History of the “Sweet Kiss” icon
When the iconoclast emperor Theophilos took the Byzantine throne, he ordered the destruction of all icons. The wife of his close associate Simeon, Victoria, revered the icon and hid it in her chambers. When her husband demanded that the icon be burned, she, having prayed, released it into the freedom of the sea waves.
Along the waves, this icon sailed to Athos, to the Philotheus monastery, and a procession of the cross is still held on Easter Monday to the place where it was found.
For more than a thousand years of stay in the monastery, the icon of “Glycophilus” showed many miracles.
Thus, in one married couple from Pryor, the wife suffered from infertility, but when the husband offered a passionate prayer before the icon of the Mother of God “Sweet Kiss,” the oil from the lamp burning in front of the icon helped: he anointed his wife and himself with the oil, and at the same time year their son was born.
Another miracle was the return of the kidnapped person and the repentance of the criminal. This happened in 1801. The icon of “Glycophilus” was decorated with gold coins hung from the frame. One pilgrim was flattered by them and kidnapped them, after which he boarded a ship and tried to escape. However, although the wind was blowing favorably, the ship stopped close to the shore and did not move further. When they discovered the loss, they began to search everywhere, including sending a boat to the ship. The kidnapper, seeing the miracle performed, repented and returned the stolen goods, and the ship continued sailing.
Another miracle happened already in the 20th century, when Greece was under German occupation. The monastery had almost run out of wheat, and it was decided not to accept any more pilgrims. Only the elder Father Savva opposed this decision and persuaded the brethren to abandon it. When there was just a little flour left, he again persuaded them to bake bread from the leftovers and distribute them not only to the monks, but also to the laity, trusting in the mercy of the Most Pure Virgin. When this was done, a ship carrying wheat moored to the pier, and the captain offered to exchange part of it for firewood. So the Mother of God again took care of her children.
The “Sweet Kiss” icon is of particular significance for those who pray to protect children from illnesses and dangers, to introduce them to the true faith, to respect their parents and strengthen their spirit when life’s problems arise.
Celebration is on Easter Monday.
History of the holy image
During the reign of Emperor Theophilus, iconoclasm flourished. The emperor himself supported the ideas of abolishing the tradition of venerating icons, considering it a crime of the commandment against idolatry. Simeon, a servant close to the emperor, supported the views of his master. But Simeon’s wife was faithful to the canons and revered icons. This woman's name was Victoria. In her chambers she had many icons, but she especially revered the icon of the Mother of God, in front of which she always prayed.
Icon of the Mother of God “Sweet Kiss” (“Glycophilus”)
One day my husband demanded an icon in order to burn it. Victoria did not want to give such a shrine to desecration, which is why she threw the icon into the sea.
After some time, the icon miraculously appeared on the banks of Mount Athos, not far from the Philotheus Monastery. The abbot, together with the brethren of the monastery, placed the icon in the local church. The place where the icon appeared became revered. Now, according to tradition, every Bright Monday a religious procession is sent from the monastery.
Read about other icons:
- Icon of the Mother of God “Kursk-Root”
- Icon of Saint Princess Olga
- Icon of Mary of Egypt
Icon “Kissing the Mother of God and Righteous Elizabeth”
Another name for this icon is “The Meeting of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Holy Righteous Elizabeth” (Meeting means meeting). According to the Gospel tradition, after the Annunciation - the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel, the Virgin Mary hurried to Elizabeth, her mother's sister. Childless Elizabeth and her husband priest Zachary were already in old age, but the Lord gave them a son, the future John the Baptist, with whom Elizabeth was pregnant at that moment.
The ancient icon painter, who painted the icon “The Meeting of Mary and Elizabeth,” depicted these holy women with Babies in their wombs; the later icon “Kissing the Mother of God” simply depicts their embrace. Upon meeting the Virgin Mary, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and glorified Mary as the Mother of the Savior.
