According to the Tradition set forth in the Chetya Menaion, Abgar V Uchama, sick with leprosy, sent his archivist Hannan (Ananias) to Christ with a letter in which he asked Christ to come to Edessa and heal him. Hannan was an artist, and Abgar instructed him, if the Savior could not come, to paint His image and bring it to him.

Hannan found Christ surrounded by a dense crowd; he stood on a stone from which he could see better and tried to portray the Savior. Seeing that Hannan wanted to make His portrait, Christ asked for water, washed himself, wiped His face with a cloth, and His image was imprinted on this cloth. The Savior handed this board to Hannan with the command to take it with a reply letter to the one who sent it. In this letter, Christ refused to go to Edessa himself, saying that he must fulfill what he was sent to do. Upon completion of His work, He promised to send one of His disciples to Abgar.

Having received the portrait, Avgar was healed of his main illness, but his face remained damaged.

After Pentecost, the holy Apostle Thaddeus went to Edessa. Preaching the Good News, he baptized the king and most of the population. Coming out of the baptismal font, Abgar discovered that he was completely healed and gave thanks to the Lord. By order of Avgar, the holy ubrus (plate) was glued onto a board of rotting wood, decorated and placed above the gates of the city instead of the idol that had previously been there. And everyone had to worship the “miraculous” image of Christ, as the new heavenly patron of the city.

However, the grandson of Abgar, having ascended the throne, planned to return the people to the worship of idols and, for this purpose, destroy the Image Not Made by Hands. The Bishop of Edessa, warned in a vision about this plan, ordered to wall up the niche where the Image was located, placing a lit lamp in front of it.

Over time, this place was forgotten.

In 544, during the siege of Edessa by the troops of the Persian king Chozroes, the Bishop of Edessa, Eulalis, was given a revelation about the whereabouts of the Icon Not Made by Hands. Having dismantled the brickwork in the indicated place, the residents saw not only a perfectly preserved image and a lamp that had not gone out for so many years, but also the imprint of the Most Holy Face on the ceramics - a clay board that covered the holy lining.

After committing procession With the Image Not Made by Hands along the walls of the city, the Persian army retreated.

Linen cloth with the image of Christ for a long time was kept in Edessa as the most important treasure of the city. During the period of iconoclasm, John of Damascus referred to the Image Not Made by Hands, and in 787, the Seventh Ecumenical Council, citing it as the most important evidence in favor of icon veneration. In 944, the Byzantine emperors Constantine Porphyrogenitus and Roman I bought the Image Not Made by Hands from Edessa. Crowds of people surrounded and brought up the rear of the procession as the Image Miraculous was transferred from the city to the bank of the Euphrates, where galleys awaited the procession to cross the river. Christians began to grumble, refusing to give up the holy Image unless there was a sign from God. And a sign was given to them. Suddenly the galley, onto which the Image Not Made by Hands had already been brought, swam without any action and landed on the opposite shore.

The silent Edessians returned to the city, and the procession with the Icon moved further along the dry route. Throughout the journey to Constantinople, miracles of healing were performed continuously. The monks and saints accompanying the Image Not Made by Hands traveled around the entire capital by sea with a magnificent ceremony and installed the holy Image in the Pharos Church. In honor of this event, August 16 was established religious holiday Transfer from Edessa to Constantinople of the Image Not Made by Hands (Ubrus) of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For exactly 260 years the Image Not Made by Hands was preserved in Constantinople (Constantinople). In 1204, the Crusaders turned their weapons against the Greeks and captured Constantinople. Along with a lot of gold, jewelry and sacred objects, they captured and transported to the ship the Image Not Made by Hands. But, according to the inscrutable fate of the Lord, the Miraculous Image did not remain in their hands. As they sailed across the Sea of ​​Marmara, a terrible storm suddenly arose and the ship quickly sank. The greatest Christian shrine has disappeared. This ends the story of the true Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

There is a legend that the Image Not Made by Hands was transferred around 1362 to Genoa, where it is kept in a monastery in honor of the Apostle Bartholomew. In the Orthodox icon painting tradition there are two main types of images of the Holy Face: “Savior on the Ubrus”, or “Ubrus” and “Savior on the Chrepiya”, or “Chrepiya”.

