The meaning of the Orthodox icon is the Cathedral of the Virgin. Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos. Features of the celebration of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos
It is understandable why this legendary midwife was revered in Russia as the patroness of all midwives. She was asked for help by women in childbirth and those taking delivery: "Grandmother Solomonida, twisted Christ - help the servant of God (name)", "Grandmother Solomonida, Christ's successor, Christ soared, ruled legs-handles, left our baby in the park." They also appeal to the Mother of God, asking her to condescend to an ordinary woman and "send" the midwife who received her Son: "Most Holy Theotokos, let Matushka Solomonida go, do not disdain the hedgehog, help me with childbirth."
The folk calendar, in which the feast of midwives and women in labor follows immediately after the Nativity of Christ, emphasized with particular force the same connection, the same everlasting patronage of the Mother of God to simple earthly women, and moreover, in its own way, pointed to equality in the torments of birth, in happiness and pain motherhood of all women, including the Most Holy Theotokos; he kind of lifted, deified every woman in labor and gave the very fact of the birth of any baby a high, if not divine, then godly meaning.
The midwife in any village was highly respected. She was called a midwife because she knew how to properly “twist” a newborn in diapers so that he would not break loose and sleep peacefully. Midwives were adept at women's and maternal concerns. No wonder they said: "The grandmother is like - she will help the whole business." Their skill was also noted: "Every grandmother has her own grips."
The midwife is a distant relative in the village. Not a single homeland could do without a midwife. The grandmother helped the woman in labor. And she was, as they used to say, with her hands. Knowing the customs of the old days, the grandmother knew her business. With the agony of the woman in labor, she flooded the bathhouse, fished the woman in labor in the sun. Babkanie - obivanie - pretended to be a kind word, kind herbs, kind prayers. Smelling a woman in childbirth, that is, igniting a birch torch and setting fire to wormwood with grass immortelle, the grandmother was concerned about easy homelands.
And still not so distant times, mother gathered the children in the evening and taught them to praise Christmas, sprinkle them with grain - for a long time, for happiness, for well-being. It was easier than ever to give out a slice of cake during the holiday hour, pamper children with cranberries on honey. But mother knew: "Not every house has a loaf baked, and even so that the whole family has plenty of it." And so the children had to deserve a treat, the whole world of children should taste equally both satiety and sweets.
"Serve the ladybug, the butter head, the baking oven, the gilded ladybird!"
And in a child's box from every house, they carried both the big girls and the girls-brides ritual cookies, which in their appearance are akin to a cattle. And the children encouraged: "You, hostess, give it! You, sweetheart, give it! Give it - don't break it! Break off a little - there will be Ermoshka. Break off a hump - there will be Andryushka. And if you give the middle, there will be a wedding!"
And so, the child's box was heavy. And in a crowd the slaves ran to someone's heated bathhouse, sharing the treats among themselves. It was a joyful time for games and fun. The children recognized each other and were childishly happy, remembering this wonderful winter time.
There is another saying about the holiday: "On the holiday of porridge everyone walks with a spoon - a full scoop will not disperse a family." This meant that the customs of that day were aimed at strengthening the family.
Christianity has a huge number of icons that have their own unique history. The image "Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos" also refers to such icons, although it is dedicated to a holiday, an event.
"Cathedral" is translated as gathering or mass meeting. This is one of the most common icons in Catholicism and Orthodoxy. You can read prayers in front of her or take with you on a long journey. It is not necessary to leave her at home, because this image is universal and unique in its help.
History of the icon
"Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos" is a holiday, and one of the most ancient in Christianity. This is a meeting of all saints, prophets, angels and martyrs next to the Mother of God on January 8. Even ordinary people on this day remember the Mother of God, because she gave the world the Savior. This is a post-feast for the day of the Nativity of Christ. And it was for this day that this icon was written.
There are several options for the execution of the icon, because each of them was created at a different time. Newer images contain only saints and prophets, but many old ones contain whole stories about the life of Jesus Christ, as if it were a look into the future, because the Virgin Mary knew that she was waiting for her son from the very beginning.
