Ancient Kaluga has a wonderful patroness - an icon of the Blessed Virgin created on canvas. For more than two and a half centuries, it has been protecting the inhabitants of the city, generously pouring out the grace of God on the pure in heart and strong in faith. The Kaluga icon of the Mother of God - it is customary to magnify this marvelous image, acquired in the 18th century and which has become one of the main shrines of the region.
The phenomenon of the shrine
It happened in 1748 in the village of Tinkovo, which is not far from Kaluga. It was convenient for the Most Holy Theotokos to show people her miraculous image in the house of a pious man - the landowner Vasily Kondratievich Khitrovo. During one of the cleanings, a bundle of an old canvas was found in the attic of the house. When he was deployed, the eyes of those present were presented with the image of a woman in monastic vestments, immersed in reading a book.
The girl who found the canvas decided that in front of her was a portrait of one of the sisters or the abbess located near the village of the nunnery, and, showing the find of Evdokia - the master's daughter, she told her, by the way, that her mother would complain to her abbess on occasion - this was painful Evdokia is negligent in prayer and sinful with profanity. However, instead of remorse, the threat of the servant girl caused anger in the master's daughter, and she, not remembering herself, spat on the picture, showing her contempt for the spiritual person.
Punishment for insolence and blasphemy
What happened after this shocked everyone present. Suddenly Evdokia staggered and after that fell unconscious. When the girl came to, she could neither speak nor move. It was clear to everyone that the unfortunate one was defeated by paralysis for her sacrilege. The master's daughter was transferred to her room and put under the image.
Soon, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared in night vision to the owner of the house and reported that Evdokia was punished for the impudence shown in relation to the found image. The Queen of Heaven also said that it was not the abbess depicted on it, but She - the Mother of God, and that henceforth through this image Grace would be revealed to Kaluga and its inhabitants. The Mother of God commanded the priest to tell the priest and to serve a confession prayer in front of the acquired icon.
The healing of Eudokia and new miracles
About the daughter of Vasily Kondratievich, it was said that after sincere and deep repentance, she should be sprinkled with water flowing from under the church, and she would be healed. And so it happened. The canvas with the image of the Holy Virgin was placed in a frame, and it became their family shrine. The impudent girl repented tearfully, and after she was sprinkled with holy water, she was healed.
A little time passed, and the rumor of a new miracle flew around the village. The master had a servant Prokhor, who had been deaf since childhood. Once in a dream he heard a voice telling him that he would save him from the misfortune of the Kaluga Icon of the Mother of God, stored in their house. It is only necessary to pray earnestly before her. The same thing happened the next night. Then Prokhor spent long hours in kneeling prayer, after which he suddenly fell asleep. He slept for two days, and when he woke up, his hearing was completely restored.
Soon, the Kaluga Icon of the Mother of God was solemnly transferred to the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which was located in a nearby village. But this event was preceded by another miracle, revealed through it and remaining in the memory of the villagers. Evdokia, the very daughter of a landowner who was once punished for impudence, fell seriously ill. And again there was a night vision of the Blessed Virgin with the command to pray before the image and not weaken in faith. After the whole Khitrovo family performed a prayer before the miraculous image, the disease left the girl.
Kaluga Icon of the Mother of God - the keeper of the city
Since then, the patroness and patroness of the ancient Russian city appeared - an icon of the Mother of God of Kaluga. Amazing miracles were revealed through her the Blessed Virgin. In 1771, the Lord struck the inhabitants of the city with a plague for sins, but they served a penitential prayer before her, and begged His Most Pure Son to have mercy on Kaluga residents. Another time, in 1812, the city saved the prayer of the Kaluga Icon of the Mother of God from the invasion of Napoleonic troops. This event is forever preserved in Russian history. When in 1898 there was an epidemic of cholera, then during the prayer the Orthodox throughout the world read the akathist of the Kaluga icon of the Mother of God, and the Intercessor of Heaven did not leave them - took away trouble from the city.
In memory of these miracles, the Holy Church established holidays celebrated annually on Kaluga land. All of them are dated in accordance with the days when the Kaluga icon of the Mother of God revealed its intercession. It is September 15th, October 25th and July 31st. In addition, the temple of the Kaluga Icon of the Mother of God at the bishop’s house in the city of Kaluga celebrates its patronal feast every year on the first Sunday of Petrov Lent.
Prayer before the miraculous icon
This miraculous image, revealed during the reign of the pious Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, to this day does not leave the Kaluga people in their care. Soon it is planned to open a nunnery in honor of him on the site of his miraculous acquisition.
Whatever everyday adversities may happen, the city residents go to the temple, where the Kaluga icon of the Mother of God awaits them. What are they praying before, what are they asking for protection from? They pray for their health and their loved ones, for a blessing on all good deeds, for family happiness and many children. They ask for protection from the evil one and all his wiles.