Where was the Virgin Mary born? Prayer to the Most Holy Mary Mother of God

The main female figure for Orthodox believers is the Virgin Mary, who was given the honor of becoming the Mother of the Lord. She led a righteous life and helped people cope with various troubles. After ascending to heaven, believers began to pray to the Mother of God, asking for help in various situations.

Virgin Mary in Orthodoxy

For believers, the Mother of God is the main intercessor before her Son and Lord. She is the woman who gave birth and raised the Savior. It is believed that nothing is impossible for the Mother of God, and people ask her for salvation for their souls. In Orthodoxy, the Virgin Mary is called the patroness of every person, since she, like a loving mother, worries about her children. More than once the appearance of the Virgin Mary occurred, which was accompanied by miracles. There are many icons, temples and monasteries created in honor of the Mother of God.

Who is the Virgin Mary?

A lot of information is known about the life of the Mother of God, which can be found in the apocrypha and in the memoirs of people who knew her during her earthly life. The following main facts can be highlighted:

1. The Holy Virgin Mary was in a specialized school at the Jerusalem Temple until she was 12 years old. Her parents sent her there, who made a vow that their daughter would devote her life to the Lord.
2. The appearance of the Mother of God was described by the church historian Nicephorus Callistus. She was of medium height, golden hair, and olive-colored eyes. The Virgin Mary's nose is oblong and her face is round.
3. To feed her family, the Mother of God had to constantly work. It is known that she was a good weaver and independently created the red tunic that Jesus wore before the crucifixion.
4. The Virgin Mary constantly followed Jesus until the end of his earthly life. After the crucifixion and ascension of Christ, the Mother of God remained to live with John the Theologian. Further life is known to a greater extent from the apocryphal “Proto-Gospel of Jacob”.
5. The death of the Virgin Mary was recorded in Jerusalem on Mount Zion, where the Catholic Church is now located. According to the apocrypha, apostles from different parts of the world arrived at his deathbed, but only Thomas stayed behind, so at his request the tomb was not closed. On the same day, the body of the Virgin Mary disappeared, so it is believed that the Ascension of the Virgin Mary took place.

Symbols of the Virgin Mary

There are many symbols that relate to the Virgin Mary:

1. A monogram made up of two letters “MR”, which means Maria Regina - Mary, Queen of Heaven.
2. A common sign of the Virgin Mary is a winged heart, sometimes pierced by a saber and depicted on a shield. This picture is the coat of arms of the Virgin Mary.
3. The name of the Mother of God is associated with a crescent moon, a cypress tree and an olive tree. The flower symbolizing the purity of the Virgin Mary is the lily. Since the Virgin Mary is considered the queen of all saints, one of her symbols is the white rose. She is represented with five petals, which is associated with the name Maria.

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary

The sinlessness of the Mother of God did not immediately become a dogma, since the authors of the first Christian texts did not pay attention to this issue. Many do not know how the Virgin Mary became pregnant, but according to legend, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven to her, and an immaculate conception occurred, thanks to which original sin was not transferred to Jesus Christ. In Orthodoxy, the Immaculate Conception is not accepted as a dogma and it is believed that the Mother of God was freed from sin thanks to contact with Divine grace.

How did the Virgin Mary give birth to Jesus?

It is not possible to find details regarding how the Virgin’s birth took place, but there is information that it was absolutely painless. This is explained by the fact that Christ emerged from his mother’s womb without opening it or expanding the paths, that is, the Mother of God Virgin Mary remained a virgin. It is believed that Jesus was born when his mother was 14-15 years old. There were no midwives near the Mother of God; she herself took the child in her arms.

Prophecies of the Virgin Mary at Fatima

The most famous apparition of Our Lady is the Miracle of Fatima. She came to three shepherd children, and each of her appearances was accompanied by a number of inexplicable incidents, for example, the random movement of the sun across the sky was observed. During the communication, the Mother of God revealed three secrets. The predictions of the Virgin Mary of Fatima have been revealed at different times:

1. At her first appearance, the Mother of God showed the children terrible visions of Hell. She said that the First World War would soon end, but if people did not stop sinning and offending God, he would punish them with various disasters. The sign will be the appearance of bright light at night, when it will be visible as during the day. According to some data, before the outbreak of World War II, the northern lights were observed in Europe.
2. The second appearance of the Virgin Mary brought another prophecy and it says that when everything is illuminated by an unknown light at night, it will be a sign that God is going to punish the world. To prevent this from happening, the Mother of God will come to ask for the consecration of Russia, and also for the holding of expiatory sacraments on every first Saturday of the month. If people listen to her requests, then there will be peace, but if not, then wars and new cataclysms cannot be avoided. Many believe that this prophecy speaks of the spread of communism, which was accompanied by various clashes.
3. The third prophecy was received in 1917, but the Virgin Mary did not allow its discovery until 1960. The Pope, having read the prophecy, refused to reveal it, citing the fact that it did not concern his time. The text indicates that an assassination attempt will be made on the Pope and this happened in May 1981. The Pope himself admitted that it is believed that the Mother of God protected him from death.

Prayer to the Virgin Mary

There are a huge number of prayer texts addressed to the Mother of God. She helps believers cope with various problems, this is how women who want to get pregnant and get married turn to her, ask her for healing and material benefits, pray to her for children, and so on. There are several rules regarding the pronunciation of prayer texts:

1. You can turn to the Mother of God in church and at home, the main thing is to have an icon before your eyes. It is recommended to light a candle nearby to make it easier to concentrate.
2. The prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary must be said from a pure heart and with faith in her power. Any doubts are a block to assistance.
3. You can turn to the Mother of God at any time when your soul desires.

Prayer to the Virgin Mary of Lourdes

In 1992, the Pope established a holiday in honor of Our Lady of Lourdes. People turn to her for help to receive healing from illnesses. During her lifetime, the Holy Virgin healed the suffering and after that became the savior of the sick. When she was a child, the Virgin Mary, the Most Holy Theotokos, began to appear to her and taught her the rules of prayer, called her to repentance for sinful people and asked her to build a church. She showed the girl where the healing source was. Bernadette was canonized only 10 years after her death.

Strong prayer to the Virgin Mary for help

In Christianity, prayer to the Mother of God is considered the most powerful and effective. They ask her for help in various situations, the main thing is that the request is serious, since it is better not to disturb the Higher Powers over trifles. The prayer to the Virgin Mary for help should be repeated daily and even up to several times a day. You can say it out loud or to yourself. The sacred text, when read regularly, instills hope and gives strength not to give up in a difficult situation.

Prayer to the Virgin Mary for well-being

A person's life is filled with different situations that are not always positive. Women are the guardians of the family hearth, so representatives of the fair sex should pray for the well-being of their relatives. The Blessed Virgin Mary will help reconcile people, and another one will protect from quarrels and family destruction. With the help of the presented prayer, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from various negativity from the outside.

Prayer to the Virgin Mary for health

There is a huge amount of evidence from believers who confirm that sincere prayerful appeals to the Mother of God helped to be healed of various ailments. The prayer to the Holy Virgin Mary can be said in church, but it is also recommended to place an image at home near the patient’s bed, light a candle and pray. You can say the text on, and then give the person with the disease a drink and wash it.

Prayer to the Virgin Mary for marriage

Many girls who are in search of a soul mate turn to the Most Holy Theotokos so that she can bring petitions to the Lord and help them improve their personal lives. She is considered the main intercessor of all women, helping them in love affairs. To find happiness and love, you need to read a prayer to the Virgin Mary every day until what you want becomes real. Prayer requests will not only increase the chances of meeting a worthy life partner, but will also protect the relationship from various problems and help build a happy family.

Prayer to the Virgin Mary for children

The Mother of God is the main mother for all believers, since she gave the world the Savior. A huge number of people turn to her for help, asking for their children. The blessed Virgin Mary will help guide the child on the righteous path, discourage him from bad company and give him inspiration to find himself in this world. Regular prayer to the mother will be a strong protection against illnesses and various problems.