On icons of the “Spas on the Ubrus” type, the image of the Savior’s face is placed against the background of a cloth, the fabric of which is gathered into folds, and its upper ends are tied with knots. Around the head is a halo, a symbol of holiness. The color of the halo is usually golden. Unlike the haloes of saints, the halo of the Savior has an inscribed cross. This element is found only in the iconography of Jesus Christ. In Byzantine images it was decorated precious stones. Later, the cross in halos began to be depicted as consisting of nine lines according to the number of nine angelic ranks and three Greek letters were inscribed (I am Jehovah), and on the sides of the halo in the background were placed the abbreviated name of the Savior - IC and HS. Such icons in Byzantium were called “Holy Mandylion” (Άγιον Μανδύλιον from the Greek μανδύας - “ubrus, cloak”).

On icons such as “The Savior on the Chrepiya”, or “Chrepiye”, according to legend, the image of the Savior’s face after the miraculous acquisition of the ubrus was also imprinted on the ceramide tiles with which the Image Not Made by Hands was covered. Such icons in Byzantium were called “Saint Keramidion”. There is no image of the board on them, the background is smooth, and in some cases imitates the texture of tiles or masonry.

The most ancient images were made on a clean background, without any hint of material or tiles. The earliest surviving icon " Savior Not Made by Hands" - a Novgorod double-sided image of the 12th century - is located in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Ubrus with folds begins to spread on Russian icons from the 14th century.

Images of the Savior with a wedge-shaped beard (converging to one or two narrow ends) are also known in Byzantine sources, however, only on Russian soil they took shape into a separate iconographic type and received the name “Savior of Wet Brad”.

In the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Mother of God in the Kremlin there is one of the revered and rare icons - “The Ardent Eye of Savior”. It was written in 1344 for the old Assumption Cathedral. It depicts the stern face of Christ looking piercingly and sternly at the enemies of Orthodoxy - Rus' during this period was under the yoke of the Tatar-Mongols.

“The Savior Not Made by Hands” is an icon especially revered by Orthodox Christians in Rus'. It has always been present on Russian military flags since the time of the Mamaev Massacre.

A.G. Namerovsky. Sergius of Radonezh blesses Dmitry Donskoy for a feat of arms

Through many of His icons the Lord manifested Himself, revealing wondrous miracles. So, for example, in the village of Spassky, near the city of Tomsk, in 1666, one Tomsk painter, to whom the village residents ordered an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker for their chapel, set to work according to all rules. He called on the residents to fast and pray, and on the prepared board he painted the face of the saint of God so that he could work with paints the next day. But the next day, instead of Saint Nicholas, I saw on the board the outlines of the Miraculous Image of Christ the Savior! Twice he restored the features of St. Nicholas the Pleasant, and twice the face of the Savior was miraculously restored on the board. The same thing happened a third time. This is how the icon of the Miraculous Image was written on the board. The rumor about the sign that had taken place spread far beyond Spassky, and pilgrims began to flock here from everywhere. Quite a lot of time had passed; due to dampness and dust, the constantly open icon had become dilapidated and required restoration. Then, on March 13, 1788, the icon painter Daniil Petrov, with the blessing of Abbot Palladius, the abbot of the monastery in Tomsk, began to remove the former face of the Savior from the icon with a knife in order to paint a new one. I already took a full handful of paints from the board, but the holy face of the Savior remained unchanged. Fear fell on everyone who saw this miracle, and since then no one has dared to update the image. In 1930, like most churches, this temple was closed and the icon disappeared.

The miraculous image of Christ the Savior, erected by no one knows who and no one knows when, in the city of Vyatka on the porch (porch in front of the church) of the Ascension Cathedral, became famous for the countless healings that took place before it, mainly from eye diseases. A distinctive feature of the Vyatka Savior Not Made by Hands is the image of angels standing on the sides, whose figures are not fully depicted. The copy of the miraculous Vyatka icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands hung from inside over the Spassky Gate of the Moscow Kremlin. The icon itself was delivered from Khlynov (Vyatka) and left in the Moscow Novospassky Monastery in 1647. The exact list was sent to Khlynov, and the second one was installed above the gates of the Frolovskaya tower. In honor of the image of the Savior and the fresco of the Savior of Smolensk with outside, the gate through which the icon was delivered and the tower itself were called Spassky.

