People tend to believe in higher powers and worship them, seeking protection from adversity. Ancient tribes had family totems, pagans revered idols, and with the birth of Christianity they began to worship the Almighty, believing in his protection.

"Personal" Patron

Even those who do not adhere to religious canons and do not visit temples often think about the patronage of saints. At the same time, many are interested in whether they have a Guardian Angel and what “personal” Patron should be honored so that luck does not pass them by.

Over many centuries, a large number of holy martyrs were canonized, who after death continued to help people by answering their prayers. But for prayers to be heard, they must be directed to “their” Patron, who should be constantly honored.

But how to choose among a large number of saints that one, “personal” one? In this case, there must be some rules to help solve the problem.

The problem of choosing a Patron

In the Orthodox times of our great-grandmothers there was no such problem. Babies born They were baptized in the church, giving them names according to the Saints. And already from infancy, a person knew who patronized him in life.

By the mid-20th century, this tradition had become obsolete - children are named after relatives, friends, celebrities, or completely new names are invented. Without thinking about the fact that in addition to the name, the child also needs spiritual protection, which can only be given by the Patron Saint.

Now evolution is doing new round, which is characterized by a return to spiritual values. Therefore, the question began to arise so often: who is he, my Patron? Realizing this will make it easier for a person to live and cope with his problems. After all, he knows that “Over there” he is being watched and protected.

How to recognize your defender

In those families where they still honor Orthodox traditions, people know their Patron. As a rule, it is the saint in whose honor the child was baptized (sometimes the baptized name differs from the everyday name).

Therefore, those who have a certificate of Baptism can look into the document. If the same name is written there as in the passport (metric), perhaps the parents planned in advance to name the child by the name of the Patron. If this is not the case, or there is no document about the performed Sacrament, the defender will have to be determined by another method.

1. Start from your own (earthly) name. Turning to the Saints, find the namesake saint and take him as your Patron. If there are several of them (for example, Maria, Nikolai, etc.), “get attached” to the one that is closer to the date after your birthday.
2. But your name may not appear in the Saints. Then you need to choose the one that is more phonetically consonant. Scientists have long proven that a certain combination of sounds in names is fateful.
3. You can also choose a saint who does not bear your name. In this case, the link should also be made to the date of birth. Usually children were baptized on the 8th day of birth. In this interval, choose the martyr you like and worship him.

If you are at a loss and cannot make a final choice, then you should contact the clergy. They are more knowledgeable in this matter and will definitely help you. They will also tell you how to properly communicate with your Patron.

You and your Patron

It is not enough to simply decide on the choice of Patron. You still need to learn to communicate with him. Be sure to purchase an icon that depicts your saint. Talk to him, ask for advice in difficult situations and never complain if something goes wrong in life.

It would be good to study the Life of your protector to know more about him. And if you have already chosen him as a Patron, try to follow him life principles. This way you will become closer to him spiritually.

Remember the tradition of your ancestors when they honored the Patrons with tribute. There will be no need to set up sacrificial altars, but you should set the table with treats, thus celebrating the name day.

By the way, this concept has long been perceived not as it should. Name day is not a holiday in honor of your birthday. This event takes place on your saint's day and is a veneration of his name.

Video: how to recognize your patron saint

Guardian Angel or heavenly patron?

A person is born into the world, and everyone around them rejoices, they choose a name for the newborn and the day when, according to custom, they will take him to church to baptize him. This is how Christians do it. It has been accepted for a long time, but confusion in the concepts of Guardian Angel and heavenly patron still exists today.

Are angels beings higher or lower than humans?

- “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1.1). This is how the biblical story of the creation of the world begins. The word “heaven” here means the creation of an angelic essence, the invisible world of disembodied spirits. "Angel" is a "messenger". This means that disembodied spirits are called upon to communicate the will of God to people, to carry out His orders in caring for the visible world. “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to serve those who are to inherit salvation?” (Heb 1:14).

In the sacrament of Baptism, after prayers of prohibition, the priest turns to God with a request to send an Angel to the person being baptized: “connect a bright Angel to his belly.” Thus, at baptism, God gives every Christian a Guardian Angel, who invisibly protects a person throughout his entire earthly life, instructs him in good deeds, warns against sins, protects him in the terrible hour of death, and after death conveys the soul to God.

They say that angels have no names. What about Archangel Michael?

The teaching of the Orthodox Church speaks of the existence of a Heavenly hierarchy. It consists of three triads: the first: seraphim, cherubim, “thrones”, the second - “dominations”, “forces”, “powers”, the third - “principles”, Archangels, angels. But in everyday life, all Heavenly ranks are called angels. We do not know the names of the countless Heavenly host, but we know from Scripture the names of the archangels: Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, Raphael, Selafiel, Jehudiel, Barachiel, Jeremiel. Each of them fulfills its purpose. Archangel Michael (“who is like God”), about whom we know more than about other Heavenly forces, is the leader of the entire Heavenly army. Archangel Gabriel (“man of God”) is the bearer of joyful gospel. Archangel Uriel (“fire of God”), according to legend, was appointed by God to guard Paradise after the Fall and the expulsion of our ancestors. According to the teachings of the holy fathers, he is the enlightener of unbelieving hearts. Archangel Raphael (“God’s help”) is a doctor of human ailments. Archangel Selaphiel (“prayer to God”) calls people to prayer. The name of Archangel Jehudiel (“praise of God”) is known only from legends; it does not appear in the Bible. Archangel Barachiel is God's blessing for every good deed. Archangel Jeremiel (“height of God”) - returns fallen man to God. Thus, the Archangels are evangelists about the great and glorious, they reveal prophecies, the will of God, strengthen faith in people, enlightening their minds with the light of knowledge of the Divine.

