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

However, the artist was unable to complete the assignment. Such radiance emanated from the Lord’s face that the master’s brush could not convey His Light. Then the Lord, having washed himself, wiped His most pure face with a towel, and His Image was miraculously displayed on it. Having received the Image, Avgar was healed of his illness.

Sometimes this image, like a number of others, is called the Golden-Haired Savior (Savior Zlatovlasy), since Christ’s hair is lined with golden lines. The halo is in the form of a cross and occupies almost the entire field of the icon. Christ's gaze is turned to the left. In the upper corners of the centerpiece there is an inscription: IС ХС.

The miraculous, miraculous image of the Savior, located in the Novospassky Monastery, constituting its main shrine, was, at the same time, an all-Russian church treasure, deeply revered by the Orthodox Russian people.

In the West, the legend of the Savior Not Made by Hands became widespread as the legend of the Payment of Saint Veronica. According to one of them, Veronica was a student of the Savior, but she could not accompany him all the time, then she decided to order a portrait of the Savior from the painter. But on the way to the artist, she met the Savior, who miraculously imprinted his face on her plate. Veronica's cloth was endowed with the power of healing. With its help, the Roman Emperor Tiberius was cured. Later another option appears. When Christ was led to Calvary, Veronica wiped the sweat and blood stained face of Jesus with a cloth, and it was reflected on the material. This moment is included in the Catholic cycle of the Passion of the Lord. The face of Christ in a similar version is depicted wearing a crown of thorns and with dripping drops of blood.

Glorification in the Orthodox Church Miraculous Image The Savior spread in the 10th century, after the transfer in 944 of the plate with the face of the Savior from Edessa to Constantinople. In Ancient Rus', the Savior Not Made by Hands is known in the 12th century temple paintings of the Spaso-Mirozh Cathedral of 1156. and the Savior on Nereditsa 1199.

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

According to the Prologues, four Images of the Savior Not Made by Hands are known:

1) In Edessa, King Abgar - August 16.

2) Kamulian; Its discovery was described by Saint Gregory of Nyssa (January 10). According to the legend of St. Nicodemus the Holy Mountain (1809; commemorated July 1), the Kamulian image appeared in 392, but he meant the image of the Mother of God - on August 9.

3) Under Emperor Tiberius (578-582), from whom Saint Mary Synclitia received healing (August 11).

4) On ceramics - August 16.

The celebration in honor of the transfer of the Image Not Made by Hands, held on the feast of the Dormition, is called the third Savior, “Savior on canvas.” Special veneration of this holiday in the Russian Orthodox Church was expressed in icon painting. The Icon of the Image Not Made by Hands is one of the most common.

Miracles of the holy icon of the Savior.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until 1917, the icon was in the monastery. Currently, the whereabouts of this holy image are unknown. In the Novospassky Monastery there is a preserved copy of the miraculous image. It is located in the local row of the iconostasis of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral - where the church itself was previously located. miraculous icon.

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

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

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

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

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

The Christian tradition considers the miraculous image of Christ as one of the proofs of the truth of the incarnation of the second person of the Trinity in human form, and in a narrower sense - as the most important evidence in favor of icon veneration.

We magnify Thee, Life-Giving Christ, and venerate all the glorious images of Thy Most Pure Face.

The Savior Not Made by Hands, the miraculous Mandiliomn is a special type of image of Christ, representing His face on the ubrus (plate).

There are two types of legends about the origin of this shrine, which serves as a source of iconography, each of which reports its miraculous origin.

The legend preserved in Eastern Church about the Image Not Made by Hands is more ancient, mentioned from the first half of the 4th century. The story is connected with the king of Edessa Abgar, who was suffering from illness, and his receipt of a payment (a piece of cloth, a piece of cloth, a towel), on which was imprinted the imprint of the face of Christ, who washed his face and wiped it with this cloth. Abgar sent the painter Ananias to Palestine to paint the face of Christ. Abgar wanted to be consoled in his illness by at least the fact that he could see the face of Christ, in whom he believed, although he had not even seen Him in person. But according to the Providence of God, the works of Ananias, when he reached Jerusalem and found Christ, were not crowned with success, and he could not write anything, looking at the Savior. Christ Himself called the artist to Himself, read Abgar’s message, washed His face with water and wiped it with a piece of cloth, on which the likeness of His face immediately appeared. Since the Savior’s beard was wet after washing, it was imprinted on the board with one large wedge-shaped strand, and therefore this image is sometimes called “Wet Beard of the Savior.” http://lib.eparhia-saratov.ru/books/05d/dimitrii_rost.. Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov Lives of the Saints Memory August 16

Thus, Saint Mandylion (from the Greek “ubrus”, “mantle”, “woolen cloak”) became the first icon in history.

Eusebius of Caesarea describes this in his work " Church history."http://www.vehi.net/istoriya/cerkov/pamfil/cerkovist/.. Eusebius of Caesarea Church history book 1.13. Eusebius of Caesarea, as confirmation, cites two documents from the archives of Edessa, translated by him from Syriac: the request of Abgar and the Savior's answer. /efr/em_sirin_017... Efrem Sirin CREATIONS Volume 3, DYING WILL.

Also, the correspondence between the king and Christ and the story about the bringing of the image of Christ’s face by Abgar’s ambassadors are included in the book “History of Armenia” by the Armenian historian of the 5th century Moses of Khorensky. “This message was brought by Anan, the messenger of Abgar (Abgar), along with the image of the face of the Savior, which is kept in the city of Edessa to this day.” http://www.vehi.net/istoriya/armenia/khorenaci/02.html MOBCEC XОPEHACI “HISTORY” ARMENIA" BOOK TWO, 30 Sending the princes by Abgar to Marin, on which occasion they saw our Savior Christ, from where Abgar's conversion began.

Abgar was also visited by Thaddeus. After the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, Saint Thaddeus, one of the seventy Apostles, came to Edessa. Having told Abgar in detail about Christ, Thaddeus baptized him, after which Abgar was finally delivered from his illness. Together with the king, his entire family and household were also baptized, and later all the inhabitants of Edessa were baptized. The pagan idol installed on the gates of the city was destroyed. At this place, Avgar made a recess in the wall, which made it possible to protect it from precipitation; placed a board with the image of Christ on a board made of wood that does not rot and is resistant to external influences, decorated the resulting icon with gold and precious stones and installed it in this recess in the city wall above the entrance to the city. In addition, he also made the inscription: “- Christ God! Whoever trusts in You will not be ashamed.” . Procopius of Caesarea tells about this event, telling about the siege of Edessa by the Persian king Khosrow in his book “War with the Persians. War with the Vandals. Secret History”: according to him, Avgar suffered from severe gout in old age. http://www.alanica.ru /library/Prokop/text.htm "War with the Persians. War with the Vandals. Secret history" Procopius of Caesarea War with the Persians. Book 2, XII. There is also apocryphal evidence from unknown authors about this event: The Teachings of Addai the Apostle (V-VI centuries) and later The Old Russian version of the legend of Avgar, a manuscript of the 13th century. http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/books /mesher01.htm#g02 Teachings of Addai the Apostle, http://www.gumer.info/bogoslov_Buks/apokrif/Avgar_Rus.. Meshcherskaya E. Apocryphal acts of the apostles CONTENTS Old Russian version of the legend of Avgar based on a 13th-century manuscript.

In addition, the evidence of Egeria “Pilgrimage to holy places” has also been preserved http://www.krotov.info/acts/04/3/palomn.htm Egeria (Eteria) “Pilgrimage to holy places”.

A linen cloth with the image of the face of Christ was kept in Edessa for a long time as the main relic of the city. For the first time, the history of the Icon Not Made by Hands was outlined by Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. According to his story, Abgar decorated the image of the Savior not made by hands and installed it in a stone niche above the entrance to the city, so that everyone who entered could honor the shrine with worship.

