Orthodox icon - Orthodox mysticism. Lord Almighty

The icon "The Lord Almighty" may look different, for example, Christ himself is depicted in different provisions, but at the same time the essence of the icon itself does not change at all. In every church there is such an icon, it reminds people that the Savior came to earth in the form of a god-man to take away all the sins of mankind and make the soul immortal, so Jesus on the icon holds his right hand in a blessing sign.

The name of the icon contains the term “almighty”, which means that God is strong, and only he can control the fate of people, it should also be noted that the word is taken from the Old Testament, because this is how they initially turned to God, and then they began to turn to Christ .

What is the meaning of the icon "The Lord Almighty"?

This image should be located not only in churches, but also in every home of an Orthodox Christian. In the very center of the iconostasis there should always be an icon of the “Lord Almighty”, the meaning of which is associated with the designation of the power of Jesus, because it is he who can create a real miracle, and more than once he proved this in practice to all believers. The face of the Lord is very important for every Christian, since Jesus is the most main judge, he sits on a throne, and in his left hand he has the Gospel or a scroll, and with his right hand he blesses Orthodox Christians.

What does an icon look like?

Jesus himself is depicted in different ways, for example, in some icons he sits on a throne, and in some he stands in full height, but its value does not change. In the left hand of Christ is a holy scripture or scroll, and the right hand shows a sign of blessing for all those who believe in the Lord. The gospel is depicted on the icon in expanded form, only two letters are visible there: alpha and omega. Each of these letters has its own meaning, for example, alpha is the beginning, and omega is the end. Let us consider in more detail what the icon of the “Lord Almighty” symbolizes (photo in the article). It depicts Christ at the age when he goes to believers with a sermon and teaches people to live correctly according to God's laws, a halo in the form of a cross glows above Jesus' head.

Even the clothes of the Savior have a symbolic meaning; he is dressed in a blue gamatium and a red chiton. In Christianity, blue always symbolizes the beginning in heaven, and red shows the essence of humanity, in which there is a place for both torment and royalty. In total, the interweaving of these two colors indicates that nothing is alien to the Lord, therefore there is a harmony of the heavenly beginning and the earthly end.

The importance of the icon "The Lord Almighty" for Orthodox Christians

The icon "God Almighty" is important for anyone Orthodox person. There is a mention in the icon that every Christian will receive what he deserves, even if not in an earthly court, but in a heavenly court, which is the most responsible and fair, therefore, in the icon you can read a call to be more tolerant towards each other and more merciful. The image has great power, so every believer can say a prayer and ask God to help overcome all difficulties in order to achieve success in their endeavors. It is worth saying a prayer in front of the icon if a person is in sorrow and needs peace in order to overcome difficulties. A special prayer is said before the icon, in which a person not only asks the Lord to help, but also thanks him for his support and help.

How can the icon of the “Lord Almighty” help?

There is no doubt that the icon has power, since believers have repeatedly been convinced that the icon of the “Lord Almighty” is capable of creating a real miracle. Let's take a closer look at what exactly this icon can help with:

How can an icon help in family happiness?

The image has a huge impact on family happiness. For many families, the icon of the "Lord Almighty" is a talisman, it helps to save children from illnesses, even if the doctors were powerless, then prayer in front of the image will help overcome difficulties and cope with any misfortunes. It is necessary to pray to the Savior sincerely, only in this way can a real miracle happen. Parents bless young people who marry with the help of this icon, it is believed that only in this way can a marriage become strong and long.

How and when to pray in front of the icon of the "Lord Almighty"

Many Orthodox Christians are wondering how the icon of the "Lord Almighty" should look like, what it helps with, what kind of prayer should be said in front of it. This divine image does not have a special day when this icon is venerated, therefore it is safe to say that you can turn to the Savior in front of it at any time when a person needs to say a prayer of thanks or supplication. Everyone knows that Christ himself is both a holiday, and joy, and grace.

You can turn to any icon by saying the prayer “Our Father”, but there is also a separate prayer to the icon of the “Lord Almighty”. At the beginning of the prayer, there is an appeal to the Almighty, who came down to earth to save all sinful people, it is also described that all believers believe in a miracle and thank Jesus Christ that he does not leave all those who ask in trouble and does not leave them in difficult times. At the end of the prayer Orthodox Christian asks the Lord to forgive all sins and grant forgiveness not only to the person who prays, but also to all relatives and friends.

Is it possible to give the icon of the "Lord Almighty"?

The icon may indeed be a good gift so it can be donated from pure heart to their near and dear ones. This can be done on any holiday that is important for any Orthodox person. Often this image becomes a gift at the wedding, because this icon is an important part of the couple who are going to get married.

As you can see, one of the most important icons for Orthodox Christians is the icon of the Lord Almighty. The meaning, what it helps and how exactly it can protect a person from troubles - all this has a huge impact on the subconscious of a person, therefore, if a believer prays in front of an icon with pure thoughts, he can hope for a real miracle in his life.