Not only every person, but also every family, every pious society, every state has its Guardian Angel. Prophet Moses tells the people of Israel: “When the Most High gave inheritance to the nations and scattered the sons of men, then he set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the angels of God” (Deuteronomy 32:8).

As an incorporeal spirit, the Guardian Angel has no name. In our prayers we address him like this: “To the Angel of God, my guardian.”

Are Guardian Angel and heavenly patron the same thing?

In the strict sense of the word, no. Christians call the heavenly patron saint whose name they bear during earthly life. According to the teachings of the Orthodox Church, everyone who enters it is given christian name, the bearer of which was glorified by the Church and canonized. Thus, a Christian has two invisible protectors: the Guardian Angel and the heavenly patron. The day of the Angel is the day of our baptism, and the day of the heavenly patron or name day is the day of remembrance of the saint whose name we bear. Orthodox Christians celebrate both of these days by visiting church, confessing and partaking of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and doing good deeds.

The more diligently we try to imitate in our lives the heavenly patron whose name we bear, the stronger his invisible intercession for us before God. It should be understood that if we do not live in a Christian way, then in vain we demand help from the Guardian Angel and heavenly patron, in vain we grumble at them and at God, who allegedly do not help us in our affairs.

What does a person's name mean to God?

A person's name matters primarily to himself. The Lord, one must think, knows us and everything about us without a name. But nevertheless, already the first people had names, and animals were brought to Adam so that he would give names to dumb creatures, thereby designating them in earthly life. In Christianity, it is customary to name a child in honor of one or another saint, who becomes his heavenly patron. Traditionally, since Old Testament times, the name of a baby is given on the eighth day after his birth, following the example of Christ the Savior, and during baptism (the fortieth day and later) it is pronounced as already existing.

Let's say a boy was born on the tenth of December. His parents chose a name for him according to the church calendar - Nicholas, since on December 19, according to the new style, the memory of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker is celebrated. With this name he received holy baptism. From now on, Saint Nicholas the Pleasant is his heavenly patron. It is to him that parents and successors turn with prayer, and later he himself, hoping for the intercession of this holy intercessor before God. “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are on their prayer” (1 Pet 3:12). In this sense, the name has meaning for both man and God.

My name is Rimma, born on April 23. Do I have a heavenly patron and when is his day in the church calendar?

There are two male names, Inna and Rimma, who, apparently, because female ending began to be given to girls at birth in Rus'. So your heavenly patron is the holy martyr Rimma, disciple of the Apostle Andrew. He lived in the 1st century and was from Scythia Minor. For spreading the faith of Christ, he was frozen in the river along with the martyrs Inna and Pinna. Their memory is February 2 and July 3 according to the new style.

My daughter's name is Victoria. In the church, the priest refused to give her communion under this name, saying that there was no such name in the church calendar, there was only, for example, Veronica. What do we do? Does the choice of a child's name affect his destiny?

Until recently, the name Victoria was not in the Orthodox calendar, and girls were most often given the name Nika at baptism. But since 2011, Victoria has been included in the calendar of the Moscow Patriarchate: the memory of St. Victoria of Corduba is November 30 in the new style.

Our destinies are in the hands of God. The concept of fate is not from the Christian vocabulary. The Lord created man free, and this gift is never taken away, therefore Christian teaching asserts that we participate in our own salvation - “God does not save us without us.” But we bear names, and usually these are the names of holy martyrs, saints, saints, in a word, saints of God. Sometimes (more often this happens in non-religious families) the child is called by a name that really is not in the calendar, for example, Snezhana. But at baptism, if there was one, the name is still given an Orthodox name. So it turns out that a person has, as it were, two names: everyday and church, with which he confesses, receives communion, gets married, etc.

Our Slavic ancestors wore pagan names, after the Baptism of Rus' they received the names from the Byzantine Church that we still have. For a long time in Rus', especially among the lower class, the custom was preserved of giving two names at the birth of a baby: pagan and Christian. The second name was kept secret to avoid witchcraft. A relic of this custom is still alive today: some parents, out of superstition, give their baby one name at birth and another at baptism. It is clear that this superstition has nothing in common with Orthodoxy.

My friends say that my name Rufina is not Russian, but I was baptized in Orthodox Church. What is my heavenly patron and when is his day in the church calendar?

In most cases, we all do not bear purely Russian names, but Greek, Roman, Persian, and so on, because Christianity came to us from the East. Your name translated from Greek means “reddish,” and your heavenly patroness is the holy martyr Rufina of Caesarea (Cappadocia). She was the mother of the holy martyr Mamant and suffered in the third century. Her memory, and therefore your name day, is September 15 according to the new style.

Can I change my name or be baptized again, since bad people buried me alive in the church and put my photo in the grave?

