Icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Source. Icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" - the meaning of how to pray

The Orthodox people of the whole world treat the Most Holy Theotokos with the greatest love. Some of Her images became famous among the people as miraculous, among them the icon of the Virgin Mary "Life-giving source". Many lists have been made from this Face, and prayer in front of him grants Orthodox Christians healing from mental and physical ailments.

The Mother of God is the source of life for Her Son, it was with the Most Pure Virgin that the milestone of the salvation of the Orthodox people began.

The history of the appearance of the face

In the 5th century in Constantinople, next to the Golden Gate, there was a grove. A small spring flowed under the shade of her trees, bringing coolness in the hot summer. He was glorified with many miracles. Gradually, the water was covered with mud, and the land around was overgrown with wild bushes.

Once a warrior, the future emperor Leo Markell, met a blind man at the source. It happened on April 4, 450. The helpless blind traveler has lost his way. The lion took him to the path and helped him to settle in the shade of the trees, so that he could rest from the road, while he himself went in search of water.

Suddenly he heard from nowhere a quiet and gentle female voice. He announced to him that the water was very close. The lion, surprised by the miracle, looked around, but found neither water nor the mysterious interlocutor.

The voice rang out a second time and ordered him to go into the grove and find water there, and put the mud from its surface on the blind man's eyes. Voice promised to "reveal himself" and help build a temple in his name. Those who visit him will receive the fulfillment of their requests and be healed of diseases. Markell did everything as instructed. The eyes of the blind man immediately saw their sight.

They both prostrated themselves and offered up prayers of thanks to the Mother of God, for they realized that it was Her voice that was heard in the grove. Soon the traveler continued his journey on his own.

In order for the church clergy to pray for people in need, you must first write a note listing their names. Each note should contain no more than 10 names, they should be indicated in the Orthodox spelling and in the genitive case. For example, about the health of (whom?) Euphemia, Sergius, John, Demetrius, Tatiana, Julia, Apollinaria, Euphrosyne.

Important! The Church prays only for those people over whom the Sacrament of Holy Baptism was performed.

If the priests serve a prayer service for water, then at the end of it, each parishioner can take with him the water consecrated during the prayer service. It should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach with the prayer "To receive holy water."

The holiday in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring" was established in memory of the renovation of the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos in Constantinople. The Life-Giving Spring, which was erected over the miraculous spring by the will of the Most Holy Theotokos by Emperor Leo I Markell, - this day fell on Easter Friday.

Important! Now, every Bright Friday in Orthodox churches, the rite of blessing of water with an Easter procession is performed.

Watch a video about the icon * Life-giving source *

All Christian icons have their own unique stories of creation or acquisition and secret meaning. Many of them, including the Life-Giving Source icon, depict the Virgin Mary and the Child Savior.

Without faith, our life would be chaos and disorder. Icons help us find the strength to go further when it seems that everything has collapsed or is moving towards it. Icons should be in every home: when a person cannot visit the temple, he can pray in front of the icon, establishing contact with God.

The history of the icon

The history of the Life-Giving Source image is rooted in the distant past. In the 5th century, a life-giving, miraculous source was found in Constantinople. This place was consecrated, because the grove where the spring was located was sown in honor of the Mother of God. Many people found healing by drinking holy water that gushed from the earth itself.

Subsequently, the source almost dried up, and over time it completely turned into an abandoned place. In the 6th century, in honor of the miraculous land, from which water gushed, a temple was built and a monastery attached to it. Later, the first icon dedicated to this land was invented and written. The icon was dedicated to the Mother of God, as it is a symbol of purity and goodness, humility and chastity. This image was very popular and famous, but later it was forgotten, and then again restored. He was honored in Russia throughout history.

