Since ancient times, with special love and hope, Orthodox people offer their prayers to the Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven. In all sorrows and sorrows they trust in her all-merciful intercession. Many icons have been written glorifying Her motherly deed, but the most revered between them are miraculous.
What icons are called miraculous
One of these images is the Kozelshchansk icon of the Mother of God. Where is this shrine located and what kind of icons are called miraculous? First of all, those through which miracles were revealed through Jesus Christ, the Theotokos, or some saints. It is important to understand that it is not the icon itself, not the board on which it is written, but it is the Divine power that works miracles, but through separate, most revered images. Such shrines are a rarity. Temples and monasteries are sometimes erected in their honor and special holidays are set up.
The miraculous icons of the Mother of God occupy a special place. In full, her veneration in Russia began in the 16th century. This is due to the special mercies shown then. It is enough to recall a number of military victories. Kazan and Crimean Khanates, Livonian lands felt the power of Russian weapons. And most often, the Mother of God revealed her mercy through icons, which they called miraculous for this. One of them is the Kozelshchansk icon of the Mother of God, about which the story will go.
Characteristic features of the face
The miraculous icon of the Mother of God, called Kozelshchanskaya, has small dimensions, only 30 x 40 cm, and is painted on wood. Regarding its Italian origin, the opinion of art critics coincides with the version that is presented in the above story and is generally accepted. On the lap of the Mother of God reclining infant Jesus. The stars that adorn the maforium of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Her open brow, as well as the cross in the hands of the Eternal Child, are characteristic of the western icon-painting school.
A characteristic detail of the composition are the bowl and the liar (a small spoon used during the sacrament of Communion), shown slightly to the side. Their meaning is symbolic and has a double interpretation. First of all, the artist’s intention can be seen in the desire to emphasize the greatness of the Eternal Infant as the Installer of the sacrament of Communion, which opens the way to eternal life. At the same time, these symbols suggest the sacrifice of Christ himself, who brought his flesh and blood for people to eat. In addition, the image of the vessel appears in many texts of Christian prayers and chants glorifying the Most Holy Virgin. In particular, in the well-known akathist, he is called a "cup that draws joy."
The history of the holy image
The Kozelshchansk icon of the Mother of God, whose photo is in front of you, appeared in Russia in the 18th century. During the reign of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna , a young Italian woman appeared at the court. Her story did not preserve her name, but it is known that she liked the Empress mother and was elevated to the rank of court maid of honor. It was she who brought from Italy the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was subsequently destined to become famous under the name Kozelshchanskaya icon of the Mother of God.
Soon to the young maid of honor, one of the close hetman Polubotka, Siromakh, kindled with tender feelings. We played a wedding. The wedding gift received by the young from Elizabeth Petrovna was truly royal - vast land in the Poltava province. From now on, they became the patrimonial possession of the Siromakh family, and the icon brought from Italy became their family heirloom.
In the next century, more precisely in its second half, according to the will of the land, they pass into the possession of Pavel Ivanovich Kozelsky. In his honor, the main village was called the Kozelshchina. All these years, the image of the Virgin remained on the estate.
Misfortune in the Count's Family
The next stage in the history of the famous image dates to the end of the 19th century. The owner of the estate at that time was Count Vladimir Ivanovich Kapnist, to whom the land and the estate were transferred by gift from the previous owners. The Kapnist family lived peacefully and happily among the gardens and fields of the Poltava region, praying to the image of the Most Holy Mother of God and asking for her blessings. But the Lord allowed them a test.
Once a misfortune happened. The owner’s daughter Maria, walking down the stairs, accidentally twisted her leg. This seemingly minor injury did not attach importance. When the pain intensified, they turned to the local doctor. He diagnosed a dislocation and applied a plaster cast. The pain did not abate, and the injured leg bent noticeably. I had to resort to the help of a Kharkov doctor, more qualified. He confirmed the diagnosis and tried to use a shoe of a special design that was used in those years.
However, despite the measures taken, the patient's condition did not improve, but the same symptoms appeared in the right leg. The same pain and severe curvature. The Kharkov doctor ordered to put the same shoe on his second leg and carry Mary to the Caucasus, hoping for the healing properties of mountain air and mineral waters.
But apart from new torment, the journey brought nothing. Soon, the disease spread to the girl's hands. They lost their sensitivity and stopped moving. To top it off, severe pain in the spine appeared. Mary became completely disabled.