Calm down, nothing bad happened to you. For us Christians, “God is love” (1 John 4:16), which means that He does not create evil, although He allows its existence among people so that we voluntarily turn to good. Bad people who ordered a church funeral for a living person have done evil, and therefore will receive what they deserve. The Lord fulfills people’s requests that are useful to them, aimed at their good, but never for evil. The sacrament of Baptism is performed once and is not repeated, according to the apostle: “One God, one faith, one baptism” (Eph 4:5).

On Christmas Eve, my granddaughter was born. They named her Maria. Now the Mother of God Herself will be her Heavenly Patroness?

No, your granddaughter’s immediate heavenly patron will be one of the holy wives named Mary, whose memory is closest to the girl’s birthday (you must choose this according to the church calendar). In Orthodoxy there is a rule that the names Jesus and Mary are never given in honor of the Savior and His Most Pure Mother. Although, of course, the Most Holy Theotokos is the Intercessor of your granddaughter, as well as of all Christian believers.

Archpriest Vladimir Gofman

A name day is the day of remembrance of the saint in whose honor a Christian is named. Other names for this day are Angel Day, Name Day Day.

Every Orthodox Christian bears the name of the saint after whom it is named. The name is chosen according to the church calendar, each day of which is dedicated to the memory of a particular saint. The day of remembrance of the saint whose name an Orthodox Christian bears is called: Angel Day, or Name Day.

After the sacrament of baptism is performed, the saint whose name is chosen for the child or adult being baptized becomes his heavenly patron.

You yourself can choose from among several saints the one who is especially close to you. If you don’t know anything about any of them, consider as your heavenly patron the one whose memorial day on the calendar is closest to your birthday.

“The Lord gives each of us two Angels,” Fyodor of Edessa teaches us, “one of which, the Guardian Angel, protects us from all evil, from various misfortunes and helps us do good, and the other Angel is the holy saint of God, whose name we bear, intercedes for us before God, prays to God for us. His prayers, as more worthy and pleasing to God, are more likely to be accepted than our sinners.

Angels, being servants of love and peace, rejoice over our repentance and success in good deeds, try to fill us with spiritual contemplation (to the extent of our receptivity) and assist us in all good.”

“The saints,” wrote the Monk Silouan of Athos, “see our life and our deeds in the Holy Spirit. They know our sorrows and hear our fervent prayers... The saints do not forget us and pray for us... They also see the suffering of people on earth. The Lord gave them such great grace that they embrace the whole world with love. They see and know how exhausted we are from sorrows, how our souls have dried up, how despondency has bound them, and, without ceasing, they intercede for us before God.”

Name, given to a person at baptism, it no longer changes, except for a few, very rare cases, such as, for example, when tonsured as a monk. With the name given to a person at baptism, a person remains in all later life, goes with him to the next world; his name, after his death, is repeated by the Church when prayers are offered for the repose of his soul.

If a person was baptized in childhood and grew up in an Orthodox environment, then from childhood he knows the day of his name day. But it often happens that people who were baptized in childhood lived their conscious lives outside the Church and do not even know what saint they were named after. In addition, saints with the same name appear in the church calendar more than once. So there are about thirty saints with the name Alexander, John - more than eighty; In addition, one saint may have several days of remembrance.

How to determine the name day?

To determine the name day, the Church has developed the following practice: if in the church calendar there are several days of remembrance of saints with the same name (namesake - same name, with the same name), then your Angel Day will be the nearest of these days after your birthday forward. calendar.

The saint whose memory is celebrated on this day will be your heavenly patron.

If your saint has several days of remembrance throughout the year, then the closest day after your birthday is your name day, while the remaining days of his memory are called small name days. These rules are advisory, but not mandatory. If desired, everyone can choose any saint named after him as his heavenly patron and celebrate his name day on the day of his memory. If a child is named by a non-Orthodox name, then at baptism a consonant one is usually chosen Orthodox name and his name days are determined by his Orthodox name.

Saints have different names: prophets, apostles, martyrs, confessors, saints, saints, unmercenaries, blessed, righteous.

Prophets- saints who, at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, predicted the future, mainly prophesying about the coming, death and Resurrection of the Savior. They lived before the Savior came to earth.

Apostles- these are the closest disciples of Jesus Christ, whom He sent to preach during His earthly life, and after the descent of the Holy Spirit on them, they preached the Christian faith throughout all countries. At first there were twelve of them, then seventy more were added to them. Two of the apostles, Peter and Paul, are called supreme, since they worked more than others in preaching the faith of Christ.

Saints who, like the apostles, spread the faith of Christ in different countries, are called equal to the apostles. These are, for example, the blessed kings Constantine and Helen, Saint Grand Duchess Olga, faithful Grand Duke Vladimir, holy enlightener of Georgia Nina, holy Mary Magdalene, first martyr Thekla and others.

Martyrs– these are Christians who accepted cruel torment and even death for their faith in Jesus Christ. If, after the torment they endured, they later died peacefully, then they are called confessors. Earlier than others, Archdeacon Stephen and Saint Thekla suffered for the faith of Christ, which is why they are called first martyrs.

Those who died for the holy faith after especially difficult (great) suffering, to which not all martyrs underwent, are called great martyrs: for example, the holy great martyr George the Victorious, the holy great martyrs Barbara, Catherine and others.

Saints- bishops who pleased God with their righteous lives and served the Church of Christ, such as St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Alexy, Metropolitan of Moscow, and others.

Saints and priests who suffered torment for Christ are called holy martyrs.

Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom are called universal teachers, that is, teachers of the entire Christian Church.