Another miraculous image of the Savior Not Made by Hands is located in the Transfiguration Cathedral in St. Petersburg. The icon was painted for Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich by the famous icon painter Simon Ushakov. It was handed over by the queen to her son, Peter I. He always took the icon with him on military campaigns, and he was with it when laying the foundation of St. Petersburg. This icon saved the life of the king more than once. List of this miraculous icon Emperor Alexander III took with him. During the crash of the royal train on the Kursk-Kharkov-Azov railway On October 17, 1888, he emerged from the destroyed carriage along with his entire family unharmed. The icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands was also preserved intact, even the glass in the icon case remained intact.

In the collection of the State Museum of Art of Georgia there is an encaustic icon of the 7th century, called the “Anchiskhat Savior”, representing Christ from the chest. Georgian folk tradition identifies this icon with the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands from Edessa.

In the West, the legend of the Savior Not Made by Hands became widespread as the legend of the Payment of Saint Veronica. According to him, the pious Jewish Veronica, who accompanied Christ on His way of the cross to Calvary, gave Him a linen handkerchief so that Christ could wipe the blood and sweat from his face. The face of Jesus was imprinted on the handkerchief. The relic, called the “Veronica board”, is kept in the Cathedral of St. Peter's in Rome. Presumably, the name Veronica, when mentioning the Image Not Made by Hands, arose as a distortion of Lat. vera icon (true image). In Western iconography distinctive feature images of the “Plate of Veronica” - a crown of thorns on the head of the Savior.

According to Christian tradition, the miraculous Image of the Savior Jesus Christ is one of the proofs of the truth of the incarnation in human image of the second person of the Trinity. The ability to capture the image of God, according to teaching Orthodox Church, is associated with the Incarnation, that is, the birth of Jesus Christ, God the Son, or, as believers usually call Him, the Savior, the Savior. Before His birth, the appearance of icons was unreal - God the Father is invisible and incomprehensible, therefore, incomprehensible. Thus, the first icon painter was God himself, His Son - “the image of His hypostasis” (Heb. 1.3). God acquired a human face, the Word became flesh for the salvation of man.

Troparion, tone 2

We worship Your most pure image, O Good One, asking for forgiveness of our sins, O Christ our God: for by the will of Thou didst deign to ascend in the flesh to the cross, that Thou mightest deliver what Thou hast created from the work of the enemy. We also cry out to You with gratitude: You have filled all with joy, our Savior, who came to save the world.

Kontakion, tone 2

Few people have thought about where icons came from in the first place. Their veneration has become so firmly established in Orthodox tradition it seems like it has always been this way. In the history of Christianity, the very first icon was the “Savior Not Made by Hands.” This image is very interesting story and deep theological significance.

The emergence of the first image

Church tradition has preserved few descriptions of Christ’s appearance, and the Bible doesn’t say a word about it at all. But where did the image of that face that everyone knows well come from? The history of the icon “Savior Not Made by Hands” was brought to us in all its details by the Roman historian Eusebius, a student of Pamphilus, originally from Palestine. Much information about the life of that period is known precisely thanks to his works.

The glory of Christ was so great that people came to Him even from other countries. So the ruler of the city of Edessa (in the territory of modern Turkey) sent a man to him with a letter. Avgar was already grown, he was tormented by a leg disease. Christ promised to send one of his disciples to help the king and enlighten his people with the light of the Gospel. Ephraim the Syrian also talks about this incident.

Abgar also sent the artist to Christ, but he was so blinded by the divine radiance that he simply could not paint a portrait of the Savior. Then Christ gave the king as a gift a linen (ubrus), with which he wiped his face. The imprint of the face remained on the board - that’s why it is called miraculous - because it was created not by human hands, but by divine power (like the Shroud of Turin). This is how the first icon arose - during the life of the Savior. The ambassadors brought the fabric to Edessa, where it became a city shrine.

