Icon of the life-giving source of Starocherkassk. The icon is a life-giving source, the meaning of what prayer helps

29.09.2019

Behind some familiar images are very ancient stories. They are beautiful, instructive and full of philosophical meaning, which is not lost even after centuries. That is the history of Orthodox icons"Life-giving source". In the article you will learn how it arose. You will understand what its theological significance is, in what situations it is customary for her to offer prayers, from which it will help believers.

The history of the origin of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring"

In the Holy Land there is a grove that Christians planted as a sign of reverence and love for. There was a source, which was credited with miraculous properties. But years, centuries passed, and the holy place was eventually abandoned, overgrown and lost. It was rediscovered only in 450, when the emperor Marcian ruled. On the way to Constantinople, a blind man and a young Christian named Leo Markell met. The Christian, seeing the helpless old man, helped him. He took me to the shade and began to look for water.

His act was noticed by the Virgin Mary herself. Wandering through the dense grove, the Lion heard a voice. He called him king and pointed out that water was nearby. He really found a source, drew water, and put mud on the eyes of the blind man, as the Mother of God commanded him. Then the blind man became sighted. Leo promised to build on the site where the miracle happened, a temple in the name of the Virgin, when he comes to power.

A few years later, Leo Markell really became emperor. He kept his word:

A place was cleared around the shrine, the miraculous waters were surrounded by a stone rim.
A temple was erected on top, which was consecrated in the name of the Virgin Mary.
The life-giving source - this name was given to the sacred place by Lev. This implies that the water is affected by the grace bestowed by the Mother of God. The icon received the same name.

Then another ruler, Justinian, ordered the construction of another temple, this was done as a token of gratitude. The Queen of Heaven delivered him from the disease of his legs. But then the story turned out to be sad. In the 15th century invaders came to the Holy Land, they forbade anyone to approach the shrine. At the beginning of the 19th century the place was covered with earth. A few years later, believers restored the revered place. Christians did not want the grove associated with the Mother of God to be forgotten.

The Sultan ruling at that time was more tolerant of the Gentiles, he allowed to build on memorable place another church. It was consecrated in 1835, this was done Patriarch of Constantinople. An almshouse and a hospital were also opened nearby.

Veneration of the image, its meaning

The icon belongs to the ancient type - "Oranta", which means "Praying". One of the ancient images was found in the Crimea, it belongs to the 14th century. A version close to the modern one appeared in the middle of the 14th century. One monk wrote about this in his works. In Russia, the image appeared only two centuries later. The image was placed over the consecrated waters in monastic cloisters. This tradition came to our country from Greece, where the Athos monasteries are located.

The icon "Life-giving source" has a rather complex composition:

There are many options that icon painters use. Often they can differ significantly in details. For example, the painter Semyon Ushakov placed 16 small icons around the Virgin (they are called hallmarks), telling about the miracles that came from the "Life-Giving Spring".

A deep meaning is embedded in the composition - it says not only that consecrated water good for spiritual health. The source personifies the Mother of God herself, whose bosom has become the key of eternal salvation for all mankind. After all, it was there that the pure Virgin bore Christ.

Water is one of the sacred images of Christianity. Through it, divine grace descends to people. For example, in the sacrament of Baptism, in the rank of the great blessing of the waters, c.

What does the Icon of the Picturesque Source help with?

Probably, every believer will be interested in what this unusual image helps with. There is no special division of icons "by purpose". But there are recorded cases, stories about which are passed from mouth to mouth.

In ancient times, there lived a Christian who dreamed of making a pilgrimage to a wonderful grove where healing moisture flowed. He left native home along with other travelers, but on the way he was overcome by illness. The man realized that he had little time left to live. He asked his comrades for only one thing - to pour holy water on him before lowering his mortal body into the ground.

The comrades carried him to his destination and carried out the will of the deceased. As they poured out the third vessel sacred water the dead man came to life. He decided to take monastic vows. Obviously, if water can bring the dead back, it can do a lot more. This is what the Orthodox pray near the image, even if they cannot make a pilgrimage to the shrines:

They ask for deliverance from the ailments of the body and soul.
The Mother of God will help to get rid of addictions that overwhelm passions.
Take away temptations from the Christian soul.
It will support those who are overcome by sadness, tormented by sorrow and deprivation.

