The meaning of the Mammal icon
In Orthodoxy, the icon of the Mother of God “Mammal” is considered the intercessor and patroness of all nursing mothers. The most valuable and useful thing a mother can give to her newborn child is milk, and no artificial formula can completely replicate its unique composition. The only image that depicts the Mother of God feeding the baby Jesus with milk is the Mammal icon.
This image is considered one of the oldest in Orthodox iconography. For a long time the icon was kept in Jerusalem, in the Church of Lavra Sava the Sanctified. Later, the image of the Mother of God nursing the Divine Child was transported to the holy Mount Athos. Today, in addition to the original, there are many copies of icons that also possess Divine power and are capable of working real miracles. The image of the Sun and Moon on them is considered mandatory for such copies of the icon.
There is an opinion among Orthodox believers that every girl who is going to give birth to a child should have such an image in her home - in this case, the entire period of bearing the baby will pass without complications and will bring only positive emotions.
In addition, it is believed that the presence of an icon next to the expectant mother promotes good lactation after the baby is born.
Full text of the akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos in front of the “Mammal” icon with accents
Kontakion 1
Chosen from the daughters of men, the Matter of the Being of Christ our God, let us bring songs of praise from our love; But You, who inexpressibly gave birth to the Son of God and, as if you nursed the Child with milk, save us, who sing of Thee, from the evils, sorrows and misfortunes that have befallen us, and let us call Thee without silence:
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Ikos 1
The faces of angels, when they came into the den and saw there the pure Virgin nursing her Son with milk, I cried out to You, O Blessed One:
Rejoice, thou who gave birth to the Creator of the world; Rejoice, nourisher of the Nourisher of the universe.
Rejoice, you who wrap the clouds in swaddling clothes; Rejoice, you who bear the cherubim of Nosimago with your hands.
Rejoice, for a little child was born of You; Rejoice, for the Child paid and brought joy to the world when You came into the world.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 2
Seeing the Holy Virgin lying with Her breasts, she said to Him: How can I feed You, My Creator, to Him all the hosts of heaven cry out: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
All rational creation misunderstands how the Virgin abide and feed the Child with milk. Moreover, as believers in this ineffable sacrament, we reverently cry out:
Rejoice, unblemished Virgin; Rejoice, beautiful Maiden.
Rejoice, woman's adornment; Rejoice, pure Mother.
Rejoice, virgin rule; Rejoice, Blessed One among women.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 3
The power of the Most High is the autumn of Thee, O Virgin Mother of God, and gave Thee strength to envelop and nourish, Whom all the ends of the earth magnify and sing to Him the great song: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Having great boldness towards the One born of You, look at the sorrows and troubles that have befallen us, beg Him who is nourished by You for us, sinners and unworthy, and, having been delivered from cruel misfortunes, let us say to You:
Rejoice, thou who gave birth to our sweetest Consolation; Rejoice, you who brought forth the Blessed One by grace.
Rejoice, our All-Blessed Mother; Rejoice, having called us Your children.
Rejoice, our trustworthy refuge; Rejoice to the faithful, calm haven.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 4
The storm of sorrows and misfortunes will hold us, trembling, so that we do not drown in the sea of life, but appear to us, like Noah’s dove, giving a branch of hope to us, crying out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Hearing the words of the eternal life spoken by Thy Son, the prudent wife, glorify Thee, crying out to Him: “Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the breast that Thou didst piss,” and also accept our weak praises:
Rejoice, precious bead, all-wonderful Mother; Rejoice, greatness in wives.
Rejoice, ever-blooming branch; Rejoice, belly, receive the Treasure of sanctification.
Rejoice, golden cup of Christ, bearing the heavenly Manna; Rejoice, you who revive us with the Bread of Life.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 5
Thy God-bearing hand, O All-Singing One, stretch out to us the weak, raise up the despondent, save the desperate, and in joy of soul, more troubled than anything else, we cry to Thy Son: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Having seen Thee in Dus, the God-speaking Isaiah, as Imashi, the Virgin of existence, in the womb of the reception of the One born of Thee, exclaimed to Thee:
Rejoice, Thou who gave birth to the Eternal; Rejoice, for through You God is with us.