We know about the Blessed Virgin mainly thanks to Sacred Tradition. The main sources here are two apocrypha - the Proto-Gospel of James and the “Book of the Nativity of the Blessed Mary and the Childhood of the Savior.” These monuments were not included in the New Testament canon due to their late origin, but they reflect the view of the Mother of God that existed from the very first days of the Church.

Conception and Christmas Virgin Mary

According to Tradition, the Most Holy Theotokos was born at a turning point during the reign of Herod the Great in one of the suburbs of Jerusalem. Her parents - pious Jews Joachim and Anna - were wealthy, respected and noble people, but did not have much wealth. Their family, descended from King David, had already lost its former influence by that time. By all standards, Joachim and Anna were happy spouses; they could be envied in a good way, if not for one circumstance - after living fifty years in marriage, they were never able to give birth to a child.

Perhaps, at the beginning of their family life, the absence of children did not weigh heavily on them: while you are young, you don’t really think about such things. However, at the peak of maturity, when their surrounding peers began to have grandchildren, Joachim and Anna began to ask the Almighty more and more to send them a child. They were still strong, they could still conceive, give birth and raise the long-awaited child. Every day the couple expected a miracle, but it was in no hurry to happen. The years passed, old age creeped up unnoticed. The couple even promised to give their firstborn to serve in the temple, but God did not seem to hear them. And one day, after another prayer, Joachim and Anna humbled themselves.

They did not curse Heaven, their hearts did not become embittered towards the entire world around them, and their faith in the Lord did not become cooler. They simply accepted their childlessness as the will of God. Since He deigns to leave them without offspring, it means that this is necessary, it means that He knows better what exactly to endow each person with, what to give and what to take away. The elderly people gratefully accepted their cross, now asking only one thing - that their remaining lives be even more pious than before. They were still full of strength, and decided to devote themselves entirely to those who needed support.

Virtuous spouses began to be respected even more, but there were also evil tongues. Rumors spread throughout the surrounding villages that Joachim and Anna were cursed by God, that one could not communicate with them, and that the good deeds they did brought grief to people. It got to the point that when Joachim once brought the prescribed sacrifice to the Jerusalem Temple, the priest drove him away, declaring that he would not accept it from an unworthy person. This attitude of some people may seem strange, but it is quite logical and is explained not only by the evil morals of some Jews, but also by one feature of Old Testament religious thinking.

At the very beginning of human history, God gave our fallen ancestors Adam and Eve the promise that in due time a Deliverer and Savior would be born among their descendants. This prophecy was spoken in the form of an appeal to the seducing devil, whom the Lord cursed literally with the following words: I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it will bruise your head, and you will bruise its heel(Life 3 :15).

Already the foremother Eve attributed the statements about her wife and her seed to herself and believed that it was she who would give birth to the future conqueror of evil. But it turned out differently - her eldest son Cain became not a savior, but the first murderer who took the life of his brother Abel. The more distant descendants of Adam turned out to be not much better - they moved away from God. And only a small part of people continued, as best they could, to honor the One God and preserve the memory of the old times, when heaven was not yet closed to man.

For centuries, these same generations faithful to the Lord passed on God’s promise about the seed of the woman, which would erase the head of the ancient serpent Satan. Every pious girl understood that she could become this wife, and every man, deep down in his soul, hoped to be involved in this miracle. Therefore, among the chosen people, marriage and procreation were considered a matter of honor, and the presence of children was regarded as a blessing from God. And vice versa - if the spouses did not have offspring, then they were subjected to all kinds of reproach, because it was believed that such couples were deprived of the mercy of the Almighty for some terrible sins.

Joachim and Anna bore the cross of childlessness throughout their married life. They could not even imagine that it was from their union that the very wife whose seed was mentioned in the Edenic promise would come. One day, an angel appeared to them one by one and announced the good news - they would become parents. And just as many years ago the elderly couple humbly accepted the lot of their childlessness, with the same humility the old people accepted the joy that befell them. Joachim and Anna did not argue with the angel, did not piously refuse, citing their advanced age and the inability to have children. That same night, husband and wife were together, and some time later the elderly woman realized that she was pregnant.

At the appointed time, the already middle-aged woman became the mother of a healthy baby, who was named Maria. Rumor spread through the surrounding villages again, but this time people were amazed at what was happening. The miracle was obvious - this had not happened in Israel for several centuries. The old people were happy and thanked God for the gift sent down to them. Finally, their dream came true, and they could quietly end their earthly days. The couple remembered their promise to dedicate their Daughter to God. At first they planned to keep their word two years after Her birth, but they realized that it was better to wait a little longer - the Girl was not yet ready to leave her parents’ home. Another year passed, and three-year-old Mary, accompanied by young virgins with lighted torches, was brought to the Temple of Jerusalem.

During the initiation rite, a miracle happened: as soon as Mary was placed at the stairs leading to the top of the temple courtyard, she herself, without anyone’s help, climbed fifteen huge steps, which many adults had difficulty climbing. Seeing what was happening and seeing the future fate of the Girl, the high priest accepted Her, blessed her and did something previously unprecedented - he led Mary into the interior of the Temple - where only priests could be. Whether the Virgin was really introduced into the Holy of Holies - the Proto-Gospel does not directly speak about this, however, from ancient times the Church believes that the Mother of God did enter this most sacred compartment of the Temple.

At that moment, everyone present realized that the daughter of Joachim and Anna was worthy to enter the sanctuary, and She had to do something very important. Her place was right here - in God's house, where She could receive the necessary education and knowledge. And the Virgin’s parents, having lived for a few more years, died peacefully with the knowledge that they had fulfilled their vow and were able to give God the most precious thing they had. Now the fate of their Daughter was completely in the hands of the Almighty.

Mary's Childhood and Annunciation

The temple school for girls educated the best representatives of Jewish society, who later became the wives of priests, scribes and noble young people. They were taught everything they needed to run a farm. Also, great attention was paid to giving pupils a spiritual education, teaching them to have a good understanding of sacred texts and rituals. In fact, the school that Maria ended up in was a theological seminary for girls.

The Mother of God studied until she was twelve years old. During all this time, she mastered many “female” professions, but sewing was best for her. The skill of the Most Pure One was so high that She was entrusted with the most important work - creating curtains and covers for the sanctuary. She did not lag behind in studying the Scriptures, which she knew almost by heart. Maria was the best student at the Temple school, and over time would become a desirable bride for many worthy young men. In a different situation, She could have taken a prominent position in society, if not for one “but” - even in early childhood, the Girl took a vow of celibacy to God.

The priests knew about this. When their pupil reached adulthood, and She could no longer live at the Temple, they faced a problem. No one thought of breaking the vow made by Maria, and there was no question of forcing Maria into marriage either. However, She could not live independently in the world - the law forbade unmarried girls to live among people alone. Since, apart from her long-dead parents, Mary had no close relatives, they decided to betroth Her to one of the old widowers, so that he, formally considered Her husband, would be the guardian of the purity and chastity of his wife. After long discussions and prayers, the priests decided to choose Mary's future betrothed by drawing lots - so that exclusively the will of God would be manifested.

Among the candidates was Joseph, a construction foreman from the provincial Galilean town of Nazareth. When the men gathered in the Temple, the high priest took their staffs and placed them on the altar. After a long prayer, he began to return the rods to their owners one by one, with the expectation that the Lord would somehow clearly indicate the chosen one. But there was no sign, and only when Joseph’s turn came, as Tradition says, a miracle happened - the wide end of the stick separated from it and turned into a dove, which landed on Joseph’s head. Everyone understood that he was God’s chosen one.

The artisan was not happy with this turn and began to refuse the mission offered to him. The argument was simple - the old man was afraid of ridicule from his already adult children and acquaintances, because the age difference between him and Maria was huge. In addition, the adoption of another member into the family would have forced the division of modest property anew, and this would have caused unrest among the relatives... But the priests convinced Joseph not to resist the will of God. Ultimately, the old man agreed.

