One of the most revered shrines of Christianity is the icon of the Bethlehem Mother of God. Her story is not rich, but rather confused. Some historians believe that it was written in Russia. According to others, its creator was the Evangelist Luke. This saint painted three such icons - Tsaregradskaya, Ephesus and Jerusalem. The latter is called Bethlehem.
History of the Bethlehem Icon of the Mother of God
Many believe that Luke wrote this image during the life of the Virgin, and therefore he most accurately shows how the Virgin Mary looked exactly. First, the evangelist created one icon depicting the Virgin, and then two more. He decided to show one of them to the Virgin Mary herself. The Mother of God liked the image, and she blessed him, adding that with all who would pray, looking at him, “grace would abide”.
The Evangelist Luke painted several more icons that depict the founders of Christianity reliably. It is believed that some images of the Savior, as well as the apostles Peter and Paul, were created by him and are nothing more than ordinary portraits, and not actually invented icons.
In 463, the Scythians tried to capture the capital of Byzantium - Constantinople. In order to enlist the support of the Lord, the icon of the Bethlehem Mother of God was brought to this city by the wife of Emperor Theodosius, Evdokia. Thanks to her intercession, Constantinople resisted, and the Scythians retreated. This was the first miracle of the image. After that, he was placed in the Blachernae church. The icon has been here for a very long time - about 300 years. There is also a version that the image was not transferred to the Walhern Church, but to one of the churches of the Odigon monastery, from where its name came from.
In 988, the image was transported to Korsun as a gift to Prince Vladimir, who transferred it to the St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod. She was in this temple for about 400 years.
Legend of the icon
There is also a rather interesting legend about this icon. According to legend, the icon was not just brought to Russia, but served as a patronizing relic for the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Konstantin Porfirorodny - Anna. This image was supposed to protect her on her way to Chernihiv region from Constantinople. Anna went there to her future husband. Then the icon got its name "Hodegetria", which translates as "Guide".
Image Features
An interesting fact is that the icon of the Bethlehem Mother of God is the only image on which the Virgin smiles. The robe on the icon is made of the dress of Princess Elizabeth Romanova (1864-1918), the Christian Great Martyr. It is believed that it was she who transferred this icon to Bethlehem. There is also a legend that the sick princess received healing by praying before this image.
The baby Christ is depicted on the icon holding in his hand one of the symbols of royal authority - the power. His other hand is raised in a blessing gesture. The Virgin Mary herself points to Christ. It is believed that in this way she is trying to say that her son Jesus is the Way of Life.
Features of images "Hodegetria"
All Catholic and Orthodox icons, on which the Mother of God points to Jesus, are called “Hodegetes”. In all such images, the Virgin Mary is depicted sitting and holding the baby Christ in her arms. However, he also holds something in his hand. Usually this is not a power, as on the Bethlehem icon (although it became the prototype of all the images of the Hodegetria), but a scroll or book. This corresponds to the iconographic type of Christ as the Pantocrator, that is, the Almighty. Usually the Blessed Virgin is depicted on such an image waist-high. However, there are icons of the Hodegetria, on which the Mother of God is written on a shoulder or in full growth. The main feature of the images of this iconographic type is that in the center of the composition is Christ himself, and not his mother.
Where is the icon now
The Bethlehem icon of the Mother of God, the meaning of which, as we found out, is the worship of a divine baby, and not the woman who gave birth to him, is currently still in Bethlehem, in the basilica of the Nativity of Christ. She can be prayed before entering the cave where Jesus Christ himself was born. The image is placed in a wooden icon case and is located to the right of the wall. Every year, pilgrims from all over the world flock to Bethlehem in order to bow to the miraculous image.
How to pray, standing in front of the icon?
In what cases can the Bethlehem Icon of the Mother of God help ? Prayer is said to her in case of illness of children. You can ask the Virgin for healing adults. Of course, words must be spoken from the heart and with deep faith. Like any other image of the Virgin Mary, this icon can help those who do not have, but would like to have children. There is no particular prayer for the Bethlehem icon. You can simply ask her for intercession in your own words. Also, in this case, the usual prayer of the Blessed Virgin is suitable - "Virgin Mary, rejoice ...".
