Prayer Virgin Mary, Rejoice

Almost all Orthodox believers consider the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice” one of the most popular and revered prayers . Many believers call this appeal to the Blessed Virgin Mary the “Angelic Greeting.”

Indeed, who else but the Mother of God has been the intercessor of humanity and the patroness of every sufferer for many centuries.

The full text of the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” is a prayer book, which is greeting phrases praising the Mother of God, written in the Gospel. For example, one of them was pronounced through the lips of the Archangel Gabriel, informing the Virgin Mary about the birth of the future Savior.

Virgin Mary, rejoice

Virgin Mary, Hail, blessed Mary, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, for you have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

Translation

Mother of God Virgin Mary, filled with the grace of God, rejoice! The Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the Fruit born of You, because You gave birth to the Savior of our souls.

The Mother of God is the one who gave birth to God.
The words Hail, the Lord is with You, blessed are You among women, taken from the greeting of the Archangel Gabriel, when he announced to the Blessed Virgin Mary the birth from Her according to the flesh of the Son of God (Luke 1:28).
The words Blessed are You among women mean that the Most Holy Virgin Mary, as the Mother of God, is glorified more than all other wives (Luke 1:42; Ps. 44:18).
Graceful - full of grace, mercy from God.
Blessed - glorified.
The words blessed is the fruit of your womb taken from the greeting of the righteous Elizabeth, when the Holy Virgin Mary, after the Annunciation, wished to visit her (Luke 1:42). The fruit of Her womb is the Son of God Jesus Christ.

Story

The prayer is based on the greeting of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary at the moment of the Annunciation (Luke 1:28-31; Matt. 1:18-25). The famous “Ave, Maria” is the same prayer in Latin.

When and how to read the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”

The prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” is included in the liturgy (morning service) and the evening troparion, where it is solemnly performed three times. The complete Theotokos rule is to read the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” 150 times a day.

While reading every ten prayers, one must remember an event from the life of the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven:

1. Birth of the Virgin Mary.
2. Entry into the Temple of the Virgin Mary.
3. Annunciation. Meeting with the angel Gabriel.
4. Date with Elizabeth.
5. Birth of Jesus Christ.
6. Presentation of the Lord.
7. Flight from Herod.
8. The disappearance of the Son in Jerusalem. Experiences of the Virgin Mary.
9. A miracle when, at the request of the Mother of God, Jesus turned water into wine.
10. Crucifixion of Jesus Christ. The Suffering of the Virgin Mary.
11. Resurrection of the Savior.
12. The Ascension of the Son of God, which was seen by the Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven.
13. The appearance of the Holy Spirit to the apostles and the Virgin Mary.
14. Death of the Mother of God.
15. Glory to the Virgin Mary in heaven.

After ten prayers, “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice,” you should read the “Our Father” and the prayer “Merciful Doors.” To begin with, it is recommended to read forty times a day. Saint Seraphim of Sarov suggested, in the absence of free time, to read “Our Father” 3 times, “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice” 3 times and “Creed” 1 time.

It is better to read the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” in front of the icon of the Mother of God. The prayer is short and can be read, if necessary, at any time and in any place, most importantly with faith, with all your soul, thoughtfully.

Full text of the akathist in Russian

They glorify and thank Gabriel for his good deeds, intercession, faithful service to the will of God, chanting the archangel in the lines of the sacred akathist. The akathist is sung within the walls of Orthodox churches on feast days, and believers also read a prayer service at home, relying on the protection and assistance of the archangel in solving worldly problems.

Akathist to Archangel Gabriel

Kontakion 1

Chosen by God from all the Heavenly Powers to serve the eternal mystery of the salvation of the human race, marvelous to the Primate of the Throne of the Holy Trinity, bearer of the secrets and miracles of God, Archangel Gabriel, to We fall down to you and tenderly sing to you: Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Ikos 1

Creator of angels and all the chosen ones, Mysterious Gabriel, in the most wonderful Council of the Holy Trinity, may you serve the mystery of the Incarnation, and command you to be the bearer of the power and miracles of God. For this reason we cry out to you:

Rejoice, Gabriel, chosen servant by the Creator; Rejoice, Gabriel, bearer of the Providence of God.

