The main female figure for Orthodox believers is the Virgin Mary, who was honored to become the Mother of the Lord. She led a righteous life and helped people cope with various troubles. After ascension to heaven, the believers began to pray to the Mother of God, asking for help in different situations.
Virgin Mary in Orthodoxy
For the faithful, the Theotokos is the main intercessor before her Son and the Lord. She is the woman who gave birth and brought up the Savior. It is believed that for the Mother of God nothing is impossible, and people ask her for salvation for her soul. In Orthodoxy, the Virgin Mary is called the patroness of every person, for she loves as a loving mother for her children. Not once the phenomenon of the Virgin Mary took place, which was accompanied by miracles. There are many icons, temples and monasteries created in honor of the Mother of God.
Who is the Virgin Mary?
A lot of information is known about the life of the Theotokos, which can be found in the apocrypha and in the memories of people who knew it during the earthly life. The following main facts can be singled out:
- The Holy Virgin Mary until the age of 12 was in a specialized school at the Jerusalem Temple. Her parents gave her a vow that her daughter would devote her life to the Lord.
- The appearance of the Virgin is described by the church historian Nikifor Kallist. She was of medium height, her hair was gold-plated, and her eyes were the color of olives. The nose of the Virgin Mary is oblong, and the face is round.
- To feed his family, the Mother of God had to work constantly. It is known that she wove well and independently created the red tunic worn by Jesus before the crucifixion.
- The Virgin Mary constantly followed Jesus until the end of his earthly life. After the crucifixion and ascension of Christ, the Mother of God remained with John the Divine. Further life is known to a greater extent from the apocryphal "Proto-Gospel of Jacob".
- The death of the Virgin Mary was recorded in Jerusalem on Mount Zion, where the Catholic Church of the Assumption is now located. According to the apocryphon, the apostles from all corners of the world arrived to the death bed, but only Thomas was delayed, so at his request the tomb was not closed. On the same day the body of the Virgin disappeared, therefore it is believed that the ascension of the Virgin Mary took place.
Symbols of the Virgin Mary
There are many symbols that have to do with the Theotokos:
- Monogram, composed of two letters "MR", which means Maria Regina - Maria, Queen of Heaven.
- A common sign of the Virgin Mary is a winged heart, sometimes pierced by a sword and depicted on a shield. Such a picture is the coat of arms of the Virgin.
- The name of the Mother of God is associated with the crescent moon, cypress and olive tree. A flower that symbolizes the purity of the Virgin is the lily. Since the Virgin Mary is considered the queen of all the saints, one of her symbols is called a white rose. Represent it with five petals, which is associated with the name Maria.
The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary
The sinlessness of the Virgin did not immediately become a dogma, as the authors of the first Christian texts did not pay attention to this issue. Many do not know how the Virgin Mary became pregnant, and so, according to tradition, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven, and the immaculate conception took place, thanks to which original sin was not passed on Jesus Christ. In Orthodoxy, virgin birth, as a dogma is not accepted, and it is believed that the Mother of God was freed from sin through contact with Divine grace.
How did the Virgin Mary give birth to Jesus?
There is no way to find details about how the birth of the Virgin was taking place, but there is information that they were absolutely painless. This is explained by the fact that Christ appeared from the womb of the mother, without opening it and widening the ways, that is, the Virgin Mary remained a virgin. It is believed that Jesus was born when his mother was 14-15 years old. There was no midwife next to the Virgin, she herself took the baby in her arms.
Prophecies of the Virgin Mary in Fatima
The most famous phenomenon of the Virgin is the "Miracle in Fatima." She came to three cowherd children and her every phenomenon was accompanied by a series of inexplicable incidents, for example, there was a disorderly movement of the sun across the sky. During the intercession the Mother of God revealed three secrets. Predictions of the Virgin Mary of Fatima were revealed at different times:
- At the first appearance, the Mother of God showed the children terrible visions of Hell. She said that the First World War will end soon, but if people do not stop sinning and insulting God, then he will punish them with various calamities. The sign will be the phenomenon of bright light at night, when it will be seen as during the day. According to some reports, before the Second World War, northern lights were observed in Europe.
