Orthodox icon | Mother of God of Kazan | 24829

Orthodox icon | Mother of God of Kazan | 24829.

In this depiction, Jesus stands beside the Mother of God, not sitting on her hand. He stands to her left, raising his right hand in a gesture of blessing. The Mother of God tilts her head slightly towards the child.

The Mother of God revealed her icon for the first time in the city of Kazan in 1579. The Mother of God appeared in dreams to a nine-year-old girl named Matrona three times, instructing her to tell the archbishop and city officials to dig up her icon from beneath the ground.

She pointed out the exact location beneath the ashes of a house that had recently burned down. Yet, no one listened to the girl. Wanting to carry out the Mother of God’s request, Matrona involved her mother.

On July 8, following the spot her daughter mentioned, Matrona’s mother began her search. But she couldn’t find the icon. Undaunted, Matrona took it upon herself to dig, and she soon unearthed the sacred icon.

Despite its time buried, the icon appeared in perfect condition, as if someone had just painted it. Later, they moved the icon to Moscow and, in 1811, they placed it in the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg, a building specially made for the icon.

The Kazan icon of the Mother of God has a revered spot in Russia, appearing in every church and treasured by devout families. Newlyweds seek blessings with the Kazan icon, and families pray for their well-being before it. People celebrate the icon’s feast days on July 8 and October 22.

The robes feature intricate floral patterns, engraved with discernible hallmarks.

Source: Orthodox icon | Mother of God of Kazan | 24829 © Ikonen Mautner. Typing errors, other errors or changes reserved. For more information: “Das Synaxarion. Die Leben der Heiligen der Orthodoxen Kirche.” (http://www.prodromos-verlag.de/buecher.html) and Joachim Schäfer: Das Ökumenische Heiligenlexikon – https://www.heiligenlexikon.de