Icon of the Mother of God “Abbess of the Holy Mount Athos”

Athos Icon of the Mother of God

The image of the Mother of God has been especially revered by Orthodox Christians at all times. Among the famous icons, the Mount Athos image stands out, known for performing great miracles. The Athos icon of the Virgin Mary, placed in your home, can bring peace, prosperity and virtue to it.

History of the icon

The appearance of the holy image of the Mother of God dates back to the 4th century. At this time, King Herod unleashed terrible persecution on Orthodox Christians, trying to strengthen his power and preserve paganism in his lands. The Blessed Virgin Mary, saving her life, accompanied by several apostles, left Palestine and went by sea to Cyprus. But on the way there was a storm, and the ship was carried to the shore of the Athos Peninsula.

Church tradition says that when the ship touched the shore, people in the temple of Apollo heard the cry of idols calling to go ashore and greet the “Mother of all deities” with honors. Surprised parishioners rushed to the shore, where they met the Mother of God, who told them about the teaching of Her Son. Seeing the signs accompanying the appearance of the Virgin Mary, many believed in Christ on the spot and later received baptism.

The land of Athos was chosen by the Lord for the Mother of God, and She informed the inhabitants that she would patronize these lands, and holy grace would be present on them forever and ever. The Mother of God sailed to Cyprus, but Orthodox teaching continued to live, and after several centuries Athos turned into an abode of monasticism and asceticism, and icon painters created the Athonite image of Her, which created many miraculous healings.

Where is the Athos image of the Virgin Mary located?

Since the painting of the shrine, the icon has been in the monastery on Mount Athos. Every year, millions of pilgrims come to the peninsula to touch the shrine and pray to the Mother of God.

Description of the holy image

The icon depicts the Athos peninsula, covered with flowering trees and life-giving springs. The Mother of God stands on the land of Athos, protecting and blessing it. In her left hand, the Mother of God holds a staff, symbolizing Her difficult and long journey, and her right palm is open as a symbol of accepting the persecuted and offended under cover and protection.

How does a miraculous image help?

The Athos Icon of the Mother of God is famous for its miraculous healings, as well as for its help in extremely difficult life situations. There are known cases where sincere prayer in front of the image of the Virgin Mary helped women heal from infertility, cure serious illnesses and protect their children from a difficult fate. Specialists from the site dailyhoro.ru were especially shocked by the story of an ordinary woman, Maria, who suffered from the inability to have children.

Maria had already lost five premature babies and fell into despondency and melancholy. In desperation, the woman went on a pilgrimage to the Athos Peninsula and prayed before the icon of the Mother of God for mercy and to grant her the happiness of motherhood. Mary's prayer was heard: upon returning home, she carried and gave birth to completely healthy twins. Following the example of Mary, many women went on pilgrimage, and cases of miraculous healings became known to even more people. They pray to the Athos Icon of the Mother of God:

• about healing diseases;
• about creating a strong family;
• about salvation and protection.

Prayers before the image of the Virgin Mary

“Almighty Intercessor and Defender of the lands of Athos! As You protect the holy land, as You intercede before Your Son and our Lord for the people of that land, so I humbly pray to You: protect, O Lady, the sinful and unworthy servants of God from the wrath of fiery Gehenna, save and protect from the machinations of the father of lies and vices, show us the way to salvation and the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen".

This prayer must be read in any trouble, asking for the help and intercession of the Heavenly Mother.

“Most Holy Lady, Merciful and Eternal Patroness, I humbly and in tears pray to You: illuminate my life with Your light, heal me from the ailments that oppress me and allow me to continue my family line, as Your Son and our Heavenly Father commanded. Now and forever, forever and ever. Amen".

This prayer should be read by women who want to become mothers and give birth to healthy children.

“Oh, Most Holy Virgin Mary, Abbess of Mount Athos, healing ailments and ailments with Her Light! We pray to You, O holy Virgin: heal our ailments and show us the path to a righteous life, so that we do not disgrace Your intercession before our Lord Jesus Christ and humbly enter the Kingdom of Heaven after a long earthly life. Amen".

This prayer can heal illnesses and help one realize the mistakes that led to it. You can read the prayer rule both for yourself and for a loved one suffering from illness.

Remembrance Day of the Athos Icon of the Mother of God - July 18 according to the new style. At this time, any prayers for family and children are especially strong: a sincere prayer for help in front of the icon of the Mother of God can reunite the family and protect the house from all evil.

Icons of Athos: Iveron (Goalkeeper, Portaitissa)

The Iveron Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the most famous and revered in the Orthodox world. According to legend, Iverskaya was written by the Evangelist Luke, for a long time it was located in Nicaea in Asia Minor, and from the beginning of the 11th century. permanently resides in the Iveron Monastery on Holy Mount Athos (in honor of which it received its name).

Not far from the Iveron monastery on the seashore, a miraculous spring has been preserved to this day, flowing at the moment when the Mother of God set foot on Athos soil;
this place is called Klimentova pier. And it was to this place that the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, now known to the whole world, miraculously, in a pillar of fire, appeared across the sea. The veneration of this image is evidenced by the fact that the Monk Nicodemus the Holy Mountain alone wrote four canons to the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. During the second period of iconoclasm (813-843), the widow, the owner of this icon, who lived near the city of Nicaea, saving the image from desecration, sent it floating on the waves with prayer1. Several centuries have passed. And so, in 1004, he miraculously, in a pillar of light rising to the very heavens, arrived at the shores of Athos. The monks of the Iveron monastery, together with other Athonite monks, who hastened to the place of the miraculous phenomenon, tried to approach the icon in boats, but it moved away from them. Then they gathered in the main cathedral of the Iveron Monastery and began to ask the Mother of God to allow her to take away Her miraculous icon.

At the time described, the blessed elder Gabriel, originally from Iberia, labored near the Iveron monastery. He led an ascetic hermit's life and constantly said the Jesus Prayer. Day and night he studied the Holy Scriptures and the works of the Holy Fathers. The monk's only food was mountain herbs and spring water. This God-bearing elder had a vision of the Mother of God, commanding him to take Her image from the water and announce to the brethren of the Iveron Monastery that She was giving them Her icon.

The brothers of Iviron went to the sea in a religious procession, chanting the Most Holy Theotokos with church chants along the way. The Monk Gabriel entered the sea waters, and the icon began to quickly approach the shore. Then he walked towards her across the waves, as if on dry land, and the icon sailed straight into his hands. At the place where Elder Gabriel emerged from the water with the icon, a chapel was erected (now the park of the Most Holy Theotokos Portaitissa (Goalkeeper, Iveron)). This wonderful event took place on Tuesday of Bright Week.

The brethren of the Iveron monastery with great reverence transferred the found miraculous image to their monastery. For three days in a row, the monks served All-Night Vigils and Divine Liturgies, thanking the Most Holy Theotokos for the mercy shown.

Initially, the icon of the Mother of God was placed in the main cathedral of the Iversky Monastery. But the next morning she found herself above the gates of the monastery. This went on for several days. The Most Holy Theotokos, appearing to St. Gabriel, said:

“Go to the monastery and tell the abbot and the monks so that they do not tempt Me. I did not appear to them so that they would protect Me, but so that I myself could be their guardian, and not only in the present, but also in the next century. And also tell them: while on this mountain the monks live in the fear of God and in reverence and work according to their strength to gain virtue, then let them have boldness and hope in the mercy of My Son and Master, for I asked Him for them as My inheritance , and He gave them to Me. Let My icon be to them as a sign of these words of Mine: as long as they contemplate it in their monastery, until then the mercy and grace of My Son and God will not fail them.”

Since then, the miraculous Iveron Icon began to be called the “Goalkeeper,” and some time later it was placed in a specially built church at the gates of the monastery.

Once, during a Saracen raid, one barbarian boldly hit the icon with his spear. At that same moment, blood flowed from the image, which can still be seen on it today. The robber repented and became a monk under the name of Damascus, but he called himself a Barbarian. The monk achieved holiness, and his iconographic image was preserved in the monastery.

Divine punishment befell the ships of the pirates who attacked the Iveron monastery: a storm broke out and sank all the ships except the ship of their leader. Repentant, he donated significant funds for the restoration of the monastery.

In 1651, Russian Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich gave Iviron the Monastery of St. Nicholas, which became the courtyard of this Athonite monastery. This was done in gratitude for the healing of the Tsar’s daughter, who received healing from the list of “Goalkeepers” brought by the inhabitants of the Iveron Monastery to Moscow.

Here is what the famous Russian pilgrim-pedestrian of the 18th century Vasily Grigorovich-Barsky writes about “The Goalkeeper”:

“In this beautiful church, at the inner gates of the monastery, in the iconostasis, instead of the usual Mother of God, there is a certain holy and miraculous icon, named by the ancient monks Portaitissa, that is, the Goalkeeper, extremely terribly transparent, with great feathers, holding Christ the Savior on her left hand , blackened on the face for many years, both completely showing the image, everything except the face is covered with silver-plated gilded clothing, and in addition, dotted with valuable stones and gold coins, from various kings, princes and noble boyars given for many of her miracles, where and I saw Russian tsars, queens and princesses, emperors and empresses, princes and princesses, gold coins and other gifts hung with my own eyes.”