Description of the icon

The icon depicts the very place where the source was. The Mother of God sits in the Holy Chalice, holding the Child Christ in her arms. Holy water pours from the Chalice - a symbol of pure faith and salvation. Below, near the Chalice, people are depicted who drink or draw water into vessels. Sometimes this icon is attributed to the feast of Epiphany, although in fact it has nothing to do with Epiphany. There are many options for the icon, but in general they are all very similar. Now in many churches in Russia there are icons "Life-giving Source", but it is mainly associated with the temple that was built on the miraculous place where the holy source was.

How does the icon help?

This icon saves the house from misfortune, from any misfortune and evil people. If you are sick, then you can put this icon next to the bed in order to find salvation and improve your health as quickly as possible.

This is a miraculous icon, since in the annals there are many testimonies of how people healed serious ailments by applying to the image: blindness, weakness, incurable diseases, sterility. This happened not only in the 5-6 centuries, but also later, when they only talked about that wonderful place. That temple was destroyed and built three times in history, but the icon "Life-Giving Source" has always been and will be miraculous, regardless of where it is.

Days of veneration of the icon

Day of veneration of the Life-Giving Source icon - April 15. The service recalls miracles associated with the holy image that took place in the 5th century on the place where the Church of Constantinople now stands. It still houses one of the oldest icons. It is a sacred site that must be visited if given the opportunity.

Prayers to the Icon "Life-Giving Source"

In front of this icon, you can read any prayers for the coming sleep and in the morning, prayers for the salvation of the soul, for health. This is a universal image that does not have any connection to events or themes of prayers. Despite this, there is a prayer that can be read on April 15 in honor of the acquisition of that sacred source:

“Our Lady of all generations, the Mother of God, who grants us grace-filled help, we praise you. Thou art our blessed Mother of God, pour out upon us Thy great and rich mercies, heal our ailments and relieve grievous sorrows, let us thank You for this: Rejoice, Lady, Life-giving Source to your faithful people.

The Virgin Mary personifies an insatiable source of goodness, light and forgiveness for all of us, therefore this icon is not just evidence of a miracle that happened fifteen hundred years ago. This is something more, because this image tells us that the life-giving source is always with us. He feeds us every second of our lives. This is one of the best icons to have at home. Good luck and remember to press the buttons and

13.05.2017 05:49

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With boundless love and reverence in the Christian world they treat the Heavenly Queen - the Blessed Virgin Mary. And how can you not love our Intercessor and Prayer Book before the Throne of God! Her clear gaze is fixed on us from the countless multitude of icons. She showed great miracles to people through her images, glorified as miraculous. One of the most famous among them is the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source".

Miracle manifested in the sacred grove

The sacred legend tells that in ancient times, when Byzantium was still a prosperous state and the heart of world Orthodoxy, near its capital Constantinople, not far from the famous "Golden Gate", there was a sacred grove. She was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Under the canopy of its branches, a spring streamed from the ground, bringing coolness on hot summer days. Then there were rumors among the people that the water in it had some healing properties, but no one took them seriously, and gradually the forgotten source of thickets and grass.

But one day, in 450, a certain warrior named Lev Markell, passing through a grove, met a blind man lost among thick trees. The warrior helped him, supported him while he got out of the thickets, and sat in the shade. When he began to look for water to drink the traveler, he heard a wonderful voice commanding him to find a nearby overgrown source and wash the eyes of the blind man with water.

When the compassionate warrior fulfilled this, the blind man unexpectedly regained his sight, and both of them fell on their knees, offering to the Blessed Virgin, as they realized that it was her voice that was heard in the grove. The Queen of Heaven predicted the imperial crown to Leo Marcellus, which came true seven years later.

Temples are gifts of grateful emperors

Having reached the supreme power, Marcellus did not forget the miracle that appeared in the sacred grove, and the predictions about his so amazing rise. By his order, the source was cleaned and surrounded by a high stone curb. Since then, he began to be called the Life-Giving One. A temple was erected here in honor of the Blessed Virgin, the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" was specially painted for him. Since then, the blessed spring and the icon kept in the temple have become famous for many miracles. Thousands of pilgrims began to flock here from the most distant ends of the empire.

