Icon found in Kolomenskoye on March 2, 1917. Pilgrimage to the found icon

The history of the Russian Empire is inextricably linked with some of the holy images, which played a wonderful role. They became a bulwark of faith and performed miracles in the darkest and most dashing times. People prayed to them for salvation from enemy invasions, from epidemics, about peace in the country and miracles happened - wars ended, cities were miraculously saved from destruction, and the sick were healed. It is to them that the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God belongs.

At a critical moment in 1917, she became a stronghold of the faith of ordinary people and saved hundreds of them from death.

Iconography

The images of the Mother of God are quite ancient, already the first Christians tried to depict her on boards or canvases, so that when the Good News of salvation through Christ was conveyed, it could be confirmed with illustrations.

With the development of icon painting, the works became more perfect, beautiful and clear.

It is worth mentioning the fact that icon painting has never had an entertaining character. All boards were created with the aim of conveying church doctrine to the Christian and unbelievers, to demonstrate the perfect relationship between God and man, and to help convey the Good News.

The sovereign icon of the Mother of God has distinctive features that are reflected even in its name:

• Type - Panahranta or All-Tsaritsa;
• The Virgin Mary is seated on a throne, and on her head is a crown;
• the clothing of the Mother of God has bright red colors, which are characteristic of any royal vestment;
• a throne with a rounded back in gold;
• the Mother of God is located a little on a dais, and in her hands are the attributes of monarchical power: a crown, a scepter and orb;
• Christ is depicted as a youth and is on the lap of the Mother;
• Christ is clothed in light garments;
• One hand is raised for blessing, and the other points to the state.

The location of the Mother of God, her clothes, the finger of Christ directed at her - all this confirms the royal status of the Virgin Mary and her dignity as the Queen of Heaven. Some copies have an image of God the Father on top, but according to the canon this is not true, since it is forbidden to portray the Lord, because a sinful person does not even dare to look at Him.

Important! That is why the tradition of the Orthodox Church prohibits painting the Lord on faces, except for images of Jesus Christ, whom people saw with their own eyes.

The holy face is painted in oil on a blackboard. Today's version of the face is different from the one originally drawn. In the process of transporting and moving the board, its bottom was damaged, and it had to be sawed off. But the top, as originally, remained rounded.

Other icons of the Theotokos:

There are several lists that are found in temples throughout the country and some of them are considered miraculous, like the original plaque. Indeed, during the revolution, after the loss of the monarch, the people were disunited, a civil war began, and only the Sovereign icon reminded believers that they had one ruler, the Queen of Heaven, who could not be killed and who would always intercede for them. Despite the persecution of the communist authorities, people hid the "Sovereign" in their homes and continued to pray to her.

Saint Mary is here depicted as the perfect of all people, because only Christ is above her. She is not only the intercessor of people on earth, but also their guide to the life of heaven.

"Sovereign" icon of the Mother of God, the Mother of God Church in Kostino, the city of Korolev

Location of the icon

Despite the peaceful situation in the state, people today come to the "Sovereign" with requests and prayers. They revered her the same way as in former times.

Today, there are several places where you can find an image of her:

• Chertanovo district in the Moscow region - it was there that the community erected a new stone church instead of the old wooden one. This is a brick temple with five tents, where the active life of the Orthodox community is conducted: Sunday school, choir, youth events;
• a copy is in the Ascension Church (Gorokhovy Lane), where the myrrh-streaming icon of Tsar Nicholas is kept;
• a copy is also in the Moscow monastery compound at the Solovetsky monastery. It was this place that was seriously damaged during the Red Revolution, and therefore especially honors the "Sovereign";
• in the temple of the prophet Elijah;
• In the Dormition Deanery of Moscow, in the church of the same name, this face is kept. The temple itself is an architectural monument and keeps many Orthodox relics.

In addition to these temples, there are others that began with this very face. A small chapel made of wood with him laid the foundation for the main cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church. It has survived to this day and has become part of the complex of buildings of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. They serve there on days of celebration and read in front of a list of akathists written during the revolution.

The history of the image

It is not known exactly who and when painted the face of "Sovereign", although there is a theory about its location in the Ascension Monastery of the Kremlin, where princesses and tsarinas were previously buried. It was from here that the firm opinion arose that the image is associated with monarchs and royal power.

This image is quite old, although it became popular and famous only with the beginning of the political unrest of the 20th century in Russia.

During the revolution, it was lost, because people hid it in their homes so that the Red Army did not burn the shrine. Since then, there has been no official data on the whereabouts of the icon. Until a resident of the Moscow region had a dream in which the Virgin Mary told her to find some of her image.

