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On June 14, 1995, Shamil Basayev’s gang attacked the city of Budyonnovsk and took over one and a half thousand people hostage, who were driven to a local hospital and held there for several days. During these tragic events there were numerous casualties. According to eyewitnesses, on June 18, in the sky above the city, the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary praying in front of the Cross occurred. It was Her intercession before God, according to believers, that largely contributed to the speedy completion of the bloody drama. Descriptions of this miraculous phenomenon became the basis for painting the Holy Cross Icon of the Mother of God.

The history of this holy image is very interesting. When Metropolitan Gideon (Dokukin) of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz became aware of the miracle of the appearance of the Mother of God, he instructed the rector of the Kazan Church in Budyonnovsk, Archimandrite Alexander (Ishchein), to collect testimonies from the townspeople. Having familiarized himself with the materials presented to him, Vladyka gave his blessing to paint a new image of the Mother of God for the fortieth anniversary of the commemoration of the 128 residents of Stavropol killed during the terrorist attack. The icon painters completed the work in just 12 days.

The icon was consecrated on the relics of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) in St. Andrew's Cathedral in the city of Stavropol by Archpriest Viktor Lukyanov and delivered on July 23 to the Kazan Church in Budyonnovsk. After the completion of the Divine Liturgy here, the newly painted image was carried in a religious procession to the city hospital, on the site of which the Resurrection Mamai-Madzharsky Monastery once stood, built in honor of the martyr prince Mikhail Tverskoy and in memory of Emperor Alexander II, killed by the Narodnaya Volya. That solemn church procession brought together many people who considered it necessary to honor the memory of their fallen fellow countrymen and prayerfully ask the Queen of Heaven for intercession: “Most Holy Theotokos, save us!”

On the territory of the medical institution, the site of the terrible events that recently took place here, in front of the Holy Cross icon, a large cube of black marble was consecrated with an embossed memorial cross and the inscription: “To the residents of the city of Holy Cross, innocently killed by bandits on June 14-20, 1995 ." And where the monastery church once stood, with the blessing of Metropolitan Gideon, the rite of founding a temple in memory of all those innocently killed in the Caucasus was performed in honor of the holy Prince Michael of Tver. Now, at the Regional Center for Special Types of Medical Care, there is a chapel of the icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow.”

The religious procession ended at the city cemetery, where a memorial service was served and all those killed during the terrorist attack were remembered by name.

Since 1995, the prototype of the Holy Cross Icon of the Mother of God has been in the Kazan Church in Budennovsk. Its celebration takes place on June 18.

The authors of the Holy Cross Icon of the Mother of God are Olga Podelyakina and Evgeniy Zolotarevsky. The author of these lines knows that in 2004, when there was an icon painting department at the Stavropol Theological Seminary, Olga Nikolaevna worked there as a teacher. At the time of the creation of the icon, she was only about twenty years old. Attempts to contact her in the spring of 2016 through a former seminary colleague were unsuccessful.

Answering questions from a correspondent for the Provincial Thought magazine, 22-year-old Olga said that it was, of course, no coincidence that she was involved in the creation of the icon. Born in Budyonnovsk. She studied at art school, but did not graduate. She began to study icon painting with the blessing of her confessor. “I started working with fabric: other artists painted the image itself, and I only did the drapery. I was afraid to take up a brush myself, something stopped me. But now I’ve taken it upon myself - as you can see, it was God’s will.”

At the time of the Basayevites’ attack on Budennovsk, she lived there with her mother and younger brother, who was supposed to go to the hospital for surgery on June 14. But it so happened that the surgeon was busy. He had surgery the next day. They had barely returned home when they learned about the attack on the city and the seizure of the hospital. “How many people experienced tragedies, fearing for the lives of their relatives who were in the hospital at that time! And the Lord saved our family... How can I not thank the Lord and the Mother of God for this mercy?!” - Olga admits.

Speaking about creative collaboration with Evgeny Zolotarevsky, Olga says: “...he can be called an icon-maker, an architect, and we, several young artists, are the embodiment of his plans. I am very grateful to Evgeniy, because it was he who supported me in the Orthodox faith. And the icon of the Mother of God is my prayer for my surviving mother and brother, for my suffering fellow countrymen, for all people...”

Indeed, the icon, according to Evgeniy Zolotarevsky himself, was made according to his sketch, which he handed over to Olga Podelyakina for further work. He himself began to work on the image after a conversation with Metropolitan Gideon, which took place during the difficult days for Budyonnovsk. Evgeniy Rostislavovich was a deeply Orthodox man. Poet, prose writer, artist - icon painter... He died nine years ago - in June 2007 - at the age of 58. He was buried in Stavropol. Orthodox fairy tales and poems for children “The Golden-haired Monk” and “The Fisherman and the Pearl,” written by him under the pseudonym John Rutenin, became widely known. In addition to the Holy Cross Icon of the Mother of God, he is the author of the “Unquenchable Lamp” and “Dew-Giver” icons, located in St. Andrew’s Cathedral, and some other images.

The Holy Cross icon has become a new iconography among the Mother of God icons of the Russian Orthodox Church. On it, the Mother of God is depicted at the Cross, reminiscent of her standing at Calvary, the folding of her hands resembles the Seven-Arrow Icon (“Softening Evil Hearts”).

The icon is made in a new unique technique of relief sewing, developed in the Stavropol school of icon-making. The face of the Virgin Mary and Her hands are painted in oil. The clothes, crown, halo, cross and background are made of fabric, beads and freshwater pearls. The Queen of Heaven is depicted to the right of the Cross, as eyewitnesses of the apparition describe it, in a prayerful pose, with her palms crossed on her chest, similar to the “Unbrided Bride” icon. On a blue, sky-colored background, the Mother of God stands near the Life-Giving Cross with the inscription INCI as the Queen of “heaven and earth,” with a crown on her head and in red clothes, as if stained with the blood of martyrs. This entire composition is placed on another background - gold, from which rays extend in the form of a cross, which are also made of gold, but of a different shade. Experts interpret the meaning of what is depicted as follows: “The Mother of God, who once “had a weapon passed through her soul,” now made by God the Queen of heaven and earth, will always stand, as it were, praying for us sinners, at the Cross of Her Son and the Lord our God.”

On one of the versions of the Holy Cross icon, the author of which is Nikolai Gruzdev, the buildings of the Ascension Mamay-Madzharsky Monastery are depicted under the Cross, and behind them are the Caucasus Mountains with the recognizable silhouette of Elbrus. In the fields is Saint Prince Mikhail of Tverskoy.

For more than 20 years of its existence, the Holy Cross Icon has become deeply revered in many parts of Russia. The author of this material, from various sources, managed to find out the fate of several copies of the Holy Cross Icon of the Mother of God.

First of all, it should be noted that one of them is located in the Kazan border of the Cathedral of St. Andrew the First-Called in the city of Stavropol.

