Among the many miraculous images of the Virgin, a special place is occupied by the Vilna icon of the Mother of God. She has a very rich history dating back to apostolic times. Also on her account are many different healings, just help in various human affairs. To date, a list of this image of the Mother of God is in Vilnius, in the Holy Spirit Monastery (and the original icon was lost after the events of the Civil and World War I).
Legend of the origin of the icon
The Vilna icon of the Mother of God has its own special history of origin (as well as many similar to it). It is believed that it was written at the time when Jesus Christ came to earth, when the Mother of God was alive. According to legend, she came to Constantinople from Palestine, which was reflected in her name - “Tsaregradskaya”, or “Jerusalem”.
The history of the icon in Russia
There is no exact version of how the Vilna Icon of the Mother of God of the Mother of God appeared in Russia. According to one of them, this ancient image came to Moscow with Sofia Paleolog in 1472. The princess later becomes the wife of John III. There is another version of how the icon appeared in Russia. The Greek emperor sent her a gift to the King of Galicia, and after the capture of the Principality of Galicia, she passed to the Moscow ruler.
Whatever it was, but in 1495, this icon was blessed for marriage to Princess Elena, daughter of John III. Together with her, she moved to Vilna, the capital of Lithuania. Obviously, this is why it was later named Vilenskaya. While the princess was alive, the ancient image was in her chambers.
After the death of Helen, and this happened in January 1513, the shrine was placed over her tomb in the Assumption Cathedral in Vilna (this was stipulated in her will). It was the residence of the Lithuanian and Kiev Metropolitan, as well as one of the oldest and oldest churches in the capital. Some historians find confirmation that Helen previously transferred this image to the temple, and not from the moment of her death, he was there.
An interesting fact is that the Moscow Principality tried to regain this icon more than once. A lot of people were bought for her, but all encroachments were rejected.
The history of the icon during the formation of the Uniate rule
The Vilnius Icon of the Mother of God, after the Brest Church Union was proclaimed, was transferred to the Church of St. Nicholas. This happened because the Prechistensky Cathedral, where the image was located, became Uniate, and the Orthodox tried to preserve the most valuable shrines in their faith. However, in 1609, the church of St. Nicholas also went to the Uniates, so it was decided to return the Vilnius icon back to the cathedral.
Subsequent events led to the fact that the Vilnius Icon was in the Holy Trinity Church of the monastery. After a fire in 1610 in the Prechistensky monastery and the subsequent repair of the metropolitan’s chair, it was moved to the Holy Trinity Church. According to some reports, the icon was immediately taken with them, other evidence suggests that after the desolation of the Prechistensky Church, the image was transferred to the Trinity Church. Whatever it was, but in 1652 there were already documented references to the fact that an akathist was performed every Saturday in front of the Vilnius Icon in the Trinity Church.
In the future, she was repeatedly taken out of the city and the temple during the wars. For example, in 1654-1667, during the Polish war, and also in 1700-1721, during the Northern War. The first time she was wanted by order of Moscow Tsar Alexei to return, but they did not find her.
In 1707, a new icon case was built for the icon (the previous one disappeared a year earlier in the fire), a few years later it was gilded. Attempts to transfer the image to the Russian Empire stopped, since it was not touched even after Vilnius was annexed to Russia, and also after the union was annulled.
Since then, she was in this monastery, but she was evacuated during the First World War, her further path is unknown. The Vilnius church now has an exact list of icons (also, by the way, miraculous).
Iconography of the image
To make this icon, four boards were carved - two cypress and two lime. In its writing, the image is very similar to the Jerusalem icon (obviously, this is what is sometimes called the “Jerusalem” icon). There are also similarities with the Tikhvin and Georgian images.
On the icon you can see the Virgin, holding the baby on the left hand. His heel is naked and looks outward, his left hand is resting on his knees with a scroll, and his right hand is raised in a blessing gesture.
For its long time in the church, the icon has grown with offerings made of precious materials. In 1677, a silver hammered robe was made for the image. In silver there were clothes of Mother and Baby, on which eagles and flowers were depicted in gold. It is also seen that the background of the icon is made in the most skillful technique of filigree. On the head of the Mother of God there was a golden crown, which was supported by gilded angels, and on the crown of the baby were precious stones.
Against the background of the icon were a lot of silver plates, as well as various precious jewelry (beads, pearls, precious stones, jewelry made of gold and silver). When in 1866 the image was restored, repaired and cleaned, then from all the jewelry and silver that was removed from the icon, a new salary was made, as well as new halo with diamonds and diamonds. Still for the icon they made a bronze frame.
Celebration days
The days of celebrating this image fall on two numbers. The first day is the fifteenth of February, which is dedicated to the event of the transfer of the icon to Vilna, which took place in 1495. And the second day of the celebration is April fourteenth.
Prayer for the icon
The Vilna Icon of the Mother of God is very famous for various miracles. What are they praying for before this image? Usually a prayer and a request are offered to her in order to alleviate or heal their ailments, both spiritual and physical. It is through these healings that this image is glorified. This is what the prayer-appeal to the Mother of God before this icon says.
They also ask for protection from various misfortunes, for deliverance from sins, for protection from various enemies. There is a special prayer with the help of which you can turn to the icon, but there is no separate akathist, troparion and kondakah to it.
Thus, based on the foregoing, the Vilna icon of the Mother of God is of great importance to all Orthodox.
Ostrobramskaya icon
Also in Vilnius there is an equally revered image, which is also sometimes confused with the above. It also has a rich and rather ancient history, as well as several variants of its origin. This is the Vilnius Ostrobramsk Icon, which is currently located in Lithuania in the Chapel of Brahma.
The origin of this icon is quite interesting. Some believe that this image was brought from Khersones (Korsuni), therefore, in other sources it is also called the “Korsun Annunciation”. Prince Olgerd brought it from a campaign on the Tatars and presented it to his wife Maria. However, his second wife gave this icon to the Holy Trinity Monastery.
According to the second legend, the icon itself appeared on the Sharp Gate in 1431 on April fourteenth. There is still a third tradition, according to which the icon was sent by John Paleologue to the Lithuanian prince Olgerd after he converted to Christianity. Thus, a miraculous shrine appeared on Lithuanian soil.
Days of celebration and prayer for the icon
The Vilna Ostrobramsk Icon of the Mother of God has its own days of celebration. The first time in a year falls on April fourteenth. This is a memorial day for three Lithuanian martyrs. The second day of memory falls on the twenty-sixth of December.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to note that the icon of the Virgin Mary of Vilna, as well as the Ostrobramskaya, is very significant for the Orthodox people. Although the latter image is revered by both Orthodox and Greek Catholics as a result of events that took place in Lithuania. This all suggests that true faith has no boundaries, if you address our intercessors with a pure heart and reverence, they will certainly help in this, sometimes such a difficult, life path.