Rejoice, for the Heavenly Powers boast in you; Rejoice, for the hearts of earth-born people glorify you.

Rejoice, thou who faithfully served the Throne of the Holy Trinity; Rejoice, you who together crushed and tore apart the morning star.

Rejoice, you who expose the error of that one; Rejoice, you who sang the Trisagion hymn from the first.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 2

Seeing the Creator as His diligent and faithful servant, He loved you and exalted you before the angelic ranks, and strengthened by His grace in your great valor, you glorified from the face of A angels diligently to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Having humbly bowed your mind before the mystery of the incomprehensible consubstantiality of the Holy Trinity, you have received grace-filled revelations, you are an inexhaustible source of awe, love for the Creator, and joy and filled with radiance, Archangel, before the Throne of the Most High, like a fiery lamp. We dare to sing about this reverently:

Rejoice, unquenchable lamp of the great seventh candlestick; Rejoice, bright star of the spiritual firmament.

Rejoice, first recipient of the Divine radiances; Rejoice, treasure of Divine decrees.

Rejoice, inexhaustible storehouse of humility; Rejoice, O river, fulfilled obedience.

Rejoice, for you remain at the Throne; Rejoice, for you have great boldness towards God and imashi.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 3

The forces of Heaven rejoice over you, Archangel, and the Lucifers, once protected from the harmful errors of the Lucifer, who in pride rebelled against their Creator, with joy continually cry out to God: Hallelujah a.

Ikos 3

Having great boldness towards the Holy Trinity, you receive great grace from God unceasingly, and like the ray of the Divine Trisluminescent Sun, you spill the light of God’s commandments everywhere, so that The saving name of God appears in the hearts of the earthly creatures who sing to you:

Rejoice, Commander of the Heavenly Powers; Rejoice, champion of eternal Truth.

Rejoice, strengthen your strong devotion to God of the ranks of Angels; Rejoice, through you the grace of the Lord will enlighten them greatly.

Rejoice, and you bring grace from God to the earth; Rejoice, you brought down heavenly fire into the hearts of men.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 4

The storm of the evil plans of the enemy of God crashed against the rock of the faithfulness of the servants of the Lord, and having conquered his pride with their humility, they sang to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing the Lord’s confession of His great Name, Archangel, He was filled with favor, and having illuminated you with His grace, enlightened all of you and sang to you:

Rejoice, heavenly adamante; Rejoice, pillar of the Ecumenical Church.

Rejoice, guardian of the Lord's paradise; Rejoice, flower of piety.

Rejoice, ray of the throne of God; Rejoice, purple decoration of King Christ.

Rejoice, standard-bearer of God; Rejoice, decoration of the commanders of the Heavenly Powers.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 5

Flowing like a rich star from the heights above the stars, Gabriel, having proclaimed to the earthly the joy of near salvation, you appeared to the righteous Joachim and Anna and proclaimed to them the mercy of God, and Rejoicing greatly with them, he sang to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Having seen you at the same time, the parents of the Virgin Mary, living in various countries, gathered at the doors of the temple according to your verb, marveled and were in joy at your cry:

Rejoice, Servant of the Holy Trinity; Rejoice, wondrous evangelist.

Rejoice, chosen one of God; Rejoice, proclaimer of the Lord’s will.

Rejoice, for you bring joy to people; Rejoice, for your praise is sung to the glory of God by earthly creatures.

Rejoice, executor of creative plans; Rejoice in the bounties of God to the dispenser.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 6

You, Gabriel, appeared as a preacher of God's mercy to Zechariah, telling him Divine words and teaching him to sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

Having shone with the grace of God before the eyes of Zechariah, you terrified him, and with the power given by God you humbled him, so that he would not dare to diminish the power of God with doubt. And Zechariah, wise from above, sang to you in a silent, intelligent voice:

Rejoice, guardian of the virtues of God; Rejoice, great one in the face of Angels.

Rejoice, beautiful creation of the Creator; Rejoice, revelation of the hidden secrets of the world.

Rejoice, fulfillment of the great promises of God; Rejoice, filled with the truth of God.