A hundred years later, Emperor Justinian the Great, then reigning, suffering from a serious and incurable illness, came to the sacred grove, where the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" stood. Having bathed in the fertile waters and having performed a prayer service in front of the miraculous image, he regained health and strength. As a token of gratitude, the happy emperor ordered to build another temple nearby and, in addition, to found a monastery, designed for a large number of inhabitants. Thus, the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" was more and more glorified, prayer before which could heal from the most serious ailments.

Fall of Byzantium and destruction of temples

But the terrible disasters of 1453 fell upon Byzantium. The great and once prosperous empire fell under the onslaught of the Muslims. The great star of Orthodoxy has sunk. The wicked invaders set fire to Christian shrines. The temple of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" and all the monastery buildings that stood nearby were thrown into ruins. Much later, in 1821, an attempt was made to resume prayer services in the sacred grove, and even a small church was built, but it was soon destroyed, and the blessed spring was covered with earth.

But people, in whose hearts the fire of true faith burned, could not calmly look at this sacrilege. Secretly, under cover of night, the Orthodox cleared their desecrated shrine. And just as secretly, risking their lives, they carried away, hiding under clothes, vessels filled with it. This continued until the internal policy of the new masters of the country changed, and the Orthodox were given some relief in the performance of divine services.

Then a small church of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" was built on the site of the destroyed temple. And since Orthodoxy cannot be without mercy and compassion, they built an almshouse and a hospital at the church, in which many suffering and crippled people gained health through prayers to our Most Pure Intercessor.

Veneration of holy icons in Russia

When, with the fall of Byzantium, the sun of Orthodoxy set in the East, it shone with renewed vigor in holy Russia, and with it, liturgical books and holy images appeared in abundance. And then life was inconceivable without the humble and wise faces of the saints of God. But a special attitude was towards the images of the Savior and His Most Pure Mother. Among the most revered icons were those painted in ancient times on the shores of the Bosphorus. One of them is the Life-Giving Source icon of the Mother of God.

It should be noted that since the 16th century in Russia it has become a practice to consecrate springs and reservoirs located in the territories of monasteries or near them, and at the same time dedicate them to the Most Holy Theotokos. came to us from Greece. Numerous copies of the Byzantine image of the "Life-giving source" also became widespread. However, compositions written in Russia earlier than the 17th century have not yet been found.

The image of the Mother of God in the Sarov desert

As an example of a special love for her, one can recall the famous glory of which the unfading light of Orthodoxy - Sarov, brought with its name. In that monastery, a temple was specially erected, in which the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" was kept. Its significance in the eyes of believers was so great that the monk elder on especially important occasions sent pilgrims to pray to the Mother of God, kneeling before this miraculous icon of Her. As is clear from the memoirs of contemporaries, there was no case when the prayer remained unanswered.

An image that strengthens in the fight against sorrow

What is the power possessed by the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source"? How does she help and what can you ask her for? The most important thing that this miraculous image brings to people is deliverance from sorrows. Life, unfortunately, is full of them, and we do not always have enough mental strength to cope with them.

They come from the enemy of man, as they are the product of disbelief in the providence of God. It is in these cases that the "Life-giving source" - the icon of the Mother of God, brings peace to human souls. What do they still pray to our Most Pure Intercessor? About protecting us from the very sources of these sorrows - the troubles and hardships of life.

Celebrations in honor of the holy icon

As another example of the special veneration of this icon, it is worth mentioning the tradition that has developed over many centuries to serve on the Friday of Bright Week a prayer service for water in front of this image. It is served in all churches immediately after the end of the liturgy. Since ancient times, it has been customary to sprinkle with water consecrated at this prayer service, gardens, orchards and arable land, thereby invoking the help of the Most Holy Theotokos in granting a rich harvest.

It is customary to celebrate the feast of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" twice a year. Once this happens on April 4, since it was on this day in 450 that the Mother of God appeared to the pious warrior Leo Markell, commanding him to build a temple in her honor in the holy grove and pray in it for the health and salvation of Orthodox Christians. On that day, the akathist to the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" is certainly performed.