This icon can be a great gift for Christmas. You can present it to your mother, wife, sister, or you can buy it for your home. It is necessary to put it so that the Mother of God “sees” as much as possible.
This icon is very often placed on the facades of churches. It is, for example, on the southern facade of the Church of the Mother of God in the village of Glinkovo, which is located in the Sergiev Posad district of the Moscow region. The fact is that this image has no specific purpose. He only indicates the importance of the Mother of God in the birth of Christ.
How does the icon help?
It is an icon with unique versatility. The Mother of God will always help you find your mood and guide you on the right path in business. At home with such an icon, quarrels will be extremely rare. It will help in the relationship between children and parents, as well as between husband and wife. It will be much easier for the family to make common decisions. At the beginning of our era, when Christianity was just emerging as a world religion, this icon was even miraculous. Many images helped people to heal from diseases and acquire the meaning of life.
Before this icon, the following prayers can and should be read: "Living help", "Our Father", "Symbol of Faith." This image is a symbol of most of the holidays associated with the Mother of God - Meeting, Intercession, Transfiguration, Christmas. If everything is bad in your personal life and if negative thoughts constantly come to you, you can read another prayer: “Holy forefathers, martyrs and all those close to our Lord, help us sinners see the real world, so that sadness and spiritual weakness recede forever and ever. Forgive us, the blessed Mother Intercessor, as we leave our sins without attention. As if we doubt our faith and do not notice our dark deeds. Help us find happiness and transform our house with kindness and love. Amen."
Read this prayer every day if you feel saddened. Be sure to purchase this icon for your home so that it protects your walls from any unkind beginning.
One of the greatest feast days of the twelve, Christmas is the day of this icon. More precisely, her day is January 8, the time of remembrance of the Mother Intercessor. This very date is the day of veneration of the icon. Do not forget to visit the church on this day if you have the time and opportunity. Pray to all the saints and the Mother of God, without whom there would be no Nativity of Christ. Do not forget to congratulate all mothers on this holiday. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and
07.01.2018 05:32
Each parent wants to protect their precious child and guide him on the right and righteous path. Find out which prayers ...
January is very rich in various holidays, including church ones. Most of the Orthodox consider Christmas to be the most important. However, the day following this celebration is considered no less important. After all, on January 8, the feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated, which in the old days was much more significant for women than all the Christmas services. It's no secret that in Russia the Mother of God has always been very revered. Numerous churches and monasteries were erected in her honor and icons were painted. Many of the images became miraculous and still attract the attention of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. Today the feast day of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos is not so famous, but this does not diminish its importance. From our article you will learn about the history of the origin and formation of this celebration. And also about what the feast day of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos means for all believers and especially women.
Description of the celebration
Our ancestors necessarily visited the temple not only on the seventh, but also on January 8th. The feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos has a very ancient origin and belongs to the celebrations of the main church circle. In Orthodoxy, there is a tradition according to which, after some great holiday, an accompanying celebration is always celebrated. Most often, without those persons whom the church honors on this date, the great holiday simply would not have been possible.
Therefore, on the feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos, all believers remember the Mother of God, who revealed the baby Jesus to this light. However, not only she is honored on this date, in parallel, Christians glorify those who were related to the birth of Christ and helped him save his life.
Who else is celebrated on January 8?
On the Orthodox holiday, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is remembered in churches not only for the Virgin Mary. In addition to Her on this day, they pray for three more persons, who are considered close to the Savior in his earthly life:
- Joseph.
- King David.
- Jacob.
Each of these names is well known to the Orthodox. For example, Joseph is called the husband of Mary, this is how he appears to us during the Christmas stories. However, priests can tell about the events leading up to the birth of the baby Jesus in a completely different way. This information refers to the prehistory of Christmas and the feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos. We will tell the readers about this in the next section of the article.
