Volunteers from Orthodox service help "Mercy". They are constantly approached with various questions. We publish answers to the most FAQ, including what to do with the belts that are distributed in memory of the shrine.
About the queue

Question: Until when will the Belt of the Virgin Mary be in the church?
Answer: The stay of the belt has been extended until 05:00 November 28 (Monday).

Question: How long do we have to wait in line?
Answer: Unknown. IN different time people stood from 4 to 12-13 hours. We cannot predict how long you will have to stand. The queue varies in length and moves at different speeds. It's very difficult to predict. Be patient, you may have to stand for a long time. God help you!

Question: How many kilometers do we still have to stand?
Answer: from 3 to 5 km (from Andreevsky Bridge 3.5 km)

Question: What are the nearest metro stations here?
Answer: Metro stations - “Park Kultury” (radial) and “Frunzenskaya”. There is no need to come to Kropotkinskaya! They will still send you to the end of the line. We recommend leaving Frunzenskaya, crossing Komsomolsky Prospekt and going to the embankment.

Question: Who gets skipped in line?
Answer: Disabled people (only obvious, obvious ones); children (only infants, not older than 4 years) accompanied by one adult; Pregnant women (long term, when pregnancy is obvious) are skipped in line. They must go to Kropotkinskaya and go to the entrance to the temple.

Question: I got in line for a relative. Will he be able to get in line with me?
Answer: A person can join the queue (if a place has been taken for him) only BEFORE the first fence. Behind the fence, the queue is divided into groups of 50-70 people so that there is no crowding. Riot police, police and military personnel are vigilantly ensuring that no one gets inside the fence without a queue. Persuasion does not work; order is strictly observed.

Question: Are people with disabilities of groups 2 and 3 allowed to skip the queue?
Answer: No. Only wheelchair users or disabled people of group 1 who have the appropriate ID.

Question: Is there access at night?
Answer: Access to the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary is open 24 hours a day
Question: Are they allowed into the Temple with bags, carts, and a thermos?
Answer: No. All this will have to be left in special tents near the metal detectors in front of the entrance to the Temple.

Question: Is it possible to submit notes / buy candles, icons, akathists in the church?
Answer: Yes, you can.

Question: Are donations accepted here in line?
Answer: No. The line does not accept donations and does not sell anything. Those who collect donations here (or sell icons, calendars, etc.) do so without blessing. Donations to the Athos Monastery (Vatoped), where the Belt of the Virgin Mary is kept, can be made directly in the Temple. There are special boxes there, you will see them.

Information

There are heating buses and dry closets along the entire line. Ambulances are on duty.
On Prechistenskaya Embankment, field kitchens have been deployed along the line, distributing tea and porridge (in addition, there are paid food stations along the line). You need to get to these points (they start behind the fences - about 1.5 km from the place where we are on duty - St. Andrew's Bridge)

About the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Question: What is this – the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary?
Answer: This is a shrine that has been preserved for almost 2000 years. During earthly life Mother of God he belonged to Her. Part of the belt, brought to Moscow, is permanently kept in the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos.

Question: How to apply it correctly, what generally needs to be done there?
Answer: It is blessed to apply with the hand, and not with the lips, to speed up the movement of the line. You will have little time, so you need to pray and cross yourself in advance. Having quickly kissed yourself, you will go forward and receive icons of the Mother of God and belts consecrated on the Belt, one for each kisser.

Question: How should you pray there?
Answer: You can pray now. If you know the prayer “Rejoice to the Virgin Mary,” you can read it. You can read the akathist to the Mother of God. Can be read a short prayer: “Most Holy Mother of God, save us!” and pray in your own words for yourself and your loved ones.

Question: Will I have time to pray when I apply the Belt?
Answer: No, you will kiss very quickly and immediately go forward, receive a belt and go to the exit. It is better to pray in advance - including now.

Question: Where can I get prayer?
Answer: You can buy a book - Akathist to the Mother of God in the shop in the temple when you get there. In the meantime, you can pray in your own words or read prayers that you know (Virgin Mary, Rejoice...)

Question: Is it possible to attach an icon, a cross, to the Belt?
Answer: Yes, you can, but only very quickly (so as not to delay the queue).

Question: Is it possible to attach the things of a sick person to the Belt so that he recovers?
Answer: No, there is no point in applying any household items. The custom of putting things on is associated with magic and superstition; it has nothing to do with Orthodoxy. You need to pray to God with all your heart for the person for whom you wish recovery. You can bring him a consecrated belt so that he can venerate it and pray.

