Since ancient times, the image of the Most Holy Theotokos was considered miraculous, having the ability to help those who came to it with repentance, to ask for forgiveness and the blessing of the Queen of Heaven. One of the most famous icons with the face of the Blessed Virgin is the “Unbreakable Wall” icon - the protector of all those who ask, capable of protecting the believer and his loved ones from any adversity.

History of the icon

The miraculous image of the Mother of God is located in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. According to ancient chronicles, it was created by order of Yaroslav the Wise, who began the construction of Hagia Sophia in 1034. The prototype of the icon is the famous Oranta, kept in Constantinople. According to the testimony of ancient historians, one of the copies of Oranta was brought to Kyiv just during the construction of the temple, and the icon painters were instructed to create a copy of it.

In turn, several lists of the icon were made. The most famous of them is located in the Resurrection-Mironositsky Monastery near the village of Nikolskoye (Astrakhan region). Throughout the Soviet era, known for its intolerance towards the church, it was kept by one of the parishioners, and only at the end of the 20th century it appeared before the believers.

Today, lists of the miraculous image can be seen in other cities - Moscow, Kaliningrad, Stavropol.

Description and meaning

For nine centuries, the shrine has adorned the central altar apse of the St. Sophia Cathedral. The height of the figure of the Mother of God is approximately 6 meters. It was made using the mosaic technique: craftsmen pressed pieces of smalt, a glassy translucent mass, into the still damp layer of plaster. 177 shades of color were used to create the icon.

The Icon of the Mother of God “Unbreakable Wall” displays the following meaning:

The name of the icon was given by words from an akathist praising the Mother of God and calling her an indestructible wall, which will become salvation for believers. The image of the Blessed Virgin “The Unbreakable Wall” is considered miraculous, full of divine power, because, despite numerous attacks on the temple and the fact that Kyiv was repeatedly subjected to destructive raids and robberies, despite natural disasters, epidemics and wars, not a single disaster affected bright face, he remained unapproachable.

There is also an ancient belief that the “Unbreakable Wall” icon means, according to which the city above the Dnieper is not in danger as long as the Queen of Heaven stretches out her hands in prayer above it.

Who will it help?

Today, as before, thousands of believers flock to the ancient city to go under the arches of Sophia of Kyiv and see the miracle with their own eyes, ask for help and protection.

Knowledge about the meaning of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon and how it helps allows you to pray before the holy image of the Mother of God in the following cases:

1. Before a long trip, you need to pray shortly before leaving home. With this prayer, the believer asks to protect his home from evil during his absence.
2. If the relatives of the person praying need protection from any harm.
3. When a misfortune happens in the house or someone close to you becomes seriously ill, you need to pray to the Mother of God in solitude, kneeling before the icon. You need to read the prayer as prescribed by the canons of the church, and then ask the Blessed Virgin for protection from troubles and illnesses in your own words.
4. In case of marital quarrels and the desire to strengthen and preserve the family, a prayer is also read first, and then a request for protection of the home follows.
5. When a person has become a victim of slander.
6. With the threat of wars and conflicts.

It is important to remember that the icon helps only those who sincerely believe, therefore, before turning to the Most Pure Virgin, you should repent of your sins, cleanse your soul of evil, and your mind of dark thoughts. Prayer should come from the heart, and not be some kind of convention or fashion statement.

You should firmly remember the canonical text of the two prayers addressed to the image of the Blessed Virgin. Their translation into modern language sounds something like this: “Most Holy Virgin, be merciful to us, heal the sick, give comfort to the mourning, and faith to the lost. Help save children, raise the young, encourage women and men, support and warm the elderly. Deliver us from troubles, torment and sorrow. We will forever sing your maternal love and give praise to your Son and Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen!".

Selecting a location

For those wishing to turn to the Protectress, it is best to go to the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral or to any city where one of the lists of the icon is kept. If this is not possible, you need to buy the image, and then ask yourself where to hang the “Unbreakable Wall” icon.

