Why was the first icon called Savior Not Made by Hands? Image icons saved miraculous

Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands - the first icon of Jesus Christ in history

Holy Tradition tells us the story of this first icon, which was created by Christ Himself. Read about the history of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands - one of the most important in Christianity.

The image of the "Savior Not Made by Hands" - the first icon of Jesus Christ in the history of mankind

Praying before icons, people rarely think about where the icons came from, when and by whom the tradition of icon veneration was established. Prayer before the image is so familiar to us that it seems to be eternal. Meanwhile, in the Gospel Christ never spoke about icons. But Holy Tradition tells us the story of the first icon that Christ created - it was not made by human hands, but has a miraculous origin, which is why it is called the Savior Not Made by Hands (the word Spas is an abbreviation for "Savior", the title of Christ as having saved all people from the slavery of sin) . This image long time preserved by mankind, it has a long history and deep theological significance.

The Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands is one of the most important in Christianity. In the article, you will learn how the first icon was made, what miracles were created from it, what is its significance for the art of icon painting, and what is the difference between the versions of the “Savior Not Made by Hands” “on the burr” (Mandylion) and “on the neck” (Ceramidion).

The history of the creation and veneration of the Savior Not Made by Hands

In the Gospel and the apostolic letters there is absolutely no description of the appearance of Christ. Nevertheless, all the icons of the Lord show us the same image of the God-man (even the icons of the Mother of God in the image of Her differ more strongly from each other). This is explained precisely by the miraculous creation of Christ's own icon. the history of this amazing event recorded by the Roman historian Eusebius from Palestine, a Christian, as well as the Monk Ephraim the Syrian - a holy ascetic Syrian desert. Document is real historical source, thanks to the descriptions of Eusebius, many everyday details of the life of the Roman Empire of that period have come down to us.

Eusebius wrote that during the life of Christ, the glory of Him and His miracles spread even to other countries. The ruler of the city of Edessa (now in Turkey), named Avgar, sent a servant and a skilled artist to Christ. Avgar was an elderly man and suffered greatly from a disease of the joints of his legs. He asked to pray for him and heal the disease, and in order to see Christ himself (due to illness, he could not do this, and there were no images of the Lord yet), he instructed the artist to draw Christ from nature. It was common practice in the Roman Empire: the creation of portraits and the modeling of busts from nature. Art at the time of Christ's earthly life was sufficiently developed to depict with the help of chiaroscuro: many believe that the schematic features of icon painting were the result of insufficient understanding by the creators of the images of painting, but this is not so; icon painting has its own language of drawing, which consists in the techniques of reverse perspective and symbolism.

When the king's messengers conveyed to Christ a request for healing, the Lord promised that one of His apostles would visit Edessa and enlighten its people with the light of the New Testament teaching. At this time, the artist of the king tried and could not sketch Christ. Then the Lord Himself took a towel (a handkerchief, in Tserkonov Slavonic “ubrus”) and wiped his face with it - the Face of the Lord was imprinted on the handkerchief. That is why this image is called Not Made by Hands: human hands could not depict Him with the help of paints, but the grace of the Lord, His own energy and power created the image. Probably, this image was similar to the Shroud of Turin, where the Face of Jesus Christ is visible, as in the photograph.

So even during the life of the Savior, the first icon arose. The royal ambassadors delivered a wonderful image on fabric to Edessa. The miraculous Image-Mandylion (in Greek - on fabric) began to be revered as a great shrine by the king. And when, after the Ascension of Christ, the holy Apostle Thaddeus visited the city, according to another historian, Procopius of Caesarea, he healed King Abgar, preached Christianity and performed many miracles. Then the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands became a city shrine that protected the Edessians, and was placed above the city gates as the banner of Edessa. For several centuries, through prayers before him, many miracles were performed, and the chronicler Evagrius of Antioch recorded evidence of the miraculous deliverance of Edessa from the siege of enemies thanks to him.

Alas, one of the descendants of Abgar became a pagan and an iconoclast. In order to protect the revered image from destruction, the Christians of Edessa laid the icon with stones in the wall. The image was hidden for so long that the generation of Christians who survived the persecution no longer remembered the location of the shrine. Only during new war, in the VI century, after the prayer of the townspeople for salvation, the bishop of the city in a dream saw a place where the image was hidden. When the masonry was removed, it turned out that the face of Christ was also imprinted on the stones (“on the skull”, in Church Slavonic). The small lampada, set up in previous centuries, continued to burn miraculously.

Both images became the object of worship. The icon imprinted on the stones was called Ceramidion and placed in a shrine, and the Mandalion was transferred to the altar of the city cathedral, from where it was taken out for worship by believers only twice a year.

At the end of the 11th century, the Byzantine army laid siege to the city and demanded to surrender to the emperor. In exchange for peace, the people of Constantinople offered to give them the miraculous Image Not Made by Hands - Mandalion. The inhabitants of Edessa agreed, and the icon was transferred to Constantinople. And this day - August 29, according to the new style - is now church holiday. This is the Third, Bread or Walnut Savior, the day of remembrance of the transfer from Edessa to Constantinople of the Image of Christ Not Made by Hands. On this day in Russia, the harvesting of bread was completed and nuts ripened, for the collection of which the peasants took blessings. After the Liturgy, homemade bread and pies baked from the flour of the new harvest were consecrated.

In 1011, an artist of the Western Church made a list on fabric from the Image Not Made by Hands. It was transferred to Rome under the name "vero eikon" - the true image and became known with the name "Veronica's Plate". Miracles also occurred from this list, it provided the basis for an extensive iconography of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Catholic Church.

Unfortunately, the miraculous Mandylion has not survived to this day. During crusade In 1204, he was captured by the crusaders and, according to legend, drowned along with the ship of the kidnappers.

The Mandylion was never brought to Russia, but there were lists glorified by miracles. The oldest Russian icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands belongs to XII century and written presumably in Novgorod. There is no image of the fabric on it, therefore the image is attributed to Ceramidion (this type of iconography of the Image Not Made by Hands is called “The Savior on the Skull”). According to art historians, this icon is close to the miraculous image of Edessa. Perhaps his list was brought to Russia in the first centuries after its Baptism by Prince Vladimir. The image was a revered shrine of the Moscow Kremlin, and now resides in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Features of the iconography of the Savior Not Made by Hands

The description of the icon, created by Christ for King Abgar and preserved by the Edessians, has come down to us from historical evidence. It is known that ubrus - fabric with the imprint of the Face - was stretched on a wooden frame, as artists today do canvas on a stretcher.