Rejoice, illuminated by the grace of God.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 7

I want to become incarnate to God and appear on earth as a man, you appeared as a servant, as a herald to the Virgin chosen from all eternity, and you revealed to Her the will of the One who created Yu, singing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

You revealed the new and incomprehensible mystery of the Incarnation to the Virgin of God, the glorious Gabriel, without even comprehending this great mystery, marveling at the boundless love and mercy of God for people. About this we, earthlings, marvel with fear and joy and cry out to you:

Rejoice, Advice to the eternal servant; Rejoice, sent by God to the Bride of God.

Rejoice, heavenly guardian of the Most Pure Virgin; Rejoice, wonderful servant of the Mother of God.

Rejoice, teacher of the Divine Maiden; Rejoice, Thou who art the bread of heaven to the nourisher.

Rejoice, you who speak with Her in the Holy of Holies; Rejoice, you who revealed the depths of God’s Providence to Her.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 8

It’s strange for a person to see the face of an angel, it’s strange to hear the words of heaven, but the Ever-Virgin, wise by the Divine wisdom, was not afraid of your face and lifted up the song to the Creator and God: Hallelu ia.

Ikos 8

All in the lower ones, you saw the Virgin Mary of the highest ranks of Angels, Gabriel, and trembling you revealed to her the will of the Master, and, horrified by the mystery of the Incarnation, you were filled with awe to the God-chosen Virgin. Seeing your great service to the Throne and seeing your unspeakable humility before the Virgin, I sing to you:

Rejoice, first recipient of the lights of the Trinity; Rejoice, shone with those radiances.

Rejoice, filled with grace; Rejoice, Thou who brought Grace to the Ever-Virgin.

Rejoice, in the face of the highest angels; Rejoice, you who bowed your knee before the Virgin Mary.

Rejoice, you who proclaim joy to the chosen ones; Rejoice, and you yourself rejoice in this joy.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 9

Surpassing every rank of angels, you humbly stand before the Divine Earth-born Mother of God, crying out for joy to the Creator God: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

The multi-prophecy orations of all human orbits are nothing before the silent branch of paradise, which you brought, when you sang to the Holy Virgin, preaching to Her the election of Her to be God. teria and packs, proclaiming Her saving dormition. The earth marveled at your great wisdom and cried out:

Rejoice, humility to the teacher; Rejoice, great mysteries of the God-creative to the viewer.

Rejoice, thou who hast marked the purity of the Mother of God with a branch; Rejoice, you who show the purest fragrance of the soul with the fragrance of the heavenly tree.

Rejoice, foreshadowing the unfading of the Heavenly Color of the life of the Mother of God; Rejoice, thou who through the humble branch praised the humility of the more royal branch.

Rejoice, thou who glorified the spiritual beauty of the Ever-Virgin with the beauty of the Heavenly Flower; Rejoice, having depicted all the glory of the Virgin Mary.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 10

Foretold of the salvation of human souls, Archangel of God, you taught us to sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

The sinful wall between heaven and earth did not block your path, Archangel, but like smoke and darkness dissipated before your holiness and you appeared to the Most Pure Virgin as the heavenly messenger in Nazareth, saying: “Rejoice,” you brought to Her, thereby proclaiming the joy of the Resurrection of Christ, and for the sake of the joy you proclaimed to the Virgin, and through the Virgin to the world, he dares to bring you peace:

Rejoice, broadcast joy to the world; Rejoice, distribution of God's gifts.

Rejoice, Gabriel, bright lamp; Rejoice, friend and co-servant of the great Archangel Michael.

Rejoice, star, who announced the appearance of the sun of Christ; Rejoice, thou who has served His Divine Mother many times.

Rejoice, perfecter of the great promises of God; Rejoice, for you are at the tomb: “Christ is risen, not here,” proclaim to the myrrh-bearers.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 11

You, Archangel, brought the song of the choirs of angels to the earth, and you taught the monk to preach the reverent “It is Worthy” of Mount Athos, and through you, people are grateful for this. I praised God: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

You, Gabriel, hid your radiant face, clothed in monastic clothing, so that mortals would not be horrified by your divine sight, but would manage to comprehend and understand for themselves the song of heaven Of course, and let not the deceitful monk think that the appearance of the official of the Highest Powers was to be, to certify the truth of your appearance you are. For this reason, on a great stone, on it, with a fleshless finger, as if on wax, you inscribed the Heavenly: “Worthy,” having seen the miracle of this greatness, all the foreigners of Mount Athos You sang in agreement:

Rejoice, O servant of God; Rejoice, Divine Archangel.