Meanwhile, after some time, one of Abgar’s descendants returned to paganism, then, in order to protect the pagans, he was laid in a niche with bricks (tiles) and he was hidden for a long time until the invasion of the Persian army of Khosrow. According to the version given by Emperor Constantine, at the moment of laying the icon with a brick, a burning lamp was installed in front of it. During the war with the Persians, one night Eulalia, the bishop of this city, was given knowledge: he saw a certain woman who told him: “Above the city gates is hidden the miraculous image of the Savior Christ. By taking it, you will quickly deliver this city and its people from troubles,” and pointed to this place. Bishop early morning dismantled the brickwork and discovered the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. According to the testimony of Emperor Constantine, the lamp continued to burn without going out or damaging the icon; in addition, the exact image of the Savior, imprinted from the icon, remained on the bricks. Thus, a second image was obtained, an exact copy of the first, called “The Savior Not Made by Hands on a Skull” or Ceramide. http://old.stsl.ru/manuscripts/medium.php?col=1&m.. 681. (410.) Menaion four months August, half oral, written 1627 by German Tulupov. The Word of Constantine Porphyrogenite, about Christ the King of the Greeks, the Tale of various stories collected about the message to Abgar of the miraculous and divine Image of Christ our God, and how he was brought from Edes to the all-prosperous and reigning city of Constantine. (translation of St. Maxim the Greek), http://www.gumer.info/bogoslov_Buks/apokrif/Addai.php Meshcherskaya E. Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles Teachings of Addai the Apostle. Sheet 558.

During the period of iconoclasm, defending icons from the attacks of iconoclasts, John of Damascus referred to the Image Not Made by Hands. http://www.orthlib.ru/John_of_Damascus/vera4_16.html Exact summary Orthodox faith. Book 4 Chapter XVI About icons. Gregory II, Pope of Rome, when he learned about the beginning of iconoclasm in Constantinople in 730, he wrote two letters to Emperor Leo the Isaurian, in which he urged him to stop and stop the persecution of icons. In the first letter, he writes the following about the Image Not Made by Hands: “When Christ was in Jerusalem, Abgar, the then prince and ruler of Edessa, having heard about the miracles of Christ, wrote a message to Him, and Christ sent him a handwritten answer and a holy, glorious image of His Face. Send for look at this Image Not Made by Hands. The peoples of the East flock there in large numbers and bring prayers." In 787, the Seventh Ecumenical Council used the fact of the existence of the Image Not Made by Hands as the most important evidence in favor of icon veneration.

On August 29, 944, Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus received the image and solemnly transferred it to Constantinople. This date was included in the church calendar as a general church holiday. Later, the relic was stolen from Constantinople during the sack of the city by participants in the IV Crusade in 1204, after which it was lost (it is assumed that the ship transporting the icon to Europe was wrecked and sank along with all the cargo and crew, including the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands ).

Western European medieval legend offers another version of the origin of the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. This version of the legend was first mentioned approximately between the 13th and 15th centuries, and probably arose among the Franciscan monks. According to him, the Jewish Veronica, who accompanied Christ among others on His way to Golgotha, wiped the sweat and blood from His face with a piece of linen cloth, on which the imprint of His face remained. The Western version of the legend arose according to various sources from the 13th to the 15th centuries, most likely among Franciscan monks. According to it, the pious Jewish Veronica, who accompanied Christ on His way of the cross to Calvary, gave Him a linen handkerchief so that Christ could wipe the blood and sweat from his face. The face of Jesus was imprinted on the fabric. The shrine, the so-called "Veronica's plaque" is kept in Rome, in St. Peter's Basilica. It is assumed that the name of this woman arose later in the legend, as a corruption of the Latin phrase veraicon ("true image"). The main distinguishing feature of the image of “Veronica’s Cloth” from “The Savior Not Made by Hands” is the crown of thorns on the Savior’s head, as it was imprinted on the towel given by Veronica while Jesus Christ was carrying the cross. This gives rise to the characteristic image in Western European painting of Christ, predominantly with a crown of thorns on his head, which, it should be noted, was not in the form of a diadem, as is usually depicted, but was a kind of helmet that completely covered the head and tormented the skin with thorns, supposedly tearing apart the soft tissue to bones.

On the board, when held up to light, you can see the image of the face of Jesus Christ. Attempts to examine the image revealed that it was not created using paints or any known organic materials.

At least two so-called “Veronica’s Fees” are known:

1. in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican;

2. “The Face from Manopello”, also called “Veil of Veronica”, but there is no crown of thorns on it, upon closer examination it becomes obvious that the drawing is man-made, in the positive, the proportions of the parts of the face are violated. From this, researchers conclude that this is a list from the “Savior Not Made by Hands” sent to Avgar. http://kyanina.livejournal.com/4258.html Way of the Cross - Plath of Veronica, Sudarium from Oviedo, Shroud of Turin.

There are theories that relate the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands to another common Christian shrine - the Shroud of Turin. It is a full-length image of Christ, miraculously captured on the linen canvas with which His body was wrapped after the crucifixion and removal from the cross. It is assumed that the plate exhibited in Edessa with the image of the Image Not Made by Hands could be the Shroud of Turin folded several times, therefore, the Savior on Ubrus was not lost, but was nevertheless taken to Europe and preserved. In addition, one of the excerpts of the Image Not Made by Hands - “Savior Not Made by Hands - Do not weep for Me, Mother” (Christ in the tomb) is attributed by researchers to the shroud as a historical prototype.

It is necessary to say about two copies of the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, revered as two great shrines in Italy. These are two icons close in size, approximately 40x29 cm, covered with a flat silver frame that reproduces the outline of a face. One of them is in Rome, the other in Genoa in Armenian Church St. Bartholomew and was presented in 1384 by the Byzantine Emperor John V to the Genoese captain Leonardo Montaldo. Pripachkin I.A. Iconography of the Lord Jesus Christ. - M.: Pilgrim, 2001. - 223 pp. Both images have common iconographic features: a pointed beard and flowing hair, one strand on each side of the face. According to some researchers, for example H. Belting, one of these images could be the middle of the Sinai triptych of the 10th century, from which only the side parts have reached us. The height dimensions of both of the above-mentioned images and the side wings of the triptych are almost identical. Belting H. Image and cult: The history of the image before the era of art. - M.: Progress-Tradition, 2002. - 752 p.

From the second half of the 15th century. images of Veronica's Fee and the Roman icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands are combined. This is confirmed by the Utrecht miniature of the second half of the 15th century, as well as the altar image for the Chapel of Veronica in the Cathedral of St. Peter's in Rome, painted by Hugo da Carpioc. 1525, where St. Veronica holds the Roman icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands. According to N. Kondakov, the Genoese icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands formed the basis of the iconographic type of Saint Mandylion, known in Russia as the “Savior Mokra Brada” Kondakov N. Facial iconographic original: Volume 1 Iconography of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ. - St. Petersburg: Partnership of R. Golike and A. Vilborg, 1905. - 97 pp. German researchers K. Onash and A. Shniper believe that the name “wet ford” comes from Novgorod. Onesh K. Shniper A. Icons: a miracle spiritual transformation. - M.: Interbook, 2001. - 301 p. The legend about Avgar is more consistent with the image of the Savior with wet hair, as noted above. It should be noted that images of the Savior with a wedge-shaped beard and hair collected in two strands around his face spread through Novgorod in Russia and through the western regions of Ukraine, located on the border of the Catholic and Orthodox worlds.