The second holiday takes place, as mentioned above, on the Friday of Bright Week. On that day, the church remembers the renovated temple in honor of this icon, which was once located near Constantinople. In addition to the rite of consecration of water, the celebration is also accompanied by an Easter procession.

Features of the iconography of the image of the Virgin

Special attention should be paid to the iconographic features of this image. It is generally accepted that the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" traces its roots to the ancient Byzantine image of the Most Pure Virgin, called the "Lady Victorious", which, in turn, is a derivation of the Mother of God image "Sign". However, art critics have no consensus on this issue.

If you study the lists of icons that were distributed at one time, then it is not difficult to notice some significant compositional changes introduced over the centuries. So, in the early icons there is no image of the source. Also, not immediately, but only in the process of developing the image, a bowl called a phial, a reservoir and a fountain entered into his composition.

The spread of the holy image in Russia and Athos

The spread of this image in Russia is evidenced by a number of archaeological finds. So, for example, in the Crimea, during excavations, a dish with the image of the Virgin was found. Her figure with prayerfully raised hands is depicted in a bowl. The find dates back to the 13th century and is considered one of the earliest images of this kind located on the territory of our country.

A description of another image, corresponding to the image of the "Life-Giving Source" of the XIV century, can be found in the work of the church historian Nicephorus Callistus. He describes the image of the Mother of God in a phial, set over a reservoir. In this icon, the Blessed Virgin is depicted with the Christ Child in her arms.

The fresco "Life-giving source" located on the Holy Mount Athos is also interesting. It dates back to the beginning of the 15th century. Its author, Andronicus the Byzantine, presented the Mother of God in a wide bowl with the blessing Eternal Child in her arms. The name of the image is written in Greek text along the edges of the fresco. Also, a similar plot is found in some icons stored in various

Help poured out through this image

But still, what is the inimitable attraction of this image, what is so attracted to people by the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source"? What does it help and what does it keep from? First of all, this image brings healing to all those who suffer bodily and in their prayers those who hope for the help of the Queen of Heaven. It was with this that his glorification began in ancient Byzantium. With this, he won love and gratitude, finding himself among the vastness of Russia.

In addition, the icon and mental ailments are successfully treated. But the main thing is that it saves those who resort to it from the pernicious passions that so often overwhelm our souls. It is from their influence that the Life-Giving Source, the icon of the Mother of God, saves. What do they pray in front of her, what do they ask the Queen of Heaven for? First of all, about the gift of strength to cope with everything low and vicious that is inherent in us by human nature, damaged by original sin. Unfortunately, there is much that exceeds human capabilities and in which we are powerless without the help of the Lord God and His Most Pure Mother.

Source of life and truth

In all cases, no matter what compositional solution the author of this or that version of this image stops at, one should first of all understand that the Life-giving source is the Most Pure Virgin Herself, through which the One Who gave life to all beings on earth was incarnated into the world.

He spoke the words that became the stone on which the temple of true faith was erected, He showed people the way, and the truth, and life. And the Heavenly Queen, the Most Holy Theotokos, became that blessed Life-giving source, the streams of which washed away from sin and fed the Divine field with themselves.

The icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" is one of the Orthodox shrines with which the old legend is connected. According to him, in the 5th century, not far from Constantinople, there was a grove dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos.

In 450, the warrior Lev Markell met a lost blind man here. Deciding to find water for him, he heard the voice of the Mother of God, who commanded him to find a source and anoint the wanderer's eyes with mud. After that, the blind man received his sight. And the Mother of God predicted to the warrior that he would become the emperor of Byzantium, which later happened.

Leo Markell erected on this place a church in honor of the Mother of God (now there is a monastery here). The holy key was named "Life-giving source", like the icon of the Mother of God, written for this temple.

