Homily on the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God
Met. Korniliy (Titov)
There are many festal celebrations of significant icons throughout the year, but the Vladimir icon, whose original was written by the Evangelist Luke, is the most significant. It is most especially revered in Russia for multiple grand-scale miraculous intercessions. In the homily delivered below, a nice summary is given of the various commemorated events associated with the most significant icon of the Mother of God of them all. Tomorrow is one of those feasts.
Dear brothers and sisters!
How much joy for us Christians comes from the remembrance of the greatness of the Mother of God, our Intercessor and Advocate before God! How great is the dignity of human nature when it submits to God's will and humbles itself before the Lord, for which the apostle exclaimed: "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4:10). How great is God's love for us, which opens the way to reclaiming the angelic dignity lost and regaining the paradise bliss lost by our forefathers! Our Savior, exalting His Most Pure Mother, desires to exalt every soul and bring it into union with Himself. The path of this spiritual growth and union with the Lord lies in His words about fulfilling God's will and commandments: "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother" (Matthew 12:50). If our soul will resemble the Mother of God in humility, obedience, and love for God, then by God's grace, the Lord will be with it, and our soul will be blessed and glorified forever. We can attain this great joy by relying on the intercession and help of the Most Blessed Mother of God, who is called the Mother of all believers in Her Son and God. With maternal love and care, She looks down from Heaven upon the sorrowful and humble, delivering them from evils and protecting them from all the snares of the enemy.
The Most Holy God-bearer shows special love and care for the land of Russia and its Orthodox people. She has always saved Russia "from famine and flood, from the sword and fire, from the invasion of enemies and internal strife." The Lord manifests His great mercy towards our homeland by revealing in it a source of His grace – the miraculous icons of the Mother of God. One of the greatest shrines of the Russian land is the miraculous Vladimir Icon, which embodies boundless maternal love and divine mercy. So many grateful memories of the blessings of the Mother of God to our homeland are associated with this miraculous icon that it is rightly called the "Champion Leader" of Orthodox Russia. This icon of the Mother of God, filled with the miraculous grace of the original image, has always led the Russian people to defend against foreign invaders, giving strength, courage, and firm faith in victory and overcoming all enemies and adversaries. In gratitude for the deliverance of the Russian land from troubles, the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy God-bearer three times a year: May 21 (June 3 by the civil calendar), June 23 (July 6), and August 26 (September 8). Here are brief accounts of the Vladimir Icon and the miracles associated with it.
According to our pious ancestors, this icon was painted by the holy apostle and evangelist Luke and presented by him to the Most Holy Virgin during her earthly life. Seeing the image of Her face on the icon, the God-bearer prophetically exclaimed: "From now on all generations will call me blessed!" – and added that with this icon would be the grace of the Lord born of her.
In the fifth century, this icon was transferred from Jerusalem to Constantinople, and in the twelfth century, it was sent by the Patriarch of Constantinople to Kiev to the Grand Prince Yuri Dolgoruky. The son of the Grand Prince, Andrew, known as Bogolyubsky, brought this holy icon to Vladimir-on-Klyazma. Since then, it has been called the Vladimir Icon. Prince Andrew, who, as the chronicler writes, "had great faith and love for the Most Holy God-bearer," built the "most famous" Assumption Cathedral in Vladimir and transferred the holy icon there, adorning it "very richly."
Many miracles and signs were wrought by the holy icon, and Prince Andrew had special faith in it. When he went on military campaigns, he always took it with him. In the campaign of 1164 against the Volga Bulgars, Prince Andrew fervently prayed before the icon – and the enemies were utterly defeated. After the battle, during prayer, an unusual light shone from the icon and the Life-giving Cross, illuminating the ranks of the Russians. The memory of this miracle is preserved in the celebration of the Procession of the Honorable and Life-giving Cross of the Lord on August 1 (14), established by the holy pious Prince Andrew Bogolyubsky.
Prince Dmitry Donskoy, turning to the intercession of the Mother of God through Her Vladimir Icon, won a victory over Mamai on September 8 (21), 1380, at the Battle of Kulikovo. In 1395, the formidable conqueror Tamerlane, with his countless army, invaded Russian land. Spreading terror everywhere, he reached the Don River, heading towards Moscow. The Moscow Prince Vasily with his army went to meet Tamerlane and stopped near Kolomna on the banks of the Oka. Relying on God's intercession, the prince fervently prayed with all the warriors for the deliverance of his homeland. He ordered that the upcoming Dormition Fast be marked by fervent prayer and acts of repentance and that the miraculous icon of the Mother of God be brought from Vladimir to Moscow. All of Moscow went out to meet her, the people cried out with tears: "Mother of God, save the Russian land!"
