Icon of the recovery of all the dead. Icon of the Mother of God "Search for the Lost": the history of the miraculous shrine

14.10.2019

Today it is not possible to reliably establish when and how images with such a name appeared in Russia. Information about this in different sources sometimes differ significantly from each other. Let's try to bring together disparate data. It might be the whole picture. But first, let's talk about the appearance of such icons in Orthodoxy in general.

The history of the appearance of the image

Church traditions say that the first icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost" appeared in the VI century. According to legend, the monk Theophilus, slandered and expelled from the bishop's house, harbored a great resentment in his soul. He turned away from God and His Mother and entered into an alliance with the devil.

But on the verge of spiritual death, Theophilus was frightened of what he had done and fervently asked the Mother of God for salvation, calling her "Seeking the Lost." Holy Mother, having heard his sincere prayers, accepted the sincere repentance of the fallen, granted forgiveness and freed from obligations to the devil.

The saved Theophilus dedicated the rest of his life to serving God and was glorified as a saint.

Early Russian Images "Seeking the Dead"

In the Moscow Church of the Resurrection of the Word, the Russian icon "Seeker of the Dead" is stored, which was first mentioned in church records in 1548. Presumably, the drawing belongs to the brush of an Italian master.

Legends say that in the wounded governor of Saratov, Kadyshev, he was healed at the moment such an image appeared to him. A warrior preparing for death saw a wonderful icon in the Volga and stood up. Many more miracles were performed by the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost".

Two hundred years later, Kadysheva, a descendant of the famous governor, organized in the village of Rakovka and became its first abbess. The main shrine of this monastery was a family heirloom: the icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost". The miraculous icon healed many believers and became famous far beyond the Volga region.

Count Sheremetyev, in gratitude for the cure of his son, ordered for this icon an expensive gilded kiot decorated with jewels.

Miraculous Borsk Icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost"

A special veneration of images with this name in Russia began with the glorification of the Borsky izvod.

A beautiful legend speaks of miraculous rescue Obukhov Fedot. In severe frost, the peasant left the house and got lost along the way. By nightfall, the unfortunate man was completely exhausted and froze. He lay down in the sleigh and began to fervently pray to the Mother of God. At that moment, he made a vow that if he remained alive, he would order a list of the image of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost” and donate it to the parish church.

Miraculously, the sleigh ended up at the peasant's house. The owner of this hut suddenly heard a female voice ordering: “Take it!” Going out into the street, he found Fedot freezing in a sleigh.

Miracles continued. Faithful to this vow, Fedot turns to the icon painter Gurov. But he demands such a sum for the work that Obukhov does not have. As soon as Fedot left the door, the icon painter went blind - another miracle of the Most Holy Theotokos. Realizing that this is a punishment for greed, Gurov promises to write an exhaustion at any price. And then the vision returned!

Other miracles of the holy image

The icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost" was painted and donated by Fedot Obukhov to the church in the village of Bor. Many came to bow to this icon and ask for her intercession. Soon, a new beautiful church was built with donations from the parishioners.

And again a miracle: in a dream I saw where this icon would later stand. And soon a decree was received from the Synod on the construction of the temple on this very spot.

In 1871, the Borsk icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Dead" saved the city of Serpukhov from cholera. During the offering, another miracle happened: a mute boy, who had not walked until that day, suddenly spoke and stood up. In gratitude, the residents of Serpukhov donated to the Borsky temple a gospel with the image of this icon and records of the miracle performed.

This image was lost with the advent Soviet power. But in 1985, a list of the Bor icon was transferred to the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the Tarusa region. The fact that this is a copy of the famous revered image is evidenced by the inscription on it.

"Recovery of the Dead" in Serpukhov

Every year, starting from 1892, the solemn Procession of the Cross brought this shrine to the city of Serpukhov. Every believer could bow to the shrine and ask the Mother of God for help. A special success for the Orthodox Serpukhovians was the opportunity to accept this image for a prayer service in their own home.

The custom was broken with the establishment of Soviet power in Russia after the October Revolution. The temple in which this miraculous icon, razed to the ground. Many images have been lost.