Rejoice, prophecies come true; Rejoice, joy of the prophets.
Rejoice, hope of the whole world; Rejoice, consolation of our family.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 6
The preachers of the ever-glagolemy of Thy mercy are manifold miracles, exuding from the icon of Thy saint, which Thou hast abundantly given to us, and, worshiping Thee and the Infant Christ, we cry out voices of praise: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
Rise in the monastery of Sava the Sanctified, like a radiant sun, Your all-honorable icon, called the Mammal, before the venerable one from the monk I will take out to glorify You, crying out:
Rejoice, wonderful decoration of our monastery; Rejoice, firm intercession and protection from enemies visible and invisible.
Rejoice, ever listening to our prayers; Rejoice, thou who graciously accepts our petitions.
Rejoice, you who calm our sorrowful sighs; Rejoice, you who wipe away our tears.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 7
Although the Monk Savva departed into eternal life, he prophetically spoke, as if after many days the king’s son, his namesake, would come to this monastery, this one would receive the holy icon of the Lady as a blessing and sing rejoicing: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
The new saint Savva, the saint of the Serbian land, came to the ancient monastery and received the holy icon according to his words and brought it to Mount Athos to the Hilandar monastery, and all its inhabitants joyfully cried out to the Lady of the world:
Rejoice, ever providing for us sinners; Rejoice, you who forget none of us sinners.
Rejoice, renewing Your mercy a thousandfold in Your holy, miraculous icons; Rejoice, now pouring out a new sign of Your bounties.
Rejoice, you who have dearly loved those who love and honor Thee; Rejoice, you who never put those who pray to shame.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 8
It is a strange miracle and something that is misunderstood by the unfaithful and worldly, as miracles flow from Your icon, but we, with multiple graces in this affirmation, sing to the Lord God, who has given such a Helper to the Christian race, we dare: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
The whole world, visible and invisible, blesses You, Virgin Mother of God, as our zealous Intercessor, ever helping us, in the sea of troubles and sorrows of those who are perishing, and we cry out to You, our only Hope:
Rejoice, thou who beseechth Thy Son for us sinners; Rejoice, you who quickly help in troubles and situations.
Rejoice, our prayers will soon be heard; Rejoice, the sorrows of our life are sure delight.
Rejoice, strengthener of our faith; Rejoice, you who help us bear the cross of our lives.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 9
In every way pleasing Thee, O All-Blessed One, John of Damascus said that silence is more convenient than singing to Thee, but compelled by love, we praise Thee and sing a great song to Thy Son: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
We don’t want to flaunt ourselves, but with love and tears we flow to You, like a Mother more loving than our children, and from the depths of our hearts we cry out:
Rejoice, our inexpressible Joy; Rejoice, our unspeakable consolation.
Rejoice, fence of our houses; Rejoice, protection of our children.
Rejoice, education of infants; Rejoice, protecting the young from the paths of destruction.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 10
You are willing and able to save us all, both willing and able, O Most Holy Virgin, if we resort to Your all-honorable protection, for this sake we pray to You: deliver us from the bitter troubles and sorrows that have come upon us, drawing our hearts to a blessed refuge and teaching us to cry out to God, who was born from You: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
We call You an indestructible wall and we know that we speak the truth, for we know that You dearly love the Christian race, Your mercy and generosity are ever flowing out to those who cry out to You:
Rejoice, who protects us from the snares of the enemy, Rejoice, who saves us from the slander of evil people.
Rejoice, our kinsman who exchanges enmity for love; Rejoice, preserving peace and silence in our homes.
