The image of the Mother of God “Three-Handed” is one of the most revered and recognizable in Orthodoxy. But behind his distinctive third hand there is an important backstory, and we can talk for a long time about the many miracles that were and occurred from the miraculous lists. We will focus only on the most important and closest to us in time.
How the third hand appeared on the icon
The history of the “Three-Handed Woman” is closely connected with the name of St. John of Damascus. It owes to him the appearance of the third hand in the image and its name. At the time when the monk lived, at the beginning of the 8th century, a real war broke out against icons; they were found and burned.
One of the ardent iconoclasts was the Byzantine emperor Leo III the Isaurian. He developed a special dislike for Saint John, since in Damascus, in Syria, the veneration of holy images was preserved precisely thanks to the written works of the saint in their defense. At that time, the saint held the position of adviser to the caliph - the ruler of Damascus. Unable to directly harm him, Leo the Isaurian resorted to cunning. What did it consist of?
He found a man who forged the handwriting of John of Damascus and wrote a letter on his behalf to the Emperor of Byzantium himself. In this letter, the caliph's adviser allegedly treacherously called to take advantage of the caliph's absence and attack Damascus. Leo the Isaurian gave this letter to the Damascus Caliph. The goal was achieved. Without unnecessary proceedings, suspecting his adviser of treason, the ruler of Damascus ordered his right hand to be cut off and hanged for edification of others in the central square.
In the evening, when the caliph had calmed down a little, the monk asked to take the hanged hand from the square. He was allowed. Saint John spent the entire night in tearful prayer before the image of the Mother of God, a family heirloom. Putting the severed hand to his hand, he begged the Lady for healing and made a promise that if it happened, he would write all his life in defense of the icons. And the miracle happened!
In the morning, the saint was surprised to discover that his hand had grown together, and only a thin scar remained on his wrist as a reminder. In gratitude, the saint ordered a silver hand to be poured out and placed it on the icon in memory of the miraculous healing that happened to him. A similar tradition still exists, for example, in Greece. This is how the “Three-Handed” icon acquired its name. Also, Saint John, in gratitude to the Most Pure One, wrote a song about You, O Blessed One, I rejoice..., which we always hear at the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great.
Having learned about what had happened, the caliph immediately repented of his action and asked the monk to resume his position. But at that time, Saint John had already decided to choose a different path for himself and leave the world, completely devoting himself to the service of God and the Mother of God.
The miraculous arrival of the image on Athos
Soon Saint John left Syria and went to Palestine forever. Here, in the Lavra of St. Sava the Sanctified, he was tonsured a monk. The icon was with him all this time. In the monastery he learned about the prophetic testament of Saint Sava. Before his death, he ordered the abbot's staff to be strengthened next to his grave and predicted that one day the royal son with the same name as his - Savva - would come here to worship. The abbot's staff was supposed to fall on him.
Savva the Sanctified bequeathed to this namesake royal son to give as a blessing the abbot's staff (pateritsa) and the revered icon of the monastery "Mammal". Having learned about this, the Monk John also left his “Three-Handed” icon as a gift to the unknown Savva.
Five centuries later, the grave of St. Savva was actually visited by an Athonite monk of royal origin with the name Savva (we know him today as the glorified saint of St. Savva of Serbia). During worship, as predicted, the abbot's staff fell on him. However, the fathers of the monastery initially doubted and placed the staff in its place.
The next day the monk came to the grave again, and again the paterikon fell on him. Then the monks asked him his name, learned about his origin - there could be no doubt. They handed over to God's chosen one the bequeathed staff and images. Savva took the “three-handed woman” with him to the Hilandar monastery, where he himself labored. This is how the icon arrived on Athos for the first time.
Centuries later, after the death of Sava, the Serbian king Dusan, as a blessing, took the “Three-Handed” icon from Mount Athos to Serbia. From his courtyard she came to the Studenica monastery. However, in the 15th century there was a great threat of plunder of Serbian monasteries by the Turks. Wanting to save the miraculous image, the monks hoisted it onto a donkey and, surrendering to the will of God, released it, being confident that the Mother of God Herself would lead the animal to where it wanted to be.