About belts
Question: I heard they give you some souvenirs there?
Answer: When you venerate the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos, you will be given a belt blessed on it and a small icon of the Mother of God. These are not souvenirs, these are shrines. They must be treated with reverence.

Question: Can I ask for another belt for my daughter (son, husband, etc.)?
Answer: No. Each person who venerates the veneration is given one consecrated belt and a small icon of the Mother of God.

Question: If they give me a belt, can only I use it? Or can you give it to other people?
Answer: This is a shrine, everyone can venerate it. Not only you, but also your loved ones and other people.

Question: Can I buy additional belts?
Answer: No, belts are not for sale.

Question: Can I give my belt to someone?
Answer: Yes, you can.

Question: Is it possible to cut the belt into several parts and distribute it to relatives?
Answer: Yes.

Question: Where should I keep the consecrated belt?
Answer: You can store it at home next to the icons, in the red corner. Or in another place, but you need to keep the shrine with reverence.

Question: What to do with the consecrated belt?
Answer: The belt must be treated with reverence; you can apply to it with faith and prayer.

Question: Can I wear the belt on myself? So that he can help better. Where should it be worn, on the stomach or on the wrist?
You can wear it on yourself, but that’s not the main thing. The main thing is to turn to God and the Mother of God with prayer. Wearing a belt in itself means nothing if we do not pray with all our hearts

Question: Does the belt help at all?
Answer: Let's figure out what “helps” means. We are not addressing the Belt, we are addressing the Mother of God Herself. The belt is a shrine, it is an object that has survived to this day, which was touched by the Most Holy Theotokos Herself. We venerate this shrine with faith and reverence, and it is very important to pray to God and the Mother of God. The most important thing is our prayer and our desire for God.

People's faith in the Almighty is so great that it gives strength to overcome the most incredible obstacles and heals from any ailment. After all, there is nothing in this world that would be inaccessible to our God. Of course, not all Orthodox Christians have the kind of faith that would support them and give them strength in different life circumstances. That is why holy things were given to us, venerating them with prayer and sincere request, we can see with our own eyes a real miracle. One of these wonderful things is the Belt of the Virgin Mary.

This shrine visited Moscow only once, but it caused a lot of noise. According to some reports, during a month of stay in Russia, about three million believers venerated the Belt. Even more Orthodox Christians were unable to get into the churches where the shrine was located. Today our article is devoted to the stay of the Belt of the Virgin Mary in Moscow, as well as a story about the shrine itself and its particles, which are located in various churches in the capital.

Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary: what is it

Much less is known about this relic than about other Christian shrines. It is known that the Belt belonged to the Mother of God when she was carrying her son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, it has great healing power and helps to cope with various women's problems.

It is noteworthy that until the ninth century, Christians did not mention in any sources the Belt of the Virgin Mary, which was considered lost. Only later did information about his miraculous power, and it turned into a revered shrine in Constantinople.

On the calendar Orthodox holidays there is even a special day dedicated to this relic. The holiday is celebrated on August 31st.

Finding the Belt of the Virgin Mary

The first written sources mentioning this shrine appeared in Constantinople. They were written by different authors at approximately the same time.

One of them said that the Belt was kept in a small temple built in the city of Zila. Here the relic lay forgotten by everyone until it was transported to Constantinople. A separate chapel was built for her, and a little later a canon of a holiday dedicated to the shrine arose.

According to another version, the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary was kept in Jerusalem, from where it was transported to Constantinople around the fifth century. They put it in the ark and practically forgot about the relic for four hundred years. During this period, Emperor Leo sat on the throne, his beloved wife suffered from mental illness. Many doctors considered her possessed and threw up their hands when the emperor asked about the possibility of her healing. But one day the sick woman herself saw in a dream how a relic hidden in the ark completely healed her of her illness. The Emperor immediately ordered the Belt of the Virgin Mary to be taken out and unrolled it over his wife’s head. Immediately the demons left the woman, and the shrine took its rightful place in the temple of Constantinople. From that time on, the clergy marked a special day in the calendar when a holiday was solemnly celebrated in honor of the amazing and miraculous relic.

Fall of Constantinople

After the city was sacked and partially destroyed, the trace of the Belt of the Virgin Mary was lost for some time. From time to time information came about his whereabouts in certain temple complexes.

At the moment, there are eleven temples where particles of the Belt of the Virgin Mary are kept. In Moscow, such a place also exists, although many believers do not even suspect it.

Temple of the Prophet Elijah

If you, like many other pilgrims, were unable to venerate the Belt of the Virgin Mary in Moscow in 2011, then do not despair. Of course, this shrine, first brought from Athos, has great importance in the eyes of believers. But in fact, pieces of it have long been stored in the Temple of the Prophet Elijah in Moscow. The belt of the Virgin Mary did not get there by accident, but let’s talk about everything in order.