Rejoice, wonderful evangelist; Rejoice, guardian of the Virgin Mary.

Rejoice, thou who taught the earth-born the song of Heaven; Rejoice, you yourself first sang this wondrous song before the monk.

Rejoice, you who wonderfully inscribed the Divine words on stone; Rejoice, this stone is a pledge of the true sign of your grief given to Athos.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 12

Remembering your gracious manifestations, we offer thanks to the Creator and God, who saves the human race, and we sing to God fervently: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing all your valor, known to us, Gabriel, but unknown, we hope for your intercession to take us away to the Kingdom of Heaven. Now, according to our strength, we dare to sing to you:

Rejoice, the Council of the Eternal Holy Trinity has received the destinies; Rejoice, thou who protectest all the plans of God’s economy.

Rejoice, you who served the Creator by protecting them; Rejoice, you who proclaimed salvation to the world.

Rejoice, Guardian Mother of God; Rejoice, guardian of the Church of Christ.

Rejoice, and proclaimer of the Second Coming of Christ to earth; Rejoice, for you went before the Heavenly Powers with a great trumpet blast on the day of the Last Judgment of God.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

Kontakion 13

O wondrous seer of secrets and glorious Archangel, great is your boldness before the Lord and strong is your prayer. We fall to you and pray, most wonderful Gabriel, take us weak under your roof and protect us from the machinations of enemies, visible and invisible. Remember us unworthy in your representation before the Throne of the Most High, and let us sing to Him according to His ineffable mercy in the Kingdom of Glory with the face of the Angels and all the saints: Alleluia.

This kontakion is read three times, then the 1st ikos and the 1st kontakion.

Ikos 1

Rejoice, Gabriel, chosen servant by the Creator; Rejoice, Gabriel, bearer of the Providence of God.

Rejoice, for the Heavenly Powers boast in you; Rejoice, for the hearts of earth-born people glorify you.

Rejoice, thou who faithfully served the Throne of the Holy Trinity; Rejoice, you who together crushed and tore apart the morning star.

Rejoice, you who expose the error of that one; Rejoice, you who sang the Trisagion hymn from the first.

Rejoice, Gabriel, seer of the Holy Trinity.

What requests are made to the Mother of God in the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”

The prayer is read if:

yourself or your loved ones are sick;
parents pray for their children;
if you need the mercy of Jesus Christ, the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” will also help;
it is necessary to improve relations with relatives;
pray for the missing;
melancholy sets in;
sinful or overcome by sinful thoughts;
need help with business and relief from need;
if it is unclear what to do, the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” will help you make the right choice;
for the marriage of girls;
travel;
you need to protect your family and home from evil and deceit;
asking for a peaceful, serene death;
food must be sanctified.

When you pray for others, ask the Queen of Heaven about this with prayer:

Most Holy Theotokos, accept the prayers from me of the sinful servant (name) for the servant of God (name), which are offered to You and grant him (specify request).

If necessary, change the masculine gender to the feminine gender in prayer.

Prayer for marriage to Archangel Gabriel

Parents' concerns do not always begin with problems with conception or pregnancy. Prayer to the Archangel Gabriel also helps in the adoption of a child. Gabriel watches over the children, guides them on the right path, protects them from misfortunes and evil glances.

The angel also helps single or unmarried believers. A prayer to the Archangel Gabriel for marriage will bring happiness to the home, a successful marriage and a strong union. Its text is:

O holy Archangel Gabriel! We earnestly pray to you, instruct us, servant of God (name), to repentance from evil deeds and to confirmation in our faith, strengthen and protect our souls from seductive temptations and beg our Creator for the remission of our sins.
O holy great Gabriel the Archangel! Do not despise us, sinners, who pray to you for help and your intercession, in this world and in the future, but an ever-present helper to us, may we continually glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the power and your intercession forever and ever. Amen.