They pray to this icon for the protection of the Mother of God and for the gift of children, healthy and strong.
Celebration - March 30/April 12.
Lists
From April 5, 2021 in the Transfiguration Church in the village.
Zabrody Kalacheevsky district of the Voronezh region there is a list of icons from the Athos Monastery of Philotheus: When the icon, painted at the request of benefactors restoring the Transfiguration Church.
Zabrody Kalacheevsky deanery, was already ready for departure, the board was cracked. Then the abbot of the Philotheevsky Monastery gave his blessing to hand over to the parishioners of the Kalacheevsky Transfiguration Church the image that had the blessing and was prayed for, saying that the Mother of God wants to go to those who are waiting for Her in this very image [5]
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before Her icon “Sweet Kiss” or “Glycophilus”
Accept, O All-merciful, Most Pure Lady, Lady Theotokos, these honorable gifts, the only ones applied to You, from us, Your unworthy servants, chosen from all generations, manifested above all creatures of heaven and earth. Because for Your sake the Lord of hosts was with us, and through You we knew the Son of God, and became worthy of His Holy Body and His Most Pure Blood. Blessed are you, too, in the birth of births, God-blessed One, the brightest of the Cherubim and the most honest of the Seraphim. And now, All-Singing Most Holy Theotokos, do not cease praying for us, Thy unworthy servants, that we may be delivered from every evil advice and from every situation, and that we may be preserved unharmed from every poisonous pretext of the devil. But even to the end, through Your prayers, keep us uncondemned, as if through Your intercession and help we are saved, we send glory, praise, thanksgiving and worship for everything in the Trinity to the One God and the Creator of all, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Prayers
Troparion, tone 7
The possessing heresy, / about your honorable icon, O Virgin, / you clearly provide: / the journey of your abode / as a gift worthy of offering. / And here we denounce the sweet-loving right, / / You have lost we're waiting.
Kontakion, tone 8
Who come to Thy temple and monastery/ and persecute the saving grace of God/ and venerate Thy holy image,/ hereby grant, O Virgin, Thy mercy,/ having delivered from all these sorrows, to Thee intoxicants // Rejoice, One Unbrided of God
Icon “Sweet kiss”
Human life takes place on a planet that is almost never serene and quiet.
Fires and floods, an increase in man-made disasters and more frequent military conflicts - people become afraid, and only in faith do they find peace, finding solace in prayers before holy images. The great significance of Orthodox icons cannot be overestimated, because each face carries a tremendous power of healing, liberation from fears and the severity of the sinful yoke. Holy faces help to cleanse not only from all kinds of filth, they fill human hearts with confidence in the future and give a feeling of security.
From the ancient depths
According to ancient legend, the “Sweet Kiss” icon was painted by the Evangelist Luke. Years later, she ended up with a certain Victoria, who was distinguished by great piety and piety. The woman carefully preserved the holy image, despite the flared iconoclasm.
note
Victoria's husband, fearful of persecution, demanded that the icon be removed from the house and even burned. But the woman did not destroy the face of the Mother of God.
She prayed fervently and lowered the icon into the sea, in full confidence that God would preserve the image and would not allow the icon to perish in the sea waves.
And so it happened! The holy image appeared on the shore near the Philotheevsky monastery, and the monks, wiping the icon from drops of water, brought it under the arches of the cathedral church. Since then, on Great Easter Monday, a religious procession has been held from the monastery to the place where the image appeared. And, to this day, praying people witness wondrous miracles performed in front of the “Sweet Kiss” icon.
Without fear and sadness
This is exactly how, without fear, doubt and sadness, everyone who has visited the Holy Mountain and seen the wondrous icon begins to perceive the future. The bright image of the Mother of God drives out the fear that fetters a person with heavy chains.
The harmony of the face of the Mother of God washes hearts, dissolves many years of grievances, pacifies anger and gives souls the grace of forgiveness.