The icon is an image of only the Face of Christ with the hair surrounding Him, without a neck - indeed, as if a person had washed himself and dried himself with a towel up to his chin.

Perhaps this is the only icon that specifically focuses on the Face of Christ, especially His eyes. Recognition and a special impression of the icon are also created by the symmetry of the image of the Face of the Savior. The eyes of Christ in the image often look to the side, indicating God's providence for a person. The slant look makes the facial expression spiritualized, full of understanding of the Mystery of the Universe. Art critics evaluate the Novgorod list of the Savior Not Made by Hands as the embodiment of perfect beauty in Ancient Russia and antiquity, find in it the proportions of the golden section and the ideal of symmetry - such an image indicates the Perfection of the Lord and what He created.

An important role in creating an impression and a prayerful mood when looking at the icon is played by the expression of the Face of the Savior: there are no fleeting emotions on Him, the Face reflects only spiritual peace, purity, sinlessness.

The Novgorod list is a rarity: more often on the icons of the Savior Not Made by Hands, a Mandalion or “The Savior on the Ubrus” is depicted. The face of Christ is revealed in a golden radiance against the background of a white fabric (sometimes its purpose is even emphasized as a towel with stripes along the edges) with various folds, knots at the top and even Angels holding the ends of the fabric. Less commonly, the Face is depicted against the background of the actual brickwork or simply against a golden background.

The meaning of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands for the traditions of icon painting and theology

The miraculous appearance of the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands in the 6th century was a great impetus for icon painting. He appeared precisely during the period of iconoclasm (at that time, Christians were even killed for the veneration of icons, while the icons themselves were ruthlessly destroyed - that is why so few images have come down to us from the first centuries of Christianity), when the memory of the establishment of the tradition of generation of icons by Christ Himself became the most important argument in disputes with heretics. An icon is a window into the spiritual world, an image of the Prototype (Christ, the Mother of God, saints), through which we pay honor and turn to Himself. That is why it is not entirely correct to say “Prayer to the icon” or “Kazan Mother of God”: they pray in front of the icon, and the icons of the Mother of God are called, for example: Kazan Icon Mother of God.

In the first centuries, the icon, in addition to the theological, also carried the function of the “Bible for the illiterate” - not everyone could buy a book, for many centuries they were very expensive. However, to this day, many images are illustrations of events from the life of the Lord, His saints or the Mother of God.

The miraculously remaining imprint of the Face of Christ on the fabric reminds of the Divine principle of icon painting. The image of the Face of the Savior instructs everyone Orthodox Christian A: One must have a personal relationship with God. Prayer, even in your own words, Communion with God in the Sacraments Orthodox Church, changing your life according to the teachings of Christ - that's what brings us to the Kingdom of Heaven already on earth. No rites or rituals special words conspiracy prayers do not help. To live with Christ in the Kingdom of Heaven, we need to know Him here in our lives. The sight of the Savior Not Made by Hands calls us to follow Him, to imitate the Lord in wisdom, kindness, self-sacrifice - this is the meaning of the Christian life.

It is interesting that the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands as the first Christian icon and how essential expression the teachings of Christ is obligatory for the execution of icon-painting students. In many schools, this is the first independent work of students.

What do they pray for the icon "Savior Not Made by Hands"

The life of the Son of God on Earth, the mystery of the Incarnation are described in detail in the Gospel, interpreted in many books of the Church Fathers. The Lord gave himself as a sacrifice for human sins and conquered death itself, in His Resurrection returning the entire human race to paradise. That is why, despite the importance of our prayers to the saints - our holy helpers - and the Mother of God, turning to God Himself is a necessary daily prayer. Recall that the Church blesses daily to read the morning and evening prayers, turning to the Lord and the Heavenly Forces.

They pray to the Lord in all needs:

• About recovery from diseases;


• About the mercy of God in the needs of you and your loved ones;


• About your health, relatives and children;


• About help in business, welfare;


• O the right choice making the right life decisions;


• About getting rid of sins and vices.

Conduct a prayerful dialogue with God, measure your actions with the example of Christ, more often imagine what God Himself would say, seeing your deeds and hearing your thoughts - after all, He is Omniscient. Do not despair of any mistakes, hurry to the temple for Confession and unite with God (with proper preparation, which is better to read in Orthodox literature) in the Sacrament of Communion. In no case should icons be used in conspiracies, divination, in rituals. Communication should be only with God and His saints, His Angels - psychics, "folk healers" and sorcerers communicate only with evil spirits Nobody can order angels.

Thank God for His help in your life: He responded to your requests, expressed and not expressed - remember many happy occasions in life. The Lord really manages our lives for the better, showing our capabilities, leading to gratitude to God for everything. And humility in the face of difficulties, turning to God with prayer and without malice at this time is the key to our salvation and upbringing of the soul, personal growth. We must strive for a life pleasing to God, visit the church, pray at worship, help people, forgive the sins and mistakes of our neighbors, and behave calmly in conflicts.

The Lord is a great Power and great love, you only need to believe - which means trusting Him with your life and your soul. Christ, being the Almighty, voluntarily, in order to erase the past and future sins of mankind from the history of the universe, went to humiliation, torture and terrible suffering on the Cross. The teaching of the Lord Jesus is a call to repentance, to the love of all people for each other, compassion and pity even for terrible sinners.

You can pray to the Lord Jesus Christ in front of the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands both in your own words and church prayers. It is worth reading more often before this image the Lord's Prayer, recorded in the Gospel from the words of Christ Himself - "Our Father". It can also be read in the morning and at bedtime, before meals and before starting any business.

Prayer to Jesus Christ in front of the icon "Savior Not Made by Hands" can be in Russian online according to the text below:

Our good Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God! You are in ancient time, during your earthly life, your flesh, your face was washed with holy water and wiped off with a scrub, miraculously your face was depicted on this towel, you blessed him to send Abgar to the king of Edessa to heal the disease.
So now we, Your sinful servants, suffering from mental and bodily illnesses, are looking for Your Face, Lord, and with the king of the psalmist David, we pray with a humble soul: do not turn away from us, but take Your anger away from Your servants, be our Strong Helper, do not reject us and don't leave us alone. O Merciful Lord, our Savior! Settle yourself by Your grace in our souls, so that in holiness and truth, living on earth, we become true sons and Thy daughters, and the heirs of Thy Kingdom, where are Thee, all the mercies of our God Who gives us, together with the Beginningless Father and the Holy Spirit, we will not cease to glorify forever.
God! I am Your vessel: fill me with the gifts of Your Holy Spirit! Without Your help, I am empty and do not have grace, often full of all kinds of sin. God! I am Your ship: fill me with a load of good deeds. God! I am your ark: instead of passions, fill me with love for you and for your image - my neighbor. Amen

May the Good and Merciful Lord keep you!

