Among the holy miraculous icons of the Mother of God, the image “Unexpected Joy” is especially revered. Prayer in front of this icon can help in the most difficult and hopeless life situations.

History of the icon

As the legend says, there lived one sinful and wicked man. From childhood, his parents taught him only one virtue - prayer in front of the icon of the Virgin. Once again, he approached the icon, when he suddenly saw that the Infant Jesus had bleeding ulcers, and the face of the Virgin was distorted from pain and grief. The young man exclaimed, "Who did this to the Son of God?" and in horror he heard the answer of the Mother of God: “You and those like you are sinners. By your transgressions you crucify my Son again and again.”

The sinner fell on his face before the icon and prayed for the forgiveness of sins until he heard the voice of the Savior: "Now he is forgiven." After that, he led a righteous life until his death and said that he no longer looked forward to receiving forgiveness for everything that he had done. It is this story that is captured on the icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy”.

Where is the image of the Virgin

Location of the original icon on this moment unknown. The earliest image is in Moscow, in the church of the prophet Elijah in Obydenny Lane. Every day, many pilgrims come to venerate the icon and pray for themselves and their loved ones.

Description of the Unexpected Joy Icon

The icon depicts a sinner kneeling before the image of the Mother of God with the Infant Jesus. The beginning of the story of its appearance is written on the lower part of the icon: “There once lived a wicked man...” The depicted sinner prays to the Lord and the Mother of God for the forgiveness of his sins and the granting of a new, righteous and pious life.

What do the icons pray for

Each person can pray to the image of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” and ask for deliverance from the burden of past mistakes, granting forgiveness and indicating the right path. According to many pilgrims, prayer before this icon changes life for the better.

An example is the story of a pilgrim who terminated her pregnancy in her youth and, as a punishment for this sin, lost the ability to have children. Years of treatment did not give any result. In desperation, the pilgrim came to the icon "Unexpected Joy" and fervently prayed, asking for forgiveness for the past terrible mistake. A year later, the woman gave birth to a long-awaited child.

There are many stories like this: people come to the icon and receive forgiveness of the most serious sins. Prayers before the image of the Mother of God can completely change the life and fate of everyone who is sincere in their request.

Prayers to the miraculous image of the Virgin

“O Lady, protector and comforter of the weak and sinful servants of God! By the power of Your love, may my soul be healed, may I be comforted by my tears and find the path of true faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. O Merciful One, forgive me my voluntary and involuntary sins, let me cleanse and fill my soul with the light of the grace of Your Son and our Lord. Amen".

“Most Pure and Immaculate Virgin Mary, I humbly resort to You and with tears I pray to You: quench my passions and turn away from me the temptations of the devil, driving my soul into hellfire for eternal torment. Yes, not by an unclean word and not by a sinful deed will they judge me at the Great and Terrible Judgment, but by Your mercy and the love of my Lord. Amen".

This prayer can change your life path for the better and strengthen faith in God.

“O my Lady of Grace, helper and intercessor, Most Pure Mother of God! Overshadow me, a sinful and unworthy servant of God, with the light of your Unexpected joy and give me the grace of the blessing of the Lord. Beg Your Son to forgive sins and unworthy deeds for us sinners, show the way to the true faith and let me humbly enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Amen".

What does the icon look like?

The image of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy" has remained unchanged since its appearance. On some icons, the sinner, asking for forgiveness for his sins, is depicted as a young man, and on others, as a mature and strong man of age.

original image depicts the icon of the Mother of God on a larger scale, and the praying sinner is in the lower left corner.

Subsequently, some icon-painting schools more significantly immortalized the praying sinner, who atoned for his sins and witnessed a great miracle.

Day of veneration of the icon of the Virgin "Unexpected joy" - June 11, according to the new style. There is no fasting on this day, but those who pray for the healing of diseases are advised to stop eating meat. We wish you happiness and peace in your soul, and do not forget to press the buttons and

Miraculous words: the icon of the prayer of the mother of God is an unexpected joy in what is in full description from all the sources we found.

If God were just, say the holy fathers, we would not be able to hope for forgiveness. On the pages of the Old Testament Scriptures, the Lord appears as a formidable Judge and Revealer, punishing the slightest crime against the Law, and today the earth does not open up even under inveterate sinners. Why this happens is explained by an instructive story shown in a pictorial image known as the Unexpected Joy icon.

The miracles that come from miraculous icons are carefully studied and recorded. They also acted in the Holy Trinity Eliinsky Monastery near Chernigov. In 1662, the first miracle was recorded from the icon of the Mother of God, painted by monk Gennady. Tears flowed from the eyes of the Most Pure Virgin, holding the Divine Infant in her arms, for 10 days. All Chernihiv "looked with great horror" at the weeping Virgin.

The miracle of the Icon of the Mother of God of Ilyinsky-Chernigov became known and has come down to the present thanks to St. Dmitry of Rostov.

Interesting. St. Dmitry Rostovsky is a church writer and educator who has written many books, including the lives of the saints, sermons on faith and repentance, discourses on gospel stories and God's miracles.

Resurrection of the lad

Traveling through the monasteries of Little Russia, St. Dimitry wrote the book "Irrigated Fleece", based on stories about miracles from the Chernigov Mother of God. Instructions were included with the stories. One of the chapters, "The Dew of the Resurrection," tells of a youth who died suddenly. There was no illness or other reasons that spoke of the approach of death. The hieromonk of the Ilyinsky Monastery, who was then nearby, advised his parents to pray before the miraculous icon of Chernigov.

The parents went to the monastery and clung to the Intercessor. And a miracle happened: the child came to life. No one expected such happiness, although they believed in the mercy of the Virgin. To the story of the resurrection of the youth, which took place in April 1679, St. Dmitry attached a parable, on the basis of which the icon “Unexpected Joy” was painted.

Parable of St. Dimitri and writing a new image

A certain sinner had the custom of praying to the Blessed Virgin with the words of the Angelic salutation “Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”, going to his iniquity. Once, kneeling in front of the icon and about to say the usual prayer, he saw a terrible vision: blood flowed in streams from the legs and hands of the Divine Infant, and the Mother of God herself appeared to him as alive.

"Who did this, Mistress?" - the sinner shouted in horror. “You and those like you constantly hurt My Son, like the Jews on the Cross, with your iniquities,” answered the Mother of God. Instantly repentant, the man began to pray for forgiveness, but the Lord did not look in his direction. Then he called to the Mother of God: “May my sins not overcome your mercy, Mistress, ask the Lord for me!”

The Mother of God turned to the Son with a prayer for forgiveness for the sinner. The Lord answered Her, like a Son, with reverence: “I cannot forgive, for I endured his iniquity for a long time.” With fear, the petitioner who watched this completely despaired of his salvation. Then the Most Pure One stood up and wanted to fall on her knees before Christ: “I will lie at Your feet until this man receives forgiveness!” The Lord did not allow this to happen, saying that although He is God, He honors His Mother and is ready to fulfill Her prayers. The forgiven sinner rushed to kiss the sores of the Lord, which immediately healed and the vision ended.

After reading "Irrigated Fleece", an unknown artist painted an icon based on a parable where a man prays to the Mother of God, calling it "Unexpected (unexpected) joy".

The connection between the miracle and the parable is obvious: just as the parents of the deceased lad did not expect to see him alive, so the sinner from the parable did not expect forgiveness from the Lord. But through the prayers of the Intercessor of the Mother of God, everyone received what they asked for, which became for them "unexpected joy."

Meaning of images

The Lord, depicted as a Servant, does not hold a scroll in his hand, but shows his hands with traces of ulcers to a kneeling sinner. The tunic is thrown off, the wounds on the rib and legs are visible. According to the Gospel, Christ received four wounds when He was crucified on the cross, and the fifth, in the ribs, when the guards wanted to verify the death of the condemned.

On the old lists of the icon, there is always a thrown back veil in the background - a symbol of the church's royal gates, the entrance to paradise, opened ajar for the sinner. The red color of the veil is a symbol of resurrection.