Having passed through Serbia and Macedonia, the donkey arrived on Mount Athos and stopped right next to the Hilandar monastery. The elders immediately realized what kind of Guest had arrived to them, and they went out to meet Her. The donkey died immediately on the spot. And to this day, a religious procession with the “Three Hands” is held annually to this place in memory of the wondrous return of the shrine to the Holy Mountain.
Immutable Mother Superior Hilandara
Another unusual event associated with the “Three-Handed” icon occurred some time later. One day the abbot of the monastery died, and it was necessary to choose a new one. Then discord arose between the brethren, since the monastery was multinational - Serbs, Greeks, Bulgarians, Russians labored here - and everyone wanted the new abbot to be of their nationality.
Then, during the evening service, all the brethren heard the voice of the Mother of God coming from the icon, who said that from now on she herself would be the abbess of the monastery. However, this was not given any importance. The next morning, the “Three-Handed One” was not found in the temple in its usual place, but was found on the abbot’s throne. But then they decided that the altar boy had probably mixed something up, and moved the image back. When the same thing happened again the next day, already in an empty and closed church, the monks realized that this was the will of the Most Holy Theotokos.
And to this day, the “Three-Handed” icon invariably remains in the abbot’s place in Hilandar. The abbot is not elected here, but only the pro-abbot is appointed, the governor for solving economic issues, who always takes second place, next to the icon. The monks, approaching the image every day in the morning, are sure that they are taking a blessing for their obedience from the Most Pure Virgin Herself. And the Mother of God, of course, does not leave novices without Her protection.
Other miracles from the icon
In addition to those already mentioned, many more miracles have occurred and continue to occur from the miraculous icon. Of course, nothing can possibly compare with the unusual healing of the hand of St. John of Damascus, but we will also tell you about some of the most significant and large-scale cases of the intercession of the Mother of God through her holy image.
In 1889, typhus broke out in Kyiv, threatening to take the lives of many people. Then the founder of the Holy Trinity Monastery, glorified today as St. Jonah of Kiev, decided to serve a prayer service in front of the image, asking the Mother of God for intercession. The disaster ended that same day. This icon remains in the monastery to this day.
In 1905 during Russo-Japanese War The Russian army asked the monks of the Hilandar monastery to bring “Three Hands” to help the Orthodox army. In response to their request, a close copy of it was sent to them. Soon after this, the Russians were able to win a number of victories and a truce was signed.
In 1945, a strong fire engulfed the forest of the monastery and came close to its walls. Then the monks decided to commit procession together with the “Three-Handed” icon. However, as soon as they managed to reach the bridge, it blew strong wind and drove off the fire.
There are also cases when attacking foreigners themselves saw an unknown Woman above the monastery, protecting the monastery.
Defender of the Orthodox Faith
The celebration of the icon in our Church takes place twice in July: 11th and 25th . July 11- in memory of how the miraculous list was first brought to Russia by Patriarch Nikon in 1661. 25th- in memory of the Kiev icon, which saved the city from pestilence.
Through this image we honor the Mother of God as our Intercessor and Protector Orthodox faith. This is evidenced by both the case of the healing of John of Damascus and other miracles associated with him. Traditionally, however, another, “applied” meaning of the icon arose for our Church.
It is believed, for example, that it is especially good to pray in front of an icon for the healing of hands and, for some reason, legs. Someone else associates assistance in various kinds of crafts and needlework with the third hand depicted on the icon. But it is worth reading the troparion “Three-Handed”, where there are the following words: in the image of the Holy Trinity you show three hands: for two you bear His Son, Christ our God, with the third you deliver those who faithfully resort to You from misfortunes and troubles - in order to understand the true symbolism of the iconography .
And this, you see, is much more important than crocheting or even knitting.
Anyone who wishes to pray in front of the icon can read the corresponding akathist with prayer.
You can learn more about her from the story:
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Celebration Icon of the Mother of God “Three Hands” takes place in Orthodox Church twice a year: July 11 and July 25, new style.