The traditions of depicting the Savior Not Made by Hands in Ukraine date back to the 11th and 12th centuries. The oldest monument is the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands from the 12th century. from the State Tretyakov Gallery, Lazarev V. N. Novgorod icon painting. - M.: Art, 1981. - pp. 10-11. defined by V.N. Lazarev as Novgorod, since the icon was taken by Ivan the Terrible from Novgorod, in addition, also due to the similarity of the angels depicted on the reverse side of the icon with the paintings from Nereditsa. However, V.N. Lazarev himself drew attention to the stylistic difference between the front and back sides of the icon and admitted that the sides were written at different times. Ibid.. Modern science believes that this icon comes from Kiev. Ovsiychuk V. Krvavych D. Opovіd about the icon. - L.: Institute of National Science of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2000. - 396 p. In this icon, Christ's hair is divided into four strands, his beard hangs down; the icon painter does not depict Plath, following the legend according to which Abgar ordered Plat to be pulled onto a board. In this state, the lining could not form folds. Sterligova I. A. Precious attire of ancient Russian icons of the 11th-14th centuries: Origin, symbolism, artistic image. - M.: Progress-Tradition, 2000. - 264 p..

The tradition of not depicting the folds of the ubrus continues until the second half of the 13th century. Pripachkin I.A. Iconography of the Lord Jesus Christ. - M.: Pilgrim, 2001. - 223 p.

Since the 15th century, images of the Savior Not Made by Hands have appeared on a canvas covered with folds, held by Angels or Archangels. Pripachkin I.A. Iconography of the Lord Jesus Christ. - M.: Pilgrim, 2001. - 15 p.

The depicted Angels express the idea of ​​the conciliar presence of the angelic world and people to the Image Not Made by Hands, the Lord Himself. The reason for the appearance of such a composition was the festive service to the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands (August 1629), where there are the words: “By His coming the Angel gathered together with men a multitude...” (verse of the 4th tone at Great Vespers), “The heavenly ones rejoice with the earthly ones... I will appear today to the Divine image" (at Matins, another canon, tone 6, song 7). “Rejoice, most honorable image, worshiped by the Angels... desired by man...” (at Matins, at the praises of the stichera on 4, tone 5).

This version was widely spread in the 16th-17th centuries, which is confirmed by the icon under study. However, if the oldest surviving monument of Russian iconography is the Pskov icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, in its main features the Face follows the models of previous eras, then most Ukrainian icons of the Savior Not Made by Hands come from Western combined images created from the combination of the icons of the Image Not Made by Hands and the Plath of Veronica. It is noteworthy that in the XV-XVI centuries. The traditional iconographic type of Veronica's Plaid, with the face of Christ in a crown of thorns, has not yet taken final shape, and in Western European works there are images of the Savior with and without a crown.

Russian images of the “Savior Mokra Ford” mostly depict four strands, sometimes practically combining them into two.

Images of Plata Veronica wearing a crown of thorns have appeared in Orthodox iconography since the end of the 17th century. A classic example in the Ukrainian tradition is the icon created by Job Kondzelevich in 1722. The appearance of the crown of thorns on the head of Christ in this icon appears to be a logical continuation of those that existed in Ukrainian iconography over the previous centuries in Ukrainian iconography. In the icon of I. Kondzelevich we see the same two strands of hair and a pointed beard, as on the Savior Not Made by Hands, to this is added the crown of thorns, which by that time had become a mandatory iconographic attribute of Veronica’s Cloth.

The combination of Saint Ubrus and the Eucharist, unusual for eastern iconography, also has its basis. The tradition of placing additional images around St. Mandylion, explaining the meaning of veneration of this icon, originates in the post-iconoclast period, when there was an urgent need for such images. The doors of a triptych from the 10th century that have survived to this day. from the Sinai Monastery give grounds to assert that iconography was established by God Himself. The icon painter visually presents the legend about St. Ubrus, introducing into the icon the apostolic testimony in the person of the holy Apostle Thaddeus. There are few examples of such juxtaposition of plots. The most famous are the Greek miniature from Menology No. 9 from Moscow historical museum and high relief images on the frame of the above-mentioned Genoese icon. From the 16th century The excerpt “The Savior Not Made by Hands with His Deeds,” known in large quantities lists from the second half of the 17th century. Dating to the 16th century, these include an icon from the Slovak National Gallery in Bratislava. Tkac S. IkonySlowackieod XVI to XIX wieku. - Warszawa, Bratyslawa: Arkady, Tatran, 1984. - S. 27 On the icons “The Savior Not Made by Hands with His Deeds” the history of the shrine is placed in the hallmarks. Pripachkin I.A. Iconography of the Lord Jesus Christ. - M.: Pilgrim, 2001. - 21-23 p.. There is an Old Believer icon of the second half of the 19th century, where St. Ubrus is superimposed on a four-part image. In the first, the Mother of God is written in the iconographic type “The Sign”, with two Cherubim, in the second - “Savior Good Silence”, in the third - the Beheading of John the Baptist, in the fourth - St. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. This can be explained as follows: Sign Holy Mother of God with cherubim - the Old Testament expectation of the coming of the Messiah, the Good Silence of the Savior - the Logos before the Incarnation, the Beheading of John the Baptist - the execution of the last prophet who spoke of the coming of the Messiah and the beginning of the New Testament, the New Testament Church, the image of the saints as universal teachers and creators of the order of the liturgy, i.e. e. God became man. All these four scenes, showing the history of the Incarnation, end with the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, which is strong evidence of the coming to earth of God in the flesh. All of the listed iconography options reveal the dogma of the Incarnation.

Icon “The Savior Not Made by Hands with the Eucharist” from the Kharkov collection Art Museum reveals the Miraculous Image as a Eucharistic symbol. Judging by the size of the icon and the image of the Eucharist, this image once completed the Royal Doors.

The scene of communion with bread is located on the right side; in the foreground is the Throne, on it are placed a paten, a knife and a prosphora. Christ gives the Apostles bread. In the scene of communion with bread, located on the right side of the Savior Not Made by Hands, a throne is depicted in the foreground. On the throne there is a paten, a knife and a prosphora. On the right side, Christ, depicted in profile, gives bread to the apostles. In the scene of communion with wine, which is constructed in a similar way, a wine vessel and a chalice are depicted on the throne. Christ holds a chalice in his left hand and blesses with his right. The scenes of the communion of the apostles in the icon from the ХХМ form one whole with the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. The German researcher H. Belting, noting the peculiarities of the veneration of Plath in Rome, mentioned that the reality of the Eucharist was combined with the desire to see the real flesh of Christ. Belting H. Image and Cult: The History of the Image before the Age of Art. - M.: Progress-Tradition, 2002.-265 p. It is in this sense that the iconography of this icon should be understood. Russian researcher L. Uspensky also noted, “that Christ in the Holy Gifts is not shown, but given. Christ is shown in the icon.” Uspensky L. Theology of the icon of the Orthodox Church. M.: Publishing house. Western European Exarchate. Moscow Patriarchate, Pilgrim, 2001. - 474 p. Thus, the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands from the ХХМ, with its iconographic program, shows Christ given in the Eucharist, and for this purpose the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands was chosen as the main evidence of the real Incarnation of God. Evidence of the reality of the Eucharist, shown on this icon, could be a reaction to the spread of Protestantism in Western Ukrainian lands, which is mentioned by P. Zholtovsky Zholtovsky P. M. Ukrainian painter XVII - XVIII centuries. - K.: Naukova Dumka, 1978. - 327 p.. In Protestantism, the Eucharist is understood as a symbol, as a remembrance of the Gospel Last Supper. This icon is intended to testify to the reality of the main sacrament of the Orthodox Church.

So, let’s summarize the review of iconographic versions of the icon “Savior Not Made by Hands”:

1) “Savior Not Made by Hands” (“Savior of Wet Brad”);

2) “The Savior Not Made by Hands with Angels (Archangels)”;

3) “The Savior Not Made by Hands with the Eucharist”;

4) “The Savior Not Made by Hands with His Deeds.”