The sinner himself is dressed in a green tunic. Green is the color of the earth human world. In such clothes depicted Old Testament prophets who were righteous, but did not know Divine grace, only foreseeing the coming of Christ. The praying sinner is not yet forgiven, but awaits forgiveness and renewal of life.

The inscriptions on the icon

In the field under the image of the Mother of God is placed the text of the parable, made in illegible Church Slavonic script. Usually placed initial words: “A certain lawless person has a daily rule to pray to the Most Holy Theotokos ...”, sometimes the name “Unexpected joy of the Most Holy Theotokos” is written.

It is believed that the word sanctifies the image, it must be entered into the composition. Due to the lack of space for the text, it is placed in a highly abbreviated form, symbolizing the entire inscription. On large images, the words of the sinner are sometimes written, “Oh, Lady, who did this?” and the answer of the Virgin "You and other sinners with your sins ...", in lines directed from the sinner to the Mother of God.

Location of the icons "Unexpected Joy" and miracles

  • St. Vladimir's Cathedral Kyiv. Miraculous image of the XIX century. has been in the cathedral since the Great Patriotic War. The Mother of God and the Lord are depicted in royal crowns. Unfortunately, now the Vladimir Cathedral is in the hands of schismatics.
  • "Burning Bush" in Khamovniki (before the revolution). The oldest known list was kept here. In 1838, on Easter week, he miraculously healed a woman who suffered from complete deafness. Anisya Stepanova could not even hear the ringing of bells. After the prayer service to the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy”, Anisya heard the singing of the Paschal troparion and her deafness disappeared. In 1930, the temple was destroyed, and the miraculous image was lost.
  • The Tretyakov Gallery has a unique icon "Unexpected Joy" (1st half of the 19th century), where the main picture is overlaid with 120 small images of other miraculous icons of the Virgin. The central image carries the main meaning: the Lord forgives sins through the prayer of the Mother of God - the Prayer and Intercessor for the human race.
  • Moscow, Church of Elijah the Ordinary. Here is an old icon in a beautiful metal frame, restored in 1959. Before the revolution, it was in one of the Kremlin churches, then the image was hidden from the renovationists. After the Great Patriotic War, "Unexpected Joy" was transferred to the temple of Ilya Obydenny. The robe of the icon is completely hung with rings and crosses brought by people who received healing from prayer in front of the icon.
  • Maryina Grove, Church of the Icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy". This temple was built in 1904 and is dedicated to the Mother of God. The image itself (painted in the 19th century) appeared there later, numerous decorations on it spoke of former miracles, unfortunately not recorded. A symbolic event took place in the temple in 2003. A 90-year-old turned to the priest Marine officer asking for baptism. In a dream, he was commanded to be baptized and wait for death. The old man endured great post preparing for baptism. His death followed immediately after the Sacrament, in the temple itself.
  • Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, Ryazan. In the Transfiguration Cathedral of the monastery is "Unexpected Joy", recently famous for miracles. The mutilated icon was found and bought in the market by a resident of Moscow Georgy. After some time, misfortune befell him: he received a severe injury, which led to partial paralysis. Sincere prayers before the found image bore fruit, George got to his feet. Long time he did not want to part with his beloved icon, but finally decided to donate it to the Transfiguration Monastery of the Savior. The board and the paint layer were restored, and a carved kiot was made. During the stay of "Unexpected Joy" in the monastery, several cases of healing from eye disease, cancer and drunkenness were recorded.
  • Holy Trinity Cathedral in Odessa. During the Great Patriotic War, the cathedral closed by the Bolsheviks was reopened by the occupying authorities. At this time, from nowhere, the icon “Unexpected Joy” appeared in him. Interestingly, one of the aisles of the cathedral was consecrated in her name back in 1840. The parishioners of the temple were mostly women and children. Before the new image of the Virgin, they prayed for the return of their husbands and fathers from the front. Although there were no high-profile miracles, the icon is highly revered by the inhabitants of Odessa, they pray in front of it for the military who are in "hot spots".
  • Holy spring in Zhaysk, Nizhny Novgorod region. According to legend, this source in the XVIII century. the icon "Unexpected Joy" was found. Murom noble princes Peter and Fevronia were hiding here. At this place, the saints granted forgiveness to the inhabitants of Murom who expelled them, just as the Most Holy Theotokos forgave the repentant sinner. The source is located in a picturesque place, a chapel is built over it.

This is not a complete list of temples under the protection of the Queen of Heaven. In the 2000s, many churches were built in honor of "Unexpected Joy", charitable institutions are named after her, springs are consecrated. This image of the Virgin can be found as a revered icon in other churches.

Important. Before the image of the Virgin "Unexpected Joy" they pray in difficult life situations, when hope has dried up. During the war years, mothers prayed for their sons, for whom "funerals" were received, later it turned out that the letters were sent erroneously and the soldiers returned alive.

Nothing is impossible for the mercy of the Mother of God, but first of all, before prayer, you need to remember and realize your sins, from which the wounds of the Lord bleed.

What helps the icon "Unexpected Joy"?

On May 14, June 3 and December 22, the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy". The first part of the image is a man standing in front of the icon, whose eyes and hands are turned to the Mother of God. It is located in the lower left corner. The image of the Mother of God herself belongs to the Hodegetria type. Below is usually either the beginning of the story about the miracle of St. Demetrius of Rostov, or part of the prayer to the icon "Unexpected Joy". The Divine Infant is depicted on the icon with open wounds on his body.

The History of the Icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy"

The legend tells of the appearance of the Mother of God with the Divine Infant to a man. It was described by St. Rostov in his work Irrigated Fleece. The man suffered from a sin that he could not overcome in any way. After each violation of the promise, he asked for forgiveness from the icon of the Mother of God. One fine day, before committing a sin, the man again turned to the icon and, leaving, he noticed that the Mother of God turned her face towards him, and wounds appeared on the body of the Divine Infant, from which blood flowed. This event seriously affected the man, and he felt spiritual cleansing and forgot about his sin forever. This story became the basis for writing the famous icon.

The most famous image is located in the temple of Elijah the Prophet, which is located in Moscow. Several lists were made from this icon, which also showed their power and worked miracles. Every day people come to the image and turn to the Higher powers with their problems.

What helps the icon "Unexpected Joy"?

Throughout life, a person performs various actions and experiences feelings, for example, envy, anger, etc. All this has a negative impact on internal state. Thanks to the appeal to the icon, the believer can find joy, peace, find his true path and purpose. For example, in different historical periods during wars, women prayed at the image for the return of their husbands, and as a result, the desired became a reality.

To receive help, it is necessary to read a prayer in front of the icon of the Virgin “Unexpected Joy”, and then state everything that lies on the soul with a stone. Many women who want to get pregnant make this request to the face and soon the desire comes true. The icon helps to heal from various diseases, for example, there is evidence that people got rid of deafness and blindness. The icon of the Virgin "Unexpected Joy" will help strengthen faith and give hope in better times. If you read a prayer for the family before this image, then you can improve relationships, get rid of enmity, conflicts and other problems. Before the icon, you can pray about various family problems, the main thing is to do it from the bottom of your heart. Lonely people can ask the Higher Forces for help in finding a soul mate. Prayers about earthly affairs are read before the icon. For example, you can get protection from existing enemies, gossip and various troubles. The face will also help in solving material problems.

There are no specific rules on how to pray in front of the “Unexpected Joy” icon. The clergy say that the main thing is to do it from the heart. It is recommended that you first contact the priest in order to receive a blessing from him. If the text of the prayer is difficult to remember, then you can read it from the sheet, but it is important to write everything with your own hands. It is also allowed to address the face in your own words, most importantly, to speak from the heart without any thoughts.

Prayer to the icon "Unexpected Joy" sounds like this:

This is the most important prayer for turning to this icon, but there are also other texts that are used depending on the situation, that is, considering what exactly you need to ask the Higher powers. You can also read the Akathist to the icon "Unexpected Joy".

