Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Color”

Icon painting as a type of cult painting arose in Christianity to convey biblical scenes and images of saints Paintings, which were painted according to strict canons on wooden boards or canvas, have long been used to decorate temples and houses All the characteristic features of the saint’s face, the image of his figure and gestures had a sacred meaning Icons have been the object of veneration by believers at all times Before painting them, the painter received a blessing from his spiritual father On April 16, the Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Color” is celebrated, which is one of the most revered images in Christianity The face of the Virgin Mary in this image is full of peace, tenderness and tranquility There are several iconographic variants of the image of the Virgin Mary “Unfading Color” On the lists, the Virgin Mary is either depicted from the waist up, or sitting with a baby in her arms on a throne, dressed in a royal robe In one of the variants, she holds in her hands a rose or a branch of a white lily according to the local traditions of the Greek island of Kefalonia, where in the 16th-17th centuries the icon was painted In other images, in the hands of the Mother of God (less often - Jesus) there is a blossoming rod He refers us to the Old Testament, in which Aaron's rod is an allegory of the Virgin Mary The icon painters of the island of Kefalonia were inspired to create the face of the Mother of God by an unusual phenomenon On the day of the Annunciation (April 7), its residents bring sprigs of white lilies to the temple Flowers are placed in the icon case of the Annunciation, where without water and sunlight they dry up But on the eve of the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary (August 28), a miracle happens - the branches produce buds and bloom This is how lilies appeared on the “Unfading Flower” icon This symbol emphasizes the purity, sinlessness and innocence of Christ and the Virgin Mary Copies of icons were brought to Russia from Mount Athos at the end of the 17th century Some of them, for example, a face dating from 1865 from the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow, have not survived to this day A black and white version of the ancient icon “Unfading Color” is located in the Monastery of the Transfiguration of the Lord, located on Mount Tabor in Israel Some of the ancient lists are located in Russia Thus, the “Unfading Flower” icons are kept in the Alekseevsky Monastery in Moscow, the small monastery of Kadom in the Ryazan region and the Assumption Church in Mogiltsy Since ancient times, the icon has been figuratively called the “picturesque Gospel” and the “Bible for the illiterate” The image helps believers turn to the prototype with gratitude and requests of various kinds Some icons are considered miraculous because they heal illnesses, help people get married, and give birth to a child The Virgin Mary is most often asked for mental and physical health, and resolution of family conflicts The “Fadeless Flower” icon, which is revered at home, is decorated with lace, willow branches and fragrant fresh flowers Before the face of the saint, the girls pray for the purity of their thoughts and deliverance from temptation, asking for help in choosing a betrothed and for happiness in family life Mothers ask the Virgin Mary for help in raising their daughters in the spirit of meekness and innocence Believers talk a lot about miracles of healing after turning to the icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Light,” which is why it is glorified annually on April 16