Prayer before the icon "Life-giving source"

“Oh, Most Holy Virgin, All-Merciful Lady Lady Theotokos, Thy Life-Giving Source, heal gifts for the health of our souls and bodies and for the salvation of the world, give it to us, so also thank the creature fervently pray to Thee, the Most Holy Queen, pray to Thy Son and our God to give for us the abandonment of sins and for every soul that is grieving and embittered, mercy and consolation, and liberation from troubles, sorrows and diseases. Grant, O Lady, protection to this temple and this people (and to observe this holy monastery), to preserve the city, to save our country from misfortunes and to protect us, so that we will live a peaceful life here, and in the future we will be honored to see You our Intercessor, in the glory of the Kingdom of Your Son. and our God. To Him be glory and dominion with the Father and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen".

Second prayer to the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source"

“O Most Holy Lady, Lady, Theotokos! Above all are the angel and the archangel, and all creatures are most honest: you are the helper of the offended, hopeless hope, the poor intercessor, the sad consolation, the hungry for the nourishment, the naked garment, the sick healing, the sinful salvation, the Christians all help and intercession. O All-Merciful Lady, Virgin Mother of God Mistress! By Thy Mercy, save and have mercy on our Orthodox people, our Great Lord and Father, our Most Holy Patriarch (the name of the rivers, now Cyril), Most Reverend Metropolitans, Archbishops and Bishops, and all priestly and monastic ranks, the authorities and the army and all Orthodox Christians; and pray, O Lord, from You without the seed of the incarnate Christ of our God, that He may gird us with His power from above against our invisible and visible enemies.
About the All-Merciful Lady the Lady Theotokos! Raise us from the depths of sin, and deliver us from gladness, destruction, cowardice and flood, from fire and sword, from finding aliens and internecine warfare, and from vain death, and from the attack of the enemy, and from pernicious winds, and from deadly ulcers and from all evil. Grant, Lady, peace and health to Thy servant, to all Orthodox Christians, and enlighten with them the mind and eyes of the heart, hedgehog for salvation, and vouchsafe, Thy sinful servants, the Kingdom of Thy Son, Christ our God, as His kingdom is blessed and glorified, with His beginningless Father and with His Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen".

Icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source"

Every year on Friday of Easter week, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Feast of the Appearance of the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Source". In 2019, the celebration date falls on May 3rd.

What does the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Source" mean? The life-giving source here is the Most Pure Virgin herself, through whom the Savior was incarnated into the world. This iconographic image brings healing to all those who suffer, in their prayers those who hope for the help of the Queen of Heaven.

How does the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Source" help? People who find themselves in difficult life situations turn to her.

What to pray for in front of the icon "Life-giving source"? About healing from physical and mental ailments, about help in grief, peace and well-being in families.

The icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving source" has been honored in Russia for a long time. The most famous miraculous list from it is an icon from the Sarov Hermitage, revered by Seraphim of Sarov.

On the Friday of Bright Week, after the liturgy in Orthodox churches, as a rule, a prayer service for water is performed in front of this icon. People sprinkle holy water on their gardens and orchards, calling on the Lord and His Most Pure Mother to give them a good harvest.

On this day, a prayer is read in churches in front of the icon "Life-giving source" - the troparion of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Troparion, voice 4
“Today, through faithfulness to the Divine and celibate image of the Most Holy Theotokos, pouring out drops of her outpourings, and showing the faithful miracles, even we see and hear spiritually celebrate and kindly cry out: heal our ailments and passions, as well as Karkin's and passionate ones; so much the same we pray to Thee Most Pure Virgin, pray to the incarnate Christ of our God, our souls to be saved ”.

Troparion, voice 4
"Let us draw, people, celibacy for souls and bodies with prayer, the River foretolds all - the Most Pure Queen, the Mother of God, pouring out wonderful water for us and washing away the hearts of blackness, purifying sinful scabs, sanctifying the souls of those who are faithful to Divine grace."