Legends about the origin of the “Three-Handed” icon
Among the numerous miraculous icons of the Most Holy Theotokos, the image of the “Three-Handed Mother” occupies a special place due to its atypical iconography. Exist various legends, explaining the origin of this icon, but the most famous legend is associated with the name of St. John of Damascus. This famous Christian poet, philosopher and theologian was born and lived for a long time in Syria, being close to the court of the caliph, however, he did not hide his Christian faith. The ruler of Damascus, appreciating his educated and wise nobleman, did not prevent him from professing a religion different from the faith of his subjects. The life of the saint tells that the Byzantine iconoclast emperor Leo the Isaurian, having heard about the ardent defender of icons, John of Damascus, decided to destroy him, since the latter’s works on icon veneration found many supporters in Byzantium. The emperor slandered John before the caliph by composing a forged letter on his behalf, in which a subject of the Syrian ruler offered assistance in the conquest of Damascus. The Caliph, believing this slanderous message, was very angry with John of Damascus and ordered his right hand to be cut off. Bleeding, the monk began to pray before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, and a miracle happened: the severed hand grew back together and was healed. In order to preserve the memory of the miraculous healing and help of the Queen of Heaven, John of Damascus attached an image of a hand cast in silver to the miraculous image. Such symbols were quite common in Christian churches and had the name “votive gifts,” that is, “votive, sacrificial gifts.” These small symbolic objects were made of precious metals and they were used to decorate icons of saints as a sign of gratitude and memory of the miracle. Later, on copies of this image of the Mother of God they began to write a third hand.
Further history of the image “Three-handed”
It is known that the Monk John of Damascus brought the miraculous image as a gift to the monastery of St. Sava the Sanctified, which was located not far from Jerusalem, and the icon remained there until the 13th century. Afterwards, the image of the Mother of God “Three-Handed” was presented to the Serbian Archbishop Sava, but the icon did not stay in Serbia for long: after Turkish conquest she was taken out of the country to prevent Muslims from desecrating the great shrine. There is a legend according to which the icon was placed on a donkey and he himself brought it to the Hilandar Athos Monastery. Since then, the miraculous image has been on Mount Athos, being one of the most famous and revered relics of the Holy Mountain. Located in the Vvedensky Church of the monastery, the icon revealed another miracle, showing the special patronage of the Queen Heavenly Monastery: when the brethren gathered to elect a new abbot, the image miraculously moved from the altar to the abbot’s place. Since then, the Hilandar Monastery has ceased to appoint an abbot, and monks receive blessings for worship from the “Three-Handed” icon.
In the middle of the 17th century, a copy of the “Three-Handed” icon was brought to Russia at the request of Patriarch Nikon, who wanted to have this image in the New Jerusalem Monastery he founded. It is known that at first the unusual and strange icon caused confusion among believers, so a tablet was attached to the icon, which gave an interpretation of this iconography. Another list was made for the wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and brought to Moscow. Many healings were performed from copies of the icon of the Mother of God “Three-Handed”, and soon this icon of the Mother of God began to be used great love and veneration on Russian soil.
Description and symbolism of the icon of the Mother of God “Three-handed”
According to its iconography, the image of the “Three-Handed Woman” belongs to the “Hodegetria” or “Guide” type. The peculiarity of the icon is that in this image the Mother of God holds the Divine Infant with both hands, and extends her third hand to those praying. The deep symbolism of this image is revealed in the troparion dedicated to the icon, which says that the Queen of Heaven brings the Savior into the world with two hands, and extends her third hand over the believers and those who resort to Her, giving them protection and help.
There are also variants of this iconographic image. In Serbia and Macedonia, ancient paintings have been preserved, representing adaptations of the “Three-Handed” image. On them the Mother of God is written in full height, in her right hand She holds Her Divine Son, and the other two hands prayerfully extend to Him. In the Bulgarian Troyan Monastery, another ancient image has been preserved, on which there are three silver pendants covering the hands of the Mother of God.
In what cases do they pray in front of the “Three-Handed” icon?
There is a pious tradition of prayerfully turning to the Mother of God in front of Her “Three-Handed” icon in case of diseases of the hands, feet, and other diseases. However, it should be remembered that before any image of the Mother of God you can ask for help and intercession. The main thing is that prayer is performed with sincere faith and from a pure heart. After the help received, we must not forget to thank the Most Holy Theotokos, and if our request is not fulfilled, do not grumble, but realize our sinfulness and foolishness: perhaps in this moment For the salvation of our souls, patience with sorrows and illnesses will bring great benefit.