Feast Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos: history of the feast
In old books it is mentioned that at the time when Joseph became the intended husband of the Virgin Mary, he was already eighty years old. The Mother of God was entrusted to him to preserve Her life and purity. Previously, Joseph was already married and had several children. It was one of his sons, Jacob, who went with the born Savior to Egypt in order to save His life, as well as to save his father and Mary herself from the power of King Herod. It is noteworthy that not too much is known about Joseph. He was considered a very pious person and it was because of this that he was elected to the role of a person protecting the Mother of God. This became his most important service to the Lord, which Joseph went from beginning to end.
I would like to clarify that Jacob, like his father, was very pious and after the martyrdom of Christ and his resurrection from the dead became the head of one of the first Christian churches.
It is impossible not to mention King David. His name is remembered on the feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos because he is the ancestor of Christ, and they come from the same clan.
If you are interested in the background of the church holiday, then the clergy tell about the miraculous salvation of the baby from the wrath of Herod. The king was waiting for the wise men who came to his land with gifts for the newborn to reveal his location. However, they never gave in to Herod's persuasions and secretly left his kingdom. Furious, he ordered his soldiers to destroy absolutely all babies in the city of Bethlehem and its immediate vicinity. However, Joseph saw in a dream an angel sent to him with a warning. The angel told him to get up immediately, take his family and flee to Egypt to save his lives. Joseph followed the words he heard and was able to avoid a sad fate.
Many years later, the angel again appeared to Joseph and informed him of the death of Herod, commanding him to return to Bethlehem. The holy elder again submitted to the will from above, but he did not dare to settle in the same city where the son of a cruel king now ruled. Together with his family, Joseph went to Nazareth, where he settled.
Preserving the life of Christ and the Mother of God, he fulfilled his main purpose. Therefore, it is honored almost on a par with the Virgin Mary on the feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Formation of a church holiday
The Feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos has been celebrated for a very long time, its formation took place almost parallel to the development of the Christian church. Around the fourth century, many priests and holy elders wrote that on Christmas Day it is imperative to remember and venerate the Mother of God. They taught Christians in their texts and advised them how to properly celebrate this holiday.
For many centuries, believers treated Christmas exactly like that, as the holy men commanded them, but around the end of the seventh century, the Ecumenical Council made a different decision regarding this date. It is worth noting that the clergy participating in the Council often established rules that in the future would become the norm for the entire Church. Therefore, the decision to separate the Nativity and the celebration of the Mother of God was taken as a direct instruction for all Christians. From this period, Orthodox Christians bring congratulations on the feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos to each other on January 8th. Until now, this date has not changed, moreover, it should be borne in mind that it is constant and does not depend on other holidays, like many other church celebrations.
What does the feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos mean?
In part, we have already talked about the meaning of this church celebration in the previous sections of the article. But we will repeat briefly: it is impossible to celebrate the birth of Christ without remembering those who were with him and became the helpers of the future Savior. After all, every person who happened to be next to the baby after his birth was not accidental. Therefore, on January 8, the Orthodox come to church and pray in front of the icons of the Virgin Mary, offering praise to her, Joseph, James and King David.
Usually women come to church on this day. It is they who bring their problems and concerns to the Mother of God. It is believed that she understands all women's troubles as well as possible and never leaves requests without attention. Therefore, for unmarried and family representatives of the fair sex, the Virgin Mary is the intercessor. And the holiday is another reason to thank her for her help and make another request. Many say that it is on January 8 that the Mother of God is especially attentive to the tears and problems of earthly women.
Virtues of the Most Holy Theotokos: what to ask for on a holiday
Today we turn to the higher powers on almost every occasion, without even thinking about the insignificance of some requests. However, our ancestors were more responsible in their relationship with God. This was especially true for women, because they were responsible to the Creator for the spiritual purity of their loved ones. And it was the Mother of God who helped them carry this mission, so the female half of the parishioners always came to the temple on January 8 and asked to grant them the virtues that the Virgin Mary possessed. Their priests number three:
- Complete devotion to the Lord. The Mother of God was distinguished by great humility before God's will, which is the greatest virtue of any believer. She obediently received the message from the archangel Gabriel about the future birth of Christ. However, along with this, the Virgin Mary voluntarily took on herself and all the sorrows that fell on her fragile shoulders in the future. However, even numerous sorrows and sorrows could not shake her faith and humility. This is how everyone who has adopted Christianity as the only correct religion should behave.