The best place for it is in the house, directly opposite the entrance or above the door: from there the Blessed Virgin will be able to watch everyone who enters the house. It is believed that a person who comes with malicious intent will feel uncomfortable under her all-seeing gaze, and he will try to shorten the time of his visit, and next time he is unlikely to want to cross the threshold of the home. Before hanging the icon, you must read a prayer and ask the Mother of God for intercession.

There should not be any foreign objects near the image of the Protectress; you cannot hang the icon in the corner or next to any household appliances: TV, computer. It is also undesirable to place the “Impenetrable Wall” icon in a home iconostasis, where it will be visible only to the person praying: the Holy Face can protect only when the eyes of everyone who enters the house meet Her eyes, capable of guessing people’s secret thoughts.

Can I give it to someone else?

To protect your loved ones or friends from harm, to help improve family life, to save them from illness and to bring peace and happiness to their home by giving them an icon with miraculous powers is a completely natural desire for a believer. But is it possible to do this? Do I need to wait for any occasion (holiday, birthday, wedding) or can the gift be given on any chosen day?

The Church does not object to offerings of this kind; moreover, it believes that icons can and should be given when a person especially needs the support and protection of higher powers. But there are several conditions, without which the gift may lose its miraculous power and even cause misfortune.

This will not happen if:

In all other cases, the “Unbreakable Wall” will be the best gift for relatives, a talisman against evil and disease, protection and support that helps you survive adversity.

The “Unbreakable Wall” is an icon of the Mother of God, which is most revered among Christians and believers around the world. The name itself is strong enough and speaks for itself. Since ancient times, it was the Mother of God who was called the unbreakable wall of the Christian family, the first prayer book and intercessor. Those who prayed before her holy image always found consolation and help according to their faith.

The “Unbreakable Wall” icon is almost always made in a mosaic style, only sometimes artists use oil and special paints to create it. On the icon, the Mother of God is depicted in full growth with her arms outstretched to the sky, as if praying to the Almighty for protection and at the same moment, stopping all sorts of misfortunes and sorrows that may confront her. This icon is also often called Oranta.

One of these holy images is located in the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv. As the believers themselves say, as long as the Unbreakable Wall stands, Kyiv will stand. The fact is that the cathedral was attacked, destroyed and variously damaged several times. But each time the wall on which the “Unbreakable Wall” mosaic is depicted remained safe and sound. That is why it has survived in its original form to this day. This holy face is deeply revered by the parishioners of the cathedral and all Orthodox Christian believers.

What does history say about the icon “The Unbreakable Wall”

Why did this icon become so revered among Christians? As the story goes, a monk who lived in the Spaso-Elezarovsk Hermitage saw a certain vision that was associated with this icon. According to his description, he saw a large city of fabulous beauty. Two roads led to the gates of this city. One path was wide, comfortable and easy, and the second was winding and dangerous, and was located quite inconspicuously on the side.

The people who went up to the city walked along a wide path, where a huge giant caught them in his nets on the way. And along the second road, which also went around the entire city and rose steeply, lonely travelers climbed to the village safe and sound. The monk himself in his vision also chose the second path, because the giant’s net did not reach him, and the wall erected by the Blessed Virgin Mary reliably protected everyone walking this road. Having passed all the turns, the monk found himself in a magnificent and wonderful city.

The “Unbreakable Wall” icon has become widespread among believers throughout the world. Several images became the prototype for copies. One is from St. Sophia Cathedral, the second is from Constantinople.

There was such an icon in the village of Nikolskoye, which began to show its miracles back in the 60s of the last century. As archival records say, this icon was consecrated by John of Krostadt. But when the era of atheism began and all the churches began to be destroyed, robbed and burned, the icon ended up in the house of one parishioner, who, after storing it, handed it back to the temple.

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, the “Unbreakable Wall” icon has already managed to reveal a large number of miracles and phenomena to a large number of parishioners.

Miracles through the prayers of parishioners in front of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon

A large number of witnesses and eyewitnesses gave their descriptions, which, through their prayers, were revealed by the Most Holy Theotokos. During the Great Patriotic War, both on the battlefield and in quiet times, many soldiers saw a woman standing with her hands raised to the sky, facing the German troops. This happened especially often on battlefields, which were distinguished by their bloodiness and cruelty.