The icon "The Lord Almighty" for the Orthodox faith is of great importance. Usually in temples this image is placed in the central domed part. It depicts Christ as Judge and King.

What does the icon "God Almighty" mean?

This image occupies a dominant place not only in temples, but also in domestic iconostases. The term "Almighty" appeared at a time when Christianity was just in its infancy. It denotes the power of Christ to create anything, and this is the ability of the Most High himself.

The icons depict Jesus sitting on a throne, full-length or waist-high. In his left hand, he always holds the Gospel or a scroll, and with his right hand he shows a blessing gesture. Two letters can be written on the Gospel: alpha and omega - this is an indication that the Almighty is the beginning and end of everything.

What helps the icon "Lord Almighty"?

Prayers are offered before the image by people who want to receive a blessing for future affairs or thank for help and support. The icon will help to receive consolation and strength. You can still pray to get rid of physical and spiritual injuries, as well as from sinful thoughts. You can offer petitions not only for yourself, but also for loved ones. In prayers, you can ask to give happiness, protect from various troubles and death. The clergy say that you need to turn to the icon not only in hard times but also to share the joy. The main thing is to read prayers with pure thoughts and an open heart.

It will be interesting to find out not only what they pray for in front of the “Lord Almighty” icon, but also to whom you can give such an image so that it becomes a helper and a talisman for a person. Such a face can be presented as a gift to newlyweds, as part of a wedding couple, as well as to close relatives and friends. Such a gift is also suitable for the boss.

Icon "The Lord Almighty": type, symbolism and theological content of the image

For two thousand years, the figure of the poor Palestinian preacher Jesus, originally from Nazareth, has dominated all European (and not only) culture. Today, his followers in total amount to more than two billion people, that is, more than thirty percent of the total population of the planet. And there is no country where at least a small group of believing Christians does not exist. It is quite natural that the image of Christ was imprinted in the world artistic heritage, especially in religious painting and iconography. A vivid expression of the veneration of Jesus, for example, in Orthodoxy is the icon of the Lord Almighty. Its meaning is in close relationship with Orthodox theology. Therefore, it is necessary to deal a little with the role of Christ in theology.

Jesus in orthodox theology

As in all Christian churches, Christ is central to Orthodox doctrine. This can not always be felt in the practice of the modern Church, which often demonstrates inertia and superstition, focused on the cults of saints and shrines. But in its theory and dogmatic doctrine, Orthodoxy is a very Christ-centered denomination. Jesus, according to her message, is the second person of the Holy Trinity - the Most High God who created the whole world. The three hypostases of the one God represent the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the second of them - the Son - descended to earth at the turn of the epochs and, by the action of the Holy Spirit, was born from an earthly woman, thereby assuming human nature. The single person of Christ thus unites in itself "uncombined, inseparable, unchanging and inseparable" two natures - divine and human. Since he is God, he is also called the Lord. Being sinless in himself, Jesus took upon himself the burden of all human sins that separate the Creator and creation, and carried them with his body to the cross. Being innocently condemned and crucified, Christ thereby atoned for human sins with His blood. On the third day he rose from the dead, and on the fortieth day after that, he ascended to the heavenly realms, where he sat down at the right hand (metaphorically speaking, for the Father has no body) from God the Father, where since then he has been invisibly ruling his church and everything the universe. Such, in brief, is the Orthodox doctrine of Jesus Christ.

Jesus in iconography

The icon, being "theology in colors", seeks to reflect the dogmatic understanding of the Savior. It is in the light of dogma that the canonical Orthodox image of Christ should be interpreted. The icon depicts the always resurrected Christ, from within whom the divine light shines. Even if the image is plot, which captures the lifetime deeds of the Savior, it still shows not the earthly Jesus, but the resurrected one. Therefore, an icon is always meta-historical, it reveals the spiritual essence of an event or person, and does not fix physical reality. Ultimately, the image is entirely a symbol. And each element in it is a reflection of its spiritual root. It would be fair to say that the icon depicts the indescribable and shows the invisible. All these features are included in the icon of the Lord Almighty. Its meaning is determined by the Greek term "Pantocrator", which means "owning everything, ruling everything, having power over everything, omnipotent."

Description of the type "Pantokrator"

Actually, the icon "The Lord Almighty" is not even an icon, but an icon-painting type of depiction of Christ. According to canonical norms, the Savior is presented in it in the form of a reigning person. The posture at the same time can be different - he can stand or sit on the throne. Waist and shoulder options are also popular. The icon "The Lord Almighty" is immediately recognizable by the position of Christ's hands. In the left he holds a codex, which symbolizes his preaching - the gospel. And the right hand is most often folded in a blessing gesture. In general, this is the most common and recognizable icon-painting type of the Savior. It has been known since about the fourth century. And the oldest icon of the “Lord Almighty” today is an image from the Sinai monastery of the sixth century.