One of the most revered temples in the capital was built at the end of the sixteenth century. Surprisingly, it was erected in just one day. That’s why they called it “Ordinary”; the lanes closest to the structure received the same name.

Initially, the temple was wooden, and only at the beginning of the eighteenth century did it acquire the outlines familiar to our contemporaries. It is noteworthy that even during the years of Soviet power, divine services were held here, and in the most turbulent times there was a religious procession to the temple.

At the moment, about seventy-three shrines are kept in this church, among them is a piece of the Belt of the Virgin. It came to Moscow during the tsarist regime and is kept in a reliquary at the chapel of Peter and Paul. Some believers, in order to have a memory of this shrine at home, purchase a small icon of the Mother of God and place it on the relic when visiting the temple. It is not known whether such an icon can work miracles, but many Orthodox believers talk about healing and help in matters after home prayer To the Blessed Virgin.

How does the Belt of the Virgin Mary help?

There are always a lot of women among the pilgrims to this shrine, and there is a simple explanation for this - the Belt especially helps in getting pregnant, bearing and giving birth healthy baby. Therefore, every woman who dreams of adding to her family can come and venerate the relic. There is numerous evidence that the Belt of the Virgin Mary even helps to cure infertility at all its stages. The shrine also promotes successful delivery of a child during a difficult pregnancy or, for example, entanglement in the umbilical cord and malpresentation of the fetus.

Despite the fact that a piece of the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been in Moscow for more than a hundred years, many Orthodox believers dream of venerating the relic, which is kept on Mount Athos. However, such an opportunity, unfortunately, is provided extremely rarely. If you are interested in when the Belt of the Virgin Mary was brought to Moscow, then we hasten to disappoint you - it was the only time in modern history, in 2011. The grandiose event is worth telling separately.

The path from Mount Athos to Russia

The relic left Greece for the first time; monks from Mount Athos accompanied it on the journey. It is noteworthy that not a single woman can set foot on the land of Athos - this is strictly prohibited. Therefore, it was difficult to even imagine that the Belt would ever be

In which temple was the relic kept all these years on Mount Athos? She was located in what is known as Vatopedi. It is considered the second most important among and is also the richest and most ancient.

Where has the shrine been?

The Belt of the Virgin Mary traveled across Russia for thirty-nine days on a special plane. Monks from Athos accompanied him everywhere; they managed to visit fourteen cities and one monastery.

The route was drawn up in a special way. He formed Orthodox cross, and the last point was the Russian capital.

Belt of the Virgin Mary in Moscow: in which temple it was located

In 2011, an event took place that everyone still remembers Orthodox Christians of Russia. For the first time in the history of the location of the shrine on Mount Athos, the Belt of the Virgin Mary came to our country. In Moscow, in which church was it placed? This question is irrelevant for Christians in the capital. They all know that the shrine was in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior for several days, where queues of many kilometers lined up.

In a few days, many people managed to visit the relic, but still large quantity Believers could not even get close to the walls of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. To this day, people remember that it was possible to get inside only in one case - by standing in line for fifteen to twenty hours in the cold. After all, the shrine arrived in the capital at the end of November.

To touch the Belt of the Virgin Mary they could more people, the clergy changed the order of approach to the relic. You had to touch her not with your lips, but with your hand. This allowed the line to move as quickly as possible. At the same time, pilgrims passed notes to the temple servant, which indicated the names of loved ones. Later these names were listed during church services.

Will the Belt of the Virgin Mary ever be brought to Russia from Athos again? Nobody knows. But miracles still happen, so you shouldn’t stop praying for them.

Prayer before the Belt of the Virgin Mary

Troparion, prayer to the position of the honorable belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Ever-Virgin Mother of God, the covering of men, the robe and girdle of Your most pure body, You bestowed the sovereignty of Your city on Your city, Who by Your seedless Nativity is incorruptible, for through You both nature and time are renewed. We also pray to You to grant peace to Your city and great mercy to our souls.

Oh, Blessed Mother of God, Most Immaculate and Joyful, may we, Thy weak people, rejoice, for by Thy Power and Power we have crushed all our enemies, visible and invisible, and may we glorify and magnify Thee, as the Invincible Victory of the All-Powerful.

Blessings to my queen, my hope to the Mother of God, friend of the orphans and strange intercessors, those who grieve with joy, those who are offended by the patroness! See my misfortune, see my sorrow, help me as I am weak, feed me as I am strange. Weigh my offense, resolve it as if by will: for I have no other help except You, no other intercessor, no good comforter, except You, O Mother of God, for you will preserve me and cover me forever and ever. Amen.

