Icons of Jesus Christ with crossed arms. Icons of the Lord Jesus Christ, what they are. How icons are recognized as miraculous

In any home of a sincere believer there are icons of Jesus Christ.

Any icon has its own content, idea and meaning, and the face of the Savior helps people overcome the difficulties of life’s path and helps people find peace in their souls.

Iconography of Jesus Christ

The iconography of Jesus Christ is a union of schools, systems and creations that depict the Son of God.

It is noteworthy that in Early Christianity the appearance of the Savior was depicted through allegory - a lamb, a pelican, as a symbol of mercy, a dolphin, that is, the savior of drowning people, who was pierced by a trident, fish. In 692, the Fifth-Sixth (Trullo) Council prohibited the depiction of the Savior in this way.

At the moment, Jesus Christ is portrayed as a Judge - King of Kings and Almighty; or in the image that the Savior wore among ordinary people in order to perform His ministry.

Icons of Jesus Christ are classified among six main iconographic types.

Icon "Jesus Christ Pantocrator"

The image shows the Son of God at the age when he carried out his preaching. The Church Charter says to write Jesus Christ dressed in a purple tunic (an element of clothing, a piece of fabric that is placed on the right side and secured on the left shoulder), a blue himation (a rectangular fabric, usually worn on top of the tunic), and a baptized halo above the head.

It is believed that the blue outfit of the Son of God personifies the heavenly principle, and the crimson one represents the nature of people, torment and royalty. This picture is considered a symbol of harmony between the heavenly, earthly and spiritual.

The Savior is depicted on the throne, but there are also full-length and waist-length images. Christ's left hand usually holds the Gospel, and his right hand forms a sign of blessing. If the Gospel is open, then the symbolism of birth and death is drawn on the pages - the letters alpha and omega (ΑΩ).

The icon “Jesus Christ Pantocrator” does not allow us to forget about the heavenly court that awaits anyone who is righteous or not, about mercy and kindness. She helps people overcome life's difficulties.

Icon "Savior"

In past times, Jesus Christ was represented in images by those who carry the good shepherd's sheep, in the form of a lamb, a fish. Later, this image of the Savior was banned from use.

Jesus Christ is now represented on icons exclusively according to the Church Charter. The unchangeable elements of the icon of the Son of God are considered to be a baptized halo, a crimson tunic, and a blue himation.

Icon “The First Steps of Christ”

The icon “The First Steps of Christ” is located in the monastery of St. Gerasim of Jordan. This monastery was built in the 5th century by Gerasim, who came to the Holy Land for the purpose of worship and became a monk.

This religious community is located near the Jordan River Delta in El Mait on the southern side of the Jordan Valley. It is believed that on their way to Egypt, the Holy Family and the Savior stood in a cave at the monastery. During one of the halts, the Infant Jesus took his first steps.

Icon “The Lamentation of Jesus Christ for the Murdered Babies”

Igemen Chrysosthenes, being an icon painter, created the icon “The Lamentation of Jesus Christ for the Murdered Babies.” The origin of the icon is associated with the monastery of St. Gerasim of Jordan.

The image of the Son of God weeping over unborn children carries the idea of ​​healing repentance. Women who have committed the Fall, out of unbelief or ignorance, serve repentant prayers in front of the icon in order to feel guilty peace.

Hegumen Priest Peter Udovenko asked to make an icon for the Nikolo-Matronovsky Church, so that more Orthodox women could sincerely repent of their sin and find forgiveness.

Icon "Crucifixion of Jesus Christ"

The Savior's crucifixion is a symbol of Jesus Christ's atonement for the sins of mankind. In the center of the icon is the Cross of the Lord with the Savior on it, and above the head of Christ there is a tablet with the letters “I.N.C.I” - “Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews,” which could have been written by Pontius Pilate himself.

In the early 30s of the 1st century, the Son of God was depicted with open eyes as a symbol of immortality. According to Orthodox traditions, Christ is written with his eyes closed.

The main motive of the icon is the salvation of the human race. The sacred origin of Jesus of Nazareth and his immortality are spoken of by the angels who fly above him in the sky.

Icon of Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary

The face of the Virgin Mary is revered throughout the world and represents morality, innocence and righteous deeds. Icon of Jesus Christ and Holy Mother of God considered the main female image and motif in Christianity.

Icon painters follow the exact canon when painting an icon. Each detail in the image has its own meaning and is designed to evoke certain associations among believers.

The Virgin Mary is never depicted with an adult Jesus. This emphasizes her great role as a Mother who gave her son as a sacrifice to humanity.

Icon "Christ in the Crown of Thorns"

The second name of the image is “King of the Jews.”

The plot of the icon reflects the severity of the sins of mankind, which the Son of God took upon himself. The image of Jesus Christ, captured on this icon, speaks of submission to one’s fate, patience with torment and pain, ridicule and humiliation that befell the Savior.

Jesus Christ is depicted with his hands tied and his head bowed to one side, framed in a crown of thorns. On the shoulders of the Savior rests the robe of the monarch - the “crimson robe”.

Praying before the icon “Christ with a Crown of Thorns” helps Christians cope with life’s difficulties, especially those related to injustice.

Icon of Jesus Christ Ushakov

The icon, painted by Simon Ushakov, dating back to 1661, is located in the Annunciation Cathedral of the Kremlin.

The image of the Son of God is painted in compliance with all canons - the face of Christ with a halo of the cross above his head.

The face of the Savior is surrounded by a background that gives the appearance of a certain spatial environment, located on the border with the real world from where the visitor is looking.

This is how the image of the ideal Divine Personality of the Savior is formed, which exists in a world similar to the material.

He changed the dogmas of Christianity, including the veneration of icons. The interpretation of the ban itself has also changed. Now it was forbidden to invent images, since this was considered the creation of idols. At the same time, the church allowed the depiction of the miraculous faces of the Savior. Moreover, it became the most popular theme in iconography. But Jesus had to be portrayed according to the rules.

Standards for depicting Jesus Christ

The iconography of Jesus Christ was previously subject to certain rules. The main, characteristic features began to be used in icon painting, although there was more than one version of the canonical image of the Savior.

• The characteristic features of Jesus included a halo with a cross inscribed in it. He showed the incarnation of God the Father in God's son. But in the image of “Jesus Halki” only the cross was depicted.
• The first letters of the name of God were used on the icons. For example, if there is “IC XC” next to the face or halo, then even without decoding it becomes clear that Jesus is depicted.
• The face of Christ itself was depicted as elongated, with refined facial features and an expressive look, wearing the clothes of ordinary people (shirt, cape).
• The face in the center of the icon seems to be looking at you. However, there were also iconoclasts who still referred to the Old Testament and prohibited these images of the holy face. And icon worshipers believed that man has the right to contemplate his creator - God - in human form. And that it does not violate biblical restrictions.

In iconoclastic disputes, this issue became fundamentally important. After all, this influenced not only church art. The icon must depict the only image of God. It was he who had to be considered central. And the construction of the entire ladder of images of the structure of the universe depended on this image.