- A vow of purity. Everyone knows the story of the Immaculate Conception of the Savior, but few people think about the fact that the Mother of God kept this purity throughout her further earthly life. Moreover, when we talk about innocence and sinlessness, we mean not only bodily purity, but also spiritual.
- Courage. A fragile and tender woman very courageously experienced all the hardships and hardships that were predetermined on her earthly path. She illustrates this virtue more vividly than many others and as if calls on believers to follow her example.
Today, little is known about this feature of the holiday. However, more than ever, our world needs exactly the listed virtues that will make us brighter and help us to bear the cross given from above with dignity.
How did our ancestors celebrate the holiday?
The significance of the feast day of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos for Christians in Russia was difficult to overestimate. On this day, women who had recently given birth and those who were being demolished were especially eager on this day. For them, this date was even more important than Christmas and many signs were associated with it.
For example, women expecting a baby and their spouses were not supposed to work on January 8th. Otherwise, our ancestors predicted the birth of a baby with various physical problems.
It was customary on this day to remember in the church all deceased relatives. According to a long-standing belief, they could go down to earth and come to church to listen to the divine services, which were arranged for them by the deceased priests.
Interestingly, the church holiday is closely intertwined with the pagan rite of veneration for midwives. It was called "Babi porridge". Usually, after visiting the temple, women cooked porridge and prepared various delicacies, and then went to visit the midwives, taking with them the children whom they helped to be born.
Many residents of the villages went to carol that day. It was believed that this would bring them good luck for the next year.
Today, on the eighth of January, it is customary to honor the icons of the Mother of God, namely eight of them. This number also includes miraculous images, one of which we will talk about a little later.
Iconography
Around the thirteenth century, traditions of painting icons for this holiday were formed on the territory of Ancient Rus. And already from the fourteenth century, the images spread to almost all temples, churches and monasteries.
According to the canons, the Mother of God is always depicted in the center of the composition. She sits on a throne, surrounded by magi, saints and shepherds. Other symbolic images have been added to some icons, designed to strengthen the significance of the service that the Virgin Mary carries. In almost every image, she holds Jesus in her arms, but the oldest available icon is significantly different from the rest. On it, the Mother of God is not holding Christ himself, but his image. This image dates back to the fourteenth century and is still interpreted in different ways by the clergy.
The miraculous icon "Gracious"
Many of those who have been to Cyprus have seen this unusual image of the Virgin, which today is located in a temple specially built for it. However, for many years before this, the icon wandered, passing from hand to hand.
It is believed that she first appeared among Egyptian Christians, who prayed in front of her and considered the face to be miraculous. But during the period of persecution, they gave their shrine to the sailors, who promised to deliver it to Constantinople. On the way, the ship was robbed by Saracen pirates, but they did not possess the icon for long. In just a few weeks, they themselves fell victim to Greek pirates. They have already delivered the image as a gift to the Emperor of Constantinople.
She stayed there for a long time, and in the twelfth century she was taken to Cyprus to a beautiful temple built in a picturesque place. Here she is to this day. Every year thousands of pilgrims come here who suffer from serious illnesses. Over the centuries, many testimonies of miraculous healings have accumulated, which were given through great faith and sincere prayer.
Interestingly, no one has seen the very face of the Virgin Mary and Christ in her arms for many years. For some unknown reason, the icon is diagonally covered with a shroud. Therefore, the pilgrims, and the priests of the church themselves, as well as the monastery that arose nearby, never saw it completely.
Prayers to the Mother of God
Many are interested in what prayers for the feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos should be read in the church. There is no consensus on this score, because the main thing is that this appeal is as sincere as possible. Therefore, you can pray even with simple words coming from the very heart.