What is akathist?
Akathist to the icon of the Mother of God or any other is a special hymn performed in the church in honor of Christ, saints, etc. When pronouncing it, you cannot sit. The first Akathists glorified the Blessed Virgin. They were written in Greek and composed according to certain rules. The structure of the akathist is very interesting: after the first stanza, twelve large and twelve small follow alternating.
The history of the appearance of Orthodox icons in the world and in Russia
As already mentioned, it is believed that the first images were ordinary portraits of the Savior, the Virgin, the apostles and saints. The oldest Christian icon is considered the Holy Savior. According to legend, the painter Ananya decided to draw the image of a preaching Christ when he taught the people in Jerusalem. However, he did not succeed at all, as the expression of the Savior's face was constantly changing. Seeing that the artist was upset, Christ allegedly asked for water, washed his face and wiped his face with a towel, on which his image miraculously appeared.
The first icons were created to make it easier for people to communicate with Jesus, his Mother and saints on a spiritual level. From Byzantium, the tradition of writing images has spread throughout the world. The icons were understandable and close to people who spoke completely different languages. Ancient images were called the "Bible for the illiterate." From these images, a medieval man who could not read could study the life story of Christ, his apostles and Christian saints.
Iconography also came to Russia from Byzantium after the adoption of Christianity in 988. Until the end of the seventeenth century, it became the basis of ancient Russian fine art. Fashion for secular paintings began to spread in our country only during the reign of Peter the Great.
The Greeks who were invited to paint Russian Christian churches taught the Russian masters. The founder of the first purely national school of icon painting was Metropolitan Hilarion, who called on the clergy and parishioners to create their Slavic religious culture based on Christianity that came from Byzantium. The first Russian icons of saints, apostles, the Savior and the Virgin was more monumental than the Byzantine ones, had large sizes and were distinguished by the gloominess of color.
Icons of saints
Initially, Russian icons nevertheless repeated plots of Byzantine icons. However, over time, their saints appeared in Russia. And with them are icons depicting them. One of the very first was the image of Boris and Gleb, Russian princes, killed by their own brother Svyatopolk for Christian convictions. This crime happened in 1015 during the internecine war. These princes became the first canonized Russian saints. Until now, Boris and Gleb are considered heavenly protectors of the rulers of the Russian land.
The miraculous icons of the Mother of God
In addition to Bethlehem, there are other icons of the Mother of God, in the presence of which miracles of various kinds occur. In fact, there are many such images. As an example, we can cite the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Recovery of the Dead”. Once it belonged to one of the Russian noble families. Its last owner went bankrupt, washed down with grief and was already on the verge of death. However, having prayed with all sincerity to the icon, he received help. His daughters successfully married. The grateful father passed the image to the local church.
We cannot but mention the icon of the Iveron mother of God, the shrine of the Iversky monastery on Mount Athos. This image is one of the variants of Hodegetria. Before him there was just a huge number of miraculous healings. The icon of the Mother of God “Satisfy My Sorrows”, “Gracious”, Tkhivinskaya and many others are also considered miraculous.
Myrrh-streaming icons of the Virgin
It is known that the image of the Virgin is often streamed. That is, drops of an oily substance similar to the sacred world used in baptism appear on the surface of the icon by itself. To explain this phenomenon with the properties of wood, it is simply impossible to isolate resin, since there is evidence of myrrh-streaming even ordinary paper photocopies of images. Very often this phenomenon portends any troubles. Especially if the icon exudes not fragrant oil, but a red liquid, similar to blood, or transparent, similar to tears.
The icon of the Bethlehem Mother of God and other similar images are not only the most important Christian shrines, but also works of art that are of great historical value. Most of these images contain many secrets and mysteries. Perhaps someday historians will be able to solve them.