The icon of the "Wisdom of God Sophia" is considered to be very rare, therefore it is almost impossible to meet in many churches, but there are a certain number of temples where this one takes its place of honor.
Who is in the center on the icon "The Wisdom of God Sophia"?
The icon "Wisdom of God Sophia" is nothing more than a reincarnation of the Mother of God, showing all Her wisdom. The wisdom is Christ himself, who, having sacrificed himself, was able to save all of humanity. On the icon you can see not only Sophia, but also Christ himself, next to him is John the Baptist, who has always been with Christ all his earthly life. Also on the icon you can see the disciples of Christ who are attentively listening to His teachings. It is written about in the book of Solomon. The icon on the icon once again reminds all believers why the Son of God came to this earth and from whom exactly He was born.
The icon of "Sophia of the Wisdom of God" Kiev helps to overcome many troubles. It depicts a temple in which the Mother of God stands in a beautiful tunic and with a covered head. Hands extended forward. Under the icon there is an inscription “Create Wisdom to Yourself a House and affirm the pillars of seven”. She also has God the Father and the Holy Spirit. On both sides, the Mother of God is surrounded by seven archangels.
What do archangels look like on an icon?
The icon of the Mother of God "Sophia the Wisdom of God" includes images of archangels who were always next to the Son of God Jesus Christ. Archangels are painted with wings, and each of them holds a certain sign of holiness. Archangel Michael is on the right side, in his hands is a fiery sword. Uriel holds a zipper that is down. Raphael has near him an apavast of the world of everything. On the left side are also the faces of the archangels. The first one on the left is Gabriel, who is holding a flower of a loose lily in his hands. Selafiel holds the rosary. Yehudiel is depicted with the royal crown, and Barahiel has flowers in his hands and is on a white plate.
All of them are located above the head of the Mother of God, which stands on a cloud. Under Her is a church with secret records from the Old Testament. Also on the icon is a pulpit, consisting of seven steps. Each of them is signed. The believer will be able to read these words:
- Vera.
- Hope.
- Love.
- Humility before the Lord.
- Nobility.
- Glory.
- Purity of thoughts.
It is believed that such an icon should be in every home, as it is responsible for the well-being of the family.
When do they pray in front of the icon "Sophia of the Wisdom of the Mother of God"?
The priests say that you can pray in front of the icon at any time, this should be done when the soul of a person requires. In every house, there must be a holy corner where the images stand, a lamp burns and candles are lit.
If the “Wisdom of God Sophia” icon is in your house, then you can confidently say that there will be no disputes in it, it will be possible to avoid various troubles in the family, favorable soil will be created for complete trust in every person who crosses the threshold of the house and comes with pure thoughts.
Few people know what power the icon "Sophia the Wisdom of God" has, which the faithful pray before it, but everyone who has at least once encountered it knows for sure that all the requests made before it in prayer remain answered by the Lord God.
Where is the oldest icon "Sophia the Wisdom of God" and what does it mean?
There are many copies of icons today, but one of the oldest is in Kiev, in the famous St. Sophia Cathedral. This image has come a long way since it was once brought from the church of Justinian in Byzantium.
The icon "Sophia Wisdom of God" located here has a slightly different meaning, as it is a kind of road between the earthly and heavenly worlds. In addition to the archangels, our forefathers are depicted in heaven. At seven steps are biblical heroes. So, on the fourth step there is Moses with tablets with an inscription calling to honor the Word of God. After Moses, Aaron and David are also depicted. On the left are the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel.
What other icons exist for the “Wisdom of God Sophia”?
It should be noted that the Kiev image is not the only one of its kind, there is also the icon "Sophia the Wisdom of God of Novgorod", which has its own distinctive characteristics. It depicts the Savior, in front of which stands the Mother of God and John the Baptist in prayer.
The main figure on the icon is the Lord Almighty, on whom royal robes are worn, and behind God’s back are fiery wings. The Lord is on the throne, which rests on seven pillars, around a blue background, symbolizing heaven with stars.
The Novgorod icon is considered miraculous, while there are records in history when people really were able to recover with it. Every year, on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, thousands of believers gather near the Kiev and Novgorod icons to ask for help in solving problems.
What to speak and ask in front of the icon?
The Holy Scripture says that the Lord God hears all the prayers that a person says, therefore a special prayer is said in front of the icon "Sophia the Wisdom of God", which must be known and correctly read. She is turned to the Mother of God and the Lord God Himself. Everyone who prays before the icon should clearly understand that Wisdom is the fullness of the knowledge that a person has about God.
The icon enables a person to ask the Lord God to give Wisdom in order to make the right decision in various matters. It is also believed that it can contribute to the resolution of conflicts not only within the family, but also in work. Saying a prayer, a person can feel how the decision comes by itself, only you need to learn to hear the promptings of God and listen to His teachings.
Before the icon, you can ask for health and happiness for every Orthodox Christian who fulfills all the commandments and seeks to know the teachings of God, to receive from him a piece of wisdom and understanding.
Interpretation of prayer before the icon
If the church has the icon "Sophia the Wisdom of God", the appropriate prayer should be said. It is important to remember that it is read in such a way that the believer perfectly understands what is at stake. We will explain some words in prayer in front of this icon. “Incomprehensible and All-Wise Wisdom” implies that a person does not fully understand all the Wisdom given by the Lord God to him and cannot use it correctly, as Jesus himself commanded us.
“By a single word it was saved” - here it is necessary to understand that only
faith in God can save all mankind. Moreover, in prayer there are words that indicate that even the most sinful person can deserve forgiveness if he believes in God. “The mind of the foolish is filled, and the wise one is wise,” it should be understood as the fact that the Lord God himself is trying to enlighten people on earth and instill in their souls an ara, as well as the wisdom that He possessed.
From the history of the writing of the icon
The icon "Wisdom of God Sophia" was originally written as an explanation of the fact that God can exist in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Some historians claim that the name Sofia was not chosen in vain, since it is most suitable for the name of this icon. For example, Sophia most personifies Wisdom, as it is indicated in holy scripture. If you translate the word Sofia from Greek into French, it will mean the Trinity.
The icon of Sofia appeared in the church of Constantinople, but it still hasn’t reached our time. Archaeologists have been excavating for a long time to find this particular image, but, unfortunately, almost nothing is known about the sources of iconography. Many believers still argue why Sophia is depicted as a female figure, because by it is meant nothing more than the Wisdom of God?
But the answer to this question remains a secret. Among the many options, the Orthodox Christians revered the icon "Wisdom of God Sophia" Kiev and Novgorod.
The role of the icon in the spiritual life of Christians
Athanasius of Alexandria said that in the image of Wisdom not only the Mother of God can appear, but also all other manifestations of spiritual life. For example, it can be a church, saints, or even just a human soul, because in everyone in whom God lives, there is this Wisdom.
Archbishop Ignatius of Voronezh said that the Wisdom and the Temple of Sofia are in heaven, namely on the Divine Throne, where there are angels and God. But at the same time, Ignatius claimed that Wisdom is present everywhere, in all worlds, visible and invisible, in the souls of people, churches and in heaven, equally as on earth.
Understanding this can be so difficult for a person that all the secrets and secrets of spiritual life can be revealed only before the icon of Wisdom. Therefore, millions of pilgrims annually flock to the temple and cathedral where this image is located.