Images of the icon of the All-Merciful Savior (Tutaevskaya icon). Three-meter icon

The image of Christ the Savior in Rus' was revered with special respect. His icons have repeatedly shown miracles of healing. And the appearance of the first image in this style dates back to the 12th century.

Description of the Holy Face

The image of the All-Merciful Savior belongs to the “Pantocrator” iconographic type. There are full-length, half-length and full-length images. The author of the original was a follower of the famous Russian icon painter Andrei Rublev.

There is some discrepancy in the proportions of the Savior's hands in relation to the rest of the body. Researchers explain this by saying that the artist initially planned to paint a different type of icon.

Icon of the All-Merciful Savior in the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ (Tutaev, Yaroslavl region)

The icon has a very impressive size. Its width is 2.78 m and its height is 3.20 m.

It depicts the face of Christ, crowned with a crown of fine workmanship. Over time, the image darkened greatly. This is due to a tradition that existed many centuries ago - covering paintings with sunflower oil to fix the paints. The icon was not cleaned of the oil layer in our time and was left in its original form.

About icons in Orthodoxy:

It is believed that a person who does not believe in God is not able to see his face on the icon. The Lord reveals himself only to spiritual vision.

Interesting! There is an opinion among the laity that a wife who has cheated on her husband at least once will not be able to discern the face of the Almighty in the image.

History of the icon

The appearance of the shrine dates back to the beginning of the 15th century. The icon was painted by a master named Dionysius Glushitsky. It was intended for the Boris and Gleb wooden church. The image was supposed to take place under the dome, so that everyone who wants to look at the face of Jesus Christ would look up “to heaven.” In the 18th century it was placed in the chapel of the noble princes Boris and Gleb. But the icon did not stay there for long. Rostov Metropolitan Arseny gave the order to move the shrine to the bishop's chambers. In 1749, the icon ended up in the bishop's house and stayed there for almost half a century.

In 1798, the image was transferred to the Resurrection Cathedral, which is located in Tutaev. They carried the icon on foot. Near the Kovat River, they decided to wash off the road dust from the image. Just at the stopping place, a spring struck, which is considered healing. In this regard, a tradition arose to perform an annual religious procession with the image of the Savior. The procession left the Resurrection Cathedral and carried the icon through the entire city, and then walked along the river bank to the clogged spring.

To make transportation of such a large image possible, a special metal frame was built for it.

Interesting! There is a special hole under the arch in which the icon stands. Believers crawl through it on their knees and pray. This custom appeared quite a long time ago. The knees of the parishioners even caused abrasions.

Today, pilgrimage excursions are organized to the temple where the icon is located. The image makes an indelible impression on believers. They come to the Heavenly Father for help in any difficult situation and through their prayers they are sure to receive it.

Meaning of the icon

The image of the All-Merciful Savior is highly revered throughout the Orthodox world. Over the course of several centuries, numerous lists were made from it, which were distributed to monasteries and churches.

Icon "The All-Merciful Savior"

Religious processions are held with this icon, and the number of pilgrims who come to ask for help only increases from year to year. All this suggests that the ancient image of Christ the Savior still helps believers, and the Lord answers their prayers made in front of the image.

What does it help with?

People come to the icon of the Savior with different requests. God helps to cope with both spiritual and physical problems.

This image is considered miraculous. After prayer, serious diseases of the skeletal system and joints inexplicably recede. The person feels a surge of strength. His faith strengthens, a feeling of sincere repentance and humility appears in the face of the Almighty.

Icon of the All-Merciful Savior

One of the most revered images of Christ in Rus' is the icon of the All-Merciful Savior, which was created around the twelfth century, during the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky in the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. He was glorified after death for his piety and righteous life.

Pious Prince

Thanks to these same qualities, the ruler received the nickname Bogolyubsky. He was the son of the famous founder Dolgoruky. Under him, the Vladimir-Suzdal principality was in an unprecedented state of prosperity and well-being.

The creation of the icon of the All-Merciful Savior is closely connected with another image revered in Rus' - the face of the Mother of God with the baby Jesus. Tradition tells that during the battle between the troops of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky and the hordes of the Volga Bulgarians, there were clergymen in the ranks of the Russian soldiers who carried the miraculous icon.

Celebration of Prayer

A landslide victory was won over the enemy. When the prince and his troops returned to the camp, he noticed that a radiance emanated from the image of the Blessed Virgin. At the same time, the Byzantine emperor, who was on friendly terms with the Vladimir-Suzdal ruler, won the battle with the Khazars.