Among the first Christians, such vivid disputes were not recorded, since the images at that time were more iconic and symbolic. Realism was not required from them. Only the Christians themselves understood what was on the icon and what meaning it carried. Only they could read the entire secret intent of the image. One of these icons includes the Sinai image of Christ Pantocrator.

Description of the image of Christ Pantocrator

The icon was painted in the style of late antique encaustic. Juicy, quite realistic, masterly. These images of Christ date back to the 5th-6th centuries. The images stand out due to their unusual realism, compared to the standard style of writing. Some even showed a certain sensuality on their faces.

It is this iconographic type and these physiological features that will be traced until the twentieth century. If you look at several early images of Jesus (the image of the Savior in the composition “Transfiguration”, the image of Christ Coming on the clouds, the half-length image of Pantocrator), then one image can be traced between them, the icons are close to each other. And this could only mean that the face of Jesus was already fully formed. And the images were approved even before the start of iconoclastic disputes. During the period of controversy, all that remained was to provide the theological statement that was so lacking. Which is what was done.

Modern iconography of Christ

Nowadays, iconography is very diverse. And in order to highlight the basic types of images, we can take as an example the main image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. How did the first, miraculous icon appear? According to the legends of Christians, the Eastern tradition is true, which dates back to the sixth century.

Legend of the first icon of Jesus Christ

According to legend, the Edessa king Abharem V, suffering from leprosy, having heard about the miracles performed by Jesus, sent his messenger to the Savior with a request to heal him. And if Christ cannot appear, then at least send the face of the Savior, so that with the help of the face he can receive healing from his illness. But it was not easy to get through to Jesus. He was surrounded by a crowd. And the artist was unable to draw a portrait. Noticing this, Jesus washed his face and wiped it with a handkerchief. After which a face appeared on the scarf.

By the way, this is not the only version of the appearance of the Savior Not Made by Hands. The Western, medieval version of this tale arose around the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries. And according to this version, the handkerchief was given to Jesus by the pious Veronica, who accompanied the Savior on the Way of the Cross. With this handkerchief Christ wiped blood and sweat from his face. And then the Image also appeared on the scarf.

Icons with a similar image of the Divine face were called “Plate of Veronica”. They depicted only the head and differed from the original version of the miraculous Mandylion by the crown of thorns that appeared on the head of Christ. Today this is the famous icon of Jesus Christ with the crown of thorns.

Image of Christ “Savior Wet Beard”

On the territory of Rus' there are also similar icons, for example, “Wet Beard of the Savior”. This face appeared in the 9th century. The oldest known image is the Novgorod Savior Not Made by Hands. In style, this design is closer to the classical type and corresponds to the Eastern legend about washing the face. The image is slightly different from the canonical one. In particular, here Jesus’ beard really seems to be moistened with water.

Savior Almighty

The most widespread image is known as the Pantocrator or Pantocrator. This is a chest-to-chest image of the Savior. There are also options for height, waist-length or on a throne. A scroll with scripture or the Gospel is depicted in the left hand, the fingers of the right hand are folded in a blessing gesture. The description of the icon of Jesus Christ Pantocrator is mentioned in the 4th-6th centuries in Byzantium. The oldest such image dates back to the middle of the 6th century - this is Christ Pantocrator of the Sinai Monastery.

Faith in God embodied in man is precisely the correct meaning of the great icon. She laid the foundation for the dogma of the Incarnation. And this dogma became key among Christians. And the image has survived to this day and is found quite often. On frescoes in churches, in houses, decorates the domes of churches.

There are several options for the Almighty Savior, for example, the Savior is in power. This type of icon provides a full-length depiction of Jesus in a sitting position. The background is an image of the earth, the spiritual world and the invisible world in the form of a red square, a blue oval and a red diamond, respectively. There are similar icons without a background, they are called the Savior on the Throne.

Spas Emmanuel

Special type The iconography is represented by the Savior Emmanuel. Its main difference from the canonical one is the depiction of Christ not in adulthood, but in childhood. However, all the usual attributes, such as a halo and a cross above the head, are present in this type of icon of the Savior. Most often, this image is not single; an example of this is the image of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus. This is intended to emphasize the relationship of Christ with the Father God.

Deesis

On these icons, Jesus Christ is depicted in the center, surrounded by various biblical characters - the Virgin Mary, John, the apostles or other saints. The Savior himself is depicted as a Pantocrator on the throne.

This type of icon was first mentioned in the seventh century. The meaning of the icon is that the Savior is the intercessor of the human race before God the Father, delivers people’s prayers, and promises to be a merciful protector of everyone who turns to him. The image helps the believer to become closer to the Almighty, to repent, to cleanse the soul, and to receive forgiveness for sins.

Image of the “Present Queen”

Another type of iconography is “Presta Queen”. On it, Jesus is presented wearing the royal dalmatic, lore and kamilavka crown. In one hand he has a rod, in the other - the Gospel. This image conveys that God is connected to the church. And Christ is here in the role of priest.

It is not possible to examine all types of icons. We have described only the most basic ones. For example, you can find names of icons of Jesus Christ that do not correspond to standard canons at all. Here are some of them.

Saved the Good Silence

On it, Jesus is written in the form of an angel, that is, before taking on human form. The icon itself depicts a young man in light clothes, wings are visible behind his back, and a star-shaped halo of the Lord of Hosts above his head. His hands are empty. Since he has not yet descended to earth. And he has not yet become a mentor for humanity.

Spas the Great Bishop

Here we see the savior in the role of a priest. He wears magnificent clothes and a crown adorns his head. Here, like the Savior Almighty, he holds the Gospel and performs the blessing with his other hand.

Good Shepherd

In these icons, Christ is represented as a teacher and mentor. He is mainly depicted as an ordinary shepherd with his head bowed, carrying a lost sheep on his shoulders.

There are also icons of God Jesus Christ, the origin of which is taken from the Old Testament writings. For example, “Christ in the tomb.” This image is perhaps one of the most tragic in Christian iconography. Here the Savior is depicted dead, his body is on a bed next to the open coffin. Such images are purely symbolic, showing how meekly Christ accepted his fate.

There are also Catholic icons of Jesus Christ. They differ from the Orthodox in their free depiction of the Savior and Latin inscriptions.

Before any image of Christ, you can offer a prayer to the Savior, sincerely asking for forgiveness of sins and the mercy of the Lord.

The icon of Christ occupies the central place of any iconostasis, but it turns out that there are not many options for its writing. What this restraint is connected with, how the first image of Christ appeared and what the iconoclasts argued about, art critic Irina YAZYKOVA, head of the department of Christian culture at the Biblical Theological Institute of St. Andrew the Apostle, and author of books on the theology of the Russian icon, told the NS correspondent.

Angel “Good Silence”, Savior “Good Silence”. “An even more incomprehensible image,” says Irina Yazykova, “is Christ, depicted as an angel. Angela Sofia. This can be interpreted as one of the pre-hypostatic images of Christ. That is, before His incarnation. However, the image is so complex that even the heads of the Council said that such icons should not be painted. The icon itself must explain the faith, but here we have to explain the icon. Therefore, the Ecumenical Councils did not encourage such icons. Nevertheless, in the 16th century they became widespread and popular."