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Rules for wearing the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Rules for wearing the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Dear visitors to the Orthodox island “Family and Faith”!

Many of you receive the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We also put in the envelope short description on how to wear it correctly.

In this publication we will tell you more about how to wear the Belt correctly, in what cases you need to wear it and how to care for it.

The Most Holy Theotokos wove with her own hands a belt of camel hair, which she wore until the end of Her earthly life. Then Her Belt was kept by pious Jerusalem widows.

Monks, both from ancient times and now, make belts and apply them to the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary. By the grace of the Mother of God, many miracles are performed from them!

With the blessing of the Most Holy Theotokos through Her Honest Belt, many childless spouses, resolving infertility, become parents, and patients with cancer and other incurable diseases are healed!

Now let's move on to questions and answers regarding wearing the Belt

Question: How should women wear the belts that were distributed near the shrine? Can they be washed?

Archimandrite of the Vatopedi Monastery – Father Ephraim – answers

– P The belts can be washed, but do not pour the first water down the drain; it is better to water indoor flowers or a tree, because the belts are all consecrated. I remember one incident that a pilgrim told me on our Mountain: “I wore a belt that I took on this Mountain, and along with this belt I had some paper handkerchiefs in my pocket. And one day, out of forgetfulness, I took everything that was in my pocket and threw it into the fire. And then I remembered that I threw the belt into the oven along with the scarves. And when I opened the stove, I saw that the belt had survived, the fire had not touched it.”

Question: Could you please tell me, father, how to properly use the blessed belt issued at the monastery?

– N You can wear the belt like a regular belt, you can sometimes remove it from the lower back and wrap it around your wrist (this is what young people wear). If you need to take it off completely (take a shower, bath, go to the pool, etc.), you can take it off. There shouldn't be any magic.

The basis of everything must be our love for the Lord and for His Most Pure Mother, Who, by His will, became our Mother. Or you can simply, praying to the Mother of God, kiss the belt consecrated on the Belt.

Question: Tell me if it’s bad that I didn’t take off my belt once when I was intimate with my husband. Very worried.

Archpriest Konstantin Parkhomenko answers:

- IN again and again I urge you to do the right thing Orthodox attitude to the shrine.

Is it a sin not to take it off when we go to the restroom, or when we enter into marital intimacy, or when... - there are many options.

Not a sin! It is sin when we put on a shrine and sin. This is a sin, and when we live the life we ​​live and which does not contradict Christian faith, – then this is not a sin.

If you are in a legal marriage, then Mother of Heaven will only rejoice at your relationship and bless you from Heaven.

Question: How long do you wear the Belt?

Priest Dimitry Sinyavin answers:

- P There is no need to wear a belt all the time. Wear only in special cases. And also in illness. Of course, just wearing the Belt will not provide much benefit. You should also try to say the prayer as often as possible: “Rejoice, Virgin Mary.” And yet, you need to live church life: regularly visit the temple and begin the Sacraments of Confession and Communion (once every 3-4 weeks). Then grace will flow abundantly upon you from the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The belt can be washed. Preferably without soap and powder, so that you can water the flowers with water. If you washed with soap, then the water should be poured under a tree or into the river.

You can also iron the Belt. At the same time, you need to read the prayer to the Queen of Heaven: “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice...”

Girdling with a Belt

The belt can go around the waist, arm or head.

The belt can be worn both over clothes and on a shirt (or T-shirt). It is better not to wear it on a naked body so that the Belt remains clean longer.

The belt can be worn both during the day and at night.

On prayer when wearing a shrine

In order for the Belt to heal and provide relief, while wearing it, you need to read the prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos:

B O little Virgin, rejoice, blessed Mary, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb, for you have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

You need to visit church every Sunday and begin the Sacrament of Confession and Communion once every 2-4 weeks, as priest Dimitry Sinyavin said above.

N And lastly, we want to say that only by living by repentance, confession, prayer and communion of the Holy Mysteries, can we turn the gaze of the Most Pure Mother of God to ourselves. And the Mother of God will definitely intercede for us before the throne of Her Son, and will ask us from Him for miraculous help!

Most Holy Theotokos, save us!

There were 197 comments left on the entry “Rules for wearing the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary.”

Hello, please tell me, is it possible to wear a belt all the time during pregnancy?

Yes, of course you can, and it’s very necessary!

Hello, please tell me whether it is possible to wear a belt after the deceased.

