Church traditions say that the Valaam Icon of the Mother of God has miraculous powers and can visit Orthodox people in their dreams. Valaam has long strengthened the faith of our compatriots, this island was called Russian Athos. The Valaam elders instructed the Russian emperors, and legends were made about the island icons.

What can you pray for in front of the icon of the Mother of God, what can you ask the heavenly intercessor? With God's permission, we will tell about it.

To whom and in what does the Valaam Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos help?

A paper copy of the Valaam Icon of the Mother of God, which miraculously survived the fire on Valaam.

You have already understood that people do not just pray in front of a miraculous icon - God's grace can descend on you. Rejoice, say smart people, if no one in your family gets sick. And if an illness happened, will it be possible to correct it with prayers?

Here's what you can ask the Valaam Icon of the Mother of God:

1. Healing diseases (initially people came to the Valaam icon for this, the relevance remains to this day).
2. Days of Remembrance (St. Sergius and Herman are revered among those who pray, the days of the elders are celebrated on September 24 and July 11).
3. Restoration of family relations (prayer to the Valaam icon will help save the marriage, find peace and give birth to a healthy child).
4. Celebration of the day dedicated to the Valaam Mother of God (the first Sunday after July 12 - the day of the celebration of the memory of the apostles Peter and Paul).

How to pray in front of the Valaam Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos

The rules of prayer to the miraculous Mother of God are not much different from the general Orthodox institutions.

The icon of the Mother of God (with Valaam or other origin) helps those people who really need help. Antique icons are a serious means of healing ailments. The more time you spend in front of such icons, the better (the images of the Valaam masters are no exception).

To achieve the desired prayer, adhere to the following rules:

• At the Valaam Icon, stand with an open heart, do not be cunning.
• Prayer must be pure, think about the Mother of God, and not about vain things.
• The church recommends putting candles in front of the icons, the lady will like it.
• Keep in mind that no one guarantees you heavenly intercession, be patient.
• Do not forget to ask the Mother of God for help in overcoming pernicious passions.
• If you ask the Mother of God for the healing of a loved one, the likelihood of recovery increases.
• Before you visit the Valaam lands, go to confession.
• Do not forget to ask our God for healing all the rest of the time.
• The Mother of God of Valaam helps only true believers - those who have already accepted Jesus into their hearts.
• Before any icons, you need to be baptized, ensuring the proper level of reverence.

Prayer to the holy image of the Valaam Mother of God

Naturally, you need to ask the icon for help, using the right words for this. For the icon of the Mother of God, which once came to the Valaam land, a special prayer has been developed. If we do not confuse anything, the icon will protect us "from all misfortune."

Here are the words with which the Valaam Mother of God should be glorified:

Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before the icon of Her "Valaam"

Oh, Wonderful and superior of all creatures to the Queen of the Mother of God, the Heavenly King of Christ our God Mother! Hear us sinful and unworthy Thy servants, at this hour praying and falling down to You with sighs and tears and tenderly saying: lead us from the pit of passions, Mistress, deliver us from all sorrow and sorrow, protect us from all misfortunes and evil slander and from unrighteousness and fierce libel of the enemy. Can you, O Gracious Mother of God, save Your people not only from all evil, but also provide them with all good deeds and save them, unless You have another Intercessor in troubles and circumstances and warm Intercessors for us sinners are not imams to Your Son, Christ our God . Begged him, Mistress, yes, by Your salvation, we glorify in the future the all-holy name of Your Son and our God, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and ever. Amen.

Second Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before the icon of Her "Valaam"

O Most Holy and Blessed Lady Theotokos, Queen of Heaven and Earth, Patroness of the Valaam Monastery! We bow down and worship You before Your miraculous icon, and as if You have graciously looked at Your sick servant and granted You healing, so now accept our fervent prayer, which is brought to You. Save and save, All-Merciful, our Fatherland and all the Orthodox people, who live in it and resort to You with love, from the invasion of foreigners, from famine and pestilence, and from all evil, direct our paths, may truth and peace shine in the lands of Russ, joy and love, preserve the true faith in it until the end of time. Look with Your merciful eye on the monastery of Valaam and accomplish Yourself in the Lord the salvation of all who labor in it in faith and hope. Pray for Your Son and our God, may He deliver us all from all troubles, sorrows and illnesses, may He guide us to the fulfillment of His commandments, may He deliver us from eternal torment, and may He grant Your intercession to settle in the abodes of Heaven and glorify the Most Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

Third Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos before the icon of Her "Valaam" in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Valaam Monastery