The legend of the Iversky Monastery tells of a miracle performed by the Mother of God. One poor man asked to spend the night in Iviron, but the monk-goalkeeper demanded payment from him. The poor man had no money, and, dejected, he walked along the road to Kareya. Soon he met a mysterious Woman who gave him a gold coin. The poor man returned and gave the gold coin to the gatekeeper. The monks, paying attention to the antiquity of the coin, suspected the unfortunate man of theft. After his story about the Wife, they went to the “Goalkeeper” icon and saw that this coin was one of many donated to the Mother of God.

Due to the fact that the monks refused gratuitous hospitality to the traveler, all the food in the Iveron Monastery spoiled.

The repentance of the monks was great. Since then, the vow of free hospitality has been strictly observed on the Holy Mountain. And on the site of the appearance of the Mother of God, a small temple was built.

The Russian saint Parthenius testified that during the Greek uprising of 1822, Turkish soldiers living in the monastery were unable to disturb the “Goalkeeper” dressed in precious vestments and decorated with many magnificent gifts. And a few years later, the monk serving at the icon was amazed to see a Woman dressed in black. She diligently swept the monastery.

It's time to thoroughly sweep the entire monastery. “He’s been standing unswept for so many years,” said the Wife and became invisible.

Soon the Sultan issued a decree for all soldiers to leave the Holy Mountain, although before that he had repeatedly threatened to destroy its monastery to the ground2.

The famous singer Nektariy Vlah (1812-1890), invited as the best Athonite protopsalt to the patronal feast at the Iveron Monastery, was poisoned during a fraternal meal by other singers who were jealous of his skill. Feeling unwell, Nektary went to the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos Goalkeeper and, turning to the Mother of God with fervent prayer, drank oil from the lamp of Her icon. The poison lost its potency, and Nectarius sang at the festival as well as he had ever sung in his life.

Before the First World War, the gentle expression of the face of the Infant Christ on the Iveron Icon changed and became formidable

A lot of historical data has been preserved about cases of healings of the sick, blind, lame and possessed by the Iveron Icon. Through prayers from the miraculous icon, the brethren of the Iveron Monastery repeatedly received miraculous help during times of shortage of flour, wine and oil.

In front of the Iveron Icon hangs a large unquenchable lamp, called the “Lamp of the Goalkeeper.” It has a wonderful property - without the slightest outside influence during the hours of worship, it sometimes begins to swing like a pendulum, warning of the approach of global disasters or some important events. Thus, before the Turkish attack on the island of Cyprus, the lamp was swayed so that oil flowed over its edges. In our days, such inexplicable swinging occurred before the American invasion of Iraq, before the earthquake in Armenia and many other events on a global scale.

The “Goalkeeper” herself never left Iviron; in response to requests from the laity, the monks sent lists of the miraculous image. The icon is taken out of the paraklis only three times a year, where it remains permanently:

- on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, after the ninth hour, it is solemnly transferred by the brethren to the cathedral and remains there until the first Monday after the feast of the Council of John the Baptist;

- from Holy Saturday to Monday of St. Thomas Week. On Tuesday of Bright Week a solemn procession of the Cross takes place through the territory of the monastery;

- on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

According to Athonite legend, shortly before the Second Coming the Iveron Icon will leave Holy Mount Athos. This was announced by the Monk Nile the Myrrh-Streaming, who appeared several times in 1813-1819. monk Theophan.

Days of celebration of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God:

February 12 (February 25) and Tuesday of Bright Week - finding the image on Mount Athos;

October 13 (October 26) - transfer in 1648 to Moscow of the list of icons sent to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich from Athos;

Video:

Prayer service at the site of the discovery of the Iveron Icon (2010)

(FLV file. Duration 4 min. Size 24.7 Mb)

Procession with the Iveron Icon (2011)

(FLV file. Duration 1 min. Size 6.7 Mb)

Procession with the Iveron Icon (2010)

(FLV file. Duration 2 min. Size 8.9 Mb)

Prayer canon to the icon of the Mother of God “Goalkeeper” (Iverskaya) performed by the brethren of the Iversky Monastery

(FLV file. Duration 4 min. Size 8 Mb)

MIRACLE-WORKING ICON OF THE MOTHER OF IVERSE

The Iversky Monastery is the home of the icon of the patroness of the Holy Mountain, the Most Holy Theotokos of Iveron - the Goalkeeper (Portaitissa).

The first news about it dates back to the 9th century - the times of iconoclasm, when, by order of the heretical authorities, holy icons in houses and churches were destroyed and desecrated. A certain pious widow who lived near Nicaea kept the treasured image of the Mother of God. It soon opened. The armed soldiers who came wanted to take away the icon, one of them hit the shrine with a spear, and blood flowed from the face of the Most Pure One. Having prayed to the Lady with tears, the woman went to the sea and lowered the icon into the water; the standing image moved along the waves.

Two centuries later, the monks of the Greek Iveron Monastery on Mount Athos saw an icon in the sea supported by a pillar of fire. The Monk Gabriel the Svyatogorets, having received instructions from the Mother of God in a dream, walked across the water and brought the icon to the Catholicon, but in the morning it was discovered above the gates of the monastery. Tradition says that this happened several times. The Most Holy Theotokos, having appeared to St. Gabriel, explained that it is not the monks who should guard the icon, but she is the guardian of the monastery. After this, the icon was placed above the gates of the monastery and received the name “Goalkeeper”, and from the name of the monastery - the Iversky Monastery - it received the name Iverskaya.

According to legend, the appearance of the icon took place on March 31, Tuesday of Easter week (according to other sources, April 27). In the Iversky Monastery, a celebration in her honor takes place on Tuesday of Bright Week; the brethren with a religious procession go to the seashore, where Elder Gabriel received the icon.

Icon of the Mother of God “Sweet Kiss” (“Glycophilus”)

According to legend, this icon is one of the seventy that the Evangelist Luke himself painted. He depicted the Mother of God kissing the Baby Jesus. The icon has shown miracles more than once. So, during the Second World War, when Greece was occupied by the Germans, the Philotheevsky Monastery almost ran out of wheat, there was nothing to feed the monks and lay pilgrims, but in the hope of the help of the Blessed Virgin, the monks baked bread from the last flour.

Soon a ship moored to the monastery, and the captain offered the wheat the ship was carrying in exchange for firewood. This is how the Mother of God took care of Her children.

Celebration – April 30.

Chapter 3. Desert Shrines

In 1896, March 15, with the blessing of Abbot Father Andrei, the monk Father Mina (in the world Lieutenant Colonel Vasily Nikolaevich Kotelnitsky, a hereditary nobleman of the Smolensk province) arrived to live in the Thebaid desert. Soon after his arrival, he donated to the cathedral church of the Monks of Athos his own holy icon of the Mother of God, called “Kazan” and which is an exact copy of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Kazan, located in the city of Kazan in the Kazan women’s monastery. This holy icon measures 1/8 inches in height, 5 1/8 inches in width, in a massive silver-gilded robe with stones and other decorations, with two gold wedding rings and the military order of Vasily Nikolaevich, the cross of St. Vladimir of the 4th degree. The elders and brotherhood of the Thebaid desert were very pleased with the priceless offering of Mina's father and treated this benefit with reverence. The holy icon was placed in the Church of the Monks of Athos, in front of the left choir, where it still stands in a valuable frame in a folding, very skillfully made icon case with unfolded doors. Together with other cell icons of Father Mina, it makes a decent decoration for the church. When entering the church, the attention of the person entering stops on this icon case, which has the appearance of a small iconostasis, and when looking at the most pure image of the Lady, shining in the night light, the fear of God and reverence pass through the body, and from them there is an inexplicable joy and consolation in the soul, as they said many of the brethren are talking about this. A new icon case for this holy icon, instead of the previous one, was built by the most God-loving archimandrite of St. Andrew's monastery, Joseph.

Father Mina provided information about this Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, and also told how he got it.

As already said, Mina’s father, in the world Vasily Nikolaevich Kotelnitsky, was a military man. He served in the Butyrka Infantry Regiment, participated in the Sevastopol War, then, in 1859, with the rank of captain, he moved with his regiment to quarter in the city of Korsun, Simbirsk province. Here, in his free time from his official duties, he met the landowner, hereditary nobleman Vasily Aleksandrovich Sabanin, who came from an ancient family of the sovereign Kazan prince from the Tatars Sabani. Vasily Alexandrovich's estate, the village of Zimnenki, was not far from the city of Korsun, and therefore Vasily Nikolaevich often visited Sabanin's house and became closely acquainted with his family.

