Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God: meaning, what it helps with, where to hang it, what it protects from, prayer

The Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God is one of the rare Christian shrines on which the Mother of God is depicted without her Son Jesus Christ. The image is known in many countries of the world and is equally revered by the Orthodox and Catholic churches. The face has miraculous properties, repeatedly confirmed by eyewitness accounts. The celebration of the icon is held twice a year - on January 8 and April 27.

History of the discovery of the shrine

The origin of the Ostrobramskaya icon is surrounded by numerous traditions and legends. The most common story is that the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary miraculously appeared on the city gates of Vilna. An inexplicable event was recorded in April 1431.

The gate where the divine face was discovered at the beginning of the 15th century was nicknamed “sharp” by the local population. This gave the name to the icon, which is also called Vilna.

Another legend tells that the icon was sent by the Greek Emperor John Palaiologos to the Grand Duke of Lithuania Olgerd. It is alleged that this image was presented by the ruler of Greece as a sign of Lithuania's acceptance of Christianity.

Some historians believe that the icon was originally called the Korsun Annunciation icon and was independently brought by Prince Olgerd from Chersonese. It is believed that he received it as a military trophy after a successful campaign against the Crimean Tatars in 1363.

It is known that in 1812 the Vilna Icon was badly damaged, but already in 1829 the image was restored and returned to its original condition. Today in Christian churches you can find numerous lists of the image. The original of the shrine is kept in the Ostrobramsky Church, which belongs to the Roman Catholic Church. The original icon is covered in a case with expensive gilding and gems, protected by a sealed metal container, and connected to an alarm system. This reliably protects the valuable relic from dangerous temperature changes, bright sunlight, theft or vandalism.

Disagreement over true origins

In church notes there are many different versions of the appearance of this divine and powerful icon in the capital of Lithuania in the 15th century. The first talks about the divine appearance of the shrine on the Sharp Gate of the Gate in 1431. According to another assumption, the icon of the Most Pure Virgin was presented to Prince Olgerd, who converted to Christianity, by Emperor Paleologus.

In 1839, T. Narbutt published a version in his book that became widespread among Orthodoxy. The historian often resorted to falsifications and speculation based on Canon D. Lodziata. The latter wrote about the bringing of the shrine by Olgerd from Korsun (Chersonese) as a military trophy after the victory over the Crimean Tatars. The prince's wife presented the image to the clergy of the newly built Trinity Church. However, this hypothesis of Narbut and Lodziata was not confirmed in more authoritative sources.

Some researchers shared the opinion that the shrine was painted by an Italian artist who lived in Vilna in the 16th century. One scientist notes: Seraphim of Sarov prayed in his own cell before the “Ostrobramskaya” Mother of God, and not before the “Tenderness,” as the majority assumes.

The Polish researcher M. Skrudlik argued: the canvas called “Ostrobramskaya” Mother of God was created in 1619 in the workshop of the Krakow artist L. Porenbsky.

On a note! At the end of the 20th century, a Polish researcher put forward a new theory. She believed that the prototype of the great shrine was the engraving of Thomas de Lue by M. de Vos, a Dutch master of painting.

Description of the religious image

The Ostrobramskaya icon is distinguished by its rich design and looks incredibly beautiful. On it, the Mother of God appears in all the greatness of her earthly and heavenly glory. It is believed that no other image of the Virgin Mary can compare in beauty with the Ostrobramsky face.

In the icon, the Virgin Mary is depicted in rich robes, with a bowed face, downcast eyes and arms crossed on her chest. The head of the Mother of God is decorated with two crowns with precious stones. Around the Blessed Virgin is visible a halo in the shape of the sun, with long pointed rays extending from it. At the bottom of the icon there is a silver crescent.

The figure of the Mother of God is almost completely covered by a precious robe made of gilded silver and decorated with gems. It features an elaborate floral pattern of carnations, roses and tulips. From under the rich robe only the face and hands of the Virgin Mary protrude.