Trip to Moscow
There was no end to the grief of the unhappy parents. In 1880, they drove a sick daughter to Moscow, hoping for the help of well-known doctors at that time. The Kozelshchansk icon of the Mother of God went with them. What are inconsolable parents praying for in such cases? About help. But the trip brought only new torment.
The last hope was the famous professor Charcot, but he practiced in Paris and did not expect to return to Russia soon. Vladimir Ivanovich stayed in Moscow, and Masha and her mother returned home, agreeing that they would be informed of the doctor’s return, and they would immediately arrive.
A completed miracle
But the trip was not destined to take place. When a telegram about the professor’s arrival was received, mother and daughter set about on the road. This is where a miracle happened that changed the life of the Kapnist family. Before she left, Mary knelt before their heirloom, the image of the Mother of God, and began to pray. In this prayer, she put all the power of her faith and hope in the help of the Most Holy Mother of God. And her prayer was heard.
Evidence of a miracle
Remained contemporaries, written from her words. From them it becomes known that suddenly Masha felt severe pain in the spine, so severe that at the first moment she lost her senses. When consciousness returned to her, the girl was overwhelmed with the feeling of something unusual and supernatural happening to her in those minutes. She suddenly felt the warmth of life in her arms and legs. Spine pain disappeared. Still not believing herself, she screamed joyfully, and the household ran to her cry.
The doctor was urgently brought in, who took off her already unnecessary shoes. A moment - and for the first time in a long time, Maria took several uncertain but independent steps.
A few days later the girl, already firmly standing on her feet, and her mother went to Moscow, taking with them a miraculous image. Moscow doctors, after examining the girl again, stated a complete recovery and said that from a scientific point of view, this phenomenon has no explanation. Even the most complete skeptics were forced to admit - a miracle happened.
The glory of the miraculous image
Moscow in those years was a big city, but the rumor about the appearance of a new miraculous icon circled it with amazing speed. The Kozelshchansk icon of the Mother of God in Moscow turned out to be the second time, but now crowds of pilgrims began to flock to the hotel where the count's family lived. Crowds filled the surrounding streets.
When the Kapnists returned to their estate, they already knew about miraculous healing and that the Count’s family was bringing a shrine with them. Upon their return, the village of Kozelshchina became a place of mass pilgrimage.
From the chapel to the monastery
Keeping the icon in the house was completely impossible. Having received a blessing from the Poltava Archbishop John, Count Kapnist transferred the miraculous image to a specially built chapel. This event occurred on April 23, 1881. Since then, the people honor the memory of the Kozelshchansk icon of the Mother of God. A year later, in the same village, a temple was erected for the miraculous icon, and on March 1, 1885, a decree of the Holy Synod established a women's community, transformed in 1891 into a convent in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Its main shrine was the miraculous image, now known as the Kozelshchansk icon of the Mother of God.
The history of the monastery
Today, the holy image is stored in the Poltava region, in the women's Nativity of the Virgin Monastery. All year long, the flow of pilgrims wishing to bow to the shrine and receive healing does not dry out. On the day of remembrance of the Kozelshchansk icon of the Mother of God, which is celebrated on March 6, there are especially many of them. Sometimes their number reaches 10 thousand people. The Kozelshchansk icon of the Mother of God in Murom is represented by one of the lists stored in Diveevo.
The history of the monastery began on February 17, 1891, when the female community became a monastery by decree of the Holy Synod. After the revolution, he shared the fate of many of the holy monasteries of our country. In 1929 it was closed. The repression began. Many of those who had recently devoted their lives to prayer works have accepted the crown of martyrdom. It is known that in those dark days one of the miracles happened. It happened on March 6, on the very day when memory is revered. The Kozelshchansk icon of the Mother of God was located above the main gates of the monastery. Suddenly, bloody tears appeared on her face. There were many witnesses, but the authorities demanded that they all give a subscription in that it was not blood that appeared on the icon, but simply the paint was peeling off. Those who did not want to do this were sent to the link.
The revival of the monastery
In 1941, the monastery was opened, but not in full. In 1949, the monastery was again closed, and only in 1990, when the mass return of believers to churches and other buildings of worship, began services in the Nativity of the Virgin Convent.
The entire period of hard times, the Kozelshchansk icon of the Mother of God was kept in a private apartment with people faithful to Orthodoxy. In 1993, the miraculous image solemnly returned to the walls of the monastery, where it is located now. The monastery is constantly working to recreate the original appearance of all its structures. The parishioners of the temple and numerous pilgrims render great help. Soon the monastery will find its historical appearance.