Reverends- righteous people who moved away from worldly life in society and pleased God by living in chastity, fasting and prayer, living in deserts and monasteries. Such are, for example, Sergius of Radonezh, Seraphim of Sarov, Mary of Egypt and many others.

The saints who suffered torment for Christ are called venerable martyrs.

Righteous They lived a godly life in the world, being family people, like, for example, the righteous saints Joachim and Anna and others.

The first righteous people on earth, the ancestors (patriarchs) of the human race, are called forefathers. For example, Adam, Noah, Abraham and others.

Unmercenary free of charge, that is, without any compensation, without demanding remuneration for their labors, they healed diseases, both physical and mental. Such are, for example, Cosmas and Damian, Cyrus and John and others.

Fools for Christ's sake- people who, for the sake of Christ, appear to the world to be insane in their outward actions, but in fact are filled with spiritual wisdom. Such people are also called blessed.

How to determine your name day if there are several saints with this name?

The name of the saint whose memory follows your birthday is determined by the calendar, for example by Orthodox calendar. As a rule, the name day is the day following the birthday of the saint whose name a Christian bears. For example, for Anna, born on November 20, Angel's Day will fall on December 3 - the day following her birthday, when St. Anna, and her saint will be St. mts. Anna of Persia.

You should remember this nuance: in 2000, at the Council of Bishops, the new martyrs and confessors of Russia were glorified: if you were baptized before 2000, then your saint is chosen from the saints glorified before 2000. For example, if your name is Catherine, and you were baptized before the glorification of the new martyrs, then your saint is St. Great Martyr Catherine, if you were baptized after the Council, then you can choose St. Catherine, whose memorial date is closer to your birthday.

If the name you were given is not in the calendar, then at baptism the name that is closest in sound is chosen. For example, Dina - Evdokia, Lilia - Leah, Angelica - Angelina, Zhanna - Ioanna, Milana - Militsa. According to tradition, Alice receives the name Alexandra in baptism, in honor of St. passion-bearer Alexandra Feodorovna Romanova, who before accepting Orthodoxy bore the name Alice. Some names in church tradition have a different sound, for example, Svetlana is Photinia (from the Greek photos - light), and Victoria is Nike, both names mean “victory” in Latin and Greek.

Female Orthodox names

How to imitate your saint?

Every Christian should know the life of his saint, imitate him, by his pious life show himself worthy of the holy name, show himself to be an imitator of the deeds for which the saint whose name he bears was distinguished. “Let your life be according to your name,” wrote Reverend Ambrose Optinsky.

Each of us bears the name of a saint given at baptism (and celebrates name days): some are called by the names of Angels, others by the names of the saints of God, Old Testament and New Testament. These names are given to Christians as a sign of the spiritual union that exists between the names of the Heavenly Church and the names of the Earthly Church, for they constitute, as it were, one body under one head - the Lord Jesus Christ - and are in close communion with each other. The saints who live in heaven, out of love for their earthly brothers, take a living part in their fate: they rejoice, looking at their godly life, grieve at the sight of their sins, errors and misfortunes, prayerfully intercede for them before God, invisibly help those who come running to them with with heartfelt faith and protect them from temptations and misfortunes with their intercession, and with their lives they present an instructive example for imitation and leadership. This close participation saints in our destiny imposes on us the obligation to love them and imitate, to the best of our ability, their exploits and perfections. We are especially obliged to do this in relation to those saints whose names we bear, for for this purpose the Church gives us their names.

Just as in everyday life it would be a sign of ingratitude and disrespect for ancestors if their memory, their glorious deeds and merits were forgotten by descendants who inherited their glorious names and nicknames, so in spiritual life those who, without proper due, deserve even greater censure. He pays attention and heartfelt attention to the exploits of his saints.

How can we imitate the saints?

Firstly, we must know well the life and exploits of those saints whose names we bear. He who does not know this cannot honor and love his saint as he should.

Secondly, we must turn with reverence and living faith to our saints, as constant intercessors and prayer books for us before God. Deep meaning The full name of our saints is our Angels, and name day is the day of the Angel. Like Guardian Angels, they are our patrons and protectors from enemies visible and invisible.

Thirdly, we must always have in our minds and hearts the lives of our saints as a high example to follow; the name of a saint obliges one to be like this saint in virtues and deeds. But is it possible for a layman to imitate the exploits of, for example, a monk, that is, a monk? Or the exploits of a confessor, martyr or saint?

For a layman, imitation of the monk does not consist in withdrawal from the world, but in self-sacrifice. The Savior commanded everyone: whoever wants to come after Me must deny himself(Mark 8:34). To please God, through feats of self-sacrifice, a monk imposes vows of celibacy, non-covetousness and obedience; a layman does not make these vows, but what underlies them is obligatory for him: to maintain purity of thoughts, feelings and actions, not to become attached to earthly goods, but to seek spiritual goods, to obey the law and authorities.

One who bears the name of a confessor or martyr can demonstrate similar feats: fearlessly profess his Christian convictions, act as a Christian always and at all times, pleasing God and not people, even though for this he would be subject to ridicule, reproaches, threats and persecution.