Symbolism of the "Pantokrator"

Like any iconographic type, Pantokrator has its own set of symbols. Most of them, however, are the fruit of subsequent reflection on an already established image. So the interpretation of individual details is rather conditional. The icon of the Lord Almighty reflects the theological understanding of the figure of Christ - this has already been said above. If at the same time Jesus is dressed in imperial clothes, then this emphasizes his absolute power over the cosmos. If the clothes are episcopal, then Christ represents the high priest, the redeemer, who sacrificed himself for the sins of mankind. In this capacity, he brings his blood to the heavenly tabernacle and, by virtue of this, is a priest - an intermediary between God and people. But most often the icon "The Lord Almighty" depicts Christ in his everyday clothes - a chiton, that is, a long shirt and himation - a cloak. On the tunic, however, the clave is often depicted - a vertical golden stripe that symbolizes nobility and power. In ancient times, only aristocrats could wear it. For some time now, the chiton itself has been associated with the church. The traditional halo symbolizes spiritual light, and the cross inscribed in its circumference symbolizes the sacrifice on the cross.

Revered images like "Pantokrator"

In conclusion, it must be recalled that the image is not Christ himself, and that any of them, including the “Lord Almighty” is an icon. The 19th century somewhat downplayed the importance of personal spiritual discipline and practice, as a result of which the church community still suffers from the disease of the pursuit of miraculous images. As an example of such a revered icon of the Savior, one can cite the image of the 14th century Eleazarovsky, now stored in the monastery of the same name in the Pskov diocese.

Icon "The All-Seeing Eye": description and origin

Not very traditional in style and composition, icons that are the result of folk religious reflection are of great interest today to both collectors of antique religious paintings and museums that use them as exhibits of permanent and non-permanent exhibitions. Such icons become themes scientific works and popular in discussions at various forums and conferences. One of these images (namely the icon "All-Seeing Eye") will be the topic for this article.

Origin of the icon

This image is an amazing example of how folk art in the sphere of religion has become an example of such a serious discussion and a product in demand in the cult. The icon "The All-Seeing Eye" appeared for the first time in the Vladimir lands from under the brush of local masters. Accordingly, the first and earliest samples are sustained in the traditions of Vladimir icon painting. This is really a very simple and at the same time beautiful composition. Its complexity lies in the symbolism that it carries, since, firstly, it somewhat diverges from the concept of canonical iconography in the area concerning the method of presenting symbolic keys. And secondly, being a relatively remake (for the first time the image appeared about three hundred years ago, that is, at the time of the decline of the traditions of Russian icon painting), the icon "The All-Seeing Eye" contains the conceptual meaning of the author, which from the outside can be interpreted ambiguously.

Performance traditions

The traditional image we are talking about is performed in traditional Vladimir school ocher tones. The composition of the icon is unusual, which testifies to the author's desire to convey through external simplicity all the power and depth of the image.

The All-Seeing Eye icon is one of the most mysterious images full of mysteries. On this basis, as expected, a lot of conjectures and various kinds of assumptions are born, from quite convincing versions to phantasmagoric hypotheses that can compete in their sharpness with the best examples of conspiracy theories. However, the image really attracts attention and makes you immerse yourself in it, concentrating on hidden meanings. His mysticism and mystery ensured him popularity among believers, even despite the rejection of a significant part of the clergy.

Description of the icon

The main image consists of circles inscribed in each other in accordance with a special pattern. The central place is given to the sphere, in the space of which four eyes, a nose and a mouth are depicted. Of the anthropomorphic figures on the icon, there are at least three at once - the Savior in the traditions of the Savior Emmanuel, the Mother of God - something in between the image of Oranta and the Intercession, as well as the figure of God the Father, the Lord of hosts, which, by the way, generally cannot be depicted. All of them are located in different circles, so that the Icon “The All-Seeing Eye”, the meaning of which in general is reduced to the concept of omniscience, omniscience and foresight of God, acquires a peculiar volume and certain theological accents.

Admirers of the image insist that when contemplating it for a long time, the effect of a dome appears, which changes consciousness to some extent and opens the door to the spiritual world for those who pray. In addition, if you peer into the icon with a calm mind in even lighting, then the effect of rotation of the spheres will soon appear. The icon "The All-Seeing Eye" also acquires its significance due to the general consistency of all its elements - their coloristic and compositional harmony. She inspires a person looking at her that God constantly sees through every person, knows all his thoughts, feelings, words and deeds, both good and bad. The four never-sleeping eyes, as it were, symbolize this constant silent observation, encourage the believer to practice unceasing walking in God's presence.