And what about Maria? How did she react to what was happening? Both Tradition and the Holy Fathers say that She humbled herself. But this was not the submission of a “doomed victim,” but a conscious act - Mary, who knew the Holy Scripture better than all her fellow students, understood that the Lord was expecting something from Her. And therefore She accepted everything that happened to Her as the Lord’s will, as Her destiny. And this acceptance was the Virgin’s step towards God, who prepared a new test for Her.

Soon after the betrothal, Joseph left the Virgin at home and went to work on a construction site. He had to be away for several months. Mary, meanwhile, was weaving the curtain that the priests ordered for the Temple sanctuary. While doing what she loved, Virgo most often either prayed or reflected on what she had heard or read. So, one day, while still a child, She learned that the time would come when a certain wife would give birth to a Child who would destroy the devil and crush all his power. Impressed by this story and other prophecies about the mother of the Messiah, Mary dreamed of being at least a servant in this woman’s house. And then I realized that this was just a dream. After all, the Jews had a strong belief that the Savior would be born in the royal chambers, surrounded by the best midwives and nurses. But can She, a simple poor provincial woman, get into the palace? Mary could only dream... According to Tradition, it was during such reflections that the angel of God Gabriel appeared to her.

His appearance is described in the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke. The Messenger of Heaven announced to Her the news that She would give birth to a Son. And not an ordinary child, but precisely that same one - the long-awaited Savior, whose coming all the Jews were expecting. His words confused Mary, and the Girl replied that She was a virgin, and therefore she could not have a child. The angel replied: The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You; therefore the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God(OK 1 :35). At the same time, Gabriel added that there is another woman in Israel with an unusual pregnancy - Elizabeth, the wife of the high priest Zechariah, who conceived in old age and is now expecting a son. And if God was able to make Elizabeth’s old womb capable of receiving seed, then He will also bless Mary’s virgin womb, which will bear without any male participation.

The appearance of the angel was a kind of milestone for the young Mother of God. The fact is that God expected from Her precisely free and voluntary participation in the matter of the Incarnation. And if so, it means that Mary could refuse the mission offered to Her. This option, according to the majority of the holy fathers, was very possible. And then the Lord would again have to wait for the birth of a new worthy girl in order for her to give Him her human nature. But Maria agreed. Convinced of the truth of the angel’s words and believing God, she humbly answered Gabriel: “I am the Servant of the Lord, let it be as you say.”

After some time, Joseph returned home. Noticing Mary's pregnancy, he fell into despair: just think - as soon as he was absent for a long period, the Young Lady fell into sin! He began to question his Spouse, but She only told him about the appearance of an angel. Having heard this answer many times, Joseph pulled himself together and calmed Mary down. He realized that something unusual had happened, but still thought that the Girl had been seduced, and She had become a victim of deception. Not considering Her guilty, but also not being able to endure the possible shame from people, the old man decided to secretly let Her out of the house, giving Her a divorce. He seemed to absolve himself of all responsibility for Her and at the same time saved Her from stoning, which was supposed to be done to unfaithful wives.

However, these plans of Joseph were prevented by Gabriel: at night he appeared to an elderly man and forbade him to let Mary go. The angel told about the fate of the unborn Child and calmed the worried husband. After this conversation, Joseph finally believed in the purity of the conception and kept Mary with him.

However, the family faced a new test - soon one of the scribes came to visit them. He knew that Mary was a Virgin, and that Joseph was only formally considered her husband. Seeing the pregnant Girl, the guest decided to tell the high priests about everything. The formal guilt of the couple was that Mary became pregnant without the knowledge and blessing of the clergy. And the elders thought that Joseph was simply covering for his Wife. An investigation has begun.

Joseph and the Mother of God told everything that happened to them, but the Temple did not believe them. After much questioning, spending a lot of energy and nerves, the priests ultimately decided to ask God Himself whether the Girl was pure. The essence of the ritual was that after performing certain prayers, the person being tested was given a special mixture to drink. If he remained healthy and without any external changes, this meant his innocence. Joseph and Mary were also given the mixture to drink, but God left them unharmed, showing that they were clean before Him. The priests were forced to curtail the investigation and bless the couple.

Mother of Christ

The events of the Savior’s earthly life are described in sufficient detail in the New Testament, and they are well known to every believer. The Gospel story mentions Mary as if in passing, making Her a participant in only a few episodes. This silence of the evangelists is quite understandable - the center of the good news and the entire Christian faith was, is and will be Christ, and only Christ. But without knowledge of the further fate of the Mother of God, the honor that the Church still bestows upon Her is still incomprehensible.

After the events of Christmas and a rather long stay in Egypt, the holy family returned to their city of Nazareth. The secret of the virgin birth of Christ was known only to the spouses themselves and several other priests, who soon died. For the rest of the people, including Joseph's older children, Jesus was his own son. No one doubted this, since the imaginary husband of the Mother of God had such an impeccable reputation that no other options were even contemplated.

The birth of the Divine Infant had little effect on the family life of Mary’s house - the Betrothed continued to walk around the neighborhood, building and repairing houses; the Mother of God still bore the burden of women’s chores around the house. Did the attitude of the husband's relatives change - they accepted Jesus with coolness, not wanting to recognize an additional heir. At first, only the youngest of Joseph’s children, Jacob, treated Him well. He fell in love with Mary as a second mother and as an older sister, and immediately recognized the Infant Christ as his brother, sharing with him his share of the inheritance. Jacob began to help Mary when she was widowed, and the Savior was still too young to earn money on his own.

Having reached adulthood, Jesus took his stepfather’s tool and began to earn food for himself and his mother. So more than ten years passed until one day He went out to preach, which was one of the main goals of His earthly life. Mary knew from the very beginning that this was precisely why the Lord came to earth, and as a mother she did not interfere with Him. Moreover, almost immediately after Her Son entered public service, the Most Pure One joined the number of female disciples who followed Christ along with the apostles.

The companions of Jesus took upon themselves all the burdens of creating basic living conditions for the Teacher and students - they bought and prepared food, washed and mended clothes, and tried in every possible way to support their sons, brothers and husbands. The Most Holy One shared all the difficulties of preaching with Christ until the moment when He was arrested, condemned to death and crucified on Calvary. Like other women, She did not leave her suffering Son for a minute during the hours of the cross and at the moment of death. According to Tradition, she was also among the myrrh-bearers who were the first to receive the joyful news of the Holy Resurrection of Christ. She was also present when the Lord finally left the earth and ascended into heavenly glory.

Did the Mother of God know that she had given flesh to the Creator of the universe Himself? The Church says unequivocally: Yes! But this knowledge developed in Her gradually, originating first as a kind of spiritual intuition and only over time developing into a firm confidence in the divine dignity of Her Son. She, as Evangelist Luke writes, put together in her pure heart all the words and events associated with the Savior and carefully connected these parts into a single mosaic, which became fully apparent on the day of the Resurrection. After the victory of Jesus of Nazareth over sin and death, none of the disciples had even a shadow of doubt that Mary was the Mother of the Lord and Savior of the world.

Tradition says that She lived the remaining years of Her earthly life together with the Apostle John Zebedee, the beloved disciple of Jesus, to whom He, shortly before His death on the cross, instructed him to take care of Her in every possible way as his own mother. Mary and John lived most of the time in Jerusalem. Ephesus became their second hometown, where the apostle spent a long time.

Despite her advanced age, the Most Pure One did not sit idle - She continued to preach, console, instruct, support and help everyone who came to Her. For the apostolic community, She became a living memory of the Teacher, the conscience of the Church, Mother and Prayer Book. All people who converted to Christianity tried to receive her blessing, and Mary did not reject anyone. Her heart was warm, her love was immeasurable, her prayer was fiery.

