Icon of the Mother of God
"THREE-HANDED"

The icon of the Mother of God “Three-Handed” showed its glory to the world during the rampant iconoclast heresy. In 717, the Byzantine emperor Leo the Isaurian began fierce persecution of admirers of icons.

Referring to the Old Testament commandments, the iconoclasts equated the former sacred images with idols, and their admirers were accused of idolatry of stones, boards and walls. At a specially assembled Council, ancient icons, mosaics, frescoes and statues were anathematized and they began to be covered over, burned and broken, while those who tried to protect them were put to a painful 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 (Mansur). He was born approx. 676 in the city of Damascus, where his nickname came from. For his eloquence, he was called Chryzoroe, which means “golden stream.” John forwarded letters to his many acquaintances in Byzantium, in which, on the basis of Holy Scripture and patristic traditions, he proved the correctness of icon veneration. "I don't worship substance- he argued with his opponents, - but I worship the Creator of matter, who became matter for my sake, who deigned to inhabit matter and through matter brought about my salvation.”

Rev. John of Damascus then wrote three treatises “Against those who condemn holy icons.” The wise, inspired writings infuriated the Byzantine emperor, but since the author of the messages was out of reach, Leo the Isaurian decided to resort to slander. A forged letter was drawn up on behalf of John, in which John allegedly offered the emperor his help in conquering the Syrian capital. This letter and the emperor's response to it were sent to the caliph. Neither John's personal devotion, nor his diligent service inspired the caliph with the idea of ​​verifying the slander against John with a fair investigation. He ordered the executioner to cut off John’s right hand, which allegedly drew the plan for treason, and hang it in the city square as a warning to everyone.

In the evening, when the anger of the irritated caliph subsided a little, Saint John sent him a request through his friends: “My illness multiplies and torments me unspeakably, and I can have no consolation until my hand, hanged in shame, is given to me.” The ruler took pity on the sufferer and ordered the severed hand to be returned to him. The monk shut himself up in his cell. Firmly convinced that, according to the Lord, everything is possible for those who believe in him, John put his hand to the bloody joint and prayed all night with tears before the icon of the Mother of God for healing. After which he dozed off. The Mother of God appeared to him in a dream and said: “You are healed; work diligently with this hand.”

The next morning, waking up, Saint John saw that his hand had grown back, he could move his fingers, and only a barely visible scar remained at the site of the cut-off.John of Damascus poured out his gratitude to the wonderful Healer in the wondrous hymn “He rejoices in you...”, which in later liturgical practice began to be used as a tribute in the liturgy of St. Basil the Great:

Every creature rejoices in You, O Gracious One,
The Council of Angels and the human race,
Consecrated to the Temple and Verbal Paradise,
Virgin praise. from Neyazhe God incarnate
And the Child was born, before the age was our God.
Thy throne is false.
And Your womb has made it more spacious than the heavens.
Every creature rejoices in You, O Gracious One, glory to You..

The miraculous healing of John's hand amazed everyone in Damascus, and the Caliph, convinced of his innocence, returned to him his former friendship. But John wanted to fulfill his vow to the Most Holy Theotokos, and decided to devote himself entirely to serving the Orthodox Church. Having long thought about monastic life, he renounced the world and, despite the requests of the caliph, who wanted to atone for his guilt with new mercies, he left his court and his homeland. Having distributed the property to the churches, relatives and the poor and freed the slaves, John went with his disciple and friend Cosmas, first to Jerusalem to venerate the holy places, and then to the Lavra of Saint Sava, where he took monastic vows.

Icon of the Three-Handed Lady

In gratitude for the miraculous healing of St. John made an image of a hand from silver and attached it to the icon of his Intercessor (according to other sources, he added a third hand to the icon), from which the icon later received the name Three-handed. He took this icon with him. Until the 13th century A.D. the icon was in the Lavra of Saint Sava , and then the monks handed it over to Saint Sava, Archbishop of Serbia, and it was transferred by him to Serbia.