Troparion, tone 4:
Today, great worldwide joy has risen for us:/ given to the holy Mount Athos/ Thy celibate icon, Lady Theotokos,/ with the image of Thy three-numbered and indivisibly most pure hands/ for the glorification of the Holy Trinity,/ calling for the faithful and those who pray to Thee to know this,/ as two You hold the Son and the Lord, / the third, show them as a refuge and protection to those who honor You, / from all misfortunes and troubles, / so that all who flow to You, by faith, receive abundant liberation from all evils, / protection from enemies, / for this sake, we too together with Athos we cry: Rejoice, O full of grace, the Lord is with Thee.
Kontakion, tone 8:
Today is the joyful day of Your triumph, O Most Pure Mother of God, / all the faithful are filled with joy and joy, / as if you were worthy to greatly sing / the wondrous appearance of Your honorable image / and the Child born from You, the truth of God, / Whose two hands embraced, / and the third from you take away misfortunes and troubles from us // and deliver us from all evils and circumstances.
Magnification:
We magnify Thee, Most Immaculate Virgin, and honor the miracles of Thy holy image, the appearance of Thy three most pure hands to the glory of the Divine, in the Trinity of our God.
Prayer:
Oh, Most Holy Lady and Lady Theotokos, who showed a great miracle to Saint John of Damascus, as if he showed true faith - undoubted hope! Hear us, sinners, before Your miraculous icon, fervently praying and asking for Your help: do not reject this prayer of many for the sake of our sins, but, as the Mother of mercy and generosity, deliver us from illnesses, sorrows and sorrows, forgive the sins we have committed, fill us with joy and joy to all who honor your holy icon, may we joyfully sing and glorify with love your name for You are chosen and blessed from all generations forever and ever. Amen.
True Christians during the formation of their faith endured severe torment, persecution, and torture. One of these tests was iconoclasm - a movement that destroyed valuable altars, images, sculptures of saints, frescoes, and mosaics.
It was then that the church suffered not only material, but also spiritual losses. John of Damascus stood up to defend Christian values. It is with this saint that the story of the appearance of the image of the Three-Handed One is connected.
The Icon of the Mother of God of Three Hands became famous during the time of John of Damascus. The seventh century AD was marked by terrible events of persecution of Christians; this was a period of iconoclasm.
Warriors who served the heretic Leo the Isaurian broke into Orthodox believers in order to search for iconographic images, and their owners were put to death and torture.
The situation was different in Damascus; it was a Muslim city, where the theologian and Christian believer John of Damascus ruled. Studying the Holy Scriptures, he proved the correctness of veneration of icons - worship of the image, and not the physical cause.
Being the first minister of the Caliph, he nevertheless did a lot for the Orthodox faith. His works were secretly copied, transmitted, and studied. However, the emperor did not like this, and he decided to kill the glorious defender of the Orthodox faith.
Having ordered his servants to study the handwriting of Damascus, he composed a forged letter, the meaning of which was to offer assistance in capturing the city of Damascus and betraying the local Caliph John. He sent this letter to the Caliph, falsely declaring that he valued peace with him, and advised the execution of the traitor.
Despite his many years of friendship with Damascus, the Caliph became enraged and, considering this forged letter to be real, ordered his minister’s wrist to be cut off.
It was this brush that was hung in the market square for everyone to see, and the Three-Handed icon at the very bottom was also decorated with this cut-off brush. But what happened next, how did the events unfold, what is the history of the emergence of the Three-Handed Icon?
Suffering severely from pain, John asked the Caliph to return his severed hand. Remembering all the merits of his subject, he agreed. Having shut himself up in his home, John began to pray earnestly in front of the image of the Mother of God.
Putting his hand to the wound, he began to pray even more fervently, but fell asleep. In a vision, the Mother of God came to him and declared that he was healthy, and with her healed hand she commanded him to work diligently.
When he woke up, he was convinced that he was healed; after that, he expounded a wondrous chant to his Healer: “Every creature rejoices in You, O Delighted One...”