Read about Christianity:

The woman began her search and, with time and God's help, found her in the village of Kolomenskoye in the Ascension Church. From time to time, the face turned black, but still the characters depicted on it could be distinguished. On the same day the board was found, Emperor Nicholas delivered a speech of abdication. Believers interpreted the events as follows: for the sins of the people, God punished them and took the emperor away from them, in return allowing the ascension of communist atheistic power.

However, the discovery of such an important relic in such a troubled time made it clear to the believers that God still did not turn away from them, and the Virgin Mary will also intercede for people before God.

The board was restored by monks from a monastery in Moscow, somewhat changing its original appearance - the vestments were made crimson, as Evdokia was told, the very woman who found the image in a dream.

Important! After finding the face, he became an object of popular veneration, which was only facilitated by the tragic death of the anointed emperor. During the atheistic rule in Russia, believers only prayed and asked the Lord to have mercy on their country. That is why, in 1993, Patriarch Alexy repented before the church and the people for the sin of regicide. There are many testimonies of how the fervent prayers of the face of the Mother of God helped believers to become firm in their faith and cope with problems.

They come to the icon "Reigning" with different requests for:

• health of their own and those of their families;
• opportunities to recover from serious illnesses and recover from;
• find love and start a family;
• help to get on the right path or instruct a loved one;
• protection and assistance with financial problems;
• healing from injuries of the heart and spirit;
• giving joy to the heart and protection from oppressors;
• peace in the country;
• saving the state from epidemics and wars;
• forgiveness and end of enmity.

Watch the video about the Sovereign Icon

In Russia, along with cultural mass creativity, a special place in the world of Orthodox art is occupied by artistic images of the main mythical heroes of the Holy Bible. Among the legendary graphic works created by great icon painters in different historical times, the “Sovereign” icon of the Mother of God is of great importance for all religiously believing Christians.

The history of the icon

Her appearance on the territory of the Russian state is due to an old legend, the plot of which is based on one day in the life of an ordinary peasant woman. Her name was Evdokia. She lived in the village of Kolomenskoye, located in the Moscow region. And then one day, right in a dream, the image of the Mother of God appeared to her. With her voice, she urged the young peasant woman to find the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Reigning" and install it in a nearby church church so that people could constantly pray for help. Before fulfilling the prescribed conditions, Evdokia, the next morning after her night vision, immediately turned to the Ascension priest.
Believing in the words of the Russian peasant woman, he decided to provide his maximum assistance so that the "Sovereign" icon of the Mother of God could be found as soon as possible, and so that later other citizens could see it.

The search for the sacred antique canvas continued for a long time, until one fine moment an ancient, dusty shrine was found in one church basement.

It is also interesting that the icon of the Almighty Queen was found just during the renunciation of Nicholas 2 from his reign, that is, in 1917

At that time, the citizens of Russia were going through difficult and very harsh times, which were associated with the complete elimination of the ruling autocracy. And the appearance of the "Sovereign" icon in Kolomenskoye was for people a sign of God's choice, symbolizing the submission of temporarily without control citizens to the power of the Heavenly Kingdom.

It must be said that the image of the found shrine with its majestic appearance clearly makes people understand that only God will always rule in the world, and his influence over human destinies will remain unchanged.

What the "Sovereign" icon looks like

The “sovereign” icon of the Mother of God looks like this: right in the middle of the paper canvas, there is a hand-made image of the royal throne, on which the Mother of God sits, holding the newborn Jesus Christ on her knees. In both hands, she holds two main elements confirming the right to rule: the orb and the scepter. On the head, as befits an autocratic ruler, a bright golden crown sparkles, on top of which a holy halo rises in a semicircle.

Soon, after the nationwide veneration and appeal to the "Sovereign" icon, people began to notice how grace appeared in their lives. And the main significant event was the formation of the holy source.

Thus, having appreciated its true power, Orthodox believers quickly realized the unique miraculous properties that underlie this icon. As a result, the birth of the Most Holy All-Deity Icon of the Theotokos inspired subsequent icon painters to create accurate lists.

How does the "Sovereign" icon of the Mother of God help

Throughout the history of the shrine's existence, people have managed to record many cases in which people were able to completely recover after repeated prayers to the "Reigning" icon of the Mother of God. After all, its significance is extremely great.

She helps people to cope with mental psychological troubles by adjusting their behavior for further deliberate and purposeful actions.

In addition, you can turn to it to speed up the recovery process after various injuries, illnesses or surgeries.

Separately, mention should be made of those people who, after reading a prayer in front of the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Reigning", managed to build strong, serious relationships, which were ultimately sealed forever by unbreakable bonds of marriage.