Both battles were won thanks to fervent prayer to God before the miraculous image. Having emerged victorious, the rulers spoke about the radiance emanating from the icons to each other in their letters. They agreed to establish a holiday in honor of these events, which is celebrated to this day on the first of August according to the old style and the fourteenth according to the new style. It coincided with the Day of Origin of the Honest Trees of the Holy Cross.

Almighty

By order of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky of Vladimir-Suzdal, an icon of the All-Merciful Savior was also painted.

This image belongs to the iconographic type, which is called by specialists “Almighty”. These images are created with the aim of glorifying the good deeds of God and are designed to show that there is nothing that the Almighty could not do for the sake of his love for people.

On such icons, the Son of God is usually depicted in full growth, or the canvas is a half-length or chest-length image of Jesus Christ. In his left hand he holds the Holy Scripture in the form of a book or scroll. On the right, the Savior blesses Orthodox Christians with a traditional gesture.

Tutaevsky image

During the existence of the icon of the All-Merciful Savior, many copies were made from it. One of the most famous copies is located in the city of Tutaev.

Before the October Revolution, this settlement was called Romanov-Borisoglebsk and was formed in the nineteenth century from two other settlements, the names of which formed its name. Currently, the city is part of the Yaroslavl region. Since ancient times, Borisoglebsk has been famous for its artistic traditions.

Numerous immortal works were created here. Thus, in the fifteenth century, an icon of the All-Merciful Savior was painted for the local church, consecrated in honor of Saints Boris and Gleb. This image of the Savior is a chest-to-chest image of the Son of God, who touches the open Gospel with his left hand, and his right hand is raised in a blessing gesture.

Features of the icon

The creator of this painting is a follower of the famous Russian icon painter Andrei Rublev, so the image is painted in a similar manner. There are small clouds around the perimeter of the image. Some researchers believe that the disproportionate size of the Gospel and the left blessing hand of Christ indicates that the artist initially intended to create a different type of icon.

The painter only changed his original plan while working and added some elements. Before the revolution, the image was covered with a silver chasuble. The Savior's head was crowned with a golden crown. This decoration was confiscated in the early twenties of the last century, during a campaign to confiscate valuables stored in churches. Initially, this image was intended for the dome of the temple, the so-called sky.

History of the shrine

Later, the icon was moved to the chapel of the cathedral, dedicated to two holy princes from the Rurik family - Boris and Gleb. After some time, the icon of the All-Merciful Savior was placed on the main iconostasis of the cathedral. In the eighteenth century, Rostov Metropolitan Arseny ordered the image to be moved to his residence after restoration. This patriarch was soon demoted from his rank for criticizing the policies of Empress Catherine II.

After being removed from office, he became a simple monk and spent the rest of his days in a monastery. The icon, which was brought to his office by his order, remained in the patriarchal residence for about half a century. When they decided to return the image to Borisoglebsk, its refuge was no longer in the Church of Saints Boris and Gleb, but in the Resurrection Cathedral. The icon of the All-Merciful Savior was brought to the city in a specially organized religious procession. Several miles before their destination, the procession stopped to wash the dusty shrine on the road.

Traditions

According to legend, a miraculous spring arose at this place, which still exists today. This event was reflected in church tradition. Every year on the tenth Sunday after Easter, a procession of the cross takes place, during which the icon of the All-Merciful Savior is solemnly taken out from the Resurrection Cathedral and passes in a procession throughout the city.

Until the end of the nineteenth century, the route of this procession ran only along the right side of the river. And during the celebration of the nine hundredth anniversary of the Baptism of Rus', a tradition was established to walk along the other bank.

A trace of many centuries

The icon of the All-Merciful Savior in the Resurrection Cathedral was painted in the fifteenth century by the famous icon painter. This master is known for his righteous life and was glorified after death among the saints of the Russian land. In the photo of the icon of the All-Merciful Savior, it is noticeable that the image has become very dark over time. This happened because, according to fifteenth-century technology, all faces were covered with sunflower oil. The same thing happened with other images of the main church of the monastery in the city of Borisoglebsk, to which the icon also belonged at that time.

Several centuries later, they were all cleared of sunflower oil. Only the icon of the All-Merciful Savior in Tutaev remained with its outer covering. Because of this, the image has noticeably darkened over the several centuries of its existence. However, this circumstance does not reduce the effect that the icon produces on people praying in front of it.

About the pilgrimage to the icon

Both group and individual pilgrimages and excursions conducted by some organizations are regularly made to this image. The Tutaevskaya Icon of the All-Merciful Savior makes a colossal impression due to its enormous size.

