Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary “Unfading Color”
In the icon, the Most Holy Theotokos holds Her Divine Son in her right hand, and in Her left hand is a white lily flower. This flower symbolically marks the unfading color of virginity and purity of the Most Pure Virgin, to Whom the Holy Church addresses itself: “You are the Root of virginity and the Unfading Flower of purity.” Copies of this icon became famous in Moscow, Voronezh and other places of the Russian Church.
Kontakion 1
Oh, Most Blessed Virgin Mary, joy and refuge for all Christians: worshiping Your Most Pure Image, we sing a song of praise to You, we offer You our needs, grief and tears. You, oh, our meek Intercessor, all our earthly sorrows and sorrows are close to You, accept our sighs in prayers, help us and save us from troubles, tirelessly and with tenderness we call to You: Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Ikos 1
Like God's blessing and like a heavenly gift, the long-awaited one, requested by unceasing prayer from God, was sent down to you, O Theotokos, by your righteous and much-joyed parent - Joachim and Anna. But you, O God-chosen Youth, left your parental womb and, like an unquenchable lamp of faith, like a fragrant censer, you appeared in humility at the threshold of the Lord, and the power of the Most High lifted you up to the very entrance, led you into the Holy of Holies and opened all the secrets of heaven. Oh, Most Merciful Virgin Mary! Open our hearts to Your praise and lift up our prayer to Your Son and our God, let us call You this: Rejoice, purity unattainable and meekness ineffable; Rejoice, exalted in Your humility. Rejoice, inexhaustible source of love; Rejoice, vessel chosen by God. Rejoice, our zealous Intercessor. Rejoice, Mother of God, unfading color.
Kontakion 2
Oh, Most Holy Virgin Mary, we are bowed down with sinful thoughts and cold deeds, our heart is enveloped in the cold of life, our eyes are burdened with sinful sleep. But You, O Unfading Flower, washing us with the morning dew, warm us with the sun of love and mercy. Raise us, O Lady, from the dust of the earth to the Lord, so that we may offer Him this humble prayer of ours and cry out to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
The Archangel Gabriel was sent quickly from God to the city of Galilee, Nazareth, and brought to Thee, O Most Pure Virgin, the holy gospel, saying: “Rejoice, O Gracious One, the Lord is with Thee! You have found grace from God.” But we, who are unworthy of seeing such greatness, cry out in humility of heart: Rejoice, O full of grace among women; Rejoice, thou who has found grace from God and is even more exalted as an angel. Rejoice, for you have conceived a Son, who will inherit the throne of David, His father; Rejoice, you who kindled the unquenchable Light in the darkness of hearts. Rejoice, thou who openest the door of eternal happiness to us. Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Kontakion 3
We are troubled in sorrow, we spend our days in the vanity and sadness of our lives. But you, O Blessed One, illuminate our souls with Your gospel, fill our hearts with humility. Let us bow our heads and say: “Behold, servants of the Lord, may it be done to us according to Your will!” To You, O Unfading Flower, and to You who was born, we sing all the time: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
In the days of thyself Mariam flowed into the city of Judah, and into the house of Zechariah, and kissed Elizabeth. And hearing Elizabeth kiss Mary, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and cried out with a great voice, saying: “Where does this come from to me, so that the Mother of My Lord may come to me!” Oh, Most Pure Virgin! Visit us, the weak and wretched, and lift up our sighs like incense smoke to the throne of the Most High, so that from the fullness of a grateful heart we sing to you: Rejoice, for the Lord has looked upon the humility of His servant; Rejoice, for all your birth will please You. Rejoice, for You have created greatness, the Mighty One; Rejoice, Source of life and immortality. Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Kontakion 4
Oh, the Unfading Flower! Oh, fragrant beauty! Visit us in our sorrowful earthly vale, beg Your Son to save us from all trouble and sorrow, anger and sighing, and send us peace into our hearts; May He grant us, as we ask Him, according to our needs, and cover us with His inexhaustible mercy. We, expecting Your all-powerful intercession, magnify our Lord with our souls and cry out to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
As a shepherd guarding the night watch, the Angel of the Lord brought great joy with good news: for Christ the Lord was born in the city of David, Bethlehem, and was laid in a manger. Oh, Most Pure Mother, who gave birth to Your First-born Son, receive from us the following: Rejoice, Virgin Mother of God, for through You the world has risen, the Light of reason unstoppable;
Rejoice, star, showing us the way in the darkness. Rejoice, Dawn, mysterious day; Rejoice, rebirth of our souls. Rejoice, faithful refuge and quick Helper in sorrows; Rejoice, Lily of Paradise. Rejoice, all-singing Virgin; Rejoice, meek Dove, who gave birth to the Merciful. Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Kontakion 5
Behold, the King of the world is coming: Behold, the secret Sacrifice is being accomplished; The angels sing in heaven: “Glory to God in the highest!” The Savior of the world is born. Christ comes - a great Divine mystery. God has appeared in the flesh, and we, unworthy servants, having put aside all worldly cares, with the Angels we glorify God in passion and joy, like shepherds and like wolves, we worship You, O Mother of God, and we constantly call to Your Divine Son: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Behold, righteous Simeon came in spirit to the church and received the Child Jesus into his arms, and blessed God, and said: “Now dost thou let thy servant go, O Master, according to thy word, in peace!” And for you, O Mother Mary, a weapon will pierce your soul, as the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. We, having been saved by You, cry out: Rejoice, Most Blessed One, who brings great sorrow into joy; Rejoice, eternal treasure of Mother's love and tenderness. Rejoice, Mother of our God, who endured the greatest joy and the greatest sorrow for Her Son; Hail, Queen of Peace. Rejoice, Hope and Consolation for those who cry. Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Kontakion 6
Oh, Offering Mother Mary! The sea of life rises with storm and anger, deep abysses have opened up and are ready to swallow us: our heart trembles, our joy is darkened, but You, O Meek and Merciful One, beseech Your Son; may he help us, the sorrowful and the orphaned, in our sorrows; may he tame the rebellious waves of sinful passions; may he turn away all misfortune and danger from us; may He teach us how to keep His eternal righteousness. And at the end of our life, show us a quiet haven and make us worthy to cry out with Simeon the God-Receiver: “Now do you let go of your servant, Master!” Help us, O Unfading Flower! Do not leave us and save those who call to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
