What does the guardian angel icon mean? Saint Cyril - Guardian Angel (icon)

Saint Cyril, Guardian Angel. The icon of the one whom the believer considers his intercessor should be kept at home. The image of the patron can be kept among personal belongings, for example in a bag. It is advisable to know the biography of your patron. Saints did not always remain on earth for long. However, they used the time allotted to them to improve their souls and the good of their neighbors. Such was the life of Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril.

The story of a Slovenian teacher

The Slovenian teacher Kirill was born in the 9th century in Macedonia. Before becoming a schema-monk, he bore the name Konstantin. He went down in history together with his brother Methodius. The saint was well educated and accepted the priesthood early. For some time, young Konstantin was a librarian. In addition, he taught philosophy. However, the saint was to use the gift of eloquence to spread the teachings of Christ.

Constantine did not want fame and honors for himself. Despite his ability to win disputes between Muslims and iconoclast heretics, he did not want to become a missionary, dreaming only of solitude and prayer. Constantine went to live in the mountains with his brother Methodius. In 857, Emperor Michael sent the righteous brothers to the Khazars. Constantine and Methodius were supposed to persuade them to accept Christianity. Constantine's preaching was so convincing that the Khazar prince, together with his subjects, accepted the new faith. The ruler wanted to give gifts to the brothers. Constantine, after consulting with Methodius, refused the gifts. The prince was asked to replace the rich gifts with the release of Greek captives. The Khazar ruler could not refuse this request.

The main mission awaited the brothers in 862. Constantine and Methodius were sent to Moravia, where they created an alphabet for the Slavs and translated it from Greek language books for worship. Konstantin has always been in poor health. Numerous moves and hard labour completely weakened him. Having managed to accept the schema and a new name, the saint died at the age of forty-two. Cyril was buried in one of the Roman churches. According to his brother's will, Methodius continued the education of the Slavs.

Who prays to Saint Cyril?

Saint Cyril helped many believers. A guardian angel, an icon of one of the Christian martyrs will only help that person who honors the Christian commandments. This should be remembered when referring to otherworldly forces. With all questions, a believer can turn to the saint who is closest to his heart. However, traditionally each Christian martyr is intended to be approached with a specific problem. They contact Kirill:

• Teachers. Having knowledge about your subject is not enough. You need to be able to convey information to another person. Kirill himself was once a teacher. Turning to him will help you not only gain the ability to teach others, but also become respected among your students.
• Politicians. Your career directly depends on the gift of eloquence politician. In addition, you need to learn to overcome your fear of crowds. Kirill's example is indicative. He felt no fear when speaking before the Khazars, who were distinguished by their cruelty and inhumanity. But the saint knew that his faith would protect him from unexpected death.
• Pupils and students. can students of schools, secondary and higher educational institutions.

It doesn’t matter who will help you cope with the difficult task: St. Cyril, the Guardian Angel, the icon of the saint whose name you bear. Your request should be sincere and aimed only at the benefit of yourself and others.

Each of us, at the sacrament of baptism, is given a Guardian Angel - a representative of the disembodied forces, who is with us all our lives, protects us, protects us and warns us of possible problems if we sincerely love God, believe Him, and hope in Him. Prayers before the icons of the Guardian Angel, which are included, in particular, in the morning and evening prayer rule, including in front of the “Appearance of the Guardian Angel” icon, protect us all day and then all night from the invasion of the forces of evil into our lives.

What does an icon help with?

Prayer before the icon of the “Guardian Angel” will help in all worldly affairs, since after the Mother Intercessor and the saints to whom we turn for help, our Guardian Angel is the main intercessor. This, figuratively speaking, is our invisible bodyguard, a mentor from the Almighty, who is entrusted with keeping an eye on us during our earthly life, praying to God for us when we stumble, and, if possible, not allowing us to stumble. We can say that the voice of intuition is his voice. When we read prayers to the Guardian Angel consciously, personally, lovingly, analyzing the words, and not formally reading the text, we begin to understand our true responsibility for all matters both before God and before His incorporeal army. If you think about her heartfelt words, it will help you understand how closely we are connected with them, with the angels: we upset them with our irresponsible actions before the Lord, and by showing virtues, we make them happy. It is important to remember that the official church recommends turning to guardian angels at home, that is, in your home prayers.

How to pray in front of an icon

First of all, let us remember: despite the fact that we call the day of celebrating our namesake with the saint whose name we bear, in other words, name day, “Angel’s day,” the heavenly patron saint himself is not a Guardian Angel, and the expression “day “Angel” in this case is not a completely correct definition.

Our patron saint is a real person who has individual character, who passed the earthly path and, following Christ, experienced the experience of ascension into the Kingdom of Heaven. For him, they wrote their own personal prayers, akathists, which reflect the biography of the saint and his Christian holy feat, for which the Lord granted them holiness. The Guardian Angel is an ethereal force that has no name or individual traits. But you can and should turn to him in home prayer, which is why these prayers were created in ancient times.

A prayer to the Guardian Angel, which can be repeated in all cases, for example, before starting any important task

Angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me from God from heaven for my protection! I diligently pray to you: enlighten me today, save me from all evil, instruct me in every deed, and direct me on the path of salvation. Amen.

Prayer from “Morning Prayers” in the prayer book (read in the morning)

Holy Angel, standing before my accursed soul and my passionate life, do not leave me, a sinner, nor depart from me for my intemperance. Do not give room to the evil demon to possess me through the violence of this mortal body; strengthen my poor and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation. To her, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my accursed soul and body, forgive me everything, I have offended you so greatly all the days of my life, and if I sinned this past night, cover me on this day, and save me from every opposite temptation May I not anger God in any sin, and pray for me to the Lord, that He may strengthen me in His passion, and show me worthy as a servant of His goodness. Amen.

Prayer from “Prayers for the coming sleep” in the prayer book (read at night, in the evening)

Angel of Christ, my holy guardian and protector of my soul and body, forgive me all who have sinned this day, and deliver me from every wickedness of the enemy who opposes me, so that in no sin I will anger my God; but pray for me, a sinful and unworthy servant, that you may show me worthy of the goodness and mercy of the All-Holy Trinity and the Mother of my Lord Jesus Christ and all the saints. Amen.

When does the celebration take place?

There is no celebration of the icon of the Guardian Angel as such, but once a year we celebrate the Council of the Archangel Michael (translated from Hebrew as “who is like God”), installed by the Lord over all the ranks of angels and other disembodied powers - this day falls on November 8/21.

