Despite the fact that in the holy book of the Christians of the Bible (the New Testament), there is little information about the words and deeds of the Virgin Mary, Her miraculous image and special respect for him are found all over the world, continuing to this day with inexplicable force to attract believers and atheists in the most different corners the globe. We again turn to this beautiful luminous topic, because we consider it the most worthy of the topics that we can raise, and to which a person is obliged to pay attention, due to his limited understanding of the essence of the hidden processes of the universe. Let many people live earthly and perishable, and so far I can’t accept what they don’t see, let conversations about spirituality and deep feelings cause distrust and detachment, however, even the most ingrained opinion and extinguished interest can be convinced and ignited with interesting and obvious facts, because the facts - stubborn thing.

Yes, Maria "probably somewhere exists," both believers and skeptics will quietly agree with me. Yes, for some reason it is revered throughout the planet. Yes, perhaps there is something more behind this than the ordinary status of a canonized saint. But what's next? And then the facts!

MARIA...

Is it not surprising that in Catholicism she is revered as the immaculate Virgin Mary, in the Orthodox tradition the Most Holy Theotokos, and in Islam, in the holy book of Muslims, the Koran, She is noted as the only and most worthy of all earthly women. In confirmation, I will quote from the Koran: "The angels said:" O Maryam (Mary)! Verily, Allah has chosen you, purified you and exalted you above the women of the worlds" (Quran 3:42-43)". This implies the following, given that the total number of followers of the two leading world religions of Christianity and Islam is more than 3.8 billion (2.3 + 1.5, respectively), a good half of the world's population knows about Mary and, to one degree or another expresses his respect.

Isn’t it unique that with the image of Mary on some subconscious and spiritual level, so many residents, regardless of age, confession and nationality, associate the purest, kindest, most ideal ideas about human nature owing to which, people are convinced, the Virgin Mary rightfully occupies a special, honorable place in the divine "heavenly" hierarchy. And the point is not how high her hierarchical level and closeness to God, for some reason, no one doubts that she is a great spiritual entity, providing invisible support to suffering humanity for centuries. Probably, many of us, in difficult moments of life, came to Her most pure image, asking for help and comfort.

Doesn't it seem to you, dear readers, that it is also surprising that no matter what changes the evolving society has undergone over two millennia, no matter how history is rewritten to suit someone's interests, and the authority of the Virgin Mary still remains unshakable and adamant?

APPEARANCES OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

Don't you think it is amazing and strange that the most a large number of evidence of miraculous healings, visions and phenomena of a supernatural nature - when compared with all the canonized saints combined - is again connected precisely with the Virgin Mary. The historical record is literally full of Her miracles, it's hard to deny. In fairness, notice that neither Buddha, nor Mohammed, nor Jesus, nor saints and prophets come to people in moments of the most difficult trials, but for some reason it is the Virgin Mary. There is even a specially created site (http://miraclehunter.com) that collects confirmed and unconfirmed facts of the appearance, visions and revelations of St. different times. Here is a map from this site, showing the geography and chronology of Mary's appearances to various inhabitants of the Earth. Notice the end of the 20th century.

FACTS OF THE APPEARANCE OF THE VIRGIN MARY...

The name of the Mother of God, the name of the icon or place of appearance	The country	Date of Appearance		Who saw
Zaragoza	Spain	39		Jacob Zavedeev
Anastasiopolis	Byzantium	601		Theodore Sykeot
Blachernae Church	Byzantium	2 October 910		Andrey Yurodivy
Virgin Mary of Walsingham	England	1061		Richeldis de Faverschet
Bogolyubskaya Icon of the Mother of God	Russia	1155		Andrey Bogolyubsky
Trinity Sergius Lavra	Russia	1385		Sergius of Radonezh
Mother of God Healing	France	1515		Angleze de Sagazan
Guadalupe Mother of God	Mexico	12 December 1531		Juan Diego
Kazan Mother of God	Russia	July 8 1579		Matrona Onuchina
Lo	France	from May 1664 to 1718		Benoit Rancourel
Wonderful medallion, Rue du Bac 140, Paris	France	1830		Ekaterina Labure
Sarov	Russia	November 25 1831		Seraphim of Sarov
Rome	Italy	January 20th 1842		Alphonse Ratisbon
Virgin Mary of La Salette	France	September 19, 1846		Maxime Giraud and Melanie Calva
Lourdes	France	Feb 11 au 16 juillet 1858		Bernadette Soubirous
Our Lady of Pontmain	France	January 17, 1871		Evgenia Barbedet, Joseph Barbedet.
Gieterzwald	Poland	du 27 juin 1877 au 16 septembre 1877		Justyna Szafrynska, et Barbara Samulowska
Mother of God Sovereign	Russia	late February 1917		Evdokia Adrianov, a peasant woman from Pererva, Bronnitsky Uyezd
Fatima Virgin Mary	Portugal	from May 13 to October 13, 1917		Lucia dos Santos, Francisco Marto and his sister Jacinta
Boren	Belgium	Nov. 29, 1932 to Jan. 3, 1933		Fernande, Gilberte et Albert Voisin, Andrée et Gilberte Degeimbre
en:Our Lady of Banneux	Belgium	January 15, 1933 - March 2, 1933		Marietta Beko
Amsterdam	Netherlands	1945		-
L "Ile-Bouchard	France	from 8 to 14 December 1947		four small children
betania	Venezuela	de 1940 au 5 Jan 1990		Maria Esperanza Medrano de Bianchini
Mother of God of Garabandal	Spain	from 1961 to 1965		four girls aged 11 and 12: Maria Loli Mason, Jacinta Gonzalez, Maria Cruz Gonzalez, Conchita Gonzalez
Mother of God Zeytunskaya	Egypt	April 2, 1968 to May 29, 1971		hundreds of thousands (probably millions) of Egyptians and foreigners, Christians and Muslims
Mother of God of Akita	Japan	from July 6 1973 to October 13, 1973		Nun Agnes Katsuko Sasagawa
London	Great Britain	1985		Patricia Meneses
Kibue	Rwanda	from November 28 1981 to November 28, 1989		Alfonsina Mumureke, Natalie Mukazimpaka, Marie Claire
Tskhinvali, armed conflict in 2008	South Ossetia	August 2008		many people who saw the silhouette of a woman during the fighting

RECOGNIZED AND UNRECOGNIZED APPEARANCES OF THE MOTHER OF GOD.

FLIGHT OF THE ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD AROUND MOSCOW IN DECEMBER 1941.