If the deceased was dear to you, then you can wear the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos that belonged to him, also as a memory of the deceased. If the deceased is not a person dear to you, then you can burn the Belt, or take it to the Temple.

Can unbaptized people wear the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

The belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary can be worn by all people who venerate Holy Virgin Mary, as the Mother of God, who believe in Her help, baptized or not. But without faith even those who have been baptized cannot wear it. The main thing is faith!

Hello. Please tell me if I can cut the belt, otherwise it’s too long. And can I divide what I cut and give it away?

Yes, of course, you can cut the Belt to the required length and distribute the cut of the shrine to your relatives, warning them that this is an Orthodox shrine that must be treated with reverence.

The Queen of Heaven bless you!

Good afternoon, please tell me, should I wear a belt during pregnancy?

Yes, you can wear the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary during pregnancy.

And, at the same time, try to read a short prayer at least several times a day (or better yet, several dozen times a day):

Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice, Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You, Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

May God grant you a successful pregnancy and a healthy baby!

Hello. Can you please send me and my husband some belts? we really want kids. Oleskaya region Rozdelnyansky rn. hetmans st. cherry 2 dyakova alla 67400

Allah, good evening!

You can order the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the Church Shop.

Good afternoon! I asked if a pregnant girl can wear a belt on her arm!! It’s not very comfortable on the belt, is it better to take it off your hand then?

If it is not convenient for you to wear the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary on your belt, then wear it on your hand.

But remember that such a great shrine should be worn with great reverence!

Good afternoon. Is it possible for a pregnant girl to wear a belt on her arm?

Why on the arm and not on the belt?

Hello! Please tell me, do both spouses need to wear belts? What needs to be done when wearing belts so that the Most Holy Theotokos will help my husband and I give birth to another child? I also know that the spouses should be married, but my husband says that he is not ready to get married yet and I can’t do anything in this situation. Thank you in advance for your response.

No, it is not necessary for both spouses to wear the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In order for the Lord to send a child, it is necessary to completely rely on the will of God, live according to the Commandments of God, pray daily and trust in the mercy of God.

By your good example of living according to God's Commandments, you can influence your husband.

Please tell me if I lost my food

Hello, please tell me, is it possible to singe the ends of the belt so as not to unravel?

Hello! She gave me her belt, very much good woman, who could not give birth for a long time! Then she gave birth to a boy. I put it on as soon as I found out I was pregnant and wore it as you wrote, but it tore! What should I do, bring it in or change it! I really believe in him and worry about him! Thanks for the answer!

Or maybe you can just sew it up? Is this possible?

Good day!

My stepfather was in the hospital, and his sister brought him the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Unfortunately, my stepfather died.

Please tell me what to do with the belt?

You can take the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary for yourself or take the Belt to the Temple.

Hello! Please answer, Holy Father. A friend gave me a piece of the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the “Living Help” belt. They explained to her that this piece needed to be sewn to the “Living Aid” belt and worn, right? And she also brought me a piece of earth from Kanavka from Diveevo. What to do with it? Can it be applied to a sore spot? Thank you in advance! God bless you!

Yes, you can do that. The holy earth can be applied to sore spots.

Good afternoon. Tell me what to do. It says here that the belt can be washed, but water should not be put into the sink, but I put it under running water and naturally the water went into the sink? What to do? I'm worried

To have a clear conscience, repent of this sin in confession and do not repeat it again. Don't worry, it's not such a big sin. For other sins that you may not worry about, but are more serious, for example, pride, condemnation, despondency, you need to think more and try to correct them.

Peace and God's blessing to you!

Hello, can you please tell me if I can wear this belt if I live in a civil marriage?

You can wear it, but will it be of any use? Living in fornication, is it possible to ask for children? After all, children will pay for the sins of their parents...

Hello, please tell me if I did the right thing by giving my belt after pregnancy and childbirth to my close friend, who has been dreaming of children for a long time. I gave it away only with the thought that I should help. But now for some reason I’m worried whether I did the right thing.

Yes, of course, you did the right thing and very well. Do not worry!

Good afternoon Please tell me, is it possible to wear a belt during menstruation?

Can. We always wear a cross on our body, and we also don’t take off the amulet or medallions, so the Belt can be worn at this time as well.

Hello. please tell me, a neighbor who has already given birth gave me her belt. Can I wear it too? Thank you.

God help you, through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos!

Hello. Please tell me, have you sent the Belt?

Oksana, good evening!

Unfortunately, no, since the post office is closed due to the holiday on February 23rd. The shrines will be sent to you as soon as possible.