One front-line soldier, who often saw this woman for a long time during his service, after the end of the war, went into the temple to light a candle for his fallen comrades. When he raised his eyes and saw the icon of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall,” he immediately recognized in her the same woman that he and his comrades saw during the war in multiple battles. Only then did he understand who was praying for the Russian soldiers in those minutes.

How does the “Unbreakable Wall” icon help?

The very name of the icon already contains a strong and deep meaning for every Christian, which speaks of protection and intercession in the face of various life misfortunes and difficulties.

• One should pray in front of this icon at a time when the threat of war or armed conflict looms over the earth;
• Before fighting in battle or being in captivity;
• To protect the home from all treachery and guile, as well as invasion of the territory of the home by strangers and thieves;;
• At the moment when a person is falsely slandered or threatened with an unfair trial.

Almost every Orthodox Christian tries to place such an icon in his home. But you need to know where to place the icon.

Someone thinks that it can be placed in a home iconostasis, which will be hidden from prying eyes and only the person praying will see it. But the “Unbreakable Wall” icon should, on the contrary, catch the eye of everyone who enters the house or crosses the threshold of your apartment. So it should be located strictly above the front door, so that whoever comes in, seeing her eyes, will immediately be ashamed of his thoughts.

It is believed that when this icon is placed above the front door and troparia and prayers are read in front of it, some people will come to visit less often, and over time they will stop visiting this house altogether. This suggests that the icon protects the home and the people who lived in it from people with bad intentions.

Prayer to the icon of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall”

Before hanging the icon over the door, you must read the prayer of the Mother of God, ask for help and intercession, and only after that can you place the icon in a specially chosen place.

First prayer

To my Queen, my hope, to the Mother of God, friend of the orphans and the strange, to the Representative, to the sorrowing, to the Joy of the offended, to the Patroness! See my misfortune, see my sorrow; help me as I am weak, feed me as I am strange. Weigh my offense, resolve it as if by will: for I have no other help except You, no other intercessor, no good comforter, except You, O Mother of God, for you will preserve me and cover me forever and ever. Amen.

Second prayer

Oh, our gracious Lady Theotokos, Ever-Virgin, accept from us this song of gratitude and offer up to our Creator and Creator your warm prayers for us unworthy, may He, the Merciful, forgive us all our sins, evil and unclean thoughts, nasty deeds. Oh, Most Holy Lady, have mercy and send down a gift according to each need: heal the sick, comfort the sorrowing, bring the lost to reason, protect the infants, raise and teach the young, encourage and instruct men and wives, support and warm the old, be with us both here and in life eternal Wall, Indestructible, deliver us from all troubles and misfortunes and from eternal torment, and always singing Your Motherly love, we praise with all our hearts Your Son, with His Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

By praying in front of this icon, you can ask not only for protection for the house and the people living in it, but also for healing from serious illnesses. As history shows, such miracles are not uncommon. So at the beginning of the two thousandth, one parishioner who suffered from blindness was healed through her prayer right in front of this icon. After this incident, crowds of believers flocked to the icon to ask for recovery for themselves and their loved ones.

It is necessary to pray in front of this icon every day. This must be done especially passionately when you leave your home for a long period. If during prayer your words of help and intercession escape from your soul, you need to leave prayer and pray in your own words. After the soul has calmed down, you need to return to the prayer where you stopped and finish it.

In the modern world, when the era of globalization, Internet addiction, wars and armed conflicts has begun, it is necessary to find more time for your soul, for solitude and for fervent prayer. In the morning or evening, on the way to work or on the way home, it doesn’t matter when, but it’s worth praying. A person who prays always feels spiritual joy, peace and silence. He is less fussy, more calm and is almost always in a good mood. When leaving the house, or returning to it, the first thing you will see is the image of the Virgin Mary “The Unbreakable Wall”, which will immediately calm and take away all the painful thoughts of the day, just from just one glance at it.

Pray and you will be heard! Seek and you will find! Ask and you will receive!

God bless you!