Gabriel has been revered for many years, centuries, so many prayers to Saint Gabriel have been written. There are several kontakia for the archangel, known for his strength and favor towards people. Gabriel is the intercessor and patron of families and children, he is the messenger of the Lord. The archangel helps those whose profession is based on communicating with people, media workers. They pray to Archangel Gabriel for big money and career advancement.

History of the spread of prayer

This prayer appeared in the first centuries of Christianity. The “Angel's Message” gained popularity starting in the 5th century, after the Third Ecumenical Council. It began to be used everywhere in sermons, hymns and everywhere where the Virgin Mary was praised.

For example, the Romans customarily sing AveMaria, translated. "Hail Mary."

All Orthodox Christians, regardless of their denomination, pray to the Mother of God. But the residents of our country have a special relationship with the Mother of God, since she repeatedly helped save the country from enemies.

Later the prayer entered the divine service as a troparion. At Matins the prayer is read three times. It is included in both the morning and evening rules, without any restrictions. Let us recall that Seraphim of Sarov himself argued: if it is difficult for a believer to completely master the rule, then he can take a simpler path:

“Our Father” - three times.
“Rejoice, Virgin Mary” - three times.
“Creed” – once.

He also advised reading “Theotokos...” before lunch, and after another prayer - “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Interpretation of the prayer “Rejoice, Virgin Mary”

The essence of this powerful prayer is to help all humanity, the earthly ministry of the Mother of God is the birth of the Savior, who in the future atoned for all human sins. Sincerity and true faith in the Lord God is what will save the human soul.

Now let's proceed to the direct interpretation of the prayer, in which each word has a specific meaning.

“Theotokos” – Virgin Mary, Mother of God.
“Rejoice” is a greeting. Now, when we greet each other, say “Hello”, we wish you health. At that time, when people greeted each other, they said “Rejoice,” that is, they wished each other joy.
“Graceful” is an epithet that means you have been given grace.
“Blessed are you among wives” - what does it mean in wives? A wife is a woman. This applies to all females, regardless of whether she is married or not. In Church Slavonic it sounds exactly like this. In Russian, we sometimes also say “learned” men. That is, we use the term “husband” not to mean that it is a marital state, but to mean that it is a man.
“Blessed” - people will bless, praise, and turn to you. “Blessed are you among women” - why All because she gave birth to the Savior of our souls.
“And blessed is the fruit of your womb” is not an angelic greeting, but words from another place in Holy Scripture. The fact is that the Virgin Mary, after a conversation with the Angel, went to visit her relative Elizabeth, who was also pregnant. She carried in her womb the future prophet John the Baptist.

Having met the Virgin Mary, she was filled with the grace of God and uttered these prophetic words.

“Fruit of the womb” is our Lord Jesus Christ. God became a man in her, in her womb. The Lord is not material, God is Spirit. But he wanted to incarnate, materialize, take on human nature - to unite the Divine nature and the human into one person, into one hypostasis.

That is why she is called the Mother of God. That is, she gave birth to God. It is not that God did not exist before this birth. He always existed, created this world, but through her he took on human nature.

Therefore, at the beginning of the prayer she is called “Mother of God . And “Virgin” because she gave birth to no one else except Jesus Christ. Mentioned in the Gospel as brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ are the brothers and sisters of Joseph the Betrothed from his first marriage, who was, as it were, the earthly father of Jesus. In his old age, Joseph was a widower.

The text of the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice” in Russian is in any prayer book. To read the prayer correctly, take a closer look at how the accents are placed. It is also read in Church Slavonic.

Question answer

To improve your psycho-emotional state in a difficult life situation or physical health, you can turn to the Holy Virgin. When ambiguities arise during translation or when reading prayer words, you should ask questions to the clergyman. Father Innocent can give answers.

When and how (how many times) should you read the prayer “Virgin Mary, Rejoice”

Marina, 38 years old, Saratov “I often repeat this text (it’s easy to remember), I can read it several times. But I recently learned that there are rules for addressing the Virgin Mary. Tell me, how should I pray?”