The Mother of God is known for her mercy. You can ask her for anything. Kind loving Virgin Mary will help in any situation.

Where to pray icon

Communicating with the saints, God and the Mother of God is permissible anywhere. But in Russia there are many churches consecrated in the name of the Life-Giving Spring icon.

The first such building was a wooden temple, built at the direction of Prince V. Golitsyn, at the end of the 17th century. The architectural monument has survived to this day, is located in Tsaritsyno. In addition to the miraculous image, there are many holy relics.
In Tver, the church of the image was located near a shelter for the poor and the poor. It burned down in a fire, but a stone temple was built in its former place. It is distinguished by its architectural design - a baroque altar and a rotunda.
In the city of Arzamas, the church "Life-Giving Spring" is built in the shape of a ship. The iconostasis, made by local craftsmen, is famous for its special elegance. The church was restored after the godless Soviet period, and now it is functioning.

Many miracles happened through prayers before the face of the Virgin Mary. This can happen to anyone. It depends only on one thing - on the strength of the faith that dwells in the heart of a Christian. Let go of any doubt before you start praying. Trust in the Lord, then He will fulfill your request!

Prayer before the icon "life-giving source"

O Most Holy Lady Theotokos! Above all, angel and archangel, and all creatures are most honest; You are the helper of the offended, hopeless hope, wretched intercessor, sad consolation, hungry nurse, naked robe, sick healing, sinful salvation, Christians of all position and offensive. O All-Merciful Lady, Virgin Mother of God, Lady, by Thy mercy save and have mercy on His Holiness Orthodox Patriarchs, Grace Metropolitans, Archbishops and Bishops and the entire priestly and monastic rank, and all Orthodox Christians, protect Your honest robe; and begged, Madam, from you, without a seed, incarnated Christ our God, may he gird us with your power from above on our invisible and visible enemies. O All-Merciful Lady, Lady Mother of God! Raise us up from the depths of sin and deliver us from famine, destruction, from cowardice and flood, from fire and sword, from finding foreigners and internecine strife, and from vain death, and from the attack of the enemy, and from corrupting winds, and from deadly ulcers, and from all evil. Grant, Madam, peace and health to Your servants, to all Orthodox Christian, and enlighten them with the mind and eyes of the heart, hedgehog to salvation; and vouchsafe us, Thy sinful servants, the Kingdom of Thy Son, Christ our God; as if His power is blessed and glorified, with His Father without beginning, and with the Most Holy, and Good, and His Life-Giving Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen.

The warrior Leo, who later became emperor (455-473), met a blind man in a grove dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos, who asked for water. The lion could not find a water source for a long time, when suddenly he heard a voice Holy Mother of God, who pointed him to the source and ordered to put mud from those waters on the blind man's eyes. After that, the blind man received his sight, and the warrior, becoming emperor, marveling and rejoicing at the miraculous healing, ordered to clean the source and erected a temple in its place. The temple was named - evidence of the miraculous power of the source.

After the fall of Constantinople, the temple was destroyed and rebuilt only in 1834-1835.

In memory of this miracle on the day of the Icon Mother of God A life-giving spring, a small consecration of water is performed - it occurs several times during the year, a great consecration of water is performed only on the feast of Baptism (Theophany)

Iconographically, the image of the Mother of God, the Life-Giving Source, goes back to the Byzantine image of the Mistress of the Victorious type, which in turn goes back to the image of the Sign type. Initially, the icon of the Life-Giving Spring was transmitted in lists without an image of the source, later a bowl (phiale) was included in the composition, and later also a reservoir and a fountain.

During Bright Week, the divine service is filled with joyful Paschal hymns, fasting is canceled on Wednesday and Friday, the entire Liturgy is served with open royal doors and after each liturgy a procession is performed.

On the same day, at the Liturgy, the Gospel about the expulsion of the merchants from the temple is read.

Appearance of the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring"

In the 5th century in Constantinople, near the so-called Golden Gates, there was a grove dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos. There was a spring in the grove, glorified by miracles for a long time. Gradually, this place was overgrown with shrubs, and the water was covered with mud.

Icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Spring”

Once the warrior Leo Markell, the future emperor, met in this place a blind man, a helpless traveler who had lost his way. The lion helped him out onto the path and settled in the shade to rest, while he himself went in search of water to refresh the blind man. Suddenly he heard a voice: “Lion! Don't look far for water, it's close here." Surprised by the mysterious voice, he began to look for water, but did not find it. When he stopped in sadness and thoughtfulness, the same voice was heard for the second time: “King Lion! Go under the canopy of this grove, draw the water that you find there, and give it to the thirsty one, put the mud that you find in the source on his eyes. Then you will know who I am that sanctifies this place. I will help you soon erect a temple here in My name, and all who come here in faith and call on My name will receive the fulfillment of their prayers and complete healing from ailments. When Leo fulfilled everything commanded, the blind man immediately regained his sight and went to Constantinople without a guide, glorifying the Mother of God. This miracle took place under the emperor Marcian (391-457).

Emperor Marcian was replaced by Leo Markell (457-473). He remembered the appearance and prediction of the Mother of God, ordered to clean the source and enclose it in a stone circle, over which a temple was built in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos. Emperor Leo called this spring the “Life-Giving Spring”, since the miraculous grace of the Mother of God manifested itself in it.

Emperor Justinian the Great (527-565) was a man deeply committed to Orthodox faith. He suffered from water sickness for a long time. One day at midnight, he heard a voice saying, "You cannot regain your health unless you drink from My well." The king did not know what source the voice was talking about, and fell into despondency. Then the Mother of God appeared to him already in the afternoon and said: “Get up, king, go to My spring, drink water from it and you will be healthy as before.” The patient fulfilled the will of the Lady and soon recovered. The grateful emperor erected a new splendid temple near the temple built by Leo, at which a crowded monastery was subsequently created.

In the XV century, the famous temple of the "Life-Giving Spring" was destroyed by Muslims. A Turkish guard was assigned to the ruins of the temple, who did not allow anyone to approach this place. Gradually, the severity of the ban softened, and the Christians built a small church there. But it was also destroyed in 1821, and the source was filled up. The Christians again cleared the ruins, opened the source and still drew water from it. Subsequently, in one window, among the wreckage, a sheet half-rotten from time and dampness was found with a record of ten miracles from the Life-Giving Spring, which took place from 1824 to 1829. Under Sultan Mahmud, the Orthodox received some freedom in worship. They used it to erect a temple for the third time over the Life-Giving Spring. In 1835, with great solemnity, Patriarch Konstantin, co-served by 20 bishops and in large numbers pilgrims consecrated the temple; a hospital and an almshouse were set up at the temple.

A Thessalian from his youth had a strong desire to visit the Life-Giving Spring. Finally, he managed to set off, but on the way he fell seriously ill. Feeling the approach of death, the Thessalian took a word from his companions so that they would not betray him to burial, but would take the body to the Life-Giving Spring, where they poured three vessels with life-giving water on it, and only after that they buried it. His wish was fulfilled, and life returned to the Thessalian at the Life-Giving Spring. He accepted monasticism and spent the last days of his life in piety.

The appearance of the Mother of God to Leo Marcellus took place on April 4, 450. On this day, and every year on Friday bright week Orthodox Church celebrates the renewal of the Constantinople church in honor of the Life-Giving Spring. According to the charter, on this day, the rite of consecration of water is performed with an Easter procession.

The Most Holy Theotokos with the Divine Infant is depicted on the icon above a large stone bowl standing in a pond. Near a reservoir filled with life-giving water, those suffering from bodily ailments, passions and mental infirmities are depicted. They all drink this life-giving water and receive various healings.

Troparion to the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring"

Let us draw, people, healing souls and bodies with prayer, the River flows for everyone - the Most Pure Queen of the Mother of God, exuding wonderful water for us and washing away the hearts of blackness, cleansing sinful scabs, but sanctifying the souls of the faithful with Divine grace.