Rejoice, helper of good intentions; Rejoice, you who put good advice in your heart.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 11
All singing was brought to You, Most Immaculate, by the prophets, who foresaw the seedless conception and birth of the Son of God from You, the shepherds and the wolves, who saw You giving birth and nourishing, and all Your people praise You. We believe that until the end of the age the song of praise from the Christian generation to the One born of You will not cease: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
You are a radiant luminary, O Most Pure One, for us perishing in the darkness of sins and passions, enlightening our darkened eyes, illuminating our hearts with a higher mind, singing to You:
Rejoice, you who gave birth to the Path, Truth and Life; Rejoice, you who entrust us to the true God.
Rejoice, you who illuminate our dark souls with the light of the Gospel; Rejoice, thou who countest the wisdom of this age for nothing.
Rejoice, the highest wisdom, which is love, planting in our hearts; Rejoice, help to everyone and in everything.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 12
The grace of God appeared miraculously in the Russian lands from the likeness of Your icon of the Mammal. In the same way, Mount Athos and our country, now suffering fiercely, but still confidently trusting in Your mercy, cry out to the merciful God: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing to Thee, who gave birth to our Savior, and wrapped Himself in swaddling clothes, and nourished Him with milk, we hope that none of Your requests will remain unanswered from Him, even though the Sweetest Jesus Himself promised Thee; Having firm hope in this, we praise You, our Joy and Consolation:
Rejoice, you who transform fierce sorrows into joy; Rejoice, you who soften the hardness of our hearts with Your love.
Rejoice, you who teach us to love God and our neighbor; Rejoice, instructing us to place our trust in God in our sorrows.
Rejoice, who warms our cold prayers with Thy love; Rejoice, prayers of us sinners and unworthy, like a merciful Mother who accepts.
Rejoice, Virgin Mammal Mother of God, who always nourishes us with Your mercy.
Kontakion 13
O All-praiseworthy Virgin Mother of God, who nourished our Lord and Master with milk, do not despise this sorrowful prayer of ours, but pray to Your Son to grant us forgiveness of sins, healing of illnesses, may He save us from hunger, frost, deadly ulcers, unexpected deaths and from all troubles and circumstances, and having been delivered from these, we joyfully call to Him: Alleluia.
This kontakion is read three times, then the 1st ikos “The faces of the angels...” and the 1st kontakion “Chosen from the daughters...”.
Prayer
O Most Holy Lady our Lady Theotokos, our Heavenly Queen, who nourished us with the milk of Christ our God and nourished us unworthy and sinful with Your rich mercy, save and deliver us, Your sinful servants, from vain slander, from all misfortune and misfortune and sudden death. Have mercy on us in the daytime hours, in the morning and evening hours, and at all times, protect us standing and sitting, and cover and intercede on all the paths of those who walk and in the night hours of those sleeping. Protect us, Lady Theotokos, from all our enemies, visible and invisible, and from every evil situation. In every place and at every time, be for us, Mother of Grace, an insurmountable wall and strong intercession, always, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Reading rules
Since the text of the akathist written to the “Mammal” icon is quite long, the Orthodox Church does not prohibit reading it from a piece of paper. Before starting a prayer appeal to the Mother of God, you should definitely purchase an icon and read the akathist while looking at it. In the last stages of bearing a baby, it is difficult for a pregnant girl to stand on her feet for a long time, so in this case it is allowed to read the prayer while sitting.
Also, the akathist “To the Mammal” can be read by close relatives of a pregnant woman if the expectant mother is not feeling well and she cannot do it on her own. It is recommended to start reading the text even before the baby is born.
If, after turning to the Mother of God, the birth was successful and the mother has enough milk to feed her baby, it is necessary to visit an Orthodox church and thank the intercessor by ordering a special prayer service from the priest in honor of the Queen of Heaven.
Why is an akathist to the icon “Education” of the Blessed Virgin Mary needed?
Akathist is a poetic Christian chant glorifying God, the Mother of God, and the holy righteous. Its meaning is to praise the Lord and thank him for his mercies. The tradition of creating such solemn hymns began in Byzantium, during the heyday of Orthodox culture.