At one time, when, by some special invitation, there were many guests from relatives and honorary citizens in the house of Vasily Alexandrovich Sabanin, Vasily Nikolaevich, who was also among the guests, proposed marriage to Nadezhda, Vasily Alexandrovich’s sickly daughter. She agreed to the marriage, which all the guests, and especially her parents, were very happy about. “Then,” said Vasily Nikolaevich, “in the presence of all the guests, Nadezhda’s parents blessed us with their family shrine, this holy icon of the Mother of God of Kazan, which belonged to the Kazan prince Saban, a contemporary of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, and was reverently revered by all his descendants.” A very important legend was kept about this holy icon in the Sabanin family.

The above-mentioned Prince Saban was a Mohammedan. Before the conquest of the city of Kazan in 1552, he strongly resisted Tsar Ivan the Terrible and did not yield the city of Kazan, for which he was punished by God with blindness. The surviving legend does not indicate how long it lasted, but the circumstances of his healing are reliably known. The blind Saban had a vision: the holy icon of the Mother of God of Kazan appeared to him in a dream, from which there was a voice: “If you accept the Christian faith and are baptized, I will heal you.” The blind man immediately promised to accept the Christian faith and, with the pronouncement of the vow, received healing - he began to see with both eyes, as before. He immediately accepted the holy faith and was baptized, and then wished to have in his house the holy icon of the Mother of God, which appeared to him in a vision and from which he heard a voice.

The icon he saw was the miraculous Kazan icon, which was located in the women's community in the city of Kazan. There was also an exact copy of this icon, called the lectern. It was about this icon, after the conquest of Kazan, that Prince Saban turned to Tsar Ivan the Terrible and asked his permission to take it to his house. The Tsar allowed, and Saban was given the holy analogue icon of the Mother of God of Kazan, a copy of the miraculous one, which is described here. This very icon was inherited from Prince Saban and passed from generation to generation and reached Vasily Alexandrovich, who was given as a blessing to the newlyweds.

Vasily and Nadezhda were soon married and lived a peaceful married life, with the holy icon of the Kazan Mother of God inseparably present with them. Subsequently, by order of the authorities, the Butyrsky regiment moved to different places, and Vasily Nikolaevich and his wife Nadezhda followed him everywhere on duty, and they had the holy icon with them.

The year 1877 came, the Russian-Turkish War began. By order of his superiors, Vasily Nikolaevich, with the rank of lieutenant colonel, was appointed head of the 7th St. Petersburg Hospital, with whom he was sent to the site of military operations in Turkey, his wife also went with him as a voluntary nurse. Upon arrival in Turkey, the 7th hospital was located near Plevna. Vasily Nikolaevich and his wife diligently performed their duties and most of all showed love and mercy to the suffering soldiers. The holy icon, their inseparable companion, was installed in a special tent and a lamp glowed inextinguishably in front of it.

All Russian soldiers reverently revered the most pure image of the Lady and fervently prayed before it to the Queen of Heaven, entrusting Her with their lives, asking for Her merciful intercession and help. Their prayers were not in vain. The Lady of the world did not disgrace their hopes and showed them Her maternal mercy, gracious intercession and help, which were fully and very clearly recognized by all the soldiers, as will be seen from subsequent circumstances.

The Bashi-bazouks, known for their ferocity and bestial disposition, more than once attempted to destroy the hospital and chop up all the wounded, but were not at all successful in their brutal plans. Countless times they attacked, and were always repelled by some inexplicable force, while the hospital itself during their attacks was surrounded by a fiery light, from which the bashi-bazouks, as if blinded, became confused and retreated, having had little time. The bashi-bazouks themselves, who were captured, spoke about this with particular surprise, while the Russian soldiers, hearing such stories, prayed even more fervently to the Queen of Heaven before Her most pure image and with tears thanked the Lady of the world for Her protection, help and intercession.

After the capture of Plevna, rotten typhus began to rage among the troops. It can be assumed that this disease occurred from many decomposing corpses. Many died from it, and sister of mercy Nadezhda Kotelnitskaya, the wife of Vasily Nikolaevich, also died. In her dying hours, being fully conscious, Nadezhda turned her suffering gaze to the holy icon of the Mother of God of Kazan and asked the Queen of Heaven for the merciful intercession of her soul, which was preparing for the exodus. With childlike devotion, she entrusted herself entirely to Her maternal protection, praying for herself and for her husband Vasily, who was right there with her. The dying woman without words asked the Mother of God to be a witness to her dying will and, turning to her husband, said to him in a weak voice: “Vasily! At the end of the war, do not tie yourself to a second marriage, but fulfill your vow to God and enter into monasticism.” Having said this, Nadezhda died peacefully.

“The war is over, and I,” said Vasily Nikolaevich, “returned to St. Petersburg, immediately handed over my affairs and resigned from service. Then I soon submitted my resignation, which I received with a full pension according to my rank, even though all my superiors knew about my intention to enter monasticism.

Freed from official duties, I remembered the past years, about all the upheavals that took place in my life, during which, imperceptibly, the thought of a cherished desire to enter monasticism matured in me and my spirit was strengthened to courageously endure everything sorrowful, everything unexpected on the way to Kingdom of Heaven. With a special feeling of reverence and gratitude, I prayed before the holy icon of the Mother of God. I also remembered my marriage proposal, made to my once painful Nadezhda as if thoughtlessly, recklessly. And indeed, one should have been surprised at my proposal, because I knew that Nadezhda was sick, and despite this, I agreed to get married. At that time I was surprised at this, but now I thank the Lord and His Most Pure Mother, for now I only see that with my seemingly thoughtless marriage I saved my health from disorder and my soul from the destruction that threatened me from a depraved life, into which in our weak Most of the time, young people are immersed. Marvelous and incomprehensible are the destinies of God, and the merciful intercession of the Queen of Heaven is inexplicable to me! Under the cover of marriage,” said Father Mina, “I spent most of my life peacefully, and now, at the end of my days, I was freed, and the path to monasticism became unforbidden for me. For everything, thank God!

At the end of my official duties, there was only one thing left for me to do - enter a monastery in St. Petersburg. This was advised and even suggested to me by His Eminence Metropolitan Isidore, to whom I was personally known, but my spirit was not inclined towards the local monasteries, and I did not agree to Metropolitan Isidore’s proposal.

At the direction of the famous elder hieromonk Father Theodosius, an ascetic of the Yuryevsky monastery in the Novgorod province, I got ready and went to the Holy Mount Athos and took with me the holy icon of the Mother of God of Kazan. It was in the late seventies, I don’t remember exactly which year. I arrived on Athos safely and stayed at the St. Andrew's Skete, was accepted into the brotherhood and in 1882, with the highest permission and with the blessing of Archimandrite Theodoret, was tonsured into an angelic image (into the mantle) with the name Mina.

I lived healthy and prosperous in the St. Andrew’s monastery for several years, and then I fell ill with relapsing fever, and I was sent from St. Andrew’s to Constantinople for treatment, but the holy icon of the Mother of God remained on Athos. Upon arrival in Constantinople, I was placed in the Nikolaev hospital. All the efforts of the doctors, all the methods of treatment had no effect on my serious illness, and soon the doctors announced that I had little time left to live, and even the hour of my death had been appointed. My weak and painful feelings were already contemplating my approaching death. At the thought of what I would appear before the Lord with, I trembled all over and, although I could not pray as I should, I raised my exhausted strength of spirit and mind to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother. I asked for their mercy, prayed for a delay in the approaching hour of death, so that I would be given at least a little time to repent. On my deathbed I thought about how to save myself.

The death agony was already approaching - not hours, but perhaps minutes separated my life from death, - said Father Mina, - and in these last minutes God's mercy was revealed to me through the intercession of the Lady of the world, my Patroness. Opposite my bed on the wall I saw the holy icon of the Mother of God. On this icon She was depicted sitting in royal majesty and glory, on Her most pure head was a royal crown, decorated and shining. The Divine Infant Jesus Christ, with an expression of creative wisdom and glory on his face, sat on the lap of His Most Pure Mother, supported on the left side by the half-encircling hand of the Queen of Heaven, on whose hand was depicted the globe - a sign of autocracy and power. The right hand of the Mother of God was placed on the lap of the Infant God Lord Jesus, who held the royal scepter in his right hand and pointed upward with his left, symbolically expressing His Divine will to grant us His heavenly inheritance and as if saying: “Repent and seek the Kingdom of God.” Peering at this most pure image, it was as if I had forgotten about the approaching hour of death. Suddenly I noticed a change in him: in the left hand of the Mother of God, instead of the globe, I saw a chalice, into which the Most Pure Lady lowered Her right hand and, having soaked it in blood, with her fingers at the top of her clothes on her chest, wrote me in large letters the answer to my question, how to be saved - the word “heart”. I looked carefully, without lowering my eyes. After this, I saw that the Mother of God began to wipe the fingers of Her soaked hand on the clothes on her chest and slightly erased the written word, then, turning to me with inexpressible maternal love, she said: “You are given a period of time for repentance, but give My military icon there, where I will point." After these words, the vision disappeared from me, and I felt healthy. Immediately I stood up and announced to everyone that I was healthy. My unexpected recovery horrified and surprised all the doctors and employees in the hospital; those of them who were religious glorified the all-holy name of God with me and thanked the Queen of Heaven for my miraculous healing.