Prayer before the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring"

O Blessed Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ! You are Mati and the patroness of all who resort to You, look with mercy on the prayers of Your sinful and humble children. You, who are called the Life-giving Source of grace-filled healings, heal the sicknesses of the afflicted and implore Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to send down and all those who flow to You, spiritual and bodily health, and, having forgiven us our voluntary and involuntary sins, grants us everything even to eternal and temporal life is necessary. You are the joy of all those who mourn, hear us, the mournful; You are the quenching of sorrow, quench our sorrow; You are the exaction of the lost, do not let us perish in the abyss of our sins, but always deliver us from all sorrows and misfortunes and all evil circumstances. She, our Queen, favoring, our hope is indestructible and invincible intercessor, do not turn Your face away from us for our many transgressions, but stretch out to us the hand of Your motherly mercy and create with us a sign of Your mercy for the good: show us Your help and prosper in every deed good. Turn us away from every sinful undertaking and evil thought, may we always glorify Your honorable name, magnifying God the Father and the Son of the Only Begotten Lord Jesus Christ and the Life-giving Holy Spirit with all the saints forever and ever. Amen.

With boundless love and reverence in the Christian world, they treat the Heavenly Queen - the Blessed Virgin Mary. And how can one not love our Intercessor and Prayer Book before the Throne of God! Her clear gaze is directed at us from countless icons. She showed great miracles to people through her images, which became famous as miraculous. One of the most famous among them is the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring".

Miracle in the Sacred Grove

Holy tradition tells that in ancient times, when Byzantium was still a prosperous state and the heart of world Orthodoxy, there was a sacred grove near its capital Constantinople, not far from the famous Golden Gate. It was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Under the canopy of its branches, a spring flowed from the ground, bringing coolness in hot weather. summer days. Then there were rumors among the people that the water in it has some healing properties, but no one took them seriously, and the source, gradually forgotten by everyone, was overgrown with mud and grass.

But then one day, in 450, a certain warrior named Leo Markell, passing through a grove, met a blind man who got lost among dense trees. The warrior helped him, supported him while he got out of the thickets, and seated him in the shade. When he began to look for water to give the traveler a drink, he heard a wonderful voice telling him to find an overgrown spring nearby and wash the blind man's eyes with it.

When the compassionate warrior did this, the blind man suddenly regained his sight, and both of them fell to their knees, offering up to the Blessed Virgin, as they realized that it was her voice that was heard in the grove. The Queen of Heaven predicted the imperial crown to Leo Markell, which came true seven years later.

Temples are gifts from grateful emperors

Having reached the highest power, Markell did not forget the miracle that appeared in the sacred grove, and the predictions about his so amazing rise. By his order, the source was cleaned and surrounded by a high stone border. Since then, he began to be called the Life-Giving One. A temple was erected here in honor of the Blessed Virgin, and the icon of the Mother of God “The Life-Giving Spring” was painted especially for it. Since then, the blessed spring and the icon kept in the temple have been glorified by many miracles. Thousands of pilgrims began to flock here from the farthest ends of the empire.

A hundred years later, the emperor Justinian the Great, then ruling, suffering from a serious and incurable illness, came to the sacred grove, where the temple of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring" stood. Having washed in the blessed waters and performed a prayer service before the miraculous image, he regained health and strength. As a sign of gratitude, the happy emperor ordered to build another temple nearby and, in addition, to found a monastery, designed for a large number of inhabitants. Thus, the icon of the Mother of God “The Life-Giving Spring” was glorified more and more, prayer before which was able to heal from the most serious ailments.

The fall of Byzantium and the destruction of temples

But the terrible disasters of 1453 fell upon Byzantium. The great and once prosperous empire fell under the onslaught of the Muslims. The great star of Orthodoxy has set. Unholy invaders set fire to Christian shrines. Was thrown into ruins and the temple of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring", and all the monastery buildings that stood nearby. Much later, in 1821, an attempt was made to resume prayer services in the sacred grove, and even a small church was built, but it was soon destroyed, and the blessed spring was covered with earth.

But people in whose hearts the fire of true faith was burning could not calmly look at this sacrilege. Secretly, under the cover of night, the Orthodox cleared away their desecrated shrine. And just as secretly, risking their lives, they carried away, hiding under their clothes, the vessels filled with it. This continued until it changed. domestic politics new masters of the country, and the Orthodox were not given some relief in the performance of divine services.