So, let us turn again to the Holy Mandylion, transferred from Edessa to Constantinople. Let us trace the history of the development of its iconography and the emergence of new versions in Rus'. First, let's look at what he was like. Descriptions compiled by witnesses of his stay in Constantinople are unclear. Pseudo-Simeon Magister, a Byzantine author, reports that after the arrival of the shrine, Emperor Roman Lecapinus, his sons and Constantine Porphyrogenitus contemplated the image “on the holy cloth of the Son of God,” but the image on the plate was difficult to distinguish. According to some sources, it was possible to make out only that this was a face; according to others, ears were also visible. Only lists from the shrine have survived to this day, but we don’t know what the painting depicted by Christ actually looked like.

In Italy, two lists have been preserved, which got there under different circumstances in different time: one of them is kept in the papal palace in the Vatican and is set in a cast frame with images of angels; dates back to 1208. The exact dating and circumstances of its arrival in Rome are not known; some scientists attribute it to the 6th century. The image is small in size, executed on a piece of primed canvas, painted as if from an actual imprint of the face: only a low forehead, small eyes, a wedge-shaped beard and two small strands of hair are visible; there is no image of folds and a halo; the color scheme is monotonous.

Another list is similar to this image, stored in the monastery of San Bartalomeo degli Armeni in Genoa (the above-mentioned Roman and Genoese Saviors Not Made by Hands.) The images are very similar, the difference lies mainly in the fact that this icon is already made on a board, created apparently on eight centuries later and covered with a frame with chased hallmarks telling the history of the Mandylion; the dimensions of the Roman and Genoese Saviors are almost exactly the same, and the external characteristics are almost the same. It is obvious that both images had the same prototype. The image from San Bartolomeo was sent to Genoa in 1360 as a gift to Leonardo Montaldo by Emperor John V for special merits. Montaldo revered this icon as the original Mandylion and later donated it to the monastery.

At the time the icon was ordered for Leonardo, the original Mandylion no longer existed in Constantinople, but believers kept copies of it. One of them was brought to Rus' in 1354 by Saint Alexy, who received it from the hands of the Patriarch of Constantinople, at the time of his elevation to the Russian see. In Moscow, the saint founded a monastery on the Yauza to store the great shrine. The first rector of the monastery in the name of the Savior Not Made by Hands, where the icon was kept in the main cathedral, became the student of Sergius of Radonezh, Andronik, whose name the monastery itself subsequently acquired.

This cathedral in its architecture resembled Byzantine reliquary temples, and the monastery was perceived as a small copy of Constantinople, as evidenced by local toponomics.

The image was kept in the altar for several centuries, until the order of Tsarina Evdokia Lopukhina in the 17th century to place it in the local row of the iconostasis to gain access to the shrine and free veneration.

The image was kept in the monastery until late XIX century. In 1905, researcher N.P. Kondakov published a reproduction of the icon, which later helped to find the Savior Not Made by Hands, lost in 1917, in 2000. During preparation for the exhibition at the Andrei Rublev Museum, located on the territory of the monastery, “The Savior Not Made by Hands,” the icon was discovered in the storeroom of the Novodevichy Convent museum. The icon was heavily written down, but retained its original features.

It was suggested that this particular icon is the oldest image of the “Savior Not Made by Hands,” since the facial features and dimensions of the board coincide with Italian icons.

In Rus', the icon from the Andronikov Monastery was copied, copies were made, which were quickly distributed among believers; These were mainly household icons that were passed down from generation to generation.

In addition to the type of iconography presented on this and Italian icons of the Savior, other types appear, arising under the influence of many processes. The changes generally originated in Byzantium, later spreading to other Orthodox countries.

Small in size and modest in features, the images did not convey the idea of ​​the triumph of the Savior in the world, so the icons of the Savior Not Made by Hands began to be painted much larger, giving them features of ideal beauty, without exactly reproducing the first copies.

One of these icons includes the Savior Not Made by Hands from Novgorod of the 13th century for the Church of the Image Not Made by Hands on Dobrynina Street: large elongated eyes, curved eyebrows, lush hair, falling into two soft strands on both sides, marked with golden lines; the face is written against the background of a large halo with a wide crosshair. On the reverse side of the board is another icon: a cross worshiped by angels and the instruments of the Passion of Christ: in general, both sides personify the idea of ​​the Incarnation and the atoning sacrifice of the Lord. Such icons were intended for worship in Holy Week. The face of Christ, despite its rather small size, is apparently so expressive because it served as a remote image and it was necessary to distinguish its features from a great distance.

The second oldest icon depicting the Holy Face comes from Rostov the Great: it is close in size to the Novgorod one, but made in the traditions of Russian art of the 13th century. There is nothing written on the back of it; The Savior is depicted frontally, with large features, the hair is divided into an unequal number of strands, the beard breaks up into many small curls; a stretched board appears, which is completely absent in the Novgorod icon; the inscriptions: “King of Glory” are applied to it; the beard and hair extend beyond the edges of the halo, which indicates the indissolubility of the face and the fabric itself. In Rus', the fabric of the holy image itself was given great importance, since material shrines have always been highly revered in Orthodoxy.

TO XIV century The Savior Not Made by Hands becomes the main image in Russian art. There is a 14th century Rostov icon with blue, with many folds falling in a semicircle and with knots at the upper ends. This is due to the fact that the shape and size of the plate are not indicated in written sources, but apparently, this tradition of depiction goes back to the ritual of worshiping icons, when they were carried out draped in cloth. But rather, the board symbolically depicts the sky, confirmation of which is in the texts of the service for August 16. The face on this icon can be perceived as the Face in heaven, in addition, the golden halo, especially on blue background, is perceived as a symbol of the heavenly body, “Christ the sun of truth.”

In the 14th century there appears new type image of the Savior, distinguished by its scale and expressiveness. An example of an icon from this period is an image from the end of the 14th century from the collection of the Andrei Rublev Museum. A very large board, the size of a human being, contains a board with many vertical folds, described by a double line along the bottom edge and the amazing face of Christ, with a very wide forehead and significantly and sharply tapering towards the chin, with an active turn to the left, but a straight, intense gaze . The icon, in its characteristics, belongs to Byzantine monumental art: an expressive, large face against the background of large folds of fabric. Christ is presented as a formidable judge, which is explained by the eschatological sentiments in society at that time.

Due to its large size, this icon was not portable, but was intended for an altar barrier. Before the appearance of high iconostases in the 15th century, they were made of stone, up to two and a half meters high, and the Royal and Deacon's doors were covered with fabric. Next to such altar barriers, in comparison with them, the icon with the image of the Face on the fabric with many folds acquired an even more acute eschatological character, giving the icon a new meaningful emphasis. The altar is interpreted as an image of the Heavenly Jerusalem, the Kingdom of Heaven - the place where the Lord resides, the place where the Bloodless Sacrifice was offered and the Eucharist was celebrated. The Face of the Lord appeared as the Image of the Judge on the border of the real and spiritual worlds, on the border of the temple and the altar. Thus, with the combination of pictorial and architectural techniques, the eschatological ideas of Christianity were emphasized and conveyed.

IN XV-XVI centuries icons of the Savior acquire new features. Small remote icons appear in churches. Intended for the lectern, where they were taken out for worship not only on August 16, but also in other three service circles, pointing to the truth of the Incarnation of God and leading to His suffering.

One of these icons is the tablet icon from Veliky Novgorod: it combines several ancient canons: the features of the first Russian icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands - a narrow face and two narrow strands of hair on the sides - and the features of images from the second half of the 14th century - divided into two strands beard and draped cloth. A new version of iconography, combining two independent images, was first created in Moscow during the development of iconography. The icon from Novgorod has absolute calm and detachment.