Expert opinion

Father Innocent

“There is a rule of the Mother of God - in accordance with it, prayer is read up to 150 times (per day). You should pray while walking around the Seraphim-Diveevsky Monastery. Then one can expect a miracle, since the person asking gives up his comfort and spends a lot of effort to get closer to the Shrine. But out of habit, it is difficult at first to repeat such a feat. Listen to yourself, whether you have the strength to do this.”

What requests are made to the Mother of God in the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice”

Larisa, 44 years old, Moscow “I always read prayer words, but I don’t formulate a clear request. I learned from a friend that this can be done to speed up getting something you want, is that true?”

“Theoretically, yes, there is some truth in this: indeed, the Lord is always with you, the Blessed Virgin helps in the hardships of life. But they don’t grant wishes; you shouldn’t treat them like wizards. Otherwise it will already look like magic. It is necessary to turn to the saints when an urgent need arises: health is lost, faith in the Kingdom of Heaven is lost, and other difficult situations arise. Moreover, the Virgin Mary is not able to help if a person is not supposed to get what he wants due to the imperfection of the soul (if the commandments are violated).”

What is the cult of the Mother of God in Christianity?

Irina, 35 years old, Irkutsk “When I was looking for information about prayers to the Blessed Virgin, I came across the Cult. Tell me what it is and why it’s called that?”

Expert opinion

Father Innocent

“This definition should be understood as the special attention of the clergy and the people to the person of the Virgin Mary. In some religions she is more popular than Jesus. At the same time, various disputes arise about the appearance of the Mother of God. But more often I hear this assumption about the reasons for its appearance: if sin entered the world through a woman, then she will help save humanity from sin. Moreover, this is a woman who deserves holiness because she allowed Jesus to enter our world, but she cannot stand on the same level as the Lord.”

Send this prayer to your loved ones

What is the power of prayer to the Mother of God?

Anastasia, 43 years old, Bryansk “Why are the prayer words of the Virgin Mary so miraculous?”

Expert opinion

Father Innocent

“Given that the Mother of God gave birth to Jesus, she has already joined the Kingdom of Heaven and acquired holiness. But the icons with her image became miraculous due to the strengthening of people’s faith. Based on the history of the holiday “Protection of the Most Holy Mother of God,” we can also conclude that the image of the Mother of God contributes to the creation of a miracle, as, for example, in ensuring the protection of believers praying with the Virgin Mary for the retreat of the attackers on Constantinople.”

What is the point of praying to the Mother of God with the rosary?

Veronica, 33 years old, Perm “I’ve never used a rosary, but I also know from the media that in some countries it is a mandatory attribute. Even the clergy of the Orthodox Church use it. For what?"

“It’s very simple - the rosary helps determine the frequency of saying prayer words, for example, when fulfilling the Theotokos rule. In this case, you need to read the appeal to the Virgin Mary up to 150 times. By sorting through the rosary, it is easier to do this and not get lost. If convenient, you can mark this quantity in some other way, but there are no restrictions. And rosaries can be used at will; their use is not considered a mandatory attribute.”

Why is the “Mother of God” depicted differently on icons?

Vera, 50 years old, Izhevsk “Is there a fundamental difference in front of which icon to read the prayer words? There are a lot of them today.”

Expert opinion

Father Innocent

“Yes, you are right, the number of images is about 300. Moreover, they all differ in some details, but they note a number of canonical parameters that can be seen on all icons. So, the differences are due to the fact that at different times copies of the faces of the Virgin Mary were made. When the images entered a new environment, they acquired additional details. This led to the appearance of updated images of the Virgin Mary.”

The cult of the Virgin Mary in Christianity

The role of the Mother of God was determined by the first gospels. She was called the Blessed One, “Blessed are you among women,” that is, the Lord honored her with the honor of bearing him a son among many women. “For you gave birth to Christ the Savior, the Redeemer of our souls” - the woman who gave the Savior to the world. Why her?

Because even before her birth she was predestined for this holy role. The Mother of God remained a virgin forever.

In Orthodoxy, about 300 holidays are associated with the Mother of God. Temples are erected in her honor. In Catholicism, among the saints, the Mother of God is highest. She is revered on a par with Jesus Christ.

How does prayer help?