Then a small church of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring" was built on the site of the destroyed temple. And since Orthodoxy cannot be without mercy and compassion, an almshouse and a hospital were built at the church, in which, through prayers to our Most Pure Intercessor, many suffering and crippled people gained health.

Veneration of holy icons in Russia

When, with the fall of Byzantium, the sun of Orthodoxy set in the East, it shone with renewed vigor on Holy Russia, and with it liturgical books and holy images appeared in abundance. And then life was unthinkable without the humble and wise faces of the saints of God. But a special attitude was to the images of the Savior and His Most Pure Mother. Among the most revered icons were those painted in ancient times on the banks of the Bosporus. One of them is the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring".

It should be noted that since the 16th century it has become a practice in Russia to consecrate springs and reservoirs located on the territories of monasteries or near them, and at the same time to dedicate them to the Most Holy Theotokos. came to us from Greece. Numerous lists from the Byzantine image of the “Life-Giving Spring” also became widespread. However, compositions written in Russia earlier than the 17th century have not yet been found.

The image of the Virgin in the Sarov desert

As an example of a special love for her, one can recall the famous glory of which the unsunset torch of Orthodoxy, Sarov, brought his name. In that monastery, a temple was specially erected, in which the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring" was kept. Its significance in the eyes of believers was so great that the venerable elder, on especially important occasions, sent pilgrims to pray to the Mother of God, kneeling before this miraculous icon of Hers. As is clear from the memoirs of contemporaries, there was no case that a prayer remained unheeded.

An image that strengthens in the fight against sorrows

What is the power possessed by the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring"? How does she help and what can you ask her for? The most important thing that this miraculous image brings to people is deliverance from sorrows. Life, unfortunately, is full of them, and we do not always have enough mental strength deal with them.

They come from the enemy of man, as they are the offspring of unbelief in the providence of God. It is in these cases that the "Life-Giving Spring" - the icon of the Mother of God - brings peace to human souls. What else do they pray to our Most Pure Intercessor? About saving us from the very sources of these sorrows - the troubles and hardships of life.

Celebrations in honor of the holy icon

As another example of the special veneration of this icon, we should mention the tradition that has developed over many centuries to serve on Friday of Bright Week a prayer service for the blessing of water in front of this image. It is served in all churches immediately after the end of the liturgy. Since ancient times, it has been customary to sprinkle gardens, kitchen gardens and arable land with water consecrated at this prayer service, thereby calling for the help of the Most Holy Theotokos in granting a rich harvest.

The feast of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring" is usually celebrated twice a year. Once this happens on April 4, since it was on this day in the year 450 that the Mother of God appeared to the pious warrior Leo Markell, ordering him to build a temple in her honor in the holy grove and pray in it for the health and salvation of Orthodox Christians. On that day, the akathist to the icon of the Mother of God “The Life-Giving Spring” is certainly performed.

The second holiday takes place, as mentioned above, on Friday of Bright Week. On that day, the church remembers the renovated temple in honor of this icon, which was once located near Constantinople. In addition to the blessing of water, the celebration is also accompanied by the Easter procession.

Features of the iconography of the image of the Virgin

Special attention should be paid to the iconographic features of this image. It is generally accepted that the icon of the Mother of God "The Life-Giving Spring" has its roots in the ancient Byzantine image of the Most Pure Virgin, called the "Mistress of the Conqueror", which, in turn, is a variant of the Mother of God icon "The Sign". However, art historians do not have a unanimous opinion on this issue.

If you study the lists of icons that were distributed at one time, it is not difficult to notice some significant compositional changes made over the centuries. So, in the early icons there is no image of the source. Also, not immediately, but only in the process of developing the image, a bowl called a phial, a reservoir and a fountain entered its composition.

The spread of the holy image in Russia and Athos

A number of archaeological finds testify to the spread of this image in Russia. So, for example, in the Crimea, during the excavations, a dish with the image of the Virgin was found. Her figure with prayerfully raised hands is depicted in a bowl. The find dates back to the 13th century and is considered one of the earliest images of this kind located on the territory of our country.