How to portray God? And is it possible? These questions were asked by theologians until the 8th century. The disagreements were so significant that they led to fierce disputes between iconoclasts and icon worshipers. Rejecting icons of Christ, the iconoclasts referred to the Old Testament commandment that forbade depicting God. And icon venerators, on the contrary, asserted the right to depict Christ as the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, as God who came in the flesh, because it is said in the Gospel that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father” (John 1:14). The disputes ended with the victory of the defenders of icon veneration in 787 at the Seventh Ecumenical Council. But they also emphasized that the icon depicts only the human nature of Christ, while His Divine nature still remains indescribable.

— The first icons of Christ appear shortly before the iconoclastic disputes, — tells art criticIrinaYazykova. — One of these icons, preserved in the Sinai monastery of St. Catherine, is the image of Christ Pantocrator, painted in the late antique painting technique of encaustic. Despite the unusual (from the point of view of classical iconography) realism of painting, this iconographic type looks quite established, and the physiognomic features found here will then be stable for many centuries, right up to the 20th century. Early images of Jesus Christ can also include the image of the Savior in the composition “Transfiguration” from the same monastery (VI century), the image of Christ Coming on the clouds from the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Rome (VI – VII centuries), the half-length image of Pantocrator from Church of Santa Maria in Castelseprio (VII – VIII centuries). All of them are quite close to each other and indicate that in the 5th – 6th centuries the image of Jesus Christ in church art had already been formed.

Appearance of Christ

But how was Christ depicted before the 5th century, in apostolic times, since the apostles probably remembered exactly what He looked like?

“During the times of the first Christians, which were times of persecution of the Church, symbolic images prevailed, not claiming realism and authenticity,” says Irina Yazykova, “so that their sacred meaning, understandable to initiates, remained inaccessible to external people located outside the Christian community.

The symbol of Christ often became the image of a fish. The word ΙΧΘΥΣ (Greek for “fish”) can be read as an abbreviation: Ἰησοὺς Χριστὸς Θε o ὺ῾Υιὸς Σωτήρ (Jesus Christ the Son of God the Savior). The symbol of Christ was also the image of a pelican, since it was believed that in the blood of this bird there is an antidote to snake bites and in the event of a snake attack, it, tearing its chest, feeds the children with its flesh in order to save them, which is an analogy of the Eucharistic Sacrifice of Christ. Later, images of Christ appear in the form of a young man with a lamb on his shoulders; a mosaic with a similar plot, “Christ the Good Shepherd,” for example, decorates the mausoleum of Gala Placidia in Rome (5th century).

“It was a hidden sermon of Christians of the first centuries,” explains Irina Yazykova. - But at the Fifth-Sixth Council of Trullo (691-692) they decided to abandon such symbolic images, since they often misled yesterday’s pagans. It was decided to depict Christ openly in the human form in which He was incarnate. True, it turned out that, except for the icons of the 5th century, no, even verbal, descriptions of Christ’s appearance were preserved. The Gospel is silent about this.

There were heated debates around the appearance of Jesus Christ. Some said that the psalms say that He is “more beautiful than the sons of men” (Ps. 44: 3), and they wrote Christ as a beautiful youth, like the Greek gods; while others, on the contrary, wrote Christ as emphatically ugly, referring to the prophecy of Isaiah: “... we saw Him, and there was no appearance in Him that would attract us to Him. He was despised and despised before men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with pain, and we turned our faces away from Him” (Isa. 53: 2-3).

But over the years, a single historical type developed, created according to the principle of the golden ratio: harmonious proportions of the face with large eyes, a straight thin nose, dark, but not black hair, shoulder-length (men wore this in both Judea and Greece), with a slight beard. Although in different countries this image (art historians call it Greco-Semitic) changes somewhat: for example, the Ethiopians depict Him as dark-skinned, the Chinese as narrow-eyed, and in Rublev’s time in Rus', Christ was given Slavic features - light brown hair, light eyes. However, despite all the differences, Christ in the icon can always be recognized.

Shroud

All conversations about the prototype one way or another lead to the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, the icon of icons.

“Its very name already contains the concept of any icon, in which an important place is always given to what lies beyond the boundaries of human creativity,” says Irina Yazykova. — The miraculous image contains faith in the Incarnation of God, real evidence of this incarnation. I believe that the invisible God becomes visible. It is no coincidence that the fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council They said that icons are evidence that Christ was truly incarnate, not ghostly.

In legend, two versions of the origin of the miraculous image have been preserved (however, both can be traced only from the 6th century): one of them was widespread in the West, the other in the East. The first tells about the righteous woman Veronica, who, out of a feeling of compassion, wiped the Face of the Savior with her handkerchief when He carried the Cross to Calvary. And miraculously, the Face of Christ was imprinted on the fabric.

The second story tells about King Abgar, who fell ill with leprosy. Christ handed the king a canvas on which His features were imprinted, and the king was healed by venerating the miraculous image. Later, another miracle happened: to protect it from enemies, the shrine received from Christ was walled up in the wall, but the image of the Savior appeared on the stone. In iconography, especially Russian, two types of the Image Not Made by Hands were common: “The Savior on the ubrus,” that is, on a piece of cloth, and “The Savior on the chrepii,” that is, on a tile or stone.

“Both stories probably go back to the Shroud of Turin,” says Irina Yazykova, “the fabric on which not only the Face, but also the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ was truly imprinted miraculously. The history of the Shroud is full of mysteries, but what is important for us is that it is the prototype of the iconographic scheme (and idea) of the Savior Not Made by Hands - the very first and main icon.

Christ Pantocrator

The second, very common type of icon of Jesus Christ is the image of Christ Pantocrator (Almighty), creating the Universe, holding everything in His hand.

“In this iconography,” explains Irina Yazykova, “it is no longer the dogma of the Incarnation and not the mystery of Christ’s incarnation that is expressed, but the idea of ​​Christ’s presence on earth as the God-man.” Therefore, Christ is depicted in red - blue clothes. This is a symbol of dual nature: red clothing is human nature, and blue (heavenly) is Divine.

There are three variants of this iconography: a full-length depiction of the figure of Christ, on a throne, and half-length. The most common is the waist one.

“Usually such an image was placed in the iconostasis near the Royal Doors,” says Irina Yazykova, “Christ introduces the worshiper into the Kingdom of God.” “I am the door: whoever enters through Me will be saved...” (John 10:9). Usually on such an icon the Savior is depicted with a closed Gospel, since, approaching the gates, we are only approaching the mystery that will be revealed in its entirety on the last day, on the day of Judgment, when “everything secret will be revealed” and will be removed from the Book of Life seal, and the Word will judge the world. But this principle is not always observed; sometimes icons of Christ Pantocrator are painted in the iconostasis with an open Gospel, although usually this type of iconography is more used in small icons - prayer or cell icons.

The manifestation of God's glory

“The Savior in Power” - the very name of this iconographic image reflects the theological concept of the icon - the appearance of Jesus Christ in power and glory at the end of times. In this icon, Christ is seated as the King of Kings - the iconography shows the Second Coming. Usually this image is used as the central one in the composition of the temple iconostasis. It is based on the appearance of the Lord to the prophet Ezekiel: “... and above the likeness of the throne was the likeness of a man. And I saw, as it were, burning metal, as it were, the appearance of fire inside it all around; from the sight of his loins and above, and from the sight of his loins and below, I saw a kind of fire, and a radiance was around Him. In the same form as a rainbow on the clouds during rain, this was the appearance of this radiance all around” (Ezek. 1: 26-28).

