The history of the acquisition of this sacred image is known thanks to the manuscript "The Legend of the Appearance of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God", dated 1594 and compiled by an eyewitness of the events - Patriarch Hermogenes. The acquisition of the miraculous icon took place on July 21 (according to the new style), 1579, when the future patriarch served as a priest in the Kazan diocese and bore the name Yermolai.
Kazan Icon of the Mother of GodIcon of Our Lady of Kazan
Saved the Russians from trouble more than once.
With a prayer people asked: “Mother of God!
Have mercy on us, help"And poured to heaven stronger prayer,
And the bright face of the Mother of God
Appeared suddenly over our Russia,
And all the enemies were defeated in an instant.You shielded women and babies
From enemy swords and sharp arrows
And songs were sung louder over Russia,
Cowardly, became immediately bold.And Holy Orthodox Faith
Day by day grew stronger in Russia,
And they repeated, with a sinking heart,
Have mercy, Mother of God, save!
In the summer of that year in Kazan happened major fire, in the fire of which the house of the Kazan archer Danila Onuchin burned down. When the archer set out to start building new housing on the site of the burned-out one, the Mother of God appeared to his daughter Matryona three times in a dream. She ordered the girl to go to the ruins of their house and get an icon with her image out of the ground. Matryona and her mother came to the ashes and in the indicated place they found an unprecedented image of the Mother of God with the Christ Child.
With a large gathering of people, the icon was carried to the nearby church of St. Nicholas of Tulsky. On the way, a miracle happened: upon meeting with the icon, two poor blind men who begged for alms on the porch of the temple were healed of their illness.
A message about the newly-appeared icon and the miracles that had happened was sent to Tsar Ivan the Terrible, who ordered that a maiden monastery be erected at the place where the icon was found. The first buildings of the monastery complex were wooden and only main cathedral in the name of the appearance of the Kazan Mother of God was built of stone. Construction was completed by 1591. The monastery was named Bogoroditsky, and the miraculous icon with a solemn procession moved to a new home.
Kazan Bogoroditsky Monastery at the present time At first, the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was only a local shrine, but at the beginning of the 17th century, in the "Time of Troubles", it gained all-Russian fame. It was the time when Russian state experienced a deep political, economic, state and social crisis. With the death of Ivan the Terrible, the ruling dynasty came to an end.
On the Russian throne, replacing each other, the temporary workers who robbed the country ruled. As a result, Moscow was captured by the invaders, and gangs of marauders ruled over a large area.
The ideologist of the Russian resistance was Patriarch Hermogenes, former priest from Kazan, a witness to the acquisition of the miraculous Kazan icon. With his blessing, in 1611, Metropolitan Ephraim of Kazan sent a copy of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God to the militia of Minin and Pozharsky.
Hieromartyr Hermogenes, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Wonderworker The image of the Kazan Holy Mother of God by type, it refers to the icons of the Hodegetria - the Guide, and indeed, she repeatedly pointed out the right path to many of our compatriots. So, with the Kazan icon, the militia moved to Moscow, freeing the city from the impostors of the Time of Troubles.
Before the capture of Moscow Russian army prayed fervently before the miraculous icon, and on October 22, 1612, the militia took Kitay-gorod with a swift attack. Not hoping to hold on to the rest of Moscow, the Poles surrendered the Kremlin to the Russians themselves. The liberation of Moscow from foreign invaders was explained by the intercession of the miraculous icon. In memory of this event, the second All-Russian celebration of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God was established.
Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky Kazan Cathedral on Red Square in Moscow - one of the most famous Moscow churches was erected in 1636. The icon-liberator was transferred there, and now the image is kept in the Cathedral of the Epiphany. Before the Battle of Poltava, Peter the Great with his army prayed before the icon of the Kazan Mother of God (from the village of Kaplunovka). In 1812, the Kazan icon of the Mother of God overshadowed the Russian soldiers who repelled the French invasion. On the feast of the Kazan Icon on October 22, 1812, Russian detachments led by Miloradovich and Platov defeated Davout's rearguard. This was the first major defeat of the French after leaving Moscow, the enemy lost 7 thousand people. It snowed that day, very coldy, and the army of the conqueror of Europe began to melt.
Cathedral of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God on Red Square The icon showed the way not only to statesmen and squads - according to a good tradition, it is with this icon that young parents bless young parents for marriage, this image of the Mother of God, one of the most beloved in Russia, is accompanied by a long list of miracles.
