Among the variety of icons of the Blessed Virgin Mary, there is one whose history is unusual in that it contains two of its wonderful phenomena. They are nearly six centuries apart, but were accompanied by miracles that testified to Her willingness to help everyone who turns to Her with faith and love. This is the icon of the Mother of God "Look for humility."
Pskov residents have a saving image
This miraculous image was first found in 1420. The circumstances of the incident are hidden from us, but the chronicles of those years have survived, telling about how innumerable disasters fell on the Pskov land during the time of the pious prince of Moscow Vasily I. For the sins of the Pskovites, the Lord allowed the Lord to happen in their area to a pestilence that claimed dozens of lives every day. And to top it off, the Lithuanian prince Vitovt and his squad invaded their land.
In this difficult time, the Pskov icon was acquired by the “Prize for Humility” icon. The chronicler says that she appeared to people near Pskov, on the shore of Lake Kamenny. Those who found her were struck by the fact that drops of blood flowed from the right eye of the Virgin throughout the journey to the city, where the icon was transferred with great honors. A wonderful image was placed in the Trinity Church. The day of finding the icon - September 29 - was celebrated as a holiday reminiscent of such an important event.
Help sent through icon
The bloody tears of the Queen of Heaven were interpreted as an indication that the Mother of God completely empathizes with the residents of Pskov who are in trouble and is ready to come to their aid. The icon "Prize for humility" became a subject of universal veneration, and soon the Virgin showed through her mercy, safely saving the city from the pestilence and from the invasion of foreigners.
The Trinity Cathedral, where the miraculous image was placed, underwent many misfortunes in its history that caused harm to its decoration and the shrines that were stored in it. These are natural disasters, and fires, and the evil will of people. Much of the legacy of past centuries has not reached us. The icon of the Mother of God “Prize for humility” turned out to be lost - the very one that appeared to the Pskovites in the 15th century. The last mention of it dates back to the 18th century, and since then its trace has been lost.
Today, visiting the Trinity Cathedral of the Pskov Kremlin, you can see only a list from that image to the right of the altar. It is known that the icon "Prize for Humility" is quite rare. One of the copies, made at the end of the XVII century, is stored in the church of the Florovsky nunnery in Kiev, and the other is in the same place, but in the Holy Vvedensky nunnery. The wall of the cathedral, where it is placed, is decorated with a similar image made in mosaic technique.
Creating a list from an ancient original
A miracle is associated with the icon stored in the monastery, accompanying its acquisition already today. It is known that this list was made from an old original by a certain princess who adopted monasticism under the name of Mary. This pious woman was endowed with an artistic gift from above.
There is evidence that the image in question, she did not paint with an ordinary brush, as all painters do, but a special one made of holy relics. She mixed paints for her work in holy water, and during the period of writing she constantly performed the Jesus Prayer. As a result, the icon she created was filled with the Grace of God and gained the ability to work miracles.
When the Bolshevik revolution took place, and then decades of persecution of the church followed, the miraculous icon of "Look for Humility" from the Holy Vvedensky Monastery was stored for many years in the house of the nun Theodora. When the time of democratic changes came, and the state of the atheism was a thing of the past, the pious nun returned the image to its former place.
The miracle that happened today
It is with this second acquisition that the miracle is connected, which plunged into reverent awe both the inhabitants of the monastery and the many pilgrims. The fact is that in 1993 it was decided to restore the icon, as the colors faded and the image became dull. When the glass covering the icon case was removed, they found that the painting had not lost its bright color, but the glass itself was muddied. Having examined more closely, they found that on it appeared the image of the Virgin with Her Eternal Infant.
The image resembled a drawing made with light chalk strokes, and it was like a negative from the original. Light portions of the icon became dark on the glass, dark - light. Of course, Kiev scientists became interested in such a phenomenon. They carried out a thorough study and concluded that the drawing on the glass was not made by hands, and its nature could not be explained on the basis of modern scientific methods.
A new miracle and universal worship of the shrine
The top leadership of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine issued a resolution, on the basis of which the icon "Prize for Humility" should be classified as miraculous. After that, she was again placed under the glass, this time at a considerable distance from it. However, in 2001, the features of the Virgin appeared on it again inexplicably.
This new miracle became the reason for the pilgrimage to the monastery of many thousands of people suffering from ailments and burdened with worldly hardships, for whom the icon "Prize for humility" was the last hope. How does she help, and what prayers are customary to offer before her? This is eloquently evidenced by the numerous testimonies of those who gained through it healing from diseases and help in solving life problems.
The icon of “Respect for humility”: its significance for believers
Like any other image of the Blessed Virgin, this icon can be trusted with all your innermost thoughts and feelings. The Queen of Heaven is generous with mercy and invariably comes to the aid of everyone who, with true faith, turns to Her miraculous image. For Her, as well as for Her Eternal Son, nothing is impossible, therefore, any request will be granted, if only it would be for the benefit of the supplicant and not harm other people. This is its great significance for all who profess the Christian faith.
But, besides this, there is one important feature that the icon "Prize for Humility" possesses. How it helps living people is already said, but the fact is that the prayers offered before it also bring help to the dead, who did not want to repent of their sins when leaving this world. It is believed that requests for granting them forgiveness and Eternal Life are unusually gracious and effective.
Characteristics of the Icon
In conclusion, a few words about the iconography of this image. The icon of the Virgin "Prize for humility" belongs to the type "Hodegetria", which means "Guide". It depicts the Blessed Virgin, crowned with a crown and holding a scepter in her right hand. With her left hand She holds the Baby, standing on her knees and holding the power in her left hand - a symbol of power over the world.
His right hand is lifted up. This testifies to the Latin origin of the prototype of the icon, since it was in the West that the Baby was often given the appearance of a speaker (tribune), who spoke out in defense of all the unfortunate and destitute.