Image history

If you delve into the history of the image in more detail, you can find out that it appeared for the first time in the 18th century, as it is believed, under the influence of Western art. Initially, if historical evidence does not lie, it was applied under the dome of the temple. Actually, the composition that we see on the icon is a representation of the architecture of the cross-domed church from the point of view of observing it from the lower center under the dome, as if the gaze were directed upwards. A little later, the widespread patterns of icons became so popular that the icon of the “All-Seeing Eye” of God in the house became quite a common thing.

Modern distribution

Once popular, this type of iconography is extremely rare today. Such icons are extremely difficult to find in churches and even buy in a church shop. This situation is aggravated by the fact that many clergy consider this image not quite canonical and warn their flock against being carried away by it.

Icon "All-seeing eye": where to hang in the house

Nevertheless, in an era of rapid technological progress and the universal availability of the Internet, nothing is impossible. You can easily buy such an icon on the Internet. It can be relatively cheap, printed on paper, or expensive, written by a real master of icon painting. There is, however, one question that worries those who already have the All-Seeing Eye icon.

Where to hang this image? Because for some reason not everyone can put it on a par with the usual icons, either because of its unusualness, or because of some special expectation. The answer will be the simplest - it is worth hanging this icon where it will be visible to you and thus can have the proper effect - to remind you of the omnipresence of God and his omniscience. If you are going to contemplate it for long periods of time, then it is better to position the image so that you yourself are comfortable working with it.

Icon of the Lord Almighty on the throne.

Icon of the Lord Almighty on the throne (Savior on the Throne, Manuelov Savior)
icons of the Lord Almighty still exist
two synonymous names - Savior the Almighty Pantokrator. The Lord is called the Savior (which means Savior in Old Slavonic) because he saved humanity from original sin committed by the forefathers Adam and Eve, redeeming it at the cost of His suffering during the Passion of Christ. And the word Pantocrator is equivalent to the word Almighty, because with Greek Pantokrator is translated as Omnipotent, Almighty. The Savior called Himself the Almighty in the last book of the New Testament, "The Revelation of John the Theologian": "Behold, I am coming soon, and My retribution is with Me, to give to everyone according to his deeds ... I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the First and the Last who was and is and is to come, the Almighty." The naming of Christ Almighty proves the dogma of the Incarnation, the incarnation of God. Omnipotent and Jesus Christ - as the King of the Earth, ruling over all people, omnipotent and God, who created the Earth and all creatures on it.
The very first icon of the Lord Almighty was the waist-length encaustic icon of Christ Pantocrator in the Egyptian monastery of St. Catherine on the Sinai Peninsula. On it, the Savior is depicted in a pose that has now become typical for the iconography of the Almighty: His right hand blesses Him, in the left Jesus Christ holds the Gospel. In the eyes of Christos Pantokrator there are neither reflections nor glare - He Himself radiates Divine light. Later this artistic technique will be widely used in Orthodox icon painting, becoming one of the canons of writing not only Christ, but also the Saints. Pointing to the revealed gospel and blessing at the same time, Jesus clearly shows us the way to the salvation of his soul. In the shoulder writing of the image of the Almighty Savior, for obvious reasons, hands are not visible.
One of the most common variants of the iconography of Christ Pantokrator is Lord Almighty on the throne or Savior on the throne. Christ is depicted here in full growth, sitting on the throne as the Heavenly Judge and King. The right hand still blesses, and the left holds the open Gospel. However, there is a variant of the icon of the Lord Almighty on the throne, where the position of the hands of the Savior may be different: the right hand may point to the lines of the opened Gospel, indicating the primacy of sacred power over secular power, such an iconography of Christ Pantocrator received the name Manuilov Spas or Saved the Golden Robe. According to legend, the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos himself painted this icon of the Almighty Savior on the throne, but at the time of writing the image he quarreled with the Greek priest and ordered him to be punished for disagreeing with the basileus. At night, Manuel had a dream: Christ ordered the angels to punish the emperor for interfering in the affairs of the Church. Waking up, Manuel found wounds on his body, and looking at the painted icon, he was stunned: the Savior changed the position of his right hand. Now she did not bless, but pointed to the lines of the Gospel of John, where it was written: "I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." From that day on, Manuel always placed the sacred above the royal. The name Golden Robe was given to the image of the Manuel Savior for the rich gilded salary that once adorned the original icon.
Another common image of the Savior on the throne - Savior in the Force. This image literally depicts Christ at the moment of His Second Coming, described by John the Theologian. The figure of the Lord Almighty on the throne is surrounded by heavenly forces - a red rhombus, a symbol of divine fire, is embedded in a blue circle - the Kingdom of Heaven, infinite in its grace. woven from angelic ranks, inscribed in turn in a red rectangle - the earthly kingdom, in the corners of which animals are depicted - symbols of the evangelists preaching in all four corners of the world.
The icon of the Lord Almighty is always placed in the very center of the iconostasis, serving as a reminder of who in the world below is the true King and Judge.