We magnify Thee, / Blessed Virgin, / and honor Your holy image, / grace-filled help flows from the worthless / to all who flow to him with faith.
Zealous intercessor, / Mother of the Lord Most High, / pray for all your Son Christ our God, / and work for everyone to be saved, / to those who run to your sovereign cover. / Intercede for all of us, O Lady Queen and Mistress, / even in adversity and in sorrow, and in illness, burdened with many sins, / coming and praying to You with a tender soul / and a contrite heart, / before Your most pure image with tears / and irrevocably hope those who have on Thee, / deliverance of all evils, / grant useful to all / and save everything, Virgin Mother of God: / You are the Divine Protection of Your servant.
Today all of Russia celebrates church Public Holiday- Day national unity and honors the memory of the icon of the Mother of God, revealed by Her in Kazan. […]
Today, all of Russia is celebrating a church-state holiday, the Day of National Unity, and honors the memory of the icon of the Mother of God, revealed by Her in Kazan.
As a holiday, National Unity Day was established in 2004.
This holiday is called upon to resurrect in the memory of the people the events of 400 years ago, to recall the great feat of solidarity and patriotism. It is associated with the best traditions of the Russian people - mutual assistance, the will to win, the desire for order and falls on a very significant religious holiday- the memory of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the Rurik dynasty came to an end. Taking advantage of the weakness of the new rulers from among the boyars, the Polish interventionists invaded the territory of Russia. Inside the country, they found helpers from among the landless boyars, Cossacks and asocial elements.
The invaders began to cut and rob the inhabitants of the country. The western, southern and central districts of Russia were devastated, Tsar Vasily Shuisky was killed, the Moscow Kremlin was occupied by the Polish garrison, and Patriarch Hermogenes, who in his letters called on the Russian people to take up arms against a foreign enemy, starved to death in the Miracle Monastery.
Under these conditions, ordinary inhabitants of the country - merchants, peasants, artisans, Cossacks - those who lived in the cities of North-Eastern Russia, stood up to defend the country. In 1612, the capital of the country was moved to Yaroslavl, where the First civil uprising under the leadership of Prince Trubetskoy, the Cossack ataman Zarutsky and the peasant Prokopy Lyapunov. The militia approached Moscow and besieged the Polish garrison of the Kremlin.
But the forces of the militia were not enough for a complete blockade of the garrison, the Poles made sorties, reinforcements approached them, and disputes about supremacy began between the leaders of the militia. The situation is frozen in an unstable equilibrium.
Then in Nizhny Novgorod, the merchant Kuzma Minin began to collect the Second People's Militia. He donated all his capital to save the Motherland. Warriors from the surrounding cities began to gather. It was decided to put a single chief over the new regiments - Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. Kuzma Minin became his assistant and treasurer.
The second militia moved to Moscow. On the way, more and more detachments joined him. Finally, having reached the walls of the capital, it absorbed the remnants of the First Home Guard, destroyed the Polish reinforcements that had approached the city, stormed Kitai-Gorod and tightly surrounded the Kremlin.
After several months of siege, on November 4, 1612, the Poles capitulated. Militia detachments dispersed along the main roads of the country, destroying scattered Polish detachments and gangs of robbers. And in Moscow in 1613 was convened Zemsky Sobor, who popularly elected Mikhail Romanov to the kingdom, thanks to which the terrible turmoil finally ended.
Saints are also honored in the Church today: Equal-to-the-Apostles Averky, Bishop of Hierapolis, Wonderworker, Seven Youths of Ephesus: Maximilian, Iamblichus, Martinian, Dionysius, Antoninus, Constantine (Exacustodian) and John, Martyrs Bishop Alexander, Heraclius the Warrior and Wives Anna, Elizabeth, Theodotia and Glyceria.
Other important events of the day:
1493 - Expedition of Christopher Columbus discovers the island of Guadeloupe.
1582 - Yermak in the battle on the Chuvash cape defeats the Siberian Khan Kuchum and after 3 days enters the capital of his khanate - Isker.
1707 - a hospital was opened in Moscow (now - the Main Military Clinical Hospital named after N. N. Burdenko).
1794 - Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov occupies Prague (a suburb of Warsaw) and stops the Polish uprising.
1890 - The world's first underground electric road, the subway, opens in London.
1922 - Englishman Howard Carter discovers the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in Egypt.
