Pregnancy for a woman is a blessing from God, and motherhood is the main mission of the fair sex on Earth. A woman should prepare physically, psychologically and spiritually for pregnancy and childbirth.

Orthodox traditions during childbirth

A hundred years ago, every woman preparing to become a mother relied on the will of God in everything. The midwife never began to help a woman in labor without first praying. At the time of birth, all household members stood in front of a lit lamp and prayed to the Mother of God for a successful delivery. Prayer before childbirth was also obligatory for the woman in labor. The era of atheism has changed people's worldview, but modern society is increasingly reviving the Orthodox faith and spirituality in souls and society. That is why today more and more women are turning to the Higher Powers with prayer - first to conceive, then to bear and give birth. Miracles that occur through the faith and prayers of believers convince us of the mercy and love of the Lord for his children.

Spiritual preparation for childbirth

During pregnancy, a believer often turns to Heavenly powers. The priests insist that during the period of bearing a child, every woman must visit the temple, confess and partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. The main assistant to a pregnant woman during the entire period of bearing a baby is the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. The Holy Face showed many miracles of faith, including the gift of motherhood. Prayer should accompany a pregnant woman for all nine months; not only in church, but also at home, a woman can turn to the Heavenly patroness and protector. “According to our faith, may it be for us...” - prayer at the moment of childbirth works miracles: there are cases when women in labor who uttered the words of prayer had pain subsided, the process of childbirth was facilitated, and bleeding stopped. The priests claim that prayer during pregnancy, prayer before childbirth, and prayer during childbirth are equally important for a woman.

Heavenly patrons of mother and baby

Asking the question: “Who should I pray to? Which icon is better to turn to?”, the woman understands in her soul that the main helper will be the Mother of God, to whom people always turn in times of sorrow and trials. Being immaculate and pure, the Blessed Virgin gave birth to her Son painlessly, but during her earthly life she fully experienced what pain and suffering were. That is why it responds to the prayer requests of believers. Several Holy Faces of the Mother of God are considered the patroness of a pregnant woman: the icon “Helper in Childbirth”, “Quick to Hear”, “Leaping Baby”, “Healer” and many other miraculous icons. The Savior will not remain indifferent to sincere pleas for help and protection, therefore the prayers offered at the icon of Jesus Christ also have effective force. No less effective are the prayers of Ksenia of St. Petersburg and Anastasia the Pattern Maker. However, most believers believe that the main assistant to a woman in labor is still the icon of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth.”

The history of the acquisition of the miraculous image

The miraculous image traces its modern history back to the 90s of the twentieth century. It was then that the icon “Helper in Childbirth” appeared to the Orthodox world. It is not known for certain where the original face is located, but one day, during Great Lent, a copy of this icon was found in Serpukhov. Father Vladimir received it as a gift from a devout old woman whom he gave communion to at home. For many years of fighting against God, the icon was kept in the attic, then it appeared to the world under the name “Helper in Childbirth.” Since then, many miracles have been recorded from this image through the prayers of believers. Many infertile women have learned the joy of motherhood: fervent prayer in front of the “Helper in Childbirth” icon works wonders. There are two options for the image of the Mother of God on this wonderful list:

The Mother of God is depicted in full height with her arms raised up, the Eternal Child is located at the level of her chest.

The Blessed Virgin is depicted with her head uncovered and her hands folded; the Savior is in the womb.

Orthodox image of the Holy Virgin

Orthodox canons predetermine the image of the Mother of God with a covered head, therefore many clergy believe that the second version of the icon is of Western origin. However, among Orthodox Christians, the icon “Helper in Childbirth”, in which the Mother of God is depicted together with the Baby in the womb, is also considered a significant shrine. Father Vladimir installed the found image in the church, composing an akathist for it. Now pregnant women and their relatives read the akathist to the Mother of God, standing in front of the icon, thereby significantly facilitating the course of pregnancy and reducing pain during childbirth.

There is also a canonical prayer that expectant mothers say in front of this wonderful icon. The power of prayer is incomparable to anything. A prayer appeal pronounced from “the very depths of the soul” is considered especially powerful. A message to the Heavenly powers, framed sincerely, with a deep message, will always be heard and “through our prayers it will be given to us...”

