Commemorated on June 18
The
Bogolub Icon of the Mother of God, one of the most ancient
wonderworking icons of Russia, was painted in the twelfth century at the
request of Prince Andrew Bogolubsky (July 4), in memory of an
appearance to him by the Mother of God.
In the year 1155 holy
Prince Andrew, having resettled from Vishgorod to the Suzdal region,
brought with him a wonderworking icon of the Mother of God, painted by
the Evangelist Luke (this afterwards was called the Vladimir Icon). At
seven versts distance from Vladimir by horse, the cart carrying the
wonderworking icon stopped and could not be moved from the place. Holy
Prince Andrew asked the priest Nicholas, who accompanied him, to serve a
Molieben before the Icon. For a long time Andrew prayed with tears
before the venerable image. Later he went into his tent and continued
his fervent prayer. The Most Holy Theotokos appeared to him with a small
scroll in Her hand and commanded the pious prince that the icon he
brought from Vishgorod should remain at Vladimir, and that on the site
of Her miraculous appearance a church and holy monastery should be
built. She then prayerfully raised Her hand to Heaven, and received a
blessing from Christ the Savior. Then the vision ended.
In
fulfilling the command, holy Prince Andrew built a stone church in honor
of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, and also a monastery.
Afterwards the holy prince commissioned talented iconographers and asked
that the Mother of God be depicted such as he had seen Her in the
vision, in full stature, with the scroll in Her right hand, and Her face
turned towards the Savior. When the church was completed, the icon was
placed in it and a yearly celebration in honor of the appearance of the
Mother of God was established on June 18. The monastery, and the city
which formed around the monastery, was named Bogolub by St Andrew,
because in his own words, "the Mother of God loves this place," and the
prince himself came to be called Bogolub or "God-lover." The
wonderworking icon of the Mother of God, brought from Vishgorod, was
afterwards transferred from the Bogoub monastery to Vladimir into the
Dormition cathedral, but the icon of the Appearance remained at Bogolub
and was called the Bogolub (at the present time [1978] the icon is in
the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum collection).
The icon of the Bogolub
Mother of God was glorified by innumerable miracles, and over the span
of many centuries manifest its grace-filled help to the believers of the
Russian nation. The fame of the miracles and signs wrought by the icon
inspired believers in many places in Russia to make copies of the
venerable image, some of which were also miraculous.
SOURCE:
SAINT OR FEAST POSTED THIS DATE 2014(with 2013's link here also and further:, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009 and even 2008!):
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