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Icon Unexpected joy: what helps

This article is written for those believers who want to know the icon of Unexpected joy in what helps. Also here you can not only talk about how the icon helps, but also about where to hang it and what kind of prayer to read before it.

Brief history of the icon

How does an icon help?

You need to ask for help from the Mother of God depicted on the icon “Unexpected Joy” in the following cases:

  • if you have a hearing disorder;
  • if you can not get pregnant;
  • if your child has gone down the “crooked path”, and you want to set him on the right path;
  • if relatives have died and for you it has become an irreparable loss and you are very much experiencing this tragedy;
  • if you are looking for a missing relative or loved one.

Where to hang icon?

In order for the icon to help you, you need to place it correctly in your home.

Here is where you can not weigh the icon:
  • in dirty places such as a toilet;
  • in places where various rubbish is folded;
  • in the hallway you should not place an icon.

You need to remember that during prayer you should be left alone with God and no one should interfere with you. Therefore, it is best to place the icon in your bedroom.

Moreover, it should not be weighed, namely put on something. A table, a bedside table, a chest of drawers or a special shelf for icons in the far right corner of the room can serve as a support.

How to pray in front of the icon “Unexpected Joy”?

  • In order for the Mother of God depicted on the icon to hear you and come to the rescue, you must correctly send prayers to her.
  • As we said above, it is better to pray alone.
  • You can do this both in the morning and in the evening.
  • It will be good if you light a church candle before reading the prayer.
  • You should also observe all fasts, not sin and thank the Lord for everything you have, then he and the Mother of God will give you what you ask.
  • You can read a prayer in front of the icon “Unexpected Joy” Orthodox, or you can also your own. If you, say, want to get pregnant, then the words of the prayer can be:

“Mother of God, our Almighty! Let me feel the joy of becoming a mother, send me a baby. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Amen!"

Here is the icon of Unexpected Joy, which helps, and now you know how to properly address prayers to it and where to put it in your home.

How does the miraculous icon "Unexpected Joy" help?

Orthodox believers especially revere the Most Holy Theotokos, calling her protector, intercessor, helper. Almost every day in churches, according to the calendar of Orthodox dates, one or another icon of the Mother of God is remembered with a prayer petition. Twice a year, on May 14 and December 22, the celebration of the miraculous image "Unexpected Joy" is established. Please note that both words in the title are capitalized, because the Most Pure Virgin herself is meant by Joy. What does unexpected joy mean? - the one that they did not look forward to, did not expect. Such an unexpected heartfelt feeling once touched a sinner.

How was the image of "Unexpected Joy" revealed?

The exact date and place of the appearance of the icon is unknown; it became widespread less than three centuries ago.

It is surprising that the icon is usually called miraculous, after numerous miraculous healings and phenomena have been performed by it. Only the image "Unexpected Joy" precedes a wonderful event. For the first time, St. Dmitry of Rostov mentions him in his work “Irrigated Fleece”. This book was written by the Saint for the glorification of the locally venerated Holy Mother of God icon of the Ilyinsky monastery in the city of Chernigov.

The last chapter described such a story: one unrighteous man lived wickedly, but always treated the Most Holy Theotokos with special reverence. Once he was about to commit iniquity once again, as usual he uttered the words of a prayer, turning with an angelic greeting: Rejoice, full of grace. Suddenly, the icon seemed to become alive, instead of joy, sorrow was reflected on the face of the Mother of God. She held the Divine Infant in her arms, whose shirt was torn, bleeding wounds opened on his arms, legs and under the ribs. The wicked man was amazed at what he saw. He leaned down, knelt down, asking who could do this to our Lord Jesus Christ.

The response he received blew him away. The Mother of God answered that this was the work of his hands and other sinful people, again and again crucifying her Son. The sinner prayed for a long time, twice without receiving forgiveness. The Mother of God, together with him, asked the Divine Child for help. For the third time after the heartfelt repentance of the wicked and the desire of the Mother of God to pray with him at the feet of the Son, the Lord said that the law commands that the Son honor the mother, let it be as she says. The forgiven kissed the icon, falling unconscious. Having gone into himself, he felt an unprecedented joy in his heart, the hope of forgiveness for his deeds. The man was reborn spiritually, began to lead a righteous life.

This event formed the basis for the painting of the icon "Unexpected Joy". She received an incredible response in the hearts of believers; by the end of the 18th century, a list with a miraculous image was in almost every Orthodox church. You can find it today in many churches, it is especially revered in Moscow in the church of Elijah the Prophet. Initially, this icon was kept in one of the temples of the Kremlin, in the middle of the 20th century it was transported to Sokolniki, and since 1959 it has been located in the Ilyinsky Church of Elijah, it is known that Patriarch Pimen often prayed in front of it.

What type of Mother of God icons does it belong to?

On the icon “Unexpected Joy”, the Mother of God is depicted with the Christ Child in her arms, this is a type of Hodegetria, which means Guide, she, pointing with one hand at her Son, arguing which way a Christian should go. The unique image differs from most canonical images. This is not just an icon, but an iconographic composition (an icon within an icon).

The action takes place in the temple. In the lower left corner there is a man who bowed in kneeling prayer before the image of the Mother of God. Sometimes letters are drawn from his mouth like ribbons to show his fervent prayer. The head of the Queen of Heaven is slightly tilted, her gaze is indirect, directed at the prayer. She points to the Son with one hand, and holds Him with the other, as if on a throne. The Divine Infant has wounds from which blood flows, one hand is raised, it blesses all believers. A number of theologians attribute "Unexpected Joy" to the type of akathist icons.

Under the image are the words from the book of St. Rostov: A certain lawless person. Think about it, because each of us daily commits iniquity, sins: discussing, desponding, shouting, cursing, being proud, doing seemingly harmless actions, thereby becoming an accomplice in this distant history, again and again crucifying the Lord Jesus Christ, exit in repentance, hope for forgiveness and prayer help.

What should she pray for?

Often a person is in critical situation when you have to rely only on the help of God. Then they pray to the Mother of God, asking her to cling to the heart of her Son and ask for spiritual joy, help in business, strengthening in faith, for the return of the lost and the preservation of children.

Parents prayerfully ask the Mother of God for their children, so that they are healthy, follow the right path in life, about their confirmation in faith, about spiritual and bodily insight. The image of the Mother of God helps the spouses to establish peace and mutual understanding, eliminate strife, and reconcile the warring. This icon is addressed with a request to protect from enemies and spiteful critics. Through prayers, many healings and miracles occur from the image of “Unexpected Joy”, but most often they receive healing from deafness from it. Here he means not only a physical illness, but also a spiritual one: the inability to hear the words of the Holy Scriptures, close people. Cases have been established when women prayed for an early marriage, for the return of their husbands from the military field, from a trip, received help, prayer is effective from serious adversity, unjust accusations.

There are several prayer rules that are read depending on life circumstances. When time permits, it is better to read the full text of the prayer or even an akathist. There is a lot of evidence that reading an akathist helps infertile women: despite the diagnosis, they get the opportunity to feel the joy of motherhood.

Prayer for pregnancy to the Mother of God in front of the icon "Unexpected Joy":

Oh, Blessed Virgin, the All-Blessed Son of the All-Blessed Mother, the Protector of this city, all who are in sins, sorrows, troubles and illnesses, faithful to the Intercessor and Intercessor!

Receive this prayer singing from us, Thy unworthy servants, lifted up to Thee: and like a sinner of old, praying many times before Your honest icon every day, Thou didst not despise, but Thou didst grant the unexpected joy of repentance, and with His zealous intercession to Your Son for the forgiveness of the sinner thou hast bowed thus, and now do not despise the prayers of us, unworthy thy servants, but implore thy Son and our God, and all of us, with faith and tenderness before the whole-bearing image of thy worshipers, according to whom, unexpected joy will grant: yes, all in heaven and on lands lead Thee, as a firm and shameless Representative of the Christian race, and this is leading, they glorify Thee and Thee, Thy Son with His Beginningless Father and His Consubstantial Spirit, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.