A description of another image corresponding to the image of the “Life-Giving Spring” of the 14th century can be found in the work of the church historian Nicephorus Callistus. He describes the image of the Mother of God in a phial, set over a pond. On this icon Holy Virgin depicted with the Christ Child in her arms.

The fresco "Life-Giving Spring", located on Mount Athos, is also interesting. It belongs to the beginning of the 15th century. Its author, Andronicus the Byzantine, presented the Mother of God in a wide bowl with the blessing of the Eternal Child in her arms. The name of the image is written in Greek text along the edges of the fresco. Also, a similar plot is found in some icons stored in various

Help poured out through this image

But still, what is the unique appeal of this image, what is it that attracts people to the icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Spring”? How does it help and what does it keep? First of all, this image brings healing to all those who suffer bodily and in their prayers to those who hope for the help of the Queen of Heaven. It was from this that his glorification began in ancient Byzantium. By this he won love and gratitude, finding himself among the expanses of Russia.

In addition, the icon successfully heals mental illnesses. But the main thing is that it saves those who resort to it from the harmful passions that so often overwhelm our souls. It is from their influence that the "Life-Giving Spring" - the icon of the Mother of God - saves. What do they pray before her, what do they ask the Queen of Heaven for? First of all, about giving strength to cope with all the low and vicious that is inherent in us by human nature damaged by original sin. Unfortunately, there is much that surpasses human capabilities and in which we are powerless without the help of the Lord God and His Most Pure Mother.

Source of Life and Truth

In all cases, no matter what compositional decision the author of this or that version of this image stops at, it should first of all be understood that the Life-giving source is the Most Pure Virgin herself, through whom the One who gave life to all beings on earth was incarnated into the world.

He spoke the words that became the stone on which the temple of the true faith was erected, He revealed to people the way, and the truth, and life. And that blessed Life-giving source, the jets of which washed from sin and watered the Divine field, became for all of us the Queen of Heaven, the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Icon of the Mother of God
"LIFE-GIVING SOURCE»

All the days of Bright Week appear before us as a single bright Easter day. Friday of Bright Week stands out in particular: the fact that on this day, for the first time after the Great Hagiasma on Theophany, the blessing of water is performed in all the churches of the Russian Orthodox Church, and the fact that in the liturgical rite of this day, hymns of service to the icon of the Mother of God are added to the Paschal stichera and troparia "Life-Giving Source» . The appearance of this image is associated with the following miraculous event.

In the 5th century, there was a grove near Constantinople, dedicated, according to legend, to the Most Holy Theotokos. In this grove there was a spring, long since glorified by miracles, but gradually overgrown with bushes and mud. In 450, the warrior Leo Markell, the future emperor, met a lost blind man in this place, helped him get out onto the path and settle in the shade. In search of water for an exhausted traveler, he heard the voice of the Virgin, commanding to find an overgrown source and anoint the eyes of a blind man with mud. When Leo obeyed the command, the blind man immediately received his sight. The Mother of God also predicted to Leo that he would become emperor, and seven years later this prediction was fulfilled.

Having become emperor, Leo Markell remembered the appearance and prediction of the Mother of God and ordered to clean the source, surround it with a stone circle and erect a temple in honor of the Mother of God on it. The holy key was called by the emperor “Life-giving source. The icon of the Mother of God, painted for the new church, was also named in the same way.

In the future, this temple was repeatedly rebuilt and decorated. But after the fall of Constantinople, it was destroyed by the Muslims. And only in 1834-1835. an Orthodox church was again erected over the Life-Giving Spring.

It just so happened that all the famous monasteries of Constantinople were rebuilt into mosques or are now in ruins. And a small one, standing on the source, is still alive. For one and a half thousand years, people have been coming to the place, which the Turks called "Balykly", and collecting water in bottles. Closets are arranged around the source, where the sick are poured; Greeks, Turks, Turkish women, Armenians, Catholics constantly come to the water - everyone asks the Queen of Heaven with tears and accepts healing. Mohammedans involuntarily confess the Mother of God and say: "Great in wives is St. Mary!" and call the water: "St. Mary"

Iconographically, the image of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring" is associated with the ancient Byzantine image of the type "Nicopeia Kyriotissa" - "Mistress the Victorious", which, in turn, goes back to the image of the type "Sign".