Hello. I ordered the belts on 02/14/17. Have they been sent? I’m from Dagestan, it’s just that other sites don’t send to Dagestan.

Oksana, good evening!

Yes, your order was sent to you today, February 25, since the post office was previously closed due to the holidays.

Your parcel tracking number will be sent to you next week.

God bless you, through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos!

Good evening. They sent me a small piece of St. Matrona’s belt (((2 centimeters, how to use it or do I need a whole one so that I can tie it around myself?

Yes, you can wear a piece of the Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos with you, near your chest, and the benefit from it will be no less than from the whole Belt. The main thing is to have faith in God’s help, through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos!

Good afternoon. Unfortunately the belt is lost, what should I do about it? Do I need to somehow ask God for forgiveness?

You need to repent of this, pray and seek it. Read the “Creed” more often, and this way you will be able to find it faster.

Good afternoon I ordered a belt. Please tell me, in about how many days will I receive it?

Anna, good afternoon!

It depends on the work of the post office, we cannot say exactly when the parcel will arrive.

I would like to know if it has been sent?

Hello! Please tell me if the belt can be worn during surgery, in my case, dental surgery.

God help you, through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos!

Good afternoon, I ordered a belt, how long does it take to get to Krasnodar?

Expect within two weeks.

Hello! Please tell me where I can order such belts?

You can order the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Church Shop of the Orthodox website “Family and Faith” on the page: “Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary”.

Hello! I have such a belt, but recently I found out that a friend of mine is doing poorly and I would like to help her... is it possible to cut it off a little and give her a piece... will this piece help her and will mine continue to work?

Yes, you can separate part of the Belt and give it to a friend.

We would also like to note that in our Church Shop, for a fairly small donation, you can purchase an entire Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary of standard length.

God bless you!

Please tell me if non-Orthodox people can wear the belt, do they need to do anything before putting it on?

The belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary is Orthodox shrine. If you do not belong to Orthodoxy, then there will be no great benefit from wearing the Belt.

Orthodox shrines are like a continuation of the Sacraments of the Church. Baptism, Confession and Communion.

In exceptional cases, the Most Holy Theotokos helps non-Orthodox people. But for this you need to do good good deeds. Pray from the heart. Believe.

God help you!

Good day! I received the belts today. My husband and I asked for them because we can’t get pregnant. My husband is on a flight now. Will he be home by the beginning of February? Is it okay that the belts will sit until he comes home? I would like to do everything together! Thank you.

Yes, of course, it’s okay, let them lie down.

May God help you find the happiness of motherhood through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos!

Hello. I lost my belt while praying at work for my sister’s birth, all the time being distracted by work, putting it in my pocket, after a while I discovered that it was missing. I never found it. I bought another one from the monastery, I wear it, I’m pregnant now, I wear it all the time. But I worry about the lost one; it turns out that I treated the Shrine carelessly.

You go to Confession and repent of this. And your soul will become easier, and the Lord will forgive.

Hello, thank you, I ordered the belt

Oleg, good evening!

Please tell me, I wear a harness (live aids) but it is very long and gets in the way, can it be cut or not?

It's better not to cut it. You can fold the belt to a small size and put it in your shirt (jacket) pocket.

God bless you!

Hello, please tell me, my dad has stomach cancer, he was operated on, I took a holy belt from a friend and tied it around my dad, when processing the seam, it is unclear how the belt got in the way of the nurse, she untied or cut it and put it away in the waste, in the evening when I arrived at the sick center The nurse was no longer there, they searched, they said the garbage had been taken out and there was no access to it since all the garbage was classified as dangerous.

Please tell me what to do

The Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary is very similar to a dressing material. Therefore, the nurse mistook it for a medical bandage, which, in her opinion, was no longer needed.

There is no sin on you, you bandaged your father out of the best feelings, not suspecting such a bad consequence.

You can purchase a new Belt in our Church Shop, and be careful with it. That is, warn the medical staff about the shrine.

We wish you God's help, and your father physical and mental health!

God bless you!