When painting the original icon, the master used tempera paints and two oak boards joined together. The image is classified as Agiosoritissa - a shrine depicting the Most Pure Virgin without Jesus Christ, with hands in prayer position.

The Orthodox Church believes that the Ostrobramskaya icon is part of the complete picture and conveys the moment of the Mother of God’s acceptance of the good news. As some representatives of the clergy suggest, it depicted the Archangel Gabriel, who brought the Virgin Mary the joyful news of the imminent birth of the Son of God.

The history of the divine image and its miraculous properties

There are two known, but different versions of how this holy image appeared. As was described in one of the legends, the face of the Virgin Mary appeared in 1431 on April 27 in the city of Vilna on the “sharp gate”. This is where the name of the image comes from. This Divine face is distinguished not only by its rich attire, but also by its incredible beauty.

However, based on another legend, the Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God was received as a gift, in honor of the adoption of Christianity from the Emperor of Greece to the prince. There is also another legend, according to which the icon miraculously appeared above the gate.

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The image of the Mother of God itself is considered very rare, because it depicts only the Mother of God without the baby. The Saint herself is with her arms crossed and her head tilted down. Christian believers believe that this imprinted gesture indicates acceptance of the Holy Message. But on the head of the Mother of God there is a halo with long rays and stars, a crown, and at the bottom of the image there is a silver crescent.

When is Divine Image Day celebrated?

Catholics organize a solemn procession annually on April 14;
And the Orthodox people celebrate every year on December 26th.

What does the image symbolize?

The Vilna icon shows the humility, meekness and deep concentration of the Mother of God on prayer. What is depicted in a religious painting carries the deepest meaning.

The Ostrobramskaya icon symbolizes:

the heavenly purity and spiritual perfection of the Mother of God;
complete submission before the fulfillment of the Lord's will;
the boundless love of the Most Pure Mary for all humanity;
the thoughtfulness of the Mother of God about the fate of the world, its righteous and sinners;
the desire to protect and help all believers who seek support;
readiness to rely on the will of God, confidence in the help of the Creator.

The two crowns on the head of the Mother of God symbolize Her unlimited power in two worlds - material and spiritual, on earth and in heaven. The crescent moon under the figure of the Blessed Virgin is a vote, which represents a gift offered by believers as a sign of gratitude for Divine benefits. It also has a different meaning: it indicates individuals who have managed to transcend their bodily nature, ascend to the highest level and free themselves from the shackles of the flesh. This is exactly what the Most Pure Mother of God was, remains and always will be.

Correct prayer before the Ostrobramskaya Holy Virgin

It is better to hold a prayer service in a monastery, but it is also allowed at home.

Thoughts and words should not be desecrated by lies.
Women are required to cover their heads with a light scarf and refrain from wearing open clothing.
Before the ceremony, you need to wash your face with blessed water and light a lamp. There should be no extraneous noise in the room.
The believer is advised to clear his mind of indecent intentions, since the petition takes place in the realm of virtue and purity.
If during reading a person has a desire to make a request in his own words, it is necessary to stop the ritual and talk about the desire gnawing at the soul. Once you feel calm, you should return to the procedure.
The prayer service ends with the traditional exclamation “Amen”, the sign of the cross and a low bow.

Read about other Christian rules:

How to venerate an icon correctly
How to pray correctly
How to read the troparia correctly

The Church recommends that every Orthodox believer purchase this image. It should be placed in the right corner opposite the door. You cannot place any household items nearby, this distracts the mind when reading sacred requests. It is the Christian's responsibility to keep the place clean at all times.

Interesting! Many Orthodox devotees claim that the appearance of the Ostrobramskaya icon in the house discourages some people from coming to visit. This shows the miraculous power of the image, removing potential evil from the home.