Those who bear the names of saints can imitate their zeal in exposing errors and vices and in disseminating the true teaching of the Church, in promoting the salvation of their neighbors by word and example of life, according to the apostolic commandment: encourage one another and edify one another, just as you are doing. We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you, and those who preside over you in the Lord, and those who admonish you, and to honor them especially with love for their work; be at peace with each other. We also beseech you, brothers, admonish the disorderly, comfort the faint-hearted, support the weak, be patient with everyone.(1 Thess. 5:11-14).

How can you imitate Christ for the sake of the holy fool? Delving deeper into the lives of these saints, we see in them high spiritual perfections - selflessness, humility, complete non-covetousness, fortitude. They fearlessly spoke the truth to everyone who needed reproof and admonition. With what patience they endured hunger and thirst, cold and heat, and all the hardships associated with their difficult life! One can and should imitate these perfections without taking upon oneself how they were manifested by holy fools: eradicate pride, self-love, self-interest in oneself, accustom oneself to patience, and meekly endure insults. Whoever follows this path, even without being a fool, will be a worthy imitator of the saints blessed by the Church for the feat of foolishness in Christ.

By doing this, we will get closer to the exploits of our saints and show ourselves worthy of those glorious names that the Church gave us at baptism.

How to celebrate your Angel's day

Angel Day is a special day. We celebrate here on earth the memory of our saint, so that, as the saint writes, righteous John Kronstadt, and our saints “remembered and interceded for us before God... Our birthdays and name days should be mainly before all other weekdays. To turn our hearts and eyes to heaven, with grateful feelings to the Creator, Provider and Savior, with the thought that there is our fatherland and Father, that the earth is not a fatherland, but a place of coming and wandering, that clinging to perishable things is reckless, sinful... ungodly, that one must cleave to God with all one’s heart.”

Name days should not be celebrated only with a friendly feast. Orthodox people visit church on their name days and, having prepared in advance, confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

On the day when the name day arrives, a festive meal is held at home among loved ones. It should be remembered that if the name day falls on a fast day, then the holiday treat should be fast. During Lent, name days that happen on a weekday are moved to the next Saturday or Sunday, or even to Bright Week.

The days of “small name days” are not so solemn for the birthday person, but a visit to the temple on this day is a must.

“Whoever prays to the Lord, the Mother of God, the Angels and the saints must first of all take care of correcting his heart and his life, and then imitate them, as it is written: be merciful, just as your Father is merciful(Luke 6:36); be holy because I am holy(1 Pet. 1:16).

Those who pray to the Mother of God should imitate Her humility, unimaginable purity, devotion to the will of God (for example, when you see injustice) and patience. Those praying to the Angels should think about the life above and try to be spiritual, gradually putting aside carnality and carnal passions, as well as ardent love for God and neighbor. Let those who pray to the saints imitate their love for God and their contemplation of the world or its vain blessings, their prayer, abstinence, non-covetousness, patience with illnesses, sorrows and misfortunes, their love for their neighbor. Otherwise, prayer will be a beating of air,” writes the holy righteous John of Kronstadt.

“We call upon the saints to mediate between us and God, so that they pray to Him for us; We call them not as any gods, but as His friends who serve Him, praise Him and worship Him. We demand their help not because they can help us with their own strength, but because through their intercession they ask us for grace from God... During their earthly life, they pray for others and intercede not only privately and secretly, but also publicly and openly, as This is confirmed by the Scriptures... especially after their death they pray to God for us, for then nothing prevents them from doing this. But someone will say that the saints do not know or understand our prayers. To this we answer that although they themselves do not know and do not hear our prayers, they know and hear by the revelation of God... So, we rightly honor them and ask God for help through them... We do not give them Divine honor, but we pray to them , as our brothers and friends, so that they ask God for help for us and intercede for us before the Lord" ( Orthodox confession).

“The prayers of the saints have great power, but only when we ourselves repent (of sins) and correct ourselves... However, I say this not so as not to call on the saints in prayers, but so that we do not become lazy and, giving ourselves up to carelessness and sleep, do not entrusted to others what they should do themselves" ( Saint John Chrysostom).

The most simple prayer to your saint:

“Pray to God for me, holy servant of God ( Name), as if I diligently resort to you, a quick helper and a prayer book for my soul.”

“We turn to the saints with a request to pray for us before God, but most of all we must turn to the saint whose name we bear. He loves us and always rushes to help us in our needs, which is why we call him our prayer book. Therefore, it is imperative to know the troparion (a chant in which the essence of the holiday is revealed or a sacred person is glorified) to your saint...Remember: like looking for like» ( holy righteous John of Kronstadt).

In addition to the troparion, it is good to learn a prayer to your saint, kontakion. Kontakion is a short Orthodox chant that sets out dogmatic or historical meaning the event or person being celebrated.

In our prayers to the saints, we ask them first of all for spiritual help, according to the word of God: Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you(Matt. 6:33). This is “everything” - both physical health and family well-being, and material wealth. We ask God to fulfill our prayer, if it is not clearly sinful, but we cannot make our human desires and conjectures the will of God. To every human petition we must add in our hearts: Otherwise, not as I want, but as You want.

We must strive to ensure that this prayer of ours sincerely resounds in our hearts, otherwise we pray like pagans in their many words.

Behind long years Soviet power people began to forget about God, about those traditions that allowed them to live according to the pious rules of their ancestors. But today the old knowledge is returning. For example, did you know that everyone has a personal amulet - an icon based on their date of birth? There are other heavenly patrons who are called upon to protect a Christian from the day of baptism. Let's figure out how to identify your intercessors.