The date is set as follows: November is the ninth month from March; in ancient times, the calculation of the year began with it, and nine is the number angelic ranks. The eighth number means the eighth day of creation, on which the second coming of Christ will occur - the Lord will come with all His incorporeal powers to create His Judgment: “The Son of Man will come in His glory and all the holy angels with Him” (Matthew 25:31).

Events from the history of the icon

From time to time, disputes arise among theologians as to how legitimate the very depiction of angelic ranks on icons is - invisible, ethereal forces, but supporters of iconographic images quite reasonably object to them that in the Gospel, in the biblical stories of the New Testament, the appearance of angels to people is attested, for by the will of God everything can be. One way or another, we see angelic images on Orthodox icons, and on icons of the Catholic world, and on the canvases of Renaissance masters. Its main attributes in Russian icon painting from the 16th – 17th centuries are a white tunic or a white tunic, according to the Gospel descriptions, for example, the description of the Angel who was met at the Holy Sepulcher by the myrrh-bearing wife: “His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white, like snow” (Matthew 28:3). A spear and a cross were usually depicted in the hands, which allowed theologians who considered the image of the Guardian Angel unauthorized to attribute it to the image of the Archangel Michael or one of the seven supreme Angels - the Archangels, who have names and characteristic attributes in the images.

Researchers of Orthodox iconography and its history, in search of the iconography of angelic images, turned to the origins of Byzantine iconography of the 11th century, when the foundations of Orthodox iconography are believed to have been laid, but they did not find any images of angels in the iconography of that period. Therefore, for example, V.S. Kutkova in her article “The Guardian Angel as a Personality and Questions of His Imaginability” asks a completely natural question: if the morning prayer “Holy Angel...” was created by Macarius the Great in the 4th century, and the canon to the Guardian Angel was created by Metropolitan John Mauropodos of Euchaiti in the 11th century, then before which face, what icon were these prayers offered?

However, the problem with the possibility of iconographic depiction of angels can be removed. Philosophical thought from the time of Saints Gregory Palamas and Theodore the Studite to our contemporary philosophers and theologians, considering the Divine, uncreated essence of incorporeal forces, compared it with created human nature. As a result, they came to the same conclusion: angels do not have individual characteristics, since they are incorporeal, but nevertheless they are personal.

Personality is a concept that is purely Divine in nature and belongs, first of all, to a common spiritual sphere with God, and therefore to a spiritual sphere united with all that exists. It is not connected with naturalness. Whereas individuality carries natural traits that distinguish us, dividing us according to the most varied characteristics, that is, crushing the single spiritual Personality of God inside each of us into pieces of the common world Holy Spirit, which will come together again when the Kingdom of God comes on Earth.

“Created in His image and likeness...” According to St. Gregory Palamas, an angel, not being individual outwardly, “in the image,” surpasses man “in the likeness.” But it can exist in an airy or fiery state, in the energies of the Tabor light, and therefore angelic phenomena were noted and recorded on the pages of Holy Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments. Hence their glances, like the lights of lightning, and the blinding whiteness of their clothes according to the Evangelists Matthew and Mark, or the brightest shine - according to the Evangelist Luke. We read all this in the Gospel descriptions of the Angels who appeared to the prophets and myrrh-bearing women.

The Seventh Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, convened in 787 among 367 holy fathers, condemned iconoclasm in general and recognized icon painting as a godly activity: “...For the honor given to an image passes to the prototype, and he who worships an icon worships the being depicted on it. Thus, the teaching of our Holy Fathers is affirmed, which is the tradition of the Catholic Church, who from end to end of the earth received the Gospel” (from the Dogma of the Icon Veneration of the Three Hundred and Sixty-Seven Saints, Father of the Seventh Ecumenical Council, Nicaea). The council also decided: “As for the rational forces, they are not completely removed from corporeality and are not absolutely invisible, being endowed with subtle, airy or fiery bodies, in which they repeatedly appeared and were visible.”

The role of the Guardian Angel “Every soul remaining ... in evil without the protection of a Guardian Angel,

handed over to the enemies for plunder...” (St. Basil the Great).

St. Philaret (Drozdov), Metropolitan of Moscow writes: “Is it a coincidence, for example, that in the midst of bewilderment or some kind of inaction of the mind, a pure, holy and saving thought suddenly shines like lightning? That in a troubled or cold heart, silence is instantly established or the heavenly flame of love for God is kindled? If< … >Isn’t this the action of Angels, according to the saying of the prophet Zechariah, speaking in us? What a pity that we do not notice this angelic help! For, not noticing, we do not accept it as we should, and do not use it; Without taking advantage, we remain ungrateful and guilty and do not prepare ourselves for other similar visits - and thus we even remove our guardians from us.”

Communication with the Guardian Angel is similar to an inner voice, intuition. But a person who is in fear, vanity, irritation does not hear his voice. Here, first you need to calm down. Just as an alarmed child who runs to his parents receives calm and a sense of security next to them, so we, having faith in our Guardian Angel, trusting him, first receive peace, and then hear his answers to our questions. We hear them in the form of unexpected thoughts that come to us, which in a miraculous way suddenly solve a seemingly insoluble problem. How many times has this mysterious inner voice saved each of us in difficult situations. The best way connect with your Angel - lead to him wide road from your heart. Contact him every day, five minutes every day is a good start.

If a problem happens to you, big or small, it means one thing - you are doing something wrong. And the Guardian Angel makes you understand this. It would be good to stop and pay close attention to this, to understand what exactly was done wrong in your life, what does not correspond to your inner “I”, where, at what point in time you turned away from God within you: “and they will not say: “” here it is,” or: “here, there.” For behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21) “one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all” (Eph. 4:6).

Meaning of the icon

Angels will always remain a mystery to us as long as we live. We will see our Guardian Angel only when beyond visible world he will lead us towards an unknown light, we will see its appearance, unknown to us for the time being. But the icon painter who paints the icon is always involved in this secret. Yuri Kuznetsov’s icons depicting Angels are full of precisely that Divine radiance, brilliance, which evokes a mixed feeling of joyful awe from touching the heavenly world that lifts the spirit up.

In the Old Testament, in the 90th psalm of praise, which is also called “Safety for him who trusts in God,” the hymn-king king David says: “For he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways” (Ps. 91 (90); eleven). And when we come to the end of our earthly journey, our Angel and the welcoming Angel lead us to the throne of the Lord. And if we are worthy to be at His right hand at the future Judgment of God, then our Guardian Angel will not be out of work, bitterly complaining that he did not fulfill his duty to God - to follow us, to protect us from the moment the sacrament of baptism was performed on us on earth path, and will remain with us forever as our assistant and faithful friend...