But believers continued to worship this shrine and carefully kept copies of it. One of these lists was in the Trinity Church. However, this church was also closed in 1961. And the miraculous icon became inaccessible to believers for 35 years, since all this time it was in the vaults of the historical and art museum of the city of Serpukhov.

The return of the holy image to the bosom of the church

But in June 1996, the holy icon "Searching for the Dead" reappeared in Serpukhov: it was temporarily placed in the Ilyinsky Church for prayers. This event has become a great holiday for many residents. Flowers, bell ringing and church hymns filled the city that day.

The Procession of the Cross delivered the miraculous image from the Vysotsky Monastery to the Ilyinsky Church. Numerous pilgrims filled the square at the monastery from early morning. And many even spent the night there.

Solemn services were held in city churches. An endless stream of believers, wishing to take communion and confess, was moving towards the Church of the Three Hierarchs. Several priests confessed that day at the same time. Many people gathered for central square, where the Akathist to the icon "Search for the Lost" was read.

Finally, the image of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost" was returned to believers in 1997. On May 18, the shrine was transferred by the Serpukhov Historical and Art Museum to the Vysotsky Monastery. This day has become a great holiday for the Orthodox Serpukhovites. Now the image is available to believers and continues to work miracles.

Moscow icon "Recovery of the Lost"

Great is the love of the Mother of God for people and her mercy is boundless. In Russia, there is more than one miraculous icon "Seeking the Dead". In Moscow there is a temple of the Resurrection of the Word, the construction of which is attributed to the middle of the 17th century. Worship here never stopped. The icon "Seeking the Lost" is one of the main shrines of this temple.

Tradition says that a representative of a once rich noble family began to be haunted by troubles: first, the death of his wife, and then the threat of complete ruin. Many days of fervent prayers in front of this home shrine averted poverty and misfortune from his family.

As a sign of gratitude, the rescued donated this icon to the Church of the Nativity in Broadswords. In 1812, Napoleon's troops destroyed the church, and the icon "Search for the Dead" was cut into several parts. But even in this form, the image did not lose its strength, it brought healing to the sick and worked miracles. The restored temple worked until 1934 and was closed. Utensils and icons were transferred to other churches and monasteries. The holy image "Seeking the Lost" did not immediately find a new home.

The Mother of God chooses her own abode

Interestingly, when trying to transport the icon to the Pimenovskaya church, the wagon did not budge. Deciding that the Mother of God herself did not want to be there, they chose a new place for storing the shrine - the Sunday Church, located on Malaya Bronnaya. This time the horses literally flew to their destination.

And when this church was also demolished, the icon "Search for the Lost" found its last resting place in the Church of the Resurrection of the Word.

Other famous Russian images "Seeking the Dead"

In Marienburg, in the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God, a list is kept from the Samara image "Searching for the Lost." This icon was created in 1888 by the nuns of the Rakovskaya convent.

After the revolution, this image was lost, but miraculously found in the 50s of the last century in Marienburg. For a long time it was literally underfoot: it was placed as a plank on a footbridge. The find was placed in the Church of the Intercession of the Mother of God in the city of Marienburg. It is noteworthy that on the eve of the celebration of the Day of Remembrance of the icon "Seeking the Lost" in February 1994, this icon began to stream myrrh.

The icons "Searching for the Dead", which are kept in Moscow churches, are especially revered.

Svyato-Uspensky located in the Tula region, has become a place of storage and veneration of the list of icons Mother of God"Search for the Lost", created for the Church of the Assumption of the Mother of God in the village of Sebino.

Interesting facts about the icon "Seeking the Dead" from the Rakovskiy Monastery

Manuscripts have been preserved in which miraculous changes are attested appearance this image. In normal times, the Rakovskaya Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Seeking the Dead” was dark, the images on it were barely visible. But sometimes the image suddenly brightened up, as if light poured out from within. This was considered God's message of joyful events. Cases of the appearance of drops of myrrh on the face and hands of the Mother of God and the Infant are described. This happened in the period from May to October 1895, from the time of the consecration of the new stone church of the Holy Trinity Monastery.