2011 - the cities of Kovrov, Lomonosov, Taganrog and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky (Russia) were awarded honorary title City of Military Glory .
In contact with
Our children live in a different reality. Studying the question: how can one celebrate the Feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God with children, I was surprised to find that November 4 as a national holiday is not so far-fetched instead of “November 7 is the red day of the calendar” to the layman, as it seemed to me before. These are the materials I found, supplemented only with links to audio files and pictures on the topic. My comments and additions highlighted in color. I hope the author will forgive me.
Source:
Methodological development for grade 1, published on the website "Social network of educators", author Tyulenkina T.M.
Scenario of the holiday dedicated to the Day of National Unity and the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God - November 4
(Children enter the hall to the soundtrack of the song "My Motherland")
I see a wonderful pleasure
I see fields and fields -
This is Russian expanse,
This is Russian land.
I see mountains and valleys
I see steppes and meadows -
This is the Russian side
This is my homeland!
Presenter:
On the day of reconciliation and consent
We congratulate all people
And from the bottom of our hearts we wish you happiness
Holy Russia for many days.
(child reads poetry)
Motherland's birthday
We will gladly meet.
All illuminated by the sun
Adults and children.
Presenter:
And we will sing the national anthem (the “Hymn of Russia” sounds in the recording, everyone gets up, sings along) (During the performance of the Anthem, 4 children bring the Russian flag into the hall. Children who hold the flag read poetry)
The anthem of Russia performed by the children's choir - listen
Presenter:
No wonder Mother of Kazan
This holiday was established
After all, the faithful Christian army
The capital city was liberated.
Yes, guys, our fathers and grandfathers shed a lot of blood, protecting the Motherland from enemies. Our long-suffering Russia has gone through many wars. In 1610 the Poles attacked us.
(The soundtrack of the battle sounds, children in the costumes of the conquerors take the Kremlin by storm).
You can listen and download the sounds of the battle
Presenter:
They captured Moscow and the main fortress of the capital - the Kremlin.
Presenter:
It was difficult for the inhabitants of Moscow, the invaders destroyed their houses, desecrated the temples.. What to do? Thank God, there were brave people - Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky. They gathered an army and went to liberate the capital of Russia - Moscow.
(Children in costumes of Russian warriors, with swords and shields, with banners enter the hall. In the hands of a child dressed in a priest's costume is an icon with which he blesses the army).
As an affordable, but, in my opinion, no less impressive alternative, I propose to arrange a staging with toy soldiers on the table!
Presenter:
The Russian soldiers had an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos - Kazan. They prayed to the Heavenly Intercessor and went to liberate the Kremlin.
Icon image can be downloaded
(they pray in front of the icon, the chant “Our Lady of the Virgin, rejoice” sounds p. 5 in the download list)
Presenter:
The Russian soldiers fought for two months and on November 4 they defeated the enemy and drove him out of the Kremlin. Russia again became autocratic, that is, independent.
(they drive the invaders out of the Kremlin, take them out of the hall).
Presenter:
Worked for the glory of God
And the prince and just a citizen.
Swords were forged and prayed
Enemies in battle were not afraid,
The world was found for all one.
It happened on November 4, 1612. Since then, on November 4, we celebrate the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which miraculously helped our soldiers, and the Day of National Unity. In memory of the miraculous liberation of Moscow, the beautiful Kazan Cathedral was erected on Red Square, and two centuries later a monument was erected to the heroes-liberators Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky
(Children read poetry)
Let everyone know, all over the earth
Peace begins in the Kremlin!
Well, in the opinion of the kids,
Peace begins in the soul!
So that wars disappear on earth,
In harmony, we will live in peace,
Keep Holy Russia with dignity
And cherish our faith.
We remember past victories.
With love on holiday we say:
“Thank you, great-great-great-grandfathers!
We thank you for peace!”
Children sing the song "About the Motherland" (I suppose the one that was at the beginning).
Presenter:
Under warm sun growing up
We live together, have fun.
Russia, dear, dear,
Blossom and grow stronger every day.
Children perform the dance "Sudarushka" in Russian folk costumes with scarves.
Presenter:
Let's celebrate friends
Consent and friendship.
Let's make peace with each other -
Us more wars no need!
(bell sounds)
Bells can be downloaded
"Miracles of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God"
(for parents)
It cannot be said that Kazan, as people say, and the current Day of National Unity are different holidays. The Church has been striving for many years to restore the national celebration of November 4, because the history of church veneration of the Kazan icon is inseparable from the history of our Fatherland.