The other, made by Olga Podelakina, was transferred in 2006 by the Stavropol diocese to the parish of the Church of the Passionate Icon of the Mother of God in the village of Artemovo. There the revered image remained until June 21, 2008, when it was solemnly transferred by procession to the chapel “Recovery of the Lost” at the station of the village of Ashukino of the Yaroslavl railway. This chapel was erected a year earlier in memory of 109 soldiers and officers of the valiant Sofrino brigade who died while performing military duty in various “hot” spots of the Soviet Union and modern Russia.

Another list appeared in St. Petersburg. It was performed by a local clergyman and famous icon painter, already mentioned in this material, Nikolai Gruzdev.

This is what the rector of the Leushinsky metochion in St. Petersburg, Archpriest Gennady Belovolov, recalls about this. He visited Budennovsk in the tragic summer of 1995 for its residents. “By the grace of God I had the opportunity to carry this icon from the hospital to the cemetery outside the city<...>. I realized that I was honored to witness the birth of a new icon of the Orthodox Church. And I took it as a duty to honor and glorify her<...>. Returning from the Caucasus<...>, I turned to my icon painter Nikolai Gruzdev with a request to paint this image for me. He became imbued with the new icon, which he painted in the Old Russian canonical style. He himself received special help from the icon. When he began to write it, he was still a layman, and when he finished, he was already a deacon (now an archpriest - author.), and received the blessing for ordination precisely on June 18...”

On February 19, 2000, the image was at a prayer service “for the granting of victory to Russian weapons” and a memorial service at the grave of General Mikhail Malafeev in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. A few days later - on February 25 - the icon was transferred to the St. John the Theologian Church of the Leushinsky Metochion, where the first special prayer service was served before it with the singing of the troparion.

Another icon is located in the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in the village. Bolshoi Volok (Kolpashevo diocese, Tomsk metropolis). Judging by the information posted on the monastery’s website, every day at 16:00 in front of the Holy Cross Icon of the Mother of God, which is locally revered here, a water prayer service is held, and then the Psalter of the Mother of God is read, and an akathist is sung late in the evening.

According to some reports, one of the copies of the Holy Cross Icon of the Mother of God was donated by Bishop Gideon (Dokukin) of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz to the Society of St. Herman of Alaska in the USA. When and under what circumstances the transfer of the icon took place has not yet been established.

And finally, it turned out that the list of the Holy Cross icon is in the Intercession Church in the village. Ratchino, Lipetsk region. The rector of the temple, priest Onisim Osmanov, brought her here from Budyonnovsk.

Of course, this icon also exists in other versions, slightly different from each other.

Gennady Gennyevich Petrov, Georgievsk, Stavropol region

One of the most significant apparitions of the Mother of God in the twentieth century occurred at a time when Shamil Basayev’s gang, operating in the city of Holy Cross, took hostages, including the elderly, children and pregnant women. Bloody massacres were carried out by bandits in the district hospital - where there once was a monastery...

The cruelty of Chechen bandits has been discussed for quite some time, but, unfortunately, only partially discussed in the media. In fact, the tragedy was immeasurably greater - as evidenced by film footage that was not shown on television, including those filmed by the Basayevites themselves.

The entire Stavropol diocese, headed by Vladyka Gideon, and all honest, God-fearing people in various parts of the earth cried out in those days to the Merciful God, glorified in the Most Holy Trinity, and to the Most Pure Mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and the Ever-Virgin Mary, for the granting of help and intercession.

In a situation where the authorities were virtually powerless against the bandits, only a miracle could save the hostages. And a miracle happened! When people prayed for the salvation of the captives, the Mother of God appeared in the sky above the captured hospital, where about one and a half thousand people were languishing.

The Queen of heaven and earth herself graciously visited the suffering. Many people saw her in the city. There is evidence that the Chechens themselves saw Her and told the hostages about it. This gives good reason to believe that the decisive role in changing the course of bloody events for the better and leaving the crime scene by the gang was precisely the intercession of the Mother of God, who constantly intercedes for us before the Throne of the Holy Trinity.

So, different people at different times (!) saw the appearance of the Virgin Mary, starting from the first day of the capture of the hospital, and residents of the neighboring Prikumskaya Street continued to see it even on Sunday evening. Eyewitness accounts are recorded and documented. When surveying townspeople, some discrepancies were noted in details, but on the main points everyone was unanimous. It is obvious that after the storming of the hospital, our Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary appeared in the air, praying at the Cross of Her Son and the Lord our God.

Vera Vladimirovna Yevtushenko says:

I was captured along with the passengers of a city bus. Then they were transferred from department to department. On Saturday we were herded into therapy and during the first assault they put us out of the windows with white sheets and forced us to shout: “Don’t shoot!”, then they hypocritically thanked us for the fact that these men and women, who were living targets, saved their lives and theirs.

When the second assault began at night, the therapy began to smoke. We were again driven to cardiology: some crawling, some as best they could, in terrible fear... And on the morning of Sunday, June 18, approximately between 8 and 10 o’clock in the morning, one woman suddenly exclaimed: “Girls! Look!

Everyone carefully, afraid of falling under the bullets of our soldiers, looked out the window facing the eastern side and saw a Cross in the sky, as if cloudy. To the right of the Cross in the air stood the Mother of God in a mournful pose, facing the Cross, praying, in black robes. But the people were in great fear from the shelling and the Basayevites, and, naturally, they could not properly see the appearance of the Virgin Mary, they only thought: “What is this for? What does this portend? Death or freedom? But both Orthodox and atheists saw it. The vision lasted about half an hour.

There is no doubt that the Chechens also saw the Mother of God, and it was this circumstance that influenced Basayev’s decision to release the hostages. One of the terrorists told Nina Vasilievna Lesnova: “I saw a phenomenon!”

The Lord heeded the prayer of His Mother. On June 18, on the feast of the icon of the Mother of God “Softening of Evil Hearts,” with the blessing of Metropolitan Gideon, a cathedral prayer service of the Stavropol clergy, led by Archpriest Pavel Samoilenko and Archimandrite Alexander (Ishchein), was held in the local church of Our Lady of Kazan. It was on this day, after the prayer service to Our Lady, that circumstances unexpectedly changed. The evil hearts of the bandits were softened by the intercession of the Mother of God.
The fierce robber, who had previously rejected any negotiations, accepted all the conditions for the release of the captured people. The next day the hostages were released.

After the release of the hostages, Nina Vasilievna, in the courtyard of the Kazan Church, met a woman living opposite the hospital: she testified that on the night from Saturday to Sunday, June 18, a shining cloud, like a fiery cloud, descended onto the roof of the hospital and then melted.

The appearance of the Mother of God was accompanied by other miraculous events. During these same days, the youth John, living in the Holy Cross (Budennovsk), had a dream in which he was told that he had to die. The boy, naturally, became concerned and, together with his mother Vera Maksimovna, went to church to confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. On Wednesday, June 14, he was going to be admitted to the district hospital for surgery. However, the surgeon was busy and offered to come the next day. When Vanya and his mother were already far from the hospital, they heard shooting and learned that it had been captured by Basayev’s militants.