After the ascension of Christ, the Apostle Thaddeus went there - he healed Abgar, performed many more miracles and converted the local residents to Christianity. Another historian, Procopius of Caesarea, testifies to these events. And Evagrius from Antioch tells how the image miraculously saved the inhabitants of the city from an enemy siege.

The further fate of the wonderful payment

Having become Christians, the inhabitants of Edessa hung the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands (also called the Mandylion) over the city gates. When one of Abgar’s descendants became a pagan, pious Christians covered the icon with bricks to protect it from desecration. The image was hidden for so long that it was forgotten. During the next siege, already in the 6th century, the bishop saw a vision where the location of the shrine was revealed to him. When dismantling the masonry, it was discovered that the lick had passed onto the bricks.

The mandylion was moved to the cathedral, from where it was removed only 2 times a year. The tradition of venerating shrines did not exist then, and even approaching the image was forbidden. At the end of the 1st century. The Byzantine army besieged the city, and in exchange for peace it was proposed to give up a miraculous image of the Savior. The city residents agreed. This is how the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands came to Constantinople. This day is now a church holiday.

In 1011, an unknown artist of the Western school made a copy that ended up in Rome. It was kept in a special altar and was called “faith eikon” - the true image. Later it became known as “Veronica’s Plat” and acquired its own legends. Thus, the Savior Not Made by Hands was of great importance for the development of Western iconography.

Unfortunately, the original Mandylion has not survived to this day. It was kidnapped during one of the crusades (1204) - legend says that the ship where the icon was located sank. However, those lists that are kept in the Vatican (Santa Matilda Chapel) and Genoa are considered quite accurate.

What does the Savior Not Made by Hands look like?

The description of the icon kept by King Abgar has come to us thanks to historical documents. The material with the imprint of the Face was stretched onto a wooden base. This is the only image that depicts Christ as a human person. Other images of the Savior are made with attributes, or the Lord performs certain actions. Here a “portrait”, the face of Christ, is shown; the author’s “vision” is not given, but the Image is presented as it is.

Most often the Savior is found on the ubrus - the face is depicted against the background of a towel, with different types folds The board is usually white. Sometimes the face is depicted against the background brickwork. In some traditions, the towel is held by the edges by flying Angels.

The uniqueness of the image lies in the mirror symmetry, which is broken only by the eyes. They are slightly slanted, which makes the facial expression more spiritual. The Novgorod list is considered the ancient embodiment of ideal beauty. In addition to symmetry, the absence of emotions plays an important role here - the sublime purity and spiritual peace that the Savior possesses are, as it were, transmitted to the one who looks at the icon of the “Savior Not Made by Hands.”

The role and meaning of the image in Christianity

It is difficult to overestimate the significance of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands - its miraculous appearance became a very powerful argument during the period of iconoclasm. In fact, this is the main proof that the face of Christ can be depicted and enjoyed veneration by believers, as an opportunity to offer praise to the Prototype.

It was the imprint left on the fabric that became one of the main types of iconography, which recalls the divine beginning of icon painting. In the first centuries, it itself had, among other things, a descriptive function - biblical stories came to life before the eyes of illiterate Christians. In addition, books, including the Holy Scriptures, were very rare for a long time. The desire of believers to have a visible incarnation of Christ is also quite understandable.

The image of only the face of the Savior should remind believers that their salvation is possible only if they establish a personal relationship with Christ as the God-man. Without this, no church rituals can serve as a “pass” to the kingdom of heaven. Christ's gaze is directed directly at the viewer - calling on each individual person to follow Him. Contemplation of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands helps to understand what the meaning of Christian life is.

How does the Savior Not Made by Hands help?

How can a believer establish contact with God? In order for the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands to become a true protector, one must conduct a prayerful dialogue with the Lord. In prayer, a person expresses his requests, hopes, even grievances against loved ones will be listened to by the Almighty - but they should not be expressed with anger...

The image of the Savior must be in every Christian home. You can ask Him for anything:

• about helping loved ones;
• for children;
• about good health;
• about welfare;
• about help in work, any worldly affairs.

You cannot use icons for divination, use them in different magical rituals. History knows of cases where such attempts ended very badly for magicians.

