With boundless love and reverence in the Christian world they relate to the Heavenly Queen - the Blessed Virgin Mary. And how can we not love our Patroness and Prayer before the Throne of God! Her clear gaze is fixed on us from countless icons. She showed great miracles to people through her images, glorified as miraculous. One of the most famous among them is the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving spring."
The miracle revealed in the sacred grove
Holy tradition tells us that in ancient times, when Byzantium was still a prosperous state and the heart of world Orthodoxy, there was a sacred grove near its capital Constantinople, not far from the famous Golden Gate. She was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Under the canopy of its branches, a spring flowed from the earth, cooling in the hot summer days. At that time, there were rumors among the people that the water in it had certain healing properties, but no one took them seriously, and the source of overgrown grass and grass gradually forgotten by everyone.
But then, once, in 450, a certain warrior named Lev Markell, passing through a grove, met a blind man, lost in the midst of thick trees. The warrior helped him, supported him while he got out of the thicket, and set him in the shade. When he began to search for water to give the traveler water, he heard a wonderful voice telling him to find a nearby overgrown spring and wash his eyes with water for the blind.
When the compassionate warrior did this, the blind man suddenly regained his sight, and both of them fell to their knees, offering thanksgiving prayers to the Blessed Virgin, as they realized that it was her voice that sounded in the grove. The Queen of Heaven predicted Leo Markell the imperial crown, which came true seven years later.
Temples - Gifts of Grateful Emperors
Having reached the highest power, Markell did not forget the miracle revealed in the sacred grove, and the predictions about its so amazing elevation. On his orders, the source was cleaned and surrounded by a high stone curb. Since then, he became known as the Life-Giving. Here a temple was erected in honor of the Blessed Virgin, an icon of the Mother of God “Life-giving spring” was specially written for him. Since then, many miracles have glorified the blessed spring and icon stored in the temple. Thousands of pilgrims began to flock here from the most distant ends of the empire.
A hundred years later, the then reigning emperor Justinian the Great, suffering from a serious and incurable disease, arrived in the sacred grove, where the temple of the Icon of the Mother of God “Life-giving Spring” stood. Having washed himself in the blessed waters and having performed a prayer before the miraculous image, he regained his health and strength. In gratitude, the happy emperor ordered another temple to be built nearby and, in addition, to establish a monastery, designed for a large number of inhabitants. Thus, the icon of the Mother of God “Life-giving Spring” was glorified more and more, prayer before which was able to heal from the most serious ailments.
The fall of Byzantium and the destruction of temples
But the terrible disasters of 1453 fell on Byzantium. The great and once prosperous empire fell under the pressure of Muslims. The great star of Orthodoxy has rolled. Unholy invaders put Christian shrines to fire. He was cast into ruins and the temple of the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring", and all the monastery buildings that stood nearby. Much later, in 1821, an attempt was made to resume prayer services in the sacred grove, and even a small church was built, but it was soon destroyed, and the fertile spring was covered with earth.
But the people in whose hearts the fire of true faith burned could not calmly look at this sacrilege. Secretly, under cover of night, the Orthodox cleared their desecrated shrine. And just as secretly, risking their lives, they carried away, hiding under their clothes, vessels filled with his holy water. This continued until the domestic policy of the new masters of the country had changed, and the Orthodox were not given some relief in worship.
Then a small church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Life-giving spring” was built on the site of the destroyed temple. And since Orthodoxy cannot be without mercy and compassion, they built an almshouse and a hospital at the church, in which, through the prayers to our Blessed Intercessor, many suffering and crippled gained health.
The veneration of holy icons in Russia
When the sun of Orthodoxy set in the East with the fall of Byzantium, it shone with renewed vigor in holy Russia, and with it many service books and holy images appeared. And then life without the humble and wise faces of God's saints was unthinkable. But a special relationship was with the images of the Savior and His Most Holy Mother. Among the most revered icons were those that were painted in ancient times on the banks of the Bosphorus. One of them is the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving spring."
It should be noted that since the 16th century, it has become a practice in Russia to consecrate the sources and reservoirs located in the territories of monasteries or near them, and at the same time dedicate them to the Most Holy Theotokos. This custom came to us from Greece. Numerous lists from the Byzantine image of "Life-giving Spring" have also spread. However, compositions written in Russia earlier than the 17th century have not yet been discovered.
The image of the Virgin in the Sarov desert
As an example of a special love for her, one can recall the famous Sarov Desert, the glory of which was brought by its name to the non-sunlit lamp of Orthodoxy - St. Seraphim of Sarov. In that monastery, a temple was specially erected in which the icon of the Mother of God “Life-giving spring” was kept. Its significance in the eyes of believers was so great that the reverend elder in especially important cases sent pilgrims to pray to the Virgin, kneeling before this miraculous icon of Her. As can be seen from the memoirs of contemporaries, there was no case that prayer was not heard.