The news of the miraculous healing spread throughout the area. Soon the Caliph asked John for forgiveness and invited him to continue his ministry. However, from that moment on, he decided to devote his life only to serving God alone.
Having joined the monastery of Saint Sava, he took monastic vows. The miraculous image was with him - in memory of this event, John cast an image of a brush from silver and attached it to it. This is why the icon is called that and what the brush that is located at its base means.
Story miraculous image very interesting. For a long time, until the eighth century, it was located in this place, then it was presented to the Serbian Archbishop Sava. However, during the attack of the Hagarians on Serbia, the believers, trying to preserve the icon, tied it to a donkey, then allowed it to go unaccompanied.
Miraculously, the animal reached Mount Athos. Local monks met the shrine and accepted it as great gift. Here it is, the significant icon of the Mother of God of the Three Hands, you can see it in the photo.
Interesting! A procession of the cross is organized every year at the donkey's stopping place.
What do they pray to the Three-Handed Lady?
Of course, everyone Orthodox Christian I am interested in the question: what does the Three-Handed Icon help with, and what do they pray to it for?
Of course, to heal diseases, injuries to the hands, feet, and eyes, you must definitely seek help from Three-Handed - in the photo you can see what she looks like.
Akathist to the Three-Handed Icon, read in heavy life period, will help banish sad thoughts, melancholy, uncertainty, apathy.
What women pray to the Mother of God of Three Hands is for help with housework, it gives strength and patience. She is especially revered by people engaged in any craft.
Every family man who faces the adversities and hardships of life can find out what else Three-Handed helps with and what its significance is. She will protect families from people with bad intentions and thoughts. WITH God's help there will be inevitable changes that will transform the life of every Orthodox Christian.
If you think about what the Three-Handed icon means, you can understand that the whole meaning of our earthly life is hidden in it. Jesus, who is in the arms of the Mother of God, seems to bless everyone bowing before the icon.
The Lady points out the path to everyone’s salvation. The significance of this icon in Christianity is great. Its purpose is to convey to everyone that we can receive healing only if we truly believe and serve God.
Feast of the Icon of the Mother of God “Three-Handed” in the Vvedensky Church of the city of Bolkhov
In general, they read the akathist to the Three-Handed Icon and ask for help from the face of the Mother of God under the following circumstances:
- in case of family troubles;
- for protection from enemies;
- for illnesses, for healing loved ones;
- to improve well-being.
The memory of this miraculous image is celebrated twice: July 11 (June 28, old style) and July 25 (July 12). Our holy face has been revered for a long time; on this day it is customary to come to the temple and venerate the shrine. But in which church is the icon of the Mother of God of the Three Hands located, where to go?
Where are the most revered icons?
We figured out what the shrine helps with and why it is called the Three-Handed One, but where is it located with us, where can we worship it? In Russia it has been known since 1661, when Moscow Patriarch Nikon was awarded this great gift. Multiple copies have been preserved throughout the country.
Pilgrims can visit the following monasteries:
- Moscow St. Daniel Monastery. This list is one of the most revered; it was written in the seventeenth century. During its restoration, another miracle happened. The master, who suffered from poor eyesight, was cured.
- Church on the Blood, Yekaterinburg. The second most important list is located here.
- Assumption Church on Taganka, Moscow.
There are other copies of the image of the Mother of God found in other churches: the Church of the Intercession, Goliki, Beloberezhskaya, Nilova Hermitage, as well as the Alekseevsky Monastery, Voronezh, Semenovsky, Trekhsvyatitelsky, Boris and Glebsky churches.
In addition, you can purchase the Three-Handed One at the monastery, having previously found out where to hang it and what it helps with.
Doubts about where to hang an icon usually arise among young Orthodox Christians. As a rule, a home iconostasis is located in the eastern corner of a house or apartment. This is explained by the fact that the eastern side is considered by Christians to be a symbol of insight and faith.
If any other questions arise, the temple servants will definitely answer them.
The list, located in the Goncharovsky Church of the Assumption, was taken from a copy of the New Jerusalem Monastery, donated in 1661 by the Hilendar monks. It should be noted that the presence of this shrine is associated with the fact that the monastery was not closed even during times of severe persecution.