The story of how, on December 8, 1941, on the orders of Stalin, a flight was made over the besieged by fascist troops on the outskirts of Moscow with the Tikhvin Icon Holy Mother of God, the Orthodox writer Nikolai Blokhin told the world. This message amazed many and was distributed by a large number of publications in the media. According to some, this story proves that Stalin was a secret believer, that he was transformed during the war, and that the Mother of God helped him. However, there were many objections to this, military historians and church ministers began to conduct their investigations, proving that the myths about religious processions and signs arose all around major battles, they say, all this is fiction. I'm not going to say anything, because I don't know for sure. I would only like to note that after the “flying of the icon of the Virgin around Moscow”, in December 1941, a turning point of the entire Second World War took place, the capital of the USSR withstood and for the first time a counteroffensive began, which later grew into the final Victory over Nazi Germany.

As a modest observer, I would like to note a very strange weather phenomenon associated with an unnaturally sharp warming on December 8 in the central region of Russia. For some reason, critics do not pay attention to the fact that in two days the temperature in the region rose from -29 to +1 0 С (!). Specifically, the difference during one day alone was 24 degrees. Have you seen this in your lifetime, dear reader? I found an archival weather service for the cities of the CIS in the 19-20th century: www.thermo.karelia.ru, where you can see a summary of the city of Tambov (for some reason there is no Moscow), and as proof I give a screen:

THE IMAGE OF MARY OF GUADALUPE IN LATIN AMERICA.

The inhabitants of Latin America sacredly honor the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, who is considered the patroness of both Americas and is respectfully called "Our Lady of Guadalupe." And the cult of veneration of the Virgin of Guadalupe began with the modest Indian Juan Diego, who lived near Mexico City. On December 9, 1531, as a newly converted Catholic, he hurried past the Tepeyac hill to the morning mass in the church, but suddenly he heard beautiful singing. Deciding to inquire where this voice (or voices) came from, he climbed to the top of the hill and saw a shining cloud. In that cloud, Juan Diego saw a beautiful young woman who looked more like the girls of his tribe than a white-skinned Spaniard.

The lady called herself the Virgin Mary and asked to build a temple on the site of her appearance so that everyone could honor her Son - Jesus Christ. But here's the problem! The priests did not believe Juan, deciding that the Mother of God could not appear to some Indian without a soul (previously, the Spaniards believed that the indigenous population of Latin America did not have a soul, which means that Indians could be killed without a twinge of conscience).

But the Mother of God did not retreat. One day, when Juan Diego went to get a priest for his sick uncle, the Virgin Mary once again appeared to the unfortunate Indian and ordered him to collect all the flowers that he could find on the hill. The young man obeyed, although nothing grew on the hill. But suddenly he saw a rose bush growing on a rock. “Here is My sign,” said the Virgin Mary. “Take these roses, wrap them in your cloak, and take them to the bishop.” This time he will believe you." Having come to the bishop, Juan Diego unfolded his cape, where there were roses, and everyone saw on the fabric the Virgin, standing on a young month, surrounded by stars and the Sun. After that, the priests repented of their unbelief, and Juan Diego's uncle, who was dying, was miraculously healed. All this convinced the indigenous people of Mexico, who continued to worship their gods, that Christianity was the true faith. And after the appearance of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe, almost 6 million Indians independently converted to Catholicism. This is how the baptism of Latin America took place.

THE APPEARANCE OF MARY IN LOURDES, FRANCE, 1858.

In 1858, the Virgin Mary appeared to a simple village girl from the French town of Lourdes. 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous, who did not shine with her mind, actually became the messenger of the dogma of the Catholic Church about the Immaculate Conception of the Most Holy Theotokos. On February 11, 1858, the parents sent Bernadette along with other children to fetch branches for kindling. To get to the grove, where it was possible to collect these same branches, the children had to cross a small stream. Bernadette's friends quickly coped with this task, and the girl remained undecided whether to cross the stream or not.

Without waiting for her decision, the children left Bernadette alone. When at last the girl decided to cross the cold stream, she suddenly saw a golden cloud that floated out of a cave on the other side of the stream. A woman of unearthly beauty stood on a cloud ... For the first time, Bernadette did not dare to follow the beautiful lady, but all the other 18 appearances, the shepherdess not only followed the stranger, but also talked to her. At first, the girl thought that this was the soul of one of the villagers who had died a year earlier, but later she realized that the Virgin Mary herself was talking to her.

FATIMA APPEARANCE OF THE VIRGIN MARY.

It is believed that the Virgin Mary appeared to three children from the Portuguese town of Fatima in 1917, but some researchers claim that these phenomena continued from 1915 until the end of 1917. The Mother of God left three children - two sisters Lucia and Jacinta and their brother Francisco - three predictions that were not immediately discovered. Firstly, at first they did not believe the children. When Jacinta told her parents about her encounters with the beautiful Virgo, she was ridiculed, and Lucia was even beaten. The headman, interrogating the children together and separately, could not get a confession that all these meetings and predictions were an invention of the children themselves.

We have repeatedly written about this, read on our website in the articles "Fatima apparition of the Virgin Mary and the prophecy of St. Malachi", "Predictions about the last Pope".

THE APPEARANCE OF THE MOTHER OF GOD IN ZEYTUN, EGYPT, IN 1968.

THE APPEARANCE OF THE VIRGIN MARY IN JAPAN, IN THE TOWN OF AKITA.

The Most Pure Mother of God appeared to people not only in Europe. In the early 70s of the last century, the Virgin Mary appeared in Japan, in the small town of Akita. The Mother of God was seen by the deaf nun Agnes Sasagawa Katsuko. At the age of 19, after an unsuccessful operation, she lost her hearing and was bedridden for 16 years. The doctors just shrugged. They were powerless to help the girl. A deaf patient was transferred from hospital to hospital. And in one of the hospitals, she met a Catholic nurse, who told the unfortunate woman about the Christian faith. Thanks to the nurse, Agnes's condition improved, and in 1969 she decided to enter a monastery and devote herself to God. True, 4 months after the tonsure, the woman's condition worsened again, and only holy water from a spring in Lourdes helped the nun to her feet.

The first time Agnes saw the Virgin Mary was on June 12, 1973, during a prayer. Brilliant mysterious rays came out of the Pyramid. Agnes saw these rays for several days, and then a stigmata in the form of a cross formed on her left palm. The pain was unbearable, but the nun held firm, answering the sisters who comforted her that the wound on the hand of the Blessed Virgin Mary was much deeper. The astonished sisters decided to go to the chapel and found the same wound on the statue of the Virgin Mary ... But the miracles in Akita did not end there. On the same evening, Agnes, praying to the image of the Virgin, heard the first message. The Virgin Mary told the nun that she would soon be healed, and called on all the sisters to pray for the people in order to atone for their sins and stop the wrath of the Heavenly Father.