Ostrobramskaya icon of the Mother of God, Poland

Miracles of the Ostrobramsk Icon

After its appearance to the Christian world, the Divine Image gave much joy to believers and became famous for various miraculous events. The face of the Virgin Mary accelerates the onset of recovery from various diseases, promotes the birth of healthy offspring in infertile couples, and helps raise children in faith and obedience. The image supports and gives strength to the spirit during everyday troubles, saves from persecution, slander, and slander. It is known that the Divine image protects against the attacks of dark forces and helps to get rid of demon possession.

History has recorded many stories about how the icon showed its unprecedented Divine power. In 1671, the image saved a two-year-old child from injury and death, who fell from a window located high above the stone pavement. During the Great Northern War (1700–1721), the enemy broke into Vilnius and destroyed many Christian values, but was never able to harm the Ostrobramsky face. In 1708, one of the soldiers tried to tear down and carry out the shrine, but in doing so he was terribly frightened: an invisible force threw him against the wall and completely made it impossible for him to steal the painting.

There are a large number of cases where, after fervent parental prayers in front of the Vilna Icon, abducted or lost children finally returned home. This happened even when quite a lot of time had already passed since their absence. Adults who were already considered missing or dead were also found. Many of them were safe and sound.

What does the Mother of God of Ostrobramskaya help with?

The Orthodox people believe that the divine image is one of the main protectors from enemies and dark forces. For the face to have its miraculous effect, the picture should be hung directly above the front door.

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What does the Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God protect from?

Having a Holy image at home can significantly improve home energy;
A miraculous picture will help in difficult times, find a solution to many problems and bring good luck in most endeavors;
Our Lady also protects married couples from the interference of others, helping them preserve their feelings for a long time;
Many people communicate with the image to help loved ones with mental disorders and other mental illnesses;
Another important fact that the Obstrobram Icon helps with is saving a person from many problems and even protecting himself from premature death;
The face will also help protect yourself from the evil eye, envy and gossip.

What requests are addressed to the face?

Among Orthodox and Catholic Christians, the image of the Blessed Virgin is considered a reliable protector and helper in a wide variety of situations. Many believers know that after a sincere, kind-hearted prayer, the icon of the Ostrobramskaya Mother of God:

helps to find solutions to troubling problems and overcome obstacles on the way to good goals;
suggests the right way out of difficult situations;
delivers from temptations, unrighteous, sinful thoughts;
heals diseases, helps to gain health and prevent many ailments;
allows you to return a missing person, makes his search successful;
warns of possible danger and intrigues of ill-wishers;
helps to get out of extreme poverty, get rid of debts;
protects from envious people, offenders, gossips;
protects from evil forces, the evil eye, witchcraft, curses;
frees the heart from resentment, anger, hatred of others;
saves from despondency, depression, mental disorders;
eliminates the risk of sudden death.

The icon protects the home from fires and other disasters, and helps to avoid the entry of thieves. Many believe that prayers before her can remove curses from the entire family. That is why every Christian should have this image in their home.

The Vilna image has always been considered the patron saint of family and marriage. Worship of this icon allows you to strengthen family ties, achieve mutual understanding, and avoid conflicts between relatives. The image enlightens the younger generation, protects them from rash actions and the negative influence of evil people.

The presence of an icon in a home and its sincere veneration protect all inhabitants from illness, failure, and lack of money. Thanks to it, the general atmosphere improves and negativity goes away. Everyone who lives in the house begins to feel peace, harmony, and spiritual joy.

Our Lady is known for her strong patronage of innocent babies. The Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God calms newborn babies, protects them from the evil eye, helps them grow faster, not get sick and develop properly.

An irreplaceable assistant

The main question that believers are looking for an answer to is: what does the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God help with, what troubles does it protect from? Turn to this icon if:

They want to protect themselves from the evil eye, gossip, sudden death, and various problems. They want to achieve harmony in the home, calm the atmosphere and normalize the energy of the home. They strive to protect spouses from interference by third parties and help the couple maintain love for many years. We intend to rid our home of unwanted guests, as well as of any visitors who could cause harm to the family and its habitat. They want to get rid of a curse or some other negativity up to the seventh generation. They strive to help their loved ones with depression, mental illness and other mental problems. They need to calm down an anxious baby and want to instill joy in the soul of a little person.