Kontakion, voice 8
“From the inexhaustible You, the Source of God-gracious, give me, sharpen, the waters of Your grace, ever flowing more than words, as if the Word gave birth to more meaning, pray, sprinkle me with grace, and I call Ty: rejoice, saving water. Magnification We magnify Thee, Most Holy Virgin, and we honor Thy holy image, even as our illnesses heal and our souls rise to God. "

The Icon of the Mother of God The Life-Giving Source is a miraculous image revered by all Christians. From it, a lot of lists (derivations) have been created. Prayer for help in front of the image of the Queen of Heaven has granted many believers healing from physical illnesses, mental suffering, which fills the soul with pain.

The Orthodox tradition names the Mother of God with many “speaking” names that accurately characterize her essence, vocation, qualities that She shows by her grace. The Life-Giving Source is one of those. After all, it was the Virgin Mary who became the Source of Life for the Son of God, from her began the great history of the path of salvation for all Orthodox Christians. Therefore, Christians tirelessly pray to her bright faces, seeking support, help and protection.

A special day of veneration of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Source" is the Friday of Bright Week (Easter week). In all the churches of the Russian Orthodox Church, the blessing of water is performed, and hymns to the icon of the Mother of God are sung.

Miraculous healing with spring water

With the appearance of the image of the Virgin and the bright holiday, the miraculous event that took place on April 4, 450 from the birth of Christ, with the then future emperor of Byzantium Leo Markell, is inextricably linked. Not far from the Golden Gate of Constantinople, in a green grove, an amazing spring gushed. People told many stories of his miracles. Walking nearby, the Leo warrior accidentally met a tired, blind old man who had lost his way. The young man helped the traveler find the right path, sat him under a tree to rest. He himself went in search of water to give the blind man a drink.

Suddenly, the warrior heard a disembodied female voice telling him that he should not go far, there is water here, very close. The lion was very surprised, but he could not find the stream. Tired of unsuccessful searches, the warrior again heard his parting speech: he must find a source, draw water, give water to the thirsty. Then you should collect mud, put the blind man in the eyes. After that, Leo will be able to find out who the one who sanctifies the life-giving source is. She will also help Leo Markell to build a temple on this blessed place so that people who come with faith and prayers receive help and healing from diseases.

The warrior Lev Markell performed everything exactly as the wondrous voice said. A miracle happened - the blind man received his sight. Exalting the praises of the Mother of God, the healed old man went to Constantinople. Seven years later, when Leo I ascended the imperial throne, replacing Marcian, he continued to fulfill the words of the Mother of God. First, the source was cleaned, surrounded by a stone circle, and then a temple was built over it. As a sign that the spring became another embodiment of the grace of the Immaculate Virgin, it was named the Life-Giving Source of the Virgin.

Under the subsequent rulers Justinian the Great, Basil the Macedonian, Leo the Wise, the monastery was rebuilt and decorated several times. After the fall of Constantinople (May 29, 1453), the temple was destroyed by the Muslims. A new Orthodox church over the Life-Giving Spring appeared only thanks to Patriarch Constantine I (in 1834-1835). A convent was built around it.

Image of the Life-Giving Source: Stages of Formation

When writing the first icon of the Mother of God "The Life-Giving Source", the ancient Greek image of the Most Pure Virgin, based on the canons of the drawing in the Blakherna Church, was taken as a basis. The Mother of God was portrayed as a marble statue, from whose hands Agiasma (holy water) flows. The first lists of the icon do not contain an image of the source itself. Later, the composition of the drawing is complemented by a bowl, then by a pond or fountain. On Russian memorials, images of a well, symbolizing a source, have been preserved.