The Mother of God appeared to Agnes several times, calling her to patience and perseverance. She predicted to the nun not only her future fate, where persecution and ridicule were present, but also the fate of the Japanese people, in particular the deadly tsunami in March 2011. 10 years after the appearance of the Virgin Mary, Agnes returned to hearing, and she finally recovered. After the humiliating checks of the sisters who witnessed miraculous phenomenon, The Roman Catholic Church nevertheless recognized this fact as genuine, although before the investigation, more than 500 people, including both Christians and Buddhists, saw the statue of the Virgin Mary in the Akita monastery shed blood, sweat and tears.

THE APPEARANCE OF THE VIRGIN MARY IN BOSNIA, IN 1981.

For the first time, Medjugorje became known in the summer of 1981, when six local young guys (4 girls and 2 guys) announced that the Virgin Mary appeared to them, who introduced herself as the "Lady of the World". There is evidence that these phenomena continue to this day. In them, the Virgin Mary conveys short messages - she calls the faithful to conversion, prayer and peace. To date, three eyewitnesses of the apparitions receive messages from Mary daily, and three others only once a year. Phenomena occur systematically - at the same time. Interestingly, four witnesses live in Medjugorje, while the other two live in Italy and the USA. Despite these circumstances, they all continue to hear and see Mary.

THE MIRACLE OF THE MOTHER OF GOD IN THE SKY OVER THE SUFFERING NANEVIA, 2015.

Christians living in the partly IS-occupied territory of the Nineveh Valley report the miracle of the appearance of the Most Holy Theotokos to them. On December 21, 2015, in the evening, eyewitnesses located in different parts of the cities of Alkash and Ankava witnessed an unusual phenomenon: a bright red figure lit up in a completely dark night sky, which did not fade away for several minutes afterwards. The fiery image shocked the locals: according to the majority of Nineveh believers, the light figure was nothing more than the silhouette of the Most Holy Theotokos, well known to Christians from iconography and church sculpture. The miraculous event caused a wide resonance in the Christian society of Iraq.

AND HOW MANY PHENOMENA ARE REMAINED UNACCOUNTERED?

The miracle happened on December 16, 1890 in house number 1 on Voskova Street in St. Petersburg. The terminally ill boy turned to heaven with a prayer, after which the Mother of God appeared to him with instructions to go to the other end of the city to her miraculous icon. She was then in the church on the avenue Obukhov defense. He did just that, and after praying at the miraculous icon, the paralyzed boy returned home on foot on his feet. When he grew up, he became a monk in the parish of the Most Holy Theotokos, arranged in this house. Now he is not there, but the memory of the appearance of the Virgin to the child has been preserved to this day.

The miracle happened on December 16, 1890 in house number 1 on Voskov Street. The terminally ill boy turned to heaven with a prayer, after which the Mother of God appeared to him with instructions to go to the other end of the city to her miraculous icon. She was then in the church on Obukhov Defense Avenue. He did just that, and after praying at the miraculous icon, the paralyzed boy returned home on foot on his feet. When he grew up, he became a monk in the parish of the Most Holy Theotokos, arranged in this house. Now he is not there, but the memory of the appearance of the Virgin to the child has been preserved to this day.

How many appearances of the Blessed Virgin Mary remained unaccounted for by official statistics? Tens, hundreds, thousands?

EPITHETS...

And now let's see how great is the thanksgiving, laudatory series of names and epithets given to her, the Most Holy Theotokos, in the Russian Orthodox tradition of akathists and prayers. And this list is far from complete.

United by name:

• Maria,
• Mariam,
• The Virgin Mary,
• Mother of God
• Mother of God,
• Mother of God,
• Seide Mariam (Lady Mariam in Islam),
• Mother,
• Mati,
• Bogomati,
• Mother of Light
• mother of the world,
• madonna,
• Mother...

Holiness and purity are marked in the following denominations:

• holy,
• holy,
• good,
• Preferring
• Pure,
• beautiful,
• Blessed
• Blessed Mary,
• strong,
• mistress,
• compassionate,
• blessed,
• Virgo,
• girl,
• ever-virgin,
• ever-maiden,
• immaculate,
• Bride of God,
• Innocence,
• Integrity and Help,
• patronage,
• Holy Mother,
• evermother,
• tenderness,
• Joy,
• merciful,
• Responsive, Merciful and Compassionate,
• Indecent, Neblazny, Imperishable,
• Glorious...

And Her power and strength are expressed in the following words:

• mistress,
• Queen,
• intercessor,
• mistress,
• Assistant,
• Handrail,
• intercessor,
• intercessor,
• prayer book,
• comforter,
• superior,
• Hope,
• guidebook,
• Hope and Refuge
• Intercession and Help,

Akathists of the Most Holy Theotokos, full of figurative comparisons:

• Our Holy Lady Mother of God,
• Queen of heaven and earth
• The cover of all who resort to You,
• Bush is unburned,
• light-receiving candle,
• mountain untouched,
• unbreakable wall,
• Protector and Helper of the world,
• life-giving source,
• Holy Mother,
• Bride is not bride,
• unexpected joy,
• Strong helper to the human race,
• Helper and guarantor of life and salvation,
• The most honest Cherubim and the most glorious Seraphim without comparison,
• Deliverer from sorrow
• Ambulance Helper,
• Heavenly Guardian,
• Great Panagia,
• quenching sorrows,
• Zoryanitsa, Red Maiden, Mother of the Most Holy Theotokos,
• Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
• Blessed Virgin Mother of God,
• Mother of God, Flower Unfading,
• All-generous Mother of the philanthropic Lord,
• God-chosen Otrokovice,
• One pure soul and body,
• The one who exceeds all purity, chastity and virginity,
• Whole wholly became the abode of the whole grace of the Holy Spirit,
• The most immaterial forces,
• Friend of orphans and strange Representatives, grieving Joy,
• Offended Patroness,
• this list goes on and on...

Great elders, prayer books and just ordinary people for centuries have woven into Her praises the most pure and sublime, the most best words Russian language! Isn't this a miracle?! As an example, St. Andrew of Crete gives a list of Old Testament prototypes of the Mother of God: “How majestic names she is adorned with, and how expressively she is shown in many places of Scripture. So, wanting to talk about Her, it calls Her the Virgin, the Maiden, the Prophetess, hereinafter - the Bridal Chamber, the House of God, the Holy Temple, the Second Tabernacle, the Holy Meal, the Altar, the Purifier, the Golden Censer, the Holy of Holies, the Cherubim of Glory, the Golden Stamnaya, the Ark Covenant, Priestly Rod, Royal Scepter, Diadem of Beauty, Vessel with the world of anointing, Alavastr, Candlestick, Smoking, Lamp, Lamp, Chariot, Bush, Stone, Earth, Paradise, Country, Field, Source, Lamb ... "

Incredible, isn't it? And it's all about one person!