With a lack of time, you can limit yourself to a brief call to the aid of the Virgin Mary. The clergy emphasize that the main thing is that prayer comes from a pure heart. It is important to first say the words of the prayer, after which formulate the petition in your own words.

Chosen from all generations of the Mother of God and the Queen, who sometimes appeared to a lawless person, in a hedgehog turn him away from the path of wickedness, we offer thanksgiving singing to Theotokos: You, as if having unspeakable mercy, free us from all troubles and sins, let us call Ty: Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Today, return the people, glorifying the Intercessor of the zealous Christian race, and flowing to Her most pure image, we cry out to the mother: O Gracious Lady Theotokos, give us unexpected joy, burdened with sins and many sorrows, and deliver us from all evil, praying to Your Son, Christ God ours to save our souls.

What does the name of the icon mean?

Unexpected joy is an image that reminds us that the forgiveness of sins is possible with heartfelt repentance, prayer. joyful feeling fills a person not immediately, read a prayer and immediately rejoiced, no. After heartfelt work, repentance (remember that Jesus Christ did not immediately forgive the sinner), when it would seem that there is no longer strength, forgiveness comes, and at the same time, unexpectedly, the heart becomes light, joyful. The icon teaches to stay true to one's word. A person after repentance, received forgiveness does not go further to iniquity, but begins to lead a righteous life.

It is no coincidence that, according to legend, the first to go to paradise with Christ was a robber who sincerely repented. Whatever circumstances happen in life, the Most Holy Theotokos becomes the first intercessor of every person. And joy must be able to notice in every moment. It is that there is a family, children, favorite work, that you can hear the bell ringing, birdsong and admire nature, it is that there is hope for healing, help, eternal life, there is a heavenly Intercessor, ready to help everyone addressed to her.

Rejoice, granting unexpected joy to the faithful!

Thanks a lot for such a detailed explanation.

The story associated with the acquisition and painting of the image of the Mother of God "Unexpected Joy" can be divided into two parts. The first is the actual appearance of the Mother of God and the Divine Infant Christ to a certain man, which St. Demetrius of Rostov described in his creation “Irrigated Fleece” in the 17th century (1683). And the second is the writing of the miracle that happened in the iconographic style.
One man was tormented by a sinful passion (possibly the passion of fornication) and could not overcome it in himself. At the same time, he was an honest man and, realizing his passion, constantly resorted to the Hodegetria icon of the Mother of God - he cried, asked for forgiveness for his way of life, for his weakness, and also read the prayer of the Archangel Gabriel: “Rejoice, full of grace, the Lord is with you ... ".

Once, when this man once again was going to commit a sinful deed, he began to pray before the icon of the Mother of God according to custom. In his prayer, he repented for the fact that he could not refrain from committing sin, even knowing what he would do. At that moment, when he was about to leave, confusion and trembling suddenly attacked him - the man saw that the image of the Mother of God on the icon turned to face him.
In turn, the Divine Infant Christ, depicted according to tradition together with His Most Pure Mother, had ulcers on her arms, legs, and also in her side. From the opened wounds, blood began to flow.
Struck by the vision shown to him, the man fell to his knees and asked the image: “Oh, Lady, who did this?” In response, he heard the words of the Mother of God: “You and other sinners are again crucifying My Son with your sins, like the Jews. You call me merciful. Why do you offend Me with your lawless deeds?” In repentance, the man began to beg the Mother of God: “O Lady, may my sins not overcome Your inexpressible goodness. You are the only hope for all sinners. Pray for me your Son and our God!”
Through the prayer of the man, the Mother of God turned three times to Her Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, with a request to forgive this man. Only on the third time did the Divine Infant answer:
“I will fulfill your request. May your wish come true. For Your sake, this man's sins are forgiven. Let him kiss My wounds as a token of forgiveness.”
Repentant and forgiven by the Lord, the man rose from his knees and, crouching to the icon, kissed the wounds on the body of the Divine Infant Christ. After that, he experienced a feeling of spiritual joy and relief. And later he completely changed his life and cleansed himself of the passions that tormented him. It was this sincere repentance, inner purification and newfound spiritual joy that became the reason for writing the image of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy”.
The details of the writing of certain images of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” have not come down to us, however, some of them subsequently began to be revered as miraculous, since through prayers in front of these images, healings from various ailments occurred.

The Unexpected Joy Icon is a miraculous icon depicting the Mother of God. She is especially revered in the tradition of the Russian Orthodox Church. Read more in the article!

Icon of Unexpected Joy: the history of occurrence

We cannot live without sorrows, but we also experience joys. And if in sorrow, abandoning the most urgent matters, we rush to the temple - to beg, to beg that this bitter cup pass us, in joy and thought we do not hold in order to rush along the same path - to thank.

In Moscow, not far from the Kropotkinskaya metro station, there is a temple of Elijah the Prophet. Many Muscovites call it Ordinary. Temple of Elijah the Ordinary. Why? Yes, now the word “ordinary” in relation to the temple surprises us, we have long and firmly put into it our meaning, far from the spiritual meaning. And our ancestors knew well what an ordinary temple is. This is a temple built in one day. Yes, yes, the whole world gathered while it was still dark, they quickly spread out, who, where, and - they built. By brick, by stone, by plank. And by the evening - Lord, bless us in Your new home!

So the temple of Elijah the prophet is also ordinary. And the lane on which the temple stands is also called Ordinary. In 1592, a wooden temple was erected on this site in one day. And only then, a hundred years later, stone. The Lord saved the temple of Elijah the Ordinary from the Bolshevik ruin, it did not close. “Petty hooliganism” marked him: they dropped the bells in 1933. That worked out. The temple became a haven for shrines from those churches that fell under the hot hand, the bad head and the empty heart of the builders of the new life. It was in this way that the miraculous icon “Unexpected Joy” ended up in the church of Elijah the Everyday. At first it was placed in the Kremlin in the small church of St. Constantine and Helena Equal-to-the-Apostles, then, after its destruction, it moved to Sokolniki, to the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, and since 1944 - here, in Ordinary Lane.

The icon “Unexpected Joy” is very much loved. Flowers are brought to her, even those who happen to be passing through Moscow go to worship her. Unexpected Joy... It seems that everything is clear, and there seems to be some kind of reticence. And the history of this icon is as follows. There lived one sinner, he multiplied his days with indecent deeds, but, despite this, he always prayed before the icon of the Mother of God. Once again he got ready to sin and once again approached the icon. “Rejoice, full of grace…” was all he had time to utter the words of the Archangel Gabriel. He paused, shocked by what he saw. Suddenly, the Divine Infant, Whom the Virgin Mary was holding, on her arms, legs and side, opened ulcers, the most real ones, began to bleed. The sinner, not remembering himself from horror, fell on his face, shouted:

– Who did it!

And he heard the terrible words of the Virgin:

-You. You, sinners, crucify My son, you offend Me with lawless deeds, and then still dare to call Me Merciful.

The sinner began to shed bitter tears.

“Have mercy on me,” the Mother of God asked, “forgive me, beg the Son for me.

The Mother of God immediately uttered a prayer: “Forgive all his deeds, as a deed.” Only the Eternal Son was silent, and the sinner rushed about in horror before the icon:

- Have mercy on me, please!

Finally, he heard the words of forgiveness. And he heard it when he was completely desperate, remembering the gravity of his sins. But God's mercy is infinite. The forgiven sinner rushed to the icon, began to kiss the bloody wounds of the Savior crucified by our sins. And he did not dream, and did not hope anymore ... And now she, an unexpected joy, visited his almost trembling heart. Since then, they say, he began to live piously.

This story was the reason for painting the icon “Unexpected Joy”. It depicts a man on his knees. He stretches out his hands to the icon, on which the Mother of God holds Her Son on her knees. Below, under the face, the first words of the story telling about this are usually placed: “A certain lawless man ...”