As a child, he grew stronger and stronger in spirit and grace; and You, O His Mother, with love composed all the verbs about the Son in Your heart. Sorrowful and sad, seeking Him both in the squad, and among relatives and acquaintances, always returning from the festival of Jerusalem and having found Him with great joy, sitting in the church among the teachers, who marveled and were horrified at His Divine Mind. Oh, our Most Pure Meekness! Oh, Sweetest heart, warming the whole world with love! Hear us, crying out to You like this: Rejoice, you who increased the Divine Son with love. Rejoice, sweetest Heart, warming our cold souls with love. Rejoice, wise Leader of parental hearts; Rejoice, unbreakable wall for our children and youth. Rejoice, Cover and Refuge for the orphaned and helpless in sorrow; Rejoice, Guardian of chastity and virginity. Rejoice, you who show the honest and right path to meek men; Rejoice, softening of evil hearts. Rejoice, tenderness of the good. Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Kontakion 7
"Child! What will you do for us? - So you asked His Son - Jesus and wondered; seeing Him sitting in the temple in the midst of the proud and superstitious high priests of the Jews, the Divine Mind, revealing the Divine revelation to them. Oh, descend, O All-Blessed Mother, also to our children: pray for them to Your Son and our God, that the Light of true knowledge of God will reveal to them; cover them with the edge of Your fragrant cover; Enlighten our sons and daughters with the light of reason; strengthen their physical and mental strength; keep them in the passion of God, in obedience to parents and in purity of soul, grant them to grow to the glory of God and to the happiness of the earth father in ours. O Lamp of unquenchable love, anoint them with the oil of Thy mercy; warm them with the meekness of Your eyes; cover them with the robe of His Motherhood. Oh, the Unfading Flower! With strong faith, unshakable hope and great contrition of heart, falling at Your feet, we unceasingly cry out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
Warm intercessor for an adulterous and sinful race! According to your command, at the wedding in Cana of Galilee, your Son and our God made the firstfruits a sign and turned water into wine. Ask, O Mother of God, and now Your Son, may he perform a miracle on us, may he transform our sorrowful days, entwined with lies, resentment and tears, into the joy of rebirth, into the happiness of love and truth; May the beginning of the Divine Light strengthen in us - the pure source of the Spirit - the Holy God, the Triune. Let all that is evil and unclean be cast out from our hearts. Oh, unattainable Purity and Ineffable Mercy! Incline Your ear to our prayer and make us worthy to call you: Rejoice, radiant Light of love and forgiveness; Rejoice, Divine vessel of eternal bliss. Rejoice, zealous for all of us before the Lord to the Prayer Book; Rejoice, you who quickly bring our needs to the throne of God. Rejoice, for according to Your word Your Son performs signs, giving joy to man. Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Kontakion 8
There is no love, truth has disappeared, lies and enmity, anger and hatred are sown in the human heart. Brother rebels against brother, children against parents, and parents against children. Oh, Merciful God! Who has desecrated Your wondrous harvest, who is all the tares and thistles among the wheat? Your anger is righteous, even the ax is at the root, but behold, Your Mother, the zealous Intercessor of the world, falls to You. Oh, greatest Love and most fragrant heart! Turn away from us the wrath of God, for our sins, righteously moved against us; strengthen those who love us, so that neither persecution nor cruel times will shake them; bring to reason those who hate us and those who harm us; forgive our enemies who do not know what they are doing, soften their angry heart and illuminate their darkness with the light of Christ’s love, and transform their anger and hatred into shame and repentance. Oh, fragrant flower! Our vessels are empty, we do not have the oil of good works, and the lamps of our faith are extinguished by the storm of life. Have mercy on us: fill our hearts with the joy of pure joys, renew us spiritually, and with grateful lips we continually sing to God with tenderness: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
All having been in the lower and the Highest, he did not retreat in any way, the Divine Teacher; He healed the sick, raised the dead, cleansed lepers, filled the whole world with love, Meek Sufferer! Se visishi, nailed to the cross among the evildoers; and all the people, standing, cursed at You, and with them the princes and warriors. And You, O sorrowful Mother, bowed your head at the cross of Your Son, and the weapon passed through Your Mother’s heart. We, honoring the sorrows of Your Mother’s heart, from the depths of our souls cry out to Ty: Rejoice, sweetest Virgin Mary, for Your sorrow will be turned into joy and no one will take this joy from You; Rejoice, who experienced the greatest torment, who in vain experienced Your Son, bleeding on the cross, humiliated, crucified, spat upon. Rejoice, for you have been called Queen of Peace and have sat at the right hand of the throne of Your Son and God, our Lord Jesus Christ; Rejoice, for in the sorrow of Your heart, You washed away the sorrow of the whole world and the sins of all people with tears. Rejoice, Meek One, Your Son will rise again, having trampled down the sting of death, and the Light of His resurrection will shine forever; Rejoice, Mother of God, heavenly image of purity and goodness. Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Kontakion 9
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, then have eternal life. And behold, ungrateful and malicious people, like a villain, nailed Him to the Cross. We, seeing such a thing, are seized with horror, crying out: God, be merciful to us sinners! For our sins, we endure terrible torment. Oh, Sorrowful Mother, do not turn Your face away from us, break our sinful bonds, cleanse our hearts from the passions and lusts of the evil one; Yes, in spiritual burning, as a light of repentance, let us worship before the cross of Your Divine Son, constantly praying with the prudent thief: Remember us, Lord, in Your Kingdom! Through Your prayers, Mother of God, straighten our steps to do the commandments of the Lord; wash us from sin, make us better, rise to the Radiant Unstoppable Light, let us call to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
“It’s done! Father, I commend My Spirit into Your hands.” Oh, Most Pure Mother! Do you hear how the earth trembles with sadness, its chest disintegrates, coffins are opened, the dead rise and the church veil is torn? You see, how great darkness has covered the earth and people, in fear and trembling, are beating their hearts, saying: “Truly this is the Son of God!” We marvel at such miracles and truly confess Thy Son of God, truly crying out to Thee: Rejoice, Mother of God, behold, all the words that Thou hast composed in Thy heart have been accomplished; Rejoice, Blessed Virgin, Unfading Dawn, Unfading Day, Golden Light. Rejoice, Dawn of the unflickering Light of the non-evening; Rejoice, Sanctuary of great mystery. Rejoice, Source of our immortality; Rejoice, Giver of Divine goodness. Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Kontakion 10
Let all human flesh remain silent, and let it stand with fear and trembling, and let it think of nothing earthly within itself. Behold, a great sacrifice is made for the sins of the world, behold, the Savior of the world is placed in a new tomb by the noble Joseph and wrapped in a clean shroud. With His soul He ascends into hell to destroy the eternal faiths and bring to freedom from time immemorial those who have been bound: from His tomb He proclaims to His mother: “Do not mourn Me, Mother, when you see in the tomb, Whom You have given birth to a Son: for I will arise and be glorified, and will be ascended from with glory like God, magnifying You with faith and love.” Let us put aside everything earthly and vain, and with a pure heart let us fall to the throne of the King of Glory, constantly crying out: Holy. Holy, holy is the Lord of hosts! O Mother of our salvation! Make us also partakers of the bright Resurrection of Your Son to eternal bliss, so that we call to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
