Miracles of the Sumili Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary “Hodegetria Sumelskaya (Panagia Sumela)

The city of Veria is associated with the name supreme apostle Paul, who preached Christ here, after he and his disciple Silas, one of the seventy apostles, were expelled from Naples, Philippi and Thessaloniki. The inhabitants of Berea greeted the Apostles kindly and listened with great interest. Not far from Orologiya Square there is an open chapel or, as it is commonly called, the “tribune of the Apostle Paul”. Here once stood a synagogue and several marble steps remain from which the Apostle Paul preached.

Twenty kilometers from Veria, in the village of Kastanya, there is the famous image of the Virgin Mary of Sumel. He came here from Turkey in connection with the Asia Minor Catastrophe, after the population exchange in 1920. The founding of the Sumel monastery in the mountains of Turkey is associated with this icon, considered the creation of the hands of the Apostle Luke. The history of this icon is amazing, and the ruins of the Sumel Monastery in Turkey are considered a national monument.

After the death of the Apostle Luke (at the age of 84 he accepted the crown of martyrdom in the north of the Peloponnese, in the province of Achaia, and was buried in the city of Thebes), the icon ended up with his disciple Ananias. Over time, it was transported to Athens - to a temple erected in honor of the Virgin Mary, where it remained until the end of the 4th century.

An Athenian priest named Basil once revealed

The Mother of God said that he and his nephew, Deacon Sotirichos, needed to become monks. After being tonsured with the names Barnabas and Sophrony, they came to venerate the miraculous image Holy Mother of God, written by the holy Apostle Luke. Kneeling before the icon, they again heard the voice of the Mother of God, who told them to follow east, to Mount Mela. And then, before their eyes, two angels lifted the icon into the air and disappeared in an eastern direction.

The monks Barnabas and Sophronius visited all the major monastic centers, visited Holy Mount Athos and sailed to Asia Minor. Having visited Trebizond, they went in search of the mountain indicated by the Mother of God, to Pontus. Having finally reached Mount Mela, they were filled with joy. After spending the night in the forest, waking up at dawn, Barnabas and Sophrony noticed a crevice in the rock, over which swallows were circling. Entering the cave, the monks saw in the radiance of light the icon of the Mother of God - the same one that was last seen in Athens. So they realized that this place was intended for them.

The only problem was that there was no water here at all. The monks began to cry out to the Mother of God, and she answered them. They heard a voice that said that She would give them water not only for physical needs, but also for spiritual healing. And then the rock split: water poured out of the crevice. This is how a miraculous source arose, which still exists today.

The monastery of Panagia Sumelskaya, founded by the monks Barnabas and Sophronius, survived

l had a lot of troubles, but knew the heyday and

prosperity. The monastery was abandoned in 1922 during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey. Permission to export the monastery's valuables was received in 1931. Then I came to Greece miraculous image Mother of God. Until 1952, the icon was kept in the Athens Museum. Later it was transferred to a temple built in Castania with funds collected by the Pontians who settled in Greece.

Not far from Veria, in a gorge, on the banks of the Alakmonas River, there is the men’s monastery of St. John the Baptist, built on the site of a cave in which approx.

Saint Gregory Palamas lived for about ten years. The inhabitants of this monastery were: St. Dionysius of Olympia, St. Athanasius of Meteora, St. Theona, Archbishop of Thessaloniki, St. Anthony of Veria

and many other ascetics. Today there are kept here: part of the hand of St. John the Baptist and the head of St. Clement of Ohrid, student of St. Cyril and Methodius. Now the monastery of St. John the Baptist is a metochion Athos Monastery Simo

By blessing His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' from September 11 to 18, 2017, the miraculous icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Panagia Sumela” will be in St. Petersburg.

On September 11, the shrine arrives from Greece to St. Petersburg at the Kazan Cathedral. On September 12, the shrine will proceed at the head of the Citywide Procession of the Cross to the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra. At the end of the procession, the miraculous image will be delivered to the Transfiguration Cathedral.

Icon Mother of God“Panagia Sumela” will be in the Transfiguration Cathedral from September 12 to 18, everyone can venerate the holy image.

According to ancient sources, in 385 the monks Barnabas and Sophronius came to one of the temples of Athens to worship miraculous icon Theotokos, written, according to legend, by the Evangelist Luke. Then they unexpectedly heard the voice of the Mother of God. She ordered the monks to follow the icon all the way to Pontus, stop at Mount Mela and found a new monastery there.