What prayers are best suited to be said in front of the icon of the “Savior Not Made by Hands”? First of all - “Our Father” prayer given to people by Jesus Christ himself during his earthly journey. Every day should begin with it, even before eating, true believers read it to thank the Lord for what they have. Before falling asleep, you can also read to calm your mind and cleanse your soul.

Where are the icons of the Savior located?

Although there was never an original Mandylion in Russia, there were lists glorified by miracles. One of them remained for a long time in the Novospassky Monastery (near Taganka), which became famous as the tomb of the Romanov family. Although the first miracle was revealed in the city of Vyatka, soon the miraculous icon was solemnly transferred to the capital. This happened in January 1647.

At first, the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands was on one of the Kremlin towers, but in the same year it went to the Church of the Transfiguration. Here are some of the miracles performed through prayers at the Vyatka icon:

• a completely blind man regained his sight;
• assistance in suppressing the rebellion of S. Razin;
• a religious procession with an icon helped stop the fire of 1834;
• many healings during the cholera epidemic.

During the years of the revolution, the miraculous original was lost. In place of the previous image there is currently a list.

Amazing monument Russian culture- Temple of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands in Abramtsevo. The small elegant church was created by the joint efforts of V. Vasnetsov, V. Polenov, I. Repin. They created the design of the building, the iconostasis, all the decorations, painted the icons, even laid out the floor with mosaics. The paintings on the windows belong to M. Vrubel. The temple was consecrated in 1882. You can travel from Moscow by train to the Khotkovo station.

The oldest icon in Russia, the Savior Not Made by Hands, dates back to the 12th century, painted in the Novgorod manner. There is no image of the board on it, because the image reproduces the face of the Savior, miraculously revealed on bricks (in Edessa). According to experts, this version may be very close to the original that appeared on the ubrus. The image was kept in the Kremlin and is now in the Tretyakov Gallery.

Prayer to the icon

Troparion, tone 2

We worship Your most pure image, O Good One, asking for forgiveness of our sins, O Christ our God, by the will of Your flesh you deigned to ascend to the Cross, so that You may deliver Him from the work of the enemy. Thus we cry out to You in gratitude: You have filled all with joy, our Savior, who came to save the world.

Prayer

O Most Blessed Lord Jesus Christ, our God! You, from the ancient times of human nature, washed your face with holy water and wiped it with a rubbish, and you deigned to depict it miraculously on the same fringe and sent it to the Edessa prince Abgar for the healing of his illness. Behold, now we, Thy servants, sinners, possessed by our mental and physical ailments, seek Thy face, O Lord, and with David in the humility of our souls we call: do not turn Thy face away from us, and turn away in anger from Thy servants, be our Helper, not reject us and do not abandon us. O All-Merciful Lord, our Savior! Imagine for Yourself in our souls, that if we live in holiness and truth, we will be Your sons and heirs of Your Kingdom, and so we will not cease to glorify You, our Most Merciful God, together with Your Beginning Father and the Most Holy Spirit, forever and ever.
Amen.

It is customary to pray to this image in the most difficult life situations when despair, despondency or anger prevent you from living like a Christian.

The miraculous image of the Savior is considered the most valuable and one-of-a-kind icon. This icon is worshiped by Christians all over the world, because the miraculous image is capable of completely changing the life of everyone who sincerely asks for it.

“The Savior Not Made by Hands” is an icon that has a unique meaning among other icons of world significance. We find ourselves literally face to face with the Savior. He is the driver of our life, our sun, our path. This is an icon for prayer of request and thanksgiving, and both protect us from unfriendly phenomena and events. It is known that if we voluntarily follow the Lord along His path, then we fall under His protection in the most natural way - He is our Leader, Teacher, Savior.

History of the icon

According to legend, the icon appeared with the help of a real miracle. King Abgar of Edessa fell ill with leprosy and wrote a letter to Jesus, asking him to heal him from a terrible disease. Jesus answered the message, but the letter did not heal the king.

The dying monarch sent his servant to Jesus. The man who arrived conveyed his request to the Savior. Jesus listened to the servant, went to a vessel of water, washed his face and wiped his face with a towel, on which His face was miraculously imprinted. The servant took the shrine, took it to Avgar, and he was completely healed just by touching the towel.