One day on the Sabbath, a woman came very early to the tomb, carrying aromas, and behold, when they came, they saw: the stone had been rolled away from the tomb, and the Body of the Lord Jesus was gone. The angel, shining brightly towards them, said: “Oh, wives! Do not be afraid and do not look for the living with the dead: Christ is risen, just as he said!” Teach you, O Lady, to invite everyone: Rejoice, Blessed Virgin Mary and the river again; Rejoice, Thy Son is risen three days from the grave. Rejoice, for the whole earth rejoices and all the angels sing in heaven: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death and giving life to us all and to those in the tombs!”; Rejoice, Giver of eternal and endless life. Rejoice, for through Your love and Your prayers we have been delivered from eternal darkness; Rejoice, for through You we have risen bright holidays holiday. Rejoice, for through You a bright day has come for us, on which we will embrace each other, forgive all by the resurrection, we will rejoice and rejoice with eternal joy. Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Kontakion 11
Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who killed the prophets! Your grave crime has been forgiven by the Lord, and the unsetting Sun of righteousness has risen over the world. Cleanse our souls too, Meek Virgin! Purify our senses, so that we may see Christ emerging from the tomb; Dress us in wedding garments, so that we may joyfully enter the decorated chamber of Christ, singing to Him who has risen: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
When the hour of Your departure to God approached, O Virgin Mary, the angel of the Lord Gabriel, shining brightly, appeared before You, handing You the bright, unfading lily of paradise, and behold, You accepted the will of the Lord with humility and joy and quietly went to Your Divine Son . Oh, our tireless prayer book! Oh, Unfading Color of the bright heavenly paradise! Send us also, O Merciful One, a quiet and painless departure from this vale of weeping, sighing and sorrow, so that we may cry out to You like this: Rejoice, ascended to Heaven by Your Son, Queen of Heaven; Rejoice, our quick and faithful Helper and Intercessor before Him. Rejoice, All-Singing Virgin, for your name unfadingly flaunts and pleases from generation to generation; Rejoice, our safe and quiet refuge in the storms of life. Rejoice, O Joyful One, who does not leave us in Your Assumption. Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Kontakion 12
Oh scary last hour our! Our hearts and all our hearts tremble whenever we think about him! Why should we leave our near and dear ones orphaned? How shall we go, unwashed, in the midst of darkness and the shadow of mortals, to a new life? How will we appear at the Last Judgment of the Creator and God? O our Comforter! O our good Helper! Help us, when this comes, place your loving Mother’s hand on our forehead, so that our suffering will subside and our soul will be reborn, pacify the melancholy of our separation from this world, and may the light of eternal truth shine before our eyes. Oh, Most Pure Mother! We hope in You, we pray to You and cry: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Oh, my soul, my soul! Rise up, what are you writing off? The end is approaching! Why are you rich in sins? Why aren't you getting ready? The Lord is at the door, where do you place your hope? What answer will you say to the Lord, when He comes - the terrible Judge to judge the earth; Do not weigh this hour or this day, from the edge of the earth to the edge the Arkhangelsk trumpet sounds; and from the dead all the nations are raised and gathered together. And behold, the Son of Man comes to the clouds with His power in all His glory. Where are our good deeds? Where is the mercy? Where is Love? Our inexhaustible multitude of sins has covered the sky. Oh, All-Merciful Mother of God! On this terrible day, appear to us and be an Intercessor for us before Your Son. We rely on You alone, do not forsake us sinners. Be our protection and strengthening, with warm faith and undoubted hope we fall before Your Most Pure Image and with tears we call this: Rejoice, lightning illuminating our darkness; Rejoice, you who intercede for us at the terrible judgment of Christ. Rejoice, covering the whole world from troubles and sorrows with Your omophorion; Rejoice, for you have adopted this world as a son of the One Mother. Rejoice, for you alone have been given the ineffable grace to pray for us; Rejoice, Thou who preparest eternal joy for all Thy faithful children. Rejoice, fragrant with your Unfading Flower among us sinners forever. Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Kontakion 13
Oh, Unfading Flower! Oh, All-Sung Mother Mary, who gave birth to all the saints Holy Word! Accept our present offering and deliver us all from every misfortune. Warm us with Motherly love and rejoice us with eternal joy. Save us from eternal torment through unceasing prayer to Your Son and grant us, O Queen, the heavenly Kingdom as we cry out for You: Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.
(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)
The meaning and history of the icon Holy Mother of God"Fadeless Color"
The history of the origin of the icon of the Mother of God " Everlasting color"touching and at the same time majestic. For a long time, on the island of Kefalonia, located near Athos, a very beautiful and largest island in the Ionian Sea, there is a tradition - it is preserved even now: on the day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, white flowers are brought here, similar to the lily with which the archangel appeared in his hand to the Most Pure One. Gabriel, to reveal to Her the will of God about Her. Flowers are reverently and carefully placed under the icon case, to Her face, and there they remain until the very holiday of Her Assumption without water and without sunlight. But a miracle happens: after almost five months, their stems, dried out and in the twilight, incredibly fill with moisture, come to life, new buds appear instead of dried inflorescences and bloom into white lush flowers - here it is, “unfading color”!
Presumably, it was this wonderful tradition that inspired the Athonite monks to paint a unique image, which in turn gave birth to many iconographic versions, very different from each other, but in type going back to Hodegetria the Guide. According to other sources, the first appearance of this image occurred in Constantinople, but fewer researchers of the diverse iconography of the “Unfading Color” are inclined to believe this.
But, probably, in addition to the miraculous resurrection of dried flowers near the image of the Mother of God on the island of Kefalonia, the inspirational basis for the visual embodiment of the indispensable and distinctive attribute of the icon “Unfading Flower” were epithets from the texts of divine services, where the Most Pure One was compared to a flower - “unfading, fragrant.” From the second epithet arose another common list - “fragrant color”, its first appearance is considered to be later. The epithet “unfading” is taken from the “Canon of Gratefulness to the Most Holy Theotokos” by Joseph the Songwriter. The canon has become part of the existing liturgical literary collections Orthodox Church, and its spiritually sublime, admiring and soul-touching content with sincere love for the Intercessor became the source for painting a new icon.