Listen to the prayer in front of the “Unbreakable Wall” Icon online

The icon, called the “Unbreakable Wall,” is not only a holy image, but also a historical monument. It is one of the parts of the mosaic of St. Sophia of Kyiv. Almost any person understands that the name carries the meaning of intercession and the possibility of preserving feelings and relationships.

History and description of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon

Sophia Cathedral was built by the son of Yaroslav the Wise, and its splendor is indescribable and delights. There is a special belief that as long as the integrity of this mosaic is preserved, Kyiv will stand and prosper as a city. From here the general meaning of the image is extrapolated, which generally helps in various intercessions of the territory, home, country. This statement has been confirmed more than once by historical facts.

The cathedral itself (Kiev) was often destroyed when the Pechenegs and Cumans raided. The holy place received the most serious destruction from the Tatar-Mongols, who wanted to conquer and subjugate vast territories. But at the same time, the wall located above the main altar was never destroyed. It was there that the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “The Unbreakable Wall” was located, which always remained unharmed.

In addition, the image is revered in many other territories. There are well-known lists that are located in Moscow churches. It is worth noting the Kaliningrad Icon, which is located in the Cathedral and attracts a significant number of prayer books. The famous icon of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall”, which was found in the sixties of the previous century in the village of Nikolskoye.

This icon was most likely consecrated by John of Kronstadt himself. We should also remember the Absheron Convent of the Icon of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall”, which appeared in Kuban relatively recently. It was founded with the blessing of the patriarch.

The meaning of the icon of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall”

The sacred understanding of this holy image is simple - the need to protect the house and the people living in it. Thus, the “Unbreakable Wall” icon helps to protect yourself from various negative influences. It was made by the hands of Russian and Byzantine masters, and later became a real model for imitation and copying, thanks to which many images of the Blessed Virgin were created.

The military and people engaged in similar activities attach particular importance to the “Unbreakable Wall” icon.

There is a lot of evidence about how the military themselves, who participated in the hostilities and saw the Virgin on the battlefields precisely in the pose of Oranta, facing the opponents.

Oranta is the Virgin Mary depicted without a baby. She stands and spreads her arms to the heavens. This is the canonical spelling of the image and the history of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon goes back to the very first versions of the image. She is usually dressed in a dress of heavenly color, and there is a blue glow around her, making her stand out from the rest and emphasizing the heavenly grace. She wears a handkerchief in her belt, which she uses to wipe away the tears of sad people.

As a rule, the canonical image includes a medallion with the Savior on the chest, a blue lower dress (a symbol of purity) and a red upper dress, which indicates the high position and suffering of the Mother of God.

Similar icons, such as the “Unbreakable Wall,” must be hung at home in front of the entrance to the apartment. She must protect the house and not let enemies into it. It is recommended to hang it at home when you are going to leave it for a long time. In addition, it is customary to pray in front of the “Unbreakable Wall” before leaving the house.

It helps to pray in front of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon in order to protect yourself from various negative influences. Candles are often lit for someone in a church, so that the Mother of God protects these people. It is also good to choose where to hang the “Unbreakable Wall” icon in the work space, for example, in the company’s office. Then the company will be protected by the Most Pure Virgin. If the workers are believers, they will also be able to say prayers in front of this image.

Prayers to the icon

Kontakion 1

Chosen from all generations to the Mother of God and the Queen, before Her most pure image, the Indestructible Wall called, we offer thanksgiving songs of praise to You, O Blessed One. You, who have incomprehensible power and unspeakable love, save us from all troubles and sorrows, and let us call to You: Rejoice, Mother of God, Indestructible Wall, our Intercessor and consolation.