Until the 8th century, there were disputes about whether it was possible to write the Savior, because the Old Testament strictly forbids depicting God. However, in 787, at the Seventh Ecumenical Council, icon veneration was ranked among the dogmas. christian church. The interpretation of the ban has become this - it is not allowed to invent images, thereby creating idols. Since Jesus became incarnate human body, his first image was miraculous, such icons got the right to exist. And the image of Jesus Christ has become one of the main Christian iconography.

General rules for depicting the Savior

There are several variants of the canonical image of Jesus Christ. At the same time, it is not difficult to recognize him on icons, because icon painters use characteristic distinctive features:

• The halo of the Savior differs from others by the cross inscribed in it - a symbol of the incarnation of God the Father in God's Son. In the iconographic image of "Jesus Halki" there is no halo at all, and only a cross is depicted behind the face.
• Near the face or on the halo, there are often Greek letters (an abbreviation of one of the names of God) or "IC XC", which means Jesus Christ.
• The face is elongated, distinguished by expressive eyes and fine features.
• The Savior is dressed in simple clothes - a long shirt and a blue cape.
• Christ is turned to face the people, always located in the center of the icon.

Departure from the canons is possible if the icon depicts the Passion of Christ, the Entombment, the Resurrection. For example, on a special type of icon “Do not cry for me, mother,” Jesus is written naked and half-immersed in a coffin. Nearby stands the Virgin Mary and the head of the Savior with closed eyes is tilted to the face of the Virgin.

Savior Not Made by Hands (Mandylion)

Christians believe that the first icon of Jesus Christ was not made by hands. Eastern tradition, known since the 4th century, tells of the king of Edessa suffering from leprosy. He sent a messenger to Christ and asked, if he did not agree to come, at least draw the face of the Lord and bring it for healing. However, the artist could not get through the crowd and paint a portrait. When Jesus saw this, he washed his face and wiped it with a handkerchief (brusque), after which a face appeared on the cloth.

The Western version of the emergence of the Savior Not Made by Hands arose in the 13th-15th centuries. According to her, the pious woman Veronica during way of the cross handed a handkerchief to Christ so that he could wipe sweat and blood from his face.

On the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, it is precisely the handkerchief on which the face has appeared. Therefore, only the head of Jesus is written, according to Western tradition, often with a crown of thorns. In Rus', its own version of this icon arose - “Wet Beard Savior”, which refers to the Eastern tradition of washing the face. Unlike the canonical image, Christ's beard ends with a thin, straight tip, as if it were really wet with water.

Spas the Almighty (Pantocrator)

The most common type of icons with the writing of the Savior is the Almighty Savior, or Pantokrator. On it, Jesus Christ is depicted to the waist, with his left hand he holds the Gospel, and with his right he blesses all believers. The first mention of the image of Pantocrator dates back to the VI century.

The meaning of the icon is faith in God incarnate in man. The dogma of the Incarnation is the key to Christianity, therefore the images of Pantokrator are found everywhere - they adorn the central domes, apses of temples, and are present in many houses.

The Almighty Savior has several iconographic options. For example, the Savior in the Force, on which Jesus is depicted not to the waist, but sitting in full growth. On its background there is a red square (symbol of the Earth), a blue oval (symbol spiritual world) and a red rhombus (a symbol of the invisible world). Sometimes the Son of God is depicted without a background, but sitting on a throne. Such icons were called the Savior on the Throne and are also revered like all images of Pantocrator.

Spas Emmanuel

A special type in the iconography of Jesus Christ is Spas Emmanuel. Here the Savior appears not in the usual form, but as a child or youth, but at the same time with all the necessary attributes. First of all, there is always a special halo with a cross above the head. Such an image of the young Jesus, even before his baptism, confirms his divine essence.

At the same time, the images of Emmanuel are still rarely present as separate faces, more often they appear as part of an iconographic composition. Icons depicting the Mother of God with a baby can serve as a classic example.

Deesis

Among the icons of the Savior Jesus Christ, the Deesis group stands out. Here the Son of God is not drawn separately, but surrounded by other figures. Jesus Christ is given a central place, he is written in the form of Pantokrator, seated on a throne. On either side of the Son of God are the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist, in some versions - the apostles, martyrs or saints.

The first mention of the image dates back to the 7th century. The meaning of the icon is intercession for humanity before God the Father. The image reminds that Jesus brings prayers, is ready to protect anyone who turns and be merciful to him. The depicted faces help a person through prayer to come to God, to be cleansed, to receive forgiveness for sins.

One of the variations of this type of icons is the so-called Angelic Deesis, a Russian icon of the 12th century, in which the Savior is depicted as Emmanuel, surrounded by the archangels Michael and Gabriel.