The meaning of the icon for the Orthodox

The icon “Helper in Childbirth” is designed to help women in labor; the name of the holy image speaks for itself. Pregnant women turn to the icon with a request to safely carry and give birth to a healthy baby. Some of those whose pregnancy is complicated by pathologies ask for healing and a successful delivery. Not only pregnant women flock and turn to the icon, but also those who cannot bear children for some reason. Prayers for healing from infertility are also heard by the Heavenly Patroness; after prayer, many have found the happiness of motherhood. But this is not the only thing the “Helper in Childbirth” icon helps with. The prayer for the granting of peace of mind, a healthy spirit and vigor, faith in the mercy of the Almighty is heard first of all, for it is truly said: “Obtain a peaceful spirit, and thousands will be saved near you...”.

Miracles of the Holy Image

The priests of the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Serpukhov, where the miraculous icon is located, constantly observe the pilgrimage of parishioners who are attracted by the miraculous icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Miracles through prayers emanating from the holy face constantly confirm the triumph of true faith in the mercy of the Lord. A desperate couple who buried six stillborn babies turned to the image of the “Childbirth Assistant” for help. Throughout their seventh pregnancy, the couple fervently prayed to the image, drank holy water, and a healthy girl was born in due time. A unique case of healing from the icon was recorded not only by clergy, but also by maternity hospital staff. The baby, whose incorrect position in the womb of his mother threatened with complicated childbirth, through prayers in front of the icon, turned over overnight and positioned himself correctly.

Place of the icon in the house

In the old days, in the room where a pregnant woman slept, they always hung an icon with the face of the Most Holy Theotokos to protect the mother and baby. Modern Orthodox women also prefer to see the holy face every day, but they often ask the question: “Where in the house should the “Helper in Childbirth” icon be located?” The clergy answer the question unequivocally: the icon should be located where it will be easiest to offer prayers to it. If it is convenient to hang it on the wall, let it hang on the wall, you can put it on a shelf and a bedside table, the main thing is that the holy image was purchased in the temple and consecrated. The best option would be to find the icon in the room where the expectant mother constantly lives, since first of all this icon is for pregnant women. “Helper in Childbirth” celebrates the day of veneration on January 8, they pray to her not only for pregnant women, but also ask for the health of newborns. Today, almost every maternity hospital has such an image; they hang it in the wards, and most importantly, in the delivery room. It is believed that in that maternity hospital there is the least number of unsuccessful births, in which the woman in labor is greeted by this holy image.

Pregnancy is a special period in a woman’s life; it is associated with anticipation and preparation for meeting a miracle. You can spend this time in different ways, try to get something done at work before maternity leave, make repairs in the apartment, spend time in stores buying everything cute for the baby, or go on vacation. But it is so important behind this, albeit necessary, bustle to realize that the innermost secret that lives inside you is a gift from God.

It is customary to give thanks for a gift. Thanksgiving is the norm of human existence, the norm of the relationship between the Creator and creation. Thanking God emphasizes our love for Him and helps us feel reciprocal. “This is the heritage of the Lord: children; His reward is the fruit of the womb” (Ps. 126:3). A person also turns to the Mother of God, who hears prayers and answers them, helps people and, moreover, She really intercedes for people before Her Son and God. And who, if not the Mother of God, knows the aspirations and anxieties of a mother carrying a baby? She also knows the suffering of those who do not have children.

Childbirth, associated with physical torment, infertility, associated with spiritual torment, from time immemorial have encouraged women to resort to the holy image of the Mother of God asking for help and intercession before the Lord. We invite you to prayer service before Icon of the Mother of God Helper in Childbirth, which will begin at 12.00 o'clock, not only women expecting the birth of a child, but also husbands and other relatives. We also invite young parents to prayer for newborn children and those who do not yet have offspring, but really want to.

The Mother of God in the icon is depicted with her head uncovered and her hair flowing (although according to Orthodox canons of icon painting, the Mother of God should be depicted with her head covered, and this may indicate the Western origin of this icon). The outer garment is red, with a golden tint, or blue with stars on the shoulders (not always). Underneath is a dark green robe, also gilded. The hands of the Virgin Mary are folded on her chest. The fingers of the left hand are half covered by the fingers of the right.
Baby Jesus is depicted under folded hands. The fingers of his right hand are folded for a name blessing (each finger represents a letter of the Greek alphabet, the extended index finger is an I, the bent middle finger is like a C, the thumb crossed over the ring finger is an X, and the raised, slightly bent little finger represents the letter C. This makes IC XC - monogram of Jesus Christ.