Everyone has their own guardian angel and their own intercessor icon, which is given from birth. Pray to your icon, ask the Lord through it for healing and it will definitely come.

Every profession, every direction has its own unspoken heavenly patron. According to tradition, in ancient times all believers had an icon of their saint at home. All icons are sacred. Many of them emanated a radiant light, others streamed myrrh or smelled fragrant. Icons have more than once saved cities from fires, capture and destruction. There are countless icons in temples, and they are all revered. First of all, icons give people help - they heal, they deliver from death and destruction. All icons somehow manifest miracles, with their help we find peace and strength.


For each person, the word “faith” means something different. Some people go to church and pray, others simply believe in their souls and believe that going to church every week is not at all necessary. And everyone is right in their own way. After all, faith is in our soul, in our heart. Almost every believer has Orthodox icons in their home, and if someone doesn’t, then these people go to church and pray there. Although an icon is not at all necessary for prayer. In the history of Christianity, icons play a huge role. In essence, an icon is a certain form of Divine revelation. And its purpose is to cleanse the souls of people who contemplate it and pray in front of it. They pray in front of the icons. And prayer can be different. Sometimes people ask for help, sometimes they thank you for it. At the same time, the icon is revered, but not worshiped, since only God can be worshiped.
The past is an endless distance, and the more we look into it, the better we see how deep the roots of human history go back centuries. But there are events that unite all centuries, all peoples, and then time, which, at first glance, mercilessly measures out the earthly human path, seems to cease to exist.

Those born from December 22 to January 20 will be protected by the “Sovereign” icon of the Mother of God, and their guardian angels are Saint Sylvester and Venerable Seraphim Sarovsky.
Before Your Sovereign Icon
I stand, embraced in prayerful trepidation,
And Your royal face, crowned,
Draws my tender gaze towards Him.
In a time of unrest and inglorious cowardice,
Treason, lies, unbelief and evil,
You showed us Your Sovereign Image,
You came to us and meekly prophesied:
“I myself took the scepter and the orb,
I myself will hand them over to the King again,
I will give the Russian kingdom greatness and glory,
I will nourish, console, and reconcile everyone.”
Repent, Rus', unfortunate harlot...
Wash away your desecrated shame in tears,
Your Intercessor, Heavenly Queen,
He pities you and protects you, the sinner.
S. Bekhteev


Icon of the Mother of God “Sovereign”
Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Sovereign” they pray for truth, heartfelt joy, unfeigned love for each other, for peace in the country, for the salvation and preservation of Russia, for the protection of the throne and the state, for deliverance from foreigners and for the granting of healings of body and soul.
Icon of the Mother of God “Vladimir”
Those born from January 21 to February 20 are protected by Saints Athanasius and Cyril, and they will be protected by the icons of the Mother of God “Vladimir” and “Burning Bush”.
"Vladimir" icon Mother of God has been revered as miraculous for several centuries. Before her they prayerfully ask the Mother of God for healing from bodily ailments, in particular heart disease and of cardio-vascular system. People turn to her for help during disasters, when they need protection from enemies. In front of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God in all centuries they prayed for the preservation of Russia. Every home should have this icon, because it reconciles those at war, softens people’s hearts, and helps strengthen faith.
The Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was written by the Evangelist Luke on a board from the table at which the Savior dined with the Most Pure Mother and Righteous Joseph. The Mother of God, seeing this image, said: “From now on, all generations will bless Me. May the grace of the One born of Me and Mine be with this icon.” In 1131, the icon was sent to Rus' from Constantinople to the holy prince Mstislav († 1132, commemorated April 15) and was placed in the Maiden Monastery of Vyshgorod - the ancient appanage city of the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duchess Olga .


Icon " Burning bush»
Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “The Burning Bush” they pray for deliverance from fire and lightning, from severe troubles, and for the healing of ailments. The icon of the Mother of God “The Burning Bush” is depicted in the form of an octagonal star, consisting of two sharp quadrangles with concave ends. One of them is red, reminiscent of the fire that surrounded the bush seen by Moses; another - Green colour, indicating the natural color of the bush, which it retained when engulfed in fiery flames. In the middle of the octagonal star, as if in a bush, the Most Pure Virgin with the Eternal Child is depicted. At the corners of the red quadrangle there are depicted a man, a lion, a calf and an eagle, symbolizing the four evangelists. In the hands of the Most Pure Virgin is a ladder, leaning its upper end against Her shoulder. The ladder means that through the Mother of God the Son of God descended to earth, raising to Heaven all who believe in Him.
It used to be: the gray-haired church
Burning Bush,
Crouching in a white snowstorm,
Flashes at me from the silence;
In front of the thoughtful icon case -
Unquenchable lantern;
And falls lightly
Under the light there is a pink snowball.
Neopalimov Lane
The blizzard is boiling with pearl barley;
And Our Lady in the alley
He looks thoughtful with tears.
A. Bely


Icon of the Mother of God "Iverskaya"
The icon of the Iveron Mother of God is the intercessor of those born from February 21 to March 20. Their guardian angels are Saints Alexius and Milentius of Antioch. The history of the Iveron Icon can be traced back to the first century, when, out of indescribable love for people, the Mother of God blessed the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke to paint its image during the days of Her earthly life. The Monk John of Damascus wrote: “The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, at the time when the Most Holy Mother God's vein still in Jerusalem and lived in Zion, he painted Her Divine and honest image on a board with picturesque means, so that, as in a mirror, subsequent generations and generations would contemplate her. When Luke presented this image to Her, She said: “From now on all generations will bless Me. May the grace and power of Him who was born of Me and Mine be with you.” Tradition attributes to the brushes of the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke from three to seventy icons of the Mother of God, including the Iveron icon.
Before the Iveron Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos they pray for deliverance from various misfortunes and for consolation in troubles, from fire, for increasing the fertility of the earth, for deliverance from grief and sadness, for the healing of physical and mental ailments, in difficult circumstances, for help to farmers.