Celebration icons

In addition to this significant event, in the Kolomna Kazan Church on July 27, her return of this shrine, which was lost for some time, is celebrated.

Prayer before the icon

While reading the prayer, people need to take care of their inner thoughts and intentions. They must be true and focused.

The text of the prayer is as follows:

O Sovereign Lady, Most Holy Theotokos, in her arms holding the whole universe, the King of Heaven, with her hand! We thank Thee for Thy ineffable mercy, as you were pleased to show us, sinners, this holy miraculous icon of Thy in these days. We thank Thee, as if thou hast looked upon the children of the Orthodox from the height of Thy holy, and, like the bright sun, amuse our now exhausted from sorrow of our hair with the sweet sight of Thy sovereign image! Oh Blessed Mother of God, Sovereign Assistant, Strong Intercessor, thank You, with fear and trembling, like a servant of indecency, we fall, with emotion, with contrition of heart, with tears we pray to You: root in the hearts of all of us truth, peace and joy about Dus Holy, establish silence in our country, prosperity, serenity, unhypocritical love for each other! With Thy Power, support us, the weak, the faint-hearted, the weak, the sad, support us, uplift! As if under Thy power we always keep, sing, magnify and glorify Thee, the Sovereign Intercessor of the Christian clan forever and ever. Amen.

One of the main shrines of modern Russia is the icon of the Mother of God "Reigning", acquired on March 2 (15), 1917 - on the very day of the abdication of the passion-bearer of Tsar Nicholas II.

According to church tradition, this miraculous image has a special providence for the ultimate destinies of the world. The Mother of God herself keeps the peace until the time of the coming of the Antichrist, She herself becomes the spiritual Autocrat of our country and the guardian of the Throne for the future Anointed of God. The image is also a guarantee of the forgiveness of the Russian people, which must come to repentance through innumerable suffering, blood and tears.

One of the books dedicated to the icon said: “Knowing the exceptional power of faith and prayer of the Tsar-Martyr Nicholas and His special reverent veneration of the Mother of God (remember the cathedral of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God in Tsarskoe Selo), we can assume that it was He who pleaded with the Queen of Heaven to take upon Himself the Supreme Royal power over the people who rejected their Anointed Tsar. And the Lady came to the "House of the Mother of God" prepared for Her by all Russian history at the most difficult moment in the life of God's chosen people. "

The appearance of the icon in 1917 was not a kind of renewal, but simply the discovery of an old icon in the basement of the Church of the Ascension in the village of Kolomenskoye. A peasant woman Evdokia Adrianova, who lived near the village of Kolomenskoye, came to the rector of the church, Father Nikolai Likhachev. A mysterious voice told her in her dream: “There is a large black icon in the village of Kolomenskoye. You need to take it, make it red, and let them pray. " After a while, the peasant woman again in a dream saw the white church and the Woman majestically sitting in it. The dreams were so clear and impressive that Evdokia decided to go to the village of Kolomenskoye and immediately recognized the Church of the Ascension seen in her dream.

The abbot, after listening to her story, showed all the old icons of the Mother of God in the iconostasis, but in none of them did the peasant woman find any resemblance to the Woman seen in a dream. After a long search in the basement, among the old boards, they found a large old black icon of the Mother of God. When it was washed from perennial dust, everyone present saw the image of the Mother of God as the Queen of Heaven, majestically seated on the royal throne.

Andrianova, with great joy and tears, prostrated herself before the most pure image of the Mother of God, asking Fr. Nicholas to serve a prayer service, since in this image she saw the complete fulfillment of her dreams.

The name of the icon corresponds to its iconography. The Mother of God is presented as the Queen of Heaven and Queen of the Earth: dressed in a red robe, reminiscent of a royal robe of the “color of blood,” and in a green tunic, She sits on a throne with a semicircular back, in her outstretched right hand is a scepter, the left is laid on the orb, on her head - royal crown surrounded by a golden halo. On the knees of the Virgin - the youth Jesus Christ in a bright robe, with a blessing right hand, with his left hand points to the orb; above in the clouds - the blessing Lord of hosts.

Soon after the appearance of the icon in the village of Kolomenskoye, the Resurrection Convent in Moscow, according to the records in its books, established that this icon had previously belonged to him, and in 1812, before the invasion of Napoleon, among other icons, during the evacuation of the monastery from the Kremlin, it was transferred for storage to the Ascension Church of the village Kolomensky, and then was not returned. And they forgot about her in the monastery for 105 years, until she showed herself at the time set by the Lord God.