The glory of God, seen by the prophet, is conveyed on the icon by symbolic figures. Christ, seated on the throne, is depicted against the background of a red square, on which a blue circle (oval, mandorla) and a red rhombus are successively superimposed.

The central image of all Christian art is the image of the Savior, or Spas, as he was called in Rus'. The word Jesus is translated from Greek precisely as Savior, for he came into the world to save humanity for the sake of eternal life. Christ means the anointed one, that is, the king is the one who is anointed to the kingdom (in ancient times, the rite of accession of the monarch to the throne was accompanied by anointing the forehead with “blessed oil” - myrrh. This custom was inherited by all Christian monarchies).

The question of the true appearance of Jesus Christ has occupied the minds of Christians since the time of his first followers. The Gospels did not leave us a description of the Savior’s appearance. During the II-IV centuries. two types of ideas about him developed: one was based on the image of the historical Jesus of Nazareth with pronounced Syro-Palestinian features, the other, later, on an idealized Greco-Roman image. Over time, the second view prevailed thanks to John Chrysostom, who declared that “Jesus was beautiful.” At the same time, Blessed Jerome believed that “if Jesus had not had something divinely beautiful in his very face and gaze, the apostles would by no means have followed Him immediately.”

In the first centuries of the existence of the new religion, one could most often find the image of Christ in the form of a young, beardless youth, which, of course, was associated with the centuries-old ancient tradition of depicting God as a beautiful youth (after all, gods cannot grow old!). However, later a Christian tradition of its own developed to represent the Savior in the image of a “medieval man” - that is, a middle-aged man, which corresponded to the age at which Christ ended his earthly life.

Church of San Vitale, 6th century.

Church of St. Apollinaris, 7th century.

Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, 5th century.

Images of the young Christ in early Byzantine art. Mosaics from the temples of Ravenna V-VII centuries.

The canon of the image of Christ was developed in Byzantium by the 8th century, and in the next century a description of the iconographic type was recorded, according to which the face of the Savior should be “blessed, with knitted eyebrows, red-eyed (red is beautiful), with a long nose, light brown hair, having dark beard." This description has been the starting point for artists for many centuries.

Images of Christ on Byzantine (VI century) and Old Russian icons (XV century)

Traditions have been preserved about the miraculous origin of the original image of Christ. According to legends, the face of Jesus was imprinted in a miraculous (that is, not made by human hand) image - on a towel (plate, lining) and on a clay board (tile, skull). The most ancient is the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, or the Holy Decoration, which dates back to the time of Christ’s earthly life.

Tradition says that King Abgar, the ruler of the Syrian city of Edessa, having learned about the miracles performed by Jesus, sent his servant Ananias, who was a talented painter, to him. The king suffered from leprosy and decided to be healed with the help of a portrait of the Savior. Ananias, who came to Jerusalem, tried to paint the image of Christ, but the unbearable light coming from the face of the Savior made it difficult to discern his features. Then Christ decided to help the desperate artist: he ordered water and a clean white towel (ubrus) to be brought, then he washed his face and wiped it with the ubrus, on which the divine face was miraculously imprinted. King Abgar, who was cured of leprosy the moment he touched the ubrus, ordered it to be fixed in a niche above the city gate. Later, under the great-grandson of Avgar, who did not recognize the Christian faith, the image was covered with a clay board and walled up. Several centuries later, during the Persian invasion, the Mother of God appeared to the local bishop and ordered the image to be opened. And then not only the Face Not Made by Hands appeared before the amazed residents: the image of Christ was also miraculously imprinted on the clay board that covered the board. The city was saved from the enemy, and from that time, as legend says, the worship of the Image Not Made by Hands began.

Most often it is found in two versions - Spas on ubrus (on a white background) and Spas on chrepiya (or on ceramics), which is distinguished by a brick-red background of the face. The second version of the Image Not Made by Hands enjoyed great love in Rus'. It was this kind of Savior that adorned the banners of the Moscow, Tver, Yaroslavl princes, acted as a defender of the Russian land and patron of the Russian army. Under the banner with the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, Dmitry Donskoy fought in the Battle of Kulikovo.

The Savior Not Made by Hands on the ubrus. Old Russian icon of the 14th century.

Savior Not Made by Hands (on the skull). Old Russian icon of the 12th century.

The Savior Not Made by Hands on the platform with those ahead. Old Russian icon of the 16th century.

The image of the Savior Not Made by Hands is an image of the face of Christ surrounded by a cross-shaped halo. This is the only icon in which the halo has the shape of a completely closed circle, expressing the perfection and harmony of the world order. The position of the face in the center of the circle symbolizes the central role of the Savior in the universe.

The crown of thorns is not depicted in Orthodox icons; this version is found only in Western European art, and it is associated with a completely different legend. It says that during the procession of the cross to Calvary, a certain righteous wife Veronica, seeing the suffering of Christ, gave him her handkerchief to wipe his face. The miraculous image of Christ was imprinted on this scarf. One of the main relics of Christianity, called the “Veronica Plaque,” ​​is now kept in the Cathedral of St. Peter's in Rome and is shown to believers only once a year - on the fifth Sunday supper of Great Lent. Memory of St. Veronica is also imprinted in Jerusalem: the sixth stop of the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross of Christ) is marked by the chapel of St. Veronica, and a piece of a column embedded in the wall marks the place where in ancient times the house of the righteous wife was located.

Plat St. Veronica. Painting by D. Fetty. XVII century

Jesus Christ is the king in heaven and on earth, he owns the souls, the body, and the destiny of people. Therefore, in art from very early times the image of Christ appeared, emphasizing his significance as ruler and judge, ruler of the world: Savior Almighty. This majestic image took shape during the era of the triumph of Christianity under the influence of the existing rules for the depiction of Roman emperors.

Christ Pantocrator. Old Russian and Byzantine icons of the 14th century.

Christ Pantocrator (in Greek Pantocrator) is a half-length image of the Savior seated on a throne with his right hand raised in a blessing gesture and a book of Holy Scripture in his left. Such an image, in addition to icons, is often found in temple paintings: the figure of Christ Pantocrator is placed in the central dome, likened to the heavenly spheres. According to theologian Nicholas Mesarit, Pantocrator is portrayed in such a way that it is perceived differently by different groups of viewers. His gaze is directed at everyone at once and at each individual. He looks “favorably and friendly at those who have a clear conscience,” but for those who do evil, the eyes of the Almighty “sparkle with anger, aloofness and hostility,” and his face looks “angry, terrible and full of threat.” The right hand blesses those who walk the right path and warns those who turn away from it, keeping them from an unrighteous lifestyle.

The image of Christ Pantocrator in the domes of churches (St. Sophia Cathedral, Kyiv, 11th century.