We will not understand anything in our own history if we do not correlate events with the Orthodox church calendar. The meaning of the existence of the Russian state has always been revealed precisely by this correlation. Our ancestors called the fatherland Holy Russia. We, their descendants, living in Russia in the 21st century, can hear pathos, metaphor in these words. Meanwhile, for our ancestors, it was a very specific reality, embodied in certain events and symbols.
Since 2005, the date of November 4 has become not only a day for religious festivities, but is celebrated by all Russian citizens as "Day of National Unity".
The law on naming the date November 4 as the Day of National Unity or the Day of Reconciliation and Consent was adopted at the level of the State Duma of the Russian Federation at the end of 2004. Initially, it was planned to set November 7 as the date for celebrating such a significant celebration for all Russians. After all, the memory and habit of celebrating November 7 has been firmly entrenched in the minds of Russians over the long years of the existence of the USSR. But a little later, the decision to postpone the date of the celebration of National Unity Day from November 7 to November 4 was nevertheless made.
Why was November 4 chosen as the day of celebration of National Unity, Reconciliation and Accord? This day was chosen by our government as the day of victory in the liberation war of 1612 led by Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky from the Polish interventionists. On this day, Moscow was liberated by Russian people's troops. Such a feat testified to the heroism of the people, the unity and strength of the people of Russia, regardless of nationality, religion and class.
Kuzma Minin was named by Peter 1 himself "Savior of the Fatherland". On the day of the victory of the Russian people, the tsar appointed a public holiday dedicated to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. But always on this day they remembered the name of the leader of the popular uprising, with the help of which Russia gained freedom and the right to independence. This holiday left the list of obligatory and state holidays after 1917. But today we are returning to the old traditions again ...
The 16th century was marked by the resounding victory of Tsar Ivan the Terrible over Kazan, the capital of the mighty Tatar Khanate. The entire Russian people rejoiced because. for many years, devastating raids on our lands began from here, after which burned cities and villages remained, and thousands of people were killed by the Tatars or taken into captivity. Many residents of Kazan began to convert to Christianity, but after a few years a terrible fire destroyed half of this large city. Then the Mohammedan Tatars, who denied faith in the Holy Trinity and the veneration of holy icons, began to laugh at the Orthodox faith, saying that God was not merciful to the Russians, he had allowed such a terrible disaster. They rejoiced, while the Christians grieved, realizing that they had brought trouble with their own sins, and the Lord, seeing their sincere repentance, revealed a great miracle through the prayers of the Mother of God. There lived at that time in the city an archer named Danila, and he had a little daughter, Matronushka. Their house burned down, but they did not lose heart and began to build a new one in its place. Once, in a dream, the Most Holy Theotokos Herself appeared to Matrona and said: “In the place of the burnt house, in the ground, is My icon. Go to the archbishop and city governors and tell them to dig it up, for it is pleasing to My Lord and Me to show mercy to strengthen people in the true faith. At first, the mother did not believe the girl, but the Blessed Virgin appeared to the Matrona twice more and reminded her of her request. For the last time, warning that if the girl does not fulfill Her command, then She will appear in another place, and Matrona will die. Matrona and her mother Efrosinya told everything to the city authorities, who at first also did not believe in what had happened. Then they themselves began to search in the ashes. Other residents of the city also joined the excavations. At first they could not find the icon, but as soon as Matrona herself began to dig, she immediately remembered where the icon should be. The girl ran to the stove and took out a bundle, unfolding it, she took out the image of the Mother of God, which shone brightly and looked as if it had been painted quite recently. Apparently, this icon was carefully hidden underground by some of the first Christian settlers, being wary of the unrestrained oppression of the Tatars - Mohammedans, who considered the veneration of holy icons to be idolatry. They did not understand that Christians do not worship icons, but the Most Pure Mother of God, miraculously depicted on them. Vladyka Jeremiah and the governors on their knees asked for forgiveness from the Mother of God for their lack of faith. Then Vladyka ordered the bells to ring in all churches throughout the city and carry the icon in procession to the Church of St. Nicholas of Tulsky. After the prayer service in the church of St. Nicholas of Tula, the icon was transferred to the main cathedral. On the way, and then in the cathedral itself, two blind men saw their sight - Joseph and Nikita! Since then, it has been noticed that most often the disease of blindness was healed under the Kazan icon. And Tsar Ivan the Terrible, having learned about the miracle, ordered to build icons on the site of the appearance convent. Matronushka