Why is the date of birth so important?

The human name has always been something precious. Naming a new person is always a great privilege. All this is due to the fact that a name is not just a set of sounds. It was always given in honor of the saint. For this purpose it was used church calendar, the so-called “saints”. Every day the Church celebrates the memory of one or more martyrs for the faith, miracle workers who served God during their lifetime and were then declared saints.

On the child’s birthday, one of God’s saints was chosen, and he became an intercessor for life.

• Modern people often confuse name day (the day of remembrance of the righteous) and Angel Day, but these dates should not be confused.
• Throughout your life you need to turn to the Angel in prayer. After all, it is he who will meet the soul after death and will accompany it to heaven.

An angel is given by God at baptism, his task is to be a spiritual guide. It is this disembodied spirit that guides you on the path of truth. He helps the ward follow God's commandments, protects not only the soul, but also the body. Probably everyone can remember a time when he miraculously escaped danger. I must say thank you to my heavenly patron for this. You should also have an image of your saint in the red corner and ask for his help in every difficult situation.

How to choose a patroness icon by date of birth

And one more image is worthy of finding a place of honor in the house. You can determine it based on the dates given in this article.

December 22 - January 22

If your birthday falls on a date during this period, then here are your patron saints:

1. - miracles accompanied him from childhood. When he was little, he fell from the top of a bell tower under construction. When his mother came downstairs, it turned out that the boy was completely unharmed. Then the future monk suffered a very serious illness, from which the Mother of God herself delivered him. She appeared to him again when he was already an adult and was in the monastery.
2. St. Sylvester - lived in Rome, but is also venerated in the Eastern Church. It is believed that it was he who converted Emperor Constantine to Christianity. So the former persecutor became the defender of the true faith, made it the state religion, erected temples and protected Christians from enemies.
3. - this icon-intercessor was found in Kolomenskoye, it is especially revered in Russia. After all, in the year she was found, she was shot royal family. It is believed that then the Mother of God herself took the believers under special protection. No matter how much the Bolsheviks tried to hide the shrine, believers found its image and prayed to the Queen of Heaven.

January 21 - February 20

The patroness icon by date of birth must be venerated in the same way as other consecrated images. Before starting the prayer, three bows are made, and at the end, too. IN holidays candles are lit, you can decorate the shelf with icons with fresh flowers.

1. - got its name from the name of the city where Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky brought it. The image was the patron saint of military victories. “Vladimirskaya” came to Moscow at the end of the 14th century, and many miracles were also performed in the capital. In memory of these events, a street (Sretenka) and a monastery were founded. Today the icon is in Tretyakov Gallery, where anyone can see it.
2. - the image is full of profound theological symbols. It protects the soul from attacks by evil spirits, and the home in which it is located from damage by fire. It also removes unwanted visitors and gives the family peace and tranquility.

February 21 - March 20

The icon of the Mother of God, which falls according to the date of birth, is not a means of fulfilling desires. It is called upon to protect the purity of the soul, protect a person from filth and violence, and teach the soul all that is good. Therefore, you should not show negative emotions around her.

The touching composition is very recognizable due to its unusual appearance. There is a wound on the cheek of the Most Pure Virgin. This is a memory of long-standing events when iconoclasts encroached on the shrine. One of them attacked the image with a sword, but then fled in horror when blood began to flow from the face. Iveronskaya became famous for having saved Athonite monasteries from destruction many times. There is a miraculous copy in our country.

St. Meletius of Antioch is one of the ancient teachers of the Church. Known for opposing various heretical teachings that often arose in the early days of Christian history. He was distinguished by his righteous life and asceticism.

March 21 - April 20

Reverend Innocent of Irkutsk - lived at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries. This righteous man was the first bishop in the lands of Eastern Siberia. Before this, the Irkutsk diocese was not independent. After the death of the bishop, numerous miracles began to occur; his relics were found incorrupt.

Perhaps the most famous shrine of the Russian people. Since the 16th century. it was discovered in Kazan and performed many miracles. She became widely revered after she helped repel the attack of the Polish interventionists. In addition to bestowing military victories, she has the gift of healing physical illnesses and maintaining peace between husband and wife.

April 21 - May 20

Many people believe that they have special intuition and instinct. But there is nothing mysterious here - just one of heavenly patrons inspires the necessary thoughts. To mortal man this manifests itself as the "inner voice."

1. - the image comes from Belarus, was revealed in the 19th century. Today it is located in the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery. The icon is known for saving desperate sinners. A list has also been kept for a long time miraculous healings that took place before the holy face through the prayers of believers.
2. St. Tamara is the righteous queen of Georgia, who contributed to the spread of Christianity in her country. Many monasteries Orthodox churches appeared thanks to her. The righteous ruler was distinguished by modesty, hard work and religiosity.
3. St. John is one of the apostles who personally knew the Lord Jesus Christ. Author of several books of the New Testament, including Revelation. According to church tradition, Christ’s beloved disciple had family ties with Him. He had the gift of resurrecting the dead.

May 21 - June 21

June 22 - July 22

- a rare icon in composition, where the Mother of God stands in full height, surrounded by an unearthly radiance, many suffering people, and angelic ranks. Above the head of the Blessed Virgin is an image of the Holy Trinity. On one of the copies they draw coins and have it “Joy to All Who Sorrow” with pennies,” the image is kept in St. Petersburg.