The icon of the Ostrobramskaya Mother of God will also help expectant mothers safely bear and give birth to children. The meaning of the image of the Mother of God for pregnant women is protection and patronage during this difficult and responsible period. The icon is especially valued by those couples who despair of having children due to problems with pregnancy and childbirth.

Where can you place the icon in the house?

The image should be hung in the part of the room called the “red corner” (facing southeast). Also, the icon can be located above the front door, and at the same time look into the house. It is believed that this arrangement of the face of the Mother of God protects the home from robbers, ill-wishers, fires, floods and other troubles.

Many Orthodox Christians note: after the Ostrobramskaya icon is correctly placed in the house, some people stop coming to it. This means that by the power of her intercession, the Holy Virgin took envious people, ill-wishers, and hypocrites away from the home of the believing family, who could cause various troubles to its members.

Before installing the image in the chosen place, you must read the prayer to the Mother of God. After this, the icon must be placed in the prepared place and in the future carefully monitor its cleanliness.

The stand located under the image can be decorated with an embroidered towel. It is recommended to place a small support with a candle or a lamp nearby, which should be lit when reading prayers to the Mother of God. There should be no other objects near the Holy Face.

Miracle performed by the Holy Image

Cure from infertility . For 10 years, Vitaly and Elena could not become happy parents. Elena's husband, having learned that a temple was being built in honor of the Mother of God, took an active part in the construction work, and they became one of the first who were able to pray to the divine face in the new temple. After this, Elena was able to get pregnant and soon gave birth to a beautiful girl.
Return of abducted children . There have been recorded cases of abducted and missing children being returned to their parents, in some cases without any conditions.
Search for missing people . The Saint also helps in finding missing relatives. For more than a year, Galina’s daughter did not contact her mother. She went to work in Japan and disappeared there. Galina began to pray to the image every day for help, and very soon people were found who helped her daughter return home in a short time.

And these are not all the miracles that the divine face has done for people sincerely asking for help.

How to pray in front of the Vilna Icon

For every true believer, the Ostrobramsky image of the Most Holy Mary can become a reliable support and support in life. In order to be heard by the Mother of God, it is important to correctly offer prayer to Her. This could be an akathist read during a service in the Orthodox Church, or your own appeal.

Representatives of the clergy teach parishioners how to speak correctly to the Blessed Virgin:

before creating a prayer, you must not sin, tell lies, or offend your neighbors;
some time before the sacred ritual it is better not to eat food;
Women praying should have a scarf on their heads and wear closed clothes;
Before asking the Mother of God for help, you need to wash yourself with holy water, then light a lamp or a consecrated church candle near the icon.

In the room where prayer is being read, silence should be maintained, extraneous sounds and noise should be excluded: nothing should distract an Orthodox person from turning to the Mother of God. At the end of the ritual, you must say “Amen” and bow in front of the image.

You can pray at the Ostrobramskaya icon in an Orthodox church or at home. The main thing is to maintain pure, bright thoughts during prayer and forget about the vanity of the world. It is important to think not about material values, but about the spiritual benefits that the Most Holy Mother of God joyfully bestows on all Christians.

Finally, a few prayers.

Prayer 1

O most holy Lady, my Lady Theotokos, Heavenly Queen! Save and have mercy on us, your sinful servants, from vain slander, from all kinds of troubles and misfortunes, evil and crafty people and arrogant deaths. Protect us, Lady Theotokos, from all our enemies, visible and invisible, from the fierce slander of the enemy and from all evil circumstances. Amen.

Prayer 2

Most Holy Theotokos, do not turn Your face away from me, a sinful servant of God, and accept this prayer to You, offered with all my heart, preserve the fruit of my womb and safely give birth (to give birth) at the right time (due) by Your great and ineffable mercy.

