There are two references to the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the first, according to the Gospel of Luke, the Archangel Gabriel brought the news to the house of Mary and her husband that she had been chosen to become the mother of the Lord. With gratitude, Mary accepted the angel’s speech, and the Holy Spirit of heaven descended on her with the happiness of the immaculate conception.
This is the Annunciation - when an angel brought joyful news to the Mother of God.
Icon of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
In the second, earlier mention, it sounds like this: while drawing water from the well, Mary heard a voice. He spoke about the upcoming fateful meeting with the heavenly messenger.
Arriving at the house, Mary sat down reading the Holy Scriptures and the image of an angel appeared to her, with the news that she had been chosen to become the Mother of God.
Having heeded the prayers of the inhabitants of Veliky Ustyug, the image of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The blessed one reached the city of Veliky Ustyug in poor clothes and with pokers in his hands. Procopius became the subject of people's ridicule and reproach. One day he began to call on residents to come to the temple and pray that the terrible misfortune would pass by from Veliky Ustyug.
But the townspeople laughed, considering Procopius a holy fool. And when the clouds thickened in the heavens, thunder struck and lightning flashed, the townspeople took refuge in the church and began to earnestly pray to the Blessed Virgin, the heavenly intercessor.
The icon of the Mother of God poured myrrh in response to the prayers offered, and the clouds over the city cleared.
The photo of the icon of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos of Ustyug clearly indicates a characteristic feature of the image - the figure of a baby entering the mother’s womb.
The Ustyug icon of the Mother of God refers to the Annunciation with needlework, since in the hands of the Most Pure Mary is not a book with scripture, but a skein of thread
The Ustyug image of the Annunciation is venerated on March 24 and July 21. The akathist is read to blessed Procopius of Ustyug and to the Most Holy Theotokos before the image. Prayers and all sorts of festive activities are offered.
History of the Holy Face
The Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the most significant holidays in the Christian world. In terms of importance, it ranks third after the Nativity of Christ and Easter. The miraculous event is described in the Gospel and apocrypha of the first centuries of Christianity.
Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary “Annunciation”
Bible story
The Gospel of Luke contains the basic information about this event. It tells that the Archangel Gabriel appeared at the house of the righteous husband Joseph and the pious Virgin Mary with good news. He said that the Lord chose her to give birth to the Savior of mankind. Mary humbly accepted the will of the Almighty. The Holy Spirit descended upon the virgin who voluntarily agreed to become the mother of the Son of the Lord, filling her womb.
More detailed information is given in various early Christian apocryphal writings. Their knowledge plays an important role in understanding the iconography of the Annunciation plot. Some sources say that at the time of the appearance of the angel, the Most Pure Virgin was weaving a purple curtain for the temple in Jerusalem.
Other religious texts, built on a logical basis, mention two appearances of the Messenger of God. The first of them took place at the well, where Mary heard only the voice of an angel. It was supposed to prepare her for a meeting with the messenger in human form. The description of the second phenomenon that occurred in the house almost completely coincides with the text of St. Luke.
The description of Mary's occupation at the moment the Archangel Gabriel appeared before her sometimes says that she was reading a book. Researchers suggest that she could have studied the Holy Scriptures or the records of the prophet Isaiah, which predicted the appearance of a god-man born of a simple woman.
The appearance of the holiday
The first images of the Annunciation plot, found in early Christian catacombs, date back to the 2nd century. n. e. Therefore, some historians of Christianity believe that the tradition of celebrating a miraculous phenomenon was laid down in the apostolic period. Reliable information about the beginning of the veneration of the Mother of God dates back to the 4th century, when, thanks to the activities of St. Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, holy places associated with major biblical events were discovered. The Annunciation became one of the main Christian holidays by the 7th century, when it spread not only throughout Byzantium, but also throughout the European states.
The image of the Annunciation of the Mother of God of Ustyug is valuable not only for Christians, but also for historians
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in this century the icon was restored, however, in some places places of the original Byzantine icon painting remained
The icon of the Ustyug Annunciation is painted on a board with water-soluble paint, the so-called tempera. Its original size was 144 by 229 centimeters. Later, the icon was enlarged on all sides, increasing it to 168 by 238 centimeters.
The Virgin Mary is depicted in dark red robes, bordered with gold fringe. Behind her is a throne, at her feet is a fragment of patterned fabric. The face of the Mother of God is meek and humble, she is young, rosy and full of strength. The head is tilted towards the messenger.
In the left hand of the Blessed Virgin is a skein of red yarn, the thread is passed through the fingers of her right hand, with which she blesses the infant Christ, touching the halo above his head.
The icon of the Annunciation on the patronal feast day is decorated with white and yellow flowers
The baby is depicted in red tones; it seems to be illuminated through the mother’s clothes. On his body is a loincloth, the same as during the crucifixion. There is a silver halo above the head.
Archangel Gabriel in an orange and blue robe, with golden hair and gilded wings. His face is turned to Mary. With his gaze and right hand he calls upon the Virgin to heed the good news; in his left hand he holds a thin staff, one of the attributes of the archangels.
At the top of the image, the Old Denmi sits on a red throne, supported by cherubs. In his left hand he has a scroll, and from his right hand comes a ray, denoting the Holy Spirit descending on Mary.
In a later restoration, fragments of the lives of the Most Saints were added around the perimeter of the icon.