Then the two angels raised their priceless face, and the shocked monks followed him. After long wanderings, Barnabas and Sophronius ended up at Black Mountain. There they discovered a face painted by Saint Luke, standing on a bare rocky ledge. The Mother of God appeared to them again and said that there would be water. And indeed, a life-giving, miraculous spring suddenly appeared from the rock above the cave. It still exists today.

Stone by stone - that’s how Barnabas and Sophronius built the temple, around which the monastery began to form. In the Kingdom of Pontus, and then in the Empire of Trebizond, he always enjoyed the favor of the Byzantine monarchs.

Subsequently, it was on Mount Mela that representatives of the Komnenos dynasty were crowned on the throne. Even after the Turks destroyed the Christian power, the monastery flourished. This was the will of the Ottoman Sultan Selim the Magnificent in the 16th century. There is a legend about how one day while hunting, the Sultan unexpectedly found himself at the foot of the Black Mountain and saw a richly decorated Christian monastery and a church with a shining gold cross. In a rage, the ruler ordered the faithful Janissaries to immediately raze the shrine of the “infidels” to the ground. But before he had time to utter the last word, he immediately fell off his horse and began to thrash in death throes. However, God spared him, and the next day the Sultan was forced to grant the Sumel monastery all the previous privileges and his favor.

In general, the monastery did not experience great troubles until the tragic events of the forced relocation to Greece. In 1923, the Turkish government allowed the icon of Panagia Sumela, as well as other valuables, to be exported, but since then almost everyone has forgotten about this monastery.

The monastery with the blinded faces of saints, which has not yet been brought back to life, has been declared a national monument of Turkey.

On August 15, 2010, a service was held in the monastery for the first time in 90 years. Divine Liturgy, which brought thousands of Orthodox pilgrims from different countries.

One of the oldest images of the Mother of God is considered to be the icon of the Mother of God “Oranta” (Praying). Another name that is often found is the icon of the Mother of God “Panagia” (All-Holy). According to the iconographic type, the icon “ Great Panagia"goes back to the famous Blachernae icon of the Mother of God from Constantinople.

In Russia, the most ancient icon in this way is the “Yaroslavl Oranta” (“Great Panagia”), which according to legend was painted by the first Russian icon painter Reverend Alypius, monk Pechersky Monastery in Kyiv.

Description of the icon

Traditionally, the icon of the Mother of God “Oranta” depicts the Mother of God with her arms raised and outstretched to the sides, with Christ Emmanuel in a circle on her chest, who also has his arms outstretched in a blessing gesture, which is rare: as a rule, on the icons of the Mother of God the Child or the Youth Christ is blessed with one hand .

The name “Emmanuel” is borne by any image of the Savior in adolescence, including on icons of the Mother of God. His look is filled with childish seriousness, and the look of the Mother of God is filled with meekness and humility before the Will of God.

Subsequently, the same type of iconography became characteristic of the icons of the Mother of God “The Sign”, “ Life-giving spring" and "Inexhaustible Chalice."

The “Panagia Sumela” icon belongs to a slightly different iconographic type, which is also classified as the “Oranta” (“Panagia”) type. This is a half-length image of the Mother of God with Jesus on her knees.

This icon has its own dramatic story. Tradition says that this face was painted by Saint Luke himself. Miraculously, the icon ended up on a bare ledge of rock, and the Mother of God herself ordered two Greek monks to build it here Orthodox monastery, called Sumela. This happened in the 4th century, and since then it has become widely known as the monastery of Our Lady of the Black Mountain.

The meaning of the icon of the Mother of God “Oranta”

In iconography, each element of the image has its own meaning. Thus, on the icon “Theotokos Oranta”, the raised hands of the Mother of God are turned with their palms towards Heaven, which symbolizes her intercession before the Creator for every, even sinful, soul.

On the sleeves of the Mother of God there are bands in the form of wide ribbons with cords that tighten the sleeves at the wrist.

This element of the liturgical vestments of priests symbolizes the patronage and service of the Orthodox Church

In view orthodox icon“Panagia” expresses the basic Christian dogmas, which include the virgin birth and the two essences of Jesus Christ - Divine and Human. Here Christ Emmanuel personifies the Eucharist - the main church sacrament of communion with the Body and Blood of Christ.

How do the Oranta (Panagia) icons help?

The Mother of God has always been the Heavenly Intercessor, the Patroness, and for this they turn to Her, praying for the salvation of the soul, for the healing of physical and mental ailments, for support in moments of difficult life trials, and she really helps.

The Oranta-Panagia icons have incredible power of influence: they help to gain a clear understanding of the true path, bestow spiritual enlightenment, and protect from the evil thoughts of enemies. The power of the Oranta icon is so great that it is capable of protecting entire countries from enemy attack; it is not for nothing that the Queen of Heaven appears on it in all Her greatness and power.