Soon Vanya was taken to a hospital in Stavropol, where he underwent surgery. When he “recovered” from the anesthesia, he, half-forgotten, suddenly began, shedding tears, to pray to the Lord and the Mother of God, asking for forgiveness for his sins. Then he began to ask forgiveness from the Almighty for all Russians, Armenians (many of them live in Budennovsk) and for... Chechens! I also prayed that the Lord would have mercy on Russia.

When Vanya came to his senses, he said that he dreamed that he was a hostage in the Holy Cross Hospital. In a dream, he experienced what he should have experienced in reality, but the Lord saved him through the intercession of His Most Pure Mother.

All these days, Metropolitan Gideon of Stavropol fervently prayed for the granting of freedom to the hostages. When the Bishop became aware of the miracle of the appearance of the Mother of God, he instructed the Holy Cross priest to confess the eyewitnesses of the appearance. Upon presentation to the Bishop of written evidence from eyewitnesses, the icon painters were instructed to create, in accordance with this phenomenon, a newly painted icon of the Mother of God - for the fortieth anniversary of the commemoration of 128 murdered people. In just 12 days, the icon was painted by a native of the Holy Cross, the servant of God Olga, Vanya’s sister, in gratitude to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother.

The icon was consecrated on the relics of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) in St. Andrew's Cathedral in the city of Stavropol and taken by procession to the Holy Cross, where it remains to this day in the Kazan Church. Celebration of the revealed icon of the “Holy Cross Blessed Virgin Mary” with blessing
The Most Reverend Gideon, Metropolitan of Stavropol, was determined to celebrate June 18th.

Was it by chance that the city that formerly bore the name “Holy Cross” was chosen for attack by bandits with green headbands? Is it by chance that the hospital seized by militants is located on the territory of a former monastery, which is associated with the memory of Prince-Martyr Mikhail Tverskoy?

At the beginning of the 14th century, in the nomadic headquarters of the Khan of the Golden Horde, located on the banks of the Terek, the Blessed Grand Duke Mikhail Yaroslavich was martyred. The prince had a choice: to stay alive, but bring a punitive campaign of the Horde to his homeland, or to go to the Horde to certain death, preventing the shedding of innocent blood on Russian soil. The Holy Prince became the First Martyr of Orthodoxy in the North Caucasus and one of its Heavenly patrons.

When the body of the murdered prince was being transported in a cart to Rus' through the city of Madzhary, located on the site of the Holy Cross, a stop was made, and local Christians asked to place the coffin with the body of the martyr in the temple for the night. The accompanying Horde did not allow this to happen and ordered the body to be placed in a barn. That same night, many residents saw a pillar of fire rising above the stable from the ground to the sky, and during the day a wondrous rainbow was visible above it. This was the first glorification of the Holy Prince-Martyr.

On the spot where the relics of the Saint shone, the Madzharsky Resurrection Monastery was founded in the last century, in which a special temple was built in memory of the First Martyr of the Caucasus. Almost seven centuries after the martyrdom of Mikhail Tverskoy, a new martyrdom of Russian people took place here. The city of the Holy Cross, like Prince Michael once, also sacrificially took the blow upon itself for all of Russia. The Budyonnovskaya tragedy continued ancient history.

The hospital, a place of saving life, became a prison, a place of martyrdom. People have become human shields for the villains. The authorities mediocrely stormed, then weakly fulfilled absolutely all the demands of the militants who had already been defeated in the mountains, devaluing the blood shed by our troops. Our country has never known such shame. It seems that the appearance of the Mother of God is a warning that all of Russia, if it does not repent, will turn into continuous Budennovsk.

The monastery, over which, in fact, the appearance of the Mother of God took place, stands on the very edge of the city. Behind it the steppe opens. After the defeat by atheists in the thirties, only cell buildings remained from the monastery. All temples and walls were destroyed.

On the fortieth anniversary of the memory of the innocent victims, which took place on July 23, when the newly painted icon of the Holy Cross of the Mother of God arrived in the city, after the Divine Liturgy it was carried in a procession of the Cross through the streets to the monastery-hospital. Probably no other event here has ever brought so many people together. The endlessly repeated chant “Most Holy Theotokos, save us!” floated over the city. In the center of the Resurrection Monastery, in front of the Holy Cross icon, a large cube of black marble was consecrated with an embossed memorial cross and the inscription: “To the residents of the city of Holy Cross, innocently killed by bandits on June 14-20, 1995.”

On the site of the destroyed monastery church, with the blessing of Metropolitan Gideon, the rite of founding a temple in memory of all those innocently killed in the Caucasus was performed in honor of the Holy Prince Michael of Tver, the Caucasian First Martyr. The laying ceremony was attended by the heads of administrations of many cities in the Stavropol region. The icon of Mikhail Tverskoy with a particle of his relics was held by representatives of the Holy Cross Cossacks. Archimandrite Alexander, rector of the Kazan Church, expressed his desire to necessarily revive the Resurrection Monastery itself - the first in the North Caucasus. Perhaps the foundation stone of the temple will be the beginning of the revival of the monastery - from now on, a place of pilgrimage dear to all of Russia.

The religious procession ended at the city cemetery, where a memorial service was served at 128 new eight-pointed crosses over the fresh mounds of graves and all the innocent victims were mentioned several times by name. These crosses on the graves, in appearance and proportions, are surprisingly reminiscent of the Cross in front of which the Mother of God prays on the Holy Cross icon. The religious procession became the appearance and glorification of the newly painted icon. It was as if the Mother of God Herself walked through the grieving city, consoled everyone, remembered everyone. She herself laid the stone at the foundation of the monastery.

The events in Budennovsk are called a tragedy. It would be more accurate to call it Golgotha. The tragedy is hopeless. Calvary - crowned with the Resurrection! Now the names of the city and the monastery in it were filled with special meaning. The city of the Holy Cross (which today demands to regain its true name!) has become the Russian Golgotha. The Russian Cross was erected here.

Here the manifestation of the glory of God took place. The Mother of God appeared here. and in the Church of Our Lady of Kazan the image of the Holy Cross Mother of God will be kept. A temple was founded here in honor of the First Martyr of the North Caucasus, Russian Prince Mikhail of Tver.

The Budennovsky tragedy is not just a political event. The martyrdom of Orthodox people is the history of Orthodox Russia. The City of the Holy Cross became a revelation of God's destinies for Russia. Here it was discovered that Russia is on the Cross, and its crucifixion is reaching some kind of highest, terrible point, when its fate must finally be determined. Who is she with? Will he die or be resurrected? When should the great word be pronounced - “It is finished”? When will the cup of our suffering that the Russian people have been drinking for so many years be drained to the dregs?

Here it was revealed to people that the Mother of God was praying with tears to Her Son in front of the Orthodox eight-pointed cross for mercy on Russia. Our hope is in the prayer of the Mother of God before the Lord.