The Monk Joseph the Songwriter created many canons that have been preserved in the prayer heritage of Russian Orthodoxy. As nun Ignatius writes about him in the article “Church Songwriters” (chapter “The Liturgical Heritage of St. Joseph the Songwriter”): “The canons of St. Joseph are distinguished by the thoughtfulness of the images that he used as the basis for each of his works, exceptional elegance of expression, and often a special form of presentation of that idea , which he wants to emphasize in canon e. While working on the form, the holy Songwriter often turned to those stylistic devices, which were developed by ancient Greek rhetoric.”
It is believed that from the first Athonite list, which spread to Orthodox world, three main ones emerged - Greek, Russian, Bulgarian. From them, in turn, came subsequent variants, which gave rise to this amazing iconographic diversity. In terms of time, the creation of the first, Greek original of this icon dates back to the 16th–17th centuries, and its appearance in Russia dates back to the 17th–18th centuries. One of the first revered lists came through pilgrims to the Moscow St. Alexeevsky Monastery, the first mention of which dates back to 1757, and it is in her honor that the celebration is held on April 3/16. It is not known for certain where the iconography of the image came from, but there is an assumption that it was from the Balkans.
Russian icon painting of the 17th century was moderately, but nevertheless noticeably influenced by Western tradition during the decade and a half of the Time of Troubles, which ended in 1613. It penetrated into Rus' from Catholic Poland and Lithuania, where attributes uncharacteristic of the Byzantine tradition - royal crowns, flowers, etc. - had long been used. But their depiction in Russian icon painting was consecrated by the hymnography of Orthodoxy, where the epithet “unfading color” was awarded to both Christ and His Mother in various prayer works. For example, on the Alekseevsky list, the flowering branch in the hand of the Mother of God is entwined with a ribbon, and on it is written the irmos of the First Song “Canon of the Grateful”: “Unfading Blossom! Rejoice, O One who has vegetated the fragrant apple: Rejoice, O fragrance of the One King!”
Around the same time in Central and Southern Russia other lists appear, and their variety is simply enormous, they are all magnificent, and their indispensable attribute is white, pink, red flowers in flowerpots, garlands, trellises, in other images these are lushly blossoming wands in the hand of the Mother of God. Sometimes flowers are woven into halos around the head of the Infant Jesus or form a pedestal on which the Most Pure One stands with the Child of God in her arms. In the marvelous inflorescences, stylized to one degree or another, one can discern roses, lilies, and immortelle flowers, which grow abundantly on the slopes of the Holy Mount Athos and are considered a symbol of not only immortality, but also purity.
Also, this image arose from the Orthodox iconographic heritage: in the Benaki Museum, in Athens, there is an icon of St. Anne with little Mary, dating back to the 15th century. The Most Pure Virgin holds in her hand White flower, and in this symbolism one can clearly read the prototype of the white lily, which the Archangel Gabriel will one day hand to Her. In the State Historical Museum there is an icon of the 16th century “The Virgin and Child with a Flower”, where the flower is in the hand not of the Virgin Mary, but of Jesus, as in the icon of the first half of the 17th century “The Virgin and Child” created in Belarus. It is believed that this list became the source for images of the crown on the heads of the Mother of God and the Infant and organically fit into the canonical principles of Orthodox icon painting.
TO 19th century the most complex compositions of the icon are simplified, the abundance of attributes is gone, except for the crown, flowers are often indicated by one branch in the hand of the Mother of God, the icon becomes less colorful both in composition and in color, therefore, according to historians and art critics of church painting, later copies are inferior to ancient ones. From this point of view, the icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Color”, created by the icon painter Marina Filippova, continues the original, ancient tradition, although the basis of the image is taken from a later canon, not overflowing with attributes.
It’s as if the robes of the Mother of God and the Child are woven from flowers, the halo around the central composition is lined with the same ornamental field of flowers - in everything the author’s appeal to the Russian tradition is clearly felt, and so even a hint of the original influence of Western culture in the iconography of the image “Fadeless Color” is leveled out, gone away. . The style of Kuznetsov's writing is based on the history of Russian ornament, its fundamental connection with our native nature, and icon painter Marina Filippova fully applies this wonderful creative heritage to a new presentation of the beautiful Orthodox icon. On the one hand, this image is now seen as truly Russian, originating in the Byzantine school, and on the other hand, in its new incarnation, the “Unfading Flower” icon of the 21st century still enthusiastically and admiringly glorifies the Mother of God and Christ as “an unfading, fragrant flower.” It brings back the joyful, life-affirming meaning of the first lists, partially lost in the century before last, reflecting the feelings of St. Joseph, the Athonite monk, the creator of the original, and those who observe the miracle on the island of Kefalonia from year to year...
Meaning of the icon
The epithets characterizing the Mother of God, the source of which were Her inherent qualities as the Mother of the One who will come through Her to give True Life to all humanity, the beautiful poetic and sublime comparisons that sound in the words of the services, make up the fullness of the spiritual meaning of this image. If you look at this image, rejoicing and admiring, they simply arise in the soul from the prayers that we offer to Her. She is the “life-giving garden”, She is the “root of virginity and the unfading flower of purity”, She is the “fruitful earth that raised the Bread of Heaven.” By the Bread of Heaven is meant the image of Christ, Who, as we remember from the Gospel story of the Last Supper, breaking the bread and distributing it to the disciples, said: “This is My Body, which is given for you; Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19, Matt. 26:26; Mark 14:22), therefore, in some images in the hand of the Most Pure One we see not flowers, but an ear of corn.
Thank God that by His will we can now fall in prayer to the images that we love so much, and it is not without reason that the first hand-made icon to come out from under the brush of the Apostle was the icon of the Most Pure One, Who “took the whole world into adoption.” Her Face on the “Unfading Color” icon, the whole icon is a combination of joy and peace, so sought by our soul, eternally confused in the daily bustle, and all Russian Orthodox iconography is an amazing treasure given to us by the Lord for salvation, admonition and the acquisition of spiritual joy and grace .