Some kind of lawless person ... Isn't it about us? It seems that all of us, having strained our memory and not strained, can remember how not once or not twice, but many times we sinned in big and small, while constantly justifying ourselves, finding the most convincing arguments, that there is no other way ... Of course, in the depths of the soul , the most hidden ones, we always correctly understand what is what. But what we understand ourselves, is it really necessary to declare to others? We do not know what kind of sin a person went to when he approached the icon for a blessing. For us, this is not so important, our own sins are more burning and unforgivable. But we are not always embarrassed by this, it seems that we know better what is useful for us, what is necessary for us, and we ask not to reason on good, but to give, give ... I remember how one Moscow pastor said in a sermon:

We are not asking, we are demanding. Lord, my will be done. Mine, not Yours, because I know better what I need.

Apparently, a sin, especially an unconscious sin, which for us is almost a virtue, and is capable of wounding the Body of Christ to the point of blood. After all, that “some kind of lawless man” also approached the icon to be blessed for sin. One offended woman recently complained to me about ... God:

“If you knew how I prayed!” She erased her knees in bows, she asked everything: Lord, do not allow my son to marry, he doesn’t need a wife like that, they won’t live, I feel in my gut. And he doesn't want to listen. How you prayed! On the eve of the wedding already, they buy vodka for the table, and I keep praying. Well, what's the point? Signed up…

“May my will be done…” A classic case when life is perceived by us without a doubt as normal, correct, healthy. There is no doubt that I know better what kind of woman my son needs, what profession my daughter needs, what brand of car my son-in-law needs. And we ask: support, Lord, my irrefutable arguments, tell them all that I am right. But the Lord is not in a hurry. Waiting. It is waiting for us to finally doubt our far-fetched, pernicious rightness, when our heart suddenly begins to see clearly. Then he will give a person unexpected joy. They did not wait, they did not know, but they are gifted!

“Unexpected Joy” is an icon that calls us to work. Spiritual, prayerful labor. The results of that work will appear, oh, not immediately. We wash and wash them. It is not for nothing that prayer work is called a feat. “Work and pray,” the ancient ascetics taught. Always work and always pray. And we at least once, and if not, then “what's the point?”

But the icon is called “Unexpected Joy”. And since it was unexpected, it means unexpected, unexpected, like snow on the head, like a golden ruble on the road, like a gift. Yes, unexpected, unexpected joys greatly decorate our lives. Sometimes it happens that even an unexpected call from a good person can rescue us from a state of protracted, exhausting depression.

“How I want to see you,” a good man will say, “I really need to meet you.”

And - miracles! Our tediousness (everything is wrong, everything is not like that) will instantly turn out to be trampled on by a healthy desire to push back the curtains, to go to the mirror ... Unexpected joy with a light step passed through a heavy soul, such a small, such an unexpected joy ...

How important it is to cultivate a commitment to such joy. She is in thanks. Don't forget to say "thank you". Indeed, when receiving a gift, even the most ill-mannered of us at least quietly mutters “thank you”. And unexpected joy is a spiritual gift. Thanksgiving for him is in prayer. “I don’t know a single prayer, I don’t know how to pray at all, I’ll go up to the icon and think: what should I do next? Well, I crossed myself, and then what? ” The editors often receive such letters, and there is nothing surprising in that. We know English because we have completed courses foreign languages, we know how to drive a car because we passed our driver's license exams, we know how to knit because our mother taught us, and we bake pies according to our grandmother's recipe. Nobody taught us how to pray. We are self-taught at best, ignorant at worst. But first, it's never too late to learn. Secondly, does the Lord need our lengthy speeches? “Glory to You, Lord!” - the shortest prayer in the world. It's already been learned. Pronounced with a repentant heart, it will reach “as intended” faster than a complete prayer rule from a prayer book rattled without feeling. But there is also a special prayer to the icon “Unexpected Joy” - an akathist.

What does the akathist teach before “Unexpected Joy”?

Akathist is a Greek word and it is translated as a hymn that is sung while standing. standing in front of the icon. Each holiday, each saint of the Russian Orthodox Church, each icon has its own akathist. This is a special kind of poetry. Let's open the akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos "for the sake of Her miraculous image of Unexpected Joy." Here are just a few akathist lines: “Rejoice, Joy to the whole world, who gave birth. Rejoice, for you are quenching the flame of our passions. Rejoice, blessed temporary intercessor. Rejoice, giver of unexpected joy to the faithful.” Akathist can be read at home. There are moments when the unexpected joy bestowed on us fills the soul with such light that our mouths begin to speak from the abundance of the heart. Here is the time to stand in front of the image and read the akathist.

If we look more closely at our life, we will easily find in it many reasons for unexpected joy. My son passed physics with a “four”, but it seemed to you that even a three was good, an unexpected joy. It rained for a week, and today the sun is in the whole sky - an unexpected joy. You picked up a tiny puppy who soon became your friend, your husband was unexpectedly given two (you and him) free vouchers to a sanatorium, but you never know ... Life is woven from small joys, half of which are accidental, there are so many reasons for thanksgiving. Another thing is that we don't have skills. We know how to ask, beg, cry in front of an icon; And teach children. After all, children need this science so much in life. An ungrateful person who forgets to thank his neighbor for his kindness to him will all the more forget about the highest thanksgiving. The recurrence of his bad memory will be his incapacity for heartfelt joy. And the inability to joy of the heart will become the cause of a bleak life, narrowed to the limits of earthly existence. What a chain reaction, what a strong connection.

The icon “Unexpected Joy” teaches us a grateful life. Before the face of the Most Holy Theotokos, each of us is pathetic, sinful and restless. And do not be ashamed of this, as a great shame. You must admit this and be inadvertently glad that you have been accepted, that now you have wide scope and unlimited possibilities before you. Remember, in the akathist? "Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful." And not for those who, on a long marathon from sin to sin, suddenly make a zigzag towards the icon and, just in case, freeze in front of it in a minute pause. Faithful are those who have shown their loyalty both in deed and in word, and in hatred of sin, and in prayer. Help us, "Unexpected Joy," draw closer to the faithful. Give us strength and enlightenment.

Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos in front of her icon, called "Unexpected Joy"

Kondak 1

Chosen from all generations of the Mother of God and the Queen, who sometimes appeared to a lawless person, in order to turn him away from the path of wickedness, we offer thanksgiving singing to Thee, Mother of God; But you, as if having unspeakable mercy, from all our troubles and sins of freedom, let us call Thee: Rejoice, granting unexpected joy to the faithful.

Ikos 1

Angels and righteous souls were surprised when you appeared before your Son and God and interceded with many prayers for a man who is always in sin; but we, with the eyes of faith, so much Your benevolence is sighted, with tenderness we cry out to Tisitsa: Rejoice, receiving the prayers of all Christians; Rejoice, and do not reject the prayers of the most desperate sinners. Rejoice, intercessor for them to Your Son; Rejoice, giving them the unexpected joy of salvation. Rejoice, Thy intercession saving the whole world; Rejoice, quenching all our sorrows. Rejoice, Mother of all God, comforting embittered souls; Rejoice, you who arrange our life well. Rejoice, bringing deliverance from sins to all people; Rejoice, giving birth to Joy to the whole world. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Kondak 2

Seeing the Most Holy man, even if it is lawless, but every day with faith and hope before Her honest icon of the valley of the one who is thrown down and the Archangel greeting to Her, he is also attentive to such a sinner of praise. : Alleluia.

Ikos 2

The human mind truly surpasses Thy love for the Christian race, as even then Thou hast not ceased from Thy intercession for a lawless man, when Thy Son showed Thee nail ulcers, human sins committed to Him. Seeing thee as a relentless Intercessor for us sinners, crying out to Thee with tears: Rejoice, Intercessor of the zealous kind of Christian, given to us by God; Rejoice, our Guide, leading us to the Heavenly Fatherland. Rejoice, guardian and refuge of the faithful; Rejoice, help of all who call on Your holy name. Rejoice, thou who extorts the despised and outcast from the pit of perdition; Rejoice, those who turn to the right path. Rejoice, unceasing despondency and spiritual darkness drive away; Rejoice, who gave a new and better meaning to those who depended on an illness. Rejoice, accepting those left by the doctors in Your all-powerful hand. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.
Kondak 3
The power of grace abounded there, where sin increased; May all the Angels rejoice in Heaven for the one repentant sinner. Singing before the Throne of God: Allilua.