Prayer 3

Oh, Most Holy Virgin, Mother of the Lord of the highest powers, Heaven and earth to the Queen and our city of Kiev, omnipotent Intercessor!
Receive this song of praise from us unworthy Thy servants, and lift up our prayers to the throne of Thy Son and our God, may He be merciful to us sinners, and may He add His goodness to those who honor You and worship Your miraculous image with faith and love.
To whom shall we cry out to the Lady? To whom shall we turn in our sorrows, if not to You, Queen of Heaven? Who will receive our cries and our sighs, if not You, Most Immaculate, the Hope of Christians and the refuge for us sinners? Who will protect you more in adversity? At the same time, we earnestly pray to You: cover our sins with Your intercession, protect us from enemies visible and invisible, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against us.
Read also: Icon of the Apostles Peter and Paul: meaning and what the saints pray for
O Mother of the Lord our Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading flower of purity. Accept our unworthy prayer and keep us in spiritual purity, save us from the slander of evil people and from sudden death, and grant us repentance before the end. Have mercy on us in the hours of the day, and in the morning and in the evening, and at all times preserve us: you have kept us standing and sitting, and in every way you have walked, and in the night hours you have provided for those who sleep, cover and protect. ́. In every place and at every time, be for us, Mother of God, an insurmountable wall and a strong intercession. You have appeared to us, the guardian of all life, Most Pure One; Deliver us from demons at the hour of death; Even after death, ask Your Son and our God to find peace.
We, sinners, lift up prayers to You with hope and tenderly cry out: Rejoice, O Blessed One; Rejoice, Delighted One; Rejoice, Most Blessed One; The Lord is with You, with You and with us. We resort to You, as to our undoubted and speedy Intercessor, and to You, as the Almighty Helper, we commit ourselves and each other and our entire life according to Christ God, to Him all befits What glory, honor and worship is with His beginningless Father, with the Most Holy and by His good and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.

Prayer 4

Oh, All-Merciful Lady, Queen Theotokos, chosen from all generations and blessed by all generations of heaven! Look mercifully at these people standing before Your holy icon, earnestly praying to You, and act by Your intercession and intercession with Your Son and our God, so that no one will depart from me One hundred of this is empty of his hope and he is put to shame in his hope, but let everyone receive from You all according to the good will of your heart, according to your need and desire, for the salvation of the soul and the health of the body.
Most of all, in the autumn and protect with Your protection, Merciful Mother, Your Holy Church, strengthen our Orthodox bishops with Your highest blessing, protect with peace, and Thy Holy To the whole, healthy, honest, long-living Church, grant the word of Your truth, from all visible and invisible the enemy, with all Orthodox Christians, mercifully deliver, and in Orthodoxy and firm faith until the end of the ages, unfailingly and unchangeably. Look with mercy, O All-Singing One, and with the gaze of Your merciful intercession over our entire country, our cities and this city [or: this temple, or: and the spiritual heliport that exists here], and upon this richness of Thy mercy pour forth unsparingly. You are the all-powerful Helper and Intercessor of us all. Bow down to the prayers of all Your servants who flow here to Your holy icon, hear the sighs and voices in which Your servants pray in this holy place.
If both a non-believer and a foreigner, passing here, pray, hear, O child-loving Lady, and do this kindly and mercifully, even to help him and to salvation. Instruct the hardened and scattered hearts in our countries on the path of truth: convert those who have fallen from the pious faith and bring them back into contact with the holy Orthodox Catholic Catholic Church and the Apostolic Church. In the houses of Your people and in the brethren, protect and preserve the holy abodes of sowing peace, establish brotherhood and humility in the young, support old age, instruct youths, in perfect age Who are wise, intercede for the orphans and widows, comfort and protect the oppressed and in sorrows, raise infants Heal the sick, captivated by freedom, forever protecting us from all evil with Your goodness, and comfort us with Your merciful visit and all benefits to us. Grant, O Good One, fruitfulness to the earth, prosperity to the air, and all timely and useful gifts for our benefit, through Your omnipotent intercession before the All-Holy Life-Giving Trinity. Our fathers and mothers, our brothers and sisters, who have gone before, and all of us from the years of old have fallen to your holy icon, rest in the villages of the saints, in a green place, in a place of peace No, where there is no sorrow and sighing. When our departure from this life and transmigration to eternal life arrives, appear to us, O Most Blessed Virgin, and grant a Christian end to our life, painless, without shame, I will partake of peace and the Holy Mysteries, and in the future we will all be honored, together with all the saints , endless blessed life in the Kingdom of Your beloved Son, our Lord and God Jesus Christ, to Him belongs glory, honor and worship with the Father and the Holy Spirit, forever ki centuries. Amen.