Iconography of the images "Recovery of the Lost"

Excerpts of this type show us the Mother of God seated. On her knees is the Christ Child. He hugs the Mother with his hands around the neck, presses his left cheek to her face. The hands of the Queen of Heaven form a ring around the figure of the Child, her fingers are tightly clasped.

There were several versions of icons of this type - with a covered or uncovered head, sometimes the hands of the Virgin were depicted not clasped.

Sometimes additional elements were included in the composition: a window with a landscape or images of saints. So, on the Moscow image, the Mother of God is depicted with her head uncovered, surrounded by saints.

The dimensions of the Bor icon are noteworthy. Its width is 1 meter 25 centimeters, and its height exceeds 2 meters. In the upper part of the icon is the image of the Baptism of Christ. This is due to the fact that the peasant Obukhov escaped death on the feast of Epiphany. According to legend, Fedot brought this huge icon to the temple in his arms. So he honored the Mother of God for miraculous salvation.

Why are these images so named?

Let's try to figure out what meaning the icon "Search for the Dead" contains. What does this title mean? It speaks for itself: the Mother of God in her infinite love for humanity is always ready to grant forgiveness (to exact) and help those who are on the verge of death. These images are a symbol of the Mother of God, who tirelessly prays for hopeless patients. The Blessed Mother saves those who are perishing in poverty and returns to the faith people who have drowned in vices.

“Search for the Lost” is an icon, the meaning of which can be briefly described as follows: this is the last hope for someone who has fallen into despair and cannot help himself.

It is to these images that mothers go with a request to save their babies. The icon, which has repeatedly shown miracles of delivering children from illness and suffering, is considered the patroness and intercessor of minors.

What do believers pray for in front of the icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost"?

Seriously ill patients and their relatives turn to this image with ardent requests. It helps to get rid of vices, for example, from alcohol addiction. Repentant sinners who have turned away from God go to these icons. Women ask in their prayers before the "Search for the Lost" for a happy marriage and the health of children.

People go to this image to ask for healing for sick loved ones who are dying. In wartime, believers cry out to the Mother of God, begging to protect the soldiers on the battlefield.

Prayer to the icon "Search for the Dead" helps with eye diseases, fever, and headaches. It is important that requests come from a pure heart and be full of faith in God. Only then will the Mother of God show her mercy and the power of intercession.

You can turn to the Blessed Mother with simple sincere words that come from the heart. But it is better to learn prayers that can be found even on the Internet. Better yet, go to church.

V church calendar February 5 (18) is the day of memory of the icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost".

Orthodox traditions continue

In Russia, more and more temples of the icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost" are springing up. Just one example - on the initiative of the Kharkiv Union of Afghanistan Veterans in 2007, the construction of a chapel in memory of the fallen participants in local wars began.

The chapel was designed to perpetuate the memory of 19-year-old border guard Yevgeny Rodionov, who died "for his faith" in 1996. 100 days in captivity did not change the convictions of the young soldier, he courageously faced death. Eugene is revered by the Orthodox as a martyr for the faith.

And already in the summer of 2008, Metropolitan of Kharkov and Bogodukhovsky Nikodim blessed the transformation of the chapel into a temple. The icon "Searching for the Dead" became the main shrine. You can see a photo of this temple below.

The 26-meter church is crowned with a cross made in Ukraine. Project temple complex includes a bell tower and a church park.

August 23, 2008 became a double holiday for Kharkiv citizens: the anniversary of the liberation of the city from the fascist invaders and the consecration of a new church in honor of the icon of the Virgin "Search for the Dead".

“Seeking the Lost” is an icon whose significance for the Orthodox can hardly be overestimated. There are not many such images of the Theotokos, but almost all of them are miraculous.

Whose legs are freely visible from under the vestments, and He presses against Her cheek and holds Her neck with His hand.

Story

The name of the icon is associated with a story dating back to the century about the miraculous forgiveness of the steward Theophilus of Adana through his prayers to the Mother of God, to whom he addressed as "Seeking the Lost" in front of Her icon. The story of Theophilus became known in Russia from the 17th century, and in the next century several miraculous images of the Mother of God became famous, which received the name "Seeking the Lost".