Its height reaches three meters. At the moment, the image is placed on a special metal structure, which allows the icon to be moved on days when a religious procession is held. Also, under the iconostasis, on which the miraculous image is located, there is a hole through which, according to tradition, all visitors to the temple pass on their knees. Over the centuries-old existence of this passage in the floor under the icon, two stripes from the knees of worshipers were worn out.

Icon of the All-Merciful Savior. What should you pray for in front of her?

It is believed that this image promotes heartfelt prayer for health, both physical and mental. It is necessary, however, to remember that it is necessary to turn specifically to the Lord God who is depicted, and not to the icon itself as such. The face of Jesus Christ is designed to facilitate correct prayer. Only that which is performed with due repentance, humility and reverence can be called such.

That is, it should be pronounced thoughtfully. A person turning to God must be in a state of concentration on his communication with the Almighty. It should also be remembered that the word “prayer” itself is the same root of the verb “to pray,” that is, to tearfully ask for something. This means that this is not just a conversation with the Lord God or some saint, but an appeal that has the nature of a heartfelt request.

Pride of the city

In which the icon of the All-Merciful Savior is now located, it is the main temple of this locality. It rises above other buildings and serves as an architectural dominant. There are two churches in this temple - upper and lower.

The first room is not heated. The icon is there only during the warm season. The miraculous image is transferred to the lower temple in winter.

Icons in Kizhi

The icon of the All-Merciful Savior is widely revered among the people.

Prayer to this image can be offered not only in Tutaev. Many lists of the miraculous image are located in other cities of Russia. It is known that some cosmonauts, before their extraterrestrial expeditions, came to pray before the holy image in Tutaev. However, the icon of the All-Merciful Savior exists not only in this version.

There is an image with the same name, which is located in the city of Kizhi. It would be more accurate to say that there were originally two images in this locality. In one of the churches of this city before the revolution there was an icon of the All-Merciful Savior, which had a rich gold case, as well as a chasuble made of precious materials. A cross on a ribbon was suspended from the holy image.

Protection from enemies

Today, only one icon of the All-Merciful Savior in Kizhi has survived, which is located in another church in the city. This is an image of the Savior, with several saints painted in the background, as well as details of the landscape. All the nuances of the picture are spelled out extremely clearly, in a skillful, subtle manner. From this we can conclude about the professionalism of the painter.

The painting of icons in Kizhi is dated by specialists around the end of the sixteenth century. This was the time of attack on Rus' by Lithuanian and Polish troops. The icons were the defenders of the city from foreign invaders. Processions of the cross with these images were regularly held around the settlement to consecrate it.

Icons of the All-Merciful Savior both in Kizhi and Tutaev are among the most revered images of Jesus Christ among Orthodox people around the world. How does the icon of the All-Merciful Savior help? It promotes the right attitude to pray for health.

Source: Sergey Mikheev, Parliamentary newspaper
The city of Tutaev does not live well, even despite the fact that many mansions are now being built here, and recently a whole block of elite housing has grown up in the very center, which people simply called “Santa Barbara”. The fact is that the local motor plant went bankrupt, and, as a consequence of the deplorable situation of the city-forming enterprise, there is social pessimism, street crime and... dirt. Yes Yes! We have not proven that the lack of faith in a bright future leads to complete disregard for the rules of cleanliness of the place in which you live. Well, as for the mansions, everything is clear here without any economic theories: after all, ordinary workers went bankrupt, and the owners probably became even richer. and the Borisoglebsk (right) side grew modern quarters (and Santa Barbara to boot), the Romanovskaya (left) side remained a charming provincial corner with many motifs inherent in such places, starting with the quiet disposition of the Romanovites and ending with a large number of ancient temples. But something went [...]

Icon of the All-Merciful Savior - description
This icon is located in the Resurrection Cathedral in the city of Tutaev, Yaroslavl region. It’s called “The Miraculous Image of the All-Merciful Savior.” Belongs to the brush of Saint Dionysius of Glushitsky, a native of the Vologda province, who lived in the 15th century. The icon is so cloudy due to the fact that at that time icons were covered with sunflower oil for preservation, and it darkens over time. The layer of oil was removed from all the icons of the cathedral, but for some reason they did not remove it from this one. There is a long-standing tradition of crawling with prayer under the miraculous icon of the Savior on your knees. For this purpose, there is a special window in the icon case under the icon. In the board under the holy image, along which many people crawl every day, over the course of two centuries, it was as if two ruts had been erased. One of the manifestations of the “miraculousness” of the icon is that a woman who has cheated on her husband at least once cannot see Jesus on the icon. The metal structure was created to carry the icon during religious processions. Arches were invented, most likely, for convenience - men carry a structure with an icon on the p[...]