The Most Holy Theotokos peacefully passed away into Eternity in the third quarter of the first century. At the end of Her earthly journey, She greatly missed her Son, prayed a lot and asked to take Her to Himself. During one of these prayers, the Archangel Gabriel appeared before the Virgin, as in the distant years of her youth, and said that She could rejoice, for the Lord would fulfill Her request in three days.

The Blessed Virgin was waiting for this news. She was ready to move into eternity, and used the allotted three days to say goodbye to all the people dear to Her heart. It immediately became clear that She would not be able to see some - for example, the apostles who dispersed to the remote provinces of the Roman Empire to preach. Three days were too short to gather them all, and the Mother of God prayed to her Son. She did not demand anything - She simply asked - humbly and meekly, as she always did. And the Lord answered the mother’s prayers miraculously - to all the regions where the apostles were, He sent angels who carried them to Jerusalem to the house of the Most Pure One.

And then the day of death came. Mary lay peacefully on her bed, beaming with quiet joy. Her closest people gathered around her. Suddenly, the indescribable light of Divine glory shone in the upper room. Those to whom this vision was revealed were horrified. They saw how Christ himself, surrounded by heavenly forces, approached His Mother. Her soul separated from her body and was taken into the arms of the Savior, who took Her with Him. And on the bed there remained a body glowing with grace. It seemed as if the Mother of God had not died, but was sleeping in a peaceful midday slumber. A happy smile froze on Her face - finally, after many years of waiting, She went to her Son. According to Tradition, by this time the Virgin Mary was 72 years old.

They buried the Mother of God in the tomb where Her parents and husband Joseph had previously been buried. The body of the Ever-Virgin was carried in a solemn procession through Jerusalem. The Jewish priests learned about this and decided to disperse the procession. But a miracle happened - the Christians who were seeing off the Mother of God on her last journey were surrounded by a cloud, and the soldiers sent by the elders could not cause them any harm. Then the Jewish priest Athos tried to overturn the bed, but his hands were cut off by an invisible force. After repentance, he received healing and confessed himself to be a Christian. After the burial, the apostles closed the entrance to the cave with a stone and left.

The Apostle Thomas did not participate in the procession - the Lord specifically did not allow him to arrive on time. He arrived in Jerusalem on the third day after the funeral. Saddened that he would never see the Virgin Mary again, he began to ask the apostles to give him the opportunity to say goodbye to his body. They agreed, but when they opened the coffin, they were horrified: there was no body in the cave - only burial shrouds lay in the niche. The apostles were in confusion. They returned home, perplexed and praying to God to show them where to look for the missing body. That same day, in the evening, at dinner, the Mother of God herself appeared to the apostles, surrounded by angels, and greeted them with the words: “Rejoice! For I am with you always."

Our Lady and always the Virgin

An integral part of traditional Christian doctrine are two concepts: Motherhood and Ever-Virginity. What do these concepts mean and why are they so important?

The first term, which appeared in the Christian lexicon in the middle of the 2nd century and goes back to the Alexandrian theological school, says that Mary - a simple human Girl, a descendant of Adam and Eve - gave birth not only to the Man Jesus, but also to the True God, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity. At the same time, it is important to clearly understand that the Divine nature has no beginning, it is eternal, and God cannot have a mother. However, without ceasing to be God, the Son of God deigned to accept human nature from Mary and become Man.

Mary gave birth to Man, but since His Person is divine, the Church considers the expression “to give birth to God according to the flesh” correct and justified. The concept of the Mother of God is very closely connected with the doctrine of the divinity of Christ, and therefore the Church has always insisted that denying Mary the title of Mother of God is the same as denying Christ His divinity.

There are many more questions with the second term, and it is also very important. Ever-virginity - “eternal virginity” - means that Mary, just as she was a Virgin before the conception of her Son, was so at the time of the Nativity, and also remained a Virgin after giving birth. In other words, no physiological and psychological changes or destruction associated with the birth of children occurred in Her girl’s body. The purity of the Mother of God has two characteristics that make Mary the most perfect person after Christ.

One of the main problems of fallen human nature is the dominance of the flesh over the individual. The Fall damaged the hierarchy that was laid down by God in Adam and Eve. After the Edenic catastrophe, the spirit, soul and mind became prisoners of the physiological principle. In the field of motherhood, this has led to the fact that a mother's love is very often based on the biological maternal instinct, on a sense of duty and on a sense of ownership. For most mothers, a child is part of herself, flesh and blood. At the subconscious level, a child is most often perceived as the woman’s own part, as a certain thing, and rarely does a parent find the strength to overcome this instinct and reach a new level of love for the child. In the birth of the Son of God, the Mother of God sacrifices herself in an absolute sense, demanding nothing in return. He leaves Her to serve people, He leaves Her in death. She knows from the very beginning that He is the Son of God. The Mother of God is an absolute and unattainable example of sacrificial maternal love. This is why all mothers pray to Her. She is asked to teach sacrificial love for children.

In the Mother of God the law of fallen nature was overcome, and She gives birth to the Son completely freely. For Mary, the Infant of God is not a consequence of marriage, as for all other women, but someone completely different. This otherness is most adequately conveyed by the church term “groom.” The relationship between the Mother of God and Christ fits best into the ideal of a pure relationship between the bride and groom - just as strangers and people who did not know each other are imbued with mutual unconditional and selfless love, so the Mother of God completely freely chooses for herself the path of serving God. She gives Him Her untouched nature, sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and becomes the chosen vessel, the container of the incontainable King of the universe. By the way, this is where the poetic phrase “The Unbrided Bride” originates. Mary's love for her Son (and therefore for all people) is higher than any human love, since it is not overshadowed by any distortions of fallen nature.

The Ever-Virginity of the Mother of God also speaks of the fact that She became the first on whom the divine plan to restore all humanity to its former greatness and glory was fulfilled. In Eternity, which will come after the second coming of Christ, the whole world will be transformed, become different, and man himself will be deprived of the sad consequences of the Fall. But this will happen only after the general resurrection of the dead, and the Mother of God, already during Her earthly life, was honored to be involved in this heavenly state. She showed people that highest ideal - both spiritual and physical - to which everyone who calls himself a Christian is called. By personal example, humility, love and selfless service to God, the Most Blessed Mary showed us the path along which all people are called to follow. A path that runs through self-sacrifice and self-forgetfulness, through feat and effort, through work and constant work on oneself. But if you still decide to follow it and ask the Mother of God for help and support, then at the end of this road the imperishable light of the Heavenly abodes will shine - the very ones where we are all called to come.

On the screensaver is Hans Holbein the Elder. Dormition of the Virgin Mary (fragment). 1491-1492

Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary

The ancient world waited a very long time for the coming of the Savior. And the entire Old Testament is permeated with this thought. But why did the Messiah take so long to appear in the human world!? The whole point is that only a woman who was ready for the great feat of self-denial and endless love could give birth to the Son of God. She had to completely entrust her life to God and consent to the virgin birth of her Son. Centuries passed and only when the Virgin Mary was born did this become possible.

Who is the Holy Mother of God

The Mother of God is the most humble and pure Virgin who has ever been born on earth.

In Christian denominations, Saint Mary is called differently:

• Virgin or Ever-Virgin, because Mary remained a virgin in her service to God and the conception of God’s Son was immaculate;
• Theotokos, because she is in earthly life the Mother of the Son of God;
• Quick to hear, since Mary humbly accepted God’s command to give birth to a Son from the Holy Spirit.

Holy Scripture about the Mother of God

The Holy Scripture contains a description of only a few episodes from the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which reveal her personality. All information about the life of the Mother of God can be found only in Church Tradition, which contains ancient legends and church historical works.

Basic information about the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary is contained in the “First Gospel of James,” written approximately 150 AD. The Virgin Mary was born into the family of the righteous Joachim of Nazareth and Anna of Bethlehem. The parents of the Virgin Mary were descendants of noble royal families. They lived together in harmony until old age, but God never gave them children. But the time came and their piety was noted by the Almighty and an Angel told them the good news that they would soon have a noble daughter.