An image that strengthens in the fight against sorrows
What is the power that the icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Source" possesses? How does she help and what can I ask her for? The most important thing that this miraculous image brings to people is getting rid of sorrows. Life, unfortunately, is full of them, and we do not always have enough mental strength to cope with them.
They come from the enemy of man, because they are the product of disbelief in the providence of God. It is in these cases that the "Life-giving source" - the icon of the Mother of God, brings peace to the souls of men. What else are they praying to our Blessed Intercessor for? About how to protect us from the very sources of these sorrows - the troubles and tribulations of life.
Celebrations in honor of the holy icon
As another example of the special veneration of this icon, it should be mentioned the tradition that has existed for many centuries to serve a blessed prayer before this image on Friday of the Bright Week. He is served in all churches immediately after the liturgy. Since ancient times, it has been customary to sprinkle water blessed at this moleben with gardens, vegetable gardens and arable lands, thereby calling for the help of the Blessed Virgin Mary in bestowing a rich harvest.
The feast of the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring" is usually celebrated twice a year. Once this happens on April 4, since it was on this day in 450 that the Virgin Mary appeared to the pious warrior Leo Markell, ordering to erect a temple in her holy grove in her honor and pray in it for the health and salvation of Orthodox Christians. On that day, the Akathist to the icon of the Mother of God “Life-giving spring” is certainly performed.
The second holiday takes place, as mentioned above, on Friday of the Bright Week. On that day, the church recalls the renovated temple in honor of this icon, which was once located near Constantinople. In addition to the rite of blessing of the water, the celebration is also accompanied by the Easter procession.
Features of iconography of the image of the Virgin
One should especially dwell on the iconographic features of this image. It is generally accepted that the Icon of the Mother of God "Life-giving Spring" has its roots in the ancient Byzantine image of the Blessed Virgin, called the "Lady Winner", which is, in turn, a harassment of the Theotokos image "Sign". However, art historians have no consensus on this issue.
If you study the lists of icons that were circulating at the time, then it is not difficult to notice some significant compositional changes that have been introduced over the centuries. So, in the early icons there is no source image. Also, not immediately, but only in the process of developing the image, the bowl, called the violet, pond and fountain, entered into its composition.
Distribution of the holy image in Russia and Mount Athos
The spread of this image in Russia is evidenced by a number of archaeological finds. So, for example, during the excavations in Crimea, a dish was found depicting the Virgin. Her figure with prayerfully raised arms is depicted in a bowl. The find is dated to the XIII century and is considered one of the earliest images of this kind located on the territory of our country.
A description of another image corresponding to the image of the "Life-Giving Spring" of the 14th century can be found in the work of church historian Nicephorus Callistus. He describes the image of the Virgin in a violet mounted above a reservoir. On this icon, the Blessed Virgin is depicted with the Baby Christ in her arms.
Also interesting is the fresco "Life-giving spring", located on Mount Athos. It dates back to the beginning of the 15th century. Its author - Andronic Byzantine - presented the Virgin in a wide bowl with a blessing Eternal Baby in her arms. The name of the image is written in Greek text at the edges of the fresco. Also, a similar plot is found in some icons stored in various monasteries of Athos.
Help poured through this image
But nevertheless, what is the unique appeal of this image, how does the icon of the Mother of God “Life-giving Spring” attract people to itself? What helps and what does it store? First of all, this image carries healing to all those who suffer bodily and in their prayers, who trust in the help of the Queen of Heaven. It was from this that his glorification in ancient Byzantium began. By this he gained love and appreciation, being among the vastness of Russia.
In addition, the icon and mental illness successfully heals. But the main thing is that it saves those who resort to it from the harmful passions that so often overwhelm our souls. It is from their influence that the "Life-giving source" - the icon of the Mother of God, saves. What are they praying before her, what are the Queen of Heaven asking for? First of all, about the gift of strength to cope with everything low and vicious that is inherent in us human nature damaged by original sin. Unfortunately, there is much that surpasses human capabilities and in which we are powerless without the help of the Lord God and His Most Holy Mother
Source of life and truth
In all cases, no matter what compositional decision the author of this or that version of this image dwells on, it should first of all be understood that the Life-giving source is the Blessed Virgin herself, through whom the One who granted life to all things on earth was embodied in the world.
He spoke the words that became the stone on which the temple of true faith was erected. He revealed to the people the way, the truth, and life. And the Queen of Heaven, the Blessed Virgin of the Virgin, became for all of us that gracious Life-giving spring, the streams of which were washed from sin and watered the Divine cornfield.