The icon of "Desperate One Hope" is one of the most common images in Orthodoxy. This icon is worshiped by many believers who believe that it can help them solve their problems and improve their lives.
Why pray this icon?
The icon of "Desperate One Hope" is considered the great patroness of all Orthodox. It is designed to give them hope in the most difficult situations, which for many may seem hopeless.
It is believed that this icon gives strength to a person, helps to move on through a faithful and sinless way, and also to believe in the power of the Lord. Since even priests in temples claim that praying is not enough. One must also believe that help will come. Only such faith will protect from all evil and bad that can only appear on earth.
Value icon
The icon of the Virgin "Desperate One Hope" is of great importance in the Orthodox world. After all, every person in his life regularly encounters difficulties and difficulties. Their causes can be a variety of circumstances. Often such misfortunes are accompanied by mental suffering. So strong that not everyone can cope with them independently, no matter how hard he tries and whatever efforts he puts. In order to heal the soul, outside help is often needed.
In the most difficult moments of life, a person needs real and tangible support. Here the icon of the Virgin "Desperate One Hope" comes to his aid. After all, an ordinary person can not always help, spiritual support from above is often required. Just when human help is powerless, the icon of "Desperate One Hope" comes to the rescue.
The meaning of the icon “Desperate Unified Hope” is that only it can save a person in the most hopeless situations in life. If you really believe in its strength, then the problem will be solved so easily that it will not be easy to believe in it right away. At least, so say those who in reality came across the miraculous properties of this icon.
Faces of the Virgin
On the icon of "Desperate One Hope" the face of the Virgin is beautiful itself, say Orthodox believers. At the same time, without diminishing the attractiveness of her face on other icons, they nevertheless note that he looks especially beautiful and refined on this one.
On it, the Son of God is gently pressed by a young mother. And that one at this moment tremblingly hugs her. Pure and true love is the main motive for the image of "Desperate One Hope." The icon of the Mother of God is considered one of the most revered in the Christian church.
At the same time, it is not known for certain where, by whom and when this work of church art was written. The history of Orthodoxy is silent about this. You can find only brief information about the fact that this image was first found on the territory of modern Ukraine at the beginning of the last century. The icon so impressed Orthodox believers that they still venerate it as one of the most significant. Even though her canonicity has not been proven. There is no consensus that it belongs to the church canon.
How can this icon help?
Many pray with the icon of "Desperate One Hope." How does she help them? The most important thing is that before the icon it is customary to pray for all the suffering of life, one's and one's loved ones. Most often, they come to her in a state of deep sadness.
Then the icon is asked to overcome laziness, increase faith in Christ and Christian benefactors, love for others. They ask to get rid of the most serious sins, for example, love of money and idleness, to eradicate the prodigal and vicious passions, not only from life, but even from thoughts. They ask to soften their own heart in order to rid them of evil thoughts forever, to forget about such an unpleasant feeling as envy. They are asked to protect from adversity, both external and internal, which lurk in the depths of the soul of every person. They ask to be taught to endure in the most severe and unpleasant sufferings.
Very specific requests are also made. For example, be cured of tobacco, alcohol or drug addiction. The main thing this icon can help is to see your own sins. Only in this case can a person realize how wrong he was in this life, how he can improve. Then he can atone for his guilt.
Feast of the Virgin
You can see the face of the Virgin, including this icon, in various countries throughout the country and the world. In Russia, in almost every Orthodox church there is at least one icon dedicated to the mother of Christ.
A special day is even set for the Virgin. This is November 18th. Every year on this day, Orthodox believers come to the temple to turn to the mother of Christ with their most cherished requests, to share their most secret desires. After all, they understand who, no matter how mother may be imbued with the most severe pain and suffering.
Prayer to the Virgin
There is even a special prayer for the icon "Desperate One Hope". In it, the believer must turn to the face of the Virgin. To ask not to retreat from ordinary people, who often fall into despondency, lament in vain. Forgive these ordinary people for their unbelief, doubt, countless sins.
The main thing is that in prayer they ask to get rid of sinful habits, from passions that are able to capture a weak-willed person. To forgive all those cases when a person, due to his weakness, violated the biblical commandments, went against his conscience and his convictions.
Akathist to the Virgin
This is a very important prayer. After all, the icon with the Virgin Mary depicted on it symbolizes the essence of all life in this world. It is in this image, a mother with a baby in her arms, that the heavenly principle, which gives life to all living things in the world, illuminates the future with hope, which is unshakable under any circumstances. Especially if you really believe it.
Everyone who returns day after day to this image understands one important truth. The truth that the Almighty has proclaimed. It lies in the fact that the main thing that exists on earth is true and sincere love. Such as happens with the mother to her child. The one that is captured on this symbolic icon. After all, it is in the name of this love on earth that all the most beneficial deeds are performed. With such thoughts, believers come to the icon of "Desperate One Hope." The Akathist, who is recited at this time, helps them to praise the Virgin.
Where to meet the icon?
Despite its relevance, one can not meet this icon in all Orthodox churches. Largely because the debate about whether it is canonical has not subsided so far.
True, the icon of the "Desperate One Hope" in the churches of Moscow can always be bought in the church shop. But to see her on the iconostasis is a rarity. One of the most famous Orthodox churches in which it is represented among other shrines is the Ascension Church in the city of Krasnoperekopsk in the Crimea. He belongs to the Moscow Patriarchate.
In it you can also find the icon of St. Seraphim of Sarov, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the Reverend Matrona of Moscow, the Blessed Virgin Mary "The Quick Hearing." This temple appeared relatively recently. It was built only in 2010. It was then that they installed a dome weighing 8 tons, completed the basic installation and construction works. The official opening took place in 2011. As we see, despite its youth, the temple has already managed to acquire a large number of valuable and important icons for the Orthodox world.