Along with the canonical images of the “Helper in Childbirth” icon, there are many variations.

The icon “Helper in Childbirth” was found in 1993 and is considered miraculous, helping with pregnancies with complications, as well as with infertility.

In Russia, lists of the “Helper in Childbirth” icon are rare. One of the lists was acquired relatively recently and is located in Serpukhov, in the St. Nicholas Cathedral (the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the White), in the chapel of Our Lady “Help to Childbirth”.

The story of the discovery of the miraculous icon “Helper in Childbirth” is remarkable. During Great Lent, it was given to Archpriest Vladimir Andreev by an old woman whom he gave communion at home when she learned about the revival of the parish. After the frame in the sooty robe, removed from the attic, was cleaned of many years of dust, the bright face of the Virgin Mary with the baby Jesus looked out from the icon. The image was called “Assistant in Childbirth.”

Since then, the icon has shown many miracles, which Vladimir Andreev witnessed. For example, a case is described when a woman with a pregnancy complicated by abnormal position of the fetus turned to the icon. After prayers were offered to the icon, the next morning the fetus turned over and took the correct position!
There were cases of help with infertility.

The very name of the icon suggests that they pray in front of it for a successful birth. They also pray before her for the health of newborns. Iconographically, the image is somewhat reminiscent of the “SIGN” icon. Celebration of the icon “Help in Childbirth” - January 8 (December 26, old style).

Troparion to the Most Holy Theotokos in Honor of the Icon of Her “Helper in Childbirth”

voice 4

The Mother of our God, having conceived Christ the Life-Giver in the womb, You did not require help in His birth, so bless and help Thy servant to be easily resolved, and their babies at the right time to be born, under Thy protection, as a Mother, we pray, accept: Thou art in childbirth, Helper, Intercessor of Your servant.

Even without yet seeing with our eyes, only feeling the weak tremors of the little creature inside us, we will, throughout the entire period of pregnancy, and not only, but all the days of our life, thank and glorify our Heavenly Father, admiring the incomprehensible mystery of the birth of man into life.

KONDAC OF THE HOLY VIRGIN IN HONOR OF HER ICON “HELPER IN CHILDREN”

voice 2

The tears of Eve are the permission, the fulfillment of the prophetic scriptures, conceived by the Holy Spirit of the Infant God, and humbly giving birth to Him in the manger of Bethlehem, we resort to You as the Guardian of wives and babies, we sigh to You and magnify You: Rejoice, Mother of Grace, Helper in childbirth.

For any woman, the birth of a child is the most important gift of God. Prayer before the icon of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth” protects expectant mothers, helps maintain pregnancy and strengthen after childbirth.

Many women probably won’t even be able to describe the joy that the feeling of motherhood gives them. However, during pregnancy, expectant mothers experience great fear from thoughts of painful childbirth and the dangers that may threaten the baby. To protect themselves and their unborn child, women turn for help to the Mother of God, the Intercessor of children and mothers. The image of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth” can often be seen in maternity hospitals and where a new addition to the family is expected soon. The icon of the Mother of God is not just a talisman for the expectant mother - it helps women during childbirth, protecting both them and the child.

History of the “Helper in Childbirth” icon

There is currently no reliable information about the history of the appearance of the image of the Mother of God “Help in Childbirth”, as well as about the location of the original. According to one version, this icon once belonged to the Catholic Church. This is confirmed by the special image of the Virgin Mary, which is not characteristic of Orthodox iconography.

Another confirmation of this version is the day of celebration of the icon itself - January 8. Along with the celebration of the “Help in Childbirth” icon, on this day believers venerate another image of the Mother of God - the “Blessed Womb”, which came to us from Italy, from Bargrad, located in Rome.

Despite the fact that there is no confirmed information about the origin of the icon, the miraculous image of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth” is especially revered by the Orthodox Church and expectant mothers. Copies of the icon can be seen in many churches in our country, and pregnant women can always turn to it for help, asking for an easy, painless birth and your child's health.