In the art of the XV-XVI there were also exact repetitions of ancient iconography, such as the icon from Veliky Ustyug, painted by a Rostov master: there is no board, the face is placed on a gold background, the halo is inscribed in the plane of the board, close in format to a square, as in the Novgorod one, the first mentioned above icon, although the master may not have known or seen this image directly, but worked with a list of it from 1447, which becomes clear from surviving written sources. This list served as the prototype for all Ustyug icons of the Savior Not Made by Hands. This icon was installed in the city tower to apparently get rid of the plague; Conciliar walks with prayers were made to it, which was the established tradition of religious processions in Rus' in imitation of the prayer processions of Constantinople. For such religious processions, special remote icons appear, mounted on poles.

As you can see, by the 16th century several editions, types of iconography, equally revered, had appeared. At the end of the 15th century, another type appeared, associated with Sophia Paleologus, who became the wife of Prince Ivan III and brought with her an icon of the Savior, the dating of which is difficult to establish. Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich commissioned a precious frame for the image. The dimensions of the icon are unusually large for home use, 71x51 cm: usually there were several small icons in the boyars' chambers, but this icon coincides in size with the image from noble European houses, where, judging by the engravings, one icon was installed. The main source of information about the icon brought by Sophia is this moment is a frame that repeats the outlines of the image: lush hair, a beard divided into strands, and two angels supporting the ends of the curtain from above, painted in the form of small semi-hidden figures. This iconography is not known either in Russian art or in Byzantine art, but is becoming widespread in Catholic art, based on the image of angels carrying a shield with the image of Christ Emmanuel, presented on sarcophagi. The spread of such iconography occurred during the time of Pope Urban V in the second half of the 14th century: angels were part of the composition of his personal coat of arms.

The particular Roman iconography of the Mandylion was supposedly chosen for the blessing of the Byzantine princess due to the fact that after the final Turkish conquest of Byzantium, the nephews of the latter Byzantine Emperor lived in Italy at the expense of Pope Paul II, under the tutelage of Cardinal Vissarion, who converted from Orthodoxy to Catholicism and was looking for a groom for Sophia throughout Europe. The marriage of the princess with the Moscow prince occurred at the time of the accession to the papal throne of Sixtus IV, who especially revered the Holy Mandylion. The Byzantine princess took to her new homeland an image of a Roman relic reminiscent of Constantinople. The new iconography was quickly and organically accepted by Russian masters and just as quickly spread. There are known copies of this icon executed in the 16th century, such as the image placed by Princess Anna Trubetskoy in the Trinity-Sergius Monastery in memory of her husband. The white board, as if held with effort by the angels, reminded of the overhanging canvas of the sky.

Such iconography quickly spread to the outskirts of the Moscow state and began to be placed in iconostases, including as the centerpiece of the Deesis row or as the icon crowning the Royal Doors in conjunction with the Eucharist, when the idea of ​​the real incarnation of the Lord was combined with the desire to see His flesh and transmit it in Eucharistic communion. One of the icons with an angel was especially glorified; this is an image from the city of Khlynov (now the city of Kirov), where it has not survived to this day; only a photograph is known, from which a copy was made by a modern icon painter.

The composition with angels was organically included in the two-part composition “Savior Not Made by Hands. Do not weep for Me, Mother”: in the upper part the Savior Not Made by Hands is presented with life-size angels (they are also depicted in full height near the ubrus, and not just as small figures protruding somewhat from behind it), in the lower part the Savior is shown against the background of a cross with the Mother of God and Saint John the Theologian. This composition can be considered an expanded illustration for one of the songs of the Canon of Cosmas of Mayum, performed at the service of Holy Saturday during Holy Week.

In the 17th century, the veneration of the Savior Not Made by Hands especially increased: many churches were dedicated to Him, and stamps were depicted with scenes from the story of Constantine Porphyrogenitus, describing the history of Mandylion. In the first half of the century, icons depicting individual brands became widespread, especially the healing of King Abgar.

The events of the history of Ubrus are written sequentially in stamps, the middle is the two-part composition “Don’t cry for Me, Mother,” often the history of Ubrus is interspersed with scenes from the earthly life of Christ. The stamps include the image of the Seventh Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, when Saint Ubrus was used as an argument for the necessity and Divine veneration of icons.

In the 17th century, the pictorial language of the masters changed, as did the icons themselves, including the Savior Not Made by Hands. The iconography itself remained unchanged, but the face began to be painted in the style of lifelikeness: the face of Christ was painted in the likeness of a human face, it was tangible, fleshy, with a blush, three-dimensional; boards with soft silky folds. The creator of the first such icon was the icon painter Simon Ushakov, combining the traditions of earlier Western masters and Russian traditions of icon painting. Ushakov painted several small icons of the Savior, similar to the real size of a human face. For church iconostases, he also created an icon of the “Savior Not Made by Hands” with flying angels supporting a curtain in the form of a curtain and texts of prayers to Christ or correspondence between Christ and Abgar.

The 17th century was last century traditional Russian icon painting: realistic trends of Russian art XVIII centuries led to the emergence of a new image of the “Savior Not Made by Hands”: it is painted in accordance with the new ideal of beauty and in new, realistic forms. The idea of ​​a generalized face created by a miracle is becoming a thing of the past; the Holy Face begins to resemble a portrait.

Let us summarize the line of development of the iconography of the “Savior Not Made by Hands”:

1) Images of the Savior as close as possible to the original Mandylion.

2) In general, maintaining the features of the Mandylion, but painting large, impressive images designed to emphasize the triumph of Christ (without payment).

3) The image of the face is unchanged, the board appears.

4) The appearance of images on the board with folds, characterizing Christ as the “Light of the World” on the heavenly canvas.

5) Exacerbation of eschatological sentiments and giving the image special rigor.

6) Connection of the lists of the original Mandylion and the iconography developed in Rus'.

7) The Savior on the ubrus with half-length Angels.

8) The Savior on the ubrus with angels/archangels waist-length/full-length, with the Mother of God and John the Baptist in prayer/Eucharist/the composition “Do not weep for Me, Mother.”

9) Icons with marks from the story of Saint Ubrus: the middle is usually a two-part composition with “Don’t cry for Me, Mother.” Icons with individual scenes of the story.

10) Gradual transition to liveliness.

11) Icons, almost similar in image to portraits.

Bibliography

face miraculous image icon

1) Evseeva L. M. The Miraculous Image of the Savior. St. Petersburg 2013 - 7-55 p.

2) L. Uspensky. Theology of the icon of the Orthodox Church." Publishing house Western European exarchate Moscow Patriarchate, 1989

3) Mokhova G. A. The miraculous image of the Savior on the Vyatka land. - Kirov, 2010.

4) Robin Cormack. Icons. British museum. Publication in Russian, translation into Russian, design. "FAIR Publishing House", 2008

5) Church of the Savior on Senya in Rostov the Great. Moscow, Northern Pilgrim, 2002.

6) Belik Zh. G. John the Baptist. St. Petersburg, 2013.

7) Gusakova V.O. Dictionary of Russian religious art. "Aurora", St. Petersburg 2008.

Osroena became the first state in whose territory Christianity was officially recognized as a religion. It occupied the northeast of present-day Syria. It existed in the period from 137 to 242 AD. It was a small state where the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands was first mentioned. This image is unique and has great significance for Orthodox Christians.

Legend of the icon

There are many legends that tell how the king of Osroene, Avgar, was sick with a terrible disease - black leprosy. This is where the story of the Savior Not Made by Hands begins; one day the king dreamed unusual dream, in it he was told that nothing could heal him except an icon on which the face of the Savior would be imprinted. After this, an artist from the court was sent to Christ, but he never managed to transfer his image to canvas and make an icon of Jesus Christ because of the divine radiance that emanated from Him.

Then the Savior took water, washed his face with it, and then wiped it with a towel, on which his bright image remained imprinted - the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

Formally, Jesus himself made the icon, but the image is classified as so-called not made by hands, that is, one where the face of the Savior appears by Divine grace and in a miraculous way.