and her mother became his first nuns. Hard times soon followed. People stopped sincerely praying to God. The thirst for power led to the fact that the little innocent Tsarevich Dimitri - the son of Ivan the Terrible - was killed. Troubled times began in the country: robberies and bloodshed did not stop. To this was added another crop failure and the severe famine that followed. Taking advantage of the turmoil Swedish troops captured Novgorod, and the Polish - crossed the border in the west, approached Moscow and occupied it. It was God's punishment to the people for their sins. Usually, recalling 1612, they say: "the liberation of Moscow from the Poles." This is not entirely accurate. Those interventionists (Poles, Ukrainians, Lithuanians, Hungarians, Germans) are called Poles only insofar as they were led by Polish governors. The goal of the Europeans was to hold the occupied territory as long as possible so that as much good as possible could be scooped up. The goal of the Russians is to get the uninvited guests out as soon as possible. Moscow was in the hands of the Polish military leaders from October 1610. The indignation of the Muscovites resulted in an armed uprising, back in March 1611, a year and a half before the liberation. The invaders suppressed it, destroying Moscow so that the inhabitants would not have a roof over their heads, and the surviving Muscovites were forced to flee the city. But autumn came, and in Nizhny Novgorod, the headman Kuzma Minin threw out his cry, to which thousands of Russian hearts responded. Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky led a new powerful militia. It is noteworthy that together with the Russians, the Mari, Chuvashs, Komi and other Volga and northerners, representatives of the peoples who not so long ago, during the conquest of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible, acted as fierce enemies of the Russians, joined and went to this militia. It was very important that they now felt at one with the Russians, realized that enlightened Europe would come to rob them. It is customary to call Minin and Pozharsky liberators and winners, but we Orthodox people must see the most important victorious one, overshadowed by God's grace. He, in that difficult time, was the Moscow Patriarch Hermogen. He openly and boldly opposed the invaders. He refused to go out and order the first militia to retreat from Moscow. "What are you threatening me with? – His Holiness Patriarch said to the Poles. I fear only God. If you leave, then I will order them to leave, disperse, otherwise I will order them to stay and die for the faith. - You promise me a cruel death, but through it I hope to receive a crown. I have long dreamed of suffering for the truth.” The Poles imprisoned him in the dungeon of the Chudov Monastery, tortured him. Being imprisoned, Patriarch Hermogenes wrote a letter, which faithful brave people were able to take to Nizhny Novgorod, and this patriarchal message ignited the hearts of people, and when Minin issued a cry, Russia rose to the fight, thanks to the call of Hermogenes! The Poles, having learned about this, stopped feeding the sharpener. They, mockingly, threw him a sheaf of hay and some water. On February 17, 1612, Patriarch Hermogenes died of hunger and cold, having assumed the crown of martyrdom. He gave himself up as a sacrifice in order for Russia to remain Orthodox, to overthrow the hated aliens who wanted to first ruin it, and then forcibly convert it to Catholicism. The feat of His Holiness Hermogenes is a victory in the spiritual battle over enemies, a guarantee of a future military victory! Another inspirer of the coming victory was the elder of the Borisoglebsky monastery, which is at the Mouth, the Monk Irinarch of Rostov. Minin and Pozharsky moved their regiments from Yaroslavl. Having learned that Pozharsky's militia did not dare to go to Moscow, due to disagreements that had arisen, Irinarkh sent prosphora and a blessing to Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich, and also ordered him to convey that he would go to liberate the capital without fear. Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich, delighted, moved the rati, and along the way, Minin and Pozharsky arrived at the Boriso-Glebsky Monastery in order to personally receive the blessing of the elder. Irinarch blessed them and gave his cross to help, becoming for them the same as Sergius of Radonezh was for Demetrius of Donskoy. In the ranks of the militia there was a miraculous list of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, which belonged to Prince Dmitry Pozharsky. Before the decisive battle, the soldiers imposed a 3-day fast on themselves and wept in front of the miraculous icon to the Heavenly Intercessor. And their prayers were answered. The troops coming from Poland to help those in Moscow were defeated. Finally, the Kremlin was taken on November 4, 1612. The liberation of Moscow from foreigners in the autumn of 1612 was the beginning of the liberation of our Fatherland, which had survived the terrible, incredibly difficult, years of troubled times. From here began the ascent of Russian statehood to the shining Imperial heights. In memory of the miraculous liberation of Moscow, a beautiful cathedral was erected on Red Square in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Elected in 1612, the new Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov, established annually on July 21 in a new style to celebrate the acquisition of the icon, and on November 4 - the deliverance of Moscow from the Poles.