Icon of the Mother of God “Kazan”
Those born from March 21 to April 20 need to ask for protection from the icon of the Kazan Mother of God, and they are protected by Saints Sophrony and Innocent of Irkutsk, as well as George the Confessor. We do not know by whom and when the icon of the Russian Mother of God Hodegetria was painted, which translated from Greek means “Guide”. The image of the Kazan Mother of God belongs to this type of icon. An ancient Russian monk-icon painter, inspired by the image of the Byzantine Hodegetria, which is believed to have been painted by the Evangelist Luke during the life of the Mother of God, paints his own version of this icon. Its iconography, compared to the Byzantine one, is slightly changed. The Russian version can always be recognized by its barely noticeable warmth, softening the regal severity of the Byzantine originals.
The Kazan Mother of God and her holy, miraculous, saving icon (she returns sight to the blind, gives strength to the weak) are considered practically official intercessors, defenders of Russia from external and internal enemies. It is also popularly believed that prayer before Orthodox icon The Mother of God protects and frees the praying person from his visible and invisible enemies, i.e. from evil people and from evil spirits...


Icon of the Mother of God “Helper of Sinners”
The icons “Support of Sinners” and the Iveron Mother of God will protect those born from April 21 to May 20. Saints Stephen and Tamara, Apostle John the Theologian are their guardian angels. The icon received its name from the inscription preserved on it: “I am the Helper of sinners to My Son...”. Many miraculous healings occurred from the miraculous image. Surety of sinners means Surety for sinners before the Lord Jesus Christ. Before the miraculous image of the Mother of God, “Helper of Sinners,” they pray for the granting of repentance, in despondency, despair and spiritual sorrow, for healing various ailments, about the salvation of sinners.
For the first time this image became famous for miracles in Nikolaev Odrina monastery Oryol province in the middle of the last century. The ancient icon of the Mother of God “Helper of Sinners”, due to its dilapidation, did not enjoy proper veneration and stood in the old chapel at the monastery gates. But in 1843, it was revealed to many residents in their dreams that this icon was endowed, by God’s Providence, with miraculous power. The icon was solemnly transferred to the church. Believers began to flock to her and ask for healing of their sorrows and illnesses. The first to receive healing was a relaxed boy, whose mother fervently prayed in front of this shrine. The icon became especially famous during the cholera epidemic, when it brought back to life many terminally ill people who flocked to it with faith.


Icon "Recovery of the Dead"
If your birthday falls between May 21 and June 21, you must ask for protection from the icons of the Mother of God “Seeking the Lost,” “Burning Bush,” and “Vladimirskaya.” Protected by saints Alexei of Moscow and Constantine. According to legend, the icon of the Mother of God “SEEKING THE LORD” became famous back in the 6th century in the Asia Minor city of Adana, saving the repentant monk Theophilus from eternal death, who subsequently achieved the highest spiritual perfection and was glorified by the Church as a saint. The name of the icon arose under the influence of the story “On the repentance of Theophilus, the steward of the church in the city of Adana” (7th century): praying before the image of the Mother of God, Theophilus called it “Recovery of the Lost.”
Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Seeking the Lost” they pray for the blessing of marriage; people come to her with a prayer for liberation from vices, Mothers come with petitions for perishing children, for the health and well-being of children, for the healing of eye diseases and blindness, for toothache, for fever, for the disease of drunkenness, for headaches, for the admonition of those who have fallen away from the Orthodox faith and the return of the lost to the Church.


Icon of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow”
Queen of heaven and earth, consolation to those who mourn,
Heed the prayer of sinners: in You are hope and salvation.
We are mired in the evil of passions, we wander in the darkness of vice,
But... our Motherland... Oh, incline your all-seeing eye to it.
Holy Rus' - your bright home is almost dying,
We call to You, Intercessor: no one else knows about us.
Oh, do not leave Your children who grieve Hope,
Do not turn Your eyes away from our sorrow and suffering.
Icons of “Joy of All Who Sorrow” and the Kazan Mother of God are the intercessors of those born from June 22 to July 22. Saint Cyril is their guardian angel. “The Joy of All Who Sorrow” is one of the most popular and widely revered miraculous icons of the Mother of God in Imperial Russia, having a number of significantly different iconographic options. Many sick and mourning people, prayerfully turning to the Mother of God through Her miraculous image, began to receive healing and deliverance from troubles.
According to custom, the Mother of God is depicted according to the words of the prayer addressed to her. “Helper of the offended, hopeless hope, intercessor of the poor, consolation of the sad, nurse of the hungry, clothing of the naked, healing of the sick, salvation of sinners, help and intercession of Christians for all,” - this is what we call the image embodied in the icons “Joy of All Who Sorrow.”


Icon "Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary"
Saint Nicholas the Pleasant and Elijah the Prophet protect those born from July 23 to August 23, and the icon “Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos” protects them. IN Orthodox Rus' The word “veil” means both covering and protection. On the Feast of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary Orthodox people they ask the Queen of Heaven for protection and help. In Rus', this holiday was established in the 12th century by Holy Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. Having learned that Saint Andrew, the Fool for Christ's sake, saw the Mother of God holding Her veil over the Orthodox, he exclaimed: “Such a great event cannot remain without celebration.” The holiday was established and immediately accepted by all the people in the joyful conviction that the Mother of God tirelessly keeps Her cover over the Russian land. I've been fighting all my life Grand Duke Andrey is against discord and disunity of his land. He firmly believed that the cover of the Mother of God would protect Rus' “from arrows flying in the darkness of our division.”
The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos is great Orthodox holiday in memory of the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God in the Blachernae Church in 910 during the siege of Constantinople. The Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos is a sign of the grace of God covering us, strengthening us, and preserving us. The icon depicts a procession to heaven through the clouds, to the Savior. The procession is led by the Mother of God, holding a small veil in her hands, and behind Her are a host of saints. The icon symbolizes the prayer of the entire Heavenly Church for the human race.


Icon "Passionate"
Those born from September 24 to October 23 should seek protection from the icons of the Pochaev Mother of God, “The Burning Bush” and “The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord.” They are protected by Saint Sergius of Radonezh.
Those born from August 24 to September 23 should ask for protection from the Burning Bush and Passionate Bush icons. Their guardian angels are Saints Alexander, John and Paul. The “Passionate” Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos received its name because near the face of the Mother of God two Angels are depicted with the instruments of the Lord’s passion - a cross, a sponge, a spear. The holy image was glorified during the reign of Mikhail Fedorovich.