Ikos 3

Having motherly mercy to the Christian family, give a helping hand to all who with faith and hope resort to You, Mistress, and with one heart and one mouth bring Tisitsa's praise: Rejoice, as God's good pleasure descends to you; rejoice, for by you and we are imams, boldness that is greater towards God. Rejoice, as in all our troubles and circumstances bring to Your Son fervent prayers for us; Rejoice, for you also make our prayers pleasing to God. Rejoice, as you drive away invisible enemies from us; rejoice, for you deliver us from visible enemies. Rejoice, for the hearts evil people soften; Rejoice, as if from slander, vexation and reproach you are taking us away. Rejoice, for through you all our good desires are fulfilled; rejoice, for your prayer before your Son and God can do much. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Kondak 4

Having a storm inside, having sinful thoughts, a person is lawless praying before Your honest icon and seeing the Blood from the ulcers of Your Eternal Son in streams, as if on the Cross, flowing, falling from fear and with a sob, crying out to You: “Have mercy on me, O Mother of mercy, but not my malice will overcome Thy inexpressible goodness and mercy, Thou art the only Hope and Refuge for all sinners; bow down to mercy, Good Mother, and beg for me your Son and my Creator, let me constantly call to Him: Alleluia.

Ikos 4

The celestials heard about the miraculous prayers of Your salvation of their earthly perishing brother, glorifying Thee, the compassionate Queen of Heaven and earth; and we, sinners, having known such an intercession of a sinner like us, even if our tongue is perplexed to praise Thee according to the property, from the depths of our touching heart we sing to Thee: Rejoice, guarantor of the salvation of sinners; Rejoice, Seeker of the lost. Rejoice, Unexpected Joy of sinners; Rejoice, rise of the fallen. Rejoice, Intercessor to God, saving the world from troubles; Rejoice, for the voices of Your prayers tremble with demons. Rejoice, for the Angels rejoice at this; rejoice, as the power of your prayers fills us with joy, earthly ones. Rejoice, for with those you take us away from the mire of sins; Rejoice, for you extinguish the flame of our passions. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Kondak 5

Thou didst show us the divine star - the miraculous icon of Thy Mother, O Lord, for, looking at the image of Her bodily eyes, with the mind and heart we rise to the Archetypes and by It we rise to You, singing: Alleluia.

Ikos 5

Seeing the Guardian Angels of Christians, as if the Mother of God assists them in instructing those, intercession and salvation, venturing out to cry out to the most honest Cherubim and the most glorious without comparison Seraphim: Rejoice, reigning with Your Son and God forever; Rejoice, you always bring prayer for the kind of Christians. Rejoice, Instructor in Christian faith and piety; Rejoice, heresies and pernicious schisms to the Exterminator. Rejoice, preserving from the temptations that corrupt the soul and body; Rejoice, from dangerous circumstances and sudden death, without repentance and Holy Communion, delivering. Rejoice, giving unshameful end to those who trust in You; Rejoice, and after death for the soul that departed for the judgment of the Lord before Your Son, relentlessly interceding. Rejoice, Thy Maternal intercession from eternal torment, delivering this one. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Kondak 6

The preacher of Your wonderful mercy, bestowed on a certain lawless person, appeared Saint Dimitry of Rostov, who, writing off the great and glorious and fair work of God, manifested in You, betrayed the writing and this work of Your mercy as a teaching and comfort to all the faithful, and even those, in sin , troubles, sorrows and bitterness of being, many times for every day with faith in prayer before your image, they bow their knees and, those who have escaped, cry out to God: Halleluah.

Ikos 6

Ascension to us, like a bright dawn, Thy miraculous icon, Mother of God, driving away the darkness of troubles and sorrows from everyone, crying out to Thee with love: Rejoice, our Healer in bodily illnesses; Rejoice, Good Comforter in our spiritual sorrows. Rejoice, transforming our sorrow into joy; Rejoice, rejoicing in hopeless hope with undoubted hope. Rejoice, feeder of the hungry; rejoice, naked garment. Rejoice, Comforter of widows; Rejoice, invisible educator of motherless orphans. Rejoice, Intercessor of the unjustly persecuted and offended; Rejoice, righteous Avenger who persecutes and offends. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Kondak 7

Although the Lawgiver, the Just Lord Himself be the Executor of the law and show His mercy to the abyss, bow down to Your fervent prayer, Blessed Mother Devo, for a lawless man, saying: “The law commands, but the son honors the mother. Az Your Son, You are My Mother: Az You must honor, listening to Your prayer; wake up, as if you were good: now his sins are forgiven for your sake. But we, seeing such a power of the prayer of our Intercessor for the forgiveness of our sins, let us glorify Her mercy and inexpressible goodness, calling: Alleluia.

Ikos 7

A new wondrous and glorious sign appeared to all the faithful, as if not only to Your Mother, but also to Her most pure Face, depicted on the board, You gave the power of miracles, Lord; marveling at this sacrament, in tenderness of the heart we cry out to Her like this: Rejoice, revelation of the wisdom and goodness of God; Rejoice, affirmation of faith. Rejoice, manifestation of grace; Rejoice, gift of soulful knowledge. Rejoice, deposition of soul-harming teachings; Rejoice, it is not difficult to overcome lawless skills. Rejoice, granting the word of wisdom to those who ask; Rejoice, mindless reasonable doing. Rejoice, child, inconvenient for students, giving mind; Rejoice, good youth Guardian and Mentor. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Kondak 8

A strange and terrible vision was to a certain person lawless, showing him the goodness of the Lord, forgiving his sins through the intercession of the Mother of God; therefore, for the sake of this, correct your life, live pleasing to God. Sitsa and we, seeing the glorious deeds and the manifold wisdom of God in the world and our life, will eliminate earthly vanities and unnecessary worldly cares and raise our mind and heart to Heaven, singing to God: Alleluia.

Ikos 8

All abiding in the highest, and the lower did not retreat, O Most Merciful Queen of Heaven and earth; even more, after Your Assumption, and ascended to Heaven with Your most pure flesh, both did not leave the sinful earth, being a Partaker of the Providence of Your Son about the kind of Christians. For this sake of Thee, we indebtedly please: Rejoice, thou who didst enlighten the whole earth with the radiance of Thy most pure soul; Rejoice, having gladdened all Heaven with the purity of your body. Rejoice, Providence of Your Son about the kind of Christians, Holy Servant; Rejoice, zealous Representative of the whole world. Rejoice, having adopted all of us at the Cross of Your Son; Rejoice, always showing motherly love to us. Rejoice, all gifts, spiritual and bodily, unenviable Giver; Rejoice, blessings of the temporary Intercessor. Rejoice, opening the doors of the Kingdom of Christ to the faithful; Rejoice, and fulfilling their hearts on the land of pure joy. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Kondak 9

All angelic nature was surprised at the work of Your mercy, Lord, as if You had given so much a firm and warm Intercessor and Helper to the Christian race, who dwells invisibly to us, but I hear You singing: Alleluia.

Ikos 9

Vetia is multi-talked, but not divinely enlightened, they talk about it, as if the worship of the holy image is like worship of an idol; they do not understand, for, as the honor rendered to the holy image, ascends to the Primordial. We do not only know this well, but we also hear from faithful people about many miracles from the Face of the Mother of God, and ourselves by worshiping him, necessary for temporary and eternal life, acceptingly, with joy, we cry out to the Mother of God: Rejoice, for miracles work from Your sacred Face; Rejoice, for this wisdom and grace has been hidden from the wise and prudent of this age. Rejoice, as if you opened it as a baby in faith; rejoice, for you glorify those who glorify you. Rejoice, as you put to shame those who reject you before all; Rejoice, as from drowning, fire and sword, from a deadly ulcer and from all evil of those who resort to You. Rejoice, for you mercifully heal all the diseases of mankind, mental and bodily; Rejoice, for you will soon quench the righteous wrath of God on us with your prayer. Rejoice, for you are a quiet haven from storms floating on the sea of ​​life; Rejoice, for at the end of our worldly voyage you will reliably lead us to the unstormy country of the Kingdom of Christ. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Kondak 10

To save a certain lawless person from the error of his life path, Thou didst show him a wondrous vision from Your most honorable icon, Blessed One, yes, seeing a miracle, she repents and, raised up from the depths of sin by Your merciful providence, cries out to God: Halleluah.