The Most Holy Mother of God, through her miraculous image of Kazan, has helped our Fatherland more than once.
Before the Battle of Poltava, Peter 1 ordered the Kazan icon of the Mother of God to be worn in front of the shelves, and he himself prayed with tears, begging the Heavenly Queen for help. The invincible army of the Swedes was defeated!
And in 1812, the Mother of God granted victory to our soldiers over the armies of Napoleon. Field Marshal Kutuzov, before taking command of the Russian troops, prayed for a long time in front of the miraculous image of the Virgin in the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg. And so, on November 4, on the day of the celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, the Russian troops won their first victory. On this day, the first snow fell, and severe frosts began, which had such a detrimental effect on the French, who were not accustomed to severe cold. From that day on, the enemy's army began to melt, and the French retreat began, turning into a stampede.
Even more wonderful things were done by the Mother of God quite recently - during the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945. The breakthrough of the blockade ring of Leningrad occurred after a religious procession through the city with the Kazan icon of the Virgin. Battle of Stalingrad ended with the victory of our soldiers, who also had the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Kyiv was liberated by our troops on November 4th. Not to list all the miracles! Holy Mother of God, save us!
Anyone who thinks that the holiday celebrated on November 4 is very young is deeply mistaken. The Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Russia has been celebrated on November 4 for more than 366 years. Moreover, at first it was a purely Moscow holiday in honor of the salvation of Moscow from Polish intervention in 1612, and in 1649 it became an all-Russian holiday. And not a church holiday, but a national holiday: apparently, our ancestors realized the full significance of the fact that the heart of Russia - Moscow was liberated from the Poles. And it happened exactly on November 4 (October 22, according to the old style). More precisely, on November 4, 1612, Russian soldiers stormed Kitai-Gorod, where the Poles settled - it was a turning point, and four days later the Polish garrison in the Kremlin itself capitulated. An important victory that marked the beginning of the end of the Time of Troubles. The victory is fateful, but what does the icon have to do with it?
And despite the fact that the list of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was brought with them to the militia, assembled by Kuzma Minin and Dimitri Pozharsky, the Kazan squads. Before this miraculous image, the soldiers prayed, preparing themselves for battle.
Four centuries later, for us, atheists and unbelievers, the connection between victory and prayers, even to the famous icon, seems not obvious. But our ancestors were firmly convinced in this regard, and it was this conviction that became the basis for counting the day of the beginning of the victory over the Polish invaders as the day of the celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. Second day of celebration. Because Kazanskaya already had one holiday - the day of its miraculous acquisition: July 8, or, according to the new style, July 21. This miraculous acquisition of a previously unknown image took place thirty-three years before Kazanskaya saved Moscow and Russia.
Here is how it was. In Kazan (hence the name), in 1579, after a terrible fire, the nine-year-old girl Matrona saw the Mother of God in a dream, which pointed to the place where Her icon lies. The girl, of course, was not immediately believed, but then they nevertheless began to dig and found an icon of amazing beauty on the ashes. After gaining the image, miracles began associated with the healing of the sick, especially the blind. In 1594, the priest Yermolai, who later became the famous Patriarch Hermogenes, made an accurate description of the circumstances of the acquisition of the icon and the healings that occurred after that. And since 1595, the Church has established a holiday in honor of the appearance of the Kazan icon - July 21.
So by the time the turmoil began in Russia, the icon of the Kazan Mother of God was no longer just known, but also very revered. Now, in order to understand what role Kazanskaya played in troubled times, let's remember what happened then.
1605 - Tsar Boris Godunov dies, and Moscow governor-traitors kill his son Fedor, False Dmitry I enters the capital. A year later, False Dmitry is also killed. Vasily Shuisky (1606-1610) is elected tsar, but the turmoil continues. In 1608, False Dmitry II appears, Shuisky's troops are defeated. Direct intervention begins: in 1609, the Polish invaders besiege Smolensk, the Trinity-Sergius Monastery (future Lavra) near Moscow, then enter the capital. The country has been ravaged to the ground: robbery, looting, fear and betrayal are everywhere. It seems that there is no force that would bring the nation together, raise the spirit, revive the country. In 1610, Shuisky was also overthrown. The traitorous boyars elect the Polish prince Vladislav to the Moscow kingdom. The country is on the brink of destruction. And here the Church raises its voice.