Ikos 1

A representative angel was quickly sent from God to You, Most Pure One, to bring You worldwide joy, as You conceived God the Word, the Savior of the world, from the Holy Spirit in Your womb. We, leading the fulfillment of this annunciation, believe that the Lord, Most Blessed One, has shown You with an Indestructible Wall and protected us from all sin, troubles and misfortunes. For this sake, we please Thee, Mother of God, and joyfully cry out: Rejoice, for the Lord is with Thee and Thee with us; Rejoice, for in Cana of Galilee you appeared as a representative to Your Son for the people. Rejoice, for with Your omophorion you cover the faithful wider than the clouds; Rejoice, for with Your grace you wipe away the tears of the afflicted. Rejoice, for You lift up Your hands to protect us from all defilement; Rejoice, for according to Your word you are now and ever blessed. Rejoice, Mother of God, Indestructible Wall, our Intercessor and consolation.

Kontakion 2

The visionary prophets, with their clever minds, combed through Your grace-filled appearance, proclaimed the Nativity in the flesh from You of the Son of God, and having known all the fulfillment of the prophetic prophecies, they reverently cried out to God: Alleluia.

Icon of the Mother of God
"UNBREAKABLE WALL"

According to legend, the icon of the Mother of God, called the “Unbreakable Wall,” became famous for Elder Gabriel’s vision of the Spaso-Eleazar Hermitage. He saw a wonderful city in front of him on a hill, where he had to go; a wide, flat road led to the city, along which it was very easy to walk. Many people climbed this road, not noticing that a huge, terrible giant was hanging over them, throwing a net at those walking and capturing it for himself. The elder wondered how he could get to the Great City and not get caught in the giant’s net. Suddenly, from the side, he noticed an imperceptible, steeper path rising along a sky-high wall to the city. Rare travelers walked along this path; the giant tried to throw a net at them, but it hit the wall and returned to him empty. Here the words from the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos surfaced in the elder’s head: "Rejoice, Unbreakable Wall of the Kingdom..." Realizing whose power protects travelers on this path, the elder turned down this path. The net whistled over his head, but never even touched him, being thrown back by the wall erected by the Mother of God. He reached the city, and there... beauty, light, flowers, fragrance, everything was in awe and joy... So he reached the very Throne of the Great King...

The miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary “The Unbreakable Wall” is made in the style of a mosaic on the wall above the high place of the main altar of the Kyiv St. Sophia Cathedral. The Mother of God is depicted on a golden background, standing at full height on a quadrangular golden stone with raised arms.

The icon received its name “The Unbreakable Wall” due to the fact that for nine centuries it remained intact, despite the fact that both the cathedral and the city were repeatedly destroyed. An ancient description of this icon has been preserved:“The growth of the Mother of God is gigantic, like all Her deeds in Rus'. She stands on a golden stone, the unshakable foundation of all those who flow to Her protection. Her tunic and scarlet belt are of heavenly color, and on it hangs a lention, with which She wipes away so many tears. Azure arms on hands raised to the sky. The golden veil falls from Her head and hangs in the form of an omophorion on her left shoulder, as a sign of Her cover, a broad cloud, according to the voice of church songs. A bright star burns on the forehead of the Mother of God and two stars on her shoulders: for She Herself, the Mother of the Unsetting Light, was for us the dawn of the Unsetting Sun.”

According to Kyiv legend, the capital city will not perish as long as the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall” stretches out the hands of the Mother of God over it.

The irresistible Intercessor of the Russian land gave her gracious help even in the most difficult times. On the large arch of the semi-vault, over its entire length and almost its entire width, a Greek inscription is depicted in black mosaic. This inscription is translated as follows: “God is in the midst of her and does not move: God will help her in the morning”(Ps. 45:6).

The initial image for the creation of this image was the icon of Our Lady Blachernitissa, placed on the altar wall of the Blachernae Church in Constantinople.

A belt copy of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon was made from the Kyiv image, which was unknown for a long time. The icon was rediscovered only in the 60s of the twentieth century, when it was transferred to the church in the village of Nikolskoye, Astrakhan region, from the neighboring village of Zlatozubovka, which was devastated by the Bolsheviks during the revolution. It bears the marks of hard years, traces of vandalism: damaged painting, scraped gilding. The image hung in the temple, among many other icons, for more than 30 years. In 2001, the Most Holy Lady appeared in a subtle dream to a 95-year-old resident of the village of Solenoye Zaimishche, the pious Agrippina Yakovlevna Veremeeva, and, comforting her from impending blindness, commanded her to pray to Her miraculous image “The Unbreakable Wall” in Nikolskoye. On the day of the Feast of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple, they looked for the icon and found it on the wall in an inconspicuous corner of the church. They began to clean it, it was covered with drying oil. The icon was painted in gold. They removed the drying oil and sent it off for restoration. They opened the back side of the icon - it indicated that it was written for the monastery.