St. Cyril - has Greek origin, lived at the end of the 1st century. Thanks to this righteous man, a translation of the Gospel into Slavic language. He worked together with his brother, St. Methodius. The relics are in Rome, in the Church of St. Clement.

July 23 - August 23

August 23 - September 23

September 24 - October 23

- preacher Christian faith, founded many new monasteries. Known for his holy life. He patronizes students - in his youth he was very bad at reading. Also revered in the Roman Catholic Church. He had the gift of clairvoyance, could cast out demons and resurrect the dead.

The image has been known since the 16th century and was revealed in Ukraine, where it is currently kept. Through prayers in front of the icon, the attack of the Tatar army was repelled. The attackers saw the Queen of Heaven in the sky surrounded by an angelic army and fled in horror. In total, the chronicles record more than 500 cases of miracles from the holy face.

October 24 - November 22

- written in one of the Athos monasteries. At first it was located on the street, then a special building was built around it. It was impossible to move “Quick to Hear” because the original is a mosaic and not a drawing. In the 19th century Special copies were made for Russian believers, including Nevsky. The lists also revealed miracles.

There are icons in the home of every believer. Of course, you can turn to God without their help. However, it is human nature to think in images. It is impossible to imagine God, since he is outside of space and time. Icons, which depict the faces of holy people, become our guides on the path to the Highest.

Everyone knows how difficult it is to make your way forward along an untrodden path, through waist-deep grass and windbreaks. It is much easier for those who follow to reach their destination. The saints, with their lives and their deeds, showed us the path to God. By praying to their images, we can feel His presence, His light, His love. Each person has his own intercessor icon, which is called upon to protect him and serve as a mediator on the path to the Lord.

How not to make a mistake when choosing a personal icon?

In Rus' during infant baptism it was customary to give them the names of one or another saint. The chosen saint became the child’s patron, protecting him from illness and danger from birth, and helping him in difficult times. Now this tradition is being restored. Every baptized person has his own Heavenly Helper, whose life path must serve as an example and lead the way.

Nominal icon, which depicts the patron saint, has enormous power. She is able to drive away illnesses and bring peace and harmony to the soul. By sincerely praying before her, a person receives support. It is important not to treat a personal icon mercantilely, as a means of solving all problems. Thank your protector for the good things in your life, share your joy and your feelings with him.

Find out which saint is the patron saint of a person, you can do it in the following ways:

Personalized icons are selected in the church shop. Usually on them the patron is depicted from the waist up; icon painters pay special attention to the eyes. They must look into a person’s soul, filling it with light and harmony. If you are named after a little-known saint, you can order a personalized icon from an icon-painting workshop.

Personalized icons for children

Often done for newborn babies measuring icons baby-sized. They depict the patron in full height. This image is hung above the crib. It protects the baby and helps to establish a special spiritual connection between him and the saint.

A personalized icon will help the child visibly feel the presence of a saint in his life. It’s good if parents read his life to his grown-up child spiritual patron, learn together the prayer addressed to him. It is important that the holy “namesakes” become for children not just a lifesaver to which you resort in difficult situations, but a powerful moral guide.

Icons of the patroness by date of birth

One of the most powerful protective images in Orthodoxy is image Holy Mother of God . Anyone can pour out their soul to her, ask for help and support. The icon of the Mother of God should be in every home, protecting and protecting it.

In church shops you will find a huge number of different iconographic faces of the Virgin Mary. Many Orthodox people are confused, not knowing which one to choose. The clergy suggest buying the one that suits your heart the most. We must not forget that the icon is only a conductor between us and the Saints heavenly powers. We pray not to the picture on the board, but to God. The main thing is that our prayer is sincere and fervent.

But man is weak by nature. He wants to have “his own” icon of the Mother of God, his own saints. So they seem closer, dearer, more understandable. Therefore, the custom arose of buying an icon of the intercessor by date of birth person. The binding of a particular image of the Mother of God to a time period is determined by the date of veneration of the icon.

You can choose the image of the Mother of God depending on your date of birth using the list below.

For those born in winter

• November 23 – December 21. Icons of the Mother of God “The Sign”, “Tikhvin”.

On the icon “The Sign” the Mother of God stretches out her hands in protective prayer. The first miracle associated with the image occurred in 1170. When battles were going on near the city walls of Novgorod, Archbishop Elijah brought out the “Sign”. The stele hit the face of Mary. Tears flowed from her eyes. Having seen the miracle, the Novgorodians gained strength and drove out the enemy. In 1611, the image protected the Novgorod Cathedral, protecting it from the attacking Swedes with an invisible wall.

Our Lady of Tikhvin was painted by the Evangelist Luke during the life of Mary. The image is stored in Moscow. During the Great Patriotic War, according to legend, he was carried by plane over the capital, and the enemy was repulsed. People pray before her for healing; she is considered the patroness of children.

• December 22 – January 20. Icon of the Mother of God “Sovereign”.

This image was found in the basement of the Ascension Church in the village of Kolomenskoye on the day of Nicholas II’s abdication from the throne. The Queen of Heaven sits on a throne in red purple and with the attributes of royal power. At a moment when all the usual foundations were collapsing, the Mother of God revealed herself, promising protection to the Russian land. That is why the icon is one of the most revered.