ICONS...

At this religious segment of the narrative, the reader, who is always in a hurry, can pause somewhere and doubt, in this case, I have a few questions in store for him:

• Was there in history (and in what religion) such a true saint, whom people would so generously sing in prayers?
• Has there been in history (and in what religion) such a truly saint who would have shown so many miracles of his Presence and support to people?
• Was there in history (and in what religion) such a true saint, who would be depicted in such a rich abundance and variety of iconography? In the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church alone, about 260 revered and miraculous icons of the Virgin are mentioned, in general, more than 860 (!!!) items can be counted.

I confess that I feel a kind of reverent awe from the mere writing of these lines. And whoever She was, or the mother of Jesus, or His devoted ascetic Mary Magdalene, - and we are inclined, not without reason, to believe that this is so ... now it doesn’t matter, the essence is different - Her presence, support and Love granted to all of us so clearly, obviously (!), That it would seem that the retaliatory step, ours with you, - Her, - Love! .. But for some reason, we continue to run, hurry, sin, problematic -concernedly chilled, paying attention to another... And Maria is still waiting... And will it wait? Whom to ask about that? .. Himself!

Is there not a bewitchingly incomprehensible mystery in those amazing and, judging by historical artifacts, indisputable evidence, embarrassing pundits, that the most holy image of Her with a baby in her arms was well known to ancient people long before the advent of Christianity as a religion, and we will talk about this wrote in detail in the article "The Cult of the Virgin", presenting the most complete on the Internet, collected photo-selection of materials. Look at the photo, who will explain it? Suppose historians have agreed, but let us - people - remain adequate!

PEOPLE...

Oh Maria! How much unearthly warmth and caress of the soul gives us Your radiant image! How many of those who turn to You with hope... and whom You have helped!

MARIA!

O most beloved, most beautiful of women! The most caring of mothers! Most loyal of friends! Your mercy has no limits. Holy Face Closed eyelashes keep yours. Your quiet steps have left divine traces in the hearts of many of us - they awaken, beckon, affectionately call to the Father's House. Why is it so warm in the chest at the mention of You? Why do tears involuntarily roll during a heartfelt appeal? Why again and again, despite our ignorance and animal frenzied savagery, You continue to knock on our dark house, ready to bring a ray of light to help? What is the greatest of secrets hidden in Your charm, in Your spiritual achievement and service?

Yes, today many things seem like an outlandish fairy tale and there are countless reasons for ridicule, but can an outside opinion shake, doubt, or shake a true believer, a real Muslim? When God - Allah - is in the first place, everything else falls into place.,

The Mother of God is the patroness and the Holy Virgin, the most revered in the Christian world. She is called the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin. In Christianity, she is considered the mother of Jesus Christ. She is the most revered and greatest of all saints.

Wears holy name Mother of God, because she gave birth to the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom the entire Christian world considers Almighty God.

The Mother of God was born in the city of Nazareth, in Galilee. Mary's parents were Saint Anna and Saint Joachim. They were already quite an elderly married couple, and they had no children. However, Anna had a vision of an angel in heaven that she would soon give birth to a child. A girl was born, they named her Maria. Until the age of three, the girl lived with her parents. Then, along with the rest of the children, she was brought up in a place where she prayed a lot. After reaching the age of majority, she left the temple because a husband had been chosen for her. It was a man from the tribe of David, an elderly man, Joseph the Betrothed. Joseph was chosen because a miracle happened the day before - his staff blossomed in an unusual way. The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, he announced that she would be the mother of the long-awaited and promised Messiah. Mary conceived it through the Holy Spirit. There was a prediction that the Mother of God would give birth to a son who would save her people from sins. She ended her life in the city of Jerusalem 12 years after the ascension of Christ, she was 48 years old. The death of Mary was marked by her Ascension on the third day, and at the last moment of her life, Jesus Christ himself appeared to her.

Akathist is a song, or rather a genre of Orthodox church hymnography, which is performed while standing. Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos can be read as part of a prayer service and other services. It is especially recommended to do this on the morning of the holiday called Praise to the Most Holy Theotokos. This is one of the main songs in the Christian world. The Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos is a song of thanksgiving addressed to the Mother of God herself. All Christians honor the image of the Queen of Heaven in a special way, give her honors and praise her deeds.

The Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos is also gratitude to the one who is the Intercessor for all Orthodox people. It's about her everyone Orthodox person thinks when he is offended, humiliated, is in grief and distress. The Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos says that this saint is waiting for sincere human repentance. She guides sinners on the path of a true Christian and helps them turn to a righteous life. She extends a helping hand to all who turn to her and even to those who live in sin, but ask for help.

The Akathist to the Mother of God speaks of a special attitude towards immaculate souls, towards people with a pure heart and good thoughts. People with the highest spirituality and purity of heart clearly feel the presence of her son, God, at the moment of turning to the saint. The Akathist to the Mother of God calls to carefully preserve God's word and live as the Virgin Mary lived - in perfect purity.

Icons of the Mother of God are considered miraculous, since a person has a spiritual connection with God, through the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos - these are prayers that bring peace and prosperity to family relationships. For example, if you are going to get married, pray near the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos called "Fadeless Color".

The words that usually sound before this icon are requests to choose the right spouse, to get rid of quarrels in the family. Very pure, fiery words of prayer, sounding from the heart, will help you get what you are asking for, and will also allow you to achieve reconciliation in the event of a quarrel in the family. The prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos are filled with the main meaning - purity and chastity.

The feminine principle, the image of a woman-mother, the giver of life, is revered in all world religions. Yes, in Ancient Greece thus it became, in Asia they prayed to the goddess Cybele, in Egypt it personified the supreme feminine principle. christian religion was no exception. The image of the Blessed Virgin Mary contains both the divine miracle of the birth of life and the earthly path of an ordinary woman, whose fate turned out to be far from cloudless.

Childhood and youth

The father of the Mother of God was Joachim, a man of faith and righteousness. A mother named Anna, like her husband, always followed the letter of the Law of God. This family lived in complete harmony, only one thing overshadowed the existence of the spouses: the absence of children. For many years, Anna and Joachim prayed that the Lord would send them a child, but the prayers were in vain. The suffering of the childless couple was intensified by the ridicule of those around them, who did not miss a chance to slander over the grief of this righteous couple.