Miracles from the icon
They often resort to this image, full of tenderness, tender compassion and love for us, tired of the imperfections of this world, for saving help. Then those who prayerfully turned to Her in front of Her icon “Unfading Color” talk about how the soul is enlightened, what consolation descends on it, inner balance returns, and the world seems full of new hopes, unexpected solutions are found to get rid of problems and strength for action. Anxieties and sorrows go away, and in gratitude to Her, a strengthening of faith is born, seemingly ready to be shaken. Isn’t this a miracle of spiritual resurrection, when the soul of a person who has fallen into despondency, drying up like a sprout, is again reborn to life like the flowers at the shrine of the Virgin Mary in Kefalonia? Well, it is known that from many revered and miraculous icons of the Mother of God “Unfading Color” many miracles occurred related to the finding of a life partner by girls and women who wanted to find their other half and live with her in good harmony.
But there are also modern miracles. Here are just two of them noted in our century.
In 2012, in the village of Chernovka, Sergievsky district Samara region on the window of the house of an elderly woman, a believer and virtuous, on April 16 - just on the day of the celebration of the icon of the Mother of God "Unfading Color" - an image of this image appeared. The owner of the house, Ekaterina Ivanovna Malygina, saw it when, on that day, after the weather warmed up, she removed the oilcloth from the window, which was used to protect the house from the winter cold. It was in the morning, and in the bright morning light the amazed woman saw the image of the Mother of God and the Child, in which at first she did not recognize the “Fading Color,” but then she looked in the reference books and found this image.
In the evening the image disappears, and with the onset of daylight it gradually appears. Both priests and laymen came to the image, completely unbelievers tried to rub and scratch the amazing glass, but the image remained untouched. So they went home, amazed, saying a prayer to themselves.
In the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Novovoskresenovka, Novovorontsovsky district, Kherson region, in 2007, the icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Color” began to flow myrrh. Then the miracles that came from her began. The fame of the icon quickly spread throughout the area and beyond. According to the testimonies of those who flocked here, through prayers at this image they were restored family relationships, conflicts between household members were resolved. There are known cases of healing of adults and children, especially those suffering from speech problems - the children began to speak.
All these and other miracles that give us solutions to many, many problems are wonderful. But one more conclusion can be drawn: no matter what skeptics and those who do not trust the obvious, albeit incredible, may say, miracles from God exist in our lives and are given according to our faith, not only, figuratively speaking, for pragmatic purposes. Also, to be seen and remembered: Where the Throne of God is, all of us who lift up words of prayer and thanksgiving to Heaven are seen and remembered. We will receive an answer to every word, every movement of the soul towards God, to every thought addressed to Him, if they are honest and sincere, if they are imbued with trust and love. Therefore, icons stream myrrh and miraculously are found, healings are performed at life-giving holy springs - this is all evidence that God is with us here and now, and we, if we decide to follow Him, constantly live in His presence, and this fact becomes extremely important for one who considers himself a believer and Orthodox person.
Before the Mother of God image “Unfading Flower”, Mother of Heaven is asked to protect the family from troubles between loved ones, from empty temptations that may visit one of the family members. For girls who have not yet found a betrothed, but want to start a family, a prayerful appeal to this icon will protect them from premature temptations and from the wrong choice of a future spouse. If adult woman for a long time cannot find his “half” - his personal life is not working out; turning to the Most Pure One in front of Her “Unfading Color” icon will protect him from loneliness.
It is curious that since 1999 this truly blooming and fragrant image has been proclaimed by Russian ecologists as an Orthodox symbol of Russia’s ecology. Thus, the Mother of God now patronizes the Russian environmental party “Greens,” which in our country unites many movements for the preservation of our native nature.
Prayer before this image helps in preserving a marriage, strengthening a family, resolving family problems, and overcoming sorrows that sometimes happen in our everyday life.
For girls who want to get married, prayer in front of the “Unfading Color” icon helps not to make a mistake in choosing a life partner, to find someone who will become a caring head of the family, a faithful and reliable support and protection, and this marriage will stand and remain indestructible in any everyday conflicts . Unmarried girls of adolescence, who are raised in the faith from a very early age, entering adulthood, ask the Mother of God in Her image of the “Unfading Color” to protect them from the temptations of the world, to help cultivate in themselves the likeness of the prototype - the Most Pure One, in order to pass on this wonderful experience over time to my children.
Sincere and earnest prayer in front of the “Unfading Color” icon guides those who are spiritually suffering on the right path, helps to find the strength to endure deep sorrows, not to become weak from disappointment, and relieves them of despondency and heavy thoughts.
There is evidence that prayer in front of the image helps to preserve health and youth for a long time - mental and physical.
Second prayer
Oh, Most Holy and Immaculate Mother of the Virgin, hope of Christians and refuge for sinners! Protect all those who come running to You in misfortune, hear our groans, incline Your ear to our prayer. Mistress and Mother of our God, do not despise those who require Your help and do not reject us sinners, enlighten us and teach us: do not depart from us, your servants, for our murmuring. Be our Mother and Protectress, we entrust ourselves to Your merciful protection. Lead us sinners to a quiet and serene life; let us pay for our sins.
Oh, Mother Mary, our most offering and speedy Intercessor, cover us with Your intercession. Protect from enemies visible and invisible, soften hearts evil people who repay us. O Mother of our Lord Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading flower of purity and chastity, send help to us who are weak and overwhelmed by carnal passions and wandering hearts. Enlighten our spiritual eyes, so that we may see the ways of God’s truth. By the grace of Your Son, strengthen our weak will in fulfilling the commandments, so that we will be delivered from all troubles and misfortunes and may be justified by Your wonderful intercession at the terrible judgment of Your Son. To him we give glory, honor and worship, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
Troparion to the icon
Rejoice, Bride of God, secret rod, blossoming unfading color, rejoice, Lady, with Her we are filled with joy and inherit life.
In more ancient images the difference was as follows. On the icon “Unfading Flower” the Infant God sat on the right hand of the Mother of God, and on the icon “Fragile Flower” - on the left. In modern icons these distinctions are often not respected.
Almost every icon has an interesting and unique origin story. The most interesting are the ancient images, which have created many miracles during their existence. It is precisely these icons that include the image of the Mother of God called “The Unfading Color.” In fact, it is not known for certain how exactly the icon “Fadeless Color” » has become a tradition. There are different versions. One way or another, here we are talking about the smooth movement of Christian culture, which underwent some metamorphoses.
Features of the “Fadeless Color” icon
The time of creation of the miraculous image of the icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Color” is unknown. For many years, humanity tried to solve this mystery, but all the efforts were in vain. The reason for this fact is the gradual entry of the image of flowers into the iconographic type. This version of the icon of the Mother of God is called akathist, that is, some epithet is taken here that glorifies the Virgin Mary in akathists and this epithet is reflected in the icon. It is easy to understand the meaning of the “Unfading Flower” icon - the flowers here indicate the purity of the Virgin, and eternal purity, that is, unfading. It is worth saying that the comparison with the unfading color was also used in some texts for Christ. The symbolism of this image is very multidimensional and deep.