Many began to believe that the symbol of this icon of the Mother of God was that from now on there would be no legitimate earthly power in Russia, that the Heavenly Queen took over the succession of the power of the Russian state at the moment of the greatest fall of the Orthodox people. Lists (copies) of the icon were distributed throughout the country, a service to the icon of the Mother of God and a marvelous akathist, compiled with the participation of Patriarch Tikhon, appeared.

On the day the icon was found, a healing spring was opened in Kolomenskoye. He came out of the ground on a slope leading to the Moscow River, exactly opposite the royal throne of the Rurikovichs facing the river, located at the gulbische of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord.

But soon the most severe persecution fell upon the admirers of the "Reigning" icon of the Mother of God, who prayed before her throughout Russia. Lists of the icon of the Mother of God were removed from all churches, thousands of believers were arrested who dared to keep the image of the "Reigning" icon of the Mother of God, and the compilers of the service and the canon were shot. The original icon of the Sovereign Mother of God was confiscated and kept for more than half a century in the storerooms of the Historical Museum.

The return of the miraculous icon markedly coincided with the liberation of Russia from the oppressive yoke. In the late 1980s, through the efforts of Metropolitan Pitirim of Volokolamsk and Yuryev, the icon was secretly transferred to the Publishing Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, where it stayed for several years in the altar of the house church of St. Joseph of Volotsk. On July 27, 1990, a few days after the first commemoration of the Tsar and his Family at the Liturgy (July 17, 1990), with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, the clergy and Orthodox Muscovites solemnly transferred the icon to Kolomenskoye, to the functioning Kazan Church, where the image was placed at the right kliros of the temple. Since that time, the tradition of reading on Sundays in front of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Sovereign" of the famous "Akathist of the Akathists" was established.

The acquisition of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God in the Kolomna Church of the Ascension has a deep symbolic meaning.

The symbolic meaning of the appearance of the icon "Sovereign" is that the death of the monarchy was sent to the people as punishment, but the Mother of God herself preserves the symbols of the royal power, which gives hope for repentance and the revival of Russia and the Russian state.

After the unification of the Russian Church and the Russian Church Abroad, in August 2007 the icon was transported to Russian parishes in Europe, America and Australia.

Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Sovereign" they pray for truth, heartfelt joy, unhypocritical love for each other, for peace in the country, for the salvation and preservation of Russia, for the protection of the throne and the state, for deliverance from aliens and for the granting of bodily and mental healings.

Prayer of the Mother of God before her icon "Reigning"
O Sovereign Lady, Most Holy Theotokos, in her arms holding the whole universe, the King of Heaven, with her hand! We thank Thee for Thy ineffable mercy, as you were pleased to show us, sinners, this holy miraculous icon of Thy in these days. We thank Thee, as if thou hast looked upon the children of the Orthodox from the height of Thy holy, and, like the bright sun, amuse our now exhausted from sorrow of our hair with the sweet sight of Thy sovereign image! Oh Blessed Mother of God, Sovereign Assistant, Strong Intercessor, thank You, with fear and trembling, like a servant of indecency, we fall, with emotion, with contrition of heart, with tears we pray to You: root in the hearts of all of us truth, peace and joy about Dus Holy, establish silence in our country, prosperity, serenity, unhypocritical love for each other! With Thy Power, support us, the weak, the faint-hearted, the weak, the sad, support us, uplift! As if under Thy power we always keep, sing, magnify and glorify Thee, the Sovereign Intercessor of the Christian clan forever and ever. Amen.

Troparion, voice 4
The city of Zionsk is exacting, under Your cover, Virgin Virgin, we are flowing here, and no one can come upon us, as if the city is strong, if not the God of God, and there is another fortress, if not the mercy of the Lady of the Virgin

Kontakion, voice 8
We bring victorious songs to the chosen Voivode, as if Thy Power was given to us, and we will be afraid, not from the world for our salvation, but we protect the exalted Lady with mercy, and this day we rejoice, as if the Intercessor came to guard His land.

The Exaltation of the Most Holy Theotokos in honor of Her "Sovereign" Icon
We magnify Thee, Most Holy Virgin, God's Chosen Young Woman, and we honor the Sovereign image of Thy shrine, and give great mercy to all who flow to him with faith.

Someone will say that ordinary people should pray in front of icons that help in solving simple everyday problems, and the "Sovereign" icon of the Mother of God in what helps, few know. It is believed that this image is intended for those who are vested with state power, they say, you can turn to this icon only when asking for support for the rulers of the country. However, this is not quite true.