The classic version of the icon is an image of Jesus, which is made on canvas. Along its edges there is a canvas, the upper ends of which are woven into knots. Hence the name of the icon of the Savior on the urbus, that is, on a canvas or scarf.

After King Abgar was healed in a bright image, there were no more mentions of the icon until the year 545. It was that year that Edessa came under blockade by Persian troops. Just at that moment providence came to the aid of people. In one of the naves above the city gates, an icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands and its trace were found, imprinted on a ceramic wall in the Keramidion vault. Then, thanks to the miraculous power of the icon, the blockade of the city was lifted.

Until now, the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands helps to get rid of invaders and any encroachments by enemies, and is used in military affairs.

The meaning of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands

This miraculous icon in all types of its execution (an image on canvas, a print on ceramics) is distinguished by its characteristics and has many customs associated with them. The image of the Savior Not Made by Hands is essential for iconography. It is with the painting of this image that icon painters who are just beginning to show themselves in this matter are recommended to begin their individual work.

Considering the description of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, you need to pay attention to the halo surrounding the head of the Savior, which is depicted as a correct vicious circle, inside of which there is a cross. Each feature: the hair of Jesus, its main background (on all old canvases the icon painters left the background blank), expresses its essence, gives it a special meaning. According to many, the image, which was created without the use of paints or brushes, is a real photograph of Christ and his face is depicted on it.

Since the arrival of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands from Constantinople, it began to occupy an important role in the world of Orthodoxy. This happened in 1355. Icons of this type existed in Rus' already in the 11th century, but only starting from the second half of the 14th century, everything connected with the “Savior Not Made by Hands” was equated to the level of state cult and spread widely everywhere.

However, there is an icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands from the 12th century, which is also called Novgorod, but was created in Moscow in the Assumption Cathedral. This image is two-way. Separately, it should be noted the icon of Simon Ushakov, which was created in the 17th century and the Savior Not Made by Hands is painted here more artistically and less canonically.

Since the 14th century, the construction of temples began, the image was applied to Russian military banners during the most important battles for Rus', such as the Kulikovo and the First World War.

“Savior Not Made by Hands” is an icon that is of great importance in Orthodox world. It symbolizes Orthodoxy as a cross and crucifix, and carries the same meaning.

Prayer to the icon

It is believed that it was on this day that Christ put the cloth to his face.

Troparion, tone 2

We worship Your most pure image, O Good One, asking for forgiveness of our sins, O Christ our God, by the will of Your flesh you deigned to ascend to the Cross, so that You may deliver Him from the work of the enemy. Thus we cry out to You in gratitude: You have filled all with joy, our Savior, who came to save the world.

Prayer

O Most Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, our God!

You, from the ancient times of human nature, washed your face with holy water and wiped it with a rubbish, and you deigned to depict it miraculously on the same fringe and sent it to the Edessa prince Abgar for the healing of his illness.

Behold, now we, Thy sinful servants, possessed by our mental and physical ailments, seek Thy face, O Lord, and with David in the humility of our souls we call: do not turn Thy face away from us, and turn away in anger from Thy servants,

Be our helper, do not reject us and do not abandon us.

O All-Merciful Lord, our Savior!

Imagine for yourself in our souls, so that you may live in holiness and truth,

We will be Your sons and heirs of Your Kingdom,

and so to You, our Most Merciful God,

More than 1000 years ago, in 988, Rus', having received Baptism, saw the face of Christ for the first time. By this time, in Byzantium - its spiritual mentor - there had already been an extensive iconography of Orthodox art for several centuries, dating back to the first centuries of Christianity. Rus' inherited this iconography, accepting it as an inexhaustible source of ideas and images. Images of the Savior Not Made by Hands have appeared in Ancient Rus' since the 12th century, first in the paintings of churches (Savior-Mirozh Cathedral (1156) and the Savior on Nereditsa (1199)), later as independent images.

Over time, Russian masters contributed to the development of icon painting. In their works of the 13th – 15th centuries, the image of Christ loses the harsh spirituality of the Byzantine prototypes, and features of kindness, merciful participation and goodwill towards man appear in it. An example of this is the oldest Russian icon of the Yaroslavl masters, the Savior Not Made by Hands of the 13th century from the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, which is currently kept in the State Tretyakov Gallery. The face of Jesus Christ on the icons of Russian masters is devoid of severity and tension. It contains a benevolent call to a person, spiritual demands and support at the same time.

The icon of Jesus Christ the Savior Not Made by Hands by icon painter Yuri Kuznetsov supports the traditions of ancient Russian masters. An encouraging trust emanates from the icon, a spiritual power akin to man, allowing him to feel his involvement in divine perfection. I would like to include the words of N.S. Leskova: “A typical Russian image of the Lord: the look is direct and simple... there is an expression in the face, but no passions” (Leskov N.S. At the edge of the world. Works in 3 volumes. M., 1973. P. 221).

The image of Christ immediately took a central place in the art of Ancient Rus'. In Rus', the image of Christ was initially synonymous with Salvation, Grace and Truth, the highest source of help and consolation for man in his earthly suffering. The system of values ​​of ancient Russian culture, uniting its religious meaning, image of the world, human ideal, ideas about goodness and beauty are inextricably linked with the image of the Savior Jesus Christ. The image of Christ illuminated the entire life path of a person in Ancient Rus' from birth to his last breath. In the image of Christ he saw main meaning and justification of one’s life, embodying one’s Creed in images that are high and clear, like the words of a prayer.

The image of the Savior Not Made by Hands was associated with hopes for help and protection from enemies. It was placed above the gates of cities and fortresses, on military signs. The miraculous image of Christ served as protection for the Russian troops. Thus, the troops of Dmitry Donskoy fought on the Kulikovo field under the princely banner with the image of the Holy Face. Ivan the Terrible had the same banner when he took the city of Kazan in 1552.

Before His Image Not Made by Hands, people turn to the Savior Jesus Christ with prayers for healing from deadly diseases and for giving greater vitality.

The meaning of the Miraculous Image

In the early Christian (pre-iconoclastic) period, the symbolic image of Jesus Christ was widespread. As you know, the Gospels do not contain any information about the appearance of Christ. In the painting of catacombs and tombs, reliefs of sarcophagi, mosaics of temples, Christ appears in Old Testament forms and images: the Good Shepherd, Orpheus or the Youth Emmanuel (Is. 7:14). His Image Not Made by Hands is of great importance for the formation of the “historical” image of Christ. Perhaps the Icon Not Made by Hands, known since the 4th century, with its transfer to Constantinople in 994, became “an immutable model for icon painting,” as N.P. believed. Kondakov (Kondakov N.P. Iconography of the Lord God and Our Savior Jesus Christ, St. Petersburg, 1905. P. 14).

The silence of the evangelists about the appearance of Jesus Christ can be explained by their concern for the spiritual rebirth of humanity, the direction of their gaze from earthly life to heavenly life, from material to spiritual. Thus, keeping silent about the historical features of the Savior’s face, they draw our attention to knowledge of the Savior’s personality. “When depicting the Savior, we depict neither His divine nor His human nature, but His personality, in which both of these natures are incomprehensibly combined,” says Leonid Uspensky, an outstanding Russian icon painter and theologian (Uspensky L.A. The meaning and language of icons / / Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate. 1955. No. 6. P. 63).

The Gospel story also did not include the story of the Image of Christ Not Made by Hands; this can be explained by the words of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian: “Jesus did many other things; but if we were to write about this in detail, then, I think, the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).

During the period of iconoclasm, the Image of Christ not made by hands was cited as the most important evidence in favor of icon veneration (Seventh Ecumenical Council (787)).