It is known that icon painters create holy images. So it has been since the dawn of time. In order to paint an icon depicting the Lord, the Mother of God or any ascetic, an unusual artist needs to come to a certain state of mind, fast and pray before that. Then the face created by him will rightfully serve as a means of communication with the Creator and his saints. However, history mentions the existence of so-called miraculous icons. For example, many people hear such a thing as "". In a similar way, they designate the image of Jesus Christ, miraculously imprinted on the fabric with which the Savior wiped his face. On August 29, Orthodox Christians celebrate a holiday dedicated to the transfer of this shrine from Edessa to Constantinople.

Origin of the Holy Savior

The appearance of the holy image is closely connected with the story of the miraculous healing of one ruler. In the time of the Messiah, a man named Abgar ruled in the Syrian city of Edessa. He was ill with leprosy, which took possession of the entire body of the unfortunate. Fortunately, Abgar heard rumors about the miracles performed by Jesus Christ. Not seeing the Son of God, the ruler of Edessa wrote a letter and sent him with his friend, the painter Ananias, to Palestine, where the Messiah was at that moment. The artist had to use a brush and paint to capture the face of the Teacher on the canvas. The letter contained a request to come and heal a sufferer with leprosy, addressed to Jesus.

Upon arriving in Palestine, Ananias saw the Son of God surrounded large quantity people. There was no way to approach him. Then Ananias stood in the distance on a high stone and tried to paint a portrait of the Teacher. But the artist failed. By that moment, Jesus noticed the painter, called him, to the surprise of the latter, by name, called him to him and handed over the letter to Abgar. He promised the ruler of the Syrian city to send his disciple soon so that he healed the sick and instructed in the true faith. Then Christ asked the people to bring water and a towel - an ubrus. When the Savior's request was granted, Jesus washed his face with water and wiped it with a rag. Everyone saw how the Divine Face of the Teacher was imprinted on the canvas. Christ gave the ubrus to Ananias.

The painter returned home to Edessa. He immediately gave Avgar an ubrus with the face of the Son of God imprinted on it and a letter from the Messiah himself. The ruler reverently accepted the shrine from the hands of a friend and was immediately healed of his serious illness. Only a few traces remained on his face until the arrival of the disciple, about whom Christ spoke. He really soon arrived - he turned out to be the apostle from the 70 Saint Thaddeus. He baptized Abgar, who believed in Christ, and all the people of Edessa. The ruler of the Syrian city, in gratitude for the healing received, wrote the following words on the Image Not Made by Hands: "Christ God, everyone who trusts in You will not be put to shame." Then he decorated the canvas and placed it in a niche above the city gates.

Transfer of the shrine to Constantinople

For a long time, the townspeople respected the Image of Jesus Not Made by Hands: they worshiped it every time they passed the city gates. But this ended through the fault of one of the great-grandchildren of Avgar. When the latter himself became the ruler of Edessa, he converted to paganism and began to worship idols. For this reason, he decided to remove the Image of the Messiah not made by hands from the city wall. But this command failed to be fulfilled: the Bishop of Edessa had a vision in which the Lord ordered to hide marvelous image from human eyes. After such a sign, the clergyman, together with the clergy, went at night to the city wall, lit a lampada in front of the ubrus with the face of the Divine, and laid it with bricks and clay boards.

Many years have passed since then. The inhabitants of the city completely forgot about the great shrine. However, the events of 545 changed the situation radically. At the indicated moment, Edessa was besieged by the Persian king Khozroy I. The inhabitants were in a hopeless situation. And then the Mother of God herself appeared to the local bishop in a thin dream, who ordered to get the Image of Jesus Not Made by Hands from the immured wall. She predicted that this canvas would save the city from the enemy. The bishop immediately hurried to the city gates, found a niche blocked with bricks, dismantled it and saw the Savior Not Made by Hands, a lamp burning in front of him and the image of the Face imprinted on a clay board. Was committed procession in honor of finding the shrine, and the Persian army was not slow to retreat.

After 85 years, Edessa was under the yoke of the Arabs. However, they did not create obstacles for Christians who worshiped the Savior Not Made by Hands. By that time, the fame of the Divine Face on the Ubrus had spread throughout the East.

Finally, in 944, Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus wanted the unusual icon to be kept from now on in Tsargrad, the then capital of Orthodoxy. The Byzantine ruler bought the shrine from the emir, who at that time ruled in Edessa. Both the Image Not Made by Hands and the letter addressed to Abgar by Jesus were transferred with honors to Constantinople. On August 16, the shrine was placed in the Pharos Church of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The further fate of the holy image of the Lord

What happened to the Savior Not Made by Hands afterwards? Information on this subject is highly controversial. One legend says that the crusaders stole the ubrus with the Divine Face of Christ when they ruled in Constantinople (1204-1261). Another legend claims that the Icon Not Made by Hands migrated to Genoa, where it is still kept in the monastery in honor of the Apostle Bartholomew. And these are just the brightest versions. Historians explain their inconsistency very simply: the Savior Not Made by Hands repeatedly gave imprints on the surfaces with which it came into contact. For example, one of them appeared “on ceramics” when Ananias was forced to hide the ubrus against the wall on the way to Edessa, the other appeared on a cloak and ended up in Georgian lands. According to the Prologues, four Savior Not Made by Hands are known:

• Edessa (King Abgar) - August 16;
• Camulian - the date of the phenomenon is 392;
• an image that appeared during the reign of the emperor Tiberius - from him Saint Mary Synclitikia received healing;
• the above-mentioned Spas on ceramics - August 16.

Veneration of the shrine in Russia

The feast of August 29 is celebrated on the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God and is also called the “Third Savior” or “Savior on Canvas”. The veneration of this Image in Russia began in the 11th-12th centuries, and became most widespread in the second half of the 14th century. In 1355, Metropolitan Alexy brought a copy of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands from Constantinople to Moscow. Especially for the storage of this canvas, a temple was laid. But they did not limit themselves to one church: soon the construction of temples and monastic cloisters dedicated to the Image of the Lord Jesus Christ not made by hands began all over the country. All of them received the name "Spassky".