The All-Merciful Savior (Tutaevskaya Icon) Located in the Resurrection Cathedral in the city of Tutaev (formerly Romanov-Borisoglebsk) in the Yaroslavl region. It’s called “The Miraculous Image of the All-Merciful Savior.” The “main” face of the Savior is dark, barely distinguishable, one can only see that the face of the Savior is not menacing, but filled with sorrow, the right hand of Jesus Christ is raised for blessing, in the left is the open Gospel. The icon is so cloudy due to the fact that at that time icons were covered with sunflower oil for preservation, and it darkens over time. The layer of oil was removed from all the icons of the cathedral, but for some reason they did not remove it from this one. According to legend, the icon was painted in the first third of the 15th century by the holy Venerable Dionysius of Glushitsky for the wooden church of princes Boris and Gleb. Initially, it was located in the dome, it was like the “sky” of the temple. Later it was moved to the chapel above the Royal Doors, and in the 18th century, after renovation, it was placed in the main room of the temple. In 1749, by order of Metropolitan Arseny of Rostov, the icon was taken from the cathedral to the bishop's house. And although in 1763, for criticizing Catherine’s policies, Arseny was deprived of the rank of metropolitan, demoted to monkhood and exiled to a monastery, the icon continued to remain in the metropolitan chambers. Only almost half a century later, in 1798, the icon was returned to the Resurrection Cathedral. From Rostov to Borisoglebsk the image was carried in their arms. According to legend, three miles before Borisoglebsk, on the banks of the Kovat River, they decided to wash the image from road dust, and at this place a spring flowed, which is still considered holy and healing. In memory of this event, prayer services are held near this place, and the custom has been established to make a religious procession with the image of the Savior around the city on the tenth Sunday after Easter. Until the end of the 19th century, the procession walked only along the Borisoglebskaya side. After the celebration of the 900th anniversary of the baptism of Rus', it was established that a religious procession should also be held along the left bank - on the last Sunday before the feast of Elijah the Prophet. Over many centuries of being in the temple, this image of the All-Merciful Savior was repeatedly glorified by miracles - the icon became miraculous. It is believed that the All-Merciful Savior helps with diseases of bones and joints, but this is not a matter of “medical indications.” This is a prayed icon and for this reason copies have been made from it several times. One of them, created in Romanov, an important icon-painting center of the Volga region, is now in the Andrei Rublev Museum. There is a long-standing tradition of crawling with prayer under the miraculous icon of the Savior on your knees. For this purpose, there is a special window in the icon case under the icon. In the board under the holy image, along which many people crawl every day, over the course of two centuries, it was as if two ruts had been erased. One of the manifestations of the “miraculousness” of the icon is that a woman who has cheated on her husband at least once cannot see Jesus on the icon.. On July 2, a cathedral feast is celebrated in Tutaev. Pious Christians from the Church of the Resurrection along the banks of the Volga make a religious procession with an icon of the Savior. The metal structure was created to carry the icon during religious processions. The arches were most likely invented for convenience - men carry the structure with the icon on their shoulders, and those who wish pass under the icon. Arches - so as not to bend down. And then they thought of climbing under them during stops. from the Internet

It is important to understand that the Resurrection Cathedral is the pearl of not only Tutaev himself, it is the pearl of all Russian architecture, and specifically a unique architectural monument of Yaroslavl stone architecture of the 17th century.
The cathedral consists of two temples - the lower (warm, winter) and the upper (cold, summer). The Lower Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God was built somewhat earlier. The Upper - Resurrection - temple and the gallery surrounding it on three sides - a few years later. The height of the lower church is 5 meters, the upper one is 13.5 meters (up to the dome 24).

The Miracle-Working Icon of the All-Merciful Savior is located in this temple. This huge, about three meters, icon is called “The Miraculous Image of the All-Merciful Savior.” According to legend, it belongs to the brush of Saint Dionysius of Glushitsky, a native of the Vologda province who lived in the 15th century. The icon is so cloudy due to the fact that at that time icons were covered with sunflower oil for preservation, and it darkens over time. The layer of oil was removed from all the icons of the cathedral, but for some reason they did not remove it from this one.

Resurrection Cathedral. Tutaev

However, the legendary news differs from the opinion of experts. In particular, art historian L. V. Nersesyan, who studied the icon in detail, argues that by all indications the image should be attributed to the 17th century.