The next important event in the life of the future Mother of God is the moment when her parents brought a three-year-old girl to the Jerusalem Temple to be dedicated to God. The baby climbed fifteen steps on her own, and the High Priest Zachary came out to meet her, who was given instructions from above to lead the girl deep into the sanctuary, where none of the believers had the right to enter.

At the age of 14, the Virgin Mary independently decided to devote her entire life to God and took a vow of virginity. At the same time, she was betrothed to Elder Joseph, who came from the royal family of David through Solomon. They lived in Nazareth and the betrothed took care of the Virgin Mary, provided for her and protected her when necessary.

Saint Luke tells in his revelations about the Annunciation, when the Holy Archangel Gabriel was sent by God to the Blessed Virgin Mary with the good news of the birth of the Son. With great humility and submission, the young woman accepted the news that she was to become the Mother of God. An angel also appeared to Joseph and reported that the Virgin Mary had conceived from the Holy Spirit. And the husband accepted God’s command to accept the Mother of God as his wife.

When the time came for the end of earthly life, Archangel Gabriel descended from heaven to the Holy Mother of God during her prayer on the Mount of Olives. In his hands he held a paradise date branch. He said that in three days the earthly life of the Most Holy Theotokos would end and the Lord would take her to himself.

And so it happened. At the moment of her death, the room where the Virgin Mary was was illuminated by an unusual light. And Jesus Christ himself appeared surrounded by Angels and accepted the soul of the Mother of God. The body of the Most Pure One was buried in a cave at the foot of the Mount of Olives, where her parents had previously been buried.

Introduction to the Church of the Holy Mother of God

On December 4, believers celebrate a great church holiday - the introduction of the Holy Mother of God into the temple. It is on this day that the moment when Mary was given by her parents to serve God is celebrated. On the very first day, the high priest Zechariah led the girl to the sanctuary, where she could subsequently enter every year on December 4th. The girl spent 12 years in the temple, after which she independently decided to preserve her virginity in the name of serving God.

The significant day began to be celebrated by the Church from ancient times. This is due to the fact that thanks to her parents’ introduction to the Temple, the Virgin Mary began her path to serving God, who allowed people on earth to receive their Savior. Services take place in all churches on this day. The prayers said on this day by believers give praise to the Ever-Virgin Mary and ask for the intercession of the Mother of God before the Almighty for each person praying.

Of course, such a great holiday associated with a significant event in the church world was reflected in icon painting. On icons dedicated to the Introduction, the Virgin Mary is always depicted in the center. The other characters are the parents on one side and the high priest Zacharias, who meets the girl. Icons often depict the steps to the Temple; it was these that little Mary overcame without anyone’s help.

In the calendar cycle, this church holiday coincides with the end of the autumn season and the beginning of the winter period.

The Russian Orthodox people also celebrated on this day:

• Celebration of a young family;
• Opening the gates to winter;
• Importation.

Folk signs on this day:

• After this day, it was forbidden to dig in the street, so women had to take care to stock up on clay for household needs;
• From this day until the ninth Thursday, rolling pins should not be used to beat out laundry, otherwise bad weather could be caused;
• On the holiday, it was forbidden to engage in work associated with beating and friction; it was forbidden to clean and dig the ground.

Since this is a major religious holiday, it was necessary to spend it in harmony and peace with the people around. It is very good on this day to invite close friends or go to visit them. Since the Introduction always falls on the Nativity Fast, on this day it was allowed to diversify the table with fish dishes and drink a little wine.

Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Orthodox Christians have special and very deep feelings for the Mother of God. She is a model of piety and holiness for all believers. A huge number of prayers are addressed to the Most Holy Theotokos; in her honor, on great church holidays, services are performed and special canons are read.

The Prayer Book contains many prayers with which you can turn to the Most Holy Theotokos for help on various occasions. As a woman, during her earthly life she had to experience many troubles and sorrows. Fate destined her to lose her own son. The Mother of God knows firsthand what need and weakness are. Therefore, any human misfortune finds understanding and sympathy in the soul of the Most Holy Mother of God, and any fall into sin causes her unbearable suffering and she is ready to ask God for the forgiveness of the believer.

Mother's prayers for children

Mother's prayers are very important and effective. The Most Holy Theotokos definitely hears them. And it doesn’t matter how old the child is, because mothers can always ask for blessings and protection for him from the Mother of God.

It should be remembered that prayer must come from the depths of the heart. It is important to know that you cannot pray for the good of your children to the detriment of other people. This is a great sin. The following is considered a strong prayer.

It is read on Pokrova and sounds like this:

If a child is sick, you can turn to the Most Holy Theotokos with the following prayer:

At Christmas, a prayer is read to the Most Holy Theotokos for the conception of a child. Its text goes like this:

Prayers for the coming sleep

The evening rule of an Orthodox believer also includes prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos.

You can use another prayer in the evening rule:

Babies necessarily require spiritual protection. Therefore, in the evening hour, mothers must definitely pray to the Most Holy Theotokos for the children’s future sleep.

To do this, you can use the following prayer:

Prayers for health

Prayers to the Holy Mother of God for health are considered one of the most powerful. If you are praying for your own health, you can use the following prayer. It is important to pray in front of the icon of the Virgin Mary, but this can be done both in church and at home.

You can pray for the health of family members with another prayer directed to the Mother of God:

Prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”

The prayer “Rejoice, Virgin Mary” is considered miraculous. This is due to the fact that it was these owls that Archangel Gabriel addressed the Virgin Mary when he brought her the good news of the immaculate conception of the Son of God.

Listen to the audio prayer “Rejoice, Virgin Mary”:

In the original church language the prayer reads as follows:

In prayer, the Virgin Mary is already addressed as the Mother of God. But it further emphasizes the fact that the Lord will be with her and will support her in her decision. The phrase "blessed among women" indicates that by God's authority the Virgin Mary is glorified among all other wives. The word “Graceful” emphasizes that the woman received the grace of God.

This prayer can be translated into Russian as follows:

The prayer “To the Virgin Mary...” is God’s miraculous word that can bestow the grace of Holy Heaven. This prayer reflects the aspiration and hope to receive help from the Mother of God in any grief, and also to beg her forgiveness and salvation for yourself and your loved ones.

Prayer “My Queen, Offering”

One of the most used prayers that contain an appeal to the Most Holy Theotokos is “My Queen, the Most Blessed.”

It is believed that she:

• Brings joy to those in need and those who mourn;
• Helps the offended and offended;
• Protects the poor and wandering.

The text of the prayer reads as follows:

This prayer is read in front of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, if there is a need to maintain the pregnancy. It is also recommended to read it every day, including in the morning and evening rules.

Any prayer directed to the Most Holy Theotokos should be read correctly. It is important to have deep faith that prayer will be heard and help will be provided. You cannot read the prayer carelessly. Every word and phrase should convey deep reverence and respect for the Mother of God. It is necessary to pray to the Holy Mother of God only in a positive mood. In addition, if a believer plans to pray to the Most Holy Theotokos, then he must love and honor his own mother.

The Most Holy Theotokos, like the Most High and all Saints, should be approached with pure thoughts. There should be no hatred, envy or malice in the soul. The Orthodox faith allows for the opportunity to pray in one’s own words. But if a believer decides to use the original, then he must first analyze the entire meaning of the prayer text. Then the original text must be learned in order to read the prayer without stuttering. It is allowed to insert your own request for help in your own needs into your prayer appeal to the Most Holy Theotokos. It is important that your request for help does not contain a threat to other people or be harmful to them.

When visiting a temple, you need to pray at the icon of the Holy Mother of God. Be sure to light candles at the same time. After prayer, you need to stand in silence for some time and think about your life. This will help you acquire the necessary calm and prepare yourself for the fact that everything that is sent down from heaven must be accepted humbly. In especially difficult life situations, it is permissible to turn to the Most Holy Theotokos silently. This can be done throughout the day in a secluded place, escaping for a second from all everyday problems.