What do they pray to her for?

About protection, especially during times of distress. Naturally, they demand the most not for themselves, but for the children, both very young and adults (after all, for the mother they remain children even at 40 years old).
They demand from the Mother of God: if the Lord has prepared the inevitable, then at least to protect the soul from destruction without holy communion.
About getting rid of non-Christian thoughts and hesitations in the Lord.
About peace in the house, the end of quarrels, abuse, scandals, and even drunken brawls.
She often helps married couples (especially young ones) get rid of the “good” advice of girlfriends, friends and very annoying relatives who, whether they want it or not, essentially destroy the family.
They also pray for salvation from depression. Relatives of people suffering from psychological disorders and patients in homes for the insane also turn to the icon.
Well, in the end, this is a real “shield” for the home. The Mother of God protects not only from an evil person, but also from thieves, robbers and even a flood or fire.

It is also believed that frequent prayers in front of the Ostrobramsky face remove the curse from a person. Moreover, the Mother of God can cleanse his entire family from curses, right up to the 7th generation.

How to pray

There is a special prayer that is usually read in front of the icon. Here she is:

In addition, there is also a kontakion (hymn of praise), which sounds in the church as a symbol of the glorification of the Vilnius Mother of God:

Where in the house is it customary to hang this image?

Above the entrance. So that the icon does not lose its own power, do not hang anything else next to it (not even other icons, and remove the horseshoe - the church prohibits this “lucky” talisman, like all other talismans).
Opposite the entrance. Choose a corner opposite the door, on the right, so that the Mother of God looks into the face of anyone who enters.
In the reddish corner, to other icons. Let me remind you: in this place, icons of Christ and the Virgin Mary are hung or placed in the center, and other types are at the edges or below.

Almost all people note that after purchasing or receiving a species as a gift, certain relatives or friends began to visit them less often. Coincidence? Or does the Virgin Mary simply close the house from unnecessary, unclean guests?

You will learn more about this icon from the video. In addition, you can go on a small excursion to the temple where pilgrims worship this shrine:

Source: tayniymir.com
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Collection of answers to your questions

It is difficult to meet an Orthodox person who does not know what the Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God looks like, what it protects from and how to handle it correctly. It is one of the most famous shrines in the Catholic world. To this day, there are several versions of its origin.

A few historical facts

In accordance with the translation from Latin, the Ostrobramskaya icon takes on the meaning of an entrance gate. That is why for the first time its location was a fortress fence in the city of Vilna. One source indicates that the date of its foundation is considered to be April 27, 1431

. Orthodox people characterize her with the best adjectives: luxurious, beautiful and radiant. It was brought from a Crimean city. The second wife of Prince Olgerd gave the shrine to the church.

In 1671 it was moved to a wooden chapel built near the gate. During the war years it was guarded by several Swedish soldiers. There are several legends about the shrine.

In 1702, the icon saved the life of a small child;
Once during all this time she fell and caused serious harm to the soldiers;
In 1706 and 1714 the chapel burned, the icon itself found in it was completely undamaged by the fire;
In 1795, every person of military rank had to pass under this icon;
For several centuries in a row, Orthodox people have been approaching this icon to confess.