Prayer to the icon

Oh, our illustrious intercessor, the Most Holy Theotokos! We offer our prayers to You! Our only hope is in You! Come to the aid of us sinners, help us cope with grief and sorrow! Protect us from evil, protect our homeland from enemies and do not let us lose heart, O Holy Virgin! Guide us on the righteous path, fill our souls with light! Drive out the darkness from our hearts and the demons that have settled in our bodies! You are our only protector! Our salvation is in You! Pray before the Lord for our sins, grant us repentance and Your forgiveness! Be near and do not leave us, for we will glorify your name, Queen of Heaven! Let God's will be done for everything. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Pontic Empire

From the 1st millennium BC. e. until the 10th century the Pontic Greeks passed big way in history. Pontus is one of the most beautiful corners of the planet with a mild subtropical climate, rich flora and fauna, numerous rivers, and mountain ranges. Most big cities Ponta: Sinop, Trebizond, Kerasund, Kotiora (Ordu), Samsund and others, former centers of maritime trade, “the gateway to the East.” The Pontic cities were separate city-states with their own governing bodies. The inhabitants maintained their faith in the gods of Olympus and spoke an Ionic dialect ancient Greek language. The Pontic kingdom existed for 300 years and only after a 30-year struggle fell under the blows of the mighty Rome.

From the 1st century BC e. to the 4th century n. e. Pontus was part of the Roman Empire. With the division of the Roman Empire into two parts in the 4th century. n. e. Pontus becomes a province of the Byzantine Empire (IV-XIII centuries). The emperor of the newly created Pontic Empire was called the king and autocrat of the Romans, but later, at the request of the Emperor of Constantinople, the name was replaced by another: king and autocrat of Anatolia, Iberians and Peratia. The emblem of the rulers became a single-headed eagle. The influence of the Trebizond Empire extended to part of Asia Minor, the Caucasus and Crimea. Received great development military art, spiritual culture, trade. Science has received significant development: astronomy, physics, mathematics.

The Greeks of Asia Minor, including Pontus, are considered the most zealous Christians. During that period there were also 6 cathedrals, 1,131 churches, 22 monasteries, 1,647 small churches and 1,459 clergy who were proud of the development and preservation of spiritual beliefs and general education along with the monasteries of St. Sumela, St. Gumera, St. George Peristeriot, St. John Vazelon and others.

Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sumela

Panagia Sumela, a world-famous Orthodox Christian monastery, has been a symbol of Pontic Hellenism for 16 centuries. The monastery complex of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sumela is included in the UNESCO list of most protected monuments. Located 42 km. from the city of Trabzon in modern Turkey.

"Panagia Su Mela (Sumela)" - in the Pontic dialect means "Mother of God from the Black Mountain." The monastery is located at an altitude of 1200 meters above sea level in the valley of the Altındere River. In the Sumelsky monastery, from the end of the 4th century AD. e. and until 1922 there was one of the main Christian treasures - the famous icon of the Virgin Mary Panagia Sumela.

According to legend, the icon of the Mother of God was painted by the Apostle Luke himself. Historical documents and imperial decrees that have survived to this day about the founding of the Sumela monastery at the end of the 4th century confirm the fact of the stay of St. Apostle Luke in the Roman province of Achaia in the north of the Peloponnese peninsula.

Over time, the icon ended up in Athens, in one of the churches in honor of the Mother of God, where it remained until Emperor Theodosius I came to power (379–395), when, according to legend, the Mother of God appeared to a certain Vasily and ordered him to take monasticism together with by his nephew Sophrony. Having taken monastic vows, they visited one of the Athenian churches, where the icon of the Mother of God was kept. The appearance of the Mother of God was repeated, and they were told to follow east to Mount Mela. At the same time, before their eyes, the icon was carried away by two angels. After some searching, Barnabas and Sophronim managed to reach Mount Mela and discover a miraculous icon in a grotto, which is located high on a steep slope. It was this place that the Mother of God intended for them. But the monks were overcome by doubt, since there were no sources of water nearby, and therefore it seemed impossible to live here. They began to appeal to the Mother of God, begging for help. And then a miracle happened: the rock above the cave split, and fresh water poured out of the gap. This is how a miraculous spring arose, which became one of the main shrines of the future monastery.