The tearful prayer of the Orthodox was not in vain. At the moment when the residents of Moscow met the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, Tamerlane in a dream vision saw a large mountain from which saints with golden staffs in their hands rushed towards him, and above them, in a radiant light, he saw a Woman surrounded by countless warriors with flaming swords in their hands. Sternly turning Her gaze to Tamerlane, the Woman commanded him to leave the borders of the Russian land. Tamerlane, terrified by this vision, woke up. Summoning his elders, he demanded an explanation of the vision. The wise men replied that the Woman he saw was the Mother of the Christian God, the Protector of the Russians. "Then we will not overcome them," said Tamerlane and ordered his troops to retreat, to the great astonishment of the Russians and the Tatars themselves.
In great joy and gratitude, all the Orthodox cried out to the Mother of God: "It was not our armies that drove the enemies away, not our leaders that defeated them, but your power, Mother of God." In memory of this miraculous intercession and God's mercy, the Sretensky Monastery was built at the place where the miraculous icon was met in Moscow, and a feast in honor of this event was established on August 26 (September 8 by the civil calendar).
Half a century later, in 1451, Moscow was threatened by the Tatar prince Mazovsha. The inhabitants of Moscow again prayed before the Vladimir Icon for the intercession of the Most Holy God-bearer. Once more, the Mother of God saved the Russian land. Mazovsha fled in fear, having heard an unusual noise and imagining that the Russian prince was coming against them with a great army.
A few more years passed, and in 1480, the Horde Khan Akhmat moved towards Russia with a vast army to rob and devastate Moscow. He reached the Ugra River, the border of Moscow's territories. The Grand Prince Ivan prepared to repel him, defending the faith and the homeland. Both armies gathered at the Ugra River, which separated them. By the intercession of the God-bearer, before whose image the Russian warriors fervently prayed, a miraculous event occurred. The Grand Prince ordered his troops to retreat from the Ugra, and the Tatars interpreted this retreat as a Russian attempt to lure them into an ambush, so they too began to retreat. At first, they retreated slowly, but at night such fear suddenly fell upon the Tatar warriors that they fled without looking back. Thus, Moscow and all of Russia were saved, for after this event, the oppressive and dishonorable Tatar yoke, which had lasted for about two hundred years, finally fell. And this happened, as the chronicle recounts, "not by human strength and wisdom, but by the intercession of the Lord and His Most Pure Mother for the Russian land." In gratitude for the miraculous deliverance of Moscow and all of Russia from the Tatars, a feast was established in honor of the Vladimir Icon of the Theotokos on June 23 (July 6).
In 1521, the Crimean and Kazan Tatars, led by Mehmed Giray, invaded the lands of Russia, quickly reaching the borders of Moscow, devastating everything in their path. Grand Prince Vasily Ivanovich brought his troops to the banks of the Oka River to hold back the enemies. The countless hordes of Mehmed Giray threatened Moscow with imminent destruction. Panic began in the capital, but tearful prayers before the image of the miraculous Vladimir Icon did not cease. At night, a blessed elder named Vasily prayed with tears at the doors of the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin. Suddenly, he heard a noise in the temple... The doors of the cathedral opened – and the miraculous icon of the Mother of God descended from its place! A voice was heard from the icon: "I will go out with the hierarchs from this city!" With these words, the entire church was filled with flame, which immediately disappeared. On the same night, a blind elderly nun of the Ascension Monastery, sitting in her cell, suddenly saw a vision of a procession heading towards the Spassky Gate of the Kremlin, consisting of a host of hierarchs and other saints of God, with the miraculous Vladimir Icon among them. But as soon as they exited the gates, they were met by the Venerable Sergius of Radonezh and Barlaam of Khutyn. Falling at the feet of the hierarchs, they began to ask why they were leaving Moscow and to whom they were leaving the city in such a sorrowful time. The hierarchs tearfully replied: "We have pleaded much with the Most Merciful God and the Most Pure God-bearer to deliver us from this great distress, but God has commanded us to leave the city and take with us the miraculous image of His Most Pure Mother because the people have scorned the fear of God and neglected His commandments.
Therefore, God has allowed the barbarian people to come, that they may be punished now and through repentance return to God." Then the Venerable Sergius and Barlaam began to beseech the hierarchs to intercede and placate God's justice. Together they began to pray to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother. Then the hierarchs, blessing the city with the sign of the cross, returned to the Kremlin with the miraculous icon.
By the prayer of the Mother of God, Moscow was again saved. The chroniclers recount this event: the Tatars intended to burn down the Moscow suburbs, but suddenly they saw around the city an innumerable Russian army and, in horror, reported this to the khan. He did not believe it and sent other servants to verify the report. They confirmed the vision and fearfully said: "O king! Why do you delay? A vast multitude of troops is coming upon us from Moscow, let us flee quickly!" And the Tatars fled.