- The second appearance of the Virgin Mary brought another prophecy and it says that when night is illuminated by an unknown light, it will be a sign that God is going to punish the world. To prevent this from happening, the Mother of God will come to ask about the consecration of Russia, and also about the holding of the redemptive participles on every first Saturday of the month. If people listen to her requests, then there will be peace, and if not, wars and new cataclysms can not be avoided. Many believe that this prophecy speaks of the spread of communism, which was accompanied by various clashes.
- The third prophecy was received in 1917, but the Virgin Mary allowed to open it no earlier than 1960. The pope, having read the prophecy, refused to disclose it, arguing that it does not concern his time. The text says that the Pope will be assassinated and this happened in 1981 in May. The Pope himself admitted that it is believed that the Mother of God protected him from death.
Prayer to the Virgin Mary
There is a huge number of prayer texts addressed to the Theotokos. It helps believers to cope with different problems, so women turn to her, who want to become pregnant and get married, ask her for healing and material benefits, pray for her for the children, and so on. There are several rules concerning the pronunciation of prayer texts:
- You can contact the Theotokos in the church and at home, the main thing is to have an icon before your eyes. It is recommended to light a candle next to it so that it's easier to concentrate.
- The prayer of the Blessed Virgin Mary should be uttered from the heart and with faith in its power. Any doubt is a block to help.
- You can address to the Theotokos at any time, when the soul desires it.
Prayer for the Virgin Mary of Lourdes
In 1992, the Pope established a feast in honor of the Lourdes Madonna. People come to her to help him get healed from illnesses. During life, the Holy Virgin healed the suffering and became after that a savior of the sick. When she was a child, the Virgin Mary began to appear to her and taught her the rules of prayer, called for repentance for sinful people and asked to build a church. She indicated to the girl where the healing source is. By the name of the saints, Bernadette was ranked only 10 years after her death.
A strong prayer to the Virgin Mary for help
In Christianity the prayerful address to the Theotokos is considered to be the strongest and most effective. They ask her for help in different situations, the main thing is that the request should be serious, since it is better not to disturb the Higher Powers by trifles. The Virgin Mary's prayer for help must be repeated daily and even several times a day. You can say it aloud and to yourself. The sacred text with regular reading inspires hope and gives strength to not give up in a difficult situation.
The Virgin Mary's Prayer for Well-Being
Human life is filled with different situations, which are not always positive. The guardian of the family hearth is women, therefore, the fair sex should pray for the well-being of their relatives. The Blessed Virgin Mary will help reconcile people, and one more will protect from quarrels and destruction of the family. With the help of the presented prayer, you can save yourself and your loved ones from various negative aspects.
The Virgin Mary's Prayer for Health
There is a huge amount of evidence of believers who confirm that sincere prayerful addresses to the Theotokos helped heal from various ailments. The prayer of the Blessed Virgin Mary can be pronounced in the temple, but it is also recommended at home near the patient's bed to put an image, light a candle and pray. You can text a text on holy water , and then, give a person with a sickness to drink and wash it.
The Virgin Mary's Prayer for Marriage
Many girls who are in search of the second half turn to the Most Holy Theotokos, so that she will bring petitions to the Lord and help her to establish a personal life. She is considered the main intercessor of all women, helping them in love affairs. To find happiness and love, to pray to the Virgin Mary is necessary every day until the desired will not become real. Prayer petitions will not only increase the chances of meeting a worthy companion of life, but also protect relationships from various problems and help build a happy family.
The Virgin Mary's Prayer for Children
The Mother of God is the main mother for all believers, because she gave the Savior the world. A huge number of people turn to her for help, asking for their children. The Blessed Virgin Mary will help guide the child on a righteous path, divert him from bad company and give inspiration to find oneself in this world. The regular prayer of the mother will be a strong defense against diseases and various problems.