According to Christian tradition, the miraculous image of the Savior Jesus Christ is one of the proofs of the truth of the incarnation in human form of the second person of the Trinity. The ability to capture the image of God, according to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, is associated with the Incarnation, that is, the birth of Jesus Christ, God the Son, or, as believers usually call Him, the Savior, the Savior. Before His birth, the appearance of icons was unreal - God the Father is invisible and incomprehensible, therefore, incomprehensible.

Thus, the first icon painter was God himself, His Son - “the image of His hypostasis” (Heb. 1.3). God acquired a human face, the Word became flesh for the salvation of man.

How the Image Not Made by Hands Was Revealed

There are two widespread versions of the legend about the origin of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands. We will present the eastern version of the legend about the Image of Jesus Christ Not Made by Hands, based on the book of the spiritual writer and church historian Leonid Denisov, “The History of the True Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands on the Basis of the Testimony of Byzantine Writers” (M., 1894, pp. 3–37).

During the years of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, Abgar V the Black reigned in Osroene (the capital of this miniature kingdom was the city of Edessa). For seven years he suffered unbearably from “black leprosy,” the most severe and incurable form of this disease. The rumor about the appearance in Jerusalem of an extraordinary man performing miracles spread far beyond the borders of Palestine, and soon reached Abgar. The nobles of the King of Edessa, who visited Jerusalem, conveyed to Abgar their enthusiastic impression of the amazing miracles of the Savior. Abgar believed in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and sent the painter Ananias to him with a letter in which he begged Christ to come and heal him from his illness.

Ananias walked for a long time and unsuccessfully in Jerusalem for the Savior. The masses of people surrounding the Lord prevented Ananias from fulfilling Abgar’s instructions. One day, tired of waiting, and, perhaps, despairing that he would be able to fulfill the instructions of his sovereign, Ananias stood on a ledge of a rock and, watching the Savior from afar, tried to copy him. But, despite all his efforts, he could not depict the face of Christ, because his expression was constantly changing by divine and incomprehensible power.

Finally, the Merciful Lord commanded the Apostle Thomas to bring Ananias to him. Before he had time to say anything, the Savior called him by name, asking for the letter Abgar had written to Him. Wanting to reward Abgar for his faith and love for Himself and fulfilling his ardent desire, the Savior ordered water to be brought and, having washed His holy face, wiped it with the rubbish given to him, that is, a four-pointed handkerchief. The water miraculously turned into colors, and the image of the divine face of the Savior was miraculously imprinted on the lining.

Having received the ubrus and the message, Ananias returned to Edessa. Abgar prostrated himself before the image and, venerating it with faith and love, received, according to the Savior’s word, instant relief from his illness, and after his baptism, as the Savior predicted, complete healing.

Avgar, revering the ubrus with a miraculous image of the face of the Savior, overthrew the statue of a pagan deity from the city gates, intending to place the miraculous image there to bless and protect the city. A deep niche was built in the stone wall above the gate, and the holy image was installed in it. Around the image there was a golden inscription: “Christ God! None of those who trust in You will perish.”

For about a hundred years, the Icon Not Made by Hands protected the inhabitants of Edessa, until one of Abgar’s descendants, having renounced Christ, wanted to remove it from the gates. But the Bishop of Edessa, mysteriously informed by God in a vision, came at night to the city gates, reached a niche along the stairs, placed a lit lamp in front of the image, covered it with ceramide (clay board) and leveled the edges of the niche with the wall, as he was told in the vision.

More than four centuries have passed...

The place where the Icon Not Made by Hands was located was no longer known to anyone. In 545, Justin the Great, under whose rule Edessa was then, fought with the Persian king, Chosroes I. Edessa constantly passed from hand to hand: from the Greeks to the Persians and back. Khosroes began to build a wooden wall near the city wall of Edessa, in order to then fill up the space between them and thus create an embankment above the city walls so that he could throw arrows from above at the defenders of the city. Khozroy carried out his plan; the inhabitants of Edessa decided to build an underground passage to the embankment in order to light a fire there and burn the logs holding the embankment. The fire was lit, but had no outlet where, having escaped into the air, it could have engulfed the logs.

Confused and despairing, the residents resorted to prayer to God; on the same night, the Bishop of Edessa, Eulalia, had a vision in which he was given an indication of the place where, invisible to everyone, the Image of Christ miraculously resided. Having dismantled the bricks and taken away the ceramide, Eulalia found the most holy image of Christ safe and sound. The lamp, lit 400 years ago, continued to burn. The bishop looked at the ceramide, and a new miracle amazed him: on it, miraculously, was depicted the same likeness of the Savior’s face as on the ubrus.

The inhabitants of Edessa, glorifying the Lord, brought the miraculous icon into the tunnel, sprinkled it with water, a few drops of this water fell on the fire, the flame immediately engulfed the wood and spread to the logs of the wall erected by Chozroes. The bishop brought the image to the city wall and performed litia (prayer outside the temple), holding the image in the direction of the Persian camp. Suddenly, the Persian troops, gripped by panic, fled.

Despite the fact that Edessa was taken by the Persians in 610, and later by the Muslims, the Image Not Made by Hands remained with the Edessa Christians all the time. With the restoration of icon veneration in 787, the Image Not Made by Hands became the subject of special reverent veneration. The Byzantine emperors dreamed of acquiring this image, but they were not able to bring their dream to fruition until the second half of the 10th century.

Roman I Lecapen (919–944), full of fiery love for the Savior, wished at all costs to bring a miraculous image of His face to the capital of the monarchy. The emperor sent envoys outlining his demands to the emir, since Persia at that time was conquered by the Muslims. The Muslims of that time oppressed the enslaved countries in every possible way, but often allowed the indigenous population to peacefully practice their religion. The emir, out of attention to the petition of the Edessa Christians, who threatened outrage, refused the demands of the Byzantine emperor. Angered by the refusal, Romanus declared war on the caliphate, troops entered Arab territory and devastated the environs of Edessa. Fearing ruin, the Edessa Christians, on their own behalf, sent a message to the emperor asking him to stop the war. The emperor agreed to stop hostilities on the condition that the image of Christ be given to him.

With the permission of the Baghdat Caliph, the emir agreed to the conditions proposed by the emperor. Crowds of people surrounded and brought up the rear of the procession as the Icon Not Made by Hands was transferred from the city to the bank of the Euphrates, where galleys awaited the procession to cross the river. Christians began to grumble, refusing to give up the holy image unless there was a sign from God. And a sign was given to them. Suddenly the galley, onto which the Icon Not Made by Hands had already been brought, swam without any action and landed on the opposite shore.

The quiet Edessians returned to the city, and the procession with the icon moved further along the dry route. Throughout the journey to Constantinople, miracles of healing were performed continuously. In Constantinople, jubilant people flocked from everywhere to worship the great shrine. The monks and saints accompanying the Icon Not Made by Hands traveled around the entire capital by sea with a magnificent ceremony and installed the holy image in the Pharos Church.

The Icon Not Made by Hands was preserved in Constantinople (Constantinople) for exactly 260 years. In 1204, the Crusaders turned their weapons against the Greeks and captured Constantinople. Along with a lot of gold, jewelry and sacred objects, they captured and transported the Icon Not Made by Hands to the ship. But, according to the inscrutable fate of the Lord, the Miraculous Image did not remain in their hands. As they sailed across the Sea of ​​Marmara, a terrible storm suddenly arose and the ship quickly sank. The greatest Christian shrine has disappeared. This, according to legend, ends the story of the true Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

In the West, the legend of the Savior Not Made by Hands became widespread as the legend of the Payment of Saint Veronica. According to one of them, Veronica was a student of the Savior, but she could not accompany him all the time, then she decided to order a portrait of the Savior from the painter. But on the way to the artist, she met the Savior, who miraculously imprinted his face on her plate. Veronica's cloth was endowed with the power of healing. With its help, the Roman Emperor Tiberius was cured. Later another option appears. When Christ was led to Calvary, Veronica wiped the sweat and blood stained face of Jesus with a cloth, and it was reflected on the material. This moment is included in the Catholic cycle of the Passion of the Lord. The face of Christ in a similar version is painted with a crown of thorns.