Initially, the image of the "Life-Giving Source" was distributed in the lists without the image of the source. Such is the Blachernae miraculous image, made of marble, located near the imperial baths. It depicts the Mother of God, from whose hands holy water flows? "agiasma". Later, a cup (phiale) was included in the composition. In later times, they also began to depict a reservoir and a fountain on the icon.

In Russia, over time, the composition of the icon "Life-Giving Spring" is gradually becoming more complex. A wooden well appears, from which a water jet beats, on the sides of it are depicted the ecumenical saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. They draw life-giving water and distribute it to people standing around. On the foreground depicted obsessed with various ailments.

Gradually, the composition of the icon became so complicated that the independent image of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring" became only a component in the overall complex composition. So, in 1668, the famous Russian icon painter Simon Ushakov, with one of his students, painted the icon of the Life-Giving Spring “with miracles”. In sixteen hallmarks, he depicted the miracles of the Mother of God, performed at the Life-Giving Spring.

The icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Life-Giving Spring" was deeply revered in Russia. In the Sarov desert, a temple was erected in honor of this icon. Those sick pilgrims whom Reverend Seraphim Sarovsky sent to pray before the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, received healing from her.

The concept of springs as a symbol of the Mother of God's help and the grace of God is quite ancient. On many icons of the Theotokos, for example, "The Driver", Zhirovitskaya, the icon "The Annunciation of the Mother of God at the well", the image of the source is invariably present. And each icon of the Mother of God in this broad sense can be called the "Life-Giving Spring", meaning the Mother of God's help and Her rich mercy.

Despite the fact that history has preserved the exact date of the event of the appearance of the Mother of God to Leo Markellus (April 4 (O.S.) 450), the real celebration of the icon of the Mother of God “The Life-Giving Spring” is set to take place on Friday of Bright Week, when the renewal of the Constantinople Church of the Life-Giving Spring is celebrated spring and remember the great miracles that happened in this temple.

Since the 16th century, a custom similar to the Greek one has been established in Russia, to consecrate springs located in monasteries and near them, to dedicate them to the Mother of God and to paint icons of the Mother of God, called the “Life-Giving Spring”.

Listings from miraculous icon"Life-Giving Spring" are located in the Sarov desert; Astrakhan, Urzhum, Vyatka diocese; in a chapel near the Solovetsky Monastery; Lipetsk, Tambov diocese. An excellent image is placed in the Moscow Novodevichy Convent.

In the village of Vorobyevo near Moscow (Vorobyovy Gory) since the 16th century there was a wooden church at the royal palace in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "The Life-Giving Spring", "furnished with exceptional luxury." It probably owes its name to the numerous underground springs flowing along the slopes of the Sparrow Hills. Over time, due to dilapidation, it was repeatedly rebuilt, having existed until early XIX century, after which it was abolished. Today, its existence is reminded by the icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring", located to the left of the Royal Doors in the temple Life-Giving Trinity on Sparrow Hills - the only remaining of the 4 temples of the village of Vorobyevo.

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos in honor of the icon of Her "Life-Giving Spring"
Oh, Blessed Virgin, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ! You are Mati and the patroness of all who resort to You, look with mercy on the prayers of Your sinful and humble children. You, who are called the Life-giving Source of grace-filled healings, heal the sicknesses of the afflicted and implore Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to send down and all those who flow to You, spiritual and bodily health, and, having forgiven us our voluntary and involuntary sins, grants us everything even to eternal and temporal life is necessary. You are the joy of all those who mourn, hear us, the mournful; You are the quenching of sorrow, quench our sorrow; You are the exaction of the lost, do not let us perish in the abyss of our sins, but always deliver us from all sorrows and misfortunes and all evil circumstances. She, our Queen, favoring, our hope is indestructible and invincible intercessor, do not turn Your face away from us for our many transgressions, but stretch out to us the hand of Your motherly mercy and create with us a sign of Your mercy for the good: show us Your help and prosper in every deed good. Turn us away from every sinful undertaking and evil thought, may we always glorify Your honorable name, magnifying God the Father and the Son of the Only Begotten Lord Jesus Christ and the Life-giving Holy Spirit with all the saints forever and ever. A min.