However, if you still prefer certain prayers, then we give one of the possible ones below.
Since it is quite long, you can take its printed text with you to the temple on holiday. It will be appropriate to read it at the icon of the Virgin Mary or in any other place.
January is rightfully called one of the richest months for holidays. In addition to the beloved New Year and Christmas, on the 8th of this month an important church holiday is celebrated - the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos.
Why is this day so important from a religious point of view?
It is not by chance that the Church celebrates the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos the next day after the Nativity of Christ.
The Lord's servants turn with prayers of praise to the Mother of Jesus, who was chosen by the Lord for the birth of the Son of God. The Bible says about the virgin birth and painless birth of Mary. For the reason that she is the very chosen virgin, in church customs it is customary to honor the mother of Jesus immediately after His Birthday.
Why is the holiday called the Cathedral?
The Mother of God is honored all year round. There are many dedicated to her birth, receiving the Good News from an angel, and so on. so named because it focuses on the general ministry of Mary. We are talking about a conciliar service, where prayers are proclaimed for the Mother of God, as well as for those close to her and Jesus Christ: King David, Saints Joseph and James.
Joseph the Betrothed and Saint James
For the family of David, the birth of the Messiah was the greatest event, despite the fact that the action took place in an unsightly cave in Bethlehem. Mary had no relatives, and at the time of the birth of Jesus, only Joseph the Betrothed was nearby, who was already at an advanced age and was called to guard the virginity of the Virgin. Tradition says that the Jewish high priest blessed him to be betrothed to Mary. Joseph took care of the Mother of God and her Child for many years and it was to him that an angel appeared in a dream with a warning that he had to flee to Egypt. Without a moment's hesitation, he got up and led Maria and the child behind him. He did not even prevent Joseph from taking responsibility for two such important lives, and in order to provide for his wards, he began working as a carpenter in Egypt, earning a living.
According to the flesh, David was the ancestor of the Lord, since according to tradition it was necessary that the Savior was born of the lineage of David. An equally important person close to the Lord is Jacob. He was the son of Joseph the Betrothed from his first marriage, therefore he is considered the brother of the Lord. Being pious and devoted to God, after the resurrection of Christ from the dead, he was named the rector of the Jerusalem Church.
Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos: the history of the holiday
The Virgin Mary has been revered by people since the early formation of the Christian Church. Feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy
The Mother of God as such began to be celebrated back in the IV century AD, when Epiphanius of Cyprus, Augustine the Blessed and Ambrose of Mediolansky performed the rite of worship in honor of the Birth of Christ and combined it with it for His Mother. This church event acquired official status only in 681, when a council was first held in honor of the Virgin Mary, James and his father Joseph the Betrothed.
The date January 8 was not chosen by chance. Among all the saints, the Mother of God is awarded the highest honor. Therefore, as a tribute to the Blessed Virgin, church officials honor her the day after the most important religious holiday - the birth of the Savior.
Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos: features of the holiday
Over time, some church events tend to become popular. So, on January 8, it is customary to celebrate a religious holiday - the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos, however, its own customs originated in Russia. People on this day nicknamed "Babi porridge". It is supposed to honor women in labor and midwives. In the villages on January 8, according to old customs, it was customary to bake pies and treat them to women in labor. In peasant families where there were children, on this day, the parents' duty was to cook goodies, take vodka and go with a bow to visit the midwife who took the birth.
According to old Russian customs, on the day of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos, women felt their special unity with the Mother of God, therefore they left her bread as a gift. As a rule, women baked and brought them to church: they left some of the treats at the altar, and some sanctified and carried them home.
It is believed that these customs came from paganism, which flourished in Russia for a long time. It is known that before the consecration of the Russian lands to Christianity, people worshiped many Gods. Among them was the patroness of all women - Makosh, whose cult underwent metamorphosis and mixed with the celebration of the Cathedral of the Virgin. For a long time it was impossible to eradicate the traces of paganism, especially with regard to the worship of goddesses who help women.