Moreover, it was possible to preserve all the bells and other valuables of the temple. Today, before the miraculous image, an akathist is read every Friday, and prayers are constantly offered before another image, which is present on the western side of the temple. Here it is - sincere, strong faith!
Important! If any difficulties arise, the Three-Handed One will take care of us and ask her son for Divine grace.
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Let's sum it up
The Church knows cases of healing of believers praying miraculous icon. The shrine helped save many people during the typhus epidemic; it provides salvation and grace to all those in need.
In front of the icon, Christians pray for a speedy recovery of loved ones, oh own health, well-being. The Holy Face strengthens faith and guides you on the righteous path!
Since ancient times, the Russian people found in their souls the only true word in addressing the Mother of God: in everyday life they called Her, and now they call Her the same way as my own mother, - filled with tenderness and loving address: “Mother!” People spiritually saw that not in some conventional allegorical sense, but in the highest ontological reality, the Mother of God is the Mother of the Church, the blood - by the Blood of Christ - the Mother of every believer.Archpriest Lev Lebedev
The events that laid the foundation for the glorification of the “Three-Handed” icon of the Mother of God date back to the 8th century, to the times of iconoclasm. The warriors of the heretic emperor Leo the Isaurian scoured the houses of Orthodox Christians, looking for icons, took them away and burned them, and handed over the icon worshipers to torture and death.
Only outside the Byzantine lands, in Muslim Damascus, the Orthodox were not constrained in the veneration of icons. The reason was that the first minister of the local caliph was a zealous Christian, theologian and hymnographer John of Damascus (his memory is celebrated by the Church on December 4). John forwarded letters to his many acquaintances in Byzantium, in which, based on Holy Scripture and patristic traditions proved the correctness of icon veneration. The inspired letters of John of Damascus were secretly copied and passed from hand to hand, greatly contributing to the assurance of the truth of the Orthodox and the denunciation of the iconoclastic heresy.
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| Damascus. Modern look. |
The emperor sent such a fake letter to the caliph, hypocritically explaining that, despite John’s proposals, he wanted peace and friendship with the caliph, and advised the execution of the traitorous minister.
The caliph fell into a rage and, forgetting about the many years of devoted service of his minister, ordered his hand to be cut off right hand, to whom he allegedly wrote treasonous lines. The severed hand was hung in plain sight in the market square.
John suffered severely from pain, and even more from undeserved insult. By evening, he asked the caliph to allow him to bury the severed hand of his right hand. The Caliph, remembering the previous zeal of his minister, agreed.
Having locked himself in the house, John of Damascus applied the severed hand to the wound and went deep into prayer. The saint asked the Mother of God to heal the right hand, which wrote in defense of Orthodoxy, and vowed to use this hand to create creations for the glory of the Lady.
At that moment he fell asleep. In a dream vision, the Mother of God appeared to him and said: “You are healed, work diligently with this hand.”
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Since then, such a right hand has been depicted on all lists of the miraculous image, called “Three-Handed”.
The image remained in the monastery in the name of Saint Sava until the 13th century, when it was presented to another Saint Sava, the Archbishop of Serbia. During the invasion of Serbia by the Hagarians, the Orthodox, wanting to preserve the icon, placed it on a donkey and let it go without an escort. With the precious luggage, he himself reached the Holy Mount Athos and stopped at the gates of the Hilendar monastery. Local monks accepted the icon as a great gift, and began to hold an annual procession of the cross at the place where the donkey stopped.
Once upon a time, the old abbot died in the Hilendar monastery. The election of a new one caused strife and division among the brethren. And then the Mother of God, appearing to one recluse, announced that from now on She herself would be the abbess of the monastery. As a sign of this, the “Three-Handed Lady,” which had hitherto stood in the altar of the monastery cathedral, was miraculously transported through the air to the middle of the temple, to the abbot’s place. From then to this day, Hilendar is ruled by a priest-vicar who stands during services at the abbot’s place, where the image of the “Three-Handed” - the Abbess of this monastery - is kept. The monks receive a blessing from Her, venerating the icon, as if from an abbot.