Since the “Education” icon became famous for its miracles and help, grateful believers composed a hymn of praise for the image. This chant helps to establish relationships with children and bring them to reason. Despite the care and protection of parents, the child, sooner or later, faces the cruelty and injustice of the world. Many temptations, fears and temptations stand in the way of a person.
Only proper education can help in such a situation. It is especially important for Christians to raise a child to be morally and ethically complete, conscious, and compassionate. It is in order to be able to do this that the akathist is read.
Prayer is one of the best ways to influence children. If problems arise with a child - he is capricious, does not obey, rebels, then it is useless to argue with him and limit him. Most likely, an attempt to suppress his aspirations will end in even greater protest.
Therefore, before scolding your son or daughter, you should pray and ask the Lord and the Mother of God to admonish your child. In addition, a person cannot constantly be near the child. By releasing a child from home, a Christian entrusts his child to the will of God, and he must rely on it.
The Akathist to the Mother of God can be read not only for specific problems with children, but also to ensure that these problems do not appear in the future.
If turning to the Heavenly Queen helped, then you should thank, including through prayer and reading the akathist.
How does the holy text help believers?
The Mother of God, who is depicted in the icon as a nursing woman, is approached not only after childbirth, when the mother has weak lactation or no milk at all. It is recommended to purchase the image as soon as the girl finds out that she is pregnant, and turn to it with prayers throughout the entire pregnancy.
Reading the akathist to the Mammal icon helps in the following cases:
- If the expectant mother plans to independently feed her baby with breast milk, for a long and abundant lactation.
- In the case when the baby was born premature, does not breastfeed well, or has some developmental abnormalities.
- They also turn to the Mother of God if the woman who gave birth has some pathologies and diseases of the mammary glands, as well as gynecological problems.
- Reading the akathist promotes an easy birth without complications.
- To bless and protect both the woman who gave birth and her baby.
- Prayer to the “Mammal” icon helps a girl find inner peace and tranquility during pregnancy and after the birth of the baby, as well as find mutual understanding in the family with her husband.
Thanks to the patronage of the Queen of Heaven, many women were able to give their newborn baby adequate nutrition without resorting to artificial formula.
The history of the appearance of the akathist
The appearance of the akathist is associated with the image of the Mother of God of the same name. This icon, kept for a long time in the Moscow Kazan Cathedral, became famous for its miraculous help in raising children. According to the type of writing, it is “Hodegetria”.
The beautiful face of the Mother of God, pointing her hand at her Son, is meek and sad. The Child Christ is dressed in light clothes, exposing the legs and chest of the Savior. The naked flesh of Christ symbolizes his sacrifice for people. The color scheme is characteristic of the Eastern Christian tradition: red, gold, white colors.
The origin and fate of the image are not known for certain. There is a version that this Greek icon was brought to Rus' from Byzantium. Be that as it may, it was a real relic for Moscow. Residents of the city came to her with requests and prayers. Since then, a short prayer has been preserved: “I entrust my child entirely to my Lord Jesus Christ and to Your, Most Pure, heavenly protection.”
Despite the important status of the icon, the shrine was lost in 1918. Some suggest that the image was taken abroad. Perhaps this image is kept in one of the modern private collections. When the Kazan Cathedral was restored, a detailed list was placed in the original place of the icon. Although the original has not yet been discovered, Orthodox Christians still turn to the icon with sincere prayer.
It is not known when and by whom the akathist to the icon was written. The exact date of its adoption is December 28, 2021. It was on this day that the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church approved the reading of the akathist to the Mother of God “Education” in churches and in home, cell prayer. Therefore, you can read it both in church, during worship, and at home, on your own.
In addition to this chant, officially approved by the heads of the church, another version can be found in some sources. In it, the traditional word “Rejoice” is replaced by the word “Educate.” The authors of this text also remain unknown.