Anna and Joachim lived in marriage for almost 50 years and already despaired of having a child. But one day Anna, walking in the garden, saw an angel. He promised the surprised woman that she would soon become a mother, and her child would be known to the whole world. Anna hurried home to tell her husband about the vision. Imagine Anna's surprise when it turned out that Joachim also saw an angel announcing that the prayers for the child had been heard.

After some time, Anna really became pregnant. Then the couple made a vow that they would give the newborn to the service of the Lord. The daughter was born on time and received the name Maria (in Hebrew, this name is pronounced Miriam and is translated as “beautiful”, “strong”). The neighbors of Joachim and Anna began to gossip again, this time marveling at the miracle.

The couple raised their daughter and prepared to fulfill the promise. Three years later, they gave little Mary to be raised in the Jerusalem temple. Surprisingly, the girl easily overcame fifteen steps to the gates of the temple, which were sometimes difficult even for adults.

A few years later, the righteous Anna and Joachim died. Maria continued to live at the temple, studying with other girls in a special school. Here, young pupils were taught the basics of science, taught the Word of God, and also prepared for worldly life, housekeeping and raising children. Until the age of 12, Maria lived within the walls of this school. Best of all, the girl was given sewing. There is a legend that it was she who was entrusted with sewing a curtain and a coverlet for the temple sanctuary.

Given such an upbringing, an enviable bride should have grown out of Mary - hardworking, pious and educated. But such a fate did not attract the girl, and she took a vow of celibacy. This created certain difficulties: mature girls were not allowed to live at the temple, and the grown-up Mary had to leave God's house.

But it was impossible for her to live alone according to the laws of that time. The clergy, who became attached to the pupil, found a way out: Mary was married to an elderly widower Joseph, who, due to his age, had to keep the girl clean, allowing her not to break the word given to God.

At first, the elder was not happy about the young bride who fell on his head. In addition, the man was afraid of gossip behind his back and ridicule from relatives and neighbors - the age difference was so great. However, Joseph did not dare to contradict the will of the priests and took Mary into the house, calling him his wife.

Birth of Jesus Christ

After some time, Joseph, who worked as a carpenter, left the house for several months, going to the next construction site. Maria, remaining on the farm, looked after the order, wove and prayed a lot. According to legend, during a prayer, an angel appeared to the girl, who told about the imminent birth of her son.

The boy, according to the angel, was to become the savior of people, those whose arrival the Jews had long expected. Mary was embarrassed by this revelation, because she remained a virgin. To which she was answered, what will she suffer from higher power and not from the male seed. This day in the Christian tradition became the feast of the Annunciation - in memory of the good news that the Virgin Mary received.

And indeed, Maria soon realized that she was pregnant. The woman did not yet realize the role that her son was to play, but she understood that she had become a participant in a real miracle. immaculate conception.

Joseph, who returned home some time later, immediately noticed the changes that had taken place in his wife. This kind man did not immediately believe Maria's story, deciding that the naive girl simply became a victim of deception by some neighbor young man who seduced her.

The old man did not blame his wife and even wanted to secretly let her leave the city so that she would not become a victim of justice: treason in those days was severely punished, an unfaithful woman could be stoned and whipped. Then an angel appeared to the carpenter, telling about the immaculate conception of Mary. This convinced Joseph of the innocence of his wife, and he allowed the girl to stay.

Shortly before the due date, Caesar Augustus announced a general census of the population. For this, people had to come to Bethlehem on their own. Joseph and Mary set out on their journey. Arriving at the place, they found that the city was simply crowded with crowds of people. It was not possible to find a place to stay for the night, and the couple decided to spend the night in a cave in which the shepherds hid their cattle from the rain.

Virgin Mary with baby Jesus

It was there that Mary gave birth to a son. The first cradle for the boy was a nursery for feeding animals. That same night, the star of Bethlehem shone over the cave, the light of which told people about the appearance of a miracle on earth. In addition, the light of the star of Bethlehem was seen by the Magi, who immediately set off on their journey to personally bow to the newborn Son of God and offer gifts to him.

Seven days later, as required by the law of the time, the baby was circumcised and given a name. The son of the Virgin Mary was named. Then the boy was brought to the church to present to God and bring the traditional sacrifice. A certain elder Simeon, who also came to the temple that day, blessed the baby, realizing who was in front of him. To Mary, he allegorically hinted that both she and her son were destined for a difficult fate.

Gospel Events

While the Holy Virgin Mary with her husband and newborn baby was in Bethlehem, the cruel and ambitious King Herod learned about the birth of the Son of God. However, the soothsayers who told Herod about the miracle that had happened could not answer the question in whose family Jesus was born.

Then, without hesitation, the king ordered the destruction of all newborns that are only in Bethlehem. Joseph was warned of the impending disaster by an angel who again appeared to the elder in a dream. Then the carpenter with Mary and the baby took refuge in Egypt, and only when the danger had passed did he return with his family to his native Nazareth.

About the further biography of the Virgin in the Gospel is written sparingly. It is known that Mary accompanied Jesus Christ everywhere, supporting him and helping to carry the Word of God to people. Also, the woman was present at the miracle that Jesus performed, turning water into wine.

Obviously, Mary had a hard time: the constant sermons that her son delivered did not always evoke a good response in people. Often, Jesus and those who accompanied him had to endure the ridicule and aggression of those who did not want to accept the postulates of religion.

On the day when Jesus Christ was crucified by the executioners, Mary felt the pain of her son and even fainted when the nails pierced his palms. And although the Mother of God knew from the very beginning that Jesus was destined to accept torment for the sins of people, the mother's heart could hardly withstand such suffering.

Death and ascension

Mary spent the rest of her life on Mount Athos, preaching among the pagans and carrying the Word of God. Now a large complex of monasteries and cathedrals has been built on that site, each of which contains evidence of miracles performed by the Mother of God: numerous miraculous icons(some of them, according to legend, are not made by hands), the belt of the Virgin (kept in the Vatopedi monastery), as well as the relics of people canonized by the church as saints.

At the end of her life, Mary spent all her days in prayer, asking her son to take her to him. One day, an angel appeared to the woman again, announcing that her prayers had been heard, and after three days her wish would be granted. Mary, who happily accepted the news of her imminent death, devoted three days to saying goodbye to those who were dear to her.

On the appointed day, Mary, lying on her deathbed, dutifully awaited her fate. People close to her gathered around her. All of them witnessed a new miracle: Jesus Christ himself descended from heaven to take his mother with him. Mary's soul left her body and ascended into the Kingdom of God. The body that remained on the bed seemed to glow with grace.