• In Crimea, one of the most ancient (late XIII - early XIV century) images of the Mother of God was discovered. The image of the Intercessor with her hands raised in prayer (of the Oranta type) is on a clay dish.
• The icon, painted around the middle of the 14th century, is described by Nikifor Callistos, a church historian. It tells about the image of the Mother of God, located in the middle of the cup-font, which is installed over the source. On the chest (or womb) of the Mother of God is the Infant Jesus. This type of icon is called Kyriotissa.
• Already in the first half of the 15th century, the master Andronicus the Byzantine created a fresco on this theme on the wall of the Athos monastery of St. Paul. The Virgin Mary with the Christ Child are written over the bowl. The image bears the caption in Greek "Life-Giving Source".
• XVI century. The tradition in the name of the Mother of God to consecrate springs located on the territory of monasteries comes from Greece to Russia. Numerous images of the Mother of God were painted for baths and chapels erected above them.
• In the 17th century, this type of icon became very popular and widespread. The images that were created on the territory of Russia have become more complex compositionally. It should be noted that these changes in iconography had a negative impact on the strength of the symbolic meaning. The images were increasingly being supplemented with wells with water gushing from them. The Mother of God is surrounded by saints: John Chrysostom, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, etc. The foreground of the composition can be supplemented by people seeking healing.

Lists of the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Source" in Russia

The most famous copy from the Life-Giving Source icon is the miraculous image located in the Sarov Hermitage. In the 18th century, the founder of the church, Hieromonk John, brought him to the monastery. The shrine is deeply revered by monks and parishioners. She was highly regarded by Seraphim of Sarov. In the middle of the 19th century, the Sarov monastery was replenished with another list of the "Life-Giving Source" (it was brought by Hieroschemamonk Ioanniki from Constantinople). The icon shows the Appearance of the Mother of God at the Life-Giving Spring.

Today, there are about a hundred churches and chapels, named after the Mother of God, in which there are versions of the icon. Among them:

• Temple of the Image of the Mother of God (Kosmodamianskaya) in Metkino, Moscow region. In the 17th century, the wooden church of Damian and Cosmas was burned down (1701), but many icons were saved. They were taken to a small chapel. On the site of the old one, in 1848, a new temple of God was built, dedicated to the miraculous image of the Mother of God. In 1840, a soldier's widow (Avdotya Evdokimova) donated a miraculous icon to the village of Metkino. Since that time, people from the surrounding towns and villages have come and come to worship the face of the Mother of God.
• In Moscow Tsaritsino there is also a temple built in the 18th century, dedicated to icon Mother of God "Life-Giving Source".

• Cathedral with the miraculous image of the Blessed Virgin (Sorrow Church), located in Tver.
• Zadonsky Nativity of the Mother of God (male) monastery (built in 1610). There is a chapel-bath dedicated to the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Source".
• You can also see the miraculous image in the temple of the Mother of God in Arzamas.

Miraculous healings through the prayers of the icon

The written testimonies of the healing by the Mother of God of those who turned to the Life-Giving Spring icon and drank healing water were left by Nicephorus Callistus Xanfopulus, a monk of the Sofia monastery (Constantinople), who lived in the XIV century. In his Sinaxar, he described cases of miracles from spring water. So the dead was raised from Thessaly, who bequeathed to bring him to the holy place and wash him with healing water. Leo the Wise was healed of urolithiasis. After visiting a helping source, Patriarch John of Jerusalem had no hearing problems.

With what to refer to the image of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Source"

Miraculous healings from the lists of the image of the Blessed Intercessor "Life-Giving Spring" and holy water continue to this day. They are described in the church books of churches and monasteries, strengthening the faith of the Orthodox in the power and help of the Mother of God. Turning to these notes, one can single out the main themes, in which prayer for this image of the Mother of God helps.

The shrine should be prayed to people who are tormented by serious bodily ailments. Many women were able to carry and give birth to a healthy child, praying for a miraculous image. Those who are tormented by mental anguish of conscience, unrequited feelings, oppressive thoughts need to bow their heads before the icon. The image will help to cope with addictions. You can ask for help relatives of the sufferer. But the best thing is for a person to want to solve his problems himself, to truly believe in the omnipotence of the Mother of God. After all, as we pray, we receive such help through our prayers.