Priest Gennady BELOVOLOV,
Evgeny ZOLOTAREVSKY

Troparion of the Mother of God before Her Icon of the Holy Cross

Through Your holy icon, which You, O Lady, revealed to us in the Caucasus, You miraculously freed the people of the city of the Holy Cross from the terrible Hagaryan attack, O good Goalkeeper! You have changed captivity, sorrow and bonds into joy and freedom, our Quick Hearer. We pray to You, Mother of God, and in the future protect all of us, Your children living in the Caucasus, from the Hagarian invasion, constantly praying at the Cross of Your Son, All-Immaculate One.

Kontakion of the Mother of God before Her Icon of the Holy Cross Tone 8

As with a wondrous vision of many, You standing in the air at the Cross of Your Son, Mother of God, praying for the people of the city of the Holy Cross, in the terrible misfortune of those who exist, You freed the Hagaryan captivity, Good Goalkeeper, Sitsa and for the future, protect the Orthodox people of the Caucasus from those attacking the cities and towns deliver us from illness, unbelief, famine and enmity, constantly praying for us at the Cross of Your Son, so we call You: Rejoice, Mother of the Holy Cross, protection and protection of the entire Caucasus.

This icon was used during the tragedy in 1995 in Budennovsk, when Chechen militants attacked a defenseless city, seized a hospital with a maternity ward and held several thousand hostages there for 5 days. Nobody knew how it would all end, how many more innocent people could become victims of bandits. The authorities were powerless in the face of the cynicism and blackmail of the militants. The attack itself had some mystical meaning. It seems that it was no coincidence that a city was chosen for the attack, the old name of which has not yet been forgotten in the Caucasus - the city of the Holy Cross. Apparently, the time was chosen not by chance: immediately after Trinity, on the holy days of Trinity Week. The hospital itself, captured by militants, is located on the site of the old Resurrection Monastery, founded in the last century in memory of the Holy Blessed Prince-Passion-Bearer Mikhail of Tver, who was martyred in 1318 in the Terek Valley (the territory of present-day Chechnya), who became the First Martyr of the Caucasus. When several assaults on the hospital failed, negotiations reached a dead end, when all human efforts were powerless, a miraculous event occurred. On June 18, on the day of All Saints and the feast of the icon of the Mother of God “Softening of Evil Hearts,” with the blessing of Metropolitan Gideon of Stavropol, a cathedral prayer service of the Stavropol clergy was held in the only church of the city in honor of the Kazan Mother of God. At this time, above the hospital, pious believers saw the image of the Mother of God praying in front of the Eight-Pointed Russian Cross. After the prayer service, the militants' demands changed dramatically. They agreed to release the hostages without any conditions. The next day, thousands of people walked out of the hospital to freedom. The rector of the Kazan Church, Archimandrite Alexander (now the Bishop of Baku), recorded eyewitness accounts and presented them to the ruling Metropolitan Gideon, who, having familiarized himself with them, saw in everything that happened a great sign of God’s mercy, the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. Based on the recorded evidence, the Lord blessed to paint a new image of the Mother of God. The Holy Cross icon has become a new iconography among the Mother of God icons of the Russian Church. On it, the Mother of God is depicted at the Cross, reminiscent of her standing at Golgotha, the folding of her hands resembles the Seven-Arrow Icon (“Softening Evil Hearts”). On the 40th day of remembrance of the victims of the tragedy - June 23, 1995 - the icon was brought to Budennovsk, and a religious procession was carried out with it throughout the city. And at the site of the tragedy near the hospital in the center of the monastery, a memorial chapel was founded (now built and consecrated). The Holy Cross Icon immediately became one of the revered shrines of the North Caucasus. Previously, only one local icon of the Mother of God was revered in the Caucasus - Mozdok (the revered copy from Iverskaya). The Holy Cross Icon revealed that the Mother of God remembers Her First Earthly Destiny - Iberia (i.e. the Caucasus) and prays for it at the Cross of Her Son, so that the Savior, Life-Giving Cross of the Lord will shine over him in all its glory. Metropolitan Gideon, an admirer and prayer book of the Holy Cross Mother of God, compiled a troparion, kontakion and Akathist for the newly appeared icon. Lists of Our Lady of the Holy Cross also appeared. One of them was written in St. Petersburg, far from Budennovsk. It was written by the priest of the St. Petersburg diocese, the famous icon painter Father Nikolai Gruzdev. On February 19, 2000, the image was at a prayer service “for the granting of victory to Russian weapons” and a memorial service at the grave of General Mikhail Malafeev in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. And on February 25, he was brought to the St. John the Theological Church of the Leushinsky Metochion, where the first special prayer service to the Holy Cross image was served before him with the singing of the troparion. The appearance of Our Lady of the Holy Cross has a significant meaning not only for the Caucasus, but also for all of Russia, for she revealed that Russia is now on the cross, that in her suffering she determines the place of her cross on Golgotha: on which side does she stand at the Cross of Christ on the right or left? Will our people repent, like the prudent thief, and be rewarded with forgiveness and the Kingdom of Heaven, or, excited by all kinds of passions, will they become like the lawless Barabbas?

Many people saw the image of the Mother of God praying in front of the Eight-Pointed Russian Cross during the tragedy in Budennovsk.

Metropolitan Gideon of Stavropol, having learned about the phenomenon, ordered to write down the testimonies of eyewitnesses and, having familiarized himself with them, recognized this phenomenon as a miracle of the Mother of God, - he instructed the icon painters to create, in accordance with this phenomenon, a newly painted icon of the Mother of God - for the fortieth commemoration of the 128 murdered (in just 12 days the icon was painted a native of the Holy Cross (Budennovsk), servant of God Olga) and himself composed the image of the Mother of God troparion and kontakion The icon was consecrated on the relics of St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) in St. Andrew's Cathedral in the city of Stavropol and taken by procession to the Holy Cross, where it remains to this day in the Kazan Church. The celebration of the revealed icon of the “Holy Cross Most Holy Theotokos” with the blessing of His Eminence Gideon, Metropolitan of Stavropol, is determined to take place on June 18.

ICONOGRAPHY The icon is made in a new unique technique of relief sewing, developed at the Stavropol school of icon-making by Olga and Evgeny Zolotarevsky.
The most pure face of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Her hands are painted in oil. The clothes, crown, halo, cross and background are made of fabric, beads and freshwater pearls.
The Mother of God, in contrast to the Akhtyrskaya icon, revealed in 1739, depicting Her to the left of the Cross, is depicted here on the right (as in the appearance), in a prayerful pose, with crossed palms on her chest, as in the “Unbrided Bride” icon.
On a blue background, the color of the sky (since the Most Pure One was revealed in the air), the Mother of God stands near the Life-Giving Cross with the inscription IНЦI as the Queen of heaven and earth, with a crown on her head and in red clothes, as if stained with the blood of martyrs.
The composition is placed on another background - gold, along which rays extend from it, gold, but of a different shade, in the form of another cross.
The meaning of what is depicted is extremely simple: the Mother of God, who once “had a weapon passed through her soul,” now made by God the Queen of heaven and earth, will always stand, as if praying for us sinners, at the Cross of Her Son and the Lord our God.
For the Holy Cross (Budennovtsy) residents, this is also a reminder of the holy name that their city used to bear, and for all of us - about the clear will of God, who wants from us, living in a country of slandered and trampled shrines, our repentance, and about the great intercession of us Mother of God, who most of all protects us from all Hagarian invasions and from all evil.

