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Day of the Iveron Icon: What is it customary to ask the Mother of God for?
This icon is kept in the Iveron Monastery on Mount Athos. And if you believe the legends about its appearance, then it all began in the 9th century, when iconoclasts came to the inhabitants of Nicaea with images. One of them struck the icon with a spear, but the woman asked him not to touch the shrine at least until the morning and promised money for this. When the iconoclasts left, the woman who saved the image of the Mother of God lowered it into the sea, where it moved for about two centuries, and in the 11th century, the monks of the Iveron Monastery saw a burning pillar of fire. Paradise from the sea.
Only in the morning the icon was found not in its place, but above the monastery gates. This was repeated again and again until the monks left it there forever. This, by the way, is where its other names come from – “Gatekeeper” and “Goalkeeper”. Initially, the icon was placed outside the icon case just above the entrance to the monastery, and later, just above the gates, a small temple was built inside the monastery, which has survived to this day. Since its acquisition, the icon has not left the monastery walls and is considered one of the most inaccessible relics of the temple.
The Virgin Mary in the Iveron icon holds the Child with her left hand and points to Him as the Savior with her right. Jesus holds a scroll in one hand, symbolizing a blessing, and gives a blessing with the other. In this case, the image is positioned as if the Virgin Mary were forming a protective space around the child. This symbolizes the fact that she acts as a “vessel containing God, who cannot be slowed down.”
This image of the Virgin Mary is one of the most famous images. Even if you are not an expert, you can notice its external resemblance to the Smolensk, Tikhvin and Kazan icons. According to legend, all of them were painted on the basis of the Iverskaya.
When is the Day of the Iveron Icon in 2024?
Pilgrims are rarely allowed to examine the icon itself. Only a list is publicly available. There are several of them in Russia, the first of which appeared in the 17th century. The icon painter who worked on the icon observed a strict fast, was allowed to touch food only on weekends, and a year later reproduced an exact copy of the image. They even say that it endowed it with miraculous properties.
What do people pray for in front of the Iveron Icon?
In Rus', people bathed in front of the Iveron Icon. Even the sick were taken to hot baths and steamed. They believed that hot steam and healing infusions could defeat all diseases. However, in the bath, you should step aside and leave towels, washcloths and soap as a gift to the bath attendant. Otherwise, he could create problems.
What you shouldn't do on the Day of the Iveron Icon
According to the Church, on the day of the Iveron Icon, you cannot clean the house, cause trouble, swear, or do heavy work. The best thing you can do is go to church, pray, and spend time with your loved ones. The Church does not impose any special dietary restrictions. Excessive alcohol consumption and overeating are still to blame. It is also believed that those who drink alcohol on this day risk facing financial problems soon (however, lack of money and alcoholism often go hand in hand).