Having received healing from the illness, Father Mina said, I began to get ready to go back to Athos, where my treasure was - the holy icon of the Mother of God, the most pure image of my Healer, called military in a vision. I devoted most of my time to prayer and sighs of gratitude to the Mother of God, my Guide and merciful Intercessor.

Having submitted in everything to the All-merciful Providence of God and the maternal love of the Lady of the world, I did not wonder what or how to do upon returning to Athos, but assumed that I would again receive an appointment to the brotherhood of the God-saved community of St. Andrew's Skete. It remains inexplicable to me why things turned out differently, however, through the mediation of the Russian ambassador in Constantinople, Mr. Nelidov, and with the blessing of the good-natured elder Father Abbot Father Andrei, I went to Athos not to the St. Andrew's monastery, but to the Thebaid desert, which is under the jurisdiction of the Russian Panteleimon Monastery . There I also took with me the holy icon of the Mother of God of Kazan and donated it from myself to the brotherhood of the Thebaid desert as a consolation. The Thebaidians, led by their elders, accepted the holy icon with special gratitude and placed it in the Church of the Saints of Athos on the left side in front of the left choir, in a decent place chosen by Her Herself. From now on, with Her most pure image, the Mother of God adorns the church visibly, but invisibly with Her grace She protects the brotherhood of Thebaid from the intrigues and attacks of the enemy.

Thank God for everything! Glory and thanksgiving to the Mother of God, my vigilant Guardian and all the faithful Helpers, who deigned to show Her mercy to the brotherhood of the humble Thebaid by the appearance of Her most pure image as a blessing and consolation! In all the unusual combinations of circumstances of my wandering life, I clearly see Her vigilant concerns for the salvation of me, who was lost. I always remember Her consoling voice to me as I was dying: “You are given time for repentance, but give My military icon to where I point.” Her holy icon was delivered by me, unworthy, to the place to which She favored and favors, where I, a sinner, received a corner for myself, and the period given to me for repentance is still stretching. Still alive, but the hour of death is near; the increasingly intensifying illnesses around me remind me every minute: “Are you ready to die?” But woe to me, weak! The matter of salvation somehow does not get done, the thought of death does not hold, and everything else related to spiritual salvation is forgotten, yet for all this, my life is more painful for me than joyful. Realizing my weakness, with childish humility and devotion, I bow before my vigilant Trustee, the Mother of God, in exhaustion of strength I offer Her my adoration and gratitude and beg: “My Lady, Most Holy Theotokos, save me! At the hour of death, do not leave me and help me, the weak one!”

With these words, Father Mina ended his story about the holy icon of the Mother of God of Kazan. In Thebaid he was tonsured into the schema and died in peace on September 25, 1905.

Second Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan

On September 11, 1910, at three o'clock in the evening, monk John, in the world Yakov Ivanovich Strigulin, a tradesman of the city of Arzamas, Nizhny Novgorod province, died peacefully in Thebaid. He was accepted into the brethren of the Thebaid desert on November 30, 1907, tonsured into the ryassophore in 1909 on March 28, and on June 19 of the same year into the mantle with the name John.

Monk John was subject to epileptic illness, therefore, from the time he entered the monastery, there were two people from among the brethren with him, who took turns caring for him. At first, attacks overtook him often, almost daily, but after accepting monasticism, the illness weakened a little, and attacks became more rare. On the day of his death, he had no seizures at all - after Compline, going to bed, he was very calm and died quietly, with a prayer on his lips, with a rosary in his left hand.

He lived with his brothers in a deserted, quite spacious and decent cell, not far from the hostels - as a benefactor, he was given a good cell in the hostel. Father John bore the difficult cross of illness without complaint, with submission to the will of God. The brethren caring for him treated him with tender love and compassion, his confessor often visited him, and some of the reverent brethren talked with him about spiritual benefits. It was nice to see with what interest he listened to the suggestions and instructions of his fathers and at the same time reproached himself for negligence, showed a tablet of akathists he had not fulfilled, with what sorrow and contrition he spoke about this: on such and such a day he could not, did not have time to read such and such akathists. It should be noted that in addition to the prayer rule and the cell canon, Father John had such zeal to honor the Mother of God and saints with akathists that he was not calm unless he read an akathist to each saint on the day of the Mother of God and to each saint, and he had about ten of these akathists . He would lock himself in his room, the corner of which was decorated from top to bottom with numerous icons, and read these akathists on his knees.

So he remained in prayer every day. Some of the fathers told him not to grieve excessively if he did not have time to read any akathist, and advised him to replace the akathists with the Jesus Prayer and to remain in it without embarrassment, but although he accepted advice and tried to practice the Jesus Prayer, but at the same time he could not leave his favorite rule and continued to praise the Mother of God and the saints with akathists. Periodic attacks of illness and prayer, prayer and illness alternated with him throughout his short life in Thebaid.

He especially revered the icon of the Mother of God of Kazan, in front of which he always had an unquenchable lamp. This holy icon - ancient, embroidered with pearls, in a silver frame - made a huge impression on those praying in front of it. The reverse side of the board was very old, with uneven, broken edges, split almost all the way through and carelessly fastened together with simple fasteners. From the words of Father John, it became known that this icon is already 300 years old - it was a hereditary family icon of the Strigulins. They said that the Old Believers, as lovers of antiquities, value this icon at 40 thousand rubles. In addition, Father John himself considered her miraculous. He was in awe of her while still living in the world and, having decided to enter monasticism, just before leaving for Athos, he told his brothers that he wanted to receive her instead of the entire share of the inheritance due to him. However, his brothers, through the gracious influence of the Lady Herself, lovingly gave him both the icon and money - more than 30,000 rubles.

Long before his death, Father John bequeathed to donate this icon to Thebaid. Therefore, after his death on October 17, 1910, it was brought with due honor and with a procession to the cathedral Thebaid church. Thus, the Mother of God not only brought Her sick servant with her, deigning him to accept monasticism and a quiet, blissful death, but She herself deigned to be present in Thebaid with Her holy icon to console all the mourning and burdened, who flow with faith and love to Her holy image.

Father John, as mentioned above, died on September 11. His burial took place on September 14 in the evening by a council of all hieromonks and in the presence of the entire brotherhood of Thebaid. Eternal memory in God of the late monk John!

Miraculous holy faces

The Mother of God is the patroness of Holy Mount Athos, so it is no coincidence that she appeared there more than once and remained in the monastery in the form of her images.

In every temple of Mount Athos there are famous icons of Athos dedicated to the Mother of God, which are known throughout the Orthodox world. Lists are made from them and distributed to all parishes and monasteries in the world.

Here are the most famous icons of Athos.

• Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.

The miraculous Iveron Icon of the Mother of God on Holy Mount Athos

Its history dates back to the time when persecution began against the icons and when the Iveron Icon was taken away, one of the soldiers hit it with a spear and blood immediately poured out of the icon. The widow who owned the image, saving the Mother of God, lowered the icon into the sea and two hundred years later it washed up on the Athos shore exactly in the place where the Iveron Monastery was located. Since then, the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God has become famous for many miracles, and its copies have spread throughout the Orthodox world.

• Icon of the Mother of God “Three Hands”.

The miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Three-handed”

This icon from Athos is the most famous in the world. Its history is also connected with the period of iconoclasm and the steadfastness in the faith of confessors and martyrs for the image. The “Three-Handed Man” belonged to Saint John of Damascus, a famous defender of icons. His hand was cut off for his loyalty. He turned to the image of the Mother of God, asking for a miracle, and it happened - the hand grew back to its former place.

• Icon of the Mother of God “Ktitorissa”.

Icon of the Mother of God “Altarmaiden” or “Vimatarissa”, “Ktitorissa”

The story of the son of Emperor Theodosius named Arkady is connected with this image. During a shipwreck, he miraculously escaped death and was thrown ashore on the Athos Peninsula, where he found this icon under a bush, which later received the name “Ktitorissa”. Not far from the place where she was found, the famous Greek monastery on Mount Athos, called Vatopedi, was soon founded.

• The image of the Virgin Mary “Gerontissa” is located in the Pantokrator monastery.

The miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Elderwoman” or “Gerontissa”

The first miracles from her date back to the 14th century. It was at this time that the abbot of the monastery became very ill and, feeling the approach of death, asked the monk-priest to serve the liturgy. But he hesitated until he heard a voice from the altar, where the icon was, commanding him to do what he was asked to do. After the service and communion, the elder abbot peacefully departed to the Lord. Since then, many miracles have been performed through prayers before this image.