In 1830, a new chapel was built for the shrine. The icon also underwent reconstruction, which was carried out by the painter K. Rusetsky. the coronation of the Virgin Mary took place in 1927

The meaning of the Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God

Orthodox people claim that the Ostrobramskaya icon is of great importance in the Christian world.

Its main purpose is protection from dark forces
. During wars and battles, crowds of people approached her to ask for peace;
There is a rumor that it can protect against the evil eye, gossip and envy; it is not surprising that it is often placed in the workplace
;
It can also help a person get rid of an existing curse or reduce its effect;
People in relationships also strive to approach this icon so that harmony appears in their relationships;
They place it in houses so that they have a calm atmosphere;
In some health centers you can see this shrine. The main purpose of her presence is to get rid of depression
, restore the body and psychological calm;
It is also given to spouses as a symbol of fidelity;
An icon can also bring good luck in many endeavors.

Based on the fact that it is of great importance in the Orthodox world, it is not difficult to guess that the image of the shrine is found almost everywhere: in churches, at work, at home, in a hospital, in a kindergarten, in educational institutions and even in enterprises.

What does the icon look like?

To this day, the shrine is located above the Ostrobramsky Gate of the city of Vilnos. For Lithuanian believers it is of great importance. You can notice that thousands of people approach her every day to pray for help for themselves and their loved ones. People come from all over the world for only one purpose - to bow before her.

Especially many believers can be seen at the Ostrobramsky Gate on Orthodox holidays. The Feast of Respect for Catholics is celebrated on April 27, and December 26 is considered the day of the Ostrobramsky Icon.

How to pray correctly?

It is best to pray in the chapel itself

. If this is not possible, then you can do it at home. It is not recommended to eat for several hours before prayer, lie or sin. All thoughts must be pure; you must approach the icon sincerely. Women are advised to cover their heads with a light material similar to a silk scarf. It is also not recommended to wear revealing clothing.

Of course, when praying at home, you don’t have to change your clothes.

. It is advisable to wash your face with holy water first. In front of the icon you need to light a candle lamp. There should be complete silence in the room. During prayer, it is recommended to free your head from bad intentions. The prayer itself is a sincere request for help. After it, you must definitely say “Amen”, cross yourself and bow.

Where is the best place to put an icon at home?

Every home should have the Ostrobramskaya Icon of the Mother of God. What does it protect against? First of all, from enemies. Therefore, it is recommended that it occupy a position in the right corner opposite to the entrance door. There should be no other objects near it. It should be ensured that the shrine is always kept clean

Pay more attention to its appearance, wipe the dust off it more often

What does the Seven-Arrow Icon of the Mother of God mean?

The Seven-Arrow Icon of the Mother of God is that “portal” to the invisible but real world, when space and time can become unstable, the laws of nature can change and what people call a miracle can happen. But a miracle is just an atypical situation. Those who turned to the Mother of God and received consolation from her know why prayer before her helps. Christians pray not to the icon itself, but to the Image depicted on it, and the meaning of the Seven-Arrow Icon reveals to us all its depth and meaning. The Chief Comforter will help you in everything if you turn to her with faith and humility. We are all children for her, and she is our common Mother. Well, how can a mother refuse a child when he turns to her, and even with tears? The answer is known: nothing. Only if it does not threaten his safety.

No safety hazard. “But how does mom know,” the child will think. “How can she forbid me something if I need it. And not someday later, I need it now!” - the child thinks. How we sometimes look like children. The Mother of God hears everyone, accepts everyone and loves everyone, but what is asked may not happen, or may not happen immediately. You need a firm intention to be patient and trust. Trust that you were heard and understood there. She protects us like the apple of her eye. Through the prayers of the Mother of God, any help, any protection is possible for her Son. “Ask, and it will be given to you,” is written in the Gospel. Ask.

There is another meaning of the Seven-Shot Mother of God icon. In the image we see seven arrows - seven human sins. Invisible to the eyes of people, they are visible to the Mother of God - she looks straight into the heart. The sinfulness of fallen man pierces the soul of the Mother of God just like the sight of her desecrated Son.