Tormenting questions

In the light of modern events, when the world seems so fragile, when state borders do not protect the rich Russian lands from the greedy eyes of foreigners, when hundreds of thousands of people are killed to satisfy the geopolitical needs of the ruling world elite, when people indifferent to the fate of nursing have seized power inside their own country of their people, I want to exclaim: "Is it really fair, really it should be so, is there really no force capable of resisting evil and injustice ?!" Perhaps the Lord turned his back on Russia? Is there an answer to this question?

Was it a coincidence or an omen?

In 1917, on March 2, in the village of Kolomenskoye, which is now part of the city limits of Moscow, an icon of the Mother of God was miraculously found, on which the Most Pure Virgin holds the symbols of state power. It is interesting that on the same day another event took place that turned the fate of our country - Emperor Nicholas II renounced the mission entrusted to him to rule the country, as befits a person, anointed for such a service by the Lord God Himself. However, the Heavenly Father did not leave the country and its disadvantaged people to the mercy of fate. A miracle happened that gave the whole of Russia hope for salvation. At the moment of renunciation, God invisibly stood near Nicholas and took from him the scepter and the orb in order to pass on to the One who would never renounce them, but in due time would give to the worthy one. How else can one explain the miracle of the appearance of the icon of the Queen of Heaven in the vestments of the Queen of the earth, sitting on a throne with symbols of supreme power over the country in her hands and with the Divine Infant on her knees, blessing everyone who falls to Him?

The Lord communicated his opinion about the supreme power through a simple peasant woman

It is interesting that the woman who told about the place where the icon lies had dreams in which the Heavenly Forces pointed it out to her. It turns out that the Lord foresaw the impending renunciation. Or maybe the Cathedral oath, given by representatives of all lands and estates in 1613 to the Romanov family, was canceled in 1917? We can only guess and search for the innermost meaning of the event. The "sovereign" icon of the Mother of God does not answer who is to blame for the misfortunes of the people and for the seizure of power by the atheists. This means that we do not need to know the answer. After all, looking for him, we are looking for the culprit. And we are commanded: "Do not judge, and you will not be judged." With the blessing and conciliar prayer of Patriarch Alexy II, the Orthodox citizens of Russia brought repentance for not preserving the monarchy, for allowing violation and non-observance of the Cathedral oath, pronounced and signed before the first Romanov - sixteen-year-old Romanov-Yuryev - 300 years ago.

Coincidence or new sign?

In the city of Yekaterinburg, where the royal family was shot, a monastery of Saints was founded in memory of this event. The altar icon, in honor of which it was illuminated, is, as you understand, the "Sovereign" icon of the Mother of God. The meaning of the event is difficult to interpret in two ways. Nobody disputed symbolism then and does not dispute now. The Tsar-martyr, who abdicated the throne, and the "Reigning" icon of the Mother of God that took from him the attributes of power. The meaning of what happened after remains to be comprehended: in 2010, not even four years later, the church burned down.

The Lord protects Russia

It is believed that the last Romanovs no longer had Russian blood, and their close relations with the monarchies of other countries, always having claims to Russia, threatened our country with the loss of independence, which the former tsars achieved by expanding the borders and providing trade sea communications. We were threatened with the fate of a cash cow that would feed Europe. The long-suffering and merciful Lord did not allow this. The “Reigning” icon of the Mother of God became the pledge of His care and favor for Russia. How the image helps is not hard to guess. They pray to him to preserve the integrity of the state during the dangers associated with the risk of territorial disintegration of the country. Leaving to serve in the army, you need to come to the temple and ask the blessing of the holy image. If a mother gives her son, who sets out to guard the border, a marching fold with this icon, then the Blessed Virgin will grant him victory in battle, if this happens, and he will return home safe and sound.

It would be nice if the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Sovereign" hung in the offices of government officials. And before making decisions, they would overshadow themselves by turning their eyes and thoughts to the Holy Face.

When will the new heyday of Russia begin?

On the eve of the nationwide orphanhood, the "Sovereign" icon of the Mother of God was revealed to us. What do the orphans pray to God? They look to Him for all their needs and sorrows.

The legend claims that prosperity in Russia will come when the miraculous "Sovereign" icon which we read before this image returns to its place, even if it contains this request. And what should be considered the place where the icon should return and why is it still not there? To understand this, you need to get acquainted with its history in more detail.

The miracle of finding the icon

On February 13, 1917, a certain woman (even her name was preserved - Evdokia Andrianova) had a dream. And I must say that on the eve, on the 12th, there was a big holiday in honor of the deeply revered image of the Virgin Mary, called the "Iberian". The eschatological meaning is mysteriously associated with the ultimate destinies of the world, known to clergy. So, on the night after the holiday, Evdokia dreamed that she was required to find a black icon in the village of Kolomenskoye, paint it red and pray before the found image. The devout woman prayed earnestly to God, asking him to guide him on the true path and teach him to fulfill His Holy will, as well as to deliver from the wiles of the devil, if she received a vision from him.