During the invasion of the Turks, Christian Serbs entrusted the miraculous image to the care of the Mother of God Herself: they placed the icon on a donkey, which, without a driver, came to Athos on its own and stopped in front of the gate Hilandar Monastery and stood rooted to the spot, waiting for the brethren to accept the “Three-Handed One” into the monastery.

Hilandar Monastery, Mount Athos

Initially it was placed in the altar of the cathedral church, where it remained for several years. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Hilandar monastery lost its abbot; The monks began to elect a new abbot, but could not agree on the choice. The Mother of God herself stopped the disagreement of the brethren. One day, the monks, according to custom, gathered for the morning service and saw that the “Three-Handed” icon was not standing in the altar, but in the abbot’s place. Attributing this to the secret actions of the clergy, the brethren carried her to the altar; but the next day she again appeared at the abbot's place. This miraculous transition was repeated several more times. In a night vision to one holy recluse, the Mother of God declared her will so that the brethren would not remove Her icons from the abbot’s place, since She herself wanted to take this place with her icon and rule the monastery. Since then, in the Hilandar monastery, it is not the abbot who is elected, but only the governor and the monks receive a blessing for all obediences from the miraculous icon of the “Three Hands”.

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 Hilandar monastery and out of reach of human hands.

Miraculous lists of the Three-Handed Icon

Lists of the miraculous icon “Three Hands” have spread throughout all Orthodox countries. They became famous for many signs and healings. One of them dates back to the 17th century in Bulgaria in the Troyan Monastery.

“Three-Handed” appeared in Rus' on July 11, 1661. At the request of His Holiness Patriarch Nikon, a copy of the image of the “Three-Handed Lady” was delivered to Moscow from Athos, from the Hilandar Monastery, which was placed in Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery (New Jerusalem) near Moscow . From there, lists of icons began to spread throughout Russia.

New Jerusalem on the Istra River

Another list was removed from him in 1716, which has since been 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.

One of the most revered lists of “Three Hands” in Russia is located in the Moscow St. Daniel Monastery. This large image was painted in the second half of the 17th century. The icon was returned to the Daniel Monastery in the mid-80s of the last century. During the restoration, it revealed its miraculous power, becoming more enlightened than the hand of the restorer was able to do for this, and the icon painter himself had his vision restored while working on the icon. The miraculous icon is located in the Trinity Cathedral . Currently, the temple is active; Sunday and holiday services are held here. In the Trinity Cathedral of the St. Daniel Monastery there are miraculous icons of the Mother of God “Three-Handed” and St. John Cassian the Roman, as well as the main shrine - an ark with a particle of the relics of the holy noble prince Daniel.

Ipatiev House

Another, so far much less known, list of the “Three-Handed” icon was located in Yekaterinburg in the Ipatiev House during the imprisonment of the Holy Royal Martyrs in 1918. Judging by the artlessness of his letter, it did not belong to the Imperial Family, but to one of the former owners of the mansion on Voznesenskaya Gorka, and perhaps even to their servants. But it was this modest icon that became a spiritual witness of Their suffering and martyrdom.

This icon was brought to Denmark, where the mother of the Sovereign Martyr lived - the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna, a White Guard officer who participated in the liberation of Yekaterinburg from the Bolsheviks. After the death of Empress Maria Feodorovna, the shrine was kept by Her daughter, Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna Kulikovskaya-Romanova. After her death, her son Tikhon Nikolaevich became the keeper of the icon, who bequeathed to pass on the image of the “Three-Handed Lady” to the future Church on the Blood in Yekaterinburg.

The Church on the Blood in Yekaterinburg was built in 2003 on the site of the Ipatiev House, where on the night of July 16-17, 1918, the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II and his family were shot.

The Prince's will was carried out by his widow Olga Nikolaevna Kulikovskaya-Romanova. On the evening of July 10, 2003, on the eve of the celebration of the Three-Handed Icon of the Mother of God, the Royal Shrine arrived in Yekaterinburg. Now she is in Church on the Blood in the name of All Saints who shone in the Russian land (Ekaterinburg).