During the Greco-Turkish wars, Athos remained outside the power of the Gentiles: the Turks admitted that they often saw the mysterious Woman guarding the walls of the Hilendar monastery and out of reach of human hands.
The “Three-Handed One” has long been revered in Russia, where there are many copies of the first-revealed image, also famous for their miracles. Back in 1661, the Hilendar monks sent one such list as a gift to the New Jerusalem Monastery. Another list was taken from him in 1716, which has since remained in the Moscow Church of the Assumption in Gonchari (Bulgarian Compound). The intercession of this shrine is associated with the fact that this temple was never closed, even during times of severe persecution of the faith, and retained all its bells. Nowadays, an akathist is read every Friday in front of this image in the church. In a tiled icon case on the outer western wall of the Church of the Assumption in Gonchary there is another list, and tireless prayers can be heard here before the face of the Mother of God “Three-Handed”.
Miraculous lists from the very first revealed Athos image or from other lists of the “Three-Handed One” were also located in the Moscow Church of the Intercession in Goliki, in the Tula Vladimir Church on Rzhavets, in the Beloberezh Hermitage near Bryansk, in the Voronezh Alekseevsky Akatov Monastery, in the Nile Hermitage on Seliger and in other places.
25 / 07 / 2005
The “Three-Handed” Icon of the Mother of God would probably not be so famous if it were not for the story that happened in St. John of Damascus. In 717 AD there was a certain Byzantine emperor, Leo the Isaurian, who was particularly cruel in the persecution of Orthodox Christians. During his reign, many were burned and the most different icons, and those who preached Christian faith, were especially brutally tortured and subjected to mortal torture. John, at that time, lived in complete safety, since he was in Damascus, it was a Muslim city, which was located far beyond the territory of the Byzantine land. Then he was an adviser to the city ruler, which was a very high and respected position.
John of Damascus performed his service well and faithfully, but gossips They arranged everything in such a way that they began to accuse him of treason to the state and personally to the emperor himself. The adviser was slandered, right in front of the local caliph, after which, by order of the emperor, his right hand was cut off. After torture, the brush was hung in the main square. This was done to intimidate the people, and to understand that this would happen to anyone who dared to give a state or an individual emperor.
In the evening, when the ruler “cooled down” a little, his former adviser asked permission to retire to his cell. The emperor allowed John to retire and he indulged in a long and fiery prayer before the Holy Image of the Virgin Mary. He asked the Mother of God about the healing of his severed hand and, placing his hand on the image, spent the whole night in prayer. When he fell asleep, the Mother of God herself came to him in the form of a vision, informing him about the healing of his hand. The Virgin Mary said that now his healed hand should work in the Name of the Lord and glorify His holy name.
After awakening, the Saint actually saw that his hand was safe and sound.
Touched to the depths of his soul by the mercy shown by the Lady, John composed a song of praise, which is known as “Every creature rejoices in you, O Gracious One.”
The Monk John of Damascus, in order to somehow perpetuate this miracle, attached his right hand, which was cast from silver, to the image that he had at home. This is how the “Three-Handed” icon appeared, which is depicted with a third hand at the bottom.
After the news of the miracle spread throughout all borders, they again wanted to appoint John as the chief adviser, but he refused, asking permission to retire to Jerusalem. There, among a few things, he took an icon, and later gave himself up to loneliness.
The history of the “Three-Handed” icon and its meaning
Until the thirteenth century, the icon was in Jerusalem. In the fifteenth century, an amazing incident occurred that was associated with the holy Mount Athos. This happened due to the fact that Ottoman troops began to attack these lands. So that the shrine would not be damaged in battles or destroyed, it was decided to entrust its fate to the Queen of Heaven herself. Therefore, the icon was placed on the donkey, and it set off on its own.
No one knew where he would go and who would become the owner of the miraculous image. But it so happened that the donkey, by an unknown force, was directed precisely to Athos - the center of Christianity and monasticism. He decided to stop right near the gates of the Hilandar monastery, which Simeon founded back in the thirteenth century. The monks reverently accepted this gift and installed it on the altar of the local cathedral church. To this day, this icon is located on Mount Athos, and every year a religious procession is held to it with a large number of believers from all over the world.