KORSUNSKAYA (TOROPETSKAYA) MIRACLE-WORKING ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD Kontakion 1

To the chosen Voivode and Zealous Intercessor of the Christian race, the Most Holy Virgin Theotokos, who gave our country the wonderful Korsun Icon, we offer a song of thanksgiving. But You, All-Merciful Lady, as having an invincible power, free us from all troubles and protect us from visible and invisible enemies, let us call to You:

Ikos 1

The faces of angels and men reverently look at your miraculous images, Most Pure Mother of God, holding the Eternal Child in her arms. For the sake of love for those who believe in Your Son, You blessed the Apostle and Evangelist Luke to write Your honest images, so that all the faithful bow the knee of souls and hearts before them, chanting Thee like this:
Rejoice, you who left us the image of your most pure face;
Rejoice, having enlightened the entire universe with Your icons.
Rejoice, Patroness of sacred iconography;
Rejoice, consecration of the veneration of holy icons.
Rejoice, ladder that united heaven and earth;
Rejoice, thou who didst contain the fire of the Divine without burning.
Rejoice, O apostles of the true faith to the Planter;
Rejoice, Housebuilder of our salvation.
Rejoice, who did not leave the world in Your Assumption;
Rejoice, Thy miraculous icons who bestow mercy upon us.
Rejoice, hope and consolation for the whole world;
Rejoice, fragrant with the color of virginity and purity.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

Kontakion 2

Seeing the Holy Virgin the image of Her face, the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke wrote, saying: “With this icon may the grace of My Son and Mine abide.” We also believe that with Your icon, called Korsun, Divine grace and power abid. For this reason, flowing with reverence to Your miraculous icon, we give honor to it as You do, and cry out in gratitude to Your Son and God: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

Thou didst manifest thoughts beyond the understanding of men, O Virgin Mother of God, when Thy icon Hodegetria, painted by Saint Luke, rose with grace in the city of Ephesus, and appeared to all Orthodox people as a guide and defender of the faith of Christ from heretical wisdom, as in Ephesus the holy fathers of the Third Ecumenical Council fulfilled divine wisdom , the heretical teachings have overthrown the divine words of Thee, confessed the only true Mother of God and the Ever-Virgin, faithful to teach to please Thee:
Rejoice, thou who glorified the city of Ephesus with Thy icon;
Rejoice, worshiped in Your most honorable icon from all generations.
Rejoice, father of the saints, wise Teacher of the zealots of the faith;
Rejoice, exalted in the name of God the Mother of God by the Ecumenical Council.
Rejoice, overthrow of heretical false teachers;
Rejoice, unshakable affirmation of the Orthodox faith.
Rejoice, for those who apostate from the faith of their fathers are admonished by You;
Rejoice, for through You the machinations of the enemies of Orthodoxy are put to shame.
Rejoice, destroyer of evil advice and the deceit of heretics;
Rejoice, you who enlighten us with the light of true knowledge of God.
Rejoice, Guardian of Orthodox dogmas;
Rejoice, you who feed us with the true teaching to this day.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

Kontakion 3

The power of God strengthen you, Reverend Mother Euphrosyne, when you heard about the greatness of the miracles emanating from the icons of the Mother of God created by the Apostle Luke, you wanted to bring one of them to your city. For this reason, having created a monastic monastery in it, you asked the pious Tsar Manuel and Patriarch Luke of Constantinople for an icon of the Most Pure Lady Hodegetria, even in Ephesus, so that, protected by Her protection, the monks of the monastery and all the people of the city of Polotsk in the joy of their hearts sing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 3

Having Motherly care for the enlightenment of the Russian land, You deigned, O Lady, to bestow upon our forefathers Your miraculous icon, the Hodegetria of Ephesus. Likewise, the Tsar and Most Holy Patriarch, having understood Your will, brought this icon from Ephesus to Constantinople, and released it to Rus', may it be as a sign of Your protection to all Russian people, glorifying Your ineffable mercy, and singing to You with love like this:
Rejoice, thou who has loved our fatherland as Thy lot;
Rejoice, illuminating the Russian land with the rays of miraculous icons.
Rejoice, you who have chosen our Russian country as Your heritage;
Rejoice, Your miraculous image has deigned to bestow upon us consolation and joy.
Rejoice, thou who hast shown good fortune for our country;
Rejoice, you who have shown Your love for the Russian people.
Rejoice, thou who hast blessed the city of Polotsk with Thy icon of Ephesus;
Rejoice, you who established the Venerable Euphrosyne in holy life.
Rejoice, you who visited Constantinople on your way to the Russian land;
Rejoice, covering all the Orthodox countries with the cover of Thy mercy.
Rejoice, Guide, who leads us to the Heavenly Fatherland;
Rejoice, our merciful Representative before God.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

Kontakion 4

Desiring to quench the storm of sorrows and misfortunes in Your people, You gave Your holy icon of Ephesus, marching to Rus' from the land of Greece, to the city of Korsun, O Lady, so that all Christians may know how strong the help of the Mother of God is, and may they worship Your sacred and glorified image, Lord calling: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing the inhabitants of Korsun about the coming of Your icon, the Virgin Mary, and about the miracles that happened from it, they were overcome with grief for the departure of the miraculous image from their city. Moreover, having realized that this most honorable icon was given as a heritage to the Christians of Rus', I thanked You, Most Pure One, for Your mercy, and released the icon in the hope of Your intercession before God. We, having accepted this promise of joy, bring You the following with the voice of praise:
Rejoice, who marked the procession of Your icon with many miracles;
Rejoice, having sanctified the city of Korsun with her offering.
Rejoice, you who brought joy to the inhabitants of the city through your miraculous icon;
Rejoice, you who propitiate God by intercession for them.
Rejoice, Thy icon, as a preacher of salvation, who left one summer in Korsun;
Rejoice, our representative to God, saving the world.
Rejoice, thou who proclaimest the omnipotence of Christ through Thy icon;
Rejoice, you who flow from her gifts of mercies and healings.
Rejoice, you who provide for all who honor Your image;
Rejoice, protection and salvation for all who pray before him.
Rejoice, you who have transformed the sorrow of the people of Korsun over the deprivation of Your image into joy;
Rejoice, Intercessor for the whole world of Christians.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