Soon, following the rumor about two ascetic monks, pilgrims began to come to the cave. Some stayed and became monks. The monks Barnabas and Sofroniy, with the support of the neighboring Vazelonsky monastery, built a cell and a unique rock catholicon in the grotto - the Church of the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God. Monastic buildings were erected - a multi-tiered complex combining residential and utility premises. The founders of the monastery continued their activities outside the holy place. The Church of St. Constantine and Helen was built 12 kilometers from the monastery, opposite the village of Skalita, and the chapel of St. Barbara was built 2 kilometers away. By the time of the death of its founders, who died on the same day in 412, the monastery was thriving. Medicinal properties sources made it famous not only among Christians, but also among Muslims, who still visit the shrine and ask for the blessings of the Mother of God.

Over time, the monastery acquired great fame among the monasteries of Pontus and the entire empire. After 635 it was raided by the Arabs. Buildings were desecrated and burned, inhabitants were killed or taken into slavery. In 664, under Emperor Constant II, under the leadership of a peasant named Christopher, the monastery was restored, and the rescued relic was again located in the catholicon. Pilgrims began to come to the monastery again, some of them took monastic vows.

The monastery flourished during the period of the Trebizond Empire (1204-1261). In addition to the icon of the Mother of God, the monastery contains: the relics of Saints Barnabas, Sophronius and Christopher, part of the tree of the Savior's Cross, inlaid in carved wooden cross. In 1349, Alexei II Komnenos was crowned in the monastery as Emperor of the Trebizond Empire. After the fall of the Trebizond Empire in 1461, starting with Sultan Selim I Yavuz, around 1514, the monastery received confirmation of its privileges from the Turkish monarchs. In the 17th century, additional fortifications were erected - the so-called “castle” - and the monastery acquired approximately the same form in which it has survived to this day: a five-tier complex with 72 cells and a library. The upper, fifth tier also performed fortification functions.

On the territory of the monastery there are unique frescoes, interest in which is caused primarily by the fact that they were painted without observing the canons. Ottoman rule left its mark on interior decoration monastery - a mixture of Orthodoxy and refined oriental style. Small churches were built around the monastery in honor of various saints. In the era of the XVIII-XIX centuries. the monastery achieved its greatest prosperity. The monastery's library contained priceless documents and many ancient manuscripts.

Monastery of Panagia Sumela in the 20th century

Unsuccessful for Greece Greco-Turkish war(1919-1922) and the defeat of the uprising of the Pontic Greeks against the Turks in 1922, as well as the direct betrayal of the Entente member powers, including the then government of Greece, the Christian population (Armenians, Assyrians and Pontic Greeks), forced the inhabitants to leave the monastery . The monks, before the forced exodus in 1923, hid in the chapel of St. Barbara the icon of the Mother of God, the Gospel of St. Christopher and the cross of the Emperor of Trebizond Manuel Komnenos. Despite the Lausanne Peace Treaty of 1923, by 1924 the monastery complex was desecrated, looted and burned.

In 1930, on the initiative of the Prime Minister of Greece Eleftherios Venizelos, the Prime Minister of Turkey Ismet Inonu, who was on a visit to Athens, allowed to send a delegation to Pontus to export symbols of Orthodoxy and Hellenism to Greece.

By 1930, only two monks of the historic monastery remained alive. Jeremiah, who lived near Thessaloniki, was already very old and refused to go because of his leg disease and because he did not want to relive the terrible scenes of Turkish barbarity. The second monk is Ambrose Sumeliot, in good health, rector of the Church of the Holy Healer in Toumba, in Thessaloniki. From Jeremiah Ambrose learned where the sacred relics were hidden. On October 14, Ambrose set off and a few days later returned to Athens not only with the relics, but also with Pontus, as the minister Leonidas Iasonidis wrote at the time: “There were Pontus in Greece, but there was no Pontus. Pont also came to us with the icon of Panagia Sumela.” Memorial Day of the Icon Panagia Sumela - August 15. Founders Memorial Day is August 18.

XXI century. Revival of the Shrine

In 2007, on the initiative of Ivan Savvidi and with the blessing of Archbishop of Rostov and Novocherkassk Panteleimon " Charitable Foundation I. I. Savvidi "organized the first pilgrimage trip of clergy and laity to Orthodox shrine Panagia Sumela.

In August 2010, an Orthodox liturgy took place in the monastery for the first time in 88 years, conducted by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. Holiday service on the day of the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God, it was held in two languages ​​- ancient Greek and Church Slavonic, with the participation of representatives of three local Orthodox churches - Constantinople, Russian and Hellenic. About 600 pilgrims from around the world attended the liturgy. In total, more than 4,000 people visited the monastery on the holiday, including pilgrim delegations from countries former USSR(Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Belarus) in the amount of 500 people.