As a result of archival searches, it was possible to find out the origin of the image and the possible reason for its miraculous power: in 1906, when the holy righteous John of Kronstadt came to the monastery, he illuminated the iconostasis of the monastery, and in the photograph they recognized this icon - the “Unbreakable Wall” on the iconostasis of the chapel dedicated to to the heavenly patron of St. John of Kronstadt, Venerable John of Rila. The icon stood in the first row of the iconostasis. The All-Russian prayer book, Father John, personally consecrated it. Perhaps this is the reason for its miraculous power. Subsequently, the monastery temple was destroyed, the icons were burned or chopped up. The icon “The Unbreakable Wall” was saved from desecration by the pious parishioner Maria Anshakova and she prayed before it in her home for many years, and then donated it to the church in Nikolskoye, the only one surviving at that time in the entire district...

It was as if her second birth took place and veneration began among the parishioners. After the prayers, several obvious miracles happened. Cancer was healed twice, and help was also sent during surgery. The parents' son, who disappeared 11 years earlier, was found; the killer of a local girl was revealed and came to confess; The spouses who were on the verge of divorce were reconciled. Orthodox people from the surrounding area and other places flocked to the icon. Thanks to the care of gracious pilgrims, the icon was decorated with a skillfully crafted crown, an unquenchable lamp was lit, the oil from which is now distributed to those praying.

According to eyewitness accounts, it is known that during the Great Patriotic War, on the fields of fierce battles, in the hottest spots of the battle, a woman was seen standing with her face turned towards enemy units, with her hands raised to the sky. One such evidence is described in detail in the story of the Orthodox writer Archpriest Nikolai Agafonov, “The Unbreakable Wall.” It tells about the miracle of the amazing rescue of a front-line soldier and his friend on the Kursk Bulge, in one of the most difficult battles during the Great Patriotic War. When a front-line soldier went into the church to light a funeral candle to remember a comrade in arms, he recognized the very woman in the “Unbreakable Wall” icon that he had seen then, in that memorable battle. It was the Most Holy Theotokos herself.

There are few lists of the “Unbreakable Wall” icon from the Kyiv image. They are available in two or three churches in Moscow. One of them was made in the 19th century and brought from the Kiev St. Sophia Cathedral to Russia, in Temple of the Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul in Lefortovo .

Icon of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall” in the Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul in Lefortovo

The date of the appearance of this icon in the temple is not known with certainty. But all local legends say that the icon of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall” appeared in the church of the apostles Peter and Paul in the atheistic time. According to some information, the icon was brought to this temple after the closure of the churches located on the territory of the “Quench My Sorrows” community; according to others, it was brought from the closed churches of the military hospital named after Burdenko; there is an opinion that it was donated to the temple in the sixties of the 20th century.

Amazing power comes from the icon of the Mother of God “The Unbreakable Wall”. On the icon, the Blessed Virgin is depicted in full height, standing on a quadrangular stone against the background of the celestial sphere. Raising Her most pure hands, the Good Intercessor of the Christian race prays for the whole world, begging the Lord to extend the time given to the human race for repentance. There is a mysterious inscription around the icon: “God is in Her midst and does not move: the morning will help Her.”(Wed Ps. 45:6).

Troparion, tone 4
Like an indestructible wall and an all-powerful cover of the treasures of You, Your servants, the Lady Theotokos, driving away the darkness of sins and sorrows. We also cry out to You: grant world peace and light and salvation to our souls.

First prayer
To my Queen, my hope, to the Mother of God, friend of the orphans and the strange, to the Representative, to the sorrowing, to the Joy of the offended, to the Patroness! See my misfortune, see my sorrow; help me as I am weak, feed me as I am strange. Weigh my offense, resolve it as if by will: for I have no other help except You, no other intercessor, no good comforter, except You, O Mother of God, for you will preserve me and cover me forever and ever. A min.