Another iconographic type of Deesis is the “Present Queen”. Here the Savior is depicted in magnificent outfits and a crown, in his hands is the Gospel and a staff. The icon symbolizes the connection of the church with God, because here Jesus is depicted as a priest.

Other icons

The iconography of Jesus Christ is quite diverse, and among the different images there are those that do not correspond to the classical canons of the image.

• “Saved the Good Silence”, in which Jesus appears as an angel, even before the earthly incarnation. This is a beardless young man, dressed in white clothes with wings behind his back and with a star-shaped halo of the Lord of hosts. There are no scrolls and books in his hands - the Savior has not yet come to Earth and has not become a mentor of mankind.
• "Savior Great Bishop". On this icon, the Lord is depicted as a Priest - Jesus Christ is wearing magnificent clothes, and a crown is placed on his head. As in the iconography of the Almighty Savior, here the Savior holds the Gospel and blesses humanity.

• "Good Shepherd" - icons in which Jesus appears in symbolically teacher and mentor. He is depicted as a simple shepherd, often with a lost sheep on his shoulders and bowed head. The meaning of the icon is taken from the Old Testament.
• "Christ in the tomb" (Humility of our Lord, King of Glory). One of the most tragic images throughout Christian iconography. Jesus is shown dead, his body resting on a bed or depicted near an open tomb. Such icons do not refer to the Passion of Christ and have a symbolic character - they remind people how humbly the Lord accepted his fate.

What to pray for the images of Christ the Savior

The images of Jesus are designed to remind people of God's love and the sacrifice that he made for the salvation of mankind. It is believed that he is the Living God in literally and not just the described character. Jesus is the mediator between the worldly and the divine, helping to quickly bring people's prayers to God the Father. Therefore, praying to Jesus Christ, believers establish a personal relationship with him as with a reliable, faithful helper.

As a rule, in the house there is an image of the Almighty Savior - he can help those who are going through difficulties, are facing a difficult choice or have lost their faith. The icons of the Lord are addressed in the daily prayer "Our Father".

Those who seek healing from bodily and mental ailments pray to the Savior Not Made by Hands. Jesus went through torment, but did not give up all-encompassing love to people in which he helps and those who pray to him. Prayer relieves anxiety, despair, doubt and gives strength to follow the true path.

Wooden board 25x20 cm, gesso, tempera, halo gilding.

Spas Almighty

Spas the Almighty, or Pantokrator (from the Greek omnipotent, omnipotent) is one of the main types of the image of the Savior. He is presented as the King of Heaven and the future Judge of the world. Through the consubstantiality of the first and second hypostases of the Holy Trinity, the definition of "Pantocrator" also correlates with the image of God the Father. Naming Jesus "Almighty" indicates, on the one hand, His Divine nature: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is and was and is to come, the Almighty" (Rev. 1: 8). On the other hand, such a naming is also connected with the human nature of Christ, who atoned for human sins by the sacrifice of the cross and thereby made human nature one. The cross halo enhances the sacrificial symbolism of the image. According to centuries-old tradition, the image of the Almighty Savior was placed in the dome of the church. Later, the image of the Almighty Savior began to be painted on icons.

The origin and meaning of the name of the image "Savior Almighty".

The term appeared at the dawn of Christianity, the early Christian tradition described Jesus Christ with this term. Images of the Savior on the throne are found in the Roman catacombs. In Byzantium, the name Savior Almighty is mentioned approximately from the 4th-6th centuries. but the final iconography takes shape in the post-iconoclastic period (by the 10th century). The Almighty Lord is repeatedly called in the Old and New Testaments. The word "Almighty", written next to the name of Jesus Christ, also expresses the dogma of the Incarnation: the title of the Almighty applies in full to both the Divine and the human nature of the Savior. The word Almighty most often means omnipotence, that is, the ability to create everything that is the prerogative of God. The meaning of the word Pantokrator can also be understood as "Lord of all", "Ruler of the world".

Iconography of the Almighty Savior

The icon of the Almighty Savior is a half-length image of the Lord Jesus Christ. With his right hand he blesses, and with his left he holds a scroll or, as a rule, an open Gospel with a text. It symbolizes the giving of the saving doctrine to the world. Traditionally, various sayings of the Savior are displayed on the pages of the opened Gospel. But most often these are the following words: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest,” or “I am the light of the world; walk after Me, not to walk in darkness, but to have the light of the beast.”

The Son of God is depicted at the age of his preaching. The canon enshrined the image of Christ in the clothes that He wore in his earthly life - chiton and himation. Usually Christ's outer clothing is depicted as blue, and the shirt, that is, the chiton, is red, sometimes purple, which symbolizes the human incarnation and the divine essence of Christ, respectively. In addition, the red color of the tunic means blood and martyrdom, but at the same time it is also a royal color (purple). Blue color the cloak is associated with the heavenly beginning. The composition of the icon is distinguished by its strict frontality and static character, which gives the image of Christ the solemnity and royalty of the Ruler of the Universe.