There are cases when, in parallel with the emerging Christian churches, many peasant women in the villages continued to present gifts to the goddesses of women in childbirth every autumn. These ossified traditions aroused the wrath of the church fathers, but, nevertheless, even the fear of punishment did not prevent women from performing their rituals. There is an opinion that in many ways the celebration of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos was a disguise of the pagan rituals that took place during and after the divine service. People threw feasts on that day, danced in circles and continued to visit women in labor and midwives.
Even in the 18th century, the persecution of the pagans continued, who carefully concealed their rituals from the churches. The priests called most of the traditions of this day devilish work, plunging all the peasants into confusion. Even such a non-trivial custom as to cook porridge on that day, they attributed to intrigues. An interesting fact is that the blessing of bread at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos was also denied by the clergy. In 1590, the Metropolitan of Kiev condemned people, calling such actions heretical.
Who else was sung in Russia on January 8?
According to an old custom, the day of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos fell on December 26. In addition to the prayer chanting of the Virgin Mary, the Slavs paid tribute to the memory of the prophet David, who was able to defeat the giant Goliath with his own hands. The peasants venerated this saint and turned to him with prayers for help. It was believed that those who believe and pray to David will be delivered from rage and anger. This belief developed as a result of historical data that the prophet was Saul's squire and often had to tame the obstinate husband with a song and a joke. From here, in Russia, the belief arose that, setting off on a journey, a wanderer must seek protection from David. This was to provide him with an easy road and get rid of all sorts of misfortunes, including robbers and wild animals.
Introduction to the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos
Representatives of the Christian
religions know firsthand that the calendar is drawn in red on the days of the most significant church events. The Virgin Mary is one of the most important characters in the history of the birth of the Savior. Therefore, many laudatory ceremonies have been set aside in her honor, including the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos held on January 8. The story of the holiday goes to the very heart of the New Testament story. However, this list of important events does not come to an end, and there are many other, important from a religious point of view, events.
The introduction to the temple of the Most Holy Theotokos is a holiday that came from the ancient Dowry. It is one of the twelve most important religious events of the year and is celebrated on the fourth day of December.
On this day, according to the Legend, people should remember the parents of the Mother of God: Anna and Joachim, who lived a long life until old age, but God did not reward them with children. Believing in God's justice to the last, they trusted in the Lord in their prayers, promising that if he gives them a long-awaited child, they will dedicate him to him. Their requests were heard by the Almighty, and he sent them a baby - the beautiful Mary.
When the girl was three years old, Anna and her husband went to Jerusalem to take their daughter to the temple, as they had promised the Lord. In view of the special importance of the vow, Mary's parents lit candles and arranged an accompanying procession for the girl. Ahead of her were young maidens, and around Mary and her parents were relatives.
When the procession approached the gates of the temple, they were met by priests led by Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. There were 15 steps at the entrance to God's abode. The parents left the girl on the first of them, after which they watched in surprise as their daughter rose on her own to the very dais.
Zechariah received a message from above that he must lead Mary to the most holy place of the temple, where it was supposed to enter only once a year. From that moment on, it can be considered that a difficult and decisive period in History began - the mother of the Savior began her journey. The introduction of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple is a holiday event when a young virgin began to serve the Lord in accordance with the promise of her parents.
Mary's stay in the temple
The chronicler who recorded the history of events about the life of the Virgin in God's house was He told that the girl lived in a room with other virgins and was in the care of pious virgins. The main activities that the girl indulged in were prayer, needlework and reading prayers. Maria was a diligent student and from childhood showed herself from the best side.
According to the rules
The then world, the girl, upon reaching the age of fifteen, had to leave the walls of the temple and acquire a husband. However, in this matter, Mary first showed disobedience: she took a vow to remain a virgin until the end of her days and devote herself to serving God. Zechariah, being wise, offered a way out of the situation. He advised the girl's elderly relative, Joseph, to marry her in order to provide her with a decent life. This meant that Mary would continue to remain blameless and be able to fulfill her vow.