Second prayer
Oh, our gracious Lady Theotokos, Ever-Virgin, accept from us this song of gratitude and offer up to our Creator and Creator your warm prayers for us unworthy, may He, the Merciful, forgive us all our sins, evil and unclean thoughts, nasty deeds. Oh, Most Holy Lady, have mercy and send down a gift according to each need: heal the sick, comfort the sorrowing, bring the lost to reason, protect the infants, raise and teach the young, encourage and instruct men and wives, support and warm the old, be with us both here and in life eternal Wall, Indestructible, deliver us from all troubles and misfortunes and from eternal torment, and always singing Your Motherly love, we praise with all our hearts Your Son, with His Father and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.

One of the most famous faces of the Virgin Mary is located in the city of Kyiv, in the Hagia Sophia Cathedral. This is a huge mosaic image, which shows the full-length figure of the Mother of God. Its height is about six meters. The Virgin Mary is depicted in a praying pose, with her hands raised up.

It received its name “The Unbreakable Wall” due to the fact that for a thousand years the part of the cathedral on which the famous mosaic is located remained intact and unharmed, which cannot be said about the rest of the buildings of Hagia Sophia, which had to be restored more than once.

In honor of this image, the Absheron Monastery was later founded.

The Orthodox faith came to Rus' from Byzantium, the world's first great Orthodox state. It is quite natural that everything related to the Christian religion came to us from these places.

The first icons that appeared in Rus' during the time of emerging Christianity were Byzantine. Craftsmen were invited from there to build temples.

They not only built Sophia of Kyiv, but also decorated it with mosaics and frescoes. The main mosaic image of this temple was the image of the Virgin Mary the Unbreakable Wall.

Byzantine masters laid it out following the example of another more ancient image of Our Lady of Oranta.

According to legend, the ancient image adorned the walls of the Blachernae Temple. During the earthquake, the church building was very badly damaged. When the tremors ceased their destructive effect, the ruins of the temple appeared to the eyes of the city residents, among which rose the only surviving wall, which retained the face of the Virgin Mary.

Since then, another name has been assigned to this image - the Unbreakable Wall. And it completely justified itself.

In Kyiv Sophia, Our Lady of Oranta stood for almost a millennium as an indestructible and impregnable wall as in the ancient Blachernae Church. The cathedral was repeatedly looted, devastated and turned into a place of desolation.

It was restored, rebuilt, and by now the architecture of the building has acquired a slightly different appearance than it did at the dawn of Christianity. But the image of the Mother of God remained the same as in earlier days.

Iconography

The Face of the Mother of God without the Child is used extremely rarely. Usually such an image is part of another, more complex composition, usually the Ascension or the Veil.

The general name of the faces of the Mother of God belonging to a similar iconographic type is Oranta. The meaning of this word is “praying”.

The Unbreakable Wall distinguishes the Mother of God from other iconographic images by its monumentality and majesty.

Her pose is static, the composition itself is characterized by symmetry. The huge figure of Oranta dominates the rest of the temple's paintings, standing out with its regal grandeur and bright colors. The Mother of God stands on a wide platform, dressed in:

• blue chiton;
• purple maforium with gold folds;
• blue boots.

On her belt hangs a white towel, with which the Most Pure Mother wipes away the sea of ​​human tears. The Most Holy Lady froze in an outburst of prayer addressed to Heaven. In the minds of Christians, the image of the Mother of God is intertwined with the idea of ​​the earthly church, which prays to the Lord (Heavenly Church) for mercy towards sinners.

Kiev legend says that as long as the hands of the Most Holy Theotokos are raised to God over Kiev, this city will stand. Celebrations carried out by the church in honor of this face take place on the day of remembrance of All Saints, that is, the next week after the Holy Trinity.

Prayer tradition

How does the wonderful image of the Mother of God help Orthodox people? The name of the face is taken from the words of an ancient prayer canon dedicated to the Mother of God. In it She is called the Unbreakable Wall.