Traditions and rituals of the holiday
The celebration of the Annunciation does not take place without a divine service, to which the clergy appear in beautiful blue vestments. In churches, the all-night vigil begins from Compline. The service itself may have unique features, depending directly on what day of the week the holiday falls on. In addition, they take into account which other church holiday the Annunciation coincides with. If, for example, it is with Easter (called Cryopascha in this case), then the canons are combined.
Ordinary people visit churches and pray fervently. It is also customary to pay more attention to charity and help the needy with alms. Following an old tradition, people release birds, mainly pigeons. They, symbolizing the Holy Spirit, according to legend, can reach the angels themselves, informing them about the good deeds performed by a person over the past year.
Orthodox Christians are in a hurry to prepare salt for the Annunciation. It is collected into a small bundle of fabric; each family member should take a pinch. The assembled slide is also pre-calcined over fire. The bag should be stored in a secluded place. It plays the role of a kind of amulet, the main miraculous property of which is the elimination of all diseases.
Anyone who has the opportunity makes a pilgrimage for the holiday. They go to holy places with the goal of touching one or another Orthodox shrine. A relic for the Annunciation can help a person get rid of many troubles.
The celebration does not take place without prayer, which is sure to find an answer, since on April 7 the Lord opens the heavens to hear any human request. Taking advantage of this, Christians make wishes and pray to divine powers for protection and help in any endeavor.
It is rare these days to find people who adhere to the tradition of lighting large fires. This custom was typical of the ancient Slavs, who destroyed old things with fire, thus freeing themselves from the negativity that haunted them. This is one of many pagan rituals that have sunk into summer.
The pious Virgin Mary became the mother of our Lord Savior
How does the image of the Annunciation help those who offer prayers?
People turn to him with any sorrows and problems.
According to legend, in those distant times, girls were raised in churches and monasteries, maintaining purity and chastity. Upon reaching adulthood, many got married, the rest returned to their father's house. The Virgin Mary, betrothed to the elder Joseph, who was already 80 years old, wished to remain a virgin.
The righteous Joseph protected the girl’s chastity. After the election of Mary to become the mother of the Savior the Lord, Joseph, who was in holiness, wanted to let his wife go, however, he was stopped by an angel and remained the earthly husband of the Most Pure Virgin Mary.
According to tradition, on the feast of the Annunciation, believers release white doves into the sky.
The image of the Queen of Heaven is presented as an ideal woman and mother, the embodiment of meekness and humility, love for children and everything on earth, trust in God’s providence.
What should you not do on the Annunciation?
You already know what date the Annunciation is in 2021. So don't plan heavy homework on April 7th. On this day, “A bird does not build a nest, a maiden does not braid her hair,” people say. It is considered a great sin to even leave to work on the day of the Annunciation. You cannot sow grain, plant seedlings or cultivate the land on this day. The harvest may not germinate or be very weak. All work involving the use of threads is also prohibited: sewing, knitting, embroidery.
On the Annunciation, as on any other religious holiday, it is forbidden to quarrel, sort things out, or swear. It is not recommended to borrow money, give personal items to someone else for use, or wear new clothes. The church also prohibits marriages on this day. After all, the Annunciation is a period of physical and spiritual abstinence and repentance.
The miraculous icon of the Annunciation helps both those personally praying and those asking for loved ones
There are many revelations of miraculous healing from infertility, both male and female. Faith and prayers to the image of the Annunciation brought joy in the form of replenishment, even in cases where medicine remained powerless.
The icon of the Annunciation helps those praying for diseases of the soul and body, asking for deliverance from drugs, alcohol and other addictions. Makes it easier for people in prison. Protects from sins and forgives those who have sinned. Guides you on the right path in times of mental turmoil.
Signs and beliefs
Folk signs for the Annunciation tell about the weather and help to find out what the harvest will be like.
- Frosts on this day mean a rich harvest.
- If swallows have not arrived before the Annunciation, spring will be cold and late.
- Clear weather means warm summer.
- If you wash your face with melted snow on the morning of the Annunciation, you will be healthy all year.
There are also festive Annunciation signs that attract love, wealth, and prosperity to the house.
- To attract wealth, people carried coins in their pockets. If you hear a cuckoo nearby, you need to ring this money.
- To ensure harmony and love reigned in the house, the wife called her husband “beloved” forty times.
- To get a rich harvest, a piece of prosphora was buried in the garden.
- Prosphora was also added to the feed of poultry to keep them healthy and produce good offspring.
The image of the Virgin Mary: from evangelical simplicity to royal splendor
The first images of the Annunciation were distinguished by their laconic simplicity - only two figures: Mary and the angel preaching the gospel to Her. And it is very interesting to observe how, over time, two simple figures began to acquire various details. After all, the creation of iconography is not a spontaneous phenomenon, since the Church itself develops the icon. It is in this case that one can very clearly trace this very principle of the formation of iconography.
Fragment of a painting from the catacombs of Priscilla. Rome. End of the 2nd – beginning of the 3rd century
For example, after the Third Ecumenical Council, which approved the very term “Mother of God” in order to emphasize the dignity of the Queen of Heaven, the Virgin Mary began to be depicted in magnificent court robes, sitting on a richly decorated throne. This setting was also included in the plot of the Annunciation. The most striking example of images of this type is a mosaic from the ancient Roman temple of Santa Maria Maggiore:
Read about the mosaics of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in a separate article.