Kontakion 5

God-rich star, illuminating the Russian land with the radiance of glorious miracles, Your miraculous icon, the Most Holy Virgin, appeared, brought from Korsun, and having received the gift of the Divine, Venerable Euphrosyne, filled with unspeakable joy, placed it in the Church of the Holy Savior of the city of Polotsk, and from that hour it was called wondrous This icon is Korsun. For this reason, we pray to Thee, All-Merciful Lady, illuminate us with heavenly light, keeping us under Thy roof, and hear the voice of all the faithful of our country, who love Thee and sing a song of gratitude to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Having seen miracles and signs from Your icon, the Most Holy Lady, the princes and all the faithful inhabitants of the city reverently guarded this shrine, even as the truly good Hodegetria appeared, leading many to the path of salvation; People have come running to You, asking for help in all their affairs, and offering grateful prayers for deliverance from sorrows and misfortunes. For this reason, we glorify You, Most Pure One:
Rejoice, having sanctified the Russian land through the procession of Your icon;
Rejoice, you have made us happy by bringing your venerable icon to Rus'.
Rejoice, city of Polotsk, faithful to the Guardian;
Rejoice, merciful Patroness of its inhabitants.
Rejoice, you who have received the monastery of the Venerable Euphrosyne under the Mother's Protection with love;
Rejoice, having enriched this monastery with Your miraculous image.
Rejoice, most venerable Euphrosyne, heavenly Patroness;
Rejoice, and in the retreat of her other wondrous interlocutor.
Rejoice, for with faith and hope we worship Your most pure image;
Rejoice, for from him we accept gifts of grace for the benefit of our souls and bodies.
Rejoice, you who have given us this holy icon as a pledge of His mercy;
Rejoice, for through You the Orthodox faith is established in our country.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

Kontakion 6

The preacher of grace from Your icon appeared Alexandra, daughter of the Polotsk prince Bryachislav, who gave the princess the shrine of your city, blessing her for marriage with the Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky. Also, according to the verb of the chronicler, Prince Alexander Yaroslavich got married and was married in Tropets, and his faithful wife left his Korsun icon in the cathedral of this city. Moreover, rejoicing in Your protection, O Most Pure One, bestowed in this image, with a tender soul and a contrite heart we cry out to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

Rising in the city of Toropets, like a bright dawn, Thy holy icon of Korsun, Mother of God, before the non-Southern Orthodoxy, people in all troubles, sorrows and sorrows bow their knees in prayer. For this reason, for the sake of all faithfulness with love to Thy miraculous icon, Most Pure One, flowing, with one mouth and one heart, with one voice, they loudly proclaim to You:
Rejoice, who blessed the holy Prince Alexander and Princess Alexandra with Your icon;
Rejoice, you who have rooted Divine love and harmony in the hearts of the spouses.
Rejoice, invisible fence of the houses of the pious;
Rejoice, good Steward of our life.
Rejoice, city of Toropets, for you have sanctified the dwelling place of Your icon;
Rejoice, you who glorified him throughout our entire land.
Rejoice, you who illuminated the land of Pskov with the coming of Your miraculous image;
Rejoice, for even within the borders of Toropets you showed the glory of Your miracles.
Rejoice, through Your icon you deliver this city from all troubles;
Rejoice, you who showed good care for him.
Rejoice, praise and glory to the city of Toropets;
Rejoice, you who filled its citizens with heavenly joy.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

Wanting to capture the regiments of strong Lithuanian warriors in the city of Toropets, betray our land to fire and sword, and destroy the Orthodox faith in it, but through Your glorious intercession, Most Pure Lady, You granted help to the blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, and You miraculously saved Your city from destruction. O Lady and Chosen Leader of the Orthodox army, grant us, together with the great warrior and protector of our land, to crush the enemies of the Russian state, and to sing the victorious song to Christ our God: Alleluia.

You showed a new sign of Your mercy about the city of Toropets, O Most Holy Virgin, when the Lithuanian governor Sapega came to Rus' with a great army, like a terrible and gloomy sea, plunging our land into sorrow and captivating it. Then all the inhabitants of the city rushed to Your temple, praying with tears before the Korsun icon for deliverance from destruction. You, the Most Pure One, terrified your enemies, and uncontrollably fled the regiments of Sapieha from the walls of Toropets. Moreover, the glorious victory, achieved through Your all-powerful help, is celebrated to this day in Orthodoxy, chanting:
Rejoice, you who strengthened the blessed Prince Alexander for his feat of arms;
Rejoice, you who bestowed invincible courage upon the warrior.
Rejoice, thou who delivered Thy city Toropets from destruction;
Rejoice, Thou who hast left us Thy celibate icon as a shield and fence.
Rejoice, freeing us from fire, sword and invasion of foreigners;
Rejoice, you who elevate the strength of spirit of Russian soldiers in battle.
Rejoice, thou who destroyed the treacherous enemy by sudden flight;
Rejoice, thou who did not disgrace the hope for Thy help.
Rejoice, thou who has driven away the hosts of strangers far from Thy shrine;
Rejoice, you who help those who honor Your image against their enemies.
Rejoice, good Patroness of God-loving warriors in the field of battle;
Rejoice, you who prepare the crowns of martyrdom for those killed by an Orthodox soldier.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

A strange and indescribable miracle took place at Your icon, O All-Merciful Lady: a certain maiden, tormented by a demon, prayed for the sake of the Holy Church, especially Your intercession and blessing, the Mother of God, trying to direct her feet to the monastery of the Venerable Nile of Stolobensky, and there freed from the violence of the devil and be healed of your illness. Likewise, free us sinners from the action of the devil, O All-Good One, and let us call with gratitude to Thy Son and God: Alleluia.

The whole world is filled with God-bright stars, Your miraculous icons, Mother of God, in which Your Korsun icon shines with wondrous miracles, and warms our cold hearts with the banners of Your love and mercy. We therefore resort to You, Most Holy Intercessor, and before the wondrous image we pray to You: fill our sorrowing hearts with joy, dispel the darkness of despondency, beg Your Son to grant us forgiveness of sins, and grant us the honor to sing to You with a pure heart:
Rejoice, temporal and eternal blessings to the Intercessor;
Rejoice, life-giving source, life-giving to us all.
Rejoice, you freed the girl possessed by an evil spirit from demonic torment;
Rejoice, for through Your icon the power of the devil is driven away.
Rejoice, destroyer of the wiles of the spirits of evil;
Rejoice, you who protect us from their attacks.
Rejoice, trampling on hell and death;
Rejoice, gift of eternal life.
Rejoice, conqueror of the demonic army;
Rejoice, you who put to shame the enemies of our salvation.
Rejoice, you who illuminate our souls with the light of Divine grace;
Rejoice, you invisibly strengthening us for the feat of spiritual warfare.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

Kontakion 9

Every angelic nature reverently serves You, Heaven and earth, the Queen, but the human race brings constant praise to You, and venerates Your holy icon with love. For this reason, in Thy grateful memory, the inhabitants of the city of Toropets erected a new cathedral church in honor of the Korsun icon of Thy Mother of God, and to this day they never cease to glorify Thee, the Lady, singing a song of gratitude: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