Avgar's icon painters copied the face that remained on the canvas, and closed the relic itself in a scroll. Traces of the shrine are lost in Constantinople, where the scroll was transported for safety during the raids.

Description of the icon

The icon “Savior Not Made by Hands” does not depict events; the Savior does not act as an unattainable God. Only His face, only his gaze directed at everyone who approaches the icon.

This image carries the main idea and idea Christian faith, reminding everyone that it is through the person of Jesus that a person can come to the truth and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Prayer before this image is like a private conversation with the Savior.

What do they pray to the icon for?

Every Orthodox Christian who prays before the icon of the “Savior Not Made by Hands” has the most honest conversation with the Savior about his life and eternal life. It is customary to pray to this image in the most difficult life situations, when despair, despondency or anger do not allow one to live as a Christian.

A prayer to the Savior before this image can help:

• in healing a serious illness;
• in getting rid of sorrows and sorrows;
• in a complete change in life path. You can always find more useful articles, interesting videos and tests on our website.

• Prayers to the miraculous image of the Savior

  “Lord my God, by your mercy my life has been given to me. Lord, will you leave me in my trouble? Cover me, Jesus, and guide me beyond the lines of my misfortune, protect me from new shocks and show me the way to peace and quiet. Forgive me my sins, Lord, and allow me to humbly enter Your Kingdom. Amen".

  “Heavenly Savior, Creator and Protector, Shelter and Cover, do not leave me. Heal, Lord, my mental and physical wounds, protect me from pain and troubles, and forgive me my sins, voluntary and involuntary. Amen".

  Orthodox churches abound with the faces of saints who are capable of providing their divine help to people in difficult situations and in the presence of serious illnesses. Each icon is characterized by some special action that allows you to improve a person’s life in a certain area. In this article, I would like to invite you to understand the meaning of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands, as well as in what situations you can pray to it for mercy.

  The Miraculous Image of the Savior is one of the original images that imprinted the face of the Lord. The image is very significant among adherents of the Christian religion; it is often put forward in the same place as the cross and crucifix.

  If you - Orthodox man and if you want to know the real characteristics of this icon, as well as from what troubles you can protect yourself with its help, be sure to read on.

  How the Miracle Image of Jesus Christ originally appeared

  We can find out what the Savior looked like by a large number various church traditions and legends, but the Bible does not mention one word about appearance Jesus. How then could the image of the one we are talking about now appear?

  The history of the creation of the image of the “Savior Not Made by Hands” with all the details was preserved and transmitted by the Roman historian Eusebius (students of Pamphilus, living in Palestine). It should be noted that Eusebius made a very great contribution to history - much of the information from the time of Jesus has been preserved to this day precisely thanks to his efforts.

  But how did the Savior Not Made by Hands appear? The glory of the Savior was known far from his place of residence; residents of other cities and even countries often visited him. One day, the king of the city of Edessa (now modern Turkey) sent a herald to him with a message. The letter said that Avgar was exhausted by old age and a serious illness of his legs. made a promise to send one of his disciples to assist the ruler and bring enlightenment to his people with the help of the light of the Holy Gospel. The following incident was recorded and reported by Ephraim the Syrian.

  In addition to the messenger, Abgar also sent a painter to Jesus, but he was so blinded by the divine radiance that he was unable to paint a portrait of Christ. Then the Savior decided to present Abgar with a kind of present - a linen (ubrus) with which he wiped his face.

  The canvas retained the imprint of the divine face - that is why it was given the name miraculous, that is, one that was created not by human hands, but by divine power (similar to the Shroud of Turin). This was the first image that arose during the life of Jesus. And when the fabric was delivered by ambassadors to Edessa, it immediately turned into a local shrine.

  When Jesus was crucified on the cross, the Apostle Thaddeus goes to Edessa, healing Abgar and performing other miracles, and also actively converting the local population to become Christians. We learn about these amazing events from another historian - Procopius of Caesarea. And the records of Evagrius (Antioch) tell about the miraculous salvation of the townspeople from an enemy ambush.

