From historical sources it is known that in the 10th century a miraculous Iveron icon of the Mother of God appeared in the Iversky Monastery on Mount Athos , the significance of which in the life of the monastic monastery is enormous. For many centuries, she became a treasure and a talisman, a defender against enemies and a helper in all endeavors. The sacred image has other names - the Gatekeeper, Goalkeeper, Portaitissa.
There is a distinctive feature by which the icon of the Iveron Mother of God is easily recognized . A photo of the shrine allows you to examine the wound on the right cheek of the Virgin and a trickle of blood.
Icons are designed for people to pray and ask for intercession and help. The saints who are depicted on them are direct intermediaries between man and God. The image of Christ and the Virgin is especially revered. The faces of the Virgin Mary are many, and they all have their own names and purposes.
And yet, among them, the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God stands out especially, the meaning of which is the keeping of the house, protection from enemies, the protection of women, the healing of physical and mental ailments. The history of this shrine begins from the time of Christ. It is believed that it was written by the Apostle Luke, the first icon painter to capture the mournful face of the Virgin with the Baby Christ in his arms.
Wonderful story Iveron Icon of the Mother of God
According to Christian tradition, a widow lived in Asia Minor, near the city of Nicaea. The woman was pious and believing; she instilled the Christian faith in her only son. This icon was kept in her house . In those days, the country was ruled by Emperor Theophilus, who in every way persecuted Christians.
Once the imperial overseers came to the house. One of them noticed the image and pierced it with a spear. When the iconoclast saw that blood had flowed from the right cheek of the Virgin, he was horrified, fell to his knees and asked for forgiveness. After believing, he decided to save the miraculous icon and advised the woman how to do it.
After praying, the widow at night came to the seashore and launched the shrine along the waves. She swam and after a while she nailed to the Iversky monastery, which is on the Holy Mountain. At night, the monks noticed an unusual glow in the sea, from which a pillar of fire ascended to the sky. This miracle lasted for several days. Finally, the monks decided to find out what it was, and sailed closer on the boat.
The appearance of the icon in the Iversky monastery
Seeing the wonderful icon, the monks tried to get it out of the water, but they did not succeed. She did not give in to her hands, but floated further and further as they approached. Having returned with nothing to the monastery, the monks gathered in the temple and began to pray to the Virgin for help in finding her image.
At night, the Mother of God appeared in a dream to the elder Gabriel and told him that she wanted to bestow her image of the monastery of Iveron. In the morning, the monks went to the seashore. Gabriel entered the water, and accepted the face with awe. A wonderful image with honors and prayers was placed in the monastery church.
Further, other miracles occurred with the icon. In the morning she was on the wall above the gates of the Iversky monastery. The monks placed her in the temple several times, but the next day they found her again above the gate. The Mother of God again dreamed of the monk Gabriel and opened her will to him: she does not want to be protected, but she will be the keeper and protector of the monastery, and while her image is in the monastery, the grace and mercy of Christ will not be impoverished.
The monks built a gates church in honor of Our Lady and placed a miraculous image there. After many years, the widow's son came to the monastery and recognized his family relic. For more than ten centuries, the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God has been here, the significance of which is very great, because she is the guardian of the monastery. The image got its name from the name of the monastery, where it is located to this day. A silver salary was made for the icon. Only the faces of the Virgin and the Baby remained open. There are many cases where the Mother of God came to the aid of the monks, saving them from hunger, disease, and from the many barbarians who tried to capture the holy monastery.
Iversky monastery
Iversky Monastery is one of the 20 holy monasteries located on Mount Athos, located on the peninsula of the same name in Greece. It was founded by Georgians, and Rev. Gabriel was also a Georgian by nationality.
The name has Georgian roots, according to the ancient name of their country (Iberia). Now it is a Greek monastery. The Greeks call him Ibiron, and Portaitissa is the holy image of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. The meaning of this word sounds in Russian as "Gatekeeper".
Currently, about 30 novices and monks live here. Twice a year on solemn dates (the day of the Assumption of the Virgin and on the second day after Easter) processions are organized with the removal of the main shrine of Iviron from the monastery (litany). A procession takes place around the monastery, and then the procession goes to the place on the seashore where the miraculous icon appeared as a monastic brotherhood.
It is striking that any male audience present can carry the holy image (women are not allowed in the monastery). Portaitissa is taken out in any weather, and nothing happens to her. It is not a priceless rarity that can only be viewed from a distance. The Greeks regard the miraculous image as a shrine, and not as a museum exhibit.
Iveron Icon of the Mother of God. Importance in Russian History
Lists (copies) of the wonderful icon, the first of which were brought to Russia under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, were especially revered in Russia. Shrines from Athos were met in Moscow by
Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich himself , surrounded by a large crowd of Orthodox Christians.
One of the lists was sent to Valdai, where the Iversky Monastery was founded. The second was placed above the Moscow ceremonial Resurrection Gate, through which all the guests and the tsars themselves entered the city. There was a ritual: when going on a campaign or returning from it, the royal people necessarily went to bow to the Virgin, asking her for protection and patronage.
Ordinary people had free access to the Resurrection Gate, and the Goalkeeper became one of the most revered icons, an intercessor of Muscovites. Another list was taken to the homes of ailing people who themselves could not come to pray. After the October Revolution, the chapel was destroyed.
In 1994, a new chapel was laid at the Resurrection Gate, and the new list of the Iveron Icon that arrived from Athos is now stored in it.
One who deeply believes finds protection and comfort in the miraculous Iveron Mother of God.