History of the Belt of the Virgin Mary

According to the legend that has reached us, the Mother of God wove a belt from camel hair herself and wore it until her dormition (death). This shrine and particles of the robe are the only things of the Virgin Mary that have survived to this day.
There are two versions of how the Virgin Mary disposed of her belt.
According to one, the Mother of God, after her death, appeared to the Apostle Thomas and gave him the belt as a consolation, because... He was the only one among the apostles who did not say goodbye to her, but appeared only on the third day after the burial and grieved greatly about it.
Another version is taken from the Minology of Basil II and states that the belt was given by the Mother of God shortly before her death to two widows living in Jerusalem, and then the relic was passed on by the heirs from generation to generation. (note: Minology of Basil II - an illustrated Byzantine manuscript in the genre of hagiographic literature, compiled in 979-989)
In the 4th century, the Eastern Roman Emperor Arcadius brought the belt of the Virgin Mary to Constantinople to the Chalcopratian Church. The relic was placed in a golden ark, sealed with the royal seal. In 458, Emperor Leo I moved it to the Blachernae Church.
Until the end of the 12th century, the belt remained in Constantinople.
In the 10th century, the belt of the Virgin Mary was divided into parts. The emperors of Byzantium took one of the parts of the shrine with them on military campaigns as a talisman.
In 1185, during the struggle of Bulgaria for its independence from the Byzantine Empire, this part of the belt of the Virgin Mary was captured and ended up in Bulgaria, from where it later came to Serbia.
In the 14th century Serbian prince Lazarus I presented the belt along with a piece of the true Cross of the Lord as a gift to the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos, where it is kept to this day in the sanctuary of the main monastery cathedral.

The following claim to own the remaining parts of the Virgin's belt:
- Blachernae Church in Zugdidi (Georgia);
- Cathedral city ​​of Prato (Italy);
- Trier Monastery (Germany);
- Church "Umm Zunnar" ("Temple of the Belt of the Virgin Mary") in Homs (Syria).

The celebration of the belt, called the “Position of the Honorable Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary,” takes place on August 31 (old style), September 13 (new style).

Miracles of the Belt of the Virgin Mary

The wife of Leo VI the Wise (866-912), Zoe, was overwhelmed by an unclean spirit. The emperor asked the patriarch to open the ark with the holy relic. The belt turned out to be completely untouched by time. After it was applied to the patient, she completely got rid of her illness.
As a token of gratitude to the Mother of God for the miracle, the empress embroidered the belt with gold thread, after which it was again enclosed in the ark and sealed.

In 1827, the founder of the Hilandar monastery, Father Savva, writes: “In Enos, the pestilence of the plague stopped with the grace of the Holy Belt of the Mother of God,” and then, after the holy Belt was transported to Didimotikhon, the following entry appears: “Here, as in Enos, the pestilence ceased by the grace of the holy Belt.”

IN late XIX century, the Turkish Sultan Abdul-Aziz turned to the monks of Vatopedi with a request for a belt in connection with the cholera epidemic that was raging in Constantinople. As soon as the ship with the shrine on board approached the pier of Constantinople, the epidemic raging in the city stopped, and the already sick people began to recover. Abdul Aziz was so amazed by this event that he ordered the belt to be brought to his palace so that he could honor it.

In 1894, residents of the city of Madita (Asia Minor) were plagued by locusts that destroyed standing crops. Desperate people asked the fathers of the Vatopedi monastery to provide them with the belt of the Virgin Mary to fight this evil. As soon as the ship with the Belt approached the harbor, a cloud of locusts rising from the fields darkened the sky and then, to the amazement of those present, rushed into the sea.

The miraculous belt of the Virgin Mary still performs many miracles. He is especially revered for the help he provides to women suffering from infertility.
The Vatopedi Monastery contains many letters in which women who have found the joy of motherhood enclose photographs of their babies born through this relic. “Agiazonites” (that is, “holy belts” - the nickname given to the Vatopedi monks) help infertile women without violating the rules of their male monastery (after all, visiting the monastery for women is strictly prohibited). On the ark, where the belt of the Virgin Mary is kept, they consecrate the ribbons and distribute them to the husbands of infertile couples. These improvised prayer belts are tied around the woman’s waist and worn until childbirth.

How to properly wear the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Here are excerpts from the brochure-memoir issued with the belt: “...Believers gird themselves with this belt for a while, living in repentance, confession, prayer and communion of the Holy Mysteries. Spouses do the same, adding to this fasting and marital abstinence if possible and by mutual agreement..."
So nothing complicated - tie a belt, believe, live righteously and may you be rewarded according to your Faith.

On October 20, 2011, one of the greatest Christian shrines arrived in Russia: with the blessing His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation organized the bringing of the honorable belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The shrine will remain in our country from October 20 to November 27, 2011. Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary, kept in Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos, delivered to our country for the first time.

“Thousands of pilgrims visit the Vatopedi monastery only to pray in front of this shrine and kiss part of the clothes of the Most Holy Theotokos. People pray in front of the Virgin Mary's belt for healing from illnesses. Many incurable diseases, including cancer, recede through the fervent prayers of people in front of this shrine. Small copies of this belt are made at the Vatopedi Monastery, and it is known that some women suffering from infertility wear such belts. And if this wearing is accompanied by repentance, fervent prayer, strong faith, then in very many cases that are recorded, the prayer reached the Throne of the Queen of Heaven and women could give birth to children.