The icon depicts the Mother of God with the Child, whom she holds in her arms, and her head is slightly tilted towards his head. At the same time, Jesus Christ looks straight ahead, folding his right hand to bless everyone who stands in front of him. At the bottom of the icon is the right hand, which seems to point to Christ, letting us know that through him we will be saved if we only go for it.
Miracles performed by the Three-Handed Icon
After the appearance of the icon on the holy Mount Athos, its history never ceased to amaze. One day, one hegumen reposed before God, and there was turmoil among the brethren, because for a long time they could not choose the manager of the monastery. Arriving at the morning service, the brethren were surprised to see the icon in the abbot’s place. The monks thought that this was the work of someone else and again placed the icon on the altar.
After the service, the doors of the temple were sealed, but in the morning the “Three-Handed” icon was again in the abbot’s place. This continued until one of the most famous hermits came to the temple and told the brethren about his vision. In it, the Mother of God said that she was taking on the function of management because she did not want there to be disagreement among the brethren. Therefore, from now on she occupies the abbot’s place with her icon.
As was customary then, this is observed to this day, the abbot in this monastery is no longer elected by the entire brethren. After all, its place is taken by the “Three-Handed” icon and the Mother of God herself rules. The monks also firmly believe that by venerating and asking for a blessing from the holy image, everyone will receive a blessing from the Lady of Heaven herself. The Three-Handed One showed her miracles many times during the Turks’ attacks on Mount Athos. In those days, one could observe the emergence of a wonderful woman’s face, which was inaccessible to any type of weapon.
How does the “Three-Handed” icon help and how to pray
- Before this image, it is necessary to pray to those who have all sorts of ailments associated with injuries and injuries;
- When reading a prayer, apathy and melancholy go away. Therefore, this image helps those who suffer mental disorders and increased anxiety;
- Those who are engaged in any craft also need to extol prayers in front of the holy image, for success in their business and the development of the craft in the right direction;
- “Three-handed” is also a protector from all troubles and misfortunes;
Prayer to the Three-Handed Icon
Today, there is a large number of copies that help people all over the world. Christians treat this holy image with great reverence, and not only because the icon has amazing story and protects the holy Mount Athos from everything bad, but also because it is a protector. According to the prayers of Orthodox Christians, it is capable of granting healing from various ailments, burns and other injuries, as well as strengthening the human soul in the fight against demonic intrigues and temptations.
“Most Holy and Most Blessed Virgin Mary! We fall down and worship Thee before Thy holy icon, remembering Thy glorious miracle by healing the truncated right hand of the Venerable John of Damascus, which was revealed from the icon, whose sign is visible to this day on it in the form of a third hand attached to Thy image.
We pray to Thee and ask Thee, the All-merciful and All-generous Intercessor of our race: hear us, praying to Thee, and, like blessed John, who cried out to Thee in sorrow and illness, Thou hast heard, so do not despise us, who are grieving and suffering from the wounds of many different passions and those who diligently come running to You from a contrite and humble soul.
You see, O All-Merciful Lady, our infirmities, our embitterment, our need, I will demand our help and intercession, as if we are surrounded by enemies from everywhere and there is no one who helps, less than one who intercedes, unless You have mercy on us, the Lady.
To her, we pray to You, listen to our painful voice and help us to preserve the patristic Orthodox faith immaculately until the end of our days, to walk unswervingly in all the commandments of the Lord, to always bring true repentance for our sins to God and to be honored with a peaceful Christian death and a good answer on the Last Day The judgment of Thy Son and our God, Who prayed for us with Thy Motherly prayer, may He not condemn us according to our iniquities, but may He have mercy on us according to His great and ineffable mercy.
O All-Good One! Hear us and do not deprive us of Your sovereign help, yes, having received salvation through You, let us sing and glorify You on the land of the living and our Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was born of You, to whom befits glory and power, honor and worship, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit always , now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen".
Such an icon can rarely be found in a home iconostasis. It is also not very common in temples and cathedrals. But every believer should know its history and offer their fiery prayers to this Holy image!
Queen of Heaven pray to Christ God for the salvation of our souls!
What you need to know about the “Three-Handed” icon