The Savior can be depicted full-length, sitting on a throne, waist-deep, or chest-length. The image of the Almighty Savior is used in single icons, as part of deesis compositions, in iconostases, wall paintings, etc. This image still occupies the space of the central dome of an Orthodox church.

Savior Almighty - central image in the iconography of Christ, representing Him as the Heavenly King and Judge. There are many iconographic types of the Savior: the Savior Not Made by Hands, the Savior on the Throne, the Savior in Power, the Savior the King of Kings, the Savior Emmanuel.

Prayer to the Savior Almighty -Jesus the Sweetest

Master Lord Jesus Christ my God, even for the sake of Thy philanthropy, at the end of the ages in the flesh, wrap yourself in the flesh of the Ever-Virgin Mary, I glorify Thy saving providence for me, Thy servant, Vladyka; I will hymn Thee, for I have known Thee for the sake of the Father; I will bless Thee, for His sake, and the Holy Spirit will come into the world; I bow down to Your fleshly Most Pure Mother, who served such a terrible mystery; I praise Your angelic standing, like singers and servants of Your majesty; I bless John the Forerunner, who baptized Thee, O Lord; I honor the prophets who proclaimed You, I glorify Your holy apostles; I also celebrate the martyrs, but I praise Thy priests; I bow down to Your saints, and I nurse all Your righteous. Such and such a many and indescribable face of the Divine I bring to prayer to You, the all-merciful God, Your servant, and for this reason I ask forgiveness for my sins, if you grant me all of Yours for the sake of the saints, rather than Your saints bounty, as if you are blessed forever. Amen.

Troparion thanksgiving to the Savior

Troparion, tone 4

Give thanks to the unworthy Thy servants, O Lord, for Thy great good deeds on us who have been, glorifying Thee, we praise, bless, thank, we sing and magnify Thy goodness, and slavishly with love we cry out to Thee: Our benefactor Savior, glory to Thee.

Christianity is one of the world's religions, which is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. His face was often recreated on sacred images, which contributed to the rooting of the image of the one God in art, and in particular in religious art. A typical example is the icon of the Lord Almighty, which is found in almost every church and home altar.

Thus, we are talking about an image that unites all believers, about an image that has a consolidating meaning for everyone. That is why believers should deeply reflect on the meaning of the icon of Jesus Christ the Almighty, and the position that this image occupies in religious practice.

Description of the meaning of the iconographic image

Jesus is by nature sinless, which is why he shouldered the entire burden of worldly sins. Jesus was judged and sentenced to be crucified, thus atoning for all the sins of the people. He is a representative of the Holy Trinity, namely the Son who descended to Earth, and by the action of the Holy Spirit was born from a woman, thereby taking on the appearance of a man.

Mostly on the icons depicting Jesus Christ the Almighty, glimpses of divine light flowing from within him. Given this aspect, we can say that the icons show not only the physical state, but also the spiritual essence, and therefore reveal to the viewer divine origin Jesus.

The icon of the Lord Almighty is, on the one hand, a unit religious art, and on the other hand, a whole icon-painting type of image of the Lord God. It should be understood that the icon of God the Father Almighty is non-canonical, since it is not customary to depict the Almighty in Orthodoxy at all, they depict only Jesus and symbolically the Holy Spirit.

Features of the icon of the Almighty Savior

Eat different variants images and many icon painters pondered over them, for example, Theophanes the Greek wrote his own version of the icon of the Almighty Savior, the lists of which are in many churches. One way or another, Jesus is always depicted on it in the form of a reigning and majestic one. After all, He is the Supreme Judge and it is He who will continue to judge people by their actions and thoughts.

Therefore, the icon of the Lord Almighty emphasizes this function of the supreme ruler and judge, who rules over everything.

This icon differs from other sacred Christian images by the characteristic position of the hands, where in the right hand there is a scroll representing the Gospel, and left hand folded into a blessing gesture. There may also be an image of the Lord Almighty with a book, which is the Gospel. Only there are often only two letters: Alpha and Omega. That is, we are talking about the first and final letters of the Greek alphabet. The presence of these letters arranged in this way symbolizes the totality of the world. The gospel includes the whole world.

There is a type of icon where Jesus is depicted waist-deep or shoulder-deep, which are quite common. As history testifies, the very first icons of the Lord Almighty were painted around the fourth century, being one of the most recognizable icon-painting styles of the image of the Almighty. By the way, the oldest icon that has survived to this day is located in the Sinai Monastery, where everyone can see the icon.

What helps the icon of the Lord Almighty

As mentioned earlier, the icon of the Almighty Savior is of fundamental importance for the Orthodox. This image is prayed for a variety of reasons. The icon of Jesus the Almighty helps to get rid of various difficulties, to gain stronger faith and consolation, but one more more than significant value should be noted.