On February 26, she dreamed of a new dream, where a Majestic Woman appeared before her and with her heart felt in Her Evdokia the Most Pure Virgin Herself. Unable to torment herself with guesses any longer and keep her dreams a secret, Evdokia Andrianova went to Kolomenskoye, since it was not too far away. She found the Church of the Ascension there and proceeded to the abbot with her worries and doubts. The good father listened to her, showed the iconostasis, but none of the icons resembled the one that the woman saw in her dream. Then it was decided to look in the back rooms. And in the basement they found what they were looking for. The image was covered with dust and cobwebs, but it was exactly the icon that the woman saw in her dream.

Thus, for the first time, the patron of the Russian land, the "Sovereign" icon of the Mother of God, was found. The prayer of a simple village woman for guidance on the true path was realized in this way. Truly, the ways of the Lord are inscrutable.

In what needs does the Mother of God "Sovereign" help?

The news about the icon of the Mother of God, who took the monarch's power over the country into her own hands, quickly spread throughout the surrounding area and reached both capitals. The icon began to be carried to different parishes, people lined up in line just to see how the "Sovereign" icon of the Mother of God looked like. Prayer before Her helped many to heal ailments, arrange a personal life and help with material difficulties. The Queen of Heaven, like a mother, helps in all troubles. You just need to approach her, tell about yourself. Providence, wisdom and power will arrange everything and all will be comforted by the "Sovereign" icon of the Mother of God. How does this Image help people baptized in the Name of Her Divine Son? Judge for yourself. Orphaned after the loss of the king, the people clung to the Heavenly Mother. Her face is strict and imperious. She sits on the earthly throne, which confirms her acceptance of the earthly, worldly power over the country. Worldly power is about worldly affairs, worldly concerns, and worldly concerns.

Disappearance of the icon

Soon after its acquisition, the icon was restored, with the participation of Patriarch Tikhon, an akathist was composed in her honor, a service and a canon were drawn up. In subsequent years, when the persecution of believers began, and the churches began to devastate and desecrate, the icon disappeared. But it was not lost without a trace. The first icon "Sovereign Mother of God", a photograph of which is placed at the beginning of the article, was secretly kept for many years in the storerooms of the State Historical Museum.

Second finding

The second time it was found immediately after the first Liturgy for the royal martyrs, that is, 72 years after the Yekaterinburg massacre. The staff of the Historical Museum handed it over to the Orthodox Church.

You can not understand politics, not deeply know history, but only love and respect your homeland, honor God, His Most Pure Mother and the saints, and then the heart itself will tell whom the "Sovereign" icon of the Mother of God helps in what.

According to legend, prosperity will begin in Russia after the icon returns to the place of its acquisition, that is, to the Ascension Church of Kolomenskoye. Now she is in the temple of the Kazan Mother of God, also located in Kolomenskoye, and the Ascension Church is still closed. At least in 2012, this was the case.

Among the miraculous images of the Mother of God revered in Russia, a special place is occupied by the icon, acquired already in the twentieth century, which was destined to become one of the main shrines of modern Russia. This is the icon of the Mother of God "Reigning".

In the State Archives of the Tula Region, in the fund "Tula Chamber of Antiquities", there is an amazing document in storage. Outwardly it looks like a leaflet and is one standard A4 sheet, the text on which is typed. As evidenced by the interlinear - by order of the Varvara People's Sobriety Society in Moscow in the printing house "T.va Ryabushinskikh". The document is one hundred years old. The content, compiled by contemporaries, involuntarily still evokes spiritual trepidation, since it returns us to the beginning of the tragic days for Orthodox Russia - the abdication of the Sovereign Emperor Nicholas II from the throne and the appearance of the icon of the Mother of God "Reigning".

Prayer to the “Sovereign” icon, printed on a separate sheet in 1917. Below the text there is an inscription: “Edition of the Varnavin People's Society of Sobriety. Moscow. Semenovskaya outpost on the square, tel. 1-73-53, tram number 22 ". Below the frame is the printing house in which the prayer was printed: “Type. “Victory” by G. Antonov. Moscow. Tel. 5-58-72 ". Collection of the Moscow Museum "Our Epoch".

On one side of the document is placed “A short legend about the newly appeared in the village. Kolomenskoye near Moscow "Reigning" Icon of the Mother of God ", on the second -.