Troparion, tone 4
Today, with faithfulness to the Divine and wholesome image of the Most Holy Theotokos, pouring out drops of her outpourings, and showing miracles to the faithful people, we even see and hear spiritually celebrate and kindly cry out: heal our ailments and passions, as if you healed the Karkin and numerous passions; we also pray to Thee, the Most Pure Virgin, pray to Christ our God, incarnated from You, that our souls be saved.

Troparion, tone 4
Let us draw, people, healing souls and bodies with prayer, the River foreshadows all - the Most Pure Queen of the Mother of God, exuding wonderful water for us and washing away the hearts of blackness *, cleansing sinful scabs, but sanctifying the souls of the faithful with Divine grace.

Kontakion, tone 8
From the inexhaustible You, the Source of God-grace, give me, sharpen, the water of Your grace, ever-flowing more than words, as if the Word gave birth to more than meaning, pray, sprinkle me with grace, and I call Thee: rejoice, saving water.

The warrior Leo, who later became emperor (455-473), met a blind man in a grove dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos, who asked for water. Leo could not find a water source for a long time, when suddenly he heard the voice of the Most Holy Theotokos, who pointed him to the source and ordered to put mud from those waters on the blind man's eyes. After that, the blind man received his sight, and the warrior, becoming emperor, marveling and rejoicing at the miraculous healing, ordered to clean the source and erected a temple in its place. The temple was named - evidence of the miraculous power of the source.

After the fall of Constantinople, the temple was destroyed and rebuilt only in 1834-1835.

In memory of this miracle, on the day of the Icon of the Mother of God of the Life-Giving Spring, a small consecration of water is performed - it occurs several times during the year, a great consecration of water is performed only on the feast of Baptism (Theophany)

On Bright Week, the service is filled with joyful Easter hymns, fasting is canceled on Wednesday and Friday, the entire Liturgy is served with the Royal Doors open, and after each liturgy a procession is performed.

On the same day, at the Liturgy, the Gospel about the expulsion of the merchants from the temple is read.

Appearance of the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-Giving Spring"

Icon of the Mother of God “Life-Giving Spring”

Emperor Justinian the Great (527-565) was a man deeply committed to the Orthodox faith. He suffered from water sickness for a long time. One day at midnight, he heard a voice saying, "You cannot regain your health unless you drink from My well." The king did not know what source the voice was talking about, and fell into despondency. Then the Mother of God appeared to him already in the afternoon and said: “Get up, king, go to My spring, drink water from it and you will be healthy as before.” The patient fulfilled the will of the Lady and soon recovered. The grateful emperor erected a new splendid temple near the temple built by Leo, at which a crowded monastery was subsequently created.

In the XV century, the famous temple of the "Life-Giving Spring" was destroyed by Muslims. A Turkish guard was assigned to the ruins of the temple, who did not allow anyone to approach this place. Gradually, the severity of the ban softened, and the Christians built a small church there. But it was also destroyed in 1821, and the source was filled up. The Christians again cleared the ruins, opened the source and still drew water from it. Subsequently, in one window, among the wreckage, a sheet half-rotten from time and dampness was found with a record of ten miracles from the Life-Giving Spring, which took place from 1824 to 1829. Under Sultan Mahmud, the Orthodox received some freedom in worship. They used it to erect a temple for the third time over the Life-Giving Spring. In 1835, with great solemnity, Patriarch Konstantin, concelebrated by 20 bishops and with a large number of pilgrims, consecrated the temple; a hospital and an almshouse were set up at the temple.

The appearance of the Mother of God to Leo Marcellus took place on April 4, 450. On this day, and also every year on Friday of Bright Week, the Orthodox Church celebrates the renovation of the Constantinople church in honor of the Life-Giving Spring. According to the charter, on this day, the rite of consecration of water is performed with an Easter procession.