Excursion to the Sretensky Monastery. Cathedral of the Presentation of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

Rare Orthodox icon there are three whole days of celebration during church year. And the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God has exactly that much - in honor of the threefold deliverance of Rus' from the invasion of enemies through the prayers of the Intercessor. Today we will talk about the very first, celebrated on September 8 according to the new style (August 26 according to the old style), on the day of the liberation of Rus' from the invasion of Tamerlane.

Although the Vladimir Icon is popularly known as “the most Russian”, it was, according to legend, painted by the Evangelist Luke. Moreover, he did this on a board from the table at which Jesus Christ took a meal together with the Mother of God and the righteous Joseph the Betrothed. The Church also preserves the words of the Most Pure Mother at the sight of the magnificent image: “From now on, all generations will bless Me. May the grace of Him who was born of Me and Mine be with this image.” And so it happened.

The icon was immediately kept in Jerusalem. Byzantine Emperor Theodosius the Younger moved it to Constantinople in the middle of the 5th century. And it ended up in Rus' in the 12th century as a gift to Yuri Dolgoruky from the Patriarch of Constantinople, Luke Chrysoverkh. First, in 1131, it was installed for the worship of believers in a monastery in Vyshgorod, near Kyiv. And already in 1155 she found herself in Vladimir. True, the movement of the holy image turned out to be a very significant event.

The icon was brought to this northern city by Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, the son of Yuri Dolgoruky. He decided to leave Kievan Rus and was heading to the Suzdal land, when suddenly, within the boundaries of Zalesskaya Rus', the horses carrying the shrine stopped. The believing ruler ordered a prayer service to be performed in front of the icon, asking for permission to further path. And the Mother of God answered his tearful prayers by appearing in a dream. She spoke about Her will to remain in Vladimir, or rather, at the place of Her appearance, and to “fulfill a monastery for monks” with a temple in Her honor. And Saint Andrew Bogolyubsky in 1158 erected the “White Stone Queen,” as the locals call the Assumption Cathedral.

Many miracles were performed through prayers before the icon of the Mother of God. They started back in Vyshgorod. During the campaign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky against the Volga Bulgarians in 1164, the image of the “Holy Mother of God of Vladimir” helped the Russians defeat the enemy. No wonder that Vladimir Mother of God considered the intercessor of the entire country. The icon was updated, numerous copies of it appeared, which also became famous for their miracles.

This was revealed to all the people in 1395. At the end of the 14th century, the Russian land was shaken by Tatar raids. Victories were interspersed with defeats, but when Tamerlane himself advanced against Moscow with hordes of Tatars, a real threat loomed over Russia.

Fortunately, sincere faith and hope for God’s help lived in the hearts of people. The rulers at that time were Orthodox not only due to the duty of Baptism. Myself Grand Duke Moscow Vasily Dmitrievich ordered to turn to the Mother of God and ordered to bring the miraculous icon of the Most Pure Virgin from Vladimir to the capital city. The entire journey of the Mother of God (and it lasted ten days) was accompanied by intense fasting of the clergy, authorities and people. Along the road, people were on their knees and crying out to the Mother of God: “Mother Mother of God, save the Russian land.” As the chronicle testifies, “the whole city came out opposite the icon to meet it, men and wives, young men and virgins, children and babies, orphans and widows, from young to old, with crosses and icons, with psalms and spiritual songs, moreover, all with tears that cannot be found without crying with silent sighs and sobs.”

It was August 26th. The procession of the cross carried the miraculous icon to the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin... And at this time a miracle took place: a meeting (in other words, a meeting) at the city walls on Kuchkovo Field of the Mother of God with the tired children of God; the meeting of despair and fears with real hope and peace in the eyes of the Most Honest Cherub; a meeting of good and evil, for at that very hour the formidable Tamerlane had a sleepy vision. He rested in his tent and clearly saw above the huge mountain the Light-Bearing Woman in unspeakable grandeur - around Her there were countless hosts of angels with fiery swords, at Her feet saints with golden staves descended. The Radiant Maiden ordered the Iron Lame to leave the borders of Russia. The desperate commander, who inspired fear in many nations, woke up in horror. He called all the wise men, fortune tellers and elders of the Tatars and ordered them to explain what this meant. Their answer was this: This wife is the Intercessor of the Orthodox, the Mother of God. Tamerlane and no mortal can defeat Her. And then Tamerlane ordered the troops to retreat. The Tatars were surprised, boasting about the courage of their fierce commander. Happy Muscovites clasped their hands. The chronicler wrote: “And Tamerlane fled, driven by the power of the Blessed Virgin!”