As we found out, it will not be difficult to find out why the icon bears this name. The icon began to be called that because of the chants that were sung in honor Mother of God.
How does the “Fadeless Color” icon help?
For spiritual practice Orthodox meaning The icon “Fadeless Color” cannot be exaggerated. This icon is a symbol of purity and sinlessness. That is why young girls bow their heads before her, wanting to preserve their chastity before marriage.
Also, girls at the image of the Virgin Mary “Unfading Color” often pray for help in choosing a spouse and ask for happiness in family life. The “Unfading Color” icon is often used to give a blessing to future spouses.
This image helps married women cope with all the troubles that happen in their lives. There are beliefs that prayers to the Fragrant Flower icon of the Mother of God help representatives of the fair sex maintain youth and beauty for many years.
Icon spelling options
The icon depicts the Mother of God holding a child in one hand and a white lily in the other. This flower is considered a symbol of purity and beauty. However, there are many images where the Blessed Virgin is depicted with a rose. In general, there are a lot of options for writing this icon. The only common feature for such an icon is the presence of a flower. In this case, the flowers can also be a garland that frames the image. Icons of the Mother of God with a flower in her hand are popular, that is, a certain property of the Mother of God is emphasized.
The Virgin and Child in the image are most often dressed in royal attire. In earlier versions, the holy image was depicted somewhat differently. Previously, the Blessed Virgin Mary was depicted sitting on a throne and holding a scepter. However, due to the complexity of the drawing, it was no longer depicted in this way.
Making changes to the image did not diminish its beauty. To this day it evokes a feeling of peace in all sincere believers. The icon especially helps girls and women who go to him to pray in order to find their own feminine happiness and at least in some way become like the Mother of God, to embody the best feminine qualities in this world.
Such a craving for this image is quite understandable. After all, it is this image that helps make dreams come true and fills the heart with goodness and faith in the power of the Virgin Mary.
It is not surprising that women are most drawn to her. This icon gives them feminine wisdom and helps them get through the most difficult periods of their lives. For women who worry a lot and want to find happiness, they are advised to choose where in the house to hang the “Fadeless Color” icon and pray in front of this image. A good option is a home altar, since the image of the Virgin Mary here does not deviate from the canon and can be the main one in the house. In order for a sincere prayer to the “Unfading Flower” icon to get married to be heard, one should use miraculous images. For example, in Moscow alone there are four famous icons that belong to this type of image.
Prayers to the icon
Oh, Most Holy and Immaculate Mother of the Virgin, hope of Christians and refuge for sinners!
Protect all those who come running to You in misfortune, hear our groans, incline Your ear to our prayer, O Lady and Mother of our God, do not despise those who require Your help and do not reject us sinners, enlighten us and teach us: do not depart from us, Your servants, for our murmuring.
Be our Mother and Patroness, we entrust ourselves to Your merciful protection. Lead us sinners to a quiet and serene life; Let us pay for our sins. O Mother Mary, our most kind and quick Intercessor, cover us with Your intercession. Protect us from enemies visible and invisible, soften the hearts of evil people who rebel against us.
O Mother of our Lord Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading flower of purity and chastity, send help to us who are weak and overwhelmed by carnal passions and wandering hearts. Enlighten our spiritual eyes, so that we may see the ways of God’s truth.
By the grace of Your Son, strengthen our weak will in fulfilling the commandments, so that we will be delivered from all troubles and misfortunes and may be justified by Your wonderful intercession at the terrible judgment of Your Son. To him we give glory, honor and worship, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
The icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Flower” was created in the 17th century on Mount Athos. As an example, Byzantine writings were used, where the Mother of God and the Child of God are compared to flowers that never wither. In the icon, the Mother of God holds her Child in her right hand, and in her left hand there is a lily flower, which symbolizes purity. It is worth noting that many of the “Unfading Flower” icons are different from each other, but at the same time, they always have a flower in the hands of the Mother of God, either a lily or a rose. Some sources indicate that earlier the image was painted differently, and the Mother of God sat on a throne and held a scepter entwined with flowers in her hands. After a while, the small details were removed from the canvas, and the scepter was replaced with a flower.
Although special meaning The “Unfading Color” icon is designed specifically for women; anyone can turn to her for help. Every year, pilgrims to Mount Athos can become eyewitnesses of a real miracle. Throughout the year, people bring white lily flowers to the image and before the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, the withered stems are filled with strength and begin to produce new buds. The celebration of this icon takes place every year, and this happens on April 16th.
Meaning and prayer to the “Unfading Color” icon
The power of this image was known back in ancient times. People wore it on their chest to protect themselves from various troubles. Prayer requests to the icon help maintain chastity and righteous life. There is a legend that it is this image of the Virgin Mary that allows the fair sex to preserve their beauty and youth for many years. In ancient times, this information was considered a secret, and it was passed down from generation to generation through the female line. It is believed that sincere prayer will help solve many family problems.
The icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Unfading Color” is of great importance for single girls, since they turn to her with a request to choose a worthy life partner. In their prayers, girls can also ask for a successful marriage and family happiness. Often this image is used to bless the bride before marriage. Young ladies pray for the preservation of chastity. There is a huge amount of evidence that the image helps to recover from many diseases. in front of the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, “Unfading Color” helps to cope with existing life trials and various emotional experiences. You can turn to the image to receive love and recognition from others.
Prayer for marriage to the “Unfading Color” icon
In the icon, the Most Holy Theotokos holds her Divine Son on her right hand, and in Her left hand is a white lily flower. This flower symbolically signifies the unfading of virginity and the purity of the Most Pure Virgin, to whom the Holy Church addresses itself: “You are the Root of virginity and the Unfading Flower of purity.” Some lists show roses or other flowers instead of lilies. Lists of the icon "Unfading Flower" ("Fragrant Flower") became famous in Moscow, Voronezh and other places of the Russian Church.
The name "Unfading Flower" ("Fragrant Flower") is associated with chants dedicated to the Mother of God. Since ancient times, in prayer books there has been a symbolic comparison of the Most Holy Theotokos with an “unfading, fragrant flower.” Also, the name of the Mother of God “Unfading Flower” goes back to the canon of Joseph the Songwriter. And the origin of the “Unfading Flower” icon is connected with Athos: immortal flowers, considered a symbol of purity, grew on the slopes of the Holy Mountain.