This is a serious problem and an important topic for our country. And I really hope that both men and women, while visiting this shrine of the Russian land, will fervently pray to her, venerate her and ask for the help of the Queen of Heaven in their lives, including in the birth of children. May the presence of the belt of the Most Holy Theotokos help many to understand the power of Divine grace and the closeness of the presence of the heavenly world to us.”

Great Christian shrine will stay on Russian soil for 30 days and visit 11 cities. The relic is accompanied by monks Athos monastery Vatopedi led by the abbot of the monastery, Archimandrite Ephraim.

The following stay program is planned in Russia miraculous shrine:

In the cities to which the belt of the Virgin Mary will be brought, events will take place within the framework of the program of the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation and the Center of National Glory “The Sanctity of Motherhood”, aimed at protecting traditional family values, overcoming the demographic crisis and depopulation of the country. In particular, in some cities it is envisaged that the shrine should be brought to the Centers for the Protection of Motherhood and Childhood, which provide real material, psychological, and legal assistance to pregnant women, promoting their refusal to have an abortion.

Feast of the Position of the Honorable Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary

On August 31 (September 13, according to the New Style), the Feast of the Placing of the Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated.

According to legend, the belt and robe of the Mother of God, shortly before Her Dormition, were given to two pious Jerusalem widows and then passed on from generation to generation. Under the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire Arcadia, the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary was brought to Constantinople and placed in a golden casket, sealed with the imperial seal, which found its place in the temple built by Theodosius the Younger in the name of the Blessed Virgin Mary - the Chalcopratian Church.

Empress Zoe had a divine vision, signifying that she would receive healing if the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary was placed on her. She told her husband about this vision, and the emperor begged Patriarch Euthymius to open the ark with the belt of the Most Holy Theotokos, which turned out to be intact and undamaged by time.

By order of the emperor, the patriarch spread the belt over the sick woman, and she was immediately freed from demonic torment and completely healed of her illness.

“Then everyone joyfully glorified Christ God and His Most Pure Mother,” writes Saint Demetrius of Rostov, “and, having sung songs of thanksgiving, again put the honorable belt in the same golden ark, sealed it with the royal seal and established a celebration in honor of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary in remembrance of the miracle that came from Her honest belt, by grace, mercy and love for mankind, Christ our God was born from Her.”

After the fall of Constantinople, the shrine left the city. Parts of the belt are still kept in the Vatopedi monastery on Mount Athos and in Cyprus in the Trooditissa monastery, where they became famous for many miracles.

Troparion of the Position of the Honorable Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary, tone 8

Ever-Virgin Mother of God, the covering of men, the robe and girdle of Your most pure body, You bestowed the sovereignty of Your city on Your city, Who by Your seedless Nativity is incorruptible, for through You both nature and time are renewed. We also pray to You to grant peace to Your city / and great mercy to our souls.

Kontakion of the Venerable Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary, tone 2

Your God-pleasing womb, Mother of God, Your generous belt, Your honorable power, Your city is invincible / and there is an infinite treasure of good things, the only one who gave birth to the Ever-Virgin.

Kontakion of the Venerable Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary , voice 4

Today Your honorable belt celebrates Your position, the Praising Temple, and diligently calls upon You: Rejoice, O Virgin, praise to Christians.

Vatopedi shrine and monastery

In the Vatopedi Monastery, the Holy Belt of the Mother of God has been kept since the 14th century. Evidence of the miracles performed by his blessing continues to this day. The miraculous power of the shrine was even recognized Turkish sultans. So, in 1871-1872, Sultan Abdul-Aziz turned to the Vatopedi fathers with a request to deliver the belt to Constantinople, sending a steamer for this purpose directly to the monastery pier. As soon as the ship approached Constantinople, the cholera epidemic that was raging there ceased, and the surprised ruler ordered the relic to be brought to the palace for worship.

There are numerous cases of healing from various diseases by the grace of the honest belt of the Mother of God, but it is especially clearly manifested in helping childless spouses. The monks keep many letters in which happy parents have enclosed photographs of their children, born with the blessing of the Mother of God, through Her honorable belt.

The Holy Belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the main and most beloved shrine of the Vatopedi monastery. The history of the monastery is so closely intertwined with the history of the relic that it can no longer be thought of separately from it, as evidenced by the nickname “Agiazonites” (that is, “holy belts”) given to the Vatopedi monks on Athos.