• Among the icons of the holy Mount Athos, the image of the Mother of God “It is Worthy to Eat” enjoys special veneration.

The miraculous icon of the Mother of God “It is worthy to eat” (Merciful)

In the 10th century, the icon was in the cell of an old man living with his disciple. This cell was located near the capital of Athos, Kareia. One day, when the elder retired to the city, the disciple prayed in front of the icon. An unfamiliar monk came to him and, having heard the student pronounce the words of magnification, “The most honorable cherub,” said that he should begin with “It is worthy to eat, as truly blessed are Theotokos,” and so that the student would remember the chant, he inscribed the words themselves on stone.

After this, the unknown person revealed his name, calling himself Archangel Gabriel, and suddenly disappeared. The chant became commonly used in the Orthodox Church, and the icon was transferred to the Kareya Cathedral, from where every year a religious procession is held to the cell “It is Worthy to Eat.”

About prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos:

• Prayer to the Mother of God “My Queen Most Blessed”
• Prayers and akathist for the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary
• Akathist and prayer before the icon of the Mother of God “Tree of the Blessed Virgin Mary”

Orthodox Life

As you know, Athos is the earthly Destiny of the Mother of God, where access to women is prohibited by the Charter of the Holy Mountain. Today, women are subject to criminal liability for entering the territory of Mount Athos - up to 12 months in prison.

Until the 5th century, women could visit the Holy Mountain. There is a legend according to which, in 422, Princess Placidia, the daughter of Theodosius the Great, visited the Holy Mountain to venerate the shrines, but when she approached the temple, she heard the voice of the Most Holy Theotokos, who commanded her to immediately leave the peninsula. “From now on, let no woman set foot on the ground of the Holy Mountain,” said the Most Pure One. From that time on, women were closed to Athos. The monks strictly honor this tradition and there are not even female animals on Mount Athos.

But it is also known that during Turkish rule and during the Greek Civil War (1946-1949), women and children fled to the forests of the Holy Mountain.

Today we will remember eight women who forever remained in the history of Holy Mount Athos.

1. The Most Holy Theotokos - Abbess of Holy Mount Athos

According to one of the legends, the ship on which the Mother of God was sailing to Cyprus was caught in a storm, and it washed up on the shore of Mount Athos, where pagans lived. The Blessed Virgin came ashore and told the pagans about Jesus Christ, conveying the gospel teaching. By the power of Her preaching and numerous miracles, the Mother of God converted the local residents to Christianity. Before setting sail from Athos, the Mother of God blessed the people and said: “Behold, My Son and My God have become my lot! God's grace to this place and to those who abide in it with faith and fear and with the commandments of My Son; with a little care, everything on earth will be abundant for them, and they will receive heavenly life, and the mercy of My Son will not fail from this place until the end of the age, and I will be a warm intercessor to My Son for this place and for those who dwell in it.”

2. Holy Righteous Anna, Mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary

In honor of Her, the largest monastery on Holy Mount Athos was founded in the 14th century, which is subordinate to the Great Lavra. The main shrine of the monastery is the foot of the righteous Anna herself, as well as a rare miraculous icon depicting Saint Anna holding her little daughter, the Virgin Mary, in her arms. Saint Anna has the special grace to intercede before God for barren spouses and suffering infants.

3. Empress Theodora

Paired images of icons of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, which are called “Toys of Empress Theodora,” are kept in the Vatopedi Monastery on Holy Mount Athos. According to legend, their origin is attributed to the Byzantine Empress Theodora, who restored the veneration of icons. In the Vatopedi Monastery, the images were seen in 1744 by the traveler V. G. Grigorovich-Barsky. In his notes, he wrote the following: “Some ancient icons are small... of very praiseworthy and amazing art: Christ on a special panel, and the Virgin Mary with the Child on another, very old and amazingly depicted, hanging above the abbot’s pulpit, called in Greek “Nenya tis basilesis Theodoras” , these are the dolls of Queen Theodora.”

4. Queen Helena, wife of Stephen IV Dusan

She was the only woman whose foot has set foot on the land of Holy Mount Athos over the last thousand years. In 1347, a plague raged in Serbia, and King Dushan and Queen Helena escaped from it on Mount Athos, which was then part of their possessions.

5. Princess Anna Haraldovna

The first Russian pilgrim to holy places initiated the renaming of the Russian monastery on Mount Athos into the Panteleimon Monastery. Thanks to her generous contributions, the Russian monks were able to move from the cramped monastery at the edge of the cliff to the spacious and safe monastery of the Thessalonian and, perhaps, through her received some of the holy relics that ended up in the hands of the crusaders.

6. Maria, widow of the Turkish Sultan Murat II

After the fall of Constantinople, the daughter of the Serbian ruler George Brankovich, Maria, transferred to the monastery of St. Paul some of the gold, incense and myrrh brought by the Magi as a gift to the Infant Jesus Christ. According to legend, the Serbian princess herself wanted to bring these treasures into the monastery, but she could not walk even a few steps when she was stopped by the Angel of God, who informed her that she must immediately return to the ship. At the site of the transfer of treasures there is now a cross and a chapel. The gifts of the Magi are still kept in the monastery of St. Paul, gold - 28 pendant plates. Six dozen rolled balls of frankincense and myrrh, which still smell fragrant.

7. Empress Elizabeth I Petrovna

Permission to establish a Ukrainian Cossack monastery on Holy Mount Athos, which was called “Black Vyr,” was given by Empress Elizabeth I Petrovna. It is believed that Count Alexey Razumovsky asked her about this.

8. Akilina Smirnova (nun Raphaila)

Being a merchant's widow, she took secret monastic vows with the name Raphael. Unable to settle permanently in a monastery, she directed all her attention to doing a number of benefactors for different monasteries. But mainly she donated funds for the construction and decoration of the temples of the Athos monastery of the Great Martyr Panteleimon. In addition, in September 1879, Akilina Smirnova donated her estate in Moscow to house the Moscow courtyard of the Athos Panteleimon Monastery.

Foundation "Orthodox Heritage of Ukraine on Holy Mount Athos"

Saint Spyridon. Mother of God of Athos, Abbess of the Holy Mountain. St Nicholas

1) Spyridon of Trimifuntsky was born around 270 in the village of Askia, Cyprus. From childhood, the boy tended sheep, imitated the Old Testament righteous men with a pure and godly life: David in meekness, Jacob in kindness of heart, Abraham in love for strangers.

His extraordinary kindness and spiritual responsiveness attracted many to him: the homeless found shelter in his house, wanderers found food and rest. For his unceasing memory of God and good deeds, the Lord endowed the future saint with grace-filled gifts: clairvoyance, healing the incurable sick, and casting out demons.

In his youth, he married an honest, chaste girl, and they had a daughter, Irina, whom Saint Spyridon himself baptized. Family life did not last long, soon his wife died, however, even after this difficult loss, Spiridon did not become despondent, but continued serving God even more diligently with his good deeds.

During the reign of Constantine the Great and his son Constantius, Saint Spyridon was elected the first bishop of the Cypriot city of Trimifunt. During a prolonged drought and famine in Cyprus, through the prayer of the holy priest, the rains came and the disaster ended. The saint's kindness was combined with fair severity towards unworthy people. Through his prayer, the merciless grain merchant was punished, and the poor villagers were delivered from hunger and poverty.

Envious people slandered one of the saint's friends, and he was imprisoned and sentenced to death. The saint hurried to help, but a large stream blocked his path. Together with his companions, unwitting eyewitnesses of the miracle, Saint Spyridon crossed overland to the other shore. Warned of what had happened, the judge greeted the saint with honor and released the innocent man.

According to church tradition, Saint Spyridon performed many miracles. One day, during a service, the oil in the lamp burned out, and it began to fade. The saint was upset, but the Lord consoled him and the lamp was miraculously filled with oil. There is also a known case when angels invisibly served Saint Spyridon, and after each litany the angels were heard singing: “Lord, have mercy.”

The saint also healed the seriously ill Emperor Constantius, revived his dead daughter Irina in order to tell her where she hid the jewelry given to her for safekeeping by a noble lady, after which Irina’s soul left her body again, in Antioch he resurrected the infant child of a pagan, and then the mother herself , who fell dead from shock at the miracle she had seen.

Foreseeing the secret sins of people, the saint called them to repentance and correction. Those who did not heed the voice of conscience and the words of the saint suffered God's punishment.

As a bishop, Saint Spyridon was an example of a virtuous life and hard work. He was extremely concerned about the strict observance of church rites and the preservation of the integrity of the Holy Scriptures. The saint strictly rebuked priests who in their sermons inaccurately used the words of the Gospel and other inspired books.