Church of the Transfiguration in Novgorod, XIV century, fresco

With the same attributes of the Lord of the world - with the Gospel in his left hand and with his right hand raised as a sign of blessing - Jesus Christ was depicted in compositions called “The Savior in Power.” However, here the figure of Christ seated on the throne is surrounded by various symbolic signs developed by a long tradition, indicating the completeness of his power over the world. The figure of the Savior on the throne appears framed by a rhombus, an oval and a quadrangle, the totality of which symbolizes the image of the Universe. The red quadrangle represents the earth; in its corners are placed an angel, a lion, a calf and an eagle - symbols of the four evangelists who preach the glory of the Savior to all the ends of the earth (tetramorph). You can give a link to the material “The system of pictorial design of a Christian temple”, tetramorph In the blue oval symbolizing the sky, the “ranks of angels” serving Christ swarm - winged seraphim and cherubim; the foot of the throne is supported by the mysterious “heavenly powers” ​​that give the work its name - in the form of winged, scarlet rings strewn with eyes (this is how the phrase “full of eyes” was understood in the Middle Ages). The very figure of Christ is surrounded by a fiery rhombus - a sign of the powerful, life-giving energy emanating from him. The fiery rhombus and the golden rays coming from the figure of the Savior symbolize the divine glory of Jesus Christ.

Savior is in power. Icon of the 15th century. Tver school of icon painting.

Andrey Rublev. Savior is in power. Icon of the 15th century.

An icon of this type is most often placed in the center of the iconostasis as an embodiment supreme deity, his dominion over heaven and earth. Christ, who reigns over the world, also appears as its formidable judge; The Mother of God, John the Baptist, archangels and saints approaching him on both sides pray to him for mercy and leniency towards human sins.

Deesis rite of the Assumption Cathedral of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. End of the 15th century Central icon – Savior is in power

Marina Grigoryan

The icon of the Savior is the central image in Orthodoxy. Since ancient times, it has been kept in every home. She was especially loved and revered, because it is an image of the Lord. There are many images of the Savior. And most of them are given miraculous powers. The icons radiate peace and exude incense. They cure many ailments, not only mental, but also physical.

Symbol and meaning of icons

Since ancient times, believers began to depict God, Saints and the Mother of God. Over time, the church took control of this art and established certain rules and the framework that had to be respected in the picture. An icon is a kind of mediator between the spiritual divine world and man. Thanks to the holy image, any prayer will ascend to heaven much faster.

The icons of the Orthodox Church are full of various metaphors and associations, each element and each detail has its own hidden, but quite significant meaning. Any image carries a kind of code that reveals the essence of the church, man and faith. For example, the cross is martyrdom, the pointing finger is God’s providence, and the Saint with a spear is victory over evil. In addition, on some ancient icons you can see vines and grapes - a sign of the church.

The symbolic language of icon painting covers not only the gestures and positions of saints. It determines the composition itself, the image technique and even the colors. However, all this is subject to individual church canons. This was done in order to eliminate dual meaning and protect believers from the manifestation of heresy.

The history of the appearance of the first miraculous icons

Healing and helping images, according to church leaders, take their power from God's grace. The Orthodox Church recognizes many miraculous icons, about 1000 to be exact. These are mainly images of Christ and the Virgin Mary.

Many legends say that the first miraculous image is of the cloth with which Jesus wiped his face, and an imprint remained on it. It is also called Mandylion. Initially, the ancient Edessa king Abgar was healed from it. He was sick with leprosy.

One of the first mentions of miraculous icons is also the myrrh-streaming of the Pisidian Icon in the 6th century. Then oil flowed from the hand of the depicted Mother of God. This phenomenon was confirmed at the VII Ecumenical Council.

The most famous miraculous images of the world

History knows many sacred images that have helped and still heal many human ailments - both mental and physical. At the same time, some Orthodox icons heal infertility, others help in marriage and love, others fulfill wishes, etc. Therefore, queues of believers line up for them, thirsting for specific help. And there are also icons that almost all Orthodox Christians strive to see:

• Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Those who are almost desperate turn to this image. And he fulfills any request or prayer that comes from a pure heart. In addition, the Saint is the patron of sailors and travelers.
• Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. One of the most famous images of the Virgin Mary. In modern history, this icon is famous for the fact that during the Great Patriotic War she defended our soldiers and ordinary residents in besieged Leningrad. They say that this image helps many believers in trouble.
• Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. This is one of the oldest and most revered holy images in Rus', one that should be in every Orthodox family. It heals the body and soul and also protects from evil.

Miraculous icons, as a rule, are accompanied by some signs or significant events. They come to the rescue when believers especially require intercession.

How icons are recognized as miraculous

Many have heard about the healing properties of one or another divine image. There are also scientifically proven facts of the flow of myrrh and the fragrance of images. However, not every such case is recognized by the official church as miraculous. Over the course of many centuries, Orthodoxy has developed certain rules and canons according to which icons are recognized as miraculous.

Pioneer in Rus' in this issue Peter I can be considered. It was he who issued a number of specific decrees, thanks to which miraculous icons were removed from private homes and were to be kept exclusively in churches. Therefore, subsequently it was church images that received greater chances for recognition.

In addition, in pre-revolutionary, and even modern, Russia, to assess the authenticity of a miracle, Orthodox icons (photo or original) were placed in a special altar. There they were sealed, and in the presence of several witnesses, one of whom must necessarily be in the priesthood, they were checked.

This image is basic in Orthodoxy. Images of Christ have been present in all homes, regardless of income, since ancient times in Rus'. As a rule, the icon of the Savior is made strictly according to generally accepted church canons. This image gives people comfort and faith. Its main elements:

• A halo with an inscribed cross and three Greek letters that represent the expression: “I am who I am.”
• Purple chiton (chasuble). Symbolizes the human nature of the Savior.
• Blue himation (outerwear). Reminiscent of the divine origin of Jesus.

As a rule, now you can find only two types of images of Christ: in the form of an ordinary person or baby, and also in the form of the King of Kings. The icon of Christ the Savior is always located on the central dome of any Orthodox church, because this is considered the most honorable place.

There are several iconographic types of this icon in the main church canons.

Savior Not Made by Hands

This shrine is considered the very first in the world. History tells that the Icon of the Savior has two legends about its origin. One of them tells about the time of Christ’s life in Osroene. The local king Abgar V suffered for a long time from the terrible “black leprosy.” Suddenly he heard about an extraordinary man-miracle worker who visited his city. The king sent his painter Ananias to Jesus with a request to heal him. However, the artist still could not approach the Son of God - he was surrounded by a crowd of believers and admirers. Desperate, he decided to sketch Christ, but he could not depict his face. Finally, the Savior himself invited him to his place. To reward the painter, he asked to bring water, washed himself with it and dried himself with a brush. Miraculously, the water turned into paint, and the image of Christ appeared on the canvas. Having received the ubrus, King Avgar was healed and got rid of the ancient idols.

Another legend says that the holy image appeared on the handkerchief with which the Savior wiped his face before Calvary during his prayer. Only after the Ascension was this gift given to Ananias.

Savior Almighty

This is one of the fundamental images of Christ in icon painting. It is designed to show a saving, generous and creative God who holds the whole vast world in his hand. Here he is depicted with a blessing right hand and the Gospel. At the same time, the icon of the Savior shows all the boundless kindness and compassion of God.