The branches of multi-proclamation will not be able to sing, according to their heritage, the many miracles that are revealed from Your holy icon, in the image of which Orthodox people are preserved from troubles, misfortunes and all evil, for in our land it is glorified not only Your first-written icon of Korsun, but also many cities, villages, monastic monasteries and temples are decorated with her likeness, before them unquenchable lamps glow and sighs of prayer do not cease. For this reason, we thank You, All-Merciful Lady, for this gift to our Fatherland, and with joy we cry to You:
Rejoice, Thou who bestowed grace upon Thy icons;
Rejoice, you who illuminated our entire earth with rays of grace.
Rejoice, Russian countries Covering the clouds;
Rejoice, the Orthodox faith is elevated and confirmed in it.
Rejoice, preserving our cities and towns from troubles by bringing Your icon;
Rejoice, you who graciously visit our temples and houses through your icon.
Rejoice, magnificent temple, like a sacrifice brought to You, blessed;
Rejoice, in its beauty you show the beauty of the heavenly temple.
Rejoice, blessed consecration of the holy temples of God;
Rejoice, thou who covert their builders and beautifiers with Thy love.
Rejoice, by the coming of Your icon we multiply our joy;
Rejoice, who always consoles us with Your icon.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

Kontakion 10

Wanting to save the city of Toropets and its surrounding villages from the all-destroying ulcer, people, possessed by the fear of death, flowed with faith and hope to Your icon Korsunstey, and with singing carried it around their houses. And do not their faith be put to shame: for You, the All-Merciful One, have tamed the mortal storm, as through Your intercession I have retreated from the sick, but the people, having received healing from their illness, in the joy of their hearts sang a song of gratitude to God our Savior: Alleluia.

Ikos 10

You bestowed an insurmountable wall and a strong defense on the city of Toropets through your miraculous icon, the Virgin Mary, for in the days of difficult trials and enemy attacks, the inhabitants of the city received much miraculous help from your holy icon. We also pray to You, O All-Blessed Mother, just as You saved this ancient city from destruction many times, so save us sinners from all troubles, evils and misfortunes, through Your intercession to Your Son, so we gratefully call upon You:
Rejoice, wonderful deliverance from the all-destroying plague;
Rejoice, the righteous wrath of God, moving towards us, quenching.
Rejoice, having proclaimed the grace-filled power of Your icon by the end of the plague;
Rejoice, you who have shown God’s mercy to us sinners.
Rejoice, for by bringing Your icon, fierce illnesses recede;
Rejoice, for Your icon is adorned with tears of joy more than pearls.
Rejoice, in the days of pestilence and plague, our immutable hope and protection;
Rejoice, Representative to God, saving the world.
Rejoice, Thy icon who has done us good;
Rejoice, you who pour out great bounty on us.
Rejoice, city of Toropets, Heavenly Intercessor;
Rejoice, for even now His citizens do not abandon Your love.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

Kontakion 11

Praiseful singing is brought by the faithful to You, the Most Blessed Lady, as from the ancient years and to this day you have tamed the power of the fiery nature with Your Korsun icon, and you have performed many miracles: for Your temple and the city of Toropets have many times been preserved undamaged from the burning of the fiery nature by Your protection. We also pray before Your most pure image: deliver us from the flame of passions and from the eternal fire, so that through Your salvation, let us sing a song of gratitude to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

A luminous light appeared, Your divine icon, which shone forth in the city of Toropets and illuminated our entire Russian country, O Lady of the All-Merciful, behold, chromiums walk, paralysis rises, the rabid are healed, people are delivered from deadly plagues, cities and houses are saved from fire. But we, who know Thee as the source of grace-filled healings, cry out with boldness:
Rejoice, Mother of the Heavenly Doctor;
Rejoice, gracious healer of mental and physical ailments.
Rejoice, luminous lamp of Divine love;
Rejoice, unquenchable light, illuminating the souls of the faithful with the light of Christ.
Rejoice, who through Your miraculous icon extinguished the flame of fire;
Rejoice, thou who deliverest from the fiery dew of Thy prayers.
Rejoice, by Thy grace-filled power who conquered the power of the fiery nature;
Rejoice, Thou who hast revealed Thy image as a burning bush.
Rejoice, you who illuminated the Russian land with Your light;
Rejoice, bright sun of the Pskov and Tver lands.
Rejoice, you who protect our country from famine, cold, cowardice, flood, fire and sword;
Rejoice, you who feed us with our daily bread.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

Kontakion 12

Grace from above was bestowed upon Thy holy icon Korsunstei, the Most Blessed Lady, from which healings flow and consolation is granted to Orthodox people, especially to You, Mother of Light, who magnify in songs. We also pray to You: save Your city and Your beloved Russian country from all disorder, unbelief and superstition, from pernicious teachings, so that, covered by Your protection, we may be worthy to appear before the throne of the King of Glory, singing a song of praise about You: Alleluia.

Ikos 12

Singing the miracles and mercies revealed from Your Korsun icon, we rejoice unspeakably, and with love we resort to You, our Heavenly Intercessor and Patroness: we praise, glorify and magnify You, most honorable Cherub and most glorious without comparison Seraphim, we believe that in the last times You have granted gracious help, and through your destinies preserve our Orthodox Church and her children. O All-Merciful Mother, cover us with Your honorable omophorion, and deliver us from all troubles and temptations of the enemy, so that we may sing to You unceasingly with a voice of joy:
Rejoice, Heavenly and earthly adornment to the Church;
Rejoice, abiding in the glory of Heaven at the right hand of God.
Rejoice, for through You Orthodox Rus' is preserved;
Rejoice, for in You the whole Christian race boasts.
Rejoice, our forefathers and fathers who preserved piety;
Rejoice, blessed establishment of the Russian kingdom.
Rejoice, for as we look at Your icon, we worship You, the Mother of God;
Rejoice, for through your holy icon you soften our hardened hearts.
Rejoice, you who granted to the holy Patriarch Tikhon to live under Your roof in the city of Toropets;
Rejoice, for now, together with him, pray for us to Your Son and God.
Rejoice, you who demonstrate the triumph of the Orthodox faith in our country;
Rejoice, our Joy, who opens the doors of heaven to the faithful.
Rejoice, speedy Intercessor of the Russian land, showing us Your love and mercy.

Kontakion 13

O All-Singing Mother, Queen of Heaven and Earth, Who gave birth to Joy to the whole world, accept this little praise of ours, offered up with faith and love before Thy miraculous icon, and with Thy all-powerful prayers save the Russian land, protect our fatherland from enemies, transform our sorrows into joy, unite all Orthodox people in love and harmony, and grant us the joy of our Lord and Savior, lifting up to Him the angelic song: Alleluia.

This kontakion is read three times, then the 1st ikos: “ Gathered faces of angels and men..." and kontakion 1st: " To the chosen Voivode and zealous Intercessor...».