“For the Son of Man has not come souls
destroy men, but save them” (Luke 9:56)

- the image of the Lord and Savior of our Jesus Christ, miraculously imprinted on the board, with which Christ wiped his face. According to the Tradition set forth in the Menaion, Augar V Ukhama, ill with leprosy, sent his archivist Hannan (Ananias) to Christ with a letter in which he asked Christ to come to Edessa and heal him.

Hannan was an artist, and Avgar instructed him, if the Savior could not come, then write at least His image and bring it to him. Hannan found Christ surrounded by a thick crowd; he stood on a stone, from which he could see better, and tried to portray the Savior.

Seeing that Hannan wanted to make His portrait, Christ demanded water, washed himself, wiped His face with a cloth, and His image was imprinted on this cloth. The Savior gave this board to Hannan with the command to take it with a letter in return to the one who sent it.

In this letter, Christ refused to go to Edessa himself, saying that he must fulfill what he was sent to do. After completing His work, He promised to send one of His disciples to Abgar. Having received the portrait, Avgar was healed of his main illness, but his face was still damaged.

After Pentecost, the holy Apostle Thaddeus, one of the 70, went to Edessa, completed the healing of Abgar and converted him to Christianity. Avgar attached the image to the board and placed it in a niche above the city gates, removing the idol that was there from there.

Day 16/29 August 944 became the most important in the history of the Not-Made-by-Hands image of Christ on the board, called in Byzantium “Holy Mandylion” (TO AGION MANDYLION), and in Ancient Russia “Holy Ubrus”. On this day, a precious relic, on the eve solemnly transferred to Constantinople from the distant Syrian city of Edessa, was placed in the reliquary church of the Grand Palace among other important shrines of the empire.

From this moment, the pan-Christian glorification of the Mandylion begins, which becomes perhaps the main relic of the Byzantine world. In the lists of shrines in Constantinople in pilgrimage descriptions, he steadily occupies one of the first places.

NOT MADE BY MAN
Troparion, tone 2

We bow to Your most pure image, Good One, / asking forgiveness of our sins, Christ God: / by your will, you were pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, / yes, save me, even created you, from the work of the enemy. / With that grateful cry of Ty: / Thou didst fill all the joys, O our Savior, / Who came to save the world.

Kontakion, tone 2

Your unspeakable and Divine looking towards man, / the indescribable Word of the Father, / and the image is unwritten, / and God-written is victorious, / leading your unfalse incarnation, / honor, kissing that.

magnificence

We magnify Thee, / Life-giving Christ, / and honor Your most pure face / glorious imagination.

Ino magnification

We magnify Thee, / Life-Giver Christ, / and honor Your holy image, / by whom Thou hast saved us / from the work of the enemy.

Word on the Day of the Image of the Lord Not Made by Hands

This day, which we celebrate in honor of our Savior Jesus Christ, who left His face not made by hands on the canvas, encourages us, brethren, to speak of His inexpressible love and mercy for the human race.

Being “the radiance of the glory of the Father” (Heb. 1:3) and “the image of the invisible God” (Col. 1:15), in whose bosom He dwelt from eternity, He became a man and became visible, opening for all the inexhaustible source of Divine mercy and love .

Constantly surrounded by people, He called everyone to Himself, promising to give peace, healed ailments of the soul and body, and attracted everyone to Himself with the inexplicably sweet words of His teaching and the unusually meek appearance of His Divine face.

The hearts of the people of the pagan world, who lived before the coming of Christ, did not know love, since the whole life of their hearts was exhausted in the service of passions and vices that were destructive to soul and body.

Even the Jewish people, who were preparing for the coming of the Savior, and they understood little what the love of God is, so that the chosen apostles of Christ during the earthly life of the Lord were still not freed from the desire for earthly glory, mutual envy, lack of faith in relation to their Teacher .

And here appeared the One who for all people who lived on earth made tangible the quiet breath of Divine love in hearts melting from sorrow, shed consolation to souls devoted to the service of vices, made them feel the weight of the burden that this service placed on them, joy and lightness fulfillment of divine law. Everyone strove to listen to Him and be healed of their ailments, or simply open their soul, exhausted from the passions and sorrows of life, to the breath of love that came from Him.

How beautiful and blessed was the life of these people, who constantly saw before them the Savior comforting, healing, edifying and irresistibly drawing to Himself with His love! Truly blessed were their eyes, which saw what they saw, what many prophets and kings wanted to see or hear, although they did not see or hear (Luke 10:23-24)!

If human love makes the life of people so joyful, filled with bliss, then how many times more blessed were the people who were in communion with Him Who, calling Himself the Son of Man out of love for the human race, was God Himself, hitherto unknown to the world in all the fullness of His Divine life and glory!

Hieromartyr Thaddeus (Assumption)

Akathist to the Image Not Made by Hands of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Kondak 1

We bow to Your Most Pure Image, O Good One, asking for the forgiveness of our sins, Christ God, by your will, you were pleased to take the flesh to the Cross, but deliver, even if you created it, from the work of the enemy, with hope crying out to You: Lord God, my Savior, come to me to the bending one and heal my incurable disease.

“Jesus, my Savior,” Abgar the prince of Edessa humbly prayed, “come to me and heal my incurable illnesses, in which I have suffered from many years.

Imitating him, and I, afflicted with sinful leprosy, cry out to the prayer: My Lord, Lord, have mercy on me according to Thy great mercy, and according to the multitude of Thy bounties cleanse my iniquity. Lord, my Savior, wash me with the dew of Your mercy from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Lord, turn Your face away from my sins and cleanse all my iniquities. Lord, create a pure heart in me and renew a right spirit in my womb. Lord, do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Kondak 2

Seeing the love and faith of Abgar of Edessa, O Lord, You wrote ecu to him: “Blessed are you, Abgar, who did not see Me and believe in Me, I will send My disciple, and he will heal you and give eternal life to you and those who are with you.” Send, O Lord, Thy mercy to me crying: Alleluia.

Ikos 2

The mind does not comprehend the mystery, how the Lord, by adding to the Divine face of His ubrus, depict on it His likeness, sent it to Abgar, fulfilling his desire. Be filled with this great joy, bow down to the image of Christ. Today we also worship him with reverence, calling with prayer and faith: My Lord, Lord, open my mouth, and my mouth will proclaim Your praise, my Lord, Lord, return to me the joy of salvation and strengthen me with the Sovereign Spirit. Lord, I have sinned against You alone and done evil before You, by Your mercy, have mercy on me, my Lord, Lord, my Savior, look at the sorrow of my soul and hasten to help me. My Lord, Lord, hear me and deliver me from all sorrows.

Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing and heal my incurable diseases.

Kondak 3

Abgar, filled with the power of love and joy, bowed down to the Not-Made-by-Hands image of the Savior of the world and, having received healing from his illnesses; crying out in faith, "Christ God, whoever trusts in you will not be put to shame." By this, teaching us, always uplift us to the mercy of the Lord and sing to Him: Hallelujah!

Ikos 3

Having love for the fallen human race, You, Christ God, through one of Your disciples called on Asher from the darkness of sin and enlightened her soul with the light of Your truth. Cry out to me from the depths of sin, and with weeping I will cry out to You:

My Lord, Lord, grant me tears of tenderness, let me beseech Thee with them - cleanse before the end all my sins, Lord, enlighten my soul with the light of Thy Divine knowledge, and lead me but Thy mercy into Thy Kingdom, my Lord, Lord, my enlightenment and my Savior I have resorted to You, teach me to do Your will. My Lord, Lord, my God, enlighten my heart, and drive away from it the temptation of the evil one, and guide me on the path of salvation. My Lord, Lord, do not reject my prayer and hear me, by Your goodness, strengthen my heart with Your fear. Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing and heal my incurable diseases.

Savior NOT MADE BY HANDS, icon XIII century*

Kondak 4

A storm of passions and anxieties of life drowns me, and my heart, embraced by the horror of death, cries out to Ty: Lord, there is no one who helps me on earth, save me, like the ancient Abgar, and grant with him to sing Ty: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

Hearing that the Jews hate You, and want to do something evil to You, O Lord, Abgar writes: “I pray: come to me and dwell with me.” I imitating that love, and having risen from the depths of my fall, I boldly pray to Thee, Christ our God:

Lord my God, enter into the house of my soul and remain inseparable from me a sinner. Lord God of my heart, come and unite me with You forever. My Lord, Lord, Thou hast clenched my soul to Thee, come and fill my heart with joy.

Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing and heal my incurable diseases.

Kondak 5

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord - the Jewish children sing of old, meeting the Lord in Jerusalem. Today, as we open the doors of our hearts to the Savior coming to us, we call with tenderness: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Thou hast spoken marvelous words, O Lord, to all who perish: “Let not your heart be troubled, and let it not be afraid; believe in God, and believe in Me, and inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” But, contemplating my iniquity, I pray Thee, Blessed, strengthen my heart and enlighten my mind, crying out to Thee: My Lord, Lord, look upon me and enlighten my eyes, that I may not sleep in death, my Lord, Lord, guiding Israel from the land of Pharaoh, guide me in Your way, that I may walk in Your truth. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, I believe in You, help my unbelief, my Lord, Lord, do not rebuke me with Your wrath, and do not depart from me for my iniquities.

Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing and heal my incurable diseases.

Kondak 6

Look at your image, Lord, I do not dare the accursed az from my evil deeds, but, like a publican, groaning, I cry out to Thee God, cleanse me, a sinner from the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and teach me with a pure heart to sing to Your mercy: Alleluia.

Ikos 6

Ascension in my sorrow, your comforting word, my Savior, if you said: “I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you.” For this reason, avoiding the darkness of despair, with the hope of Your philanthropy, I resorted to You, praying: My Lord, Lord, Come to me in trouble and in sorrow, do not leave me alone, my Lord, Lord, sinless, imputed with the lawless, save me from the hands of those who hate me. My Lord, Lord, save me from the reproach of visible and invisible enemies. My Lord, Lord, forgive me and receive me, as if I were the prodigal of old, into Your arms.

Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing and heal my incurable diseases.

Kondak 7

Thou hast shown Thy marvelous deeds, O Lord, in Thy most pure image, and has given wonders of consolation to all earthly people, teaching them in the mournful circumstances of life to resort to Thy mercy and sing to Thee with love: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

Carrying the whole bodily temple and desecrated it, I tremble at the terrible Judgment Day and pray: open the doors of repentance to me, Giver of Life, and like David I cry to Thee: My Lord, Lord, hear my prayer, heed my prayer and have mercy on me. Lord my God, your seven aces, give me understanding and my soul will live. O Lord my God, my shepherd, I have gone astray, like a lost sheep, seek Thy servant and save me. My Lord, Lord, have mercy on me, heal my soul, for I have sinned against You.

Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing and heal my incurable diseases.

Kondak 8

I am horrified at the terrible day of Your coming, O Christ, and I tremble, as if I had many sins, but You, Merciful God, before the end turn me, singing Tn: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

All was love for the fallen man, O Jesus, and gave them Your Holy Image, clearly saying to all in sorrow and sorrow, “Come to Me, all who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” For this sake, perishing, with boldness I pray to Thee, Christ, saying:

My Lord, Lord my protector, save me from the enemies that attack me. My Lord, Lord, living in the highest and looking down on the humble, look down on me a sinner and be my joy. My Lord, Lord, save me, drowning in the abyss of worldly temptations. My Lord, Lord, let not my heart be troubled, and let it not be afraid in the confession of Your name. My Lord, Lord, receive me like a publican, like a Canaanite, have mercy on me, have mercy on me according to Thy mercy.

Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing, and heal my incurable diseases.

Kondak 9

All nations, come, with love and trembling, let us bow to the most pure image of the Savior of the world, who delivered us from the work of the enemy, and with thanksgiving cry to Him, the Conqueror of death and hell: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

All stricken with sinful leprosy, I wonder how it is worthy of magnifying Thee, O Lord, many-merciful, but by faith of the heart I confess Thee, the true Son of God, I humbly stand before the image of Your Holy One, praying: Lord Jesus, my Joy, give me, may I rejoice in mercy yours. Lord, my Most Good Savior, save Your servant from unbelief and lawlessness. My Lord, Lord, unspeakable Mercy, by Your grace, consume anger and my heart. My Lord, Lord, indescribable purity, give me purity of heart and mind. My Lord, Lord, dress yourself in singing like a robe, sanctify me, darkened by the sorrows of life.

Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing and heal my incurable diseases.

Kondak 10

My Lord, Lord, Merciful to my Savior, raise up my soul, weakened by studish deeds, by Your Divine mercy, as if it had been weakened in ancient times at the sheep's font, and guide the path to salvation, let us sing to Ty: Allluna.