Christians sincerely believe that it allows them to cope with various problems in life. “Theotokos...” is read in the following situations:

in sadness and grief;
to strengthen faith;
before eating;
in desperation;
driving out evil forces;
on a difficult and long road.

To achieve what you want, you need to read the sacred lines, adhering to some rules:

The text must be repeated 150 times a day, taking the rosary (as a talisman, and they will also help you not to lose count).
Words must be pronounced thoughtfully, understanding the meaning of each of them.

Why is the Mother of God depicted differently on icons?

Any icon carries symbolism, and in the icons of the Mother of God it is the deepest. Because the Mother of God is a man, but she holds the God-Man in her arms. God became a man, he came to people. This reflects the meeting of humanity in the person of the Mother of God and God in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Very often, icons of the Mother of God depict the Mother of God hugging Jesus, or him clinging to her. This is all a symbol of God’s love for the human race and how people respond to this love to the Lord.

This relationship between mother and child contains very deep symbolism. That is why there are so many icons of the Mother of God, and they differ in writing. Icon painters put into their creations a certain aspect of the relationship between God and people. For example, there is a very beautiful Vladimir icon. It belongs to the iconographic work “Tenderness”.

Icons of this type emphasize tenderness, a feeling of love between God and people, between the Savior and the Mother of God.

In these icons, he hugs her and presses against her (with his cheek against her cheek). She holds it tenderly and points at it with her hand. The Mother of God looks at the person praying from the icon or at Jesus Christ, showing that he is the Savior.

In addition to the edition “Tenderness”, there is an edition “Hodegetria” (Greek: Guidebook). For example, the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God belongs to this version. In this icon, the Mother of God simply points her hand to the Savior, who says: “I am the way of true life.” The Most Holy Theotokos is depicted from the shoulders up.

There is also an edition of “Oranta” (Greek: Praying), in which the Mother of God is depicted in a prayerful pose with raised hands or holding a veil. That is, the Mother of God is depicted praying for the human race.

All icons contain symbolism, but in the case of the icons of the Mother of God there is a lot of it, which is why there is such a variety of Mother of God icons.

How to pray correctly?

For prayer to help, it must be done correctly.
It's hard work and not everyone gets the results they want. The holy fathers, who had the fruits of prayer, give advice on how to learn to have a request fulfilled. The main thing is the faith with which a person turns to the Mother of God, and inner repentant humility. Pray like children who ask something from the most loving mother. Simeon of Athos wrote a lot about this:

The words of a short prayer pronounced with attention will be heard by the Lord (Mother of God) faster than scattered verbosity. That is, it is better to say one thing from the bottom of your heart than 100 without thinking about it.
When the heart of the person praying is pure, like a child’s, and the words are spoken from the heart, he quickly receives grace.
If what you ask for is given, you feel how quickly help comes, do not be proud of it. Otherwise you will lose everything.
Without humility, true prayer will not work. If it is not there, appeals, praises and requests are in vain.

Popular wisdom: On Annunciation, the bird does not build a nest, the girl does not braid her hair. Spring is coming into its own. The peasants believed that on this day the whole earth rejoices, nature awakens, and Heaven is open for the unhindered offering of prayers of believers.

Theotokos rule

The Most Holy Virgin Mary bequeathed to us the Rule of the Theotokos. At first Christians adhered to it, but over time everything changed. Fortunately, he was revived by Bishop Seraphim Zvezdinsky. He owns a diagram of prayers to the Mother of God, reflecting her difficult mission.

The Mother of God rule is the strongest prayer for all humanity!

The Bishop himself asserted that those people who follow this rule every day will be under the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to his scheme, the prayer should be read 150 times daily. In this case, the entire amount must be divided into tens, and after each ten, the prayers “Our Father” and “Doors of Mercy” are read once. A beginner can repeat this 50 times.

When and how to read a prayer

The prayer can be said in different ways, at any time of the day, depending on your specific life circumstances: silently from memory or reading from a prayer book. The text of this prayer is in the morning and evening prayer rules, which can be found in any prayer book.

In addition, you can listen to the audio version of the prayer. The main thing is to be in a calm environment, without being distracted by anything. While listening to the prayer “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice,” you should delve into the essence of each word, then with each new time, it would seem that the words that have been familiar for a long time will be understood more deeply, and this, in turn, will lead to a new awareness and understanding of oneself.