PRAYER

O All-Merciful Lady, Mother of our Lord and Savior, Queen of Heaven and Earth! You have deigned to give our country Your image, written by the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, and You have magnified the city of Toropets with Your coming, commanding everyone to come to You with faith and hope for quick help and intercession. Receive this song of praise from us, Thy unworthy servants, and lift up our prayers to the Throne of Thy Son and God, may it be merciful to us sinners, who with faith and love worship Thy miraculous image, remembering many and wondrous miracles, in this city and in other places and cities of the Russian land revealed and revealed. Save and preserve, Lady, the Russian Orthodox Church, our Russian country, our city and all Christian cities and countries from famine, deadly plagues, fire, sword, internecine warfare, grant us the goodness of the air and the fruitfulness of the earth. O Most Holy Virgin, Good Hodegetria, show us the right path to salvation, overthrow heretical revolts, gather those who have gone astray into the one flock of Christ, heal the ulcers of our souls and bodies, enlighten our minds, darkened by passions, grant us time for repentance and correction of our sinful lives, and deliver us from sorrows, troubles and illnesses, from sudden death and eternal torment, so that, saved by Your omnipotent intercession, we will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, and with all the saints we will sing the Most Holy Trinity, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and Your mercy to us in forever and ever. Amen.

Korsun-Ephesus ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

Troparion, tone 4:

Today the ancient city of Toropets brightly flaunts, / and with it the whole Russian land rejoices, / glorifying Your miraculous icon, Lady, / like the dawn of the sun that has risen from the land of Greece. / The Most Holy Theotokos exudes boundless mercy for us, / and preserves all cities and countries Christian / unharmed from all the slander of the enemy. / For this sake, let us cry out with love: / through Your prayers, deliver us from all need and sorrow, / and save our souls.

Kontakion, voice 2:

Like the unsetting sun / Your icon, the Virgin Mary, rose in the city of Toropets, / painted by the holy Apostle Luke, / and illuminated the Russian country with the rays of Your grace and mercy, / to which faith flows with love / from all sorts of illnesses, / in sorrow, consolation, in in troubles they accept deliverance./ But You, All-Merciful Lady, save Your city/ and all the cities and towns of our land from all evil,/ Let us call You, Heaven and earth Queen:/ Rejoice, Unmarried Bride.

Troparion, tone 4:
Sung in the city of Polotsk

Today the ancient city of Polotsk is brightly flaunting, / and with it the whole Russian land rejoices, / glorifying Your miraculous icon, Lady, / like the dawn of the sun that has risen from the land of Greece. / The Most Holy Theotokos exudes boundless mercy for us, / and preserves all cities and countries Christian / unharmed from all the slander of the enemy. / For this sake, let us cry out with love: / through Your prayers, deliver us from all need and sorrow, / and save our souls.

©Akathist compiled by A. Trofimov

In July 2014, a parishioner of our church, who had recently moved to the Lenin farm, presented our church with the Icon of the Mother of the Cross as a gift.

Icons of the Mother of God participated in all significant historical events in Russia, often determining their meaning and deciding their outcome. The Kulikovo field is connected for us with the Don Icon of the Mother of God. The salvation of Moscow from Tamerlane in 1395 - with Vladimirskaya, Pozharsky's liberation of Moscow from the Poles in 1612 - with the Kazan Icon, the election of the House of Romanov to the kingdom - with Feodorovskaya, 1917 - with the Sovereign Icon of Our Lady. Russian history seems to pass before the eyes of the Most Pure Mother of God, who either cries for Rus' or begs for “unexpected joy” for her. The last Caucasian war was no exception. Although it has not yet been completed, it is obvious that it will forever remain in Russian history associated with the appearance of a new icon of the Mother of God - the Holy Cross. This icon appeared 5 years ago during the tragedy in 1995 in Budyonnovsk, when Chechen militants attacked a defenseless city, seized a hospital with a maternity ward and held several thousand hostages there for 5 days. Nobody knew how it would all end, how many more innocent people could become victims of bandits. The authorities were powerless in the face of the cynicism and blackmail of the militants. The attack itself had some mystical meaning. It seems that it was no coincidence that a city was chosen for the attack, the old name of which has not yet been forgotten in the Caucasus - the city of the Holy Cross. Apparently, the time was chosen not by chance: immediately after Trinity, on the holy days of Trinity Week. The hospital itself, captured by militants, is located on the site of the old Resurrection Monastery, founded in the last century in memory of the Holy Blessed Prince-Passion-Bearer Mikhail of Tver, who was martyred in 1318 in the Terek Valley (the territory of present-day Chechnya), who became the First Martyr of the Caucasus. When several assaults on the hospital failed, negotiations reached a dead end, when all human efforts were powerless, a miraculous event occurred. On June 18, on the day of All Saints and the feast of the icon of the Mother of God “Softening of Evil Hearts,” with the blessing of Metropolitan Gideon of Stavropol, a cathedral prayer service of the Stavropol clergy was held in the only church of the city in honor of the Kazan Mother of God. At this time, above the hospital, pious believers saw the image of the Mother of God praying in front of the Eight-Pointed Russian Cross. After the prayer service, the militants' demands changed dramatically. They agreed to release the hostages without any conditions. The next day, thousands of people walked out of the hospital to freedom. The rector of the Kazan Church, Archimandrite Alexander (now the Bishop of Baku), recorded eyewitness accounts and presented them to the ruling Metropolitan Gideon, who, having familiarized himself with them, saw in everything that happened a great sign of God’s mercy, the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. Based on the recorded evidence, the Lord blessed to paint a new image of the Mother of God. The Holy Cross icon has become a new iconography among the Mother of God icons of the Russian Church. On it, the Mother of God is depicted at the Cross, reminiscent of her standing at Golgotha, the folding of her hands resembles the Seven-Arrow Icon (“Softening Evil Hearts”). On the 40th day of remembrance of the victims of the tragedy - June 23, 1995 - the icon was brought to Budennovsk, and a religious procession was carried out with it throughout the city. And at the site of the tragedy near the hospital in the center of the monastery, a memorial chapel was founded (now built and consecrated). The Holy Cross Icon immediately became one of the revered shrines of the North Caucasus. Previously, only one local icon of the Mother of God was revered in the Caucasus - Mozdok (the revered copy from Iverskaya). The Holy Cross Icon revealed that the Mother of God remembers Her First Earthly Destiny - Iberia (i.e. the Caucasus) and prays for it at the Cross of Her Son, so that the Savior, Life-Giving Cross of the Lord will shine over him in all its glory. Metropolitan Gideon, an admirer and prayer book of the Holy Cross Mother of God, compiled a troparion, kontakion and Akathist for the newly appeared icon. Lists of Our Lady of the Holy Cross also appeared. One of them was written in St. Petersburg, far from Budennovsk. It was written by the priest of the St. Petersburg diocese, the famous icon painter Father Nikolai Gruzdev. On February 19, 2000, the image was at a prayer service “for the granting of victory to Russian weapons” and a memorial service at the grave of General Mikhail Malafeev in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. And on February 25, he was brought to the St. John the Theological Church of the Leushinsky Metochion, where the first special prayer service to the Holy Cross image was served before him with the singing of the troparion. The appearance of Our Lady of the Holy Cross has a significant meaning not only for the Caucasus, but also for all of Russia, for she revealed that Russia is now on the cross, that in her suffering she determines the place of her cross on Golgotha: on which side does she stand at the Cross of Christ on the right or left? Will our people repent, like the prudent thief, and be rewarded with forgiveness and the Kingdom of Heaven, or, excited by all kinds of passions, will they become like the lawless Barabbas?