The appearance of this icon dates back to the 16th - 17th centuries. The icon came to Rus' through pilgrims in the 17th - 18th centuries. One of the first revered copies of the “Unfading Flower” icon appears in the Moscow St. Alexievsky Monastery, which stood on the site of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior at the beginning of the 18th century. Probably at the same time or somewhat earlier, the same icons appeared in other churches in Central and Southern Russia. Most of them were brought from Athos. Russian icon painters turned to this image relatively rarely.
There are two known versions of the “Fadeless Color” icon. In the first, the so-called “Hodegetria type,” the Mother of God holds the Infant Christ on her left hand, and the lily flower is held by Christ himself or the Mother of God. In the second case, the Mother of God is addressed to the Child standing on a high footstool - a throne. Christ in royal vestments: a crown on his head, a scepter and an orb in his hands. The Mother of God supports Him with her left hand, and in her right hand is a rod blooming with paradise flowers.
Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Unfading Color” they pray for the preservation of a righteous life, for the right choice of a spouse, for happiness in marriage, for purity and chastity, for deliverance from carnal warfare upon marriage. Pure and fiery prayer before this icon helps in resolving difficult family problems. In front of the “Unfading Color” icon, they pray, first of all, to preserve themselves in purity and righteousness, as well as for admonition when choosing a future spouse. They also turn to prayer when there are sorrows in family life. Prayer in front of the icon “Unfading Color” (“Fragrant Color”) helps people in the “invasion of sadness”, with the loss of loved ones, in a state of loneliness. In all these cases, the Mother of God helps to gain spiritual strength to overcome trials, continue life, and fulfill Christian duty. One of the most heartfelt prayers addressed to this icon of the Most Holy Theotokos is the akathist.
This image, which is rarely found in Russian churches, is dearly loved by believers.
The celebration in honor of the “Unfading Flower” icon in the Orthodox Church takes place on April 16 (April 3 according to the Julian calendar). In more ancient images, the difference was as follows. On the icon “Unfading Flower” the Infant God sat on the right hand of the Mother of God, and on the icon “Fragrant Flower” (commemorated on November 28 of the new century / November 15 of the old style) - on the left. In modern icons these distinctions are often not respected.
Troparion, tone 5:
Most blessed Virgin Mary, we worship Your most pure image, We sing a song of praise to You, We bring needs, grief and tears to You, But You, oh, our meek Intercessor, Earthly sorrows are so close to You, accept our sighs, help us and save us from troubles. Tirelessly and with tenderness let us call to You: Rejoice, Mother of God, Unfading Flower.
Magnification:
We magnify Thee, Most Holy Virgin, and honor Thy holy image, through which we heal our illnesses and raise souls to God.
Prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos in front of Her icon called “The Unfading Flower.”
Oh, Most Holy and Immaculate Mother of the Virgin, hope of Christians and refuge for sinners! Protect all those who come running to You in misfortune, hear our groans, incline Your ear to our prayer. Mistress and Mother of our God, do not despise those who require Your help and do not reject us sinners, enlighten us and teach us: do not depart from us, your servants, for our murmuring. Be our Mother and Protectress, we entrust ourselves to Your merciful protection. Lead us sinners to a quiet and serene life; let us pay for our sins.
Oh, Mother Mary, our most offering and speedy Intercessor, cover us with Your intercession. Protect from enemies visible and invisible, soften the hearts of evil people who retaliate against us. O Mother of our Lord Creator! You are the root of virginity and the unfading flower of purity and chastity, send help to us who are weak and overwhelmed by carnal passions and wandering hearts. Enlighten our spiritual eyes, so that we may see the ways of God’s truth. By the grace of Your Son, strengthen our weak will in fulfilling the commandments, so that we will be delivered from all troubles and misfortunes and may be justified by Your wonderful intercession at the terrible judgment of Your Son. To him we give glory, honor and worship, now and ever, and forever and ever. Amen.
(Minea April. Part 1. - M., Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, 2002; life-my.ucoz.ru; illustrations - www.diveevo.ru; calendar.rop.ru; www.usds.ru; www. neuvyadaemy-tsvet.ru; dic.academic.ru; svyato.info).
| Source in honor of the icon B.M. "Fadeless Color" Ekaterinivka village Shcherbin. Krasnodar district. cr. |
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This article contains: everything about the icon of the unfading color and prayer to it - information taken from all over the world, the electronic network and spiritual people.
In front of the icon “Unfading Flower” of the Mother of God, they offer prayers for the preservation of a righteous life, for faithful marriage, asking for a happy marriage, preservation of purity and chastity, for deliverance from carnal warfare upon entering married life.
The spoken prayer to the “Unfading Color” icon has the meaning of pure and fiery, helps in deciding difficult situations in family. The Icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Color” is one of the most popular among Christians, revealing its beauty to the world.
The icon depicts Mother of God holding a flower in her hand.
It has the meaning of the permanence of virginity and the immaculate life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Church Orthodox Christianity This is how he addresses himself in prayer to the Most Pure One, calling her the Unfading Flower.
The world is presented with several versions of icons that differ from each other. One of these icons shows the face of the Most Holy Theotokos with the Divine Child standing on the left, who holds a scepter and orb in his hands.
Read prayer at home and in church
It is possible to read the prayer while being under the shadow of the Church, or at home. In any case, it will have meaning and will be effective if you handle it with love and faith. Otherwise, the Most Holy Theotokos will not be able to hear you and the problems will remain unresolved.
Be sure to purchase the “Fadeless Color” icon. You can place it in your room and offer prayers in front of it daily, asking for solutions to problems, improvement in your marriage, happiness for your children, etc.
You can light a candle in front of the icon to make it easier to concentrate on your desire.
The “Unfading Color” icon has a wonderful meaning. There is evidence that on the day of the celebration of the icon, April 16, in the Samara region, a pensioner woman saw the miraculous face of the Most Holy Theotokos with an unfading color appear on her window.
Prayer to save the family
There are many prayer words, with which Orthodox Christians address the Mother of God in front of the “Unfading Color” icon. Everyone strives to achieve something different. Its meaning is used by those deceived in marriage, mothers who want to find happiness for their young children, as well as everyone who wants to lead a decent life under the shadow of Christianity.
Prayer before the “Unfading Color” icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary is extremely effective, about which you can read a lot of evidence on the Internet.