View of the Church on the Blood, Yekaterinburg

Iconography

In iconography, the image of the Mother of God “Three-Handed” belongs to the Hodegetria type, with the Child sitting on her right hand. In the lower part of the icon, under the right hand of the Mother of God, a human hand is depicted, forming part of the silver frame of the icon. In Russian lists there is a tradition of writing out the third hand as if belonging to the Mother of God, and not attached separately.

Troparion, tone 4.
Today, great worldwide joy has arisen for us: Thy celibate-bearing icon has been given to the holy Mount Athos, the 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 You to know this, as two imashes you hold the Son and the Lord , the third, show 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, together with Athos, cry out: Rejoice, Gracious One, Lord with you.

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 fairly sing the wondrous appearance of Your honorable image and the Child born of You, the truth of God, Who embraced His two hands, and with the third took us away from misfortunes and troubles and deliver you from all evils and circumstances.

Prayer of the Mother of God before the icon of Her Three-Handed Lady
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 Your name with love, for You are chosen and blessed from all generations forever and ever. Ah min.

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.

The history of the miraculous image is 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 a 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, every Orthodox Christian is 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.

An akathist to the Three-Handed icon, read during a difficult period in life, will help drive out sorrowful thoughts, melancholy, uncertainty, and 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, inevitable changes will occur 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:

1. 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.
2. Church on the Blood, Yekaterinburg. The second most important list is located here.
3. 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 to the 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 image, Christians pray for the speedy recovery of their loved ones, for their own health and well-being. The Holy Face strengthens faith and guides you on the righteous path!

John of Damascus is considered to be the patron saint of Orthodoxy and icons. His life path can be called difficult and full of difficulties. But thanks to his works, the story of the creation of the “Three-Handed” icon, a miraculous image that changed the lives of many people around the world, became known to a large circle of people.

History of the creation of the icon

In 717, Leo the Isaurian ruled the territory of the Byzantine state, causing severe persecution of saints and people who treated them with special favor. And only outside the state, or rather in Damascus, which is generally considered Muslim, could Christianity be fearlessly venerated. The Venerable John was also revered there as the intercessor of the people. At that time he held an honorary position as a councilor in the city government. This is where the story comes to why the icon of the Mother of God is called “Three-Handed” and where the extra palm in the image came from.

For some time, John of Damascus religiously and selflessly fulfilled his assigned mission, but envious people accused him of treason. The emperor, in a cruel mood, orders to deprive him of his right hand and place it in the main square to intimidate people who want to betray state power. The man appeared before the Most Holy Theotokos and began to ask her in prayer for the opportunity to be healed.

During his sleep, the Lady came to him and said that the hand that had been restored should now serve him to glorify the works of God

When he woke up, he discovered that his hand was attached to his arm. So that people remember and know about what happened to the image, or rather its lower part, he made a hand from noble metal, which should serve as a reminder and glorification. That is why the icon received the name “Three-Handed”, and the meaning here is emphasized by the mercy of the Mother of God, who, at the prayers of those asking, can work miracles.

When you see the three-armed icon of the Mother of God, we are talking about this canonical image, and the meaning here is simple - a reminder of the miracle with John of Damascus. Although in a global sense, the image reminds every believer of the need to trust in the Lord and of his great mercy.

How does the “Three-Handed” icon help?

Of course, one should not consider the “Three-Handed” icon of the Mother of God as some kind of magic pill. The image speaks primarily of faith, of turning to the Almighty and striving for the Lord. However, it should also be said about how the “Three-Handed” icon helps in a more applied sense. After all, such help is also given by the grace and prayer of believers.

As a rule, the icon of the Mother of God “Three-Handed” helps in the treatment of diseases of the hands and joints, legs and restores the ability to see. Prayer will help get rid of melancholy, apathy and sorrow. It will also help with housework and all housewives involved in crafts.

Meaning of the icon

Just as the practically doomed John of Damascus once turned to the Mother of God, so now believers pray to the “Three-Handed” icon of the Mother of God when they are overwhelmed by total melancholy and adversity comes upon them.