Due to the fact that the icon withstood all the shocks that befell the temple and the country over a thousand-year period, it is considered to be protection from:

• fires, floods and other natural disasters;
• military invasion;
• epidemics and various serious diseases;
• unclean spirits;
• unkind people.

The Mother of God will provide protection and patronage to any person who turns to Her in prayer. She will protect a believing family and any home, a place where people live who are waiting for Her help.

Important! If there is an Indestructible Wall icon in the house, where to hang it must be decided based on the circumstances and interior of the house. It is advisable to arrange a home prayer corner away from household electrical appliances, and not to place various paintings, photos and, at the same time, holy images on one wall.

Icon in the city of Apsheronsk

In honor of the great miraculous shrine, which has been the subject of worship and veneration for all Orthodox Christians for a long time, a convent was named in Apsheronsk, which is located in the Krasnodar region in the Kuban.

Currently, in all these churches, divine services have been held for a long time and believers pray. The main altar of the cathedral is consecrated in honor of the Mother of God of the Unbreakable Wall.

The building of the educational center has a medical care office and classrooms for educational activities with both children and adults.

Icon of the Mother of God “Unbreakable Wall”

Today it’s hard to believe that out of nowhere, in just a few years, a monastery of the icon of the Mother of God could grow, where there is a cathedral, churches, chapels, a sister’s building, and two bell towers. In the monastery you can feel a woman’s hand in everything. Flowers grow on every free piece of land. There is also a winter garden in the monastery.

On the patronal feast day, Vladyka Isidore invariably visits the women’s monastery, which appeared in the city not so long ago, but has already become a favorite of pilgrims.

Not only local residents come here, but also pilgrim groups from different regions of the region and dioceses of the Kuban Metropolis come here, which means the spiritual revival of people, for whose salvation churches and monasteries are built.

Icon in the village of Nikolskoye

In the middle of the 20th century, the image of the Virgin Mary was transferred from the Resurrection-Mironositsky Monastery (village of Zlatozubovka, Arkhangelsk region), destroyed by revolutionary events, to the temple of the neighboring village of Nikolskoye.

It was in a rather deplorable state - the gilding had been removed, the painting was damaged. It was clear that the path of the icon during the revolutionary years was not easy, as evidenced by numerous damages on it.

Icon Unbreakable Wall with Angels

For thirty years the face of the Mother of God hung among other images of the St. Nicholas Church, not particularly standing out. In 2001, the Mother of God appeared in a dream to one pious old woman, who was threatened with complete blindness.

The Most Pure Virgin ordered to pray to Her image of the Unbreakable Wall, which is located in the village of Nikolskoye. They searched for the icon for a long time, and finally found it in an inconspicuous corner of the temple. This happened on the day of the celebration of the Entry into the Temple of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The image of the Mother of God, hitherto unknown, seemed to experience its second birth. Prayers began to be served, and the first evidence of obvious miracles appeared:

• repeated healing from cancer;
• successful outcome of a complex surgical operation;
• the return home of a missing son;
• confession of the killer of an innocent victim;
• reconciliation of spouses and avoidance of divorce in the family.

A line of Orthodox pilgrims flocked to the village of Nikolskoye, seeking God's help and consolation. It soon became clear that the miraculous image was at one time illuminated by St. John of Kronstadt.

Thanks to the concerns of believers, the face of the Mother of God was decorated with a skillful crown. A lamp always glows next to him, the oil from which is distributed to believers for healing and salvation of soul and body.

Attention! In Orthodox liturgical books or on the Internet you can find an akathist in honor of the icon of the Virgin Mary, the Unbreakable Wall.

Useful video: Icon of the Unbreakable Wall - Prayer of the Mother of God

Let's sum it up

If you want to pray to the image of the Most Holy Theotokos Unbreakable Wall, you can purchase this image for your home iconostasis.

The significance of the icon for the protection of those who venerate it is so great that your home will become an impregnable fortress for all sorts of troubles and misfortunes, and the Mother of God will be your main helper and intercessor.