• January 21 – February 20. and "The Burning Bush".

The first of them was written on a board from the table at which the Savior, the Most Pure Mother and Joseph took food. Its author was the Evangelist Luke. The Mother of God, seeing her image, promised grace to everyone through this image.

The Burning Bush icon protects from fire and lightning, heals diseases, and saves from terrible disasters. In the photo you can see its unusual composition. Before us are two four-pointed stars of red and Green colour, superimposed on each other. They symbolize the burning bush that the prophet Moses saw. It was then that the voice of God predicted to him the birth of Jesus Christ.

In the middle of the star is depicted the Mother of God and the Child, and around them are angels and archangels, visions of prophets and symbols of the holy evangelists. The ladder is in the hands of the Mother of God. This is a symbol of the fact that it was through the Virgin Mary that the Savior descended to us on earth and led the believers with him to heaven.

For those born in spring

• February 21 – March 20. Icon of the Mother of God "Iverskaya".

It was written by the Evangelist Luke during the life of Mary. On the right cheek of the Mother of God you can see a wound from which blood is oozing. According to legend, the wound appeared after the image was pierced by an overseer during the reign of Emperor Theophilus.

At that time, Christians were persecuted. The wonderful icon was thrown into the river. The current carried her to the Iveron Monastery on the sacred Mount Athos. A pillar of fiery light emanated from the image, but it was not given to anyone. After praying to the Mother of God, Elder Gabriel was able to pull the icon out of the water. She became the protector of the monastery and performed many miracles.

• March 21 – April 20..

In 1579, after a fire in Kazan, little Matrona dreamed of the Mother of God. She told her and her mother to find the icon among the rubble. An image found in a fire for a long time was kept in the Kazan Assumption Cathedral.

It was to him that Russian troops prayed before the decisive battle with the Polish-Lithuanian occupiers. The icon also helps in the fight against internal enemies, returning strength and vision. The original has not survived to this day; only numerous copies remain.

• April 21 – May 20. Icons of Our Lady of Iverskaya and “Support of Sinners”.

Before the latter, one must ask for forgiveness of sinners or those who care about them. Legend has it that in the 40s years XIX centuries in the village of Odrino, Oryol province, people began to have dreams about an old icon. She stood in the old chapel, faded and forgotten. The image was renewed and taken to the temple. He was the first to heal a paralytic boy, and since then there have been many miracles. The help of the “Helper of Sinners” was invaluable during the cholera epidemic.

For those born in summer

• May 21 – June 21. Icons "Vladimir", "Burning Bush" and "".

There are several known images called “Recovery of the Lost”, to which people who are in danger turn with their last prayer. reverse side life and death. This image saves from imminent death, from dark forces, in cases where there is no longer any hope of salvation.

• June 22 – July 22. The Kazan Mother of God and the icon “Joy of All Who Sorrow”.

The miraculous image of “Joy of All Who Sorrow” comes to the aid of all those who suffer, saves from illness, poverty, sorrow, and supports those who turn to it in difficult times.

• July 23 – August 23. Icon "Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary".

It depicts a procession to heaven. The Mother of God walks ahead on the clouds, carrying a small covering, and behind her are the saints.

The image was made in memory of the miraculous appearance of the Virgin Mary. During the attack on Constantinople in 910. The parishioners were in the church and saw the Mother of God praying for them. She took off her veil and threw it over everyone present. As a result, a whirlwind came, expelling the enemies.

For those born in autumn

• August 24 – September 23. And « Burning bush".

On the “Passionate” icon we see the Mother of God humbly carrying her child towards the upcoming suffering. Symbols of future trials are present on the icon in the form of two angels holding a sponge, a cross and a spear. Those weapons from which the Savior will perish.

This image teaches us to humbly accept the will of God and gives us hope in the most hopeless situations.

• September 24 – October 23. Images of the Pochaev Mother of God, “Exaltation of the Holy Cross” and “Burning Bush”

"Pochaev" image Mother of God many miracles are attributed. He cured diseases, resurrected people, saved them from enemies. This icon is revered by Christians of all faiths. It is kept in the Assumption Pochaev Lavra, built on the site of the appearance of the Virgin Mary to people. After her disappearance, the imprint of the Virgin’s right foot remained on the stone.

The image “Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord” is dedicated to the discovery of the Cross on which the Savior was crucified. It can heal serious illnesses, infertility, brings peace of mind.

• October 24 – November 22. Icons of the Virgin Mary “Jerusalem” and “ » .

The “Mother of Jerusalem” was written by the Evangelist Luke in the 15th year after the Resurrection of the Savior. This image saved us from many troubles, accidents, and epidemics. The first miracle attributed to him was healing from the evil eye.

“Quick to Hear” is kept in the Dokhiar monastery on Mount Athos. Legend has it that in 1664, the monk Neil was walking into the refectory at night with a torch and heard a voice urging him not to burn incense near the image. The monk did not attach any importance to this and became blind. Through prayers he regained his sight, and the Mother of God promised through this icon quick help to everyone who applied.

Having chosen an icon by the name given at baptism or by date of birth, you should treat it with respect. But still the main thing is sincere faith. It is she who works miracles, heals diseases and averts troubles. It is not for nothing that the words of Jesus Christ are repeated in the New Testament: “May you be rewarded according to your faith!”

Icons by date of birth