A short hymn of praise to the Mother of God is easy to remember. It should be said constantly, regardless of the circumstances. Then the patronage of the Mother of God will be constantly with you, which means all life situations will develop in the best way.

Types of prayers to the Mother of God

The veneration of the Mother of God is multifaceted and comprehensive; it is most clearly expressed in a large number of prayers dedicated to her, among them:

“Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”;
prayers before various icons of the Blessed Mother;
canons of the Virgin Mary, dedicated to certain events from her life or read in front of certain icons;
Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos - the oldest hymn read during Great Lent in churches;
akathists associated with the icons of the Mother of God, the most famous are Vladimir, Feodorovskaya, Tikhvin, Iverskaya, Joy of All Who Sorrow, the celebration of which is celebrated on specific dates.

Listen to the prayer “Rejoice, Virgin Mary”

Many famous composers have written music based on the words of the prayer. Among them are Schnittke, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky, and the well-known song “Ave Maria” is the same prayer, but in a different language.

Those who find it difficult to say the prayer can listen to it 150 or 40 times. If you are unable to remember the entire prayer, you can write it down on a piece of paper. By repeating the sacred text every day, you will not even notice how you learn it by heart and gradually gain peace of mind.

Common Mistakes

According to the clergy, the most dangerous phenomenon among the people is the attitude towards prayers as a spell. Magism is characteristic of pagan ideas and is not associated with Orthodoxy. The Holy Fathers also warn in prayer against the following conditions:

represent those you are addressing;
seek states of grace;
strive for visions and revelations;
ask evil for others.

It should also be remembered that God and the Mother of God are not magicians who fulfill all human whims on demand. Very often the prayer is not fulfilled or help comes in some incredible way. You need to be patient and persistent and understand that not all requests are useful. Only the Lord knows what a person really needs.

The Majesty of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Most Holy Theotokos is higher than all the heavenly saints before God. God was pleased to be a Child and to rest in the womb and in the arms of the Virgin. He exchanged His cherubic throne in heaven for a new throne on earth: the Virgin.

Thus, "He who sits on the Cherubim" (Isa. 37:16) made the Blessed Virgin Mary "more honorable than the Cherubim, and, moreover, more glorious than the Seraphim," because the new nature which He assumed, was not received from the angels, “but He took upon Himself the seed of Abraham” (Heb. 2:16) of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The angels themselves cannot help but worship this nature in God.

By His incarnation, the Lord revived us, but above all, among all human nature, His Mother.

Being in the Mother of God, He deified her, and, leaving her, He left her still deified. No one in the world has ever received or can receive such great grace as the Most Holy Theotokos received.

Alone among all created beings, she is the most exalted bearer of the “power of the Most High,” since the Lord revealed in her the unique and greatest miracle of His condescension to the human race, the incarnation. And this new creation was no less than the first creation of the world and man himself. And the Virgin became closer to God than the highest of all creations.

The unity of the Mother of God with God did not happen in the same way as with all the saints by grace alone, but in a way that is inherent in human nature, which the Son of God took from her, and in which He Himself abides in His very being.

In addition, the Mother of God, bypassing family life, combined virginity and motherhood. In it the nature of woman independently and whole, or rather chastely, without man and without passion, fulfilled its purpose of bearing children.

Virginity has received its crown and highest honor; dispassion likened her to angels, incorporeal beings, whom all saints strive to imitate with this virtue. And faith in her supernatural conception, as well as the impassibility of the very life of the Mother of God, placed her above nature.

And she who was thus first made "a partaker of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4) became higher than the Angels, and became the object of their wonder, their veneration, and their glorification. The servants of God [angels] cannot help but discover that the Mother of God is superior to them, since they have not given God anything of their nature.

The nature of humanity was embodied in God above the angels. That is why the Mother of God, from whom He took this nature, became higher than the angels.

Thus, “The Mighty One has done great things” for her. It is with special honor that God leads man through the Blessed Virgin Mary to Himself and does so before the angels, so that His holy likeness, which was mutilated by the fallen angels, may be shown before all the angels in victory, triumphant and saved.