The earliest of the Russian images of the Most Holy Theotokos with this name can be considered an image that was once located in the St. George Church in the city of Bolkhov, Oryol province, written, according to legend, in a year. The icon became famous later, in the middle of the 18th century, through the miraculous deliverance from the death of the pious peasant of the village of Bor, Kaluga province, Theodot Obukhov. Once, on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord, on the way from the city of Bolkhov, this peasant was overtaken by a terrible snowstorm with hard frost. Having lost their way, the horses stopped at the ravine. Obukhov was cold from the cold and, seeing no means of salvation, unharnessed his horse and tied it to a sledge; he wrapped himself up, lay down in the sleigh and began to fall asleep, realizing that he was completely freezing. In these terrible moments, he turned to the Mother of God with a prayer for salvation and made a vow to order a list from the icon "Searching for the Lost", located in St. George's Church in Bolkhov. His heartfelt prayer was heard: in a neighboring village, under the window of a peasant, a voice suddenly rang out: "Take it!" The peasant went out and saw his half-frozen friend Theodot Obukhov in the sleigh.

Upon his recovery, Theodotos Obukhov immediately fulfilled his vow by ordering a list from the Seeking for the Lost icon for his parish church. In memory of his salvation, on the eve of Theophany, he asked to depict at the top of the icon the plot of the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan. Soon, thanks to the generous donations of the icon's admirers, a beautiful stone church was built on the site of a poor rural church. The Borsk icon "Search for the Lost" became famous for many blessed signs and miracles. So, in the year in the neighboring city of Serpukhov, a cholera epidemic raged, which stopped after the miraculous icon was brought to the city. Since then, the icon of the Mother of God annually solemnly procession brought from the village of Bor to Serpukhov. This custom was preserved until the Bor temple was destroyed. The holy icon of the Mother of God then disappeared without a trace.

Until now, several old lists of the icon of the Mother of God "Search for the Lost" have been preserved. The most famous of them are in Moscow - in the Church of the Resurrection of the Word on the Assumption Vrazhek, in St. Petersburg - in the Intercession Church in Marienburg, in Samara - in the Intercession Cathedral. There are also miraculous lists from the icon "Search for the Lost": from the village of Malizhyna, Kharkov province, which appeared in the year, which saved the inhabitants from cholera three times; from the village of Krasnoye, Chernigov province, from Voronezh, as well as from the city of Kozlov (now Michurinsk). In the year at the Moscow Alexander Orphans Institute, a temple was consecrated in honor of the icon "Search for the Lost"; subsequently, many other churches were consecrated in honor of the shrine.

Of particular interest are the surviving legends about the icon of the Mother of God "Seeking the Lost", located in the Church of the Resurrection of the Word in Moscow.

The first Moscow shrine

This copy of the icon was written by an Italian master and belonged to a Moscow noble family. Its last owner was widowed and found himself on the verge of poverty. His zealous prayers in front of the home shrine were heard: he was saved from poverty and despair, the fate of his orphans was also well settled. Subsequently, he gave the icon to the Church of the Nativity in Palashi, and people who lost hope and despair began to come to the miraculous image. A similar incident occurred after the revolution, when the wife of an arrested priest, who was left with three young children, miraculously received help from this icon. Thoughts of suicide took possession of her, and she was stopped by the look of the Mother of God from the icon and the subsequent prayer to Her. And the next day, mother found a bundle of gold coins in her bag.

After the revolution, the parishioners miraculously managed to save the rich robe of the icon - they brought valuables from home, what they had, and paid off the requisition. But in 1935 the Church of the Nativity was closed, and they wanted to transfer the icon to the Pimenovskaya Church. However, the horse harnessed to the cart, on which the shrine was placed, did not budge, despite all the prodding. We decided to look for another temple, and the choice fell on the Church of the Resurrection, which stood on Malaya Bronnaya - the icon went there easily, but this temple was also sentenced to be demolished ... So the image ended up in the Church of the Resurrection, which is on Uspensky enemy in Bryusov Lane, where already in our recent time (the 1980s) a new miracle was revealed: the icon survived the fire, although the flame burned everything around, but did not touch the image.