At the site of the miraculous meeting on August 26, 1395, the Sretensky Monastery was built. Also in memory of the miraculous deliverance of Rus' from the invasion of Tamerlane, a church holiday Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. The icon itself remained in Moscow, providing assistance many times during raids by foreign enemies.

“Rejoice, thou who has loved Orthodox Rus'; Rejoice, you who established the true faith in her... Rejoice, our warm Prayer Book; Rejoice, zealous Intercessor! Rejoice, Most Pure One, who flows forth mercy to us from Your icon.”

How could one not love and save the sincerely believing and praying children of God! Little children hug very touchingly and trustingly when you hold them in your arms, hold them tightly by the neck and gently lean against their mother’s cheek in a fit of pure childish love. On the Vladimir Icon, the Infant God clings to the Most Pure Virgin in exactly this way. His gaze is entirely fixed on Her. It was precisely this childlike, pure faith that the Russians showed in the face of inexorable danger. And this is exactly how the Most Holy Theotokos holds “all those who come in faith” tightly in Her heart and in Her arms.

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was painted Evangelist Luke on the board from the table at which the Savior dined with the Most Pure Mother and the righteous Joseph. The Mother of God, seeing this image, said: “From now on, all generations will bless Me. May the grace of the One born of Me and Mine be with this icon.”

In 1131, the icon was sent to Rus' from Constantinople to the holy prince Mstislav and was placed in the Maiden Monastery of Vyshgorod, near Kyiv, where she immediately became famous for her many miracles.

Son Yuri Dolgoruky saint Andrey Bogolyubsky in 1155 he brought the icon to Vladimir and installed it in the Assumption Cathedral, hence the name Vladimir icon. By order of Andrei, the icon was decorated with an expensive frame. After the murder of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1176, Prince Yaropolk Rostislavich removed the expensive clothing from the icon, and it ended up with Gleb Ryazansky. Only after the victory of the prince Mikhail, younger brother Andrey, over Yaropolk, Gleb returned the icon and frame to Vladimir. When Vladimir was captured by the Tatars in 1237, the Assumption Cathedral was plundered, and the frame of the icon of the Mother of God was torn off. Subsequently, it is known about the restoration of the Assumption Cathedral and the renewal of the icon by the prince Yaroslav Vsevolodovich.

The further history of the holy image is entirely connected with Moscow, where it was first brought in 1395 during the invasion of the Khan Tamerlane. The conqueror with an army invaded the borders of Ryazan, captured and ruined it and headed his way to Moscow, devastating and destroying everything around. While the Moscow Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich gathered troops and sent them to Kolomna, in Moscow itself Metropolitan Cyprian blessed the population for fasting and prayerful repentance. On mutual advice, Vasily Dmitrievich and Metropolitan Cyprian decided to resort to spiritual weapons and transfer the miraculous icon of the Most Pure Mother of God from Vladimir to Moscow.

For more than ten days they carried the icon in their hands from Vladimir to Moscow. People knelt on both sides of the path and prayed to the Holy Image: “Mother of God, save the Russian land!”

The meeting place (or “presentation”) of the icon in Moscow is immortalized by the Sretensky Monastery, which was erected in honor of this event, and the street was named Sretenka.

Tamerlane had a dream that from the top high mountain Christian saints descended, holding rods of gold in their hands, and a Majestic Woman appeared above them and ordered him to leave Rus' alone. Tamerlane woke up in alarm and sent for dream interpreters, who explained to the khan that the radiant Woman was the image of the Mother of God, the protector of all Christians. Having stopped his campaign, Tamerlane left Rus'.

In memory of the miraculous deliverance of Rus' from the invasion of Tamerlane, on the day of the meeting in Moscow of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God on August 26 / September 8, the solemn church holiday of the Presentation of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was established.

In 1480, the icon was installed in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, according to left side The Royal Doors of the iconostasis. A chasuble of Greek workmanship on an icon made of pure gold with precious stones. Stayed in Vladimir exact list icons painted by the monk Andrey Rublev.