The history of the celebration of the entry into the temple of the Most Holy Theotokos
The first mention of this event appeared at the beginning of our era, or rather, the era of Christianity. Between 250 and 300 A.D. at the insistence of Empress Helena, the first temple was built, dedicated to the memory of the entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the temple. Finally, the celebration of this event was established in church circles by the 4th century.
The celebration was insipid and superficial, and only by the beginning of the 10th century, George Nikodimsky, together with Joseph the Hymnographer, wrote the canons for conducting prayer rituals.
Features of the celebration of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos
Need to say,
that any church event is a ceremony. Of course, unlike pagan sacrifices, Christians adhere to humane methods, mainly resorting to the help of prayer chants, sermons, anointing and imitation of some historical events that are symbolic in nature.
Regardless of whether a service is held in a church or any holiday is taking place, for example, the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos, the prayer of the Virgin is an integral attribute of the event. The clothes of the priests are important factors in the conduct of the service. So, on the day of the celebration of the Entry into the Temple of the Theotokos, the servants of the Lord dress in robes of blue or light blue. On this day, an evening service, an all-night vigil, and a liturgy are held.
The peculiarities of the Feast of the Entry into the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos imply reading only the prescribed texts: the prayer to the Theotokos, the troparion and kontakion of the same name, as well as a number of specific liturgical chants.
Crucifixion in honor of the holiday
According to religious concepts, there are 12 most significant events of the year. Some of them are sung not only during mass prayer chants, but also have their own attributes, such as the crucifixion "Introduction to the Temple of the Most Holy Theotokos."
Crosses depicting this theme are very popular. They are made from different materials. On one side of the cross, you can see the Creator seated on the throne prepared for him, and on the other side, you can observe the festive procession while climbing the steps of the temple of Mary.
In the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos, not only the Mother of God is revered - on this day Joseph is remembered - the elder, who swore before God that he would preserve the virginity of the one who would give birth to the Savior of all that exists and for a long time helped the Virgin Mary.
Joseph was the first to see the child - Jesus Christ, he helped her escape to Egypt from Herod and his henchmen. He also sacrificed much so that Christ could fulfill predictions and fulfill his destiny.
On the feast day of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos, they also remember King David, who was a direct relative of Christ, and Saint James, the brother of the Lord, who was the son of Saint Joseph the Betrothed from his first marriage.
Saint James accompanied, together with his father Joseph, the Mother of God and the Divine Infant Jesus on the flight to Egypt.
The feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos, the establishment of which dates back to the early times of the Christian Church, has an ancient origin.
Epiphanius of Cyprus, Blessed Augustine and Saint Ambrose of Mediolan, already in the IV century, in their teachings on the feast of the Nativity of Christ, combined the praise of the born Savior with the praise of the Virgin Mary who gave birth to Him.
The instruction to celebrate the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos on the day after the Nativity of Christ was recorded in Canon 79 of the VI Ecumenical Council, held in 681.
Icon "Our Lady of Vladimir" (1652. Front side of the double-sided icon. Simon Ushakov)
The Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos in Russia was considered even more important for women than the Nativity of Christ, since it is associated with the Mother of God, writes Rosregistr. In the old days it was believed that if a pregnant woman or her husband would work on this day, even because of extreme necessity, then their child would be born with physical disabilities.
On the feast of the Cathedral of the Most Holy Theotokos, women went from door to door with congratulations and sang Christmas carols, visited midwives and communed them with supper.
There is a belief that on the night of January 8, all the dead come to the temple, and the deceased priests rule over services for them, therefore, on this day, dinners and memorial services were held for the dead.
According to the church calendar on January 8, the martyr Euthymius, the Monk Constantine, the Monk Evarest and eight icons of the Mother of God, including the icon called "The Merciful", are also honored.