In 325, Spyridon of Trimifuntsky performed the main miracle of his life, crushing the arguments of the Greek philosopher who defended the heresy of Arianism. At the first Council of Nicaea, which was convened by Emperor Constantine to condemn the heretical views of Bishop Arius, leading to confusion among the flock and a schism within the hierarchy, about 300 bishops of the Christian Church were present, including Nicholas of Myra and Spyridon of Trimythous.

Serious debates broke out at the council, during which Nicholas of Myra, defending the truth, even killed Arius. When at the speech it was the turn of Spyridon of Trimifuntsky, defending the postulate of a single Trinity, the saint took a brick and squeezed it in his palm. At that moment, the brick miraculously split into flames that flew up, clay remaining in the hand, and water pouring down. According to the legend recorded by the participants of the first council, Eusebius of Caesarea and Athanasius the Great, Spyridon uttered the words:

“These are three elements, but the plinth (brick) is one. So in the Most Holy Trinity there are Three Persons, but the Divinity is One.”

Everyone was amazed by what they saw, including the Greek philosopher, who had previously been eloquently defended by Arius. The demagogue could not find words in response, and later received baptism.

God revealed to the saint the approach of his death. The last words of the saint were about love for God and neighbors. Around 348, during prayer, Saint Spyridon reposed in the Lord. He was buried in a church in honor of the holy apostles in the city of Trimifunt.

In the middle of the 7th century, the relics of the saint were transferred to Constantinople, and in 1453 to the island of Corfu in the Ionian Sea. Here, in the main city of the island, Kerkik, the holy relics of St. Spyridon are still preserved in the temple named after him.

The incorrupt relics are opened for viewing to believers twice a day. There is a belief that Saint Spyridon walks around the world and helps people. Once a year the relics are re-shoeed and the shoes are donated. Five times a year the island celebrates the memory of the saint.

Spiridon of Trimifuntsky is often asked for help in solving material problems: in finding and buying housing, for prosperity and well-being in the home, for success in work, and solving legal issues. In addition, they pray to the saint for health and healing, peace of mind.

2) In front of the icon of “ABBEBS OF THE HOLY MOUNTAIN” they pray for finding the meaning of life and a spiritual mentor, as well as for a pious couple. The icon is used to bless the future wife as the keeper of the family hearth.

Created at the beginning of the twentieth century, by order of the Greek governor of Athos, by one of the masters in the former cell of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker on Athos. (another name is Belozerka, a corruption of the Greek Burazeri. Currently assigned to the Hilandar monastery).

The icon's ark contains particles of the Lord's Cross and the relics of saints.

Holy tradition connects the appearance of monastic monasteries on the Holy Mountain with the special care of the Most Holy Theotokos on Athos. Church tradition tells that the Mother of God, after the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Holy Pentecost, according to the lot that fell to Her, was supposed to go to the Iveron land, but by the Providence of God the work of the apostleship lay before Her in another place. A few years later, after the Ascension of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it turned out that the Athos Peninsula became this other place, which determined its future fate and history. Fleeing from the persecution inflicted by Herod in Palestine, the Most Holy Theotokos went with the Apostle John the Theologian and other companions to the island of Cyprus to Lazarus, about whom the Gospel tells and who was resurrected by Jesus Christ. At that time he was a bishop on the island. During the voyage, a storm occurred, which carried their ship to Athos, inhabited at that time by pagans, and they were forced to land on the shore, precisely in the place where the Iveron Monastery was eventually founded.

Seeing in this an indication of the will of God, the Most Holy Theotokos came ashore and proclaimed the gospel teaching.

3) Saint Nicholas; Nikolai Ugodnik; Nicholas of Myra Saint Nicholas is the holy archbishop of Myra in Lycia (Byzantium). In Christianity he is revered as a miracle worker and is the patron saint of children, travelers, and prisoners.

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker was born into a family of deeply religious Feofan and Nonna. The couple did not have children for a long time. After fervent prayers and a vow to dedicate the child to God, Nikolai was born.

Nicholas the Wonderworker did not grow up as an ordinary child; he was not interested in children's games or idle chatter, but he loved to read, pray and fast. From an early age, Nikolai studied the Divine Scripture with amazing zeal and did not leave the temple for a long time, fervently praying and getting to know God.

Nicholas's uncle, being a bishop and observing the spiritual successes of his nephew, made him a reader, and then elevated Nicholas to the rank of priest, making him his assistant and instructing him to speak instructions to the flock.

Being in constant prayer, Nicholas showed great mercy to his flock, came to the aid of the suffering, and distributed his property to the poor.

Nikolai saved one previously rich resident of his city from a great sin. Having three adult daughters, the desperate father planned to give them over to fornication to save them from hunger. Saint Nicholas secretly threw three bags of gold out his window at night and thereby saved the family from fall and spiritual death.

Nicholas was not a hermit, like many saints. He was always among people, helping them not only with moral teachings, but also with specific deeds.

Saint Nicholas performed many miracles: he saved entire cities from hunger, rescued those unjustly convicted from prison and saved them from execution, reconciled enemies, healed the seriously ill, and cared for orphans.

Nikolai's kindness, combined with his active nature, made him extremely popular and beloved among the people.

Saint Nicholas lived to a ripe old age, and his body remained incorrupt after death. In the Orthodox faith, Nicholas the Wonderworker is the most revered saint. Believers turn to him for healing from illnesses, help in difficult life situations and saving their families.

Throughout the Christian world there are many temples and monasteries dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. There are also miraculous icons of St. Nicholas. Some of them are myrrh-streaming.

The relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker rest in a basilica in the center of the Italian city of Bari. The relics of the saint are under the high altar. Miracles have been happening here for hundreds of years—millions of believers are convinced of this. They come to Bari from all over the world to venerate the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and ask for help.

ICON OF THE VIRGIN "ALL QUEEN"

The miraculous icon “The All-Tsarina” (Pantanassa) is located in the catholicon of the Vatopedi monastery

The image was painted in the 17th century and was a blessing from the famous Elder Joseph the Hesychast on Athos to his disciples. The elder's story about this icon has been preserved. In the 17th century, a strange young man appeared in front of the icon of the Mother of God “The All-Tsarina”. He stood there muttering something inaudibly. And suddenly the face of the Mother of God flashed like lightning, and some invisible force threw the young man to the ground. As soon as he came to his senses, he immediately went to confess to his fathers with tears in his eyes that he lived far from God, practiced magic and came to the monastery to test his strength on the holy icons. The miraculous intervention of the Mother of God convinced the young man to change his life and become pious. He was healed of mental illness and after that remained on Mount Athos. This is how this icon first showed its miraculous power on a person possessed by demons.

Later they began to notice that this icon also had a beneficial effect on patients with various malignant tumors. In the 17th century, it was first copied by a Greek monk and gradually became known throughout the world as a healer of cancer. The very name of the icon - the All-Mistress, the All-Mistress - speaks of its special, all-encompassing power. Having for the first time revealed her miraculous power against magical spells (and after all, sorcery, passion for magic and other occult “sciences” spread throughout the Christian world like a cancerous tumor), the All-Tsarina has the grace to heal the most terrible of the diseases of modern humanity.

The celebration of the icon takes place on August 31.

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The Athos Peninsula is the eastern “finger” of the Chalkidiki Peninsula, located in northeastern Greece. It stretches approximately 60 km to the southeast. Its average straight line width ranges from 10 to 14 km, but the mountainous terrain makes the winding roads from one coast to another much longer. At the southeastern tip of the peninsula, Mount Athos itself rises 2033 m above sea level. Monasticism on Mount Athos is more than 1000 years old. If we consider only the so-called cultural part of Athonite history, then, of course, there is no longer a place on earth where Byzantine culture has been preserved in the same intact form. In essence, Athos is a living Byzantium. However, history is not the main thing that attracts pilgrims from all over the world here. Holy Mount Athos is a place of unceasing prayer to God, a place consecrated by the exploits of thousands and thousands of monks, who for a millennium passed on the Orthodox faith to their followers in untouched purity and preserved it as such until today. That is why Holy Mount Athos is called the stronghold of Orthodoxy throughout the world.

How and by whom is Athos governed? The supreme power on Athos belongs to the Holy Kinot, which consists of representatives of 20 Athos monasteries delegated to it. The executive power of Athos is represented by the Holy Epistasia. The Holy Kinot and the Holy Epistasia are located in Karyes (Kareya), the capital of the monastic republic. All 20 monasteries are divided into five groups, each group having four monasteries. Every year one of the groups makes up the Holy Epistasia. The representative of the first monastery of each group is the chairman of the Sacred Epistasy. The first group includes the Great Lavra, Dochiar, Xenophonts, Esphigmen. In the second - Vatopedi, Kutlumush, Karakal, Stavronikita. In the third - Iversky, Pantocrator, Philotheus, Simonopetra. In the fourth - Hilandar, Xiropotamus, St. Paul, Grigoriat. In the fifth - Dionysiatus, Zograf, St. Panteleimon, Kostamonit. Read more about the monasteries of the Holy Mount Athos » According to the Charter of the Holy Mount Athos, adopted in 1924, “all monasteries on the Holy Mount... are within the spiritual jurisdiction of the Great Eastern Orthodox Church of Christ, and the commemoration of a name other than the name of the Ecumenical Patriarch is not allowed” (Art. 5). This Charter defines the powers of the Most Holy Church of Constantinople on Mount Athos. The competence of the Patriarchal Throne of Constantinople includes the implementation of a court in the third instance to consider cases according to which the punishment of overthrow is expected (Article 52); publication of the sigilion on the transformation of a special monastery into a communal monastery (Article 85); issuing permission for a bishop of another jurisdiction to perform sacred rites on the Holy Mountain (Article 173); issuance of permission to visit the libraries of the Holy Mountain (Article 185).