Icon "Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord"
“When you pray before that image with faith, you and many others will receive healing.”
Those born from September 24 to October 23 should seek protection from the icons of the Pochaev Mother of God, “The Burning Bush” and “The Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord.” They are protected by Saint Sergius of Radonezh. Honest and Life-giving Cross The Lord's icon was found in 326 in Jerusalem not far from the site of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In memory of this event, the Church established a holiday on September 14/27. The legend of the discovery of the Cross of Christ is closely connected with the life of Saints Equal-to-the-Apostles Helen and Constantine. The Savior showed the life-giving power of His Cross through the revival of the deceased, to whom the Cross was attached. When the Cross was found, in order to give everyone gathered for the celebration the opportunity to see the shrine, the patriarch erected (raised) the Cross, turning it to all cardinal directions.
Saint Paul is the guardian angel of those born from October 24 to November 22. The icons of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear” and “Jerusalem” protect them.

Now for us the cross is a sacred, most important and most precious symbol. More than two billion people on earth (more precisely, 2 billion 100 million - that’s how many Christians there are on the planet) wear it on their chests as a sign of their involvement in the true God. Two thousand years ago in Palestine, and in many other places, the cross was just an instrument of execution - just like the electric chair is now in America. And Mount Golgotha ​​near the city walls of Jerusalem was a common place for carrying out death sentences.
About three hundred years have passed since the death on the cross and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christianity, despite severe persecution, spread more and more throughout the entire earth, attracting both the poor and the rich, the powerful and the weak. Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, his father was a pagan, his mother, Queen Helena, a Christian. After the death of his father, Constantine had a war with the ruler of the city of Rome. On the eve of the decisive battle, when the sun began to set, Constantine and his entire army saw a cross in the sky, with the inscription “This way you will win.” In a dream, at night, Constantine also saw Christ with a cross. The Lord ordered him to make crosses on the banners of his troops and said that he would defeat the enemy. Constantine fulfilled God’s command, and having won the victory and entered Rome, he ordered a statue with a cross in his hand to be erected in the city square. With the accession of Constantine, the persecution of Christians ceased, and the emperor himself was baptized shortly before his death, because he considered himself unworthy to accept this sacrament earlier.


Icons of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear”
Saint Paul is the guardian angel of those born from October 24 to November 22. The icons of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear” and “Jerusalem” protect them. The history of the icon of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear” goes back more than a millennium. According to legend, it is contemporary with the founding of the Athonite Dochiar monastery and was written in the 10th century with the blessing of the founder of the monastery, the Monk Neophytos. It is believed that the icon is a copy of the revered image of the Mother of God, located in the city of Alexandria. The icon received its name, now known throughout the Orthodox world, later - in the 17th century, when a miracle occurred from it. In Rus', the miraculous Athonite icon “Quick to Hear” has always enjoyed great love and veneration, because it became famous for its miracles. Particularly noted were cases of healing from epilepsy and demonic possession, which are ambulance and consolation to all who flow to Her with faith.
In front of this icon they pray for spiritual insight, for various infirmities, for cancer, for help in childbirth and for feeding with milk, for children. And first of all, they pray to the Quick to Hear when they do not know how best to act, what to ask for, in confusion and bewilderment.
According to the pious Tradition of the Church, some of the ancient miraculous images of the Mother of God were painted by the first icon painter, the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, even during the earthly life of the Ever-Virgin. These include Vladimir, Smolensk and other icons. It is believed that the image of the Jerusalem icon was also painted by the Apostle Luke, and this happened in the Holy Land, in Gethsemane, in the fifteenth year after the Savior’s ascension to heaven. In 453, the image was transferred from Jerusalem to Constantinople by the Greek king Leo the Great. In 988, Tsar Leo VI presented the icon as a gift to Grand Duke Vladimir when he was baptized in the city of Korsun (present-day Kherson). Saint Vladimir gave the Jerusalem Icon of the Mother of God to the Novgorodians, but in 1571 Tsar Ivan the Terrible transferred it to Moscow to the Assumption Cathedral. During Napoleon's invasion in 1812, this icon of the Mother of God was stolen and taken to France, where it remains to this day.


Icon of the Mother of God “Jerusalem”
Those born from November 23 to December 21 should ask for the intercession of the icons of the Mother of God “Tikhvin” and “The Sign”. Saint Nicholas the Pleasant and Saint Barbara are their guardian angels.
Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos of Jerusalem they pray in grief, sadness and despondency, for healing from blindness, eye diseases and paralysis, during a cholera epidemic, for deliverance from the death of livestock, from fire, during relaxation, as well as during an attack by enemies.


Icons of the Mother of God “The Sign”
Those born from November 23 to December 21 should ask for the intercession of the icons of the Mother of God “Tikhvin” and “The Sign”. Saint Nicholas the Pleasant and Saint Barbara are their guardian angels. The Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God is considered the patroness of infants; it is called the children's icon. She helps children in illness, calms the restless and disobedient, helps them choose friends, protects them from bad influence streets. It is believed to strengthen the bond between parents and children. Helps women during childbirth and pregnancy. Also, people turn to the Mother of God in front of Her Tikhvin icon with prayer when there are problems with conception.
One of the most revered shrines in Rus'. It is believed that this image was created by the holy evangelist Luke during the life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Until the 14th century, the icon was in Constantinople, until in 1383 it unexpectedly disappeared from the Blachernae Church. According to the chronicle, in the same year in Rus' the icon appeared before fishermen on Lake Ladoga near the city of Tikhvin. The miraculous Tikhvin Icon from the Tikhvin Monastery is currently kept in Chicago in the USA.
The Icon of the Mother of God “The Sign” became famous in the 12th century, at a time when the Russian land was groaning from civil strife. The Vladimir-Suzdal prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, in alliance with the princes of Smolensk, Polotsk, Ryazan, Murom and others (72 princes in total), sent his son Mstislav to conquer Veliky Novgorod. In the winter of 1170, a huge militia laid siege to Novgorod, demanding its surrender. After fruitless negotiations, the Novgorodians refused to surrender, and the battle began. The defenders of Novgorod, seeing the terrible strength of the enemy and exhausted in the unequal struggle, placed all their hope in the Lord and the Most Holy Theotokos, since they felt the truth was on their side.
Before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “The Sign” of Novgorod they pray for an end to disasters, for protection from enemy attacks, from fires, for protection from thieves and criminals and for the return of what was lost, for deliverance from the plague, for the pacification of the warring and deliverance from internecine warfare...


Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Iverskaya Goalkeeper”
In every home it is desirable to have the Iveron Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (Goalkeeper), which protects the house from enemies and ill-wishers. The Iveron Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary is one of the most famous and revered in Orthodox world. According to legend, Iveronskaya was written by the Evangelist Luke, for a long time was in Asia Minor Nicaea, and from the beginning of the 11th century. permanently resides in the Iveron Monastery on Holy Mount Athos (in honor of which it received its name).
Not far from the Iveron monastery on the seashore, a miraculous spring has been preserved to this day, flowing at the moment when the Mother of God set foot on Athos soil; this place is called Klimentova pier. And it was to this place that the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, now known to the whole world, miraculously, in a pillar of fire, appeared across the sea. The veneration of this image is evidenced by the fact that the Monk Nicodemus the Holy Mountain alone wrote four canons to the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God.


Here is what the famous Russian pilgrim-pedestrian of the 18th century Vasily Grigorovich-Barsky writes about the “Goalkeeper”: “In this beautiful, built temple at the inner gates of the monastery, in the iconostasis, instead of the local ordinary Mother of God, there is a certain holy and miraculous icon, named after the ancient monks Portaitissa, i.e., the Goalkeeper, extremely terribly transparent, with great feathers, holding Christ the Savior on her left hand, her face blackened by many years, both showing the entire image, and everything except her face is covered with silver-plated gilded clothing, and in addition, dotted with valuable stones and gold coins, from various kings, princes and noble boyars given for many of her miracles, where and Russian tsars, queens and princesses, emperors and empresses, princes and princesses, I saw gold coins and other gifts hanging with my own eyes.”


A family icon is an icon depicting the namesake saints of all family members. A family icon is a shrine that connects all family members and unites their spirit. A family icon is part of a family heritage that is passed down from generation to generation. The presence of a family icon in the house brings the family together, strengthens their faith, and helps in various family matters. The spiritual power of such an icon lies in its conciliarity; when offering their prayers, each family member prays not only for themselves, but also for their parents, children and loved ones.
Recently, the tradition of the family icon has been revived everywhere. On a family icon, the patron saints of family members are depicted all together. Here, as if outside of time, saints gather who pray for this clan, for this family. Among them may be the patron saints of parents who have already passed away - the founders of the clan. To paint such an image, the names of each saint are selected, and rare saints are also found.

Faith is just that: it doesn’t need proof. Nevertheless, over the past two thousand years, so much evidence has been collected for each episode gospel history, that only... a not very informed person can doubt that all this actually happened.

Performing a miracle, that is, fulfilling a prayer, first of all depends on the faith of the person praying. If the one who says a prayer with his lips does not have a conscious and heartfelt appeal to God, then even before miraculous icon prayer will remain fruitless...
HOW TO CORRECTLY PLACE ICONS IN A HOUSE OR APARTMENT:
The house is a continuation of the temple; in the past, every Orthodox family - both peasant and urban - always had a shelf with icons, or an entire home iconostasis, in the most prominent place of the home. Moreover, the quantity and richness of the decoration of the icons indicated the wealth and position in society of the owner himself. The place where the icons were placed was called differently: front corner, red corner, holy corner, shrine, icon case or ark.
The icon in the apartment is a window to the Kingdom of God. The red corner with icons is the place where the day begins and ends Orthodox Christian: here the morning and evening prayers and therefore everything must be subordinated to one goal - concentrated prayer to God.
When praying, it is customary to stand facing east; the altar is built to the east. Orthodox churches. Therefore, it is advisable to place the icons on the eastern wall of the room. But what to do if the house is oriented so that there are windows or doors in the east? In this case, you can place the icons in any other accessible place, as it is sung in Psalm 112, “from east to west praise the name of the Lord.” The main thing is that there is enough free space in front of the icons, so that the worshipers do not feel crowded when praying together.
Some people arrange a red corner above the bed - this way the cramped space is used more effectively, cabinets and windows do not interfere, and you sleep under the shadow of shrines.
You can place the icons on a special shelf, and if there are a lot of them, hang them on the wall, following a few simple rules. For example, if icons are hung haphazardly, asymmetrically, without a thoughtful composition, then this causes a constant feeling of dissatisfaction and a desire to change everything, which very often distracts from prayer.
Icons can and should be placed in other rooms. The icon should also be in the kitchen. There must be a holy image in the children's room (for example, an icon of the Guardian Angel or an icon of the Heavenly Patron of the child).
According to tradition, it is customary to hang an icon of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary above the entrance to a house or apartment. Although it could be any other icon or cross.

Many misconceptions exist even among believers about Angels. This is due to the fact that from the theological side, not everything is clear here, because these creatures are inaccessible to direct human observation. However, in Orthodoxy there is a tradition of purchasing an icon of the Guardian Angel and praying to your heavenly intercessor in front of it.

Who are angels

There is a canonical teaching about Angels, which, however, is replete with various gaps. But these creatures are often mentioned in the Holy Scriptures, directly participating in human history since the times of paradise. God placed the Cherubim at the gates of heaven so that Adam could not return there. The Lord commanded that angels be depicted on the Ark of the Covenant, then in the Jerusalem Temple.

The image of Angels was not only not prohibited, but was also encouraged since the time Old Testament. According to Orthodox Church, each person has a personal Angel, which is given after Baptism, although many believe that immediately after birth. The Icon of the Guardian Angel can be given to a baby for a birthday or christening.

Judaism has several complex hierarchies of angelic orders, but after the New Testament, Christians developed their own. Gregory the Theologian, for example, gives the following order, starting with the least dignity:

• Angels.
• Archangels.
• Thrones.
• Dominance.
• Started.
• Authorities.
• Strength.
• Armies.
• Century.
• Cherubs.
• Seraphs.

As a rule, in many such systematizations, the angels themselves are the lowest ranks. Maybe that’s why they most often appeared to the biblical righteous, then to the saints. According to the teachings of the Church, Angels are personalities, but their nature is more similar to the Divine. However, it is very different from it: for example, angels cannot be in two places at the same time.

Today the church adheres to a hierarchy where the highest rank is the Seraphim, the lowest (ninth) are the angels. Angels are endowed by God with a number of abilities inaccessible to humans:

• Invisibility to the human eye.
• The ability to fly.
• The ability to manifest itself in the human world and influence it (in the Old Testament story, Angels, for example, destroyed cities).
• The ability to speak with people in their language.
• The ability to read human thoughts.

Why does a person need an Angel?

God gives angels various responsibilities and uses them as intermediaries between Himself and people. It is believed that the Lord sends them because people simply cannot stand meeting with Him. Even the sight of an angel can terrify a person, although in appearance they resemble people, only with wings. It is difficult to say what the heavenly creatures actually look like (there are various descriptions in the Bible). The icon of the Holy Guardian Angel depicts only a canonical image approved by the rules of the Church.