Rose garden

Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary

Who is like the Lord our God? You, holy Angels and Archangels, protect and protect us! Kind, gentle Mother, You are forever our love and our hope! Mother of God, send us holy Angels so that they protect us and drive away the evil enemy from us.

Holy Mother, come to the aid of the poor, turn Your gaze to the faint-hearted, comfort the saddened, ask for the people, beg for the priests, intercede for the people who have dedicated themselves to serving God! May all who revere You feel Your help!

Orthodox prayers ☦

14 most powerful prayers to the Virgin Mary

Prayer to the Mother of God for the gift of children

Prayer to the Virgin Mary for healing from drug addiction

“Oh, all-merciful and venerable Mother of God Pantanassa, the All-Queen! I am not worthy, but come under my roof! But as a merciful and gracious Mother of God, say the word, may my soul be healed and my weak body strengthened. For you have an invincible power and all your words will not be exhausted, O All-Tsaritsa! You beg for me, You beg for me, that I may glorify Your glorious name always, now and forever. Amen."

Prayer to the Kazan Mother of God for health and vision healing

“O Most Holy Lady Lady Theotokos! With fear, faith and love, falling before Thy honorable icon, we pray to Thee: do not turn Thy face away from those who come running to You, beseech, merciful Mother, Thy Son and our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, to keep our country peaceful, and to establish the Russian state in piety, may she preserve her Holy Church unshakably from unbelief, heresies and schism. There are no imams of any other help, no imams of other hope, except You, Most Pure Virgin: You are the All-Powerful Helper and Intercessor of Christians. Deliver all who pray to You with faith from the falls of sin, from the slander of evil people, from all temptations, sorrows, troubles and from vain death; Grant us the spirit of contrition, humility of heart, purity of thoughts, correction of sinful lives and the remission of sins, so that we all, praising Thy greatness with gratitude, may be worthy of the Heavenly Kingdom and there with all the saints we will glorify the most honorable and magnificent name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen."

Prayer to the Mother of God for the healing of a patient from cancer

“O Most Pure Mother of God, All-Tsarina! Hear our much-painful sigh before Your miraculous icon, brought from the inheritance of Athos to Russia, look upon Your children, those who suffer from incurable ailments and fall to Your holy image with faith! Just as a winged bird covers its chicks, so You, now and ever-living being, have covered us with Your multi-healing omophorion. There, where hope disappears, awaken with undoubted hope. There, where fierce sorrows prevail, they appear with patience and weakness. There, where the darkness of despair has settled in the souls, let the ineffable light of the Divine shine! Comfort the faint-hearted, strengthen the weak, grant softening and enlightenment to hardened hearts. Heal Your sick people, O all-merciful Queen! Bless the minds and hands of those who heal us, may they serve as an instrument of the all-powerful Physician Christ our Savior. As if You are alive with us, we pray before Your icon, O Lady! Extend Your hand, full of healing and healing, Joy to those who mourn, comfort to those in sorrow, and, having soon received miraculous help, we glorify the Life-Giving and Indivisible Trinity, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen."

Prayer to the Mother of God for fire and healing from illnesses

“O Most Holy and Most Blessed Mother of our sweetest Lord Jesus Christ! We fall down and worship You before Your holy and most honorable icon, which has worked wondrous and glorious miracles, saved our dwellings from fiery flames and lightning thunder, healed the sick, and fulfilled all our good requests for good. We humbly pray to You, the omnipotent Intercessor of our family, to grant us, weak and sinners, Your maternal participation and care. Save and preserve, O Lady, under the roof of Your mercy, our God-protected country, its authorities and army, the Holy Church, this temple (or: this monastery) and all of us who fall to You with faith and love and tenderly ask with tears for Your intercession. She, the All-Merciful Lady, have mercy on us, overwhelmed by many sins and not having the courage to ask Christ God for mercy and forgiveness, but we offer you to Him for supplication, His Mother according to the flesh; But You, All-Good One, extend Your God-receiving hand to Him and intercede for us before His goodness, asking us forgiveness of our sins, a pious peaceful life, a good Christian death and a good answer at His Last Judgment. At the hour of God’s menacing visitation, when our houses are set on fire or we are frightened by lightning thunder, show us your merciful intercession and sovereign help, so that we may be saved by your omnipotent prayers to the Lord, we will escape God’s temporary punishment here and we will inherit the eternal bliss of paradise there, and with all with the saints let us sing the Most Honorable and Magnificent name of the worshiped Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and Your great mercy to us forever and ever. Amen."

Prayer to Our Lady for home protection

“O much-sorrowful Mother of God, who surpassed all the daughters of the earth in Her purity and in the multitude of sufferings You brought to the earth! Accept our many painful sighs and keep us under the shelter of Your mercy. For you know no other refuge and warm intercession, but since we have boldness in the One who was born of You, help and save us with Your prayers, so that we may without stumbling reach the Kingdom of Heaven, where with all the saints we will sing praises to the One God in the Trinity, always , now, and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen."

Prayer to the Mother of God from enemies, anger and hatred

“O who will not please Thee, O Blessed Virgin, who will not sing of Thy mercy to the human race. We pray to you, we ask you: do not leave us, who are perishing in evil, dissolve our hearts with love and send your arrow to our enemies, may our hearts be wounded by peace against those who persecute us. If the world hates us, You extend Your love to us; if the world persecutes us, You accept us. Give us the blessed power of patience - to endure trials without grumbling, which happens in this world. O Lady! Soften the hearts of evil people who rise up against us, so that their hearts do not perish in evil, but pray, O Blessed One, Thy Son and our God, that he may pacify their hearts with peace, and let the devil, the father of evil, be put to shame! We, chanting Your mercy towards us, the evil, the indecent, will sing to You, O Most Wonderful Lady of the Blessed Virgin: hear us at this hour, contrite hearts of those who have it, protect us with peace and love for each other and for our enemies, eradicate from us all malice and enmity, let us sing to You and to Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ: Alleluia! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Prayer to Our Lady for Marriage

“Oh, Most Holy Lady Theotokos, Queen of Heaven and earth, the highest angel and archangel and of all creation, the most honest, pure Virgin Mary, good Helper to the world, and affirmation for all people, and deliverance for all needs! Look now, O All-Merciful Lady, upon Thy servants, praying to Thee with a tender soul and a contrite heart, falling with tears to Thee and worshiping Thy most pure and wholesome image, and asking for Thy help and intercession. Oh, All-Merciful and Most Merciful Pure Virgin Mary! Look, O Lady, at Your people: for we are sinners and imams of no other help, except for You and from You, Christ our God born. You are our intercessor and representative. You are protection for the offended, joy for the sorrowing, refuge for the orphans, keeper for widows, glory for virgins, joy for those who cry, visitation for the sick, healing for the weak, salvation for sinners. For this reason, O Mother of God, we resort to You, and looking at Your Most Pure Image with the Eternal Child held in Your hand, our Lord Jesus Christ, we bring tender singing to You and cry out: have mercy on us, Mother of God, and fulfill our request, for all that is Your intercession is possible, for glory is due to You now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

Prayer for healing from illness

“The Most Blessed Lady, the Ever-Virgin Mother of God, who gave birth to God the Word more than any word for our salvation, and who showed His grace more abundantly than all others, who appeared as a sea of ​​Divine gifts and miracles, an ever-flowing river, pouring out grace to all who come running to You with faith! To Your miraculous image, we pray to You, the all-generous Mother of the humane-loving Lord: surprise us with Your rich mercies, and our petitions brought to You, Quick to Hear, speed up the fulfillment of everything for the benefit of consolation and salvation, arranging for everyone. Visit, O Blessing, Thy servants with Thy grace, grant to those who are ailing, healing and perfect health, to those overwhelmed by silence, to those captivated by freedom and various images of the suffering to comfort them; Deliver, O All-Merciful Lady, every city and country from famine, plague, cowardice, flood, fire, sword and other temporary and eternal punishments, by Your maternal boldness turning away the wrath of God; and spiritual relaxation, overwhelm by passions and falls, free Thy servant, as if, without stumbling, having lived in all piety in this world, and in the future of eternal blessings, we may be made worthy of the grace and love for mankind of Thy Son and God, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His Beginning Father and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