Ikos 10

Thou art a wall to the virgins, the Virgin Mother of God, and to all who flow to Thee, for the Creator of heaven and earth, dwelling in Thy womb and born of Thee, reveal Thee, the Ever-Virgin, the guardian of virginity, purity and chastity and the vessel of all virtue, and teach You to proclaim: Rejoice, pillar and guardian of virginity; Rejoice, invisible Protector of purity and chastity. Rejoice, kind teacher of the virgins; Rejoice, good brides to the Decorator and the guarantor. Rejoice, all-desired fulfillment of good marriages; Rejoice, mothers of childbearing soon resolution. Rejoice, upbringing of babies and grace-filled protection; Rejoice, gladdening the fruitless parents with the fruits of faith and the Spirit. Rejoice, mothers of those who grieve, consolation; Rejoice, secret joy of pure virgins and widows. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Kondak 11

Singing all tenderness bringing Thee, unworthy, we ask Thee, Virgin Mother of God: do not despise the voice of Thy servants; we run to You in adversity and sorrow, and before You in our troubles we shed tears, singing: Alleluia.

Ikos 11

Light-giving candle, we dry in the darkness of sin and the vale of weeping that appeared, we see the Holy Virgin; the spiritual fire of His prayers, kindling instruction and consolation, leads to the Light of the Never Evening, the appeal of those who honor me with them: Rejoice, Ray from the Sun of Truth - Christ our God; Rejoice, enlightening an unclean conscience. Rejoice, secret and inconveniently foreseen, all good leading and befitting to say; Rejoice, deceitful seers and vain divination that puts to shame. Rejoice, in the hour of bewilderment the thought is good in the heart; Rejoice, in fasting, prayer and contemplation of the abiding, ever abiding. Rejoice, encouraging and admonishing faithful shepherds of the Church; Rejoice, eternal consolation of God-fearing monks and nuns. Rejoice, shameless Intercessor of sinners repenting before God; Rejoice, warm intercessor of all Christians. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Kondak 12

Ask us for Divine Grace from Your Son and God, extend a helping hand to us, reject every enemy and adversary from us, die our life, let us not perish fiercely, without repentance, but receive us in eternal shelter, Mother of God, and rejoice we sing to God, by Thee who saves us: Halleluah.

Ikos 12

Singing unspeakable Mother Thy mercy to man is lawless, we praise Thee, as a firm Intercessor for us sinners, and we bow to Thee, praying for us; we believe and hope, as if you ask your Son and God for a good temporal and eternal blessing to all who cry out with love to Thee: Rejoice, all slander and temptations, from the world, the flesh and the devil finding, trampling; Rejoice, unforeseen reconciliation of the fiercely hostile. Rejoice, unknown correction of unrepentant sinners; Rejoice, quick Comforter, exhausted from despondency and sadness. Rejoice, providing us with the grace of humility and patience; Rejoice, perjury and unrighteous acquisitions, public denunciation. Rejoice, protecting from domestic strife and enmity of consanguinity with peace and love; Rejoice, invisibly turning us away from pernicious undertakings and senseless wishes. Rejoice, in our good intentions, dear to the Helper; Rejoice, at the hour of death, Helper to all of us. Rejoice, giving unexpected joy to the faithful.

Kondak 13

O All-Singing Mati, who conceived the inconceivable God in her womb and gave birth to Joy to the whole world! Accept the singing of the present, turn all our sorrows to joy, and deliver everyone from all misfortunes, and future torment, crying out about You: Alleluia.

(This kontakion is read three times, then ikos 1 and kontakion 1)

Prayer before the icon of the Virgin "Unexpected Joy"

O Blessed Virgin, the All-Blessed Son of the All-Benevolent Mother, the Patroness of this city and holy temple, all those who are in sins, sorrows, troubles and illnesses, faithful to the Intercessor and Intercessor! Receive this prayer singing from us, unworthy Thy servants, lifted up to Thee, and like a sinner of old, praying many times before Your honest icon every day, Thou didst not despise, but Thou didst grant him the unexpected joy of repentance and bowed Thy Son to many and zealous to Him intercession for the forgiveness of this sinner and erring one, so now do not despise the prayers of us, Thy unworthy servants, and implore Thy Son and our God, and to all of us, with faith and tenderness, bowing before Thy wholesome image, will grant unexpected joy for everyone; for a sinner mired in the depths of evils and passions - all-effective admonition, repentance and salvation; those who are in sorrow and sorrow - consolation; those who find themselves in troubles and bitterness - these perfect cessation; faint-hearted and unreliable - hope and patience; in joy and abundance living - incessant thanksgiving to the Benefactor of God; for the needy - mercy; those who are in sickness and long-sickness and abandoned by doctors - unforeseen healing and strengthening; who depended on the illness of the mind - the mind return and renewal; departing into eternal and endless life - the memory of death, tenderness and contrition for sins, the spirit is cheerful and firm hope for the mercy of the Judge. O Holy Lady! Have mercy on all those who honor Your all-honorable Name and show to everyone Your omnipotent cover and intercession: in piety, purity and honest living, keep them in goodness until the end; do evil good; guide those who have gone astray to the right path; To every good work and to Your Son, please, advance; destroy every evil and ungodly deed; in bewilderment and difficult and dangerous circumstances, who receive invisible help and admonition from Heaven, save from temptations, temptations and death, protect and save from all evil people and from enemies visible and invisible; float floating, traveling travel; be the Nurse who exists in need and hunger; for those who do not have shelter and shelter, wake up cover and refuge; give a robe to the naked, intercession to the offended and unjustly persecuted; slander, reproach and blasphemy of the sufferer invisibly justify; slanderers and blasphemers clothe before all; give fiercely hostile unforeseen reconciliation and to all of us - to each other love, peace, and piety, and health with long life. keep marriages in love and unanimity; spouses, in enmity and division of being, die, unite me to each other and give birth to a quick permission, raise babies, young chaste, open their minds to the perception of any useful teaching, instruct the fear of God, abstinence and industriousness; from domestic strife and enmity, consanguineous world and love fence; motherless orphans wake up Mother, from all vice and filth, I turn away and teach everything good and charitable, seduced and in sin and impurity fallen, having taken away the filth of sin, from the abyss of death lead; Wake up the widows Comforter and Helper, wake up the wand of old age; deliver us all from sudden death without repentance, and to all of us the Christian death of our belly, painless, shameless, peaceful and a good answer at the Terrible Judgment of Christ, grant; having reposed in faith and repentance from this life with the Angels and create all the saints of life; who died by a sudden death, mercifully beg the life of Your Son, and for all the departed, who do not have relatives, for the repose of their Son of Your begging, Be yourself an unceasing and warm Prayer and Intercessor: yes, all in Heaven and on earth lead Thee, as a firm and shameless Representative of the race Christian and, leading, glorify Thee and Thee Thy Son, with His Father without beginning and His Consubstantial Spirit, now and forever and forever and ever. Amen.