According to church tradition, the Guardian Angel must instruct a person in comprehending God’s institutions and protect him from attacks dark forces. A person does not see these battles; they are hidden so as not to frighten the weak in spirit. But he can feel supported higher powers. Many have experienced inexplicable events in life - for example, when they miraculously managed to avoid a car accident, inexplicable coincidences occurred, meetings with the right people. In such cases, you need to thank your Angel.

Prayers near the Guardian Angel icon can also be in the nature of a request: first of all, you need to ask for help in the spiritual aspects of your life. It is believed that in afterlife The angel will be accessible to human perception, it will be possible to communicate with him and even be friends with him. During the earthly journey, one must ask him to instruct in faith and every good deed that will contribute to the salvation of the soul.

Image history

In the art of the Ancient East, images of winged creatures are often found: for example, the altar in Megiddo is decorated with them. Figures of winged angels were found in Samaria. The Old Testament names a number of objects depicting seraphim that were in the Temple.

In the Russian icon painting tradition, familiar images began to appear at the end of the 16th century. As attributes, the Angels had a cross (for blessing) and a sword (for protection from dark forces). Their clothing resembles a deacon's vestment - of course, angels, being disembodied spirits, do not need it, it is simply a symbol of their service in heaven. The color of the cloak is usually green, the chiton is red, or the robe can be white.

• The image can be half-length or full, in which case the Angel usually stands on a cloud. The meaning of the Guardian Angel icon is to remind of the eternal existence of the soul. The floating figure seems to call a person to the heavenly abodes, from where he was torn out by sin.
• Although the Angel has a human appearance in appearance, his unearthly origin is emphasized by the presence of large wings folded behind his back.
• One hand may be raised in a gesture of blessing, sometimes both hands are folded in prayer. The gaze is usually directed directly at the viewer, but can be directed to the side, and the head is slightly bowed in reverence, as if the Angel bowed before the Lord.
• In the images of modern masters, the heavenly guardian can hold a small soul (in the form of a child) in his arms.

How to find “your” Guardian Angel icon

At baptism, the child receives a name, and a certain saint is considered his patron. Usually it is chosen according to Christmastide, but it can be done arbitrarily, especially if a person is baptized as an adult. If life path inspires a particular saint - you can safely choose him as heavenly patron. Such a saint is mistakenly called a “guardian angel.”

For example, if a child’s name is Cyril, he is given an icon of St. Cyril. But the Guardian Angel is not a saint, not a person, but a heavenly being in the service of the Lord! You can purchase an icon of any saint - Paul, John, Nicholas, there are no restrictions on name or date of birth - and there cannot be. Saints do not reject people's prayers just because they were born on the wrong day. Prayers can only be rejected if they do not come from a pure heart.

It would also be a mistake to “bind” some icon of the Mother of God as a guardian angel by date of birth. Such a classification is inappropriate; it has nothing to do with the Orthodox tradition. The Queen of Heaven is the patroness of all people without exception. This is rather a type of modern paganism, which appeared due to widespread illiteracy in matters of religion.

The church holiday is common for all angelic ranks - it is celebrated on November 8 (Council heavenly powers). The names of each specific angel are hidden from people; only a few of them are named in the Bible. However, there is a tradition according to which the icon of the guardian angel is selected according to the name of the person. In fact, it will be the image of a saint who bore the same name, but not an Angel.

What can Angel help with?

People have a special feeling inside them called intuition. After making another mistake, many had to say: “Oh, because the inner voice told me to do the opposite...” In such cases, the “Guardian Angel” icon helps. She warns against annoying mistakes and bad deeds. It also dispels the darkness of bad thoughts when everything seems hopeless.

People cannot directly communicate with their Guardian Angel, but the icon will help focus their thoughts on prayer. Although some saints have seen angels with their own eyes, how many can claim sainthood today? Of course not. Therefore, the answers to vital important questions questions that should be asked in prayer, for most people come precisely as a kind of inner voice.

If there is no answer for a long time, there is no need to despair. You should continue to pray - the Lord never abandons a person. Perhaps the answer will come a little later, or the believer himself is simply not yet ready to accept the answer. Sometimes events in life can themselves be interpreted as warnings. In this case, you need to immediately change your behavior, try to stand on the right way. If you can’t do it on your own, turn to a priest for help.

Where to place the holy image

The icon of the Guardian Angel can be located anywhere in the home iconostasis, the main thing is that the central one belongs to the image of the Savior. According to pious tradition, it is customary to place an icon near a child’s cradle - there is nothing wrong with that. It will be good if the child witnesses how parents say prayers. The child's soul is very responsive to everything - the parents' task is to give it the right food. It would be quite appropriate to place at home an icon of the saint, who is considered the guardian of the baby based on his date of birth.

Drivers often hang holy images in the car. This is not done because icons have some kind of miraculous power of their own. They are called upon to turn a person’s mental gaze to Heaven. So that in the hustle and bustle of life he doesn’t get so busy that he forgets about the most important thing. Sometimes it is easy, especially under pressure from circumstances or unbelieving people.

Many people prefer to carry an icon of the Guardian Angel with a written prayer with them - there are small icons intended for storage in wallets. This is something like an amulet, but is not directly condemned by the Church. The main thing is that a person should put in first place not a piece of paper, but communication with the Lord.

The meaning of the Guardian Angel icon is the same as other holy images - it should help focus on God. The veneration of angels is so great in Orthodoxy that special prayers have been compiled for them. It’s good to learn some by heart and read on the road, during monotonous work, so that your thoughts don’t wander anywhere.

It is believed that an Angel accompanies a person until death, after which he is called upon to guide the soul to heaven. Evil, ungodly deeds and words turn this pure creature away from man. Therefore, you should carefully monitor yourself throughout the day. Send, Lord, a Guardian Angel to all Christians!

Prayers to the Guardian Angel

A prayer to the Guardian Angel, which can be repeated in all cases, for example, before starting any important task.

Angel of God, my holy guardian, given to me from God from heaven for my protection! I diligently pray to you: enlighten me today, save me from all evil, instruct me in every deed, and direct me on the path of salvation. Amen.

Prayer from “Morning Prayers” in the prayer book (read in the morning)

Holy Angel, standing before my accursed soul and my passionate life, do not leave me, a sinner, nor depart from me for my intemperance. Do not give room to the evil demon to possess me through the violence of this mortal body; strengthen my poor and thin hand and guide me on the path of salvation. To her, holy Angel of God, guardian and patron of my accursed soul and body, forgive me everything, I have offended you so greatly all the days of my life, and if I sinned this past night, cover me on this day, and save me from every opposite temptation May I not anger God in any sin, and pray for me to the Lord, that He may strengthen me in His passion, and show me worthy as a servant of His goodness. Amen.