Despite the numerical and technical superiority of the Polish interventionists, the Trinity-Sergius Monastery stands, the Poles still fail to subdue the monks. Patriarch Hermogenes, who was in custody in 1610 - the one who made the description of the miracles of the Kazan icon of the Mother of God, calls on everyone to rise to the defense Orthodox faith and Fatherland. Kuzma Minin and Dimitry Pozharsky respond to his call, having gathered a militia. Kazan squads join the troops, and they take with them, into the army, the miraculous icon of the Kazan Mother of God.
The Church has always perceived the disasters of the people as a punishment for sins. Therefore, fasting, repentance and prayer were considered an indispensable preparation for any battle. “There are no other imams of help, no other imams of hope, except for You, Most Pure Virgin,” the prayer says: “We have no other help, we have no other hope, except for You, Most Pure Virgin.”
The miraculous salvation of the country, when spiritual forces awakened among the people, and they showed an example of heroism for the sake of the Fatherland, were later repeated in the history of Russia more than once. And often it was associated with the Savior - the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
In 1709, before the Battle of Poltava, Peter the Great with his army prayed in front of the Kazan battle for the grant of victory. A. V. Suvorov prayed before the image. They prayed for deliverance from the French in front of the shrine in 1812, one such prayer service - when M. I. Kutuzov left for the army - was well remembered by the witnesses of the event for the spiritual upsurge of unity that everyone experienced. Kazanskaya also saved during the Great Patriotic War, and saved everyone - both atheists and those who, by their nationality, would have to believe in no way in the Lord Jesus Christ ...
The words of the prayer read in front of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God contain the key to understanding why this image showed us support in a time of trouble. In prayer, the connection between the personal, between the state of a person's soul, his sinfulness, and the general - in what society, in what country we live, is clearly and unambiguously given. Read the words of the prayer, this is an insight of tremendous depth. By the way, it is in times of great national upheavals that one opens one's eyes to such things. And since this connection, this unity of our private, personal and common exists, then it is no coincidence that, gathering strength for a decisive battle, our ancestors did not just pray, they fasted, they repented. This became the key to their future victories. Including those that were overshadowed by the Kazan image of the Virgin.
And then, in gratitude, the Russians erected churches in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. There were countless of them in Russia. And in every house there is an icon - they blessed those who were getting married with it, and then they hung it over the crib ...
The fact that the day of celebration of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God was chosen as the Day of National Unity has the deepest meaning. Real unity, and our past has repeatedly proved this, can be based only on the spiritual. And God forbid, if we forget about it in the years when troubles are just pages of history.
National Unity Day has been celebrated in our country annually on November 4 since 2005. This holiday was established in honor of an important event in the history of Russia - the liberation of Moscow from the Polish invaders in 1612, and is timed to coincide with the Day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
Few people know that back in 1649, by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the day of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God (October 22, old style) was declared a public holiday.
The whole country glorified one of the most beloved in Russia, the Kazan image of the Mother of God, who showed her miraculous intercession for Russia during the Time of Troubles. For a long time in Russia this day was celebrated as a public holiday.
Thus, we can say that National Unity Day is not new holiday rather a return to an old tradition.
Mother took Matrona to Metropolitan Job of Kazan, she told him about the miraculous phenomenon. All the clergy of the city, accompanied by a huge crowd of people, went to the house of the Onuchins. Excavations have just begun, but the icon has not been found. Then Matrona herself began to dig and immediately acquired a holy image. It was of extraordinary beauty and shone with completely fresh colors, as if it had just been painted. The Metropolitan handed over the icon to Fr. Yermolai, the most revered priest in the city, and he, raising it high above his head, accompanied by a procession, carried the miraculous image to the city square, where he overshadowed all the assembled people with it on four sides. Father Yermolai wrote a troparion to the newly-appeared icon "The Zealous Intercessor", which was known to all Holy Russia.
Miracles from the newly appeared image began immediately after its acquisition. From that time to the present, from Her image, revealed in the city of Kazan, the Queen of Heaven generously distributes Her grace-filled help to all Orthodox who, with faith and hope, resort to Her protection.