Ascension of the Virgin Mary

According to the records of the historian Eusebius of Caesarea, Mary died in the year 48 after the birth of Christ, but there are other written testimonies that name both earlier and later dates. According to biblical tradition, the Mother of God lived for 72 years.

Some time later, the apostles discovered that the body of the Virgin Mary had disappeared from the burial cave. On the same day, the Mother of God appeared to them and announced that her body had been taken up to heaven after her soul, so that she could become a Holy Intercessor before God for people in need of help. Since then, the day of the Assumption of the Virgin is considered one of the main Christian holidays.

According to the traditions of Muslims (who revere Christ not as the Son of God, but as one of the prophets), Jesus (or Isa) performed the first miracle while still in the womb of the Virgin Mary. This happened on the day of childbirth, when the Mother of God was already completely exhausted from pain. Then Isa pointed out to the woman a spring created by God and a date palm covered with fruits. Water and dates strengthened Mary's strength and eased the suffering in childbirth.

On some icons, the Mother of God is depicted with lily flowers in her hands. This flower was not chosen by chance: the lily is considered a symbol of chastity, purity and purity.

The description of the appearance of the Virgin Mary is preserved in the works of the church historian Nicephorus Callistus. Judging by the notes of this person, the Mother of God was of medium height. The Virgin's hair shone with gold, while her eyes, lively and quick, were the color of olives. Nikifor also noted Mary's "juicy lips, arched eyebrows and long arms and fingers."

After the earthly death of the Mother of God, several places remained, which, according to legend, are considered the inheritance of the Virgin Mary. These are Mount Athos, the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, Iberia (now it is the territory of Georgia) and the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery. It is believed that prayers read in one of these destinies will certainly be heard by the Mother of God.

December 8 - the day of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary - is even declared a non-working day in some countries. From European countries This decision was made by Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Spain. On this day in Catholic churches and Orthodox churches services are held and prayers are read. This day is also considered a public holiday in Argentina and East Timor.

Despite the fact that Mount Athos is considered one of the earthly inheritances of the Virgin Mary, women are not allowed to enter the territory of the monastery complexes. This rule is even enshrined in law, and violators will face severe punishment (up to and including imprisonment). However, this ban was violated twice: during civil war in Greece (then women and children took refuge in the forests on the slopes of the mountain) and during the period of Turkish rule over these territories.

Memory (in the Orthodox tradition)

• March 25 - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• July 2 - Deposition of the Holy Robe of the Most Holy Theotokos in Blachernae
• August 15 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• August 31 - The position of the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Chalkopratia
• September 8 - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• September 9 - The memory of the holy righteous Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Virgin
• October 1 - Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos
• November 21 - Entry into the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
• December 9 - Conception of the righteous Anna of the Blessed Mary
• December 26 - Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Virgin Mary (Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God) - a Jewish woman from Nazareth, according to the mother of Jesus Christ. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke describe Mary as a virgin, and Christians believe that she conceived a son as an immaculate Virgin by the Holy Spirit. The miraculous birth happened when Mary was already betrothed to She married Joseph and accompanied him to Bethlehem, where Jesus was born.

Icon Mother of God"Tenderness of Seraphim of Sarov"

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father.

References to the Virgin Mary in the Bible.

The Virgin Mary is mentioned several times in the New Testament. Most often, the Immaculate Virgin Mary is mentioned in Gospel of Luke. She is mentioned 12 times by name. All references are related to the birth and childhood of Jesus.

Icon of the Mother of God "Tikhvinskaya"

Gospel of Matthew mentions her name six times, five of them in connection with the infancy of Jesus and only once (13:55) as the mother of the adult Jesus.

Gospel of Mark calls her once by name (6:3) and refers to her as the mother of Jesus without calling her by name in 3:31 and 3:32.

Gospel of John mentions her twice, but never by name. The Gospel says that the Virgin Mary accompanied Jesus when He initiated His miracles in Cana of Galilee. The second reference says that the Virgin Mary stood at the cross of Jesus.

IN Acts it is said that the Apostles, Mary and the brothers of Jesus gathered in the upper room after the Ascension of Jesus.

IN Revelation of John a woman clothed with the sun is described. Many believe that this is a description of the Virgin Mary.

Pedigree of the Mother of God.

There is little mention of the origin of the Virgin Mary in the New Testament. John 19:25 says that Mary had a sister.

At the cross of Jesus stood His Mother and His Mother's sister, Mary Cleopova, and Mary Magdalene.

It is not semantically clear from this sentence sister of His Mother, Maria Kleopova, Is it the same person or two different women . Jerome believes that this is one person. But the historian of the beginning of the second century Egesippus believed that Maria Kleopova was not the sister of the Virgin Mary, but her relative from Joseph the Betrothed.

According to the author of the Gospel of Luke, Mary was a relative of Elizabeth, the wife of the priest Zechariah, and thus descended from the line of Aaron from the tribe of Levi. Others believe that Mary, like Joseph, to whom she was betrothed, was from the house of David.

Biography of the Virgin Mary.

The Immaculate Virgin Mary was born at Nazareth in the Galilee. After her betrothal to Joseph (betrothal is the first stage of a Jewish marriage), the angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced to her that she would become the mother of the promised Messiah. After the first expression of disbelief at the announcement, she replied, “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be to me according to your word." Joseph the Betrothed planned to calmly part with her, but an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and told him "do not be afraid to accept Mary, your wife, for what was born in her is from the Holy Spirit."

Marriage of Mary to Joseph. I. Chernov 1804-1811

The angel, in confirmation of his words, also told Mary that her relative Elizabeth, previously barren, had conceived by the grace of the Lord. Mary went to her relative's house, where she saw Elizabeth's pregnancy with her own eyes and fully believed in the words of the angel. Then the Virgin Mary delivered a speech of gratitude to the Lord, which is known as the Magnificat or doxology of the Virgin Mary.

After spending three months in Elizabeth's house, Mary returned to Nazareth. According to the Gospel of Luke, Joseph, the husband of Mary, by decree of the Roman emperor Augustus, had to return to his hometown of Bethlehem to take the Roman census there. During her stay in Bethlehem, Mary gave birth to Jesus in a manger, since there was no place for them in any inn. On the eighth day, Mary's child was circumcised according to Jewish law and named Jesus, which in Hebrew means "Yahweh is salvation."

After the days of purification, Jesus was taken to Jerusalem to be presented before the Lord, as required by custom. The Virgin Mary sacrificed two turtledoves and two pigeon chicks. Here, Simeon and Anna prophesied about the future of the baby. After visiting Jerusalem, the Immaculate Virgin Mary and Joseph the Betrothed, together with the baby Jesus, returned to Galilee, to their city of Nazareth.