Prayer for help in work

“O most holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord on High, quick to obey intercessor of all who come running to You with faith! Look down from the height of Thy heavenly majesty upon me, the indecent one, falling before Thy holy icon, quickly hear the humble prayer of me, a sinner, and bring it to Thy Son, beg Him to illuminate my dark soul with the light of the Divine grace of His grace and cleanse my mind from thoughts vain things, may he pacify my suffering heart and heal its wounds, may he enlighten me to good deeds and strengthen me to work for Him with fear, may he forgive all the evil I have done, may he deliver me from eternal torment and not deprive me of His heavenly kingdom. O most blessed Mother of God! You have deigned to be named in Your image, Quick to Hear, commanding everyone to come to You with faith, do not despise me, the sorrowful, and do not allow me to perish in the abyss of my sins, in You, through God, all my hope and hope of salvation, and Your protection and intercession I entrust it to myself forever and ever. Amen."

Prayer to the Mother of God from grief and sorrow

“Virgin Lady Theotokos, who, more than nature and word, gave birth to the Only Begotten Word of God, the Creator and Ruler of all creation, visible and invisible, One of the Trinity of God, God and Man, who became the abode of the Divine, the receptacle of all holiness and grace, in whom is the good will of God and the Father, with the assistance of the Holy Spirit, the bodily dwelling of the fullness of the Divine, incomparably exalted with divine dignity and superior to every creature, glory and consolation, and the inexpressible joy of angels, the royal crown of the apostles and prophets, the supernatural and wonderful courage of the martyrs, the champion in ascetics and the giver of victory, preparing crowns for the ascetic and eternal and divine reward, exceeding all honor, the honor and glory of the saints, the infallible guide and teacher of silence, the door of revelations and spiritual mysteries, the source of light, the gate of eternal life, the inexhaustible river of mercy, the inexhaustible sea of ​​all divine gifts and miracles! We ask and beg You, most compassionate Mother of the humane-loving Master: be merciful to us, Your humble and unworthy servant, look compassionately on our captivity and humility, heal the contrition of our souls and bodies, dispel visible and invisible enemies, be in front of us, unworthy, of our enemies, a strong pillar, a weapon of war, a strong militia, Voivode and invincible champion, now show us Your ancient and wonderful mercies, so that our enemies may know our iniquities, for Your Son and God is the only King and Lord, for You are truly the Mother of God, who gave birth to the flesh of the true God, as all things are possible for You, and if you please, Lady, you have the power to accomplish all this in heaven and on earth, and to grant every request for the benefit of everyone: to the sick, health, to those at sea, silence and good navigation. Travel with those who travel and protect them, save captives from bitter slavery, comfort the sad, alleviate poverty and any other bodily suffering; Free everyone from mental ailments and passions, through Your invisible intercessions and inspirations, for, yes, having completed the path of this temporary life kindly and without stumbling, we will receive by You that eternal good in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The faithful, honored by the terrible name of Thy Only Begotten Son, who trust in Thy intercession and in Thy mercy and who have Thee as their intercessor and champion in everything, strengthen invisibly against their present enemies, dispel the cloud of despondency, deliver me from spiritual distress and give them bright complacency and joy, and renew peace and serenity in their hearts.

With Your prayers, Lady, save this flock dedicated to You, the entire city and country from famine, cowardice, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare, and turn back every righteous wrath that has come upon us, according to the good will and grace of the Only Begotten Son and Your God, To Him belongs all glory, honor and worship, with His Originless Father, with His Co-Eternal and Life-Giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen."

Prayer to Our Lady for Strengthening Faith

“Oh, Most Holy and Most Blessed Virgin, Lady Theotokos! Look with Your merciful eye on us standing before Your holy icon and praying to You with tenderness, raise us from the depths of sin, enlighten our minds, darkened by passions, and heal the ulcers of our souls and bodies. We are not imams of other help, not imams of other hope, do You, Lady, weigh all our infirmities and sins? We resort to You and cry out: do not forsake us with Your Heavenly help, but appear to us ever and with Your ineffable mercy and bounties, save and have mercy on us , dying. Grant us correction of our sinful life and deliver us from sorrows, troubles and illnesses, from vain death, hell and eternal torment. You, Queen and Lady, are the quick Helper and Intercessor of all who flow to You, and a strong refuge for repentant sinners. Grant us, O Most Blessed and All-Immaculate Virgin, the Christian end of our life, peaceful and unashamed, and grant us, through Your intercession, to dwell in the heavenly abodes, where the unceasing voice of those celebrating with joy glorifies the Most Holy Trinity, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever , and forever and ever. Amen."

Prayer to the Mother of God for mental anguish

“Hope of all the ends of the earth, Most Pure Virgin, Lady Theotokos, my consolation! Do not disdain me, a sinner, for I trust in Your mercy: extinguish the flame of sin with me and water my withered heart with repentance, cleanse my mind from sinful thoughts, accept the prayer brought to You with sighs from my soul and heart. Be an intercessor for me to Your Son and God and tame His anger with Your motherly prayers, heal mental and physical ulcers, Lady Lady, quench the illnesses of the soul and body, calm the storm of evil attacks of the enemy, take away the burden of my sins, and do not leave me to perish until the end , and comfort my contrite heart with sorrow, may I glorify Thee until my last breath. Amen."

Prayer to the Mother of God for guidance on the true path

“For the zealous intercessor, the Compassionate Mother of the Lord, I come running to You, the accursed and most sinful man above all, listen to the voice of my prayer, hear my cry and groans, as my iniquities have surpassed my head, and I, like a ship in the abyss, am plunging into the sea my sins. But You, All-Good and Merciful Lady, do not despise me, desperate and perishing in sins; have mercy on me, who repent of my evil deeds, and turn my lost, accursed soul to the right path. On You, my Lady Theotokos, I place all my hope. Thou, Mother of God, preserve and keep me under Thy roof, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen."

Save prayers on social networks:

Post navigation

14 most powerful prayers to the Mother of God: 1 comment

Hello! Tell us in the Prayer of the Mother of God for strengthening faith there are some words, the meaning of which is not entirely clear: You weigh all infirmities - weigh; but appear to us always - appear; Your ineffable mercy - ineffable. Thank you!

The image of the Mother of God is special for Russia. Of course, in many Christian countries (and throughout Christian culture) the Virgin Mary enjoys great veneration, but it was in Rus' that for many years this image was not only actively cultivated, but also repeatedly allowed believers to find protection and hope. Many people know the Kazan and Vladimir icons of the Virgin Mary, but there are many other wonderful images.

The Mother of God is present not only in the temple, but also on the home altar. As the scriptures say, she is valued above all angelic ranks.

Iconography of the Virgin Mary

There are four main directions in how the Virgin Mary is depicted with a baby in her arms on icons; if you study these varieties, it will not only become easier to classify each individual icon, but also to delve into the deep meaning of what is depicted.