In 1918, the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin was closed, the icon was removed from the cathedral for restoration, and in 1926 it was transferred to the State Historical Museum. In 1930 it was transferred to the State Tretyakov Gallery. Since September 1999 it has been in the Church-Museum of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi at the Tretyakov Gallery.

Iconography

The icon of the Vladimir Mother of God belongs to the “Caressing” type, also known as “Eleusa” - “Merciful”, “Tenderness”, “Glycophilus” - “Sweet Kiss”. This is the most touching of all types of iconography of the Virgin Mary, revealing the intimate side of the Virgin Mary’s communication with Her Son. The image of the Mother of God caressing the Child, his deep humanity turned out to be especially close to Russian painting.

Leonid Bulanov, Chairman of the Cyprus Branch of the IOPS

Quite recently, it seemed, in Prechistensky Cathedral Festive services were held, led by Archbishop of Vilnius and Lithuania Innocent, dedicated to the holiday Dormition of the Mother of God. Where all the believers, together with the clergy, prayed to the Mother of God, the intercessor of the Christian race.

And, today, September 8, according to the Church calendar, the Presentation of the Vladimir Icon is celebrated Holy Mother of God, the festival was established in memory of the salvation of Moscow from the invasion of Tamerlane in 1395. It was on the Feast of the Assumption that the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God appeared in a dream to Tamerlane and ordered him to leave the Russian land.
The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, according to Church Tradition and the faith of our glorious ancestors, was written by the Evangelist Luke on a board from the table at which the Savior ate with the Most Pure Mother and Righteous Joseph.
The Mother of God, seeing this image, said: “From now on, all generations will bless Me. May the grace of the One born of Me and Mine be with this icon.”

In 1131, the icon was sent to Rus' from Constantinople to Saint Mstislav and was placed in the Maiden Monastery of Vyshgorod - the ancient appanage city of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olga.
The son of Yuri Dolgoruky, Saint Andrei Bogolyubsky, brought the icon to Vladimir in 1155 and placed it in the famous Assumption Cathedral, which he erected. From that time on, the icon received the name Vladimir. In 1395, the icon was brought to Moscow for the first time. Thus, with the blessing of the Mother of God, the spiritual bonds of Byzantium and Rus' were sealed.

In 1395, the terrible conqueror Khan Tamerlane reached the borders of Ryazan, took the city of Yelets and, heading towards Moscow, approached the banks of the Don. Grand Duke Vasily Dmitrievich went out with an army to Kolomna and stopped on the banks of the Oka. He prayed to the saints of Moscow and St. Sergius about the deliverance of the Fatherland and wrote to the Metropolitan of Moscow, Saint Cyprian, so that the upcoming Dormition Fast would be devoted to fervent prayers for pardon and repentance. To Vladimir, where the famous miraculous icon, the clergy were sent. After the liturgy and prayer service on the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the clergy accepted the icon and procession of the cross carried her towards Moscow. Countless people on both sides of the road, on their knees, prayed: “Mother of God, save the Russian land!” At the very hour when the residents of Moscow greeted the icon on Kuchkovo Field, Tamerlane was dozing in his tent. Suddenly he saw in a dream a great mountain, from the top of which saints with golden rods were coming towards him, and above them a majestic Woman appeared in a radiant radiance. She ordered him to leave the borders of Russia. Waking up in awe, Tamerlane asked about the meaning of the vision. Those who knew answered that the radiant Woman is the Mother of God, great Protectress Christian. Then Tamerlane gave the order to the regiments to go back. In memory of the miraculous deliverance of the Russian land from Tamerlane, the Sretensky Monastery was built on Kuchkovo Field, where the icon was greeted by Muscovites.

Thus, the intercession of the Mother of God saved Rus' from the invasion of Tamerlane, and thereby showed that whoever approaches the Mother of God with piety and prayer will fulfill Her words: “Rejoice, I will be with you all the days,” once spoken to the apostles on the third day , after His glorious Dormition.
And, as if as a pledge of Her invisible presence, She gave the Orthodox human race many tens, hundreds and thousands of Her holy, celibate and miraculous icons. Through them She conveys Her Motherly mercy to everyone who with faith, reverence and love falls before these holy icons, consoles, encourages, heals, helps to carry the cross of life to everyone who is looking for their own earthly path heavenly reinforcements.