The tender hands of the Mother of God, with which she holds her Son, help people heal from physical suffering and mental anguish.
The “Sweet Kiss” icon evokes tenderness and warm tears of sincere joy in anyone who looks at it. After all, the Mother of God is depicted at the moment when She, young and beautiful in her purity and holiness, tenderly kisses the Infant Christ.
But a person looking at the icon understands that the Mother of God, busy communicating with Her child, did not protect herself from other people.
Important
She is ready to listen to anyone who turns to Her, ready to intercede before God for everyone who kneels before the holy image.
The inspired beauty of the Mother of God and the harmony of Her face calm, give hope and strengthen faith in God's great forgiveness and the Mother's boundless love for all living on earth.
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Source: https://tovia.ru/blog/afon/ikona-sladkoe-lobzanie-/
Icon of the Mother of God “Sweet Kiss” (“Glycophilus”)
The icon of the “Sweet Kiss” (Glycophilus in Greek) became famous during the reign of the Greek iconoclast emperor Theophilus (829–842).
One of the emperor's close associates, Simeon, imitated his master in his hatred of icons. His wife Victoria secretly revered icons and had in her inner chambers an icon of the Mother of God, which she worshiped. The husband looked at this with indignation and finally demanded the icon from his wife in order to burn it. The believing woman decided to part with the treasured shrine, but not to deliver it into the hands of her husband.
She let her go into the sea.
After an unknown number of years, this very icon appeared on the seashore in front of the Athos Philotheus Monastery. The abbot and the brethren accepted her with joy and honor and brought her into the cathedral church of the monastery. The place where the icon appeared is called “Agiasma”. On Bright Monday, a procession of the cross takes place here from the monastery every year.
It is impossible not to mention here one edifying miraculous incident that happened in 1830. At this time, one pilgrim came to the Philotheevsky Monastery from Adrianople. Here in the monastery he accidentally spoke with the ecclesiarch. The latter, in a sincere conversation, told the pilgrim about various miracles of the Mother of God and also reported how Her icon of the Sweet Kiss appeared on the seashore in front of the Athonite Philotheus monastery.
Bogomolets asked the ecclesiarch with curiosity about everything, listened carefully to his stories and, apparently, took everything to heart. The Ecclesiarch complied with his wishes. But what was his amazement when his interlocutor finally expressed his doubts about the truth of everything told, and considered the monk’s story about the miraculous appearance of the icon of the Mother of God Glykofilussa to be a simple fable that only a child could believe.
The Ecclesiarch thought for a moment. He didn't expect anything like this. There is no doubt that evil seeds were sown in the soul of the pilgrim, and they poisoned his Christian mood. Perhaps he was already close to a complete collapse. After all, from denying the benefits shown to the human race by the Mother of God, and from doubting the miraculous appearance of Her holy image, there is only one step to doubting miracles in general, and in particular, the miracles of the Savior of the human race...
Seeing the imminent death of his interlocutor, the ecclesiarch tried to dispel his spirit of doubt, but the pilgrim stubbornly denied all his words and arguments. He fell so deep.
And it was not the monk’s arguments that convinced the pilgrim: he was returned to the number of sincere followers of Christ by the Queen of Heaven Herself.
On the same day, a miracle happened to him, and from it he could be convinced of the miraculous power of the Most Pure Virgin. Walking along the top floor of the house, he tripped and began to fall down. Then he exclaimed: “Most Holy Mother of God, help us!” and descended to earth without any harm...
The Sweet Kiss icon is also glorified by other miracles. It stands in the cathedral church of the monastery and depicts the Mother of God kissing the Eternal Child. The icon is 1 arshin 12 vershoks in height, and 1 arshin 3 1/2 vershoks in width. There is a church tradition that it is one of the 70 icons painted by the Evangelist Luke.
In the monastery of the Russian Athonite Panteleimon Monastery there is a photograph from the miraculous icon of “Glycophilus”.