• Oranta. It is easy to identify this type by the open hands of the Virgin Mary, which are raised to the sky. This variety is also often associated with the virtue of faith. The Mother of God gave birth to the Savior, who came to heal all humanity, and the Orthodox believe in this fact.
• Hodegetria. In this icon of the Virgin Mary, the meaning indicates the virtue of hope. The baby is in the arms of the mother, who points at him with one hand, thus seeming to attract the viewer's attention. And indeed, everyone should turn their gaze (including their spiritual eyes) to Christ. This is where the meaning of this message lies. Christ in this icon blesses Mary with one hand and with this symbolic gesture blesses all believers. In his other hand he has a scroll, which symbolically points to the Gospel - a book that also leads to salvation.
• Eleusa. This icon of the Holy Virgin Mary contains the virtue of love. The plot is practically no different from the previous one, only Mary and the baby gently press their cheeks to each other. This symbolizes loving communication, but again we are not just talking about earthly caresses with a child. In Christ, divine truth is represented here, and the figure of Mary symbolizes the soul (or simply an individual person) that communicates with divine authorities. Thus, this icon communicates love for the Most High, love for Christ.
• Akathist type. As the name implies, akathists are used here, as well as other hymns dedicated to the Mother of God. In accordance with a certain text, different symbols appear on the image, which embody the various epithets given to the Virgin Mary.

Additionally, it should be noted the various variations that appeared over time and cultural development. Often, some details were added to the original icon of the Virgin Mary from which the copy was made.

For example, there is a well-known story of John of Damascus, who received a great gift from the Mother of God - after his hand was cut off, his hand grew back, and he was again able to glorify the Almighty. It was thanks to this that the so-called Three-Handed Ones began to appear. There, the Virgin Mary is depicted with a third hand, which recalls the said miracle.

There are a considerable number of icons (including miraculous ones) dedicated to the Virgin Mary, which were subjected to desecration (icons were chopped and pierced during the period of iconoclasm) and it was in this situation that miracles were revealed. For example, the Iverskaya icon bled, just like the Czestochowa icon. Each of these icons retains characteristic defects.

Particularly noteworthy is the Russian icon painting tradition and in particular the works of Andrei Rublev, which are still highly revered to this day and contain enormous spiritual treasures. After all, as you know, the icon uses not only a schematic image according to established canons, the icon painter also captures prayer experience and sublime spiritual experiences. Andrei Rublev was able to especially clearly reflect some subtle and even slightly ephemeral substances on the flat image of the icon, which is why they have attracted believers so much for many centuries.

It is difficult to overestimate the significance of the image of the Virgin Mary for the former, modern and future Rus'.

These icons are part of the history of the country, the history of this land, and often active participants in events through various miracles that the Lord showed.

Prayers

First prayer in front of the icon of the Mother of God All-Tsaritsa

O most pure Mother of God, All-Tsarina! Hear our much-painful sigh before Your miraculous icon, brought from the Athos inheritance to Russia, look upon Your children, those suffering from incurable ailments, who fall to Your holy image with faith! Just as a winged bird covers its chicks, so You, now and ever-living being, have covered us with Your multi-healing omophorion. There, where hope disappears, awaken with undoubted Hope. There, where fierce sorrows prevail, Appear with Patience and Weakness. There, where the darkness of despair has settled in the souls, let the ineffable light of the Divine shine! Comfort the faint-hearted, strengthen the weak, grant softening and enlightenment to hardened hearts. Heal Your sick people, O all-merciful Queen! Bless the minds and hands of those who heal us; may they serve as an instrument of the Almighty Physician Christ our Savior. As if You are alive and present with us, we pray before Your icon, O Lady! Extend Your hand, full of healing and healing, Joy to those who mourn, Consolation to those in sorrow, so that with miraculous help we soon receive, we glorify the Life-Giving and Indivisible Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

Second prayer before the icon of the Mother of God

All-merciful, venerable Mother of God, Pantanassa, All-Queen! I am not worthy, but come under my roof! But as a merciful and gracious Mother of God, say the word, may my soul be healed and my weak body strengthened. You have an invincible power, and all your words will not fail, O All-Tsaritsa! Beg for me! You begged for me. May I glorify Your glorious name always, now and forever. Amen.

Troparion, Tone 4 before the icon of the Mother of God

With the joyful image of the honest All-Tsarina, with the warm desire of those seeking Thy grace, save, O Lady; deliver those who come running to You from circumstances; Protect Your flock from every adversity, always crying out for Your intercession.

Theotokos, Mother of God, Mother of God, Virgin Mary - in the church tradition of the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who gave birth to Jesus Christ.

The name “Theotokos” is known among all Orthodox Slavs. The constant epithet of the Mother of God among the Orthodox Slavs is Most Holy, Most Pure, sometimes replacing her name.

The folk cult of the Mother of God differs from the church cult in being more down to earth. The Mother of God acts as a protector from troubles, evil spirits, misfortunes and suffering. She is a heavenly intercessor, sympathetic, merciful and sympathetic. Therefore, they often turn to her in prayers, conspiracies, and spells.

The Virgin Mary is considered the patroness of women in labor. And, of course, the Mother of God is the intercessor of children in this and the next world.

With the exception of Jesus Christ, there is not a single saint in Christian iconography who has been so often depicted by artists of all times as the face of the Blessed Virgin. At all times, icon painters tried to convey to the face of the Mother of God all the beauty, tenderness, dignity and grandeur of which their imagination was capable.

The Mother of God in Russian icons is always in sadness, but this sadness can be different: sometimes sorrowful, sometimes bright, but always filled with spiritual clarity, wisdom and great spiritual strength. The Mother of God can solemnly “reveal” the Child to the world, she can gently, press her Son to Herself, or lightly support Him - She is always full of reverence, worships her Divine Child and meekly resigns herself to the inevitability of sacrifice. Lyricism, enlightenment and detachment are the main features characteristic of the depiction of the Virgin Mary on Russian icons.

Only a small part of the iconography dedicated to the Mother of God - the Mother of God - is presented here.

Kazan is the most revered icon in Rus', the image of the intercessor of the entire people.

Vladimirskaya - The image of the intercessor mother in all troubles and sorrows.

Quick to Hear- pray for the Lord to hear people’s prayers.

Iverskaya - they pray for protection from enemies and ill-wishers.

Soothe my sorrows- pray for consolation in sad moments of life.

Merciful - they pray for the granting of a Divine miracle, healing.

Feodorovskaya - people pray in front of this icon during difficult childbirth.

Jerusalem - they pray for family well-being, health, and the conception of children.

Kozelshchanskaya - pray for the healing of orthopedic diseases,

Three-handed - pray for the healing of diseases of the hands and feet.

Look to humility- pray for healing from illnesses, for women’s health and well-being.

blessed sky- pray for the granting of God’s Grace in everyday life, help in business.

Softening evil hearts- pray to soften the hearts of those who come to you with evil thoughts.
Tenderness - mothers pray for the successful marriage of their daughters, for happiness and prosperity.

Smolenskaya - pray for help in finding the right paths in life.

Barskaya - pray for good relationships in the family, for children and health.

Unexpected joy- pray for the gift of spiritual insight.

Three joys - they pray for forgiveness for their sins.

Prayer to all icons of the Mother of God


O Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord Most High, Intercessor and protection of all who resort to You! Look down from Thy holy height upon me, a sinner, falling before Thy most pure image; hear my warm prayer and offer it before your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; beg Him to illuminate my gloomy soul with the light of His Divine grace, to deliver me from all need, sorrow and illness, to grant me a quiet and peaceful life, physical and mental health, to pacify my suffering heart and heal its wounds, to guide me for good deeds, may my mind be cleansed from vain thoughts, and having taught me to fulfill His commandments, may He deliver me from eternal torment and may He not deprive me of His Heavenly Kingdom. O Most Holy Theotokos! You, Joy of all who mourn, hear me who mourns; You, called the Satisfaction of Sorrow, assuage my sorrow; You, Kupino the Burning, save the world and all of us from the harmful fiery arrows of the enemy; You, the Seeker of the Lost, do not allow me to perish in the abyss of my sins. According to Bose, all my hope and hope is in Tyabo. Be an Intercessor for me in temporary life and for eternal life before Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Intercessor. To you, Most Holy Mother of God, Most Blessed Mary, reverently honor you until the end of my days. Amen.

PS. The popular veneration of the Mother of God is associated with the “Feasts of the Mother of God” - Annunciation - April 7th,
Dormition - August 28, Christmas - September 21, Intercession - October 14, Entry into the Temple - December 4.