Troparion, tone 4
Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God
Today the most glorious city of Moscow brightly flaunts, / as if we have received the dawn of the sun, O Lady, / Your miraculous icon, / to which we now flow and pray. We cry to you: / oh, wonderful Lady Theotokos! / Pray from You to the incarnate Christ our God, / that he may deliver this city, / and all Christian cities and countries unharmed from all the slander of the enemy, / and save our souls, as he is the Merciful.

Kontakion, tone 8
To the chosen victorious Voivode, having been delivered from the evil ones by the coming of Your venerable image, to the Lady Theotokos we brightly celebrate the celebration of Your meeting and usually call You: Rejoice, Unmarried Bride.

The Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the earliest known surviving miraculous icon. Ancient Rus', one of the great shrines of Russia. The history of her veneration, recorded in detail in chronicles and legends, is distinguished by a deep spiritual connection between the events of church and state life. More than once, miraculously, the Vladimir Icon preserved Russian army from inevitable defeats.

The memory of the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated several times a year (June 3 new art. / May 21 old art., July 6 new art. / June 23 old art., September 8 new art. / August 26 art. Art.). The most solemn celebration takes place on September 8, established in honor of the meeting, that is, the meeting, of the Vladimir icon when it was transferred from Vladimir to Moscow.

In 1395, Khan Tamerlane (Temir-Aksak) with hordes of Tatars entered Russian soil, he quickly reached the borders of Ryazan, took the city of Yelets and, heading towards Moscow, approached the banks of the Don. Grand Duke Vasily Dimitrievich went out with an army to Kolomna and stopped on the banks of the Oka. The number of Tatar troops was many times greater than the Russian squads, their strength and experience were incomparable. The only hope remained in chance and God's help. The Grand Duke prayed to the saints of Moscow and St. Sergius for the deliverance of the Fatherland and wrote to the Metropolitan of Moscow, St. Cyprian, so that the upcoming Dormition Fast would be devoted to fervent prayers for pardon and repentance. The clergy were sent to Vladimir, where the famous miraculous icon was located. After the liturgy and prayer service on the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the clergy accepted the icon and carried it to Moscow with a procession of the cross. The journey with the Vladimir Icon from Vladimir to Moscow continued for ten days, people stood on their knees on the sides of the road with the prayer “Mother of God, save the Russian land.” On August 26, near Moscow, she was greeted with a religious procession by Metropolitan Cyprian with “the entire choir and clergy,” with the princes and people.

At the very hour when the residents of Moscow greeted the icon on Kuchkovo Field, Tamerlane was dozing in his tent. Suddenly he saw in a dream a great mountain, from the top of which saints with golden rods were coming towards him, and above them the Majestic Woman appeared in a radiant radiance. Countless darkness of angels with swords surrounded her. Waking up in awe, Tamerlane asked about the meaning of the vision. The sages answered that the radiant Woman is the Mother of God, the great Protector of Christians. Then Tamerlane gave the order to the regiments to go back. “And Tamerlane fled, driven by the power of the Blessed Virgin”...

In memory of the miraculous deliverance of the Russian land from Tamerlane, the Sretensky Monastery was built on Kuchkovo Field, where the icon was met, and on August 26 (in the new style - September 8) an all-Russian celebration was established in honor of the meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

After this event, the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God remained in Moscow forever. It was placed in the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Before her, kings were anointed to the kingdom and high priests were elected.

In Soviet times, the icon was placed in the Tretyakov Gallery. Now the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is in the Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi.

Since the people of Rus' were baptized, the Mother of God has been considered the patroness of our country. And this is not unfounded, since from the icons of the Most Holy Theotokos our compatriots received miraculous help in the most difficult situations, when not only the freedom of an entire nation was at stake, but also the lives of masses of people. One of these revered images is the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.

History of the icon

According to church tradition, the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was painted by the Evangelist Luke in the 1st century after the Nativity of Christ on the board of the table at which Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary and Joseph the Betrothed sat in the Savior’s youth.

For a long time this icon remained in Jerusalem (approximately until the middle of the 5th century AD). Later it was moved from Jerusalem, first to Constantinople, and then beginning of XII century from Byzantium came to Russia as a gift to the holy prince Mstislav (†1132) from the Patriarch of Constantinople Luke Chrysoverkh. The icon was placed in convent Vyshgorod (an ancient appanage city of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olga), not far from Kyiv. The rumor about her miracles reached the son of Yuri Dolgoruky, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, who decided to transport the icon to the north.

