once she saved these lands from various troubles and misfortunes, therefore she began to be revered as the protector and patroness of Konevsky Island and the district lands. And even when the Swedes attacked Karelia, the Mother of God did not turn away from people, but pardoned, saved and protected. During the same attack, an attempt was made on the very icon of the Mother of God. Enemies, not ashamed of either God or the Tsar, wanted to plunder the monastery and crush it. Unbelievable, but at one moment from the sky, which was not clouds or clouds, there was a loud rumble and lightning flashed - a storm began. The ice around Konevsky Island suddenly cracked and broke, so that the Swedes simply could not get to the island and carry out the plan.

This event became one more indisputable fact of intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos.

"Chronicles of troubled times ..."

After a while, Sweden declared Russia a brutal war, even as the Russian army was completely unprepared and had no decent weapons. Unfortunately, the unpreparedness of Russian soldiers was not wasted - the army suffered enormous losses. All novices, monks, hegumenians and priests of the Konevsky Monastery had to be urgently evacuated to safer places. For a while the shelter of the brotherhood and the very Konevskaya icon became the Novgorod Derevyanitsky Monastery.

After 18 years they were able to return to their native lands, but strained relations between the armed countries did not make long wait for another military confrontation. The monks again had to return to the Derevyanitsky Monastery, and then to the Tikhvin Monastery.

The solemn return of the Konev Icon of the Mother of God took place at the end of the 19th century with the blessing of Metropolitan Gabriel. Somewhat later, in the place where hegumen Arseny found his eternal refuge, a church was built in honor of the introduction of the Blessed Virgin into the church. But for fifty years now the miraculous icon has been kept in the monastery of New Valaam in Heinävesi.

Temple of the Konev Icon in the village of Sapernoye

The temple of the Konevskaya Icon of the Mother of God in Sapernoe (Leningrad Region, Priozersky District) was built not so long ago and is now open for visiting parishioners and pilgrims from all over the country and near abroad.

The erection and consecration of the temple took place at the end of the 20th century, but the builders and architects did not cease to transform and improve the appearance of the building a few more years after the consecration. This continued until the building took on a modern appearance. This temple is actually not so simple and much different from others. It consists of two parts: underground and above ground.

When laying the foundation to the deepest details, it was thought out how to equip the chapel of St. Sergius of Radonezh, which was dug and hand-built. Specially for the underground part, a marble iconostasis was made, and the masters worked on the wall painting. The solemn consecration of the underground church was held in 2003. Many consider it an honor to baptize their children, as well as adults in the lower church, where a special bowl the size of a human's height for a complete immersion is built in the earth.

The temple and the hospital with him

The temple was built on the design of a talented architect N. S. Veselov, who designed a design in the style of northern wooden architecture. The initial idea was to build a church and further build a monastery around the wooden structure, but now the church is considered part of the local rehabilitation center "Resurrection", intended for the treatment of drug addicts with subsequent rehabilitation in the monastery spaces.

The entire staff of the treatment center professes a statute similar to the monastic, and the very principle of getting people out of heavy drug dependence is built on the Orthodox idea. Patients of the clinic are only men, the rehabilitation period is approximately six to nine months. In small groups, men can come to the temple and walk around in a picturesque area, receiving healing not only with the help of doctors and medications, but also from nature. Here is stored Konevskaya Icon of the Mother of God. In Sapernoye near the temple there is a small park with a fountain - this place is very beloved by parishioners and pilgrims.

Requests for healing before the miraculous icon

Akathist Konevskaya icon of the Mother of God is read in a variety of cases. The Mother of God does not leave without help all sincerely asking her help, especially to her turn to be healed of demons, common eye diseases, blindness, drug addiction and paralysis. When there is no opportunity to read the akathist or you do not know how, you can turn to the Mother of God with sincere prayer with all your heart with your own words.

In such cases it is important to remember that in prayer before God, it is not words and correct pronunciation that are important, but purity of thoughts, repentance, sincere petition. All believers should understand that people can not understand our words, but not God. God is everything and always understands, but do we understand it? When a need arises, it is necessary to pray as you can. Prayer to the Mother of God is of great strength and is able to work miracles.

Both parishioners and shepherds know that the Konevskaya icon of the Mother of God is able to work miracles, and it really is!

Celebration in honor of the icon

Day of the Konev Icon of the Mother of God is on 10/23 July. Annually in honor of the holiday in the Konevsky skete, the memory of the Mother of God is honored by performing a prayer service: Liturgy and the procession of the cross with the icon at the head.

On ordinary days, the temple is open daily except on Mondays. And akathist is read weekly before the miracle-working Konev Icon of the Mother of God.