The icon "The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary" stands out among other important ones, since it depicts earthly human life. Although it is not captured some specific significant festive event, but it is permeated with intimate details, revealing everyday nuances. The Nativity of the Virgin icon introduces us to the family of Anna and Joachim, involving them in a holy event.
What is depicted in the icon
Saint Anna is located on the left side of the icon. There is joy on her face. To the right are Anna's maids and they bring her to drink and eat. Servants are not fictional characters, therefore they are depicted extremely vitally with a detailed drawing. In the lower right corner there are midwives preparing water to wash a newborn baby. And it cannot be said that even one trifle and detail is superfluous, all these details of what is happening turn it into a holy sacrament, of which every observer and present is a part. The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary marks the beginning of not only family happiness, domestic, but universal as well, because very soon a meeting of people with the Great Tsar will take place.
Despite the fact that the Mother of God is the main figure of the icon, she is not shown in the center, but in the arms of a midwife, wrapped in a diaper or awaiting her bath. Thus, the icon "The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary" indicates to people that one must always remain humble and modest. And this despite its importance and significance.
The beginning of the story about the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Virgin Mary was born in a time of moral and moral human decadence, from which they themselves did not have the strength to get out. Knowing minds of that time declared that only the Lord can save the world. The Son of God desired to come to people in human form and to return them to the righteous path. And for the role of his mother, he chose Mary, the only one worthy among others. Her parents were Anna and Joachim, who lived in Nazareth. They were from a noble family, rich and hardworking, but they were not known for this. They were known as a godly couple, donating 2/3 of their income to the poor and to the temple. For many years they tried to have a baby, but in vain. Anna and Joachim spent all their time in prayer. Anna promised the Lord that if he sent her a child, she would give him to serve him. On one of the days of earnest prayer, an Angel came down to Anna to announce that God had heard her and would give her a daughter. Nine months later, the couple was born Mary. Her name means "mistress", "queen", and this is no coincidence, because she was destined for a great mission to become Queen of heaven.
When the girl was 3 years old, she was brought to the temple, having bailed the high priest Zacharias. So she stayed to live there. About Mary we can only say that even among the other girls living with her, she stood out with the greatest zeal, industriousness and holiness. I prayed three times a day, in my free time I read the scriptures and needlework.
At the age of nine, she lost both parents.
Value icon
According to Metropolitan Anatoly Sourozhsky, the event, which the icon of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary commemorates, marks the beginning of eliminating the distinction between God and man. Before everything happened, there were many miracles and signs from above, foreshadowing a great day. Even in the Old Testament, the coming of the Messiah was mentioned. Speaking about the significance of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, one cannot fail to notice that this event was accompanied by an endless series of miracles, starting with the fact that she was born to old barren Anna.
True, she was barren only for those who did not know, but in reality she was chaste, the same as her daughter Maria. The world was gifted, thanks to such an event as the Nativity of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, an icon whose meaning lies in the principles of piety, contrary to the parting words about regular childbirth. But thereby she says that with the blessing of the Lord given during the wedding, the
virgin birth is also possible
.People, celebrating this bright day of the Nativity of the Mother of God, rejoice and thank her for standing up and praying for the whole human race, giving everyone unlimited maternal love.
How the icon protects
The icon "Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary", the description of which is described above, helps everyone who turns their prayers to her, since she hears everyone. She deflects trouble and protects. They come to her with a wide variety of requests, but first of all they ask for the salvation of the human soul, for the eradication of doubts in it, destroying its temptations, for guidance on the true path, which will certainly lead to salvation and healing.
Which requests are facilitated by the icon
The icon "The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary" helps to cope with many earthly troubles. The photo of the worshipers once again shows how many people trust in its protection and support.
After all, with her coming to this sinful world, the hope of salvation comes to him, for life in better times, but already together with the Savior Jesus Christ. If you read carefully the prayers addressed to the Queen of heaven, it becomes clear that for her there are no impossible requests.
But most often they cry out to her with pleas for the salvation of a lost soul, devoid of strength and faith. The icon "The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (photo presented in the article) helps childless couples suffering for a long time from this disaster, as well as those in whose families conflict and discord. As a rule, asking people turn not only to the Virgin Mary, but also to her parents, Anna and Joachim.
Glinsky icon of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
At the beginning of the 16th century, this icon appeared before beekeepers busy installing beehives in the forest. In 1648, the Glinsky Desert appeared on the same spot, which got its name in honor of the Glinsky boyar clan, who own local lands. The icon healed so many people, as a result of which it became famous, but, sadly, to this day it has not survived. It depicts an arch with three spans, against which Saint Anna, who had just given birth to a baby, and her husband were placed on a high bed.
At the bottom right is a font, and next to it is a midwife holding a newborn in her arms. The icon "The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary", written in the Glinsky style, differs from the classical version by the presence of God of hosts on it . Since 1994, the Glinskaya Deserts belongs to the church and is located on the territory of Ukraine.
Mother of God Day
Around the 4th century, for the first time, a celebration was held in honor of the Nativity of the Virgin, and since then every year on September 21 (September 8 according to the old style) people, rejoicing and exulting, continue to praise the Virgin Mary.
This day is doubly significant for the Russian people, because on September 8, 1380, Russian troops won the battle with Khan Mamaia in the Kulikovo field. This event was the beginning of the formation of a single Russian state and put an end to internecine wars and strife between the princes.