Ikos 10

The Eternal King, the Comforter, the True Christ, cleanse me from all filth, as if you cleansed ten lepers and heal me, as if you healed the money-loving soul of Zacchaeus the publican, let me sing to You, saying:

My Lord, Lord, who accepts our infirmities and bears our sickness, heal the sickness of my heart. My Lord, Lord Jesus, my Helper, help me, for my soul is weary from this sorrow. My Lord, Lord, giving eyes to the blind to see in a hedgehog, give me an eye, let me see Your meekness and patience. Long-suffering Lord, deliver my soul from the wicked and save me for the sake of Thy mercy.

Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing and heal my incurable diseases.

Kondak 11

Bringing all tenderness to You, and praying with a contrite heart, do not despise me, O Most Good Master! Turn away your face from my sins! But do not turn away Your face from the servant who sings to You: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

True Light Christ, enlighten and sanctify every person coming into the world, look at me, Thy sinful and indecent servant, and correct my life according to Thy commandments, and sanctify my soul, that I will offer Thee a prayer:

Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Light of the world, shine on me with Your light, my Lord, Lord, You are the source of life, grant my soul incorruptible life and confirm me in Your commandments. Lord Jesus Christ, You are the Sun of righteousness, with Your righteousness warm my soul and illumine my mind. My Lord, Lord, You are my mentor, teach me to do Your will and love You with all my heart, my Lord, Lord, You opened the eyes of the blind, open the doors of repentance to me, and, as generous, cleanse all my sins.

Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing and heal my incurable diseases.

kontakion 12

By Thy omnipotent grace, establish my heart in faith, hope and love, grant me, by repentance and the unremitting fulfillment of Thy commandments, to reach the Kingdom of Heaven, even with the faces of the apostles I will sing: Thee Alleluia.

Ikos 12

You, the Good Shepherd, proclaim to everyone, and sorrow and sorrow to those who exist, “My friends, I am going to My Father and your Father to prepare a place for you, but again I will come and take you to Myself, if you keep My commandments.” Listening reverently to this, I dare and I, immersed in fierce sorrow, come to You, praying: My Lord, Lord, Merciful to my Savior, save me who is perishing. My Lord, Lord, take away from me the clouds of unbelief, evil and enmity, and by Your Good Spirit set me on the path of truth. My Lord, Lord, comfort of my soul, comfort me in the sorrow of existence. O Lord my God, for Thy name's sake, revive me, and through Thy righteousness bring my soul out of sorrow. Lord, Most Powerful King, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Lord God, my Savior, come to me who is perishing and heal my incurable diseases.

kondak 13

Oh, the most merciful and all-good Lord God, my Savior, who came into the world to save a fallen person, do not disdain me more than all the people who have sinned and do not turn Your face away from me, but look at the fierce sorrow and sorrow of my soul, heal and confirm in the Light of truth and love, let's sing to Ty: Alleluia!

O my Most Merciful Savior, who came into the world to save a fallen man, seek me perishing and sanctify my soul by Your grace, cleanse my body and correct my life, but let us sing to You with a pure heart: Alleluia.

O My Merciful Savior, look upon Thy servant, drowning in the sea of ​​worldly temptations and troubles, and, as if drowning Peter of old, save by Thy grace, sanctify the soul and establish on the path of Thy commandments, but with a pure heart and mouth I cry out to Thee with love: Alleluia , Alleluia, Alleluia

Prayer

Oh, the Most Good Lord Jesus Christ, our God, You are ancient of Your human nature, washing off with holy water and scrubbing, miraculously, on the same scrubbing, depict Yourself and the Prince of Edessa Abgar to heal him from an ailment, you were pleased to send. Now we are Thy servants sinful, we are obsessed with our spiritual and bodily ailments, we are looking for Thy face, O Lord, and with David in the humility of our souls we call not to turn away Thy face, O Lord, from us, and do not deviate with anger from Thy servants, helper to us wake up, do not reject us and do not leave us. Oh, the All-Merciful Lord, our Savior, depict Himself in our souls, but living in holiness and righteousness, we will be Your sons and heirs of Your Kingdom, and so Ssbe, Merciful our God, together with Your Beginningless Father and the Most Holy Spirit, we will not stop glorifying in ages of ages. Amen

With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II
Dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the gate church in the name of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands in the Conception Monastery

* SPAS NOT MADE BY HANDS, XIII century, Wood, gesso, tempera, Place of creation - Balkans, Place of storage - Sacristy cathedral in Laon. Moved from Edessa to Constantinople in 944, the Mandylion was lost during the capture of the city by the crusaders in 1204. Being common in frescoes of the 12th century, this image also appears on icons by the end of the century. This icon is one of the earliest versions of the image. Bishop Jacques Pantaleon de Troyes (later Pope Urban IV, 1261 - 1264) received this icon in 1249 in Rome and gave it to his sister Sibylla, abbess of the Cistercian monastery of Montreux-en-Thierache in France, where this icon was definitely located in 1262. It was then transferred in the 17th century, probably in 1658, to the monastery of Montreux-le-Dame, la Nouvelle, near Laon, and received a silver setting in 1679. In 1792, the ark was melted down and the image was sent to the parish church. In 1795, the icon came to the cathedral of Laon and was officially transferred to the cathedral sacristy in 1807.

** The day of August 16, 944 became the most important in the history of the Not-Made-by-Hands image of Christ on the board, called in Byzantium “Holy Mandylion” (TO AGION MANDYLION), and in Ancient Russia “Holy Ubrus”. On this day, the precious relic, solemnly transferred the day before to Constantinople from the distant Syrian city of Edessa, was placed in the reliquary church of the Grand Palace among other most important shrines of the empire. From this moment, the pan-Christian glorification of the Mandylion begins, which becomes perhaps the main relic of the Byzantine world. In the lists of Constantinople shrines and pilgrimage descriptions, he consistently occupies one of the first places.

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They say that this happened during the earthly life of the Savior. The ruler of the city of Edessa, Prince Avgar, was seriously ill. Having heard about the countless healings that Jesus Christ performed, Abgar wanted to look at the Savior. He sent a painter to paint the face of Christ.

However, the artist could not fulfill the order. Such radiance emanated from the face of the Lord that the master's brush could not convey His Light. Then the Lord, having washed himself, wiped His immaculate face with a towel, and His Image miraculously appeared on it. Having received the Image, Avgar was healed of his illness.

Sometimes this image, like whole line others are called Spas Golden-haired (Spas Golden Hair), since Christ's hair is lined with golden lines. The halo is in the form of a cross and occupies almost the entire field of the icon. Christ's gaze is turned to the left. In the upper corners of the mullion there is an inscription: IC XC.

The miraculous Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, located in the Novospassky Monastery, constituting its main shrine, was, at the same time, an all-Russian church treasure, deeply revered by the Orthodox Russian people.