Second Moscow shrine

The main shrine of the church of St. Nicholas in Zvonari there was an icon “Searching for the dead”, which was under a special canopy with right side from the main temple, between it and the chapel in the name of John the Baptist. This icon was built into a large icon wall. At the top was the image of the Nativity of the Mother of God, then there was the icon “Seeking the Lost”, on both sides of it were the Archangels, and below - the image of the Assumption of the Mother of God. The icon itself was 75 centimeters, in a large frame of various scenes-stigmas from the life of the Mother of God.

When the temple was closed in 1934, the icon "Searching for the Lost" was going to be given to one of the Moscow churches, but by the will of God it ended up in the Pyukhtitsky Monastery. After this monastery received a courtyard in Moscow in 1994 in Zvonarsky Lane, the icon returned to its church again. Now it is inserted into the iconostasis and access to it is limited.

When getting married, brides turned to the miraculous icon "Searching for the Lost" with a prayer that the marriage would be fertile; people came to her with a prayer for liberation from vices, suffering from illnesses, as well as mothers with intercession for perishing children.

Prayers

Troparion, tone 7

Rejoice, Blessed Virgin Mother of God, / in Your arms the Pre-Eternal Infant and God carried. / Ask Him to give peace to the world / and salvation to our souls. we crouchingly pray to Thee / and those who hope in Thee that we shall not perish, / we call Thy name // Thou art, Mistress, the reckoning of the lost.

John troparion, tone 4

Seek us perishing, Blessed Virgin, / not for our sin punish us, / but for humanity, have mercy: / deliver us from hell, sickness and need / / and save us.

Used materials

Shevchenko E.V., Veronika (Goryacheva), nun. ""Search for the Lost" Icon of the Mother of God" / Orthodox Encyclopedia , vol. 8, p. 107-110:

http://www.pravenc.ru/text/158344.html - material used partially

The icon "Searching for the Dead" is the face of the Virgin with a child in her arms. The Orthodox believe it is miraculous and helps mothers and fathers to console the sorrows of their children. Parental prayers for children do not go unanswered.

The first mention of the icon "Search for the Lost" occurred in the 6th century. Monk Theophilus was preparing to become a minister of the church, but he went astray and sold himself to the devil. Realizing that he was going the wrong way, he began to fervently pray to the Virgin Mary. The Queen of Heaven, heeding his fervent pleas, forgave him, freed him from the union with Satan.

The governor of Saratov in 1666, after the battle and received numerous wounds, was preparing for death, as in the Volga the image of the icon appeared to him, and he was cured. Since then, the Volga icon "Search for the Lost" has healed people from diseases.

The Borsk icon of the Mother of God in Serpukhov also works wonders. The peasant Fedot got lost in the winter and froze. He passionately prayed to the Virgin Mary, promised that if he survived, he would order an image. The Mother of God carried the frozen man along with the sleigh to the hut. After recovering, Fedot Obukhov ordered an icon from the master. But the master demanded a high price. The deal did not take place, the artist went blind. Realizing his greed, the icon painter promised to paint the image of the Virgin Mary for free and immediately received his sight. This is how the miraculous icon Seeking for those killed in Serpukhov was created, which once prevented a cholera epidemic in Serpukhov.

How does the prayer "Seek out the lost" help?

To reward with forgiveness, that is, to exact - hence the name of the icon "Searching for the Dead." Prayer to the icon helps everyone who is on the verge of death, physical or spiritual.

You can pray to the Mother of God for children who are hopelessly ill, who are in extreme poverty on the verge of starvation, souls captured by vices and passions.

Prayer to the icon "Search for the Lost" relieves from diabolical vices: alcoholism, drug addiction, smoking. The icon protects children from injuries and troubles. Can you pray for happy marriage, children's health. Also protects warriors in war. Prayer to the icon of the Mother of God “Search for the Lost” will be effective even in your own words, the intercessor will hear any request and will definitely help if your faith is strong and sincere. The Queen of Heaven, the Mother of God, is especially revered by the Orthodox. She is the unspoken defender of the Russian land. It is difficult to assess the meaning of the image "Recovery of the Lost". This is the last refuge of people in sorrow and tragedy. Giving hope, forgiveness, earned great respect and reverence for the Russian people. The word lost does not mean the dead. These are souls on the verge of life and death, drowned in vices, lost their face before the Lord and people. And even murderers, alcoholics, notorious villains, with sincere repentance, the Mother of God gives forgiveness and comfort. Calm in the soul and strength gives prayer to such people.