As for the monastic monasteries themselves on Athos, then, according to the Charter, “sacred monasteries are self-governing. They are governed according to their inner canonism, which they accept and which the Holy Kinot approves.” The main functions of monitoring the observance of private monastic charters, as well as the general Charter of the Holy Mount Athos, are carried out by the Holy Kinot of the Holy Mountain. In addition, “all other institutions, monasteries, cells, hesychastiria are dependent institutions of each sovereign monastery.” Great Lavra. Founded in 963. The oldest and largest monastery is located on the southeastern side at the foot of Mount Athos. The Lavra ranks first in the hierarchy of Athonite monasteries. Its founder is one of the most revered monks of the Holy Mountain, St. Afanasy Afonsky. He introduced into cave and hermit monasticism a system of community life, konoviya, which later became primarily a monastic way of life.

The Lavra has 17 temples on its territory and 19 outside it. Famous monasteries - John the Baptist, St. Anna, Kavsokalivia, Katunakia (or Katunaki), Karulia (or Karuli), Kerasia and others, as well as the caves of St. Peter of Athos, Athanasius, and the Myrrh-Streaming Nile belong to the Lavra. Among the priceless treasures of the monastery are many holy relics.

Patronal feast day - July 5 (18) - St. Athanasius of Athos.

Tel. +(30-23770) 23754, 23785, 22586, 23760. Fax +(30-23770) 23766, 23761-2.

Vatoped. It is located on a hill above the sea on the north-eastern side of the Athos Peninsula. It was founded around 972 - 985, probably by three rich and noble people: Athanasius, Nicholas and Anthony. They came here to live the monastic life during the time of St. Athanasius, founder of the Great Lavra. In the second Typikon (1045), Vatopedi occupied second place among the Svyatogorsk monasteries, which it retains today.

Among the treasures of the monastery, the most famous is the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The monastery stores many robes and sacred vessels, extraordinary in beauty and elegance of decoration, as well as many miraculous icons of the Most Holy Theotokos, such as the All-Tsarina, the Oil-Breaking One, the Ktitorskaya and the Slaughtered, which are the decoration of the monastery.

Patronal feast - March 25 (April 7) - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Tel. +(30-23770) 41488, 23219 (the office answers calls from 09.00 to 13.00) Fax +(30-23770) 23781.

Iversky (Iveron). Founded in 972 St. John of Iveron (i.e. Georgian). St. John was the fasting companion of St. Afanasy of Athos. The monastery he founded attracted other ascetics from Georgia.

The Iversky Monastery is the home of the icon of the patroness of the Holy Mountain, the Most Holy Theotokos of Iveron - the Goalkeeper (Portaitissa).

In 1651, a copy of this icon was sent to Moscow at the request of Emperor Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov (father of Peter the Great). Miracles from the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos helped in due time to raise the necessary funds for the monastery of St. Nicholas in Moscow (Nikolskaya St.) was transferred to the Iversky Monastery.

During the Greek uprising for independence from the Turkish yoke, the monastery gave up its treasures to support the people's struggle. At that time, Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople, a national hero and martyr, lived in the monastery. The last Georgian monk died here in 1955.

Patronal feast - August 15 (28) - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Tel. (30-23770) 23643(-4-5-6) (the office answers calls from 12.00 to 14.00). Fax (30-23770) 23248.

Hilandar (Serbian). Founded in 1197. Located in one of the densely forested picturesque valleys of the northeast of Holy Mount Athos, about four kilometers from the sea and the Esphigmen monastery.

The monastery owes its foundation to the Serbian king Stefan I Nemanja and his son Radko, who both took monastic vows, respectively, with the names Simeon and Savva. They revived the Hilandar desert, which had been deserted by the time they arrived there.

The most important shrine of the monastery is considered to be the icon of the Mother of God “Tricherussa” (Russian name – “Three-handed”). It was the personal icon of St. John of Damascus (8th century). During the period of iconoclasm, the saint, defending icons, wrote letters to the iconoclast emperor Leon III Isauro. The same, in order to justify himself, slandered him before the Saracen prince, who ordered the saint’s hand to be cut off. Saint John, with a cut off hand, came to the icon of the Mother of God, which he had at home, and asked to heal him. The brush miraculously grew together and Saint John, in memory of this miracle, attached a silver brush to the icon. The icon remains in this form to this day. In the cathedral church there are also no less famous Orthodox shrines - the “Popskaya” and “Akathist” icons of the Mother of God.

Patronal feast - November 21 (December 4) - Entry into the temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Tel. (30-23770) 23797, 23760. Fax (30-23770) 23108.

Dionysiatus (St. Dionysia, or “Nea Petra”, which means “New Rock”). Founded in 1375. It stands on a narrow and steep rock at an altitude of 80 meters above sea level, between the monasteries of Gregoriate and St. Paul. The monastery was founded in 1375 by the Monk Dionysius.

Among the shrines of the monastery are many holy relics, the most important of which are the right hand of John the Baptist and the relics of St. Nifonta.

Patronal feast day - June 24 (July 7) - Nativity of John the Baptist.

Tel. (30-23770) 23687(-9), 23237. Fax (30-23770) 23686.

Kutlumush. Located near Karyes. The monastery with the name Kutlumush was first mentioned in documents in 1169. There is a legend that the founder of the monastery was a certain Arab Kutlumush, who converted to Christianity.

The monastery stores many relics of saints, sacred vestments and icons.

Patronal feast - August 6 (19) - Transfiguration of the Lord.

Tel. (30-23770) 23226 (the office answers calls from 12.00 to 14.30). Fax (30-23770) 23731.

Pantocrator (Almighty). Located in the northeast of the Athos peninsula, next to the ruins of the ancient city. And although there is a widespread legend that the monastery was founded by Alexy Komnenos, the actual founders should be considered the brothers Alexy (who had the title of stratopedarch - commander of a military camp) and John (who held a high position in court). Nothing is known about the start date of construction of the monastery, but it was first mentioned in documentary sources in 1358. It is also known that in 1362 the monastery was rebuilt by Patriarch Callistus I. With donations made by the brothers Alexy and John, farmsteads were built that exist to this day time. The brothers' gift - the icon of Christ Pantocrator (Pantocrator) - is kept today in the Hermitage.

The monastery contains many shrines, among them: the relics of the Great Martyr. Theodore Stratilates, the unmercenary saints Cosmas and Damian, as well as a particle of the Life-Giving Cross, part of the shield of St. Mercury, icons of the 14th century..

Patronal feast - August 6 (19) - Transfiguration of the Lord.

Tel. +(30-23770) 23880, 23253, 23684, 23792 (the office answers calls from 12.00 to 14.00). Fax +(30-23770) 23685.

Xyropotamus. This monastery is located in a picturesque area in the center of the Athos Peninsula on the road from the port of Daphne to Kareya. According to legend, the monastery was founded in the 10th century by Empress Pulcheria (other sources talk about the emperors Constantine Porphyrogenitus and Roman Lakopin).

The monastery houses the world's largest piece of the Holy Cross of the Lord with a hole from one of the nails. This particle is inserted into a wooden Cross, according to legend, donated by Empress Pulcheria.

Patronal feasts - March 9 (22) - 40 Martyrs of Sebastia - and September 14 (27) - Exaltation of the Precious Cross of the Lord.

Tel. +(30-23770) 23251. Fax +(30-23770) 23733 (the office answers calls from 12.00 to 14.00).

Zograf (Bulgarian, “zograph” - translated from Greek “painter”). According to legend, this monastery was founded in the 10th century. three brothers-monks originally from Ohrid: Moses, Aaron and John. A disagreement arose between them about which saint or holiday to dedicate the monastery to. St. Moses proposed to build it in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos, St. Aaron - St. Nicholas, and St. John - martyr George. After much debate, they locked the icon board, covered with gesso, in the temple and stood up to pray. In the morning, having unlocked the temple, they were surprised to see that the icon of the Great Martyr was depicted on the board. George, in whose honor the monastery was consecrated.

The monastery is located in the interior of the peninsula, about 5 km from the coast. The monastery pier is located on the southwestern coast of the peninsula, between the piers of the Hilandar and Kastamonit monasteries.