Icon of the Guardian Angel Orthodox tradition acquired for the purpose of salvation from worldly fall. After the Sacrament of Baptism, every Christian receives from the Almighty heavenly intercessor, protecting throughout earthly life. This ethereal creature is concerned about the health of the body and soul of the ward. In difficult moments of life, one should remember him and humbly ask for well-being and protection.

Who are Guardian Angels

These heavenly creatures of the Creator are mentioned in the Sacred Texts, where it is said that they have participated in history since the presence of Adam and Eve in Paradise.

Guardian Angel is a mediator between humanity and the Almighty Lord. the main task This holy being is to protect the individual and convey God’s will to her, therefore in Orthodoxy they strive to baptize a newborn as soon as possible in order to provide him with full protection from dark energies.

Greater faith brings a Christian closer to the Holy Spirit and God, which determines a better life in the body. However, the heavenly messenger does not interfere with the fate that the Lord himself created.

• The Guardian Angel communicates through the inner voice and intuitive connection with the person under his charge.
• The heavenly creature warns of impending danger and seeks to inspire to perform decent and useful deeds.
• The angel has the power to take away the tempting influence of worldly objects.
• People who carefully listen to their intercessors are often miraculously saved from disasters or receive mental insights.
• It helps you hear your inner voice and develop a tendency towards virtue.
• Angelic images eliminate fear of various types.
• The Guardian Angel guides you on the true path announced by the Lord and protects you from the attacks of haters.

To find mutual language with him, daily and sincere prayer before the image is necessary. Priests strongly recommend communicating with the spirit of light, asking for help and protection. The angel will do his best to help the begging ward out of a difficult scrape.

On a note! Guardian Angel does not always guarantee happiness and tranquility. A Christian who has apostatized from the faith, who is prone to aggressive and hateful behavior, personally destroys the positive spirituality. A person who goes to extremes experiences disasters, failures and serious illnesses.

The angel has never been a person; he does not have a name or family affiliation, but is endowed with special personality qualities. Each Christian is assigned only one such bright spirit. There is a certain hierarchy of disembodied spirits, which are ranked depending on their power.

Guardian Angel Icon

Characteristics of the icon

In the Ancient East, images of winged creatures were often encountered. Images of angels decorated the altars of the largest temples. Figurines from various materials, on the pages of the Old Testament one finds information about objects with images of heavenly messengers.

In Russian icon painting, familiar images appeared at the end of the 16th century. The purpose and meaning of the appearance is a every minute reminder to a person of the eternity of the soul itself.

• Guardian Angels are often depicted with a cross and a sword. The first attribute is intended for a gesture of blessing, and the second protects against invasions of dark energy.
• The clothing of intercessors is similar in appearance to the vestments of deacons (clergy). Robes for disembodied spirits are regarded as a symbol of eternal service to God. The color of the cloak is green, and the color of the chiton (shirt) is red. Guardian Angels are often depicted in dazzling white robes.
• The icons depict intercessors both half-length and in full height. In the latter case, they are placed on the cloud. The floating figure humbly asks for a return to the heavenly abodes from which humanity was expelled after the Fall.
• The intercessors have human appearances; their divine origin is indicated by large wings folded behind their backs. These bodily elements symbolize divine speed and the ability to move from the material world to the etheric regions.
• Guardian Angels are characterized by a third eye, which symbolizes clairvoyance and truthful intuition.
• If God's messenger is depicted with a staff, this speaks of his important spiritual mission on the sinful earth.
• With the help of a ball with a cross, the cherub contemplates the upcoming danger and seeks to warn his ward about the threat.
• The iconography differs in hand positions. Sometimes the upper limb is raised in a blessing gesture, at other times the hands are folded in prayer.
• The gaze is directed directly at the viewer or to the side. His head is bowed, which symbolizes complete humility before the will of the Creator. The gold ribbons in the curls also speak about this.
• Modern iconography often depicts cherubs with a small child, who represents the soul of the person under their care.

About Heavenly Powers:

Finding your own holy spirit icon

During baptism, the child receives a name, and together with the patron saint, a certain Guardian Angel is assigned to him. More often this procedure is carried out during Christmas time (the period from Christmas to the Baptism of the Son of God). However, the Church allows the ritual of unification with the heavenly protector to be performed arbitrarily if the person was baptized in adulthood.

In Christian calendars, several patrons may be celebrated with a date that will be close to the birthday of a small child. In this case it is allowed independent choice patron you like.

Some images of holy protectors have several variations in execution in their iconography. The saint always helps children with the same name. When choosing a patron, you should rely on dates of birth or biography facts.

For the Orthodox tradition, spiritual kinship is closer, which is determined by sympathy.

On a note! If you are inspired by the life deeds of a particular saint, the church allows you to make him your patron. He - a real man, who was canonized by the church (Virgin Mary, Seraphim of Sarov, etc.).

Correct prayers to the Guardian Angel icon

Sacred words spoken before the face of a heavenly being are able to visualize this bright spirit and set up communication with it. Orthodox tradition recommends listening carefully to the subconscious voice during prayer: at this moment the holy messenger communicates with the person under his charge.

• To achieve the desired happiness and peace of mind, daily prayers before the face of the Angel are necessary. Sacred words are pronounced slowly, thoughtfully and sincerely. A prayer written down on a piece of paper will help you concentrate better.
• Sacred requests made in the morning destroy negative influences, create a good-natured attitude and eliminate potential conflicts.
• Prayer for the evening protects a sleeping person from the invasion of dark energy into his consciousness. It allows you to see prophecy and warnings of dangers.
• In the Orthodox tradition there are many prayers that are intended for a specific problem and require advice and help from a messenger from heaven.

About prayer: Marital intimacy is not a sin, so the image of a protector in the bedroom will be appropriate. It is recommended to read the sacred prayer when leaving home. This increases the chances of help from the Guardian Angel. Words are pronounced clearly, and thoughts and desires are formed before the request.

The Guardian Angel is a mediator between man and the Almighty Lord. It is given during baptism and undertakes to protect the life of the ward from serious life situations, and also guide you on the path of true virtue.

Important! Sincere prayers before the icon of the Guardian Angel have the power to relieve troubles and fulfill pious desires. You can get your own holy protector at any age.

Watch the video about Guardian Angel