According to the Gospel of Matthew, an angel appeared to Joseph at night and warned that King Herod wanted to kill the baby. holy family fled by night to Egypt and remained there for some time. After the death of Herod in 4 BC. e., they returned to the land of Israel, to Nazareth in Galilee.

Virgin Mary in the life of Jesus

According to the New Testament, at the age of twelve, Jesus is separated from his parents upon his return from the celebration of Passover in Jerusalem, but the presence of the mother is still traced in His earthly life.

Biblical scholars argue a lot about why Jesus was separated from his parents, and, in particular, from the Mother, since the fate of his earthly father is unknown, Joseph is mentioned for the last time in the Bible when Jesus was 12 years old. Some point to conflict in the Holy Family. A few quotations from the Bible really prove this point. The Gospel of Mark describes the moment:

And His mother and brothers came and, standing outside the house, sent to Him to call Him.

People were sitting around him. And they said to Him, Behold, Your mother and Your brothers and Your sisters outside the house are asking You.

And he answered them, Who are my mother and my brothers?

And surveying those who were sitting around Him, He said: Here are My mother and My brothers;

for whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother. ()

Quote attributed by the Gospel of Mark to Christ: There is no prophet without honor, except in his own city, among his relatives and in his own house. ". It also proves the possibility of conflict.

If there was a conflict in the Holy Family, then the reason for it could be the unbelief of the family in Christ as the son of God.

American biblical scholar Bart Ehrman believes that "there are clear indications in the Bible not only that Jesus' family rejected his messages during his public ministry, but that he, in turn, rejected them publicly."

The Virgin Mary was present when, at her suggestion, Jesus performed his first miracle at a wedding in Cana by turning water into wine. The Virgin Mary was also at the cross on which Jesus was crucified. The moment described in the Gospel when Mary embraced the dead body of her son is a common universal motif in art, and is called "pieta" or "pity".

After the Ascension of Jesus, we find one single mention of the Virgin Mary in Acts. There is no mention of Mary after this. Her death is not described in Scripture, but the Catholic and Orthodox traditions believe that her body was taken to heaven. Belief in the bodily Ascension of the Virgin Mary is a dogma Catholic Church and many others.

Information about the Virgin Mary from apocryphal texts.

The following biographical details are taken from apocryphal literature.

According to the apocryphal Gospel of James, Mary was the daughter of Saint Joachim and Saint Anna. Before the conception of Mary, Anna was barren and was far from young. When the girl was three years old, she was brought to the Jerusalem Temple.

According to apocryphal sources, at the time of her betrothal to Joseph, Mary was 12-14 years old, and Joseph was 90. However, these data are unreliable. Hippolytus of Thebes claimed that Mary died 11 years after the Resurrection of Jesus and died at 41.

The earliest surviving biographies of the Virgin Mary are Life of the Virgin created in the 7th century by Saint Maximus the Confessor, who considered the Mother of God a key figure in the early Christian Church.

In the 19th century, the so-called House of the Virgin was found near Ephesus in Turkey. It was found on the basis of the visions of Anna Katerina Emmerich, an Augustinian blessed nun from Germany. The nun, 2 years before her death, during one of the many visions of the Mother of God, received detailed description the places where Mary lived before her Assumption.

According to legend, the Blessed Virgin Mary retired to Ephesus during the persecution of Christians along with John the Theologian. In 1950, the House of the Virgin was reconstructed and turned into a chapel.

Virgin Mary in Orthodoxy

In the Orthodox tradition, the doctrine of virginity is accepted. According to this doctrine, the Virgin Mary "conceived a virgin, gave birth to a virgin, remained a virgin." Hymns to the Mother of God are an integral part of worship in the Eastern Church and their positioning within the liturgical sequence indicates the position of the Mother of God after Christ. IN Orthodox tradition, the order of listing the saints begins with the Mother of God, followed by angels, prophets, apostles, church fathers, martyrs, etc.

One of the most beloved Orthodox akathists is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Five of the twelve great church holidays in Orthodoxy are dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

• Nativity of the Virgin

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a holiday dedicated to the birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Nativity of the Virgin is celebrated on September 21st.

• Introduction to the Temple

Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary- a holiday dedicated to one of the events in the life of the Virgin Mary. Her parents Joachim and Anna brought their daughter to the Temple at the age of three, as they had already vowed to dedicate the child to God. The holiday is celebrated on December 4th.

• Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The holiday is celebrated exactly 9 months before the birth of Christ. The day is dedicated to the appearance of an angel who announced to the Virgin Mary that she would become the mother of God on Earth.

Orthodox holiday celebrated on the day of the death of the Virgin Mary. According to the apocrypha, the Virgin Mary died on Mount Zion in Jerusalem. There is now a Catholic church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to the apocrypha “The Legend of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God”, the apostles were transferred to the deathbed of the Mother of God on clouds from all over the world. Only the Apostle Thomas stayed for three days and did not find the Virgin Mary alive. He wanted to say goodbye to the Virgin Mary. At his request, the tomb of the Virgin Mary was opened, but the body was not there. Therefore, it is believed that the Virgin Mary ascended to heaven. The Dormition of the Mother of God is celebrated on August 28.

• Protection of the Holy Mother of God

Protection of the Holy Mother of God celebrated October 14th. This Orthodox holiday is based on the legend of the appearance of the Mother of God to the holy fool Andrew. It happened in Constantinople, which was besieged by enemies. People in the temple prayed to God for salvation from the barbarians. Holy Fool Andrew saw the Mother of God praying for the salvation of the people of Constantinople. Then the Mother of God removed the veil from her head and covered with it the people who were present in the temple, thereby protecting them from visible and invisible enemies. The cover of the Virgin shone brighter than the rays of the sun. It is believed that the Mother of God saved Constantinople.

Veneration of the Mother of God in the Orthodox Church.

The prerequisites for the exaltation of the Virgin Mary by all peoples (kinds) are given in the Bible itself, where it is said on behalf of the Virgin Mary:

... My soul magnifies the Lord, and My spirit rejoiced in God, My Savior, that He looked upon the humility of His Servant, for from now on all generations will please Me; that the Mighty One has done me greatness, and holy is His name ().

In the 11th chapter of the Gospel of Luke, the words of a woman from the people are quoted:

... blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts that fed you!

Moreover, John the Theologian in the Gospel of John testifies that Jesus performed the first miracle at the request of his mother, therefore the Mother of God is revered as an intercessor for the human race. There are a huge number of icons of the Mother of God. Many of them are considered miraculous.