This image in iconography began to take shape in the 6th century. At this time, almost all holy images were created in Constantinople. That is why the face and robes of Christ took on the uniform form that we now see in the church.

In Rus', the painting appeared around the 11th century. According to legend, the Savior Pantocrator was considered a prayer icon for Russian princes. It was even placed near the tombs of the Yaroslavl rulers Vasily and Constantine.

Savior on the throne

In this image, the Lord is depicted on the throne in full height. Here he is shown not only as the ruler of the whole world, but also as the only judge. His right hand is also raised in blessing, and his left holds the open Gospel. The throne symbolizes the vast Universe and defines the royal glory and power of the Lord.

However, this image is not the only one. There is another orthodox icon- an icon of the Savior on the throne, where with his right hand he points to the Gospel. This is how the Lord determines the priority and primacy of sacred church power over secular power. There is a well-known legend that tells about a certain Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos. He independently painted the icon of the Savior on the throne, but he quarreled with one Greek priest and decided to punish him for his disagreement. At night, Manuel had a dream in which God was punishing him for interfering in church affairs. Waking up, the emperor discovered numerous wounds on his body. And, looking at the icon, he saw that the Savior had changed the position of his hand. Now he pointed to the lines of the open Gospel. It is known that this icon was called “Manuel the Savior”, or “Golden Robe of the Savior” (for its rich gilded frame).

Savior is in power

This is one of the most symbolic images of the Lord. This icon of Christ the Savior has not yet been fully solved and is interpreted in different ways. Here the Almighty sits at full height on the throne. In his hands is the open Gospel. And the most remarkable thing is that he is always depicted against the background of a red square with slightly elongated ends. The square here symbolizes the Earth. In addition, at its ends there are depicted an angel, a lion, an eagle and a calf. It is generally accepted that these are symbolic images of the faithful evangelists - Matthew, Mark, John and Luke. They seem to spread the teachings of Christ throughout the world.

On top of this red square is a blue oval. This is our spiritual world. It depicts angels, symbolizing all the powers of heaven. A red diamond is again drawn on top of this oval. It defines invisible to humans world.

There is a belief that in this image Jesus will appear at the end of time, at the Last Judgment.

Spas Emmanuel

As a rule, Jesus is depicted in all icons in a mature form, when he was baptized, performed miracles and was martyred. However, there are exceptions. The Icon of the Savior, the significance of which is difficult to overestimate, depicts Christ in infancy and adolescence. He is presented both in composition with other saints and separately. Moreover, the image of the Lord in these paintings is usually called “Savior Emmanuel.”

This icon symbolizes the predestination of everything on Earth, the fulfillment of the highest divine plan. The first such images appeared in some Italian mosaics in the 6th-7th centuries. In Rus', Emmanuel was written together with two angels.

The history of this image is based on some biblical texts. Emmanuel signifies the expression “God with us.” Most icons depict Jesus as a child of 12 years old. He has a rather wise and mature look in his eyes for childhood. Otherwise, he is described in the same way as the adult image of Christ.

Spas Blagoye Silence

He is also called the Angel of the Great Council. This is an icon of the Savior (photo or any other image of him), showing Christ before his earthly incarnation. He is represented by an angel - a young man with large wings behind his back. Above his head he has a cross or a special octagonal halo. It consists of red and black squares superimposed on each other. The colors represent the divinity and incomprehensibility of the Creator.

In Rus', this angel was depicted from the waist up, with a special eight-pointed halo and folded hands. The icon became most famous and popular in the 18th-19th centuries. The image of Christ symbolized humility and inaction in the face of destined trials and even death.

This icon enjoyed honor and respect among both Old Believers and pilgrims. However, it has not received proper distribution, and it is quite difficult to find ancient examples of it.

Orthodox icons: icon of the Savior Pantocrator

Just as the iconography of Jesus Christ occupies the central part of all ancient Orthodox iconography, so the Savior Pantocrator (photo icons are presented below) is an image that occupies the main place among all the many types of images of the Lord. The dogmatic meaning of this icon is very great: Christ is the Heavenly King and Judge, “Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Lord who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” In almost every Orthodox church, in the central part of the dome there is this image, which can be found complete with traditional Russian Orthodox iconostases or as a single icon.

Description of the icon of the Savior Almighty

The Savior Christ on the icon can be depicted in different positions: sitting, waist-deep, full-length or chest-length, in the left hand with a scroll or the Gospel, and the right hand is in a blessing gesture.

The epithet “Almighty” expresses the dogma of the Incarnation, which symbolizes the Divine and human nature of the Savior. He is also called in Greek “Pantocrator”, where the first part of the word means “all”, and the second - “strength”, that is, the All-Powerful and the Almighty. According to the literary translation - “It is possible for Him to create everything”, He is the “Ruler of the world” and “The Ruler of everything.”

The term “Almighty” appears repeatedly in the Old Testament; the ancient Jews called their “living” God, whom they worshiped, this way, then they began to address Jesus Christ this way.

Ancient icon

The appearance of the image of Christ Pantocrator in Byzantium dates back to the 4th-6th centuries. The oldest of the iconographic images is the icon called Christ Pantocrator from the Sinai Monastery (VI century).

The icon of the Savior Almighty “Savior on the Throne” is one of the most ancient diagrams, where Christ is depicted frontally, seated on a throne with a pillow, in traditional clothes and with a stool at his feet.

The early and first images of the Savior on the throne can be seen in the Roman catacombs (III-IV centuries). But the iconography would take final shape in the post-iconoclast period (10th century).

The throne has the meaning of an attribute of royal dignity. To the Old Testament prophets, God appeared seated on a throne. This is exactly how the Lord will appear on earth, on the Day of General Resurrection, to carry out His Last Judgment on all people living and dead.

The icon of the Almighty Savior “Manuel the Savior”, according to legend, belongs to the brush of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I, and is distinguished by a special gesture of the right hand, indicating the text of the Gospel.

There are several more interpretations of the image of Christ: “The Savior in Power”, in the traditional Russian iconostasis, as well as the icon of Christ seated on a throne surrounded by the Heavenly Host, Psychososter (Soul Savior), Eleemon (Merciful).

Iconoclasm

The icon of the Savior Almighty shows the age of Christ, which corresponds to the time when He began to preach. He is depicted with straight, shoulder-length hair and a small beard and mustache on his fair face.

According to the canon, the Savior wore a red tunic and a blue himation on top of it. Blue is a symbol of heaven, red is martyrdom and the color of blood. The vestments of Christ are interpreted as the solitude of the heavenly, earthly and spiritual. In the history of Christianity, icons became a point of contention between supporters of icon veneration, who pointed to the human and divine nature of Jesus, and heretics, who denied all this.

From the 4th to the 6th centuries there was an iconoclastic struggle, when thousands of icons, mosaics and frescoes were destroyed because they became a stronghold of faith for many people, and supporters of icon painting were severely punished. Only in 842 at the Council of Constantinople did adherents of orthodox views achieve victory, and the iconoclasts were anathematized. The icon of the Savior Pantocrator eventually became a symbol of victory over heresy.