To the Blessed Lady, the Lady of the Mother of God, our country's Intercessor, the monastery of Valaam is beauty and glory! Looking at Your Most Pure Face, manifested in a miraculous icon, we pray to You, save this monastery from all evil, founded by the Reverend Sergius and Herman, in the brethren, protect the world and observe, in the autumn with Your Protection the builders, benefactors and beautifiers of it.
Oh, our All-Honorable Mother, Abbess of all Orthodox monasteries and monastic life, Patroness, remain unfailingly from this monastery, your existing property, and cover with Your omnipotent prayers and intercede for us, who labor here, from all troubles and needs, help the charters of the reverend father unshakably preserve, deliver us from sinful falls, grant us the spirit of contrition and humility, instruct us in the fulfillment of monastic vows and all the commandments of God.
Accept our humble prayer, warm us with the breath of Thy love and never depart from us, may faith in us sinners not be impoverished, and may we be able to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, in it we will magnify Thee, our All-Perfect Mother, and glorify Your Son and our God with His Father without beginning and His Most Holy and Life-Giving Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

Few people know that the Valaam image inspired poets to create. A troparion in honor of the Theotokos was once written by Archbishop Pavel:

Troparion to the Most Holy Theotokos before the icon of Her "Valaam"
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Virgin Mother of God, looking at Your most bright icon, we rejoice, before her, for on the island of Valaam, the prayers of those who pray fervently are fulfilled; Hear, Most Pure One, and us praying to You, confirm us in faith and love, and ask for peace and great mercy to our souls.

A little later, a kontakion was dedicated to the miracle of Valaam - the authorship of this work belongs to the Orthodox poetess Valentina. The legend says that the poetess was blind, but she managed to perceive all the greatness of the icon and rise spiritually.

Hence the conclusion - the icon can also contribute to the internal development of a person. So actively pray in the temple, glorify the icon and wait for the miracle of Valaam.

By tradition - to your attention is a video of the service of the Valaam Icon of the Mother of God in Church Slavonic (all-night vigil) led by the hegumen of the Transfiguration Monastery, Bishop Pankraty of Trinity:

Valaam Icon of the Mother of God (All-Night Vigil). Valaam Monastery.

The Valaam Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos

If we look into the field of iconography, we will see that the icon of the Mother of God from Valaam belongs to the "Panagia" - the Mother of God images. There is also a type of icon "Nicopeia", with which a compositional relationship can be traced.

Icon of Our Lady of Valaam

Looking at the icon, pay attention to the bare feet of the Intercessor and the orb in the hands of Jesus. This is what distinguishes the icon of the Mother of God in the Valaam version from analogues created in other Orthodox monasteries.

The history of the icon of the Virgin of Valaam

Icon painter Hieromonk Alipiy (Konstantinov).

For unknown reasons, the Mother of God was not prepared for a place on the iconostasis - the shrine had been gathering dust for 20 years in the pantry of the monastery. Similar stories happened with other icons, but this case is special. Further events unfolded in the following sequence:

1. Natalya Andreeva, a pilgrim with sore legs, went on a journey in search of healing icons.
2. At night, the pilgrim had a dream with the Valaam Mother of God - this happened in 1897.
3. Some time later, the icon was discovered in the pantry of an abandoned temple (it took Andreeva about a year to make the pilgrimage).
4. In 1940, the island of Valaam began to belong to the USSR, and the monks transported the miraculous icon to Finland, where New Valaam was founded.
5. Now the shrine is considered the most important relic of the New Valaam Monastery.

If you are going to Valaam, it is worth considering that a list of the famous icon is kept there (the original is still in Finland). Our compatriots began to celebrate the day of the venerable image in 1997 - after the permission of Alexy II. In Finland, the date is different from the Russian one (celebrated on August 7) ​​- you need to know this about icons before starting prayer.

A new milestone in the history of the image was the year 2000 - it was then that Alexy II blessed the construction of a church erected in honor of the relic. As a site, the alleged place of discovery of the image was chosen. In 2005, the temple was solemnly consecrated, after which the doors opened wide for believers.

Description and meaning of the image of the Valaam Mother of God

Icon of the Mother of God "Valaam". Church of the Transfiguration Cathedral in honor of St. Sergius and Herman of Valaam.

The icon has a deep symbolic meaning. The parishioners got acquainted with the Virgin of Valaam in the year when Nikolai Alexandrovich, Emperor of Russia, went through the wedding ceremony. Hence - the majesty of the image, red robes and the great meaning embedded in the icon.

Meek silence and patronage of mortals - this is what the Valaam icon personifies.

It is worth noting that numerous healings serve as proof of the miraculous effect of the icon. Even the consecrated list attracts pilgrims flocking to Valaam from all over Russia. The last recorded miracle is the recovery of the son of a Greek clergyman. Archimandrite Sergius, rector of New Valaam, has evidence of this. So do not despair and feel free to plan a pilgrimage if you have health problems.