At the end of the liturgy, Patriarch Bartholomew said: “Our prayers are for unity and peace. It is for this purpose that we came here.”

“Today a new page in history opens Christendom, - Ivan Savvidi noted in an interview with journalists. - The time of religious wars has passed, the time has come for dialogue, compromise, and the search for new solutions, the implementation of which should lead to the spiritual strengthening of man. After all, high human morality is equally important for both the Islamic and Orthodox worlds. The most important result of the event can be considered the well-coordinated joint work of completely different people- believers and non-believers, Christians and Muslims, Turks, Greeks, Russians. It became obvious that the very idea of ​​holding the liturgy in the Panagia Sumela monastery was sent down to us by the Lord God, and we chose the right path.”

Visiting holy places gives pilgrims the opportunity, in addition to additional knowledge about the history of religion, to penetrate the spirit of Orthodoxy and feel the living energy of holy places.

O Pontus! You are now a wanderer
This planet... Both in Asia and in Africa,
In Australia, America, Europe -
We hear everywhere
In a wandering bow
The call of the lyre is the alarm of war,
Influx of memories
The motive of legends is everything that
The feat is a national one,
And where the word blooms,
They do patience and kindness
Longing for the harsh homeland:
Hagia Sophia dome
They keep the covenant and the hope;
The news of the change of milestones of the Archangel;
And compassion to Panagia, -
Who glorified at the crucifixion
Almighty.
Live, O Pontus! Strong
The descendants of Alexander have faith!
God-loving! Free,
Like the wind, the spirit of Byzantium is in it!
The joy of the Earth in his flight!
Heavenly love!
And the aspirations of the people!
Looking to the future
The thirst for victory is only for her alone.
For the Motherland!

A fairly steep climb along a rocky path among steep cliffs takes at least 40-50 minutes. It’s worth it, because it’s a kind of time travel – going straight to the 4th century. It was then that the Greek monks Barnabas and Sophronius founded an Orthodox monastery here. Moreover, the Mother of God herself showed them the place.

The face painted by Saint Luke stood on a bare rocky ledge. And at a decent height too. How to start construction here?

According to ancient sources, in 385 the monks Barnabas and Sophronius came to one of the churches of Athens to venerate the miraculous icon of the Mother of God, painted, according to legend, by the Evangelist Luke. Then they unexpectedly heard the voice of the Mother of God. She ordered the monks to follow the icon all the way to Pontus, stop at Mount Mela and found a new monastery there.

Then the two angels raised their priceless face, and the shocked monks followed him. After long wanderings, Barnabas and Sophronius ended up at Black Mountain. There they discovered a face painted by Saint Luke, standing on a bare rocky ledge. And at a decent height too. How to start construction here? There is not even a source of water nearby. But the Mother of God appeared again and said that there would be water. And indeed, a life-giving, miraculous spring suddenly appeared from the rock above the cave. It still exists today.

Stone by stone - that’s how Barnabas and Sophronius built the temple, around which the monastery began to form. In the Kingdom of Pontus, and then in the Empire of Trebizond, he always enjoyed the favor of the Byzantine monarchs.

Subsequently, it was on Mount Mela that representatives of the Komnenos dynasty were crowned on the throne. Even after the Turks destroyed the Christian power, the monastery flourished! This was the will of the Ottoman Sultan Selim the Magnificent in the 16th century. There is a legend about how one day, while hunting, the Sultan unexpectedly found himself at the foot of the Black Mountain and saw on it a richly decorated Christian monastery and a church with a shining gold cross. In a rage, the ruler ordered the faithful Janissaries to immediately raze the shrine of the “infidels” to the ground.

But before he had time to utter the last word, he immediately fell off his horse and began to thrash in death throes. However, the heavens spared him, and almost the next day the Sultan was forced to grant the Sumel monastery all the previous privileges and his favor.

In general, the monastery did not experience great troubles until the tragic events of the forced relocation to Greece. The Turkish government allowed the icon of Panagia Sumela, as well as other valuables, to be taken out, but since then almost everyone has forgotten about this monastery.... For now it’s more honest to call it Holy place“cultural ruins”...

The monastery with the blinded faces of saints, which has not yet been brought back to life, has been declared a national monument of Turkey. However, for now it is more honest to call this holy place “cultural ruins”, and therefore not the best earthly refuge for angels with sad eyes...

August 15, 2010, on the day of the celebration of the Dormition of the Mother of God (Constantinople Orthodox Church lives according to the new style) the Divine Liturgy was served in the monastery for the first time in 90 years, which was attended by thousands of Orthodox pilgrims from different countries.