In memory of the miracle of Moscow's deliverance from devastation by the enemies, a third feast was established in honor of the Vladimir Icon on May 21 (June 3). On this day, commemorating the Theotokos's intercession for Moscow, the holy Church joyfully sings: "Today the most glorious city of Moscow brightly adorns itself, having received as the sun your wonderworking icon, O Lady, and now we come to it and pray to you, crying out thus: O most wondrous Maiden, Bearer of God, pray to Christ our God, born of you, to save this city and all Christian cities and lands from all enemy assaults and to save our souls, as you are merciful!"
During the raid on Russia by the Crimean Khan Giray in 1541, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, setting out on a campaign against the enemies, prayed with tears and prostrations before the Vladimir Icon for help, and the enemies were repelled.
In 1552, when setting out to conquer Kazan, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, as the chronicle reports, "tearfully fell before the wonderworking image of the Mother of God with weeping, extending his prayers for a long time." The Tsar's prayer was heard – Kazan was taken.
The beginning of the 17th century was marked by the difficult years of the Time of Troubles. The Poles and Swedes ravaged Russia, and a false tsar, seeking to subject the Orthodox Russian people to papal rule, occupied the throne of the Orthodox tsars. The Russian militia, gathered to help the homeland from foreign invaders, prayed before the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, asking for Heavenly help in defending the Orthodox people. Before expelling the Poles from Moscow, the militia leaders Minin and Pozharsky said to the Russian people: "It is better for us to die than to let the image of the Most Holy Theotokos of Vladimir be disgraced." By the intercession of the Theotokos, victory over evil was achieved – the false tsar was overthrown.
During the invasion of the French in 1812, the Vladimir Icon was taken to Vladimir, where it was carried in procession around the city daily, with prayers for the liberation of Moscow and the entire homeland from the invaders. By the intercession of the Heavenly Protectress, the enemies left Moscow and fled from Russian borders in disgrace.
And, of course, the Russian people prayed to the Most Holy God-bearer and her wonderworking Vladimir Icon during the difficult years of the Great Patriotic War from 1941 to 1945. Although there are no verified accounts of divine intercessions and miracles from that time, since it was a period of persecution of the Church and Christians, it is nonetheless certain that victory in the Patriotic War was another miracle of the God-bearer's intercession for the Russian Orthodox people.
Russian people, with reverence from generation to generation, have venerated the wondrous image – the Vladimir Icon of the God-bearer. From her miraculous countenance emanated God's grace, and this holy icon served as a blessing and intercession for kings, grand princes, and military leaders in all significant historical circumstances. Monarchs swore allegiance to the Motherland before it during their anointing to the throne. During the election of hierarchs, the lot was cast before the Vladimir Icon, which was then opened after a prayer service to announce the elected primate, for whom the Vladimir Icon of the God-bearer was a guarantor and a blessing. Indeed, it was not only kings and hierarchs who showed great reverence before the Vladimir Icon of the God-bearer but all Orthodox Christians. In their prayers, warriors, going into battle, would say: “May God grant us to return to the reigning city of Moscow with victory and to see the wonderworking image of the Most Pure God-bearer of Vladimir.”
What a divine and joyous treasure the Lord has granted to the Orthodox people – the wonderworking Vladimir Icon of the God-bearer! How filled with wondrous and salvific power are the great miracles that this wondrous image has manifested to the Christian people and all the Russian land through the prayers of our pious ancestors in times of trials! It seems that back then, people were worthy of heavenly protection and great miracles because their prayer to the God-bearer was universal, unanimous, fervent, and united with their rulers and military leaders.
Today, our homeland finds itself in no less difficult circumstances. Russian people have largely lost firm faith, the need to repent of their sins, and to correct their lives according to God's commandments. Many indulge in debauchery, drunkenness, the pursuit of amusements, constant judgment of their neighbors, church servants, and secular authorities. What evil do we not commit today, with what sins have we not yet defiled ourselves! We have done and continue to do everything that could bring upon us the righteous wrath and punishment of God and the deprivation of the intercession of the Mother of God, who in times of increasing lawlessness once said to our excessively sinful people: “I will go out with the hierarchs from this city because the people do not remember the commandments of the Lord! Let them be punished and, through repentance, return to God.”
If we do not repent and correct ourselves, what protection and intercession can we expect from Heaven? And today, when there is a spiritual battle of the devil against the entire Orthodox world, how do we not fear being abandoned by God, who said to the wicked: "Behold, your house is left to you desolate" (Matthew 23:38)? May this not be so!
Let us strive, brothers, with all diligence and zeal to make use of the precious time for repentance that still continues; let us not persist in sin while the Lord is long-suffering and merciful, and while the Mother of God does not deprive us of Her grace and intercession.
Brothers and sisters! With humility, repentance, obedience, and love, let us lift our prayers to the Most Holy God-bearer, singing: “Rejoice, O Highly Favored One, the Lord is with thee!”
Grant us, O Lady, to worthily call you our merciful Mother, so that here on earth and in eternal life we may dwell with you in unending joy in Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior, to whom be glory with His Unoriginate Father and the Most Holy, Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages! Amen.