The main shrines of the monastery are the miraculous image of the Great Martyr. George, as well as the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, called Akathist.

Patronal feast day - April 23 (May 6) - Great Martyr George the Victorious.

Tel. (30-23770) 23247.

Dochiar. Located on the southwestern coast of the Athos Peninsula. Founded in the second half of the 10th century, probably by the associate of St. Athanasius of Athos, St. Euthymius, a former cellarer (Greek - dochiaris) of the Great Lavra. In all likelihood, St. Euthymius founded a small monastery in the name of St. Nicholas near the port of Daphne. However, at the beginning of the 11th century, under the new abbot, under pressure from pirates, the monks moved to a new place, where the monastery is now located. A little later, the monastery cathedral was consecrated in honor of the Archangels.

One of the main shrines of the monastery is the icon of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear”.

Patronal feasts - November 8 (21) - Cathedral of the Archangel Michael, - and October 1 (14) - the icon of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear”.

Tel./fax (30-23770) 23245.

Caracal. Located on the slope between the Great Lavra and Iversky monasteries. The monastery was probably founded by a monk named Caracal at the beginning of the 11th century. The monastery is mentioned in the documents of the proto (chairman of the Athos Kinot) Nikephoros for 1018, but it is absent from the second Athos Typikon. This may indicate that the monastery was going through difficult times.

Among the shrines of the monastery are the venerable head of the Apostle Bartholomew and a piece of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord.

Patronal feast day - June 29 (July 12) - the holy apostles Peter and Paul.

Tel. (30-23770) 23225 (the office answers calls from 12.00 to 14.00). Fax (30-23770) 23764.

Filofey. It stands among the chestnut trees on the plateau on the north-eastern side of the peninsula, near the ruins of the ancient temple of Asklipius. It was founded in 990 by St. Philotheus, a contemporary of St. Afanasy of Athos.

Among the shrines kept in the monastery sacristy is the right hand of John Chrysostom, a piece of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord.

Patronal feasts - March 25 (April 7) - Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and August 24 (September 6) - St. Cosmas of Aetolian.

Tel. (+(30-23770) 23256. Fax +(30-23770) 23674 (the office answers calls from 12.00 to 15.00).

Simonapetra. The Holy Monastery of Simonos Petra, or Simonopetra (Simon's Rock), is the most daring architectural composition on the Holy Mountain. It stands firmly at an altitude of 330 meters on top of a rocky mountain range. The monastery was founded by St. Simon around 1257 after he had a vision. This whole building, as well as living according to the principles of holiness, convinces us that this is achievable only by God's grace.

Unfortunately, among the dates that are chronological indicators of the life of the monastery, there are also ominous dates of disaster from fires. In 1570, as a result of a fire, priceless documents disappeared, in particular, about the Byzantine period of his life. In 1622, another fire occurred, damaging the collection of monastery chronicles. In 1891, a fire destroyed the old buildings and monastery treasures.

The greatest asset of the monastery is the right hand of Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, which not only remains incorruptible for more than 2000 years, but constantly preserves the warmth of the human body.

Patronal feasts - December 25 (January 7) - Nativity of Christ, - and July 22 (August 4) - St. Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene.

Tel. (30-23770) 23254 (the office answers calls from 13.00 to 15.00). Fax (30-23770) 23722, 23707.

St. Paul's. The monastery is located at the western foot of Mount Athos near the pier. The builder of the monastery, according to legend, was St. Paul of Xiropotamia, who lived in the 10th century. After the attack on Mount Athos by the Catalans, the monastery, having temporarily lost its independence, turned into the cell of Xiropotamus. In 1370, it regained its independence and, thanks to the patronage of the Serbian prince George Brankovic, began to strengthen.

One of the main shrines of the monastery is the gifts presented by the Magi to the Infant Jesus; two large particles of the Honest and Life-giving Cross of the Lord.

Patronal feasts - February 2 (15) - the Presentation of the Lord, - and July 28 (August 10) - St. Pavel of Xiropotamsky.

Tel. +(30-23770) 23741, 23250, 23609. Fax +(30-23770) 23355 (the office answers calls from 10.00 to 12.30)

Stavronikita. The Stavronikita Monastery is the smallest in size on the Holy Mountain. It is located on the eastern side of the peninsula between the Iveron Monastery and the Pantokrator monastery.

The history of the monastery dates back to the X-XI centuries. From a number of inaccurate evidence we can conclude that its founder was a certain Nikifor Nikita (or Stavronikita), an officer of Emperor Tzimiskes. The monastery fell into decay in the 12th century as a result of pirate raids, and in the 13th century. was subordinated to the Kutlumush monastery, from which in the 16th century. moved to the monastery of Philotheus. In 1533, the abbot of the Heromerian monastery, Gregory, bought Stavronikita from Philotheus and set to work to revive it. In the same year, by patriarchal decree the monastery was recognized as stauropegial. In 1541, the Patriarch of Constantinople Jeremiah provided the monastery with significant financial assistance for its restoration, thus continuing the work of Gregory.

One of the most valuable shrines of the monastery is the icon of St. Nicholas, dating back to the XIII-XIV centuries.

Patronal feast day - December 6 (19) - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Tel./fax +(30-23770) 23255, 23908 (the office answers calls from 12:00 to 14:00).

Xenophon (venerable Xenophon). The monastery stands on a gentle hill by the sea between the Dohiar monastery and the St. Panteleimon monastery.

According to legend, this one was founded in the 10th century by the Venerable Xenophon, from whom it received its name. This saint is mentioned in the life of the founder of the Lavra, Athanasius of Athos. In historical texts, the monastery was mentioned for the first time during the years of Emperor Nikephoros III Botaniates. In one of the acts of the archbishop from 1083, it is reported that the great naval commander Nikifor Stefan arrived at the monastery, who became a monk and abbot here, taking the name Simeon, and took care of the reconstruction and expansion of the monastery. It can be assumed that the monastery as a whole flourished until the capture of Constantinople by the Turks.

Among the shrines of the monastery, special attention is given to a part of the Life-Giving Tree, two mosaic icons of Saints George and Demetrius in the new cathedral (built in 1809-1819), precious reliquaries with parts of the relics of many saints.

Patronal feast day - April 23 (May 6) - Great Martyr George the Victorious.

Tel. (30-23770) 23249, 23630(-3) (the office answers calls from 9.00 to 14.00). Fax (30-23770) 23631, 23660.

Gregoriate (Venerable Gregory). Located on the coast of the peninsula. You can get here by boat from Daphne. The monastery was founded in 1345 by the hermit Gregory. The monastery is a contemporary of Dionysiatus and Pantocrator. Almost nothing is known about the founder of Gregoriates, except that he was a student of Gregory the Sinaite. The fires of 1500 and 1762, which destroyed the monastery's archives, are undoubtedly the main reason for the lack of information. However, in addition to fires, the monastery repeatedly became a victim of pirates. The monastery was restored with the help of Orthodox sovereigns, among whom was John Stephen the Great, ruler of Moldavia.

Among the treasures of the monastery are a particle of the Life-Giving Cross, the relics of saints, sacred vessels and robes. Gregoriat has 7 temples on its territory and 6 temples outside it.

Patronal feast day - December 6 (19) - St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Tel. +(30-23770) 23218, 23668(-69, -70) (the office answers calls from 11.00 to 13.00). Fax +(30-23770) 23671 (the office answers calls from 11.00 to 13.00).

Esphigmen. The monastery stands on the eastern coast of the Athos peninsula, not far from the Hilandar monastery. Founded in the 10th or 11th century. The monastery was first mentioned under the name Esphigmen in the second Athos Typikon (charter) in 1045. The monastery at various times suffered from pirate raids and destructive fires. Monastic manuscripts say that pirate raids occurred three times: in 873, 1047 and 1534. In addition, in 1491 there was a severe fire in the monastery.

However, in the history of the Esphigmen monastery there were not only difficult periods. The Byzantine monarchs provided him with special patronage.

Esphigmen trained such highly spiritual ascetics as St. Anastasius, Patriarch of Constantinople (1310), and St. Gregory Palamas, Archbishop of Thessalonica (1335).

Between 1821 and 1832 Esfigmen was occupied by the Turkish army and used as an inn for soldiers. Restoration of the monastery by the monk Agafangel from the monastery of St. Anna lasted from 1832 to 1871. It was at this time that the magnificent buildings of the entire monastery were created, including the bell tower, temples, cathedral decoration and the southern gate.

The monastery houses many holy relics.

Esphigmen occupies 18th place in the hierarchy of Athonite monasteries, but its representative is not part of the Holy Kinot and does not take part in its meetings. The Esphigmen Monastery does not commemorate the Ecumenical Patriarch, and also does not have canonical communication with other monasteries of the Holy Mountain. The monks of this monastery call themselves “zealots” (“zealots”).