In the West, the legend of the Savior Not Made by Hands has spread as a legend about the Payment of St. Veronica. According to one of them, Veronica was a student of the Savior, but she could not accompany him all the time, then she decided to order a portrait of the Savior to the painter. But on the way to the artist, she met the Savior, who miraculously imprinted his face on her board. Veronica's robe was endowed with the power of healing. With its help, the Roman emperor Tiberius was cured. Later, another option appears. When Christ was led to Golgotha, Veronica wiped the face of Jesus, covered with sweat and blood, with a cloth, and it was displayed on the matter. This moment is included in the Catholic cycle of the Passion of the Lord. The face of Christ in a similar version is written in a crown of thorns and with dripping drops of blood.

In the Orthodox Church, the glorification of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands spread in the 10th century, after the payment with the face of the Savior was transferred from Edessa to Constantinople in 944. In Ancient Russia, the Savior Not Made by Hands is known in temple paintings of the XII century of the Spaso-Mirozh Cathedral of 1156. and the Savior on Nereditsa in 1199.

During the time of the iconoclastic heresy, the defenders of icon veneration, shedding blood for the holy icons, sang a troparion to the Image Not Made by Hands. As proof of the truth of icon veneration, Pope Gregory II (715-731) sent a letter to the Eastern emperor, in which he pointed to the healing of King Abgar and the stay of the Icon Not Made by Hands in Edessa as a well-known fact. The Icon Not Made by Hands was placed on the banners of the Russian troops, protecting them from enemies. In the Russian Orthodox Church, there is a pious custom at the entrance of a believer to the temple to read, along with other prayers, the troparion to the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

According to the Prologues, four Miraculous Images of the Savior are known:

1) In Edessa, King Abgar - August 16.

2) Camulian; its acquisition was described by St. Gregory of Nyssa (Comm. 10 January). According to St. Nikodim the Holy Mountaineer (1809; comm. 1 July), the Camulian icon appeared in 392, but he had in mind the image of the Mother of God on 9 August.

3) Under the emperor Tiberius (578-582), from whom Saint Mary Synclitikia received healing (Comm. 11 August).

4) On ceramics - August 16.

The feast in honor of the transfer of the Image Not Made by Hands, which takes place on the afterfeast of the Assumption, is called the third Savior, "The Savior on Canvas." The special veneration of this holiday in the Russian Orthodox Church was also expressed in icon painting. The Icon of the Image Not Made by Hands is one of the most widespread.

Miracles of the holy icon of the Savior.

The first miracle, which marked the beginning of the all-Russian glorification of the holy icon of the Savior, was revealed from it on July 12, 1645 in the city of Khlynov (Vyatka) in the Church of the All-Merciful Savior. Historical church documents certify that a resident of the city, Peter Palkin, who suffered from complete blindness for three years, after praying before the icon of the Savior, was healed and received his sight. After that, miraculous miracles from the image began to be performed one after another, and the fame of the miraculous image quickly spread throughout the Russian Land. Having heard about the extraordinary miracles from the icon, the then pious sovereign Alesei Mikhailovich, who reigned on the advice of Archimandrite Nikon, later Patriarch, who was the rector of the Novospassky Monastery, decided to transfer the icon to the Mother See of Moscow. In fulfillment of the royal will, with the blessing of Patriarch Joseph, an embassy was sent to the city of Khlynov for the holy icon, headed by the hegumen of Moscow Epiphany Monastery Paphnutius.

On January 14, 1647, literally all of Moscow came out to meet the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. The meeting took place at the Yauza Gate. As soon as the icon became visible to the people, bells rang out in all Moscow churches, everyone knelt down, and a thanksgiving service began. At the end of the prayer service, the miraculous image was transferred to the Kremlin and placed in the Assumption Cathedral. The gates to the Kremlin, through which the image was brought in, were called Frolovsky until that time, it was ordered to continue to be called Spassky. In addition, the royal decree followed that everyone take off their hats when passing through the gates.

The icon remained in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin until the reconstruction of the Transfiguration Cathedral in the Novospassky Monastery was completed. As soon as the day of the consecration of the cathedral was appointed, September 19, 1647, the icon was solemnly transferred to the monastery in a procession.

In 1670, the image of the Savior was given to help Prince Yuri, who was going to the Don to pacify the rebellion of Stepan Razin. The rebellion was suppressed, and by royal command, the image was decorated with a gilded riza studded with diamonds, yahonts and large pearls.

On August 13, 1834, a terrible fire broke out in Moscow. At the request of the inhabitants, a miraculous image of the Savior was brought from the Novospassky Monastery, which they began to wear around the conflagration. In front of everyone's eyes, the fire, as if by an invisible force, was kept from spreading beyond the line where the icon was carried. Soon the wind died down and the fire stopped. Since then, the image began to be taken out for serving prayers at home. During the cholera that raged in Moscow in 1848, many patients received miraculous help from the icon.

In 1839, the icon was decorated with a gilded silver riza with precious stones to replace the one stolen by the French in 1812. AT summer time the image was in the Transfiguration Cathedral, and in winter it was transferred to the Intercession Church. In the Nikolsky and Catherine's churches of the monastery there were exact copies from a miraculous image.

Until 1917, the icon was in the monastery. The whereabouts of this holy image is currently unknown. In the Novospassky Monastery there is a preserved copy of the miraculous icon. He stays in the local row of the iconostasis of the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Savior - where the miraculous icon itself was previously placed.

“The Savior left us His holy image according to Himself, so that we, looking at him, would constantly remember his incarnation, suffering, life-giving death and the redemption of the human race,” it was said at the VI Ecumenical Council.

Iconography of the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

Savior Not Made by Hands is special type the image of Christ, representing His face on the ubrus (board) or shards (tile). According to the Orthodox iconographic canon, the Savior Not Made by Hands is written in the form of a middle-aged man, in the words of the icon-painting original: “perfect in the form of a husband,” which corresponds to the fifth week (from 28 to 35 years) of the Old Russian reckoning human life. The icon "The Savior Not Made by Hands" depicts only the Divine face of the Savior. Moreover, this image may be different. The face of the Lord is either simply inscribed in a halo, or depicted on an ubrus, and sometimes angels hold the ubrus.

All these icons are painted from the “genuine original”. Christ is depicted with long dark hair, parted in the middle, and with a short beard. Generally speaking, it is customary to write both the hair of Christ and the beard wavy, but on Russian icons sometimes there are images with straight, as if wet hair.