After leaving Vyshgorod, Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky took the icon to Rostov. 11 versts from Vladimir, the horses carrying the icon suddenly stopped, and no force could move them from their place. Everyone considered this a wonderful omen. After serving a prayer service, we decided to spend the night here. At night, during fervent prayer, the Queen of Heaven Herself appeared to the prince and commanded that the Vladimir miraculous icon of the Mother of God be left in Vladimir, and in this place a temple and a monastery be built in honor of Her Nativity.

Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and the remains of Andrei Bogolyubsky's castle (below the bell tower tent) in the village of Bogolyubovo, Suzdal district, Vladimir region

To the general joy of the residents, Prince Andrei returned to Vladimir along with the miraculous icon. The image of the Mother of God took pride of place in the Assumption Cathedral. Since then, the icon of the Mother of God began to be called Vladimirskaya.

History of the holiday September 8 - Presentation of the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Feast of the Presentation of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which falls on September 8, points to a specific date - 1395. The word "meeting" means "meeting." And indeed, in the indicated year in Moscow there was a meeting of the holy image of the Mother of God by Muscovites. Later, the Sretensky Monastery was built on the site of the meeting. This monastery gave its name to Sretenka Street.

In 1395 terrible conqueror Khan Tamerlan(Temir-Aksak) with hordes of Tatars entered Russian soil and reached the borders of Ryazan, took the city of Yelets and, heading towards Moscow, approached the banks of the Don.

Tamerlane

Grand Duke Vasily I Dimitrievich, the eldest son of Dmitry Donskoy, went with an army to Kolomna and stopped on the banks of the Oka. The number of Tamerlane's troops was many times greater than the Russian squads, their strength and experience were incomparable. The only hope remained in chance and God's help.

Tamerlane's army

Grand Duke Vasily Dimitrievich prayed to the saints of Moscow and St. Sergius for the deliverance of the Fatherland and wrote to the Metropolitan of Moscow, St. Cyprian, so that the upcoming Dormition Fast would be devoted to fervent prayers for pardon and repentance.

The clergy were sent to Vladimir, where the famous miraculous icon was located. After the liturgy and prayer service on the feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the clergy accepted the icon and carried it to Moscow with a procession of the cross. The journey with the Vladimir Icon from Vladimir to Moscow continued for ten days. Countless people on both sides of the road, on their knees, prayed: “Mother of God, save the Russian land!” The icon was greeted in Moscow on August 26 (September 8 according to the new style).

The miraculous deliverance of the Russian land from Tamerlane on Kuchkovo Field (meeting the Vladimir Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

At that very hour when the residents of Moscow greeted the icon on Kuchkovo Pole (now Sretenka Street), Tamerlane dozed in his camp tent. Suddenly he saw in a dream a great mountain, from the top of which saints with golden rods were coming towards him, and above them the Majestic Woman appeared in a radiant radiance. She ordered him to leave the borders of Russia. Waking up in awe, Tamerlane asked about the meaning of the vision. They answered him that the radiant Woman is the Mother of God, the great Defender of Christians. Then Tamerlane gave the order to the regiments to go back.

In memory of the miraculous deliverance of the Russian land from Tamerlane, a Sretensky Monastery, and on August 26 (in the new style - September 8) an all-Russian celebration was established in honor of the meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

After this event, the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God remained in Moscow forever. She was placed in the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Before her, kings were anointed to the kingdom and high priests were elected.

Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

In Soviet times, the icon was placed in the Tretyakov Gallery. Now the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is in Church of St. Nicholas in Tolmachi (metro station "Tretyakovskaya", M. Tolmachevsky lane, 9).

The Russian Orthodox Church established triple celebration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. Each of the days of celebration is associated with the deliverance of the Russian people from enslavement by foreigners through prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos:

September 8 according to the new style (August 26th to church calendar) – in memory of the rescue of Moscow from the invasion of Tamerlane in 1395.

July 6(June 23) – in memory of the deliverance of Russia from the Horde king Akhmat in 1480.

June 3(May 21) – in memory of the rescue of Moscow from the Crimean Khan Makhmet-Girey in 1521.

The most solemn celebration takes place September 8(new style), established in honor the meeting of the Vladimir Icon during its transfer from Vladimir to Moscow.