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Once upon a time, I dreamed of a child for a very long time, but nothing worked out for me. As time went. My loved one constantly pushed me for treatment. I went to hospitals, gave a lot of money for treatment, and nothing worked for me. Once I met a friend of my age and was taken aback by the news that she had given birth to a daughter. Although this married couple I also had problems with the baby and she told me: “Find the miraculous icon“ Unexpected joy. She is somewhere in Moscow and pray to her. As you can see, this icon has helped us.” Time passed, but I didn’t dare to search (probably everything in life is predetermined and everything happens at the right time. Once, while walking around Tsaritsyno, we went into a church nearby and then I remembered the Unexpected Joy icon, asked one woman about the whereabouts of the icon and how everything turned out to be simple.It turns out that not far from the Temple of the Savior is the temple of Elijah the Prophet miraculous icon. Seeing this icon, I was amazed at how much warmth and faith in the best comes from it. Your soul is cleansed, you begin to believe in what you lost hope for a long time. I asked and it was given to me. A month later I got pregnant. It was a miracle that happened to me. The miracle that I dreamed about so much. My miracle has recently turned 2 years and 4 months old, and I do not forget to thank God and the Mother of God for letting me feel the joy of motherhood. If you have some secret desire or you have lost faith, be sure, if you are in Moscow, visit the Church of Elijah the Prophet and bow to this icon.

So what is this icon? Where does she get such strength from? What is the history of this icon?

In 1683, St. Dmitry of Rostov the Wonderworker created a wonderful work - one of the most amazing books in Russian patristic literature, The Irrigated Fleece. He painted it in honor of the Most Holy Mother of God, the Queen of Heaven, inspired by the miraculous healings that took place at the icon of the Mother of God in the Chernigov St. Elias Monastery in the 17th century. There, before each manifestation of the miracle of healing, tears appeared on the image of the Mother of God. St. Demetrius compared this event with the Old Testament story of how Divine dew, through the prayer of Gideon, sprinkled the fleece1. Among the 24 miracles, one is described that inspired the icon painters of the 18th century to write an icon dedicated to the miracle of the Mother of God, of which the Intercessor showed the world many, and each of them can be called an unexpected joy. But the icon with the name "Unexpected Joy" has its own miraculous story.

Dmitry Rostovsky begins the story of this miracle with the words: “A certain lawless man ..” A certain sinful person who led a very vicious lifestyle, nevertheless, was cordially attached to the Queen of Heaven and experienced quivering reverent love before Her. And although he could not deny himself sin, he was apparently too weak-willed, prayed daily before Her icon and uttered in prayer the words of the Archangel Gabriel, which he said to the Virgin Mary in his appearance before Her: “Rejoice, full of grace!” When He brought Her the news about the future of Her Motherhood.

It so happened that, getting ready for a sinful deed, he stood in front of the icon to pray before leaving. Then he felt a strange heart and bodily trembling, the image on the icon seemed to move, breathe, and the sinner saw with horror how terrible wounds opened on the arms and legs and on the right side of the Baby sitting on Her knees, from which blood flowed in streams.

The man fell in front of the icon with a cry of horror, asking the Mother of God who did it. To which he was given a mournful answer from the Mother of God that sinners, just like him, crucify and crucify Her Son with their sins day after day, and hypocritically call Her merciful, offending Her maternal love with their iniquities.

Hearing this, the sinner, in whom, apparently, a particle of faith and purity was preserved, prayed to the Queen of Heaven, calling Her Mistress, so that the measure of his sins would not exceed Her goodness and mercy. He began to pray to the Theotokos to intercede for him before the Son.

For the first time, the Lady turned to Her Son, but He refused Her to atone for the sinful deeds of the intercessor.

The second prayer appeal to the Mother of God by St. Dmitry of Rostov is described at length and very instructive. On the icon of the Mother of God, depicted inside the icon “Unexpected Joy”, the one in front of which a sinner kneeling before Her image is depicted, we see Hodegetria, in which the Child sits on Her knees. As the saint writes, the Intercessor seated the Son separately and wanted to prostrate before Him, but the Son exclaimed, stopping Her: “What do you want to do?” The Mother of God replied that she would lie at the feet of Her Son until He forgives the penitent sinner. To this, the Lord told Her that the Law commands the Son to honor the Mother, and the truth requires that the One Who issued the Law should Himself honor it and fulfill It. He said that He is the Son of His Mother, and therefore He must honor Her, listening to her prayers to Him. So let it be as the Mother wants. The sinner will be forgiven, but first let him kiss his wounds.

Shocked by what he saw, the sinner stood up, happily kissed the wounds of the Infant, they immediately closed, and the vision ceased. Here he experienced both awe at the greatness of what he saw, and great joy, from which he sobbed with cleansing tears. Again he fell to the icon, praying to the Most Pure One and Her son to keep the gift of seeing their sins and begging for mercy. From that hour, the soul of this man turned away from sin, and he began to lead a virtuous and God-pleasing life. It should be noted that the saint does not indicate what kind of sin accompanied the life of this person, leaving the reader to see for himself his sins and vices and pray with faith and strength for healing from them.

By type, the icon “Unexpected Joy” refers to Hodegetria, a guide to Christ, all ancient images are made in the Byzantine style. A sinner kneels before the icon, holding out his hands to it. Sometimes from his mouth, in the form of ribbons, icon painters depicted the text of prayers addressed to Her. Under the image of the icon of the Mother of God inside the common icon, the initial words from the description of this miracle in the “Irrigated Rune” are located - “A certain lawless man ...”

Hodegetria "Unexpected Joy" once again testifies that everyone who wants to be forgiven sincerely will be forgiven. Moreover, in the narrative of St. Dmitry of Rostov it is said that the repentant sinner prayed for the granting of a vision of his sins, and this does not mean that he was going to lead a vicious life again. The saint points out to us that any person is sinful - such is our dual nature, but if sin suddenly, unfortunately, due to human weakness, happens, then, having seen him in the face, we get the opportunity of repentance and, perhaps, complete repentance, which will become another step of salvation in the spirit.

And other! The sinner was enlightened in spirit when he saw that the Mother of God was ready to kneel before the Son for every sinner who cried out to Her for mercy. However, not only this causes shock in this amazing story. The height of the relationship between the Mother and the Son - this is a stunning example of the true - already heavenly! - the relationship of the Mother and the Son, which gives us an understanding of why the Lady is our first Intercessor and Intercessor to the Lord. This is how one should treat the Mother, how to honor Her. The Lord Himself, the Almighty King, cannot fail to fulfill Her prayers, because the intercession comes from the Mother, whose request He cannot resist only because She is His Mother.

Prayer in front of the icon of the Mother of God "Unexpected joy" helps to find peace of mind and inner spiritual strength. As Marina Ivanovna Tsvetaeva wrote in "Poems about Moscow":

To Unexpected Joy in the Garden
I am a guest of a foreign cvedu.

The red ones will gleam the domes,
Sleepless bells will ring

And at you from the crimson clouds
The Virgin Mary will drop the cover,

And you will rise, full of wondrous powers...
“You won’t repent that you loved me.

Prayer in front of this icon helps to get everything that we have longed for, which we no longer expected to receive, each according to his own desire: for a priest, this can be the repentance of a sinner in the flock and the salvation of his soul, for those who pray for the forgiveness of sins - forgiveness. It helps parents in cases where it is necessary to reason with children who have fallen out of hand, who have gone down a vicious path. At the request of people, someone finds lost loved ones, someone reconciles with those with whom reconciliation seems already impossible, and much, much more happens, even an apparent failure can turn into a happy event.

It is believed that prayer before the icon "Unexpected Joy" helps in healing from diseases, especially those associated with deafness. Here, believers subconsciously associate physical deafness with spiritual deafness, with the loss of moral guidelines, which obviously manifests itself at the bodily level.

Also, a prayer before the icon of the Mother of God “Unexpected Joy” helps to find just such joy, the most amazing, because it is unexpected, sudden. It is known that during the Great Patriotic War, many women in the rear prayed in front of this icon (there is information about this) for the men of their family who were missing, and others even for the fallen, after the funeral. And there was an unexpected joy - the information about the death turned out to be erroneous, the fighter returned home. Many believers know: ask Her icon “Unexpected Joy” for everything that the soul grieves for, and She, the Intercessor, helps everyone who flows with faith and prayer, even in what seems already almost impossible, returning lost hopes.

Prayer in front of the icon and knowledge of the events that are associated with the birth of the image inspire a person to a moral rebirth, and prayer for loved ones helps to find unexpected joy for the desperate and gives hope for a sudden joyful deliverance from troubles and sorrows, if they are present in their lives.