Icons "The Savior Not Made by Hands" are usually divided into main types: "The Savior on the Ubrus" or simply "Ubrus", where the face of Christ is placed on the image of a board (ubrus) of a light shade and "The Savior on the Skull" or simply "The Savior", "Ceramide". According to legend, the image of Christ appeared on the tiles or bricks that hid the niche with the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands. Occasionally, on this type of icon, the background is an image of brick or tiled masonry, more often the background is given simply more dark color compared to Ubrus.

The Christian tradition considers the Image of Christ not made by hands as one of the proofs of the truth of the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity in the human form, and in a narrower sense - as the most important evidence in favor of icon veneration.

We magnify Thee, Life-Giver Christ, and honor all of Your Most Pure Face, the most glorious image.

Photo by Art publishing house, Moscow. Reproduced from the edition: Lazarev V. N. History of Byzantine Painting. M.: Art, 1986.

with. 66¦ 7. Savior Not Made by Hands 1 . On the back - The glorification of the cross

1 The type of the Savior “on the skull”, in contrast to the Savior Not Made by Hands “on the edge” (see frescoes on the eastern and western girth arches in the Church of the Savior of Nereditsa; V.K. Myasoedov, Frescoes of the Savior of Nereditsa, L., 1925, pl. XIX ). For numerous variants of the legend of the Savior Not Made by Hands, see N.V. Pokrovsky. Siysk icon-painting original, no. 1, St. Petersburg, 1895, pp. 49–52.

Both sides of the icon were painted in Vladimir, perhaps by different masters. The Vladimir painter of the front side with the Savior Not Made by Hands in his own way reproduced the Byzantine, or rather the Kyiv model. It is possible that the artist of the glorification of the cross on the back could be a Kyivian or Novgorodian who worked in Vladimir in the middle of the 12th century (see the arguments in favor of my attribution from N. N. Voronin, in his article “On Some Reliefs of St. George's Cathedral in Yuryev Polsky” . - "Soviet archeology", M., 1962, I, pp. 142–148).

Middle of the 12th century. Vladimir-Suzdal Rus.

The head of the Savior is enclosed in a round halo with a crosshair, inscribed in the square of the board. Large round eyes raised to the left. The high arches of the eyebrows are curved. A forked beard and a long hanging mustache are written in thin dark brown lines on a greenish-gray refty. Black-brown hair with a strand on the forehead is decorated with golden lines. The twist on the olive sankir is dark yellow, soft in tone, with barely noticeable traces of brown. On the lips, eyelids and description of the nose - cinnabar. Nimbus, background and fields are golden-ocher. Nimbus crosshair - ivory tone, with traces with. 66
with. 67¦ images precious stones(five at each end). In the upper corners against the background are fragments of the ancient letters IC XC.

Glorifying the Cross 2. On the sides of the Golgotha ​​brown eight-pointed cross, with a crown of thorns at the crosshairs, there are worshiping archangels with instruments of passions. On the left is Michael with a spear in his hand, on the right is Gabriel with a cane. Above - red-winged seraphim with ripids in their hands, dark olive cherubs and personifications of the sun and moon - profile heads in round stamps - yellow (inscription: slontse) and red (inscription: moon). The painting is done with energetic strokes in a broad, free manner. The color is built on a combination dark colors(brown and olive), faded (light blue and brownish pink) and bright (red, yellow and white). A twist on a green sankir with sharp white highlights and a bright brown. The background is white with black and red lettering. The fields are dark green with an ornament in the form of circles, stars and stripes. In a few inscriptions, the peculiarities of the Novgorod language are not manifested: “six krilati khrovimi”, “mongoziti serafim”.

2 This theme in Byzantine iconography was known as "Nikitirion" (glorification of the victorious cross). (See N. P. Kondakov, Archaeological Journey through Syria and Palestine, St. Petersburg, 1904, p. 22 and note 1 and the appendix “On Ancient Christian Compositions on the Theme “Glory of the Cross”, pp. 285–301). The iconographic type goes back to old Syrian sources (V. N. Lazarev, Art of Novgorod, Moscow, 1947, p. 39). Stylistically, the angels are close to the angels in the Ascension composition in the Church of the Savior Nereditsa in Novgorod (V.K. Myasoedov, op. cit., pl. V, 2).

On the front side there is a board with an ark. Pavoloka, gesso, egg tempera. Back without ark and canvas, with a thin primer. The dowels are stuffed on the upper and lower ends. 77x71.

On the front side (in the lower left corner) and on the back (near the upper edge) there are red wax seals of the Moscow Assumption Cathedral.

Was in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.

Disclosed to the Commission in 1919.

Received from the State Historical Museum in 1930. with. 67
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with. 164¦ 5. Savior Not Made by Hands, turnover - Adoration of the Cross

Second half of the 12th century. 77×71. Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.

From the Assumption Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin. The Novgorod origin of the icon is beyond doubt. This is also supported by pronounced Novgorodisms in the inscriptions on the reverse side of the icon (the replacement of the letter h letter c), and the similarity of angels with angels in the dome and apse of Nereditsa (Myasoedov V.K. Frescoes of the Savior-Nereditsa. With a preface by N. P. Sychev. L., 1925, tab. IV, VI and XXVIII), and the reproduction of the composition of the front side of the icon (and partially its reverse side) in the headpiece of the Novgorod manuscript of 1262 (Lobkovsky Prologue in the Moscow Historical Museum, Chlud. 187, fol. 1). As G. I. Vzdornov established, the icon comes from the Novgorod wooden church of St. Icon built by Vnezd Nezdinich in 1191. The safety is good. The type of the Savior Not Made by Hands exactly follows the Byzantine tradition (see: Grabar A. N. The Savior Not Made by Hands of the Lansky Cathedral. Prague, 1931). “Glorification of the Cross” is already found on a silver dish of the 6th century in the Hermitage ( Volbach F. Frühchristliche Kunst. Munich, 1958, Abb. 245, S. 91). On the Moscow icon, the cross is decorated with a crown of thorns, in the hands of angels - a spear and a cane. These are symbols of the torment of Christ. The cross rises above the black Adam's cave. On the sides of the crosshairs are the sun and the moon. Above are two cherubs and two seraphim with ripids in their hands. For iconography see: Kondakov N.P. Archaeological journey through Syria and Palestine. SPb., 1904, p. 22, 285-301; Grabar A. Martyrium, II. Paris, 1946, p. 275–290. Whether the icon was double-sided from the very beginning or the image on the reverse side was added later is difficult to decide. with. 164
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