Iconography

Iconographically, the Vladimir Icon belongs to the Eleus (Tenderness) type. The Baby pressed his cheek to the Mother's cheek. The icon conveys the tender communication between Mother and Child. Mary foresees the suffering of the Son in His earthly journey.

A distinctive feature of the Vladimir icon from other icons of the Tenderness type: left leg The Christ Child is bent in such a way that the sole of the foot, the “heel,” is visible.

On the reverse are depicted the Etymasia (Prepared Throne) and the instruments of the passions, dating very roughly to the beginning of the 15th century.

The throne prepared. Back of the “Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God”

The throne prepared(Greek Etimasiya) - the theological concept of the throne prepared for the second coming of Jesus Christ, coming to judge the living and the dead. Consists of the following elements:

a church throne, usually dressed in red clothes (a symbol of Christ's scarlet robe); a closed Gospel (as a symbol of a book from the Revelation of John the Theologian - Rev. 5:1); instruments of the passions lying on the throne or standing nearby; a dove (symbol of the Holy Spirit) or a crown , crowning the Gospel (not always depicted).

The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God is an all-Russian shrine, the main and most revered of all Russian icons. There are also many copies of the Vladimir Icon, a significant number of which are also revered as miraculous.

Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Vladimir” they pray for deliverance from the invasion of foreigners, for guidance in Orthodox faith, about preservation from heresies and schisms, about the pacification of warring parties, about the preservation of Russia.

Prayer of the Mother of God before Her Icon of Vladimir
To whom shall we cry, Lady? To whom shall we resort in our sorrow, if not to You, Queen of Heaven? Who will receive our tears and sighs, if not You, Most Immaculate, the hope of Christians and refuge for us sinners? Who is in mercy more than You? Incline Your ear to us, Lady, Mother of our God, and do not despise those who require Your help: hear our groaning, strengthen us sinners, enlighten and teach us, O Queen of Heaven, and do not depart from us, Thy servant, Lady, for our grumbling, but Be our Mother and Intercessor, and entrust us to the merciful protection of Your Son. Arrange for us whatever Your holy will pleases, and lead us sinners to a quiet and serene life, may we weep for our sins, may we rejoice with You always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 2 of the Mother of God before Her Icon of Vladimir
Oh, All-Merciful Lady Theotokos, Heavenly Queen, All-Powerful Intercessor, our shameless Hope! Thanking Thee for all the great blessings that the Russian people have received from Thee throughout the generations, before Thy most pure image we pray to Thee: save this city (this whole; this holy monastery) and Thy coming servants and the whole Russian Land from famine, destruction, earth shaking, flood, fire, sword, invasion of foreigners and internecine warfare! Save and save, O Lady, our Great Master and Father (name), His Holiness Patriarch Moscow and all Rus' and our Lord (name), His Eminence bishop (archbishop, metropolitan) (title), and all the Eminence metropolitans, archbishops and Orthodox bishops. May they govern the Russian Church well, and may the faithful sheep of Christ be preserved indestructibly. Remember, Lady, the entire priestly and monastic order, warm their hearts with zeal for God and strengthen them to walk worthy of their calling. Save, O Lady, and have mercy on all Your servants and grant us the path of the earthly journey without blemish. Confirm us in the faith of Christ and in zeal for Orthodox Church, put into our hearts the spirit of the fear of God, the spirit of piety, the spirit of humility, give us patience in adversity, abstinence in prosperity, love for our neighbors, forgiveness for our enemies, success in good deeds. Deliver us from every temptation and from petrified insensibility; on the terrible day of Judgment, grant us, through Your intercession, to stand at the right hand of Your Son, Christ our God, to Him belongs all glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Troparion, tone 4
Today the most glorious city of Moscow brightly flaunts, as if we have received the dawn of the sun, the Lady, Your miraculous icon, to which we now flow and pray, we cry out to You: O, most wonderful Lady Theotokos, pray from You to the incarnate Christ our God, that He may deliver this city and all Christian cities and countries are unharmed from all the slander of the enemy, and He will save our souls, like the Merciful.

Kontakion, tone 8
To the chosen victorious Voivode, having been delivered from the evil ones by the coming of Your venerable image, to the Lady Theotokos we brightly celebrate the celebration of Your meeting and usually call You: Rejoice, Unmarried Bride.