After 10 years, at the place where the miraculous icon was found, Metropolitan Hermogen (Father Ermolai took tonsure with the name Hermogen in the Moscow Miracle Monastery and was soon appointed to the Kazan cathedra) founded a convent in honor of the icon of the Mother of God of Kazan, and the young Matrona Onuchina was tonsured there and became then abbess. Having performed the first prayer service before the holy image, Metropolitan Hermogenes compiled a legend about the miracles of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
My miraculous help the icon revealed in Time of Troubles, exactly 33 years after the acquisition, when Russia was invaded by Polish interventionists, who hatched plans to put a foreigner and a non-believer on the Russian throne. Polish troops took Moscow, captured and imprisoned the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Hermogenes. In captivity, the Patriarch prayed to the Mother of God, from prison his appeals reached the Russian patriots that they “strongly stand for the faith, subdue robbery, preserve brotherhood and, as promised, lay down their souls for the Most Pure House, for miracle workers and for the faith.” And soon the Nizhny Novgorod militia of Minin and Pozharsky arose.
Prince Dmitry Mikhailovich Pozharsky had a list from the Kazan miraculous icon. With this icon, the prince's troops approached the walls of Moscow captured by the Poles. Preparing for the assault, the Russian army fasted for three days and prayed before the icon of the Mother of God for victory. Archbishop Arseny of Elassony (from Greece), who was a prisoner of the Poles in the besieged Kremlin, had a vision of St. Sergius of Radonezh, who said: “Arseny, our prayers have been heard, by the intercession of the Mother of God, God’s judgment on the Fatherland has been turned over to mercy, tomorrow Moscow will be in the hands of the besiegers and Russia is saved." And as if to confirm the truth of the prophecy, the archbishop was healed of his illness.
St. Arseny informed the Russian soldiers about the vision and prophecy of the great saint of the Russian land, and the next day the militia drove the Poles out of Kitai-Gorod, and two days later the Kremlin was liberated. On Sunday (October 25), Russian soldiers went to the Kremlin with a procession with a miraculous image in their hands. At the place of execution, they met with Archbishop Arseny, who was carrying the miraculous Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, which he preserved despite all the hardships of captivity and illness. The people were shocked by the meeting of two miraculous icons and tearfully prayed to the Heavenly Intercessor of the Russian land.
In memory of the liberation of Moscow from the Poles, the celebration of the Kazan Mother of God was established on October 22/November 4, and in memory of the miraculous finding of the icon - on July 8/21. The celebration of October 22 extended to Moscow, and after 1649, by order of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, to all of Russia. Prince Pozharsky, in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos, for help in the victory, erected on Red Square in the 1630s with his dependence the temple of the Kazan Icon, where it was kept for almost 300 years. In the 20s of the XX century the temple was barbarously destroyed. On November 4 (October 22), 1990, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia consecrated the place and laid the first stone of the temple being reconstructed on it.
Before the Battle of Poltava in 1709, the Russian Tsar Peter I prayed with his army before the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, and in 1721 he transferred one of the copies of the icon from Moscow to St. Petersburg, which he had built. In 1811, the icon was placed in the newly built and consecrated Kazan Cathedral, where commander Kutuzov soon prayed before the miraculous icon for victory over the French. The holy image overshadowed the Russian soldiers going to liberate Russia from foreign invaders in 1812, and the first major victory was won on the feast day of the icon on October 22, when snow fell and severe frost hit, the Intercessor herself came to the aid of the soldiers.
According to the Russian faith Orthodox Church the icons of the Most Pure Mother of God, with grace-filled autumn, settled down on the face of our Fatherland, forming its protection and heavenly cover. The image of the Vladimir Mother of God preserves and blesses our northern borders. The Smolensk and Pochaev icons protect the west, and to the east, to the ends of the earth, the miraculous Kazan icon of the Most Pure Mother of God extends its influence.
In numerous miraculous lists from the Kazan icon, the Most Pure Mother of God, the Patroness of the Orthodox Russian people, is glorified in Russia. Of the many icons of the Mother of God revered in the Russian Orthodox Church, not one is common in so many lists as Kazan. The eyes are most often turned to her in troubles, illnesses and hardships:
“O zealous intercessor, Mother of the Lord Most High, for all pray to Your Son Christ our God ... grant all that is useful and save everything, Virgin Mother of God: Thou art the Divine protection of Your servant.” (Troparion, tone 4).