Church of the Ascension of the Lord in Kolomenskoye, 20s of the XX century

The appearance of the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God in 1917 was not some kind of renewal, but the discovery of an old icon in the basement of the Church of the Ascension in the village of Kolomenskoye.

A peasant woman from the Bronnitsky district, Zhiroshkinsky volost, the village of Pochinok, Evdokia Andrianova, who lived in the Pererva settlement, had 2 dreams - on February 13 (this day was the first Monday of Lent in 1917) and on February 26.

On February 13, she had a voice in her dream: “There is a large black icon in the village of Kolomenskoye. You need to take it, make it red, and let them pray. " The godly woman prayed for clearer directions. Two weeks later, on February 26, as if in response to fervent prayer, in another dream she saw a white church in which a Woman was majestically seated. In this Woman, Evdokia Adrianova felt the Queen of Heaven in her heart, although she did not see Her face. On March 2, she went to the village of Kolomenskoye to confess and receive communion, and when she saw, she immediately recognized the white church she had seen in her dream. The Ascension Church was built in 1532 by the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III in gratitude to God for the birth of the heir, the future Tsar Ivan IV the Terrible.

The rector of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord was priest Nikolai Likhachev. Coming to his house, Andrianova told him about her dreams and asked for advice on what to do. Father Nikolai was going to serve Vespers and invited Andrianova with him to the church, where he showed her all the old icons of the Mother of God that are in the church and on the iconostasis, but Andrianova did not find any resemblance to her dream in any of them.

The miraculous image of the Most Holy Theotokos "Reigning"

Then, on the advice of the church watchman and another parishioner who accidentally entered the church, Fr. Nikolai began to diligently search for the icon everywhere - on the bell tower, on the stairs, in the closets, and, finally, in the church basement. It was in the basement, among the old boards, various rags and junk, in the dust, that a large narrow old black icon was found. When it was washed from perennial dust, everyone present in the church saw the image of the Mother of God as the Queen of Heaven, majestically sitting on the royal throne in red royal porphyry on a green lining, with a crown on her head and a scepter and orb in her hands (which is why the name came about: “ Sovereign "). On Her lap was the blessing Divine Infant. The face of the Mother of God was unusually stern, stern and the gaze of Her mournful eyes, filled with tears, was imperious. Andrianova, with great joy and tears, prostrated herself before the most pure image of the Mother of God, asking Fr. Nicholas to serve a prayer service, since in this image she saw the complete fulfillment of her dreams.

On the day the icon was found, a healing spring was opened in Kolomenskoye. He came out of the ground on a slope leading to the Moscow River, exactly opposite the royal throne of the Rurikovichs facing the river, located at the gulbische of the Church of the Ascension of the Lord.

The administrator of the Moscow diocese, Bishop Ioasaph (Callistov) of Dmitrov, reported about the acquisition of the icon to Metropolitan Moscow Saint Tikhon (Belavin) (future Patriarch), and he, in a report dated October 13, 1917, to the Holy Synod. In his report, Metropolitan Tikhon wrote: “According to information given by Archpriest Strakhov, a member of the commission from the Church-Archaeological Department under the Moscow Society of Lovers of Spiritual Enlightenment, the icon is not ancient, about the end of the 18th century (no older), in shape (oval at the top) iconostasis, middle , from the third belt (prophetic). In the manner of writing, the icon belongs to the type of Constantinople icons of the Mother of God. The icon is probably left from the iconostasis that was from the Church of the Ascension earlier than the present one ”.

Ascension monastery in the Kremlin

According to some reports, it was established that the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God belonged to the Ascension Convent in Moscow. Most likely, it remained from the former iconostasis of the Ascension Church, which was replaced in the 19th century. In 1812, during the evacuation from Moscow during the invasion of Napoleon, the icon, among others, was deposited in the Ascension Church of the village of Kolomenskoye and, probably, was forgotten there for 105 years, until it showed itself at the time appointed by the Lord God. (The Ascension Monastery was the burial vault of the Grand Duchesses and Russian Tsaritsa until the 18th century and was blown up together with the Chudov Monastery in the Kremlin in 1929)

Soon after its acquisition, the image was restored in the icon-painting workshop of the Moscow Alekseevsky Maiden Monastery and inserted into the new iconostasis of the St. George Church, located next to the Ascension Church.

The “sovereign” icon of the Mother of God revealed itself to the Russian Orthodox people on March 2 (15), 1917 - on the very day of the abdication of the sovereign-emperor the passion-bearer Tsar Nicholas II. The news spread throughout Russia that a miraculous appearance of a new icon had taken place on this tragic day. The pilgrims flocked to Kolomenskoye in droves. To give everyone the opportunity to worship the image, they began to carry it around the surrounding churches, factories and plants, leaving it in the Ascension Church only on Sundays and holidays.