Which icons are the most famous?

Church historian L. Denisov mentions one of ancient icons Savior Not Made by Hands (XIV century). The icon was brought to Moscow by Saint Metropolitan Alexy from Constantinople and since 1360 it has stood in the iconostasis of the cathedral church of the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery. In 1354 Kyiv Metropolitan Alexy was caught in a storm on his way to Constantinople. The saint made a vow to build a cathedral in Moscow in honor of that saint or holiday on the day of which he would safely reach the shore. The day fell on the celebration of the Savior Not Made by Hands, and the Metropolitan built a monastery in his honor. Visiting Constantinople again in 1356, Alexy brought with him the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

Chronicles and monastery inventories for centuries noted the presence of a Constantinople icon in the monastery. In 1812, she was evacuated from Moscow and then returned safely. According to the Nezavisimaya Gazeta report dated June 15, 2000, “... in 1918, this icon disappeared from the Andronikov Monastery and was discovered in one of the Moscow repositories only in 1999. The painting of this icon was rewritten several times, but always according to the old drawing. Its small size and rare iconography place it among the few exact repetitions of the Constantinople relic.” We were unable to trace the further fate of this icon.

The Icon of Christ the Savior Not Made by Hands, erected by an unknown person and unknown when in the city of Vyatka on the porch of the Ascension Cathedral, is widely known. The image became famous for the numerous healings that took place before it. The first miracle happened in 1645 (this is evidenced by a manuscript kept in the Moscow Novospassky Monastery) - the healing of one of the city’s residents occurred. Peter Palkin, having been blind for three years, after fervent prayer before the Icon Not Made by Hands, received his sight. The news of this spread widely, and many began to come to the image with prayers and requests for healing. This icon was transported to Moscow by the then reigning sovereign Alexei Mikhailovich. On January 14, 1647, the miraculous image was transferred to the Kremlin and placed in the Assumption Cathedral. The gates to the Kremlin through which the image was brought in, which had been called Frolovsky until that time, began to be called Spassky.

The icon was kept in the Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin until the reconstruction of the Transfiguration Cathedral in the Novospassky Monastery was completed; on September 19, 1647, the icon was solemnly transferred to the monastery in a procession of the cross. The miraculous image gained great love and veneration among the residents of the capital; they resorted to the icon’s help in cases of fires and epidemics. In 1670, the image of the Savior was given to help Prince Yuri, who was going to the Don to pacify the rebellion of Stepan Razin. Until 1917, the icon was in the monastery. Currently, the whereabouts of the holy image are unknown.

In the Novospassky Monastery there is a preserved copy of the miraculous image. It is installed in the local row of the iconostasis of the Transfiguration Cathedral - where the miraculous icon itself was previously placed.

Another miraculous image of the Savior Not Made by Hands is located in the Transfiguration Cathedral in St. Petersburg. The icon was painted for Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich by the famous icon painter Simon Ushakov. It was handed over by the queen to her son, Peter I. He always took the icon with him on military campaigns, and he was with it at the foundation of St. Petersburg. This icon saved the life of the king more than once.

The emperor carried a list of this miraculous icon with him. Alexander III. During the crash of the Tsar's train on the Kursk-Kharkov-Azov Railway on October 17, 1888, he emerged from the destroyed carriage along with his entire family unharmed. The icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands was also preserved intact, even the glass in the icon case remained intact.

The meaning of the icon and miracles from it

The veneration of the image began in Rus' back in the 11th century. XII centuries and became widespread in the 14th century, when Moscow Metropolitan Alexy brought a copy of the Icon Not Made by Hands from Constantinople. Churches and temples began to be built in his honor in the state. The icon of the “Ardent Eye of Savior,” also going back in type to the original Image Not Made by Hands, was on the banners of Dmitry Donskoy, a student of Metropolitan Alexy, in the battle on the Kulikovo Field with Mamai. It was located above the entrance of new temples and churches, regardless of whether they were erected in honor of the Lord or other holy names and events, as their main protective protection.

The further history of the all-Russian glorification and transfer of the miraculous icon to Moscow begins in the 17th century. On July 12, 1645, in the city of Khlynov, now the city of Vyatka, a miracle of epiphany happened to a resident of the city, Peter Palkin, who gained the ability to see after praying in front of the icon of the Savior in the Church of the All-Merciful Savior. Before that he was blind for three years. After this event, recorded in church documents, miracles of healing began to occur more and more often, the fame of the icon expanded to the limits of the capital, where it was transferred in the 17th century: see the section “In which churches is the icon located.”

An embassy headed to Khlynov (Vyatka) for the miraculous image, the head of which was appointed abbot of the Moscow Epiphany Monastery Paphnutius.

On January 14, 1647, almost all the townspeople came out to the Yauza Gate of the capital to meet the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. As soon as those gathered saw the icon, everyone knelt down on the cold winter pavement, and a festive chime was heard from all Moscow bell towers for the beginning of the thanksgiving prayer. When the prayer service was over, the miraculous icon was brought into the Moscow Kremlin and placed in the Assumption Cathedral. They brought the icon through the Frolov Gate, which is now called Spassky, like the Spasskaya Tower that rises above it - now many, coming to the Kremlin’s Red Square, know the origin of the name of this place, sacred to every Russian person. At that time, the transfer of the image was followed by a royal decree that every male person who passes or drives through the Spassky Gate should take off his hat.

The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral of the Novospassky Monastery was then in the stage of reconstruction; after its completion, on September 19 of the same year, the image was solemnly transferred by procession to the place where the copy from it is now located.

The history of the image is replete with many testimonies of the Lord’s active participation in the destinies of Russia. In 1670, the icon was given to Prince Yuri to help suppress the rebellion of Stepan Razin on the Don. After the end of the Troubles, the saving image was placed in a gilded frame, richly decorated with diamonds, emeralds and pearls.

In mid-August 1834, a severe fire broke out in Moscow, which spread with incredible speed. At the request of the Muscovites, they took the icon out of the monastery and stood with it against the blazing place, and everyone saw how the fire could not cross the line along which they carried the miraculous image, as if tripping over an invisible wall. The wind soon died down and the fire died down. Then the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands began to be brought out for prayers at home, and when a cholera epidemic broke out in Moscow in 1848, many received healing from the icon.

In 1812, when Napoleon’s troops entered Moscow, the French, who were looting the deserted capital, tore the 17th-century robe from the wonderful image. In 1830, it was again encased in a silver frame with gilding and decorated with precious stones. In the summer, the icon was in the Transfiguration Cathedral, and in the winter it was transferred to the Intercession Church. Also, exact copies of the miraculous image were in both the St. Nicholas and Catherine’s churches of the monastery.

The Savior Not Made by Hands, according to some historians of the Russian Orthodox Church, became main part Christian tradition along with the Crucifixion. It is included in the top row of the home iconostasis; it, together with the image of the Mother of God, was taken out as a wedding couple to bless the newlyweds for a happy and settled life together. On the holiday of August 6/19 of the Transfiguration of the Lord, blessing the harvest, they celebrated the Apple Savior; on the first day of the Dormition Lent, on August 14/29, they celebrated the Honey Savior - it was believed that on this day bees no longer take bribes from flowers.

After the revolution of 1917, the icon was in the monastery for some time, but now the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands has been lost, and a copy of that early icon has been preserved in the Novospassky Monastery. But we love and honor this image to this day, and, as it was said at the VI Ecumenical Council: “The Savior left us His holy image, so that we, looking at it, would constantly remember his incarnation, suffering, life-giving death and the redemption of the race.” human."