  Appearance of the icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands

  Historical documents have preserved to this day a description of the divine face, which was kept by King Abgar. The canvas was stretched over a wooden base. It is surprising that the Savior Not Made by Hands is the only image depicting Jesus as a human being, emphasizing his human nature.

  And in all other images the Savior is depicted with elements of church paraphernalia or performing certain actions. And in the image of the Savior you can see the appearance of Jesus, and it is not the “vision” of the author, but represents a real image of the Lord.

  Most often we see the image of the Savior on the ubrus - the image of the Savior depicted against the background of a towel with folds. Most boards have White color. In some cases, the face is depicted against the background of brickwork. And in a number of traditions, the towel is held at the edges by angelic beings floating in the air.

  

  The image is unique in its mirror symmetry, into which only the Savior’s eyes do not fit - they are slightly skewed, which adds more spirituality to the facial expressions of Jesus.

  The list of the Savior Not Made by Hands, which is located in the city of Novgorod, is a standard of the ancient incarnation of ideal beauty. Besides perfect symmetry of great importance here they pay attention to the complete absence of emotions - the sublime purity, peace of mind of the Savior, which seem to charge everyone who turns their gaze to his icon.

  What does an image mean in Christianity?

  It is difficult to overestimate what the face of the Savior Not Made by Hands means - after all, its amazing appearance in itself represents a fairly significant argument at the time of the struggle against icons. In fact, it is the image that is the main confirmation that the face of the Savior can be depicted and used as a shrine and pray to him for your requests.

  The print preserved on the canvas is main type iconography, reminiscent of the divine origin of icon painting. This skill initially also had a descriptive function - stories from the Bible began to come to life before the eyes of the first adherents of Christianity. In addition, before there were practically no books, even the famous Holy Scripture, which was a great rarity for a long time. Therefore, it is quite logical that believers really wanted to have a visible incarnation of the Savior.

  The same fact that only the face of Jesus is depicted on the icon is intended to remind Christians that they can only be saved if they establish a personal relationship with Christ. And if this does not happen, none of the church rituals will be able to let the believer into the Kingdom of Heaven.

  In the image, Jesus looks clearly at the audience - as if he is calling everyone who turns their gaze to him to follow Him. The process of contemplating the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands allows us to realize the true meaning of life in Christianity.

  What does the icon of the “Savior Not Made by Hands” mean?

  The amazing image of the Savior is distinguished by certain characteristics:

  • it is the icon described that represents an indispensable element of the icon painters’ training program and their first independent icon;
  • This is the only one of the faces of Jesus that has a closed halo. The halo symbolizes the harmony and completeness of the Universe;
  • the image is symmetrical. Only Jesus' eyes slant a little to the side to demonstrate a more vivid picture. The symmetry in the image is intended to remind us of the symmetry in everything that was created by the Lord;
  • the face of Jesus in the icon does not express the emotions of suffering or pain. On the contrary, it evokes associations with calm, balance and purity, as well as freedom from any emotional experiences. Often the face is associated with the concept of “pure beauty”;
  • the icon shows only a portrait of the Savior, only his head, even his shoulders are missing. This feature can be interpreted from different positions, in particular, the head once again places emphasis on the primacy of the spiritual over the physical, plus it acts as a kind of reminder of the importance of the Son of God in church life.

  It is noteworthy that the described icon is the only image of the face of Jesus. On all other holy faces one can find the Savior moving or standing at full height.

  • if a person is solving a difficult life problem, is in a difficult situation from which it is difficult to find a way out, it is worth turning to the icon of the “Savior Not Made by Hands” for help;
  • if faith is lost, the face of the Savior will also help;
  • if there are various severe pathologies, it is also worth turning to the face;
  • if you have bad, sinful thoughts, by praying at this icon, you can quickly get rid of them;
  • praying to the image to actually receive mercy and condescension from the Savior, both for yourself and for your close circle;
  • if you suffer from apathy, lack of physical energy, the face of the Savior Not Made by Hands can also solve this problem.

  Before you start asking Christ for help from his icon, repent and read the text of the prayer “Our Father”.

  In conclusion, I suggest you also watch an informative video about the icon “The Savior Not Made by Hands”:

  The miraculous image of Spasov

  The miraculous (???????????????) image, or icon of the Savior “on the ubrus”, known in the West as the “holy face” (?????????), takes first place among icons of Christ.