The icon of the Mother of God was written, according to legend, by the Holy Evangelist Luke. The name "Kykkotis" (residing in Kykkos) was given to the icon from Mount Kykkos on the island of Cyprus. The icon is in the imperial monastery, in the temple built in her honor.
The miraculous image of the Virgin, wandered for a long time before reaching the island of Cyprus. At first he was in one of the first Christian communities in Egypt. When the persecution of Christians arose there, the Kykkos Icon was sent to Constantinople in 980, but on the way the Saracens captured the ship.
Kazan Icon of the Mother of God
In turn, the enemies of the Christian faith were captured by the Greeks, who brought the image to Constantinople, where the Kykkos icon was kept in the royal palaces until the beginning of the 12th century.
Then the icon was transported with great honors to the island of Cyprus, where it was placed in a temple built for it. A monastery was gradually formed around the temple.
Many miracles began to be performed from the miraculous image of the "Merciful" Mother of God, therefore from ancient times to the present day people possessed by various ailments flock to the monastery from all sides and receive healing by faith.
Not only Christians, but also gentiles believe in the miraculous power of the Holy Icon.
The inexhaustible mercy of the Most Pure Mother of God, of all suffering, and truly inherent in Her image is the name "Merciful".
The miraculous "Kykkos" icon of the Mother of God has a remarkable feature: it is not known from what time it is half-covered with a shroud from the upper left corner to the lower right, so that no one can and does not dare to see the faces of the Mother of God and the Divine Child.
On the icon, the image of the Mother of God is of the “Eleusa” type, the face of the Most Holy Mother of God is tilted to the left, the Infant supports the edge of the maforium of the Mother of God with his hand, and a Greek scroll is held in his joined hands.
Copies of the miraculous image of the "Merciful" appeared in Russia in the 17th century - one of the most famous and revered copies of one of the most famous and revered copies was in the Moscow Conception Convent and was its main shrine.
The miraculous list was transferred after the destruction of the monastery in the 1920s to the nearby temple of the prophet Elijah in Obydensky lane.
When the monastic life in the monastery began to revive, the icon of the Mother of God "Merciful" returned in 1999 to its original place. Prayer in front of this icon strengthens and spiritually consoles all who turn to the Heavenly Lady with faith and hope.
O Most Holy and Blessed Mother of the Lord, God and Savior of our Jesus Christ, Merciful Theotokos and Ever-ever Mary! Falling to Your holy and miraculous icon, we humbly pray to You, our Good and Merciful Intercessor: listen to the voice of our sinful prayers, do not despise the sighs from the soul, see the sorrows and misfortunes of us, and as if the truly loving Mother, sweeping to help us, have helplessness to those who have fallen into many and grievous sins and who have always angered our Lord and our Creator, pray to Him, our Representative, may not destroy us with our iniquities, but show us His benevolent mercy. Ask us, Lady, from His goodness, bodily health and spiritual salvation, a pious and peaceful life, fruitfulness of the earth, goodness of air, rains are in time and a blessing from above for all our good deeds and undertakings, and as in ancient times you have graciously looked upon the humble Aphonosology of the novice , who sang a song of praise to Thy in front of Thy Most Pure Icon, and you sent the Archangel Gabriel to him to teach him to sing the Heavenly Song, the angels praise thee with it, accept graciously and our prayers that are now fervently brought to You, and bring it to Thy Son and God, He will be sinful to us, and will add His mercy to all who honor Thee and worship Thy Holy Image with faith. O All-Merciful Queen, All-Merciful Mother of God, stretch out your God-bearing hand to Him, in His image, as if you were carrying a baby, and beg Him to save all of us and deliver eternal perdition. Show us, Lady, Your bounties: heal the sick, comfort the grieving, help the needy: make good haste to all of us to bear the yoke of Christ in patience and humility, grant us this pious life of this earthly end, receive the Christian unashamed end to the Heavenly, Mother of God. All glory, honor and worship, now and ever, and forever and ever, befits all glory, honor and worship to the Christ our God born of Thee, to Him with His beginningless Father and the Most Holy Spirit. Amen.