In order to express their own joy, their own faith, people often pray precisely to the image of the Lord Almighty, thus expressing to him, let's say, their own recognition.

These feelings are difficult to express in words, and often they are accessible only to believers who have understood how great the joy that comes from the Lord, how great is the feat of Christ, and how great is the value of the Orthodox faith.

Some lists of this icon are considered miraculous, and there are attested facts. Prayers ask for a variety of things, but they also often turn to him in order to share their joy with the Lord.

Prayer to the icon of the Lord Almighty

The prayer for the icon is as follows:

Master Christ God, Who heals my passions with His passions and heals my ulcers with His ulcers, grant me, who have sinned much with You, tears of tenderness; dilute my body from the smell of Your life-giving Body, and delight my soul with Your Honorable Blood from sorrow, drink me with it; raise my mind to Thee, drooping valley, and raise me from the abyss of perdition: as if I do not imam repentance, I do not imam tenderness, I do not imam comforting tears, raising children to their inheritance. Darkened by the mind in worldly passions, I cannot look to You in illness, I cannot warm myself with tears, even if I love You. But, Lord Jesus Christ, treasure of the good, grant me wholehearted repentance and an industrious heart to seek Thy, grant me Thy grace and renew in me the signs of Thy image. Leave you, don't leave me; go forth to my exaction, lead me to Thy pasture and count me among the sheep of Thy chosen flock, raise me with them from the grain of Thy Divine Sacraments, by the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints. Amen.

The famous icon of Jesus Christ "The Savior on the Throne" is an important image in Orthodox world. It contains the divine power that heals and helps in any difficult situation to every believer.

The image of the Son of God "Savior on the Throne" has common features with the world-famous icon "Savior Almighty". The face of the Savior is one of the most revered and glorified images among the Christian people. This is perhaps one of the most important icons that every believer should have at home.

History of the icon

First this image Christ appeared in Byzantine Empire back in the ninth century. The famous icon of the Savior on the Throne came to Russia only several centuries later, approximately in the 12th century.

The main component of the holy image is the view of the Son of the Lord as the greatest and true Judge of all mankind, who will appear on the Day of Judgment and repay every mortal on this earth for sins. This idea of ​​Jesus Christ was the reason for writing the great shrine.

The icon "The Savior on the Throne" is especially revered and one of the favorites of believers. Almost every Orthodox person keeps a miraculous image of the Lord in the house. Many Christians witnessed miracles that came from the great shrine of the Savior. For centuries, the holy face has helped and healed believers, thus earning their love and trust.

Where is the icon "Savior on the Throne"

In our country, the main and especially revered image can be found in Tretyakov Gallery. The shrine was painted in Novgorod in the 13th century. No less famous lists are kept:

• in the Hermitage (16th century);
• in the Moscow Kremlin (1337);
• in the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve in Vladimir.

Description of the icon "The Savior on the Throne"

Main Feature The sacred image of the Savior on this icon is His image in full growth, in rich robes. With a gesture of one hand He bestows His blessing, and in the other holds the Gospel open. Jesus sits on a throne that embodies the symbol of the vast universe, as well as the omnipresent dominion and unimaginable power of God.

What helps the image of the "Savior on the Throne"

Christians read their prayers before most holy face Lord with requests for help in the most difficult and difficult life situations. They also pray for forgiveness of sins, for forgiveness for all the evil and bad deeds that they have done in life. An Orthodox icon can help overcome fatal illnesses, evil ailments, mental and spiritual disorders, completely healing the body and soul of the worshiper.
The Savior on the Throne is the patron saint of workers whose work is related to the oil and gas industry.

Days of celebration

In the Russian holiday calendar Orthodox Church three official days are marked when the celebration of the holy image of the Savior on the Throne is held:

• August 14- is the day of the beginning of the Dormition fast. It also has the name "Honey Spas";
• August 19- Apple Savior;
• August 28- the end of the post.

Prayer before the miraculous image

“Oh great Savior! King of Heaven and Earth! Hear our prayers to You. Only before Your image we kneel and ask for help. Do not quit in difficult moments and stand up for the protection of our souls. We pray for our lives, for sinful souls. We ask tearfully, forgive our sins and forgive us for them! Give us healing, deliver us from anger and resentment. Drive away our enemies and become support in the troubles and difficulties of life. Only you are our support, O mighty and all-powerful Jesus! Let us glorify and praise your name great! May your will be done! In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Forever and ever. Amen".

Remember that the Lord is always there and will help at any moment to everyone who truly believes in His power and prays from a pure heart in front of His miraculous images. Do not forget to thank Christ for all the good things in your life, and then your prayers will be heard, and His support will not keep you waiting. We wish you strong faith, happiness, and don't forget to press the buttons and

15.12.2017 05:14

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