  The expression “not made with hands” receives its true meaning in the light of the accompanying Gospel text (see: Mark 14:58): the “not made with hands” image is, first of all, the incarnate Word, revealed in temple of His body(John 2:21). From this time on, the Mosaic law prohibiting human images (see: Exodus 20:4) loses its meaning, and the icons of Christ become irrefutable evidence of the Incarnation. Instead of creating a “hand-made” image, that is, an image of the God-Man made at will, icon painters must follow the tradition that connects them with the “not made by hand” prototype. This is a legend from the beginning of the 5th century. acquired a legendary form in the history of the Edessa king Abgar, who commissioned a picturesque portrait of Christ. The Byzantine version of the legend says that the Edessa image was an imprint of the Savior's face on a board, which He applied to His face and handed over to Abgar's messenger. The first images of Christ, the “mandylion” and his two miraculous imprints on the tiles, “ceramides,” were thus supposed to be a kind of “miraculous” documents, direct and, so to speak, material evidence of the incarnation of God the Word. These legendary narratives express in their own way a dogmatic truth: Christian iconography, and above all the ability to depict Christ, is based on the very fact of the Incarnation. Therefore, the sacred art of icon painting cannot be the arbitrary creativity of the artist: just like a theologian in the field of thought, the icon painter must express in art the living, “not made by hands” Truth, Revelation, content of the Church in Tradition. Better than any other sacred image, the “miraculous” image of Christ expresses the dogmatic basis of iconography. Therefore, the VII Ecumenical Council paid special attention to this icon, and it is this icon of Christ that is venerated on the day of the Triumph of Orthodoxy (see above kontakion of the holiday, p. 117).

  The Savior Not Made by Hands “on the ubrus”. Fresco from the Church of the Savior on Nereditsa. Novgorod. 1199

  

  The Savior Not Made by Hands “on the Skull”. Fresco from the Church of the Savior on Nereditsa. Novgorod. 1199

  The iconographic type of the Savior Not Made by Hands represents only the face of Christ, without neck and shoulders, framed on both sides by long strands of hair. The beard sometimes ends in a wedge, sometimes it is forked. The correct facial features are depicted schematically: the beautiful line of the mouth is devoid of any sensuality, the elongated and thin nose, together with wide eyebrows, forms a pattern reminiscent of a palm tree. The serious and dispassionate expression of the face of the God-Man has nothing in common with the dispassionate indifference to the world and man, so often found in religious images Far East. Here dispassion is absolutely pure human nature, excluding sin, but open to all the grief of the fallen world. The look of large, wide-open eyes facing the viewer is sad and attentive; it seems to penetrate into the very depths of consciousness, but does not suppress. Christ came not to judge the world, but so that the world would be saved by Him (see: John 3:17). The sign of the cross is inscribed in the halo surrounding the head of Christ. We see this baptized halo in all images of the Lord. The Greek letters at the three ends of the cross make up the Name of God revealed to Moses: ? ?? – Syy (Existing) (see: Ex. 3:14). This is the terrible name of Jehovah, belonging to the divine nature of Christ. The abbreviated spelling of the name of Jesus Christ IC XC (on one at the bottom, on the other at the top) indicates the Hypostasis of the Incarnate Word. The inscription of the name is mandatory on all icons of Christ, the Mother of God (MP ?Y) and all saints.

  

  Savior Not Made by Hands. Banner. Circa 1945

  Icons of the Savior Not Made by Hands were probably numerous in Byzantium starting from the 6th century; they especially spread after the icon was transferred from Edessa to Constantinople in 944. However, the best icons of this type that we know of are of Russian origin. One of the oldest surviving icons (12th century) is located in the Moscow Assumption Cathedral. It is painted in a monumental style, reminiscent of a fresco.

  Our icon (see p. 121) was painted on a banner by a Russian icon painter around 1945. Here new technology and the artistic flair of our contemporary served to convey what is not created by human hands: the traditional appearance of Christ, as only the Church knows Him.

  

  Savior Almighty. Russia. XVI century Temple Gallery London

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