The royal family and the Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna

The Sergievskiye Letiki describes the arrival of the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God at the Martha-Mariinsky monastery in Moscow, where the icon was solemnly greeted by the abbess - the future Monk Martyr Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna and other sisters. In the same year, printed information about the acquired icon appeared in the magazine "Psychic Interlocutor" for October. Soon a list with "Sovereign" appeared in almost every church, a service and akathist were prepared, in the compilation of which the future Patriarch Tikhon took part (another service was compiled by Vladimir Vasilyevich Bogoroditsky).

The news of the appearance of a new icon on the day of the Tsar's abdication from the Throne quickly began to spread throughout Russia and was regarded by believers as a sign that the Queen of heaven and earth had taken control of Russia into Her hands. A large number of pilgrims flocked to the village of Kolomenskoye, and miracles of healing of bodily and mental ailments were manifested in front of the icon.

A. Alekseevich. Nicholas II on the eve of his abdication. 2005 year.

One of the books dedicated to the icon said: “Knowing the exceptional power of faith and prayer of the Tsar-Martyr Nicholas and His special reverent veneration of the Mother of God (remember the cathedral of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God in Tsarskoe Selo), we can assume that it was He who pleaded with the Queen of Heaven to take upon Himself the Supreme Royal power over the people who rejected their Anointed Tsar. And the Lady came to the “House of the Mother of God” prepared for Her by all Russian history at the most difficult moment in the life of God's chosen people ”.

After the revolution, during the years of severe persecution of the Church, the newly-appeared icon did not stop pouring out miracles, strengthening and consoling the believers. There is a known case when the rector of the church of St. Nicholas in Plotniki Archpriest. Vladimir Vorobyov, who especially honored "Sovereign" and before his arrest on Sundays often went with his choir and parishioners to Kolomenskoye to serve her akathist.

The feeling with which the healthy part of Russian society perceived the acquisition of the "Sovereign" icon was perfectly expressed in 1934 in his poem by Sergei Bekhteev:

Before Your Sovereign Icon
I stand, embraced in prayer trembling,
And Thy royal face, crowned with a crown,
My affectionate glance attracts to Himself.
In a time of turmoil and glorious cowardice,
Treason, lies, disbelief and evil,
You showed us Your Sovereign Image,
You came to us and meekly uttered:
“I myself took the scepter and the orb,
I myself will hand them over to the King,
I will give the Russian kingdom greatness and glory,
I will nourish, comfort, reconcile everyone ”.
Repent, Russia, unfortunate harlot ...
Wash your defiled shame in tears,
Your Intercessor, Heavenly Queen,
Pity and keeps you and the sinner

List of the icon of the Mother of God "Reigning" in the basement of the Church of the Ascension

In Soviet times, the original of the icon was hidden from the face of believers for a long time. As it later became known, the icon was kept in the State Historical Museum.

The second acquisition of the icon of the Mother of God called "Reigning"

It has been documented that after the prohibition of divine services in the Church of the Ascension in the village of Kolomenskoye, the icon, along with all other icons of the temple, was placed in the storage of the branch of the State Historical Museum "Village of Kolomenskoye" (in the church in the name of Great Martyr George the Victorious, beheaded in those years). After 1929, the icon was transferred to the main storehouse of the museum, to the building on Red Square. Her movement is reflected in the Book of Receipts of the State Historical Museum (registration number 67494). Then the icon was placed in the repository of exhibits of the Department of Fine Arts and accordingly entered into the inventory book of the Department (registration No. 1399).

On April 15, 1988, the icon was temporarily transferred to the exhibition at the Publishing Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, where the shrine remained for two years in the altar of the house church in the name of St. Joseph of Volotsk.

Icon of the Mother of God "Reigning" in the Kazan Church in Kolomenskoye

In accordance with the well-known government decree on the return of church property to its legal owners, at the request of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, it was decided to transfer the icon to Kolomenskoye. According to the Act of the State Historical Museum of July 23, 1990 and the Order of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the image was transferred to the church in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

On July 27, 1990, on the eve of the memory of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, the clergy and parishioners of the church in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the village of Kolomenskoye solemnly greeted the Sovereign Icon of the Mother of God. The icon was installed at the right kliros of the temple. Before her there is a reading of the Akathist, compiled with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow and All Russia. Now this icon is the main shrine of the Kazan Church in Kolomenskoye.

The revealed icon is carved on a chipped board with paints faded from time to time. One gets the impression that at one time the oil was applied to “bare” wood, without soil.