Savior Almighty: icon, meaning

Before the image of this icon, prayers are offered by people who want to thank the Great Lord for help and support or to receive a blessing for planned deeds. Prayer to the icon of the Almighty Savior will help you receive consolation and strength. They also pray to her to receive healing from physical and spiritual injuries and deliverance from sinful thoughts. You can offer your prayers not only for yourself, but also for your family and close friends.

Help

The icon “Lord Almighty” can be presented as a gift as part of a wedding couple for newlyweds or as a gift to a loved one. Since this icon has very strong energy, it can guide the true path of salvation of the soul, if, of course, a person repents, and give miraculous healing to a sincere believer. Before asking God for mercy, you must read the Lord’s Prayer.

To the question of how the Icon of the Savior Almighty helps, we can answer that Jesus Christ is the chief physician of our souls and bodies, who knows about everything and our prayer should be directed to Him first and foremost. According to church rules, the icon of the Savior is placed at the head of the entire iconostasis.

Many different kinds of miracles and healings near this icon are described. However, there are those who consider icons to be superstition and deception, but experience shows quite the opposite; a truly believing person will not begin his day without prayer, as one speaks to God even across the blue sea, but without God not to the threshold.

Relation to icons

And in general, any Orthodox icon is not a picture at all, where you can admire the composition of the plot or the play of colors and admire the talents of the artist who created it.

The icon, first of all, is severity and tenderness. In contrast to any picture, it makes us think about eternal values ​​and the state of the soul, bringing us closer to God.

When we look at the icon and pray, it fills us with that all-encompassing grace that invisibly envelops us, calls us to salvation, awakens our conscience in us, and thereby opens up prayer.

Veneration of shrines

And if Orthodox Christians are accused of worshiping icons as idols, then this is an incorrect statement. They do not worship them, but honor them as a shrine. Believers understand perfectly well what icons are, and through them they offer honor and praise to the prototype of the Lord Almighty.

All earthly people are united by the desire to live without problems, to have health and well-being. And this is all on the basis of faith, hope and love, which are essential Christian virtues.

Life will definitely change for the better if you start praying intensely and thanking the Lord for everything - both for all the good and for the bad that happens in our lives. God help everyone!

Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands. The author of the icon, its description, meaning. Prayer to the icon "Savior Not Made by Hands"

In the Orthodox Church, one of the most famous and revered images is the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands. Its history goes back to the times of the New Testament, when the Savior performed his earthly ministry. The legend about the emergence of the first miraculous image is set out in a book called the Chetya Menaion. Here's what she says.

History of the icon "Savior Not Made by Hands"

The ancient ruler Avgar Ukhama V fell ill with leprosy. Realizing that only a miracle could save him, he sent his servant named Hannan to Jesus Christ with a letter in which he asked Him to come to him in the city of Edessa and heal him. Hannan was a skilled artist, so he was instructed, in case Christ did not want to come, to paint His portrait and bring it to the ruler.

The servant found Jesus surrounded, as usual, by a crowd of people. To get a better look at Him, Hannan climbed onto a high stone, settled there and began to draw. This did not hide from the all-seeing eye of the Lord. Knowing the artist's intentions, Jesus asked for water, washed His face, and wiped it with a cloth, on which His features were miraculously preserved. The Lord gave this miraculous portrait to Hannan and ordered it to be sent to Abgar, who sent it, adding that He Himself would not come, since He had to fulfill the mission entrusted to Him, but would send one of His disciples to him.

Healing of Avgar

When Avgar received the precious portrait, his body was cleared of leprosy, but traces of it still remained on his face. The ruler was delivered from them by the holy Apostle Thaddeus, who came to him at the command of the Lord.

The healed Abgar believed in Christ and received holy baptism. Many residents of the city were baptized along with him. He ordered the board with the image of the Savior to be attached to the board and placed in a niche of the city gate. This is how the first icon “Savior Not Made by Hands” appeared.

The significance of this event is very great. Christians acquired an image generated not by the imagination of a mortal man, but by the will of the Creator. However, years passed, and one of Abgar's descendants fell into idolatry. To save the precious image, the Bishop of Edessa ordered the niche in which it was located to be walled up. They did so, but before placing the last stone, they lit a lamp in front of it. The vanity of the world filled the minds of the townspeople, and the wonderful image was forgotten for many years.

Second acquisition of the image

The Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands spent many years in a niche. Only in 545, when the city was besieged by the Persians, a miracle happened. The bishop of the city had an apparition of the Most Holy Theotokos, who informed them that only the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, walled up over the gates of the city, would deliver them from their enemies. They urgently dismantled the masonry and found the Image Not Made by Hands, in front of which the lamp was still burning. On the clay board that covered the niche, the exact same image of the Savior miraculously appeared. When the townspeople made a religious procession with the acquired shrine, the Persians retreated. In this miraculous way, the city was delivered from the enemy by the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands. The description of this event was brought to us by Sacred Tradition. It is in the memory of everyone who is familiar with Christian literature.

After more than eighty years, Edessa became an Arab city. Now this territory belongs to Syria. However, the veneration of the holy image was not interrupted. The whole East knew that praying to the icon of the “Savior Not Made by Hands” works miracles. Historical documents indicate that already in the 8th century all Christians of the East celebrated holidays in honor of this holy image.

Transfer of the image to Constantinople

In the middle of the 10th century, pious Byzantine emperors bought the shrine from the ruler of the city of Edessa and solemnly transferred it to Constantinople, to the Pharos Church of the Mother of God.

There, for more than three hundred years, the icon “Savior Not Made by Hands” was located. The significance of this fact is that while previously it was in the hands of Muslims, it has now become the property of the Christian world.

Information about the further fate of the image is contradictory. According to one version, the icon was taken away by the crusaders after they captured Constantinople. However, the ship on which they tried to deliver her to Europe was caught in a storm and sank in the Sea of ​​Marmara. Another version indicates that it is kept in Genoa in the monastery of St. Bartholomew, where it was taken in the mid-14th century.

Different types of image

The image that appeared on the clay board covering the niche in which the image was walled up became the reason that the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands is now presented in two versions. There is an image of the Most Pure Face on the ubrus, it is called “Ubrus” (translated as a scarf), and without the ubrus it is called “Skull”. Both types of icons are equally revered Orthodox Church. It should be noted that Western iconography presented another type of this image. It's called Veronica's Plat. On it the Savior is depicted on a board, but wearing a crown of thorns.

The story will be incomplete without touching on the history of its appearance. This version of the image is associated with the Passion of Christ, or more precisely, with the episode of carrying the cross. According to the Western version, Saint Veronica, accompanying Jesus Christ on his way of the cross to Golgotha, wiped His face from drops of blood and sweat with a linen handkerchief. The most pure face of the Savior was imprinted on him, preserving the features inherent in Him at that moment. Therefore, in this version, Christ is depicted on the board, but wearing a crown of thorns.

Early lists of images in Rus'

The first copies of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands came to Rus' immediately after the establishment of Christianity. These were, apparently, Byzantine and Greek copies. Of the earliest images of this iconographic type that have reached us, we can name the Novgorod Savior Not Made by Hands. The author of the icon gave the face of Christ extraordinary depth and spirituality.