After all, only through repentance, awareness of sins and sincere faith comes salvation. The prayer “Seeking out the lost” is especially strong for Orthodox calendar February 5 (18) - the day of veneration of the icon. Sinners will find consolation and comfort by praying. Go to the temple or pray at home, if you do not see a gap in life, despair has overwhelmed you:

For the sons who went to war
From poverty and ruin
In epidemics
A severe illness has overcome you or relatives
With the evil eye, damage for children, protecting
Successful marriage of daughter, granddaughter
Girls to save and save love
In hopeless life situations

The text of the prayer "Recovery of the dead"

Intercessor zealous, compassionate Mother of the Lord!

I resort to You as a cursed and more than all a sinful person, heed the voice of my prayer and hear my cry and groaning.

Like my iniquity surpassing my head, and I, like a ship in the abyss, I plunge into the sea of my sins.

But You, All-good and Merciful Lady, do not despise me desperate and perishing in sins, have mercy on me, who repents of my evil deeds, and turn my erring, accursed soul to the right path.

On You, my Lady Mother of God, I place all my hope.

You, Mother of God, save and keep me under Your shelter, now and forever and forever and ever.

Amen.

Prayer to the Mother of God for her husband

The prayer to the Theotokos “Seeking the Lost” for the husband is repaid if the husband has addictions to drunkenness, smoking, cruelty, or, on the contrary, has gone to war.

Oh, Most Holy and Blessed Virgin, the Lady of the Mother of God, the guarantor of sinners and the Seeking of the lost!

Look with Your merciful eye on us, standing before Your holy icon and praying to You with tenderness:

raise us up from the depths of sin, enlighten our mind, darkened by passions, and heal the ulcers of our souls and bodies.

Not imams of other help, not imams of other hope, do you, the Lady, weigh all our infirmities and sins, we resort to you and cry:

do not leave us with Your heavenly help, but appear before us forever and with Your inexpressible mercy and bounty, save and have mercy on us who are perishing.

Grant us the correction of our sinful life and deliver us from sorrows, troubles and illnesses, from vain death, hell and eternal torment.

You are Bo, Queen and Mistress, an ambulance Helper and Intercessor for all who flow to You, and a strong Refuge for penitent sinners.

Grant us, Blessing and All-Immaculate Virgin, the Christian end of our belly is peaceful and shameless, and vouchsafe us with Your intercession to settle in the abode of heaven,

where the unceasing voice of those celebrating with joy glorifies Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever.

Amen.

Prayer for marriage

Prayer to the icon "Search for the Lost" for marriage helps to create a strong family, to live young in peace and harmony.

Oh, Holy Lady and Holy Mother of God, hear me Servant of God ( given name give me consolation and give me hope for a prosperous and joyful life. Only you can I ask for refuge in my sorrows and troubles. You are the only one who can, standing at the throne of the Lord, pray to the Almighty for the forgiveness of all my sins, committed due to my unreason. Hear me and save me from death and sorrow. I stand before your holy icon and fall down in tears to your image, an ambulance defender and helper of all people who cry out to you in their sorrows and sorrows. Amen

Akathist to the Mother of God for protection in Russian

Praise in prayer the Mother of God, intercessor, Blessed Virgin, give thanks for what you have, asking for protection and help in illness and family matters. Akathist (glorification) to the Mother of God in Russian will certainly help to find solid ground under your feet in difficult family matters.