Initially, the icon was located in the dome (it was the “sky”) of a wooden church in honor of the holy princes Boris and Gleb, which explains its large size (three meters in height). When the stone church was built, the icon of the Savior was moved to the summer Church of the Resurrection.

On the icon, darkened by time, there is a chest-length image of Jesus Christ; His right hand is folded in a blessing gesture; in the left hand is an open Gospel. This image in the iconography of Christ belongs to the type “Pantocrator” or, translated from Greek, “Almighty”. The face of the Savior occupies the main part of the space of the icon; the blessing hand and the Gospel are disproportionate to the face, which perhaps indicates a change in the original plan of the icon painter, who intended to create an image of the “Savior of the Shoulder” type. Ornate clouds are depicted along the perimeter of the icon.

Over many centuries of being in the temple, this image of the All-Merciful Savior was repeatedly glorified by miracles - the icon became miraculous. For this reason, lists were repeatedly made from her. One of them, created in Romanov, an important icon-painting center of the Volga region, is now in the Andrei Rublev Museum.

In 1749, by order of Metropolitan Arseny of Rostov, the icon was taken from the cathedral to the bishop's house. And although in 1763, for criticizing Catherine’s policies, Arseny was deprived of the rank of metropolitan, demoted to monkhood and exiled to a monastery, the icon continued to remain in the metropolitan chambers. Only almost half a century later, in 1798, the icon was returned to the Resurrection Cathedral. From Rostov to Borisoglebsk the image was carried in their arms.

From that time on, miracles of healing from physical and spiritual illnesses began to occur at the holy image. With funds from grateful parishioners and pilgrims, in 1850 the icon was decorated with a silver-gilded crown and a chasuble with gilding, weighing more than 35 kg. The crown and chasuble were confiscated by the Bolsheviks in 1923. The crown that is currently on the icon is a copy of it. The robe disappeared without a trace.

In the summer, the image of the Savior Pantocrator is located in the upper, cold, church of the Resurrection Cathedral, in winter it “moves” to the lower, heated one.

There is a long-standing tradition of crawling with prayer under the miraculous icon of the Savior on your knees. For this purpose, there is a special window in the icon case under the icon.

Every year, for several decades, on July 2, a cathedral holiday is celebrated in Tutaev. Pious Christians from the Church of the Resurrection along the banks of the Volga make a religious procession with an icon of the Savior.

Processions of the cross with the miraculous icon take place twice a year: on the last Sunday before Elijah’s Day along the Romanovskaya (left bank) side of Tutaev and on the tenth Sunday after Easter along the Borisoglebskaya (right bank) side.

The metal structure was created to carry the icon during religious processions. The arches were most likely invented for convenience - men carry the structure with the icon on their shoulders, and those who wish pass under the icon. Arches - so as not to bend down. And then they thought of climbing under them during stops.
The miraculous image is taken out of the temple on a special stretcher and a procession with the icon of the Savior is made through the streets of the city with singing and prayers.
And then, if desired, believers climb into the hole under the icon - a healing hole, and crawl on their knees or on their haunches under the “All-Merciful Savior” with a prayer for healing.

One of the manifestations of the “miraculousness” of the icon is that a woman who has cheated on her husband at least once cannot see Jesus on the icon.

Throughout the past centuries, a list of healings from the miraculous icon was kept. The image of the All-Merciful Savior is one of the most revered icons not only for a single Tutaevsky church, but also for the entire Yaroslavl diocese.

Tutaev is sometimes called the city of three shrines. It is to them that pilgrims from all over Russia come to worship.
The first is the miraculous image of the Savior in the Resurrection Cathedral, which we talked about above.
The second is the “Increase in Mind” icon in the Church of the Intercession. We talked about her last time.
The third shrine of Tutaev is the grave of Archimandrite Paul (Gruzdev) of the Russian Orthodox Church, which is located at the Leontyevskoye cemetery (on the Romanovskaya side).

According to legend, three miles before Borisoglebsk, on the banks of the Kovat River, they decided to wash the image from road dust, and at this place a spring flowed, which is still considered holy and healing. In memory of this event, prayer services are held near this place, and the custom has been established to make a religious procession with the image of the Savior around the city on the tenth Sunday after Easter. Until the end of the 19th century, the procession walked only along the Borisoglebskaya side. After the celebration of the 900th anniversary of the baptism of Rus', it was established that a religious procession should also be held along the left bank - on the last Sunday before the feast of Elijah the Prophet.