Features of the writing of early icons

A feature of the most ancient icons of a similar theme is a clear background on which the holy face is depicted. Missing are the folds of the scarf or the textured details of the clay board (and in some cases the brickwork) that covered the original image. All these details appear no earlier than the second half of the 13th century. Since the 14th-15th centuries, the Russian tradition has included depicting figures of angels holding the upper ends of a scarf.

Veneration of the image in Russia

In Rus', this image has always been one of the most revered. It was he who was depicted on the battle banners of the Russian army. Particular worship of him as a miraculous image began after the crash of the royal train near Kharkov in 1888. Emperor Alexander III, who was in it, miraculously escaped from imminent death. It is generally accepted that this happened due to the fact that he had a copy of the Savior Not Made by Hands with him.

After this miraculous deliverance from death, the highest church leadership established a special prayer service glorifying the miraculous icon. IN Everyday life The holy image, through prayers addressed to it with faith and humility, brings people healing from ailments and the granting of requested benefits.

The name of the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin and the gate of the same name are directly related to this icon. Until 1917, it was located above the gate on its inner side. This was a list of miraculous icons delivered from Vyatka in 1647. Later she was placed in the Novospassky Monastery.

In the Christian tradition, the special significance of this image is due to the fact that it is considered as material proof of the truth of the Savior’s incarnation in the form of a man. In the era of iconoclasm, this was the most important argument in favor of supporters of icon veneration.

What icon of the Savior should be in the house

Quote from Vladislavna's message Read in full In your quotation book or community!
What icon of the Savior should be in the house.

The icon of the Savior represents to old (mortal) man the image of God in his familiar system of material perception of the world around him. It reminds us that Jesus Christ, possessing a Divine nature, was once a real earthly man. At the same time, the believer, standing before the holy Image of the Creator and opening up in prayer, gets the opportunity to recognize the Divine spark in himself. Therefore, the theology of the icon of the Savior is a tool that helps a person find the way to his Creator and accept Him.
The icon of Jesus Christ is always recognizable; it differs from images of saints in that a cross is inscribed in the halo above the Savior’s head. This halo, crowning the Face of the Lord and symbolizing the Uncreated Light, indicates the heavenly origin of the Word - the earthly incarnation of the second hypostasis of God. And the obligatory cross is a symbol of victory over sin and death, the patience shown by the Savior during torment.
In the iconography of Jesus Christ, the diverse variety of His images is represented by six main types, divided into 20 subtypes. “Savior Not Made by Hands,” “Lord Almighty,” and “Lord on the Throne” are the most common canonical types of the image of the Savior, familiar to every Christian.
The Savior Not Made by Hands - this image is widespread and has long been loved in Rus'. Characteristic features of the Image of the “Savior Not Made by Hands” - a large Face of Jesus Christ, a woman giving cloth, background: knotted fabric with a border, neutral, tiles.
Tradition says about the origin of the icon that Jesus Christ Himself made an imprint by applying the canvas (ubrus) to his face. The Savior refused the invitation to personally come to Edessa to cure King Abgar of leprosy, but gave him such a miraculous image. Abgar, having been miraculously healed, kept the towel with reverence and, in order to save it during an attack by enemies, walled it up over the gates of the city. However, the image inexplicably passed through the stones, imprinted on their surface, which plunged the enemy into horror. This is how two types of icons arose: the background for the face is fabric - “Savior on the ubrus” or stone (tile) - “Savior on the chrepiya”.
History remembers another lifetime image of Jesus Christ; it was imprinted on a scarf given by Veronica when the Savior went to execution. The image of this merciful woman, who had compassion for Christ, can also often be seen on the icon.
John of Damascus, in his “Exact Exposition of the Faith,” cites the words of someone who saw the authentic Image Not Made by Hands, transferred in the 14th century from Constantinople to Genoa. He testifies that the Image is wonderful and majestic, and everyone who looks at it feels the Divine Power and Glory and is in awe. And in the message of the proconsul of Palestine Leptulus to the Senate it is said that the sight of the Face of Christ is wonderfully noble and evokes both love and fear...
Savior Almighty with his blessing right hand (right hand) is the main image of Jesus Christ, it can be half-length or full-length and very rarely chest-length. The key meaning of such an icon: the Savior is an almighty provider and arbiter of destinies; and its Greek name Pankrator is translated as All-Powerful.
In the temple, the Lord Almighty is often placed in the form of a fresco or mosaic under the central dome, which significantly enhances the perception of the idea of ​​the image. When compiling a home iconostasis, they most often acquire this particular image of the Savior in the form of a separate icon or a composite one, called the “Twelfth Feasts”. The latter consists of a centerpiece depicting Pankrator, and stamps with twelve written the most important events earthly path of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary.
The inspired Face of the Almighty (Pankrator) is painted in accordance with canonical dogmas approved in the 9th century. The fingers of His blessing hand are folded as a sign of power and teaching and signify the duality of the nature of Jesus Christ. Mandatory signs of the iconography of the Savior Almighty are a book or scroll, an abbreviated inscription of His name - IC XC, elements of clothing - a tunic and a himation.
The book is a sign of the power and saving teaching brought by Jesus Christ to the world; lines from the Gospel are given on its open pages. By the way, among the first, pre-iconal, images of the Savior, when early Christians feared accusations of idolatry, He was depicted as a fish, a lamb and a book.
Chiton is a spacious long tunic, drawn red, which symbolizes His earthly nature; According to legend, this shirt was made by the Mother of God herself. On the right shoulder of the tunic there is a sewn symbol of patrician dignity - the clav. The tunic of Jesus Christ was solidly woven from the very top; this was highly valued, which is why the executioners divided His vestments at the Cross.
The blue cape like a cloak (himatium), depicted on the icon, emphasizes the heavenly essence of the Savior with color.
The Savior on the Throne refers to another separate type of icon of the Almighty. This multi-component composition, imbued with subtle symbolism, like a theological treatise, tells about the Gospel prophecies of the Last Judgment. The Savior with a blessing hand is depicted in full growth sitting on a throne, personifying the highest power over the entire visible and invisible world. IN in this case Christ is presented in the role of the Supreme Judge, the formidable Ruler of the world, the Logos - the creative God who came at the end of time.
The main feature of this image is a multi-layered background consisting of a red square, a blue oval and a red diamond in the background. The square symbolizes the earthly world, and the lion, angel, eagle and calf at its corners symbolize the four evangelists. The blue oval with drawn angels, located behind the square, is an image of the heavenly world, the red diamond behind it is a sign of the invisible world. This alternation of colors is not used by chance: it indicates the duality of the nature of the Savior, the close interconnectedness of the spiritual and the physical.
In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Surround (name), Lord, with your heavenly power,
with all yours with the saints with the angels, with
archangels, with cherubim and seraphim and with
with all your heavenly strength, and protect me
Lord, by Your life-giving cross and the living
the cross of Jesus Christ the Son of the Lord, and
save me Lord and save me Lord from
all sorrow and illness, and help me
Lord in all my deeds and thoughts
life, and save and preserve me, Lord,
at every time and in every place from now and
up to a century. Amen. Amen. Amen.