Oh, Most Holy and Blessed Virgin Mary, Lady of Heaven, Great Mother of God! Turn your eyes on those standing before your holy icon and praying to you with love and sincere and deep, lift us from the depths of sin, enlighten our mind, clouded from unnecessary passions, and heal the ulcers of the soul and body. There is no other help but yours, there is no other hope except for you. You see all our weaknesses and sins, it is we who come to your image and turn: do not leave us without Heavenly support, show us your mercy and grace, save and have mercy on us who are perishing. Let us correct our sins, deliver us from sorrows, troubles and illnesses, from vain death, hell and eternal torment. You are an ambulance and Intercessor to all who resort to you in their repentance. Give us hope for eternal life into the Kingdom of God. Hear our appeal and do not reject it. We joyfully glorify the Most Holy Trinity, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

On a special account among believers is the icon "Search for the Lost", which is currently located in the Church of the Ascension of the Word in Moscow. The first mention of this image dates back to the 6th century, when people first saw the miracles that the icon is capable of. It is important to understand the meaning and how the icon "Search for the Lost" helps. It is worth noting that not only the original is miraculous, but also the lists of the image, which are located in different temples.

What does the icon "Search for the Lost" mean?

To begin with, I would like to understand what exactly is embedded in the word "dead", since this does not apply to dead people. This word refers to a person who is lost in life, has ceased to see at least something good around, in general, hopelessness. It is to such people that the Virgin Mary is ready to come to the rescue. She is constantly fighting for her ward, giving him new strength for further struggle.

What do they pray for in front of the icon "Search for the Lost"?

This image helps people who have turned away from God and lost faith in the best. Before the icon "Search for the dead" you can ask to instruct loved one on the right spiritual path. First of all, this applies to mothers who ask for their children.

In the history of the Seeking for the Lost icon, there is evidence that it was before this icon that people asked to save their loved ones from death at the front.

The image helps to cope with various physical ailments, so every year a huge number of people ask for help in front of him in order to overcome illnesses. There is evidence that prayer before helped get rid of various eye diseases, headaches, and even epidemics. It is believed that the Mother of God through the image can heal from various ailments according to the needs of a person.

The traditional meaning of the icon of the Mother of God "Search for the Lost" is due to the fact that the Mother of God helps lonely girls find their soul mate. Married people turn to the image to take care of a happy family life. Young girls using Higher powers gain the necessary wisdom and humility to keep the relationship going.

There is evidence in history that this image of the Mother of God helped entire villages fight various epidemics and avoid natural disasters.

Another meaning of the icon "Search for the Lost" is associated with emotional experiences and problems, for example, it helps to get rid of various vices.

There are several known to the world miraculous manifestations of the icon. In 1871, a cholera epidemic began in Serpukhov, which took a huge number of lives. People heard about the icon and, taking it with them, they went in procession around the whole city. To the delight of all, the disease receded. After that, an inscription was made on the icon about the miraculous salvation of Serpukhov. In 1850, in the Kaluga province, people suffered from the invasion of caterpillars, which destroyed crops. After the prayer service, the problem receded by itself. The Moscow list of the icon “Search for the Lost” is also known for its miracles, before which the ruined nobleman prayed, asking the Virgin good husbands for their daughters. The prayer was heard and all three daughters found good betrothed.

To refer to the icon "Search for the Lost" for the lost souls, you must read. Before that, it is important to ask for a blessing from God. After that, you need to get rid of all extraneous thoughts and fully open to the image. Greet the Holy Virgin and ask her to help in a particular matter. The next step is to read a prayer that sounds like this:

“Oh, the Most Holy and Blessed Virgin, the Lady of the Mother of God, the guarantor of sinners and the Seeking of the lost! Look with Your merciful eye on us, standing before Your holy icon and praying to You with tenderness: raise us up from the depths of sin, enlighten our mind, darkened by passions, and heal the ulcers of our souls and bodies. Not imams of other help, not imams of other hope, unless you, the Lady, weigh all our infirmities and sins, we resort to you and cry out: do not leave us with your heavenly help, but appear before us and with your inexpressible mercy and bounty save and have mercy on us perishing. Grant us the correction of our sinful life and deliver us from sorrows, troubles and illnesses, from vain death, hell and eternal torment. You are Bo, Queen and Mistress, an ambulance Helper and Intercessor for all who flow to You, and a strong Refuge for penitent sinners. Grant us, Blessing and All-Immaculate Virgin, the Christian end of our belly is peaceful and shameless, and vouchsafe us with Your intercession to settle in the abodes of Heaven, 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".

After that, sit in front of the icon for half an hour, feeling how the flow of grace passes through you. At the end, be sure to thank God and the Virgin Mary.