Mankind has been waiting for its Savior for a very long time. Also in Old Testament God promised that the Savior would come into this world through a woman, but without a male seed. The Virgin Mary voluntarily agreed to this, although at that time it was very dangerous, including for life. The Virgin Mary had enough faith, spiritual strength and humility to take this step. The Mother of God knew from the very beginning that the earthly ministry of her Son would end quickly and tragically. As a mother, she endured the worst for the salvation of mankind.

Mariology is the doctrine of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Mariology is the theological doctrine of the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. Christian Mariology seeks to connect Holy Bible and the traditions and teachings of the Church about the Virgin Mary in the context of social history.

There are various Christian views on the role of the Virgin Mary in Christianity, from the full veneration of Mary in the Roman Catholic Church to the minimization of Mary's role in Protestant evangelical theology.

A significant number of publications in this field were written in the 20th century by theologians Raimondo Spiazzi (2500) and Gabriel Roccini (900). The centers of modern Mariology are the Pontifical Institute of Mariology and the Pontifical Academy of Mariology.

The Holy Mother of God occupies one of the main positions in Orthodox Church. She is also important for Catholics, who prefer to call her the Virgin Mary. On many icons, the Mother of God is most often present and occupies one of the central positions there. The biography of the Mother of God of the Virgin Mary perfectly shows the central role of the Mother of God in the entire Christian culture.

But how many believers know who the Most Holy Theotokos is? To understand how important it is in Orthodoxy, you need to know its history.

History of the Virgin Mary

ABOUT important events from the early and late life of the Virgin Mary, the Apostle Luke narrates, who was closely acquainted with her and even painted her icon, which became the original for all subsequent images.

It is known that Mary was the daughter of Joachim and his wife Anna, who were pious people, but did not have children until old age. They were known throughout the city of Nazareth, where they lived for their meekness and humility. Joachim came from the family of King David and knew that according to the prophecies, the Messiah should be born in his family. Therefore, they tirelessly prayed for the child and made a vow to give him to the service of the Lord.

Blessed Virgin Mary

The Lord heard them and sent them a daughter, Mary. At the age of three, the girl, serving her parents' dinner, was given to serve in the temple and lived there with the rest of the pious virgins, studying the Law of God.

When she was 14 years old, the priest betrothed her to the carpenter Joseph, who was also from the family of David. Maria's parents had died by that time. Some time after the betrothal, the archangel Gabriel brought joyful news to Mary - she would become the Mother of God.

Mary, remaining a Virgin, conceived a Son. Her sister Elizabeth was carrying a child at the same time, the future John the Baptist. And she, as soon as Mary visited her, realized that she was honored to become the Mother of the Messiah.

Anyone can read the story of the birth of Christ, the flight to Egypt in the Gospels. Mary and Joseph experienced a lot in the first days of the life of Jesus Christ, but with humility they accepted the role of the earthly parents of the Savior himself.

The very first miracle of Christ, during the wedding in Cana of Galilee, shows the compassion and caring of Mary, because it was she who asked Christ to help. Thanks to her request, the Messiah performed the first miracle there. When reading the Gospels, one can see Mary coming to the place where Christ taught. She was on Calvary, at the foot of the cross, where her Son was crucified. After the death of Jesus, John the Evangelist became her son.

The whole life of the Virgin Mary is humility. She was given to the service of the Lord by her parents and fulfilled the obligation with dignity. The Lord saw her meekness and humility and despised her, giving her an important role - to be the Mother of the Messiah himself. Bear and give birth to the Savior of this sinful world.

Assumption of the Virgin

The legends of the elders, in addition to the described miracles of the Mother of God, report that after the death of Jesus Christ, she lived for about 20 more years. The Apostle John the Theologian accepted her into his house, as Christ commanded him, and took care of her as of his mother.

There is a legend according to which, before her death, the Mother of God prayed on the Mount of Olives and saw an angel who said that she had no more than 3 days left to live. In the hands of the angel was a date branch. It so happened that at that time all the apostles, except for Thomas, were in Jerusalem, where the woman lived. They came to her on the day of her death and saw a wonderful picture: the room was filled with bright light, Christ appeared with a host of angels and received the soul of his Mother.

The icon “Assumption of the Virgin” was painted on this topic, where you can see all the participants in that action.

About other Mother of God icons:

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The apostles buried the body of the Ever-Virgin in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Christ prayed on his last free night, in the tomb of her parents and Joseph, her husband. During her burial, numerous miracles took place, the blind received their sight and the lame began to walk upright.

Important! During her lifetime, the Lady of Heaven was a symbol of meekness before the Lord and strictly carried out His words and accepted them. Therefore, after her death, she was honored to help believers and hear their prayers, as well as to intercede with the Lord for believers and those who ask.

Our spiritual mother

Why do Orthodox believers venerate the Mother of God? Because it has a basis set forth in the Gospels.

When the Virgin became pregnant and talked to her sister Elizabeth, she said: “For from now on all generations will please Me” (Luke 1:48). This is not about simple respect, because respect implies a polite attitude. The Mother of God speaks of gratification, which includes prayer. That is why Catholics and Orthodox have a prayerful veneration of the Most Pure, embedded in worship.

Virgin and Child

Virgo is distinguished by her meekness before God. She not only carried out the order, she wanted to fulfill it and agreed, voluntarily, to endure and give birth to a child, although this threatened her with death. Indeed, earlier, in Israel, a girl who married already pregnant, and the Mother of God had just become engaged to Joseph, was stoned to death. That is, Mary voluntarily takes the risk of losing her life for the sake of fulfilling the Lord's words.

Jesus Christ could not be born through the violence of man's good will. The full consent and acceptance of the girl was necessary. However, in reverence it is easy to fall into sin.

Important! The veneration of the Virgin should not, in the eyes of the faithful, equate her with the Lord. Because that would be blasphemy.

There was a sect in the 80s of the last century "Mother of God Center", whose members had communion not only with the Blood and Flesh of Christ, but with the tears of the Mother of God. This is heresy and blasphemy. These people, members of the sect, did not know the Scriptures and the commands of the Lord. They compared a woman, albeit blameless, but a woman, with our Lord Jesus Christ. It is unacceptable. The Lord says in the book of the prophet Isaiah in chapter 42: “I will not give My glory to another,” and the Reverend said to herself: “Behold, the servant of the Lord.”

The Mother of God is the prayer book and the spiritual Mother of all people. If through Eve all were born into the world, then through Mary all were born spiritually. There are many testimonies about the Mother of God when she answered prayers and prayed to the Lord for believers.

Prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos:

Almost every icon of hers is known for great miracles. The tears of a mother who prays for her child will never go unanswered, so can the prayer of the Lady of Heaven, the spiritual Mother of all people, go unanswered? Of course not.

The Blessed Virgin gives us a testament