Most often, holy words before the face help to obtain remission of sins and protection in the misfortunes of marriage. Prayer helps to ensure that the Lady hears her and helps with her advice and miraculous power. She is able to grant a quiet and serene life, especially helping those who have repented of their sins.
"Indestructible color" has the meaning of protecting visible and invisible enemies, softening evil hearts. It is also used to reduce carnal desires and passions. Many wives and husbands turn to her in order to remain faithful in marriage when temptations arise, or when they are afraid of their occurrence.
Many married couples pray together to save their marriage and achieve harmony in their relationship. You can read amazing cases of healing and finding family happiness on various forums and Internet portals.
Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mary
In Christianity, the earthly mother of Jesus Christ, one of the most revered personalities and the greatest of Christian saints.
Prayer to the Mother of God Unfading color: comments
One comment
My husband and I have been married for 3 years. At first everything was fine: they understood each other perfectly, helped, supported difficult situation. But like any family, we had problems. Misunderstandings began, they began to understand each other less, and quarrels began. We tried to compromise, but this did little to help us solve family problems. We were ready to break up, but we really didn’t want to destroy what had been built so long and with love.
My grandmother, a very religious person, told me about an icon that helps with family problems, guides her wife on the true path and saves the family. This is the “Fadeless Color” icon.
It was here that I found a prayer to the icon, I read it every day, my soul becomes lighter and I notice how my relationship with my husband is improving.
Icon of the Unfading Color: what it helps with, where to hang it, prayer
What does the icon look like? The unfading color, what helps where to hang it, what prayer corresponds to it - we now intend to talk about all this with you.What does the icon called the Unfading Color look like today and what is its original appearance?
Who does it help? Icon Everlasting color?
- You can also read a prayer in front of this icon for women who are already married. She will help to cope with the sorrows that may lie in wait for young wives in marriage. For example, when there are frequent quarrels with your husband over household trifles.
Where to hang the icon?
- It is better to hang, or better yet place, this icon in a girl’s bedroom or a spouse’s bedroom if help is needed for a married girl.
- It is best to make a special shelf for the icon in the far right corner of the room. You can lay a white lace napkin on the shelf and place a willow sprig there. This will enhance the effect of the icon.
How to pray before the icon of the Unfading Color?
- It is better to read prayers in front of this icon in the morning, completely alone.
- If you are married, you should wait until your husband leaves for work and then say a prayer.
- The words of prayer for a girl who recently got married could be:
“Mother of God, you endowed me with patience and wisdom. I don’t want to quarrel with my husband, protect our marriage from them. Share your intelligence and kindness with me. Amen!"
- If a girl wants to choose a husband nice guy, then she can send prayers to the Mother of God in these words:
“Oh, great Mother of God, send me a worthy guy to be my husband. Let him love me and carry me in his arms. May I not know troubles, betrayals and betrayals in marriage. Amen!"
- maybe a long one Orthodox prayer memorize for this purpose.
So we told you the icon of the Unfading Color, what helps where to hang it, what prayer is read before it, you now also know
Icon “Fadeless Color” - meaning
The icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Flower” was created in the 17th century on Mount Athos. As an example, the writings of Byzantine akathists were used, where the Mother of God and the Child of God are compared to flowers that never wither. In the icon, the Mother of God holds her Child in her right hand, and in her left hand there is a lily flower, which symbolizes purity. It is worth noting that many of the “Unfading Flower” icons are different from each other, but at the same time, they always have a flower in the hands of the Mother of God, either a lily or a rose. Some sources indicate that earlier the image was painted differently, and the Mother of God sat on a throne and held a scepter entwined with flowers in her hands. After a while, the small details were removed from the canvas, and the scepter was replaced with a flower.
Despite the fact that the “Fadeless Color” icon has a special meaning specifically for women, anyone can turn to it for help. Every year, pilgrims to Mount Athos can become eyewitnesses of a real miracle. Throughout the year, people bring white lily flowers to the image and before the feast of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, the withered stems are filled with strength and begin to produce new buds. The celebration of this icon takes place every year, and this happens on April 16th.
Meaning and prayer to the “Unfading Color” icon
The power of this image was known back in ancient times. People wore it on their chest to protect themselves from various troubles. Prayerful appeals to the icon help maintain chastity and a righteous life. There is a legend that it is this image of the Virgin Mary that allows the fair sex to preserve their beauty and youth for many years. In ancient times, this information was considered a secret, and it was passed down from generation to generation through the female line. It is believed that sincere prayer will help solve many family problems.
The icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Unfading Color” is of great importance for single girls, since they turn to her with a request to choose a worthy life partner. In their prayers, girls can also ask for a successful marriage and family happiness. Often this image is used to bless the bride before marriage. Young ladies pray for the preservation of chastity. There is a huge amount of evidence that the image helps to recover from many diseases. Prayer before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Unfading Color” helps to cope with existing life trials and various emotional experiences. You can turn to the image to receive love and recognition from others.
Prayer for marriage to the “Unfading Color” icon
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Icon “Fadeless Color” - meaning, what it helps with
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Those in need of consolation come to the Most Pure One for help, since prayer to the icon can help cope with any grief that has befallen them. Young girls turn to the Mother of God for help in finding a good life partner. What is the meaning of the “Unfading Color” icon, what does it help with and how to pray correctly - you can learn about everything in this article.
The meaning of the icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Color”
The significance of this image is great for Orthodox believers. On it, the Most Pure Mother of God holds Her Divine Son on one hand, and in the other hand a white lily. It is the lily that is the symbol of virginity and purity of the One who is called the Brideless Bride. On some lists there are slight differences in the image: instead of lilies there is a pink branch, and the baby of the Blessed Virgin is either on the right or on the left hand. But the meaning and miraculous power of such images are the same.
The face of the Queen of Heaven is depicted as soft and gentle, and it seems that only by looking at Her image can one relieve sorrow and anxiety. The Icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Color” is one of the most beautiful images radiating tenderness and joy. Prayer to the icon gives strength to the believer and guides him on the righteous path, helps to preserve beauty and youth.
How does the “Fadeless Color” icon help?
Turning to the Mother of God before the miraculous image gives understanding between loved ones, helps solve family problems that spouses face, helps to preserve loving relationship. Although this image of the Most Holy One is considered female, every believer can pray in front of it.
- On the wedding day the young bride was blessed with the face of the Most Holy One for a happy marriage, and married women they turn to Her with requests to protect their family hearth from adversity.
- Mother Heavenly helps people get rid of the temptations that befall them on the path of family life.
- Turning to the Mother of God, women ask to make their marriage happy and save the family.