This image protects all those accused and convicted in vain, helps restore justice by God's mercy and return the truth

This, if it is possible to say so, is the special mission of this image; it captures an incredible miracle and the opportunity to trust in the Lord and his intercession.

In addition, the Virgin Mary in this type of image comes from the canonical model of Hodehydrius. The history of this canon speaks of a symbolic depiction of the only true path. The details here are strict, Christ and the Mother of God do not touch each other, and the Most Pure Virgin points to Christ, as if calling believers to turn to him. In turn, “Three-Handed” only emphasizes the meaning of the icon by pointing to a path that helps on earth and will also lead to the heavenly world.

“Three-handed” will become protection from troubles approaching the house

She brings respect and grace to people who honor her. She is asked to heal herself and her loved ones from illnesses. In churches, an akathist to the “Three-Handed” icon of the Mother of God is read so that this grace will descend on the believers.

Prayers to the Three-Handed Icon

Oh, Most Holy and Most Blessed Virgin, Mother of God Mary! We fall down and worship You before Your holy icon, remembering Your glorious miracle, the healing of the truncated right hand of the Venerable John of Damascus, which was revealed from this icon, whose sign is still visible on it, in the form of a third hand, attached to Your image. We pray to You and ask You, the All-merciful and All-generous Intercessor of our race: hear us praying to You, and like Blessed John, who cried out to You in sorrow and illness, You heard us, so do not despise us, those who grieve and suffer from the wounds of many different passions, do not despise , those who diligently come running to You from a contrite soul. You see, O All-Merciful Lady, our infirmities, our embitterment, our need, I will need Your help, as enemies surround us 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 at the terrible judgment of the Son Yours and our God. Beseech Him for us with Thy motherly prayer, that He may not condemn us according to our iniquity, 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 Him belong glory and power, honor and worship, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit , always, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

The icon of the Mother of God is distinguished by the fact that in its image at the bottom of the canvas there is a third hand. It can be considered as a separate element, or as the third hand of the Virgin Mary. This icon is closely connected with the fate of St. John of Damascus. In those ancient times, he lived in the capital of Syria, Damascus, and was an ardent defender of Orthodoxy and the veneration of holy icons.
Emperor Leo the Isaurian persecuted supporters of the holy icons in every possible way. John of Damascus wrote letters to his acquaintances in Byzantium, in which he denounced the heresy of iconoclasm. The emperor was angry with the author of these letters, but could not do anything and then he resorted to deception. In a letter to the Damascus caliph, he wrote that John of Damascus allegedly proposed to conquer the Syrian capital. The ruler became angry and ordered the minister’s right hand to be cut off and hanged in the city square to intimidate him.

At John’s request, the brush was returned to him, after which he locked himself in his cell and prayed all night in front of the icon of the Mother of God for healing. In the morning, the hand was in place, only the scar remained at the site of the amputation. The monk retired to the monastery of Sava the Sanctified and took monastic vows. And to the bottom of the icon, as a sign of gratitude, he attached an image of a hand made of silver. After these events, the icon began to be called “Three-Handed”.
A copy of the icon appeared in Russia in 1661. It was installed by Patriarch Nikon in the Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery. A lot of believers prayed before the icon of the Mother of God, including the Royal Family.

Many pray in front of the icon, asking for the healing of family and friends. It protects the home from enemies, brings prosperity and stability to families. It helps with diseases of the hands, feet, eyes, and helps artisans in their work.

Prayer before the icon of the Mother of God “Three-Handed”

O Most Holy Lady Lady Theotokos, who showed a great miracle to Saint John of Damascus, as if he showed true faith and undoubted hope! Hear us, Thy sinners (names), before Thy miraculous icon, earnestly praying and asking for Thy 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 us for what we have done sins, fill with joy and gladness all who honor Your holy icon, so that we joyfully sing and glorify Your name with love, for You are chosen from all generations, blessed forever and ever. Amen.

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 the 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 make a religious procession together with the “Three-Handed” icon. However, as soon as they managed to reach the bridge, a strong wind blew and drove away 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 Defender of the 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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