Description of the image of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth”

There are several icons of the Virgin Mary “Helper in Childbirth,” but only one of them is the most common in the modern world. Each of these images has its own iconographic features, but the meaning and power of the miraculous image remains unchanged. The image on the icon belongs to one of the types of Catholic iconography - immaculate, which means “immaculate”. The Virgin Mary herself is depicted in a red robe, on which gilding is visible. She stands with her head uncovered, and her hands are folded on her chest. At the level of her palms, the baby Jesus Christ is depicted without clothes, with crossed arms. Such an image means the Mother of God’s experience of an unborn child. Her image gives love, hope and peace, which are so necessary pregnant women.

How does a miraculous image help?

From the name itself you can understand that the icon is the main amulet for a woman who carries a child under her heart. Prayers before the icon and faith in the power of the Great Intercessor help women give birth quickly and painlessly, recover after childbirth, and also provide protection from troubles throughout pregnancy.

Married couples who dream of having a child, but cannot do so for a long time, also turn to the image of the Mother of God with requests to give them children as soon as possible. A wonderful story is connected with this, thanks to which the Serpukhov St. Nicholas Cathedral in 1993 acquired the miraculous image of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth.”

Thanks to the magical power of the “Help in Childbirth” icon, a real miracle happened to the Serpukhov priest Vladimir Andreev. Even at a time when he was not ordained, he and his wife dreamed of having a child, but the first attempt ended in the death of the baby, and after the second birth it was easy, but the mother was in serious condition in the hospital. The exhausted husband took care of the child alone for six months. During this time, he prayed to the Lord every day and asked for his protection and salvation of his loved ones. One day he realized that communication with God was a necessary need for him, and after that he decided to completely devote himself to faith and become a priest. During Great Lent, Vladimir Andreev went to the home of an elderly woman to celebrate the Eucharist. He told her that he was the priest of a newly opened church. At that moment, the woman called her granddaughter, asking her to bring her a package. When she unfolded it, there was an icon in it. This was the same image of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth.” After this, the woman said that she would like to bring this icon as a gift to the new church. The entire image was stained with soot, and the priest had the impression that the icon had been forgotten and unnecessary for many years. Having cleansed it, he saw an image of the Mother of God and the baby Jesus Christ. When he brought the icon to the church, it began to work real miracles. The women who prayed before her to conceive a child soon became pregnant, but did not forget to pray to the icon of the Mother of God for a painless birth and the happiness of their future child. Everything improved in the priest’s family: the wife recovered, and the child grew up healthy. After all the miracles that this icon performed, Vladimir Andreev decided to give it to St. Nicholas Cathedral. Since then, many women and expectant mothers have gathered within the walls of this sacred place, asking the miraculous image to give them a healthy child, protect them during pregnancy, and ease the pain during childbirth.

Not only pregnant women, but also their husbands turn to the icon of the Mother of God with prayer for the protection of the future mother and child. After all, a request from the pure heart of a loving husband and future father cannot but be heard.

Where is the miraculous image of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth”

One of the most important images of the Virgin Mary is located in the St. Nicholas Cathedral in the city of Serpukhov in the Moscow region. For the Church of St. Nicholas the Bely, the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary “Help in Childbirth” is one of the most revered shrines. A separate chapel has been allocated for her, where many Orthodox women and their relatives come to pray.

For believers, the Mother of God has always been considered the patroness and intercessor of families and children. In many Orthodox churches and temples you can pray before the miraculous icon of the Mother of God “Help in Childbirth”, asking her for the health of expectant mothers and their children:

• Church of All Saints, Krasnoye Selo, Moscow;
• Church of the Transfiguration on Bolvanka, Moscow;
• Church of the Nativity, Yekaterinburg;
• Boris and Gleb Church, city of Borovsk, Kaluga region;
• Holy Trinity Izmailovsky Cathedral, St. Petersburg.

In many little-known temples and churches you can also see the icon of the Mother of God “Help in Childbirth”. Women purchase such icons as a talisman and pray to the Great Intercessor every day.

Prayer before the icon of the Mother of God

Both the expectant mother and her relatives can say a prayer in front of the icon. Do not forget that the sincerity of your prayer and faith in its power is the most important thing in your request.

“Oh, Most Holy Theotokos, our Intercessor and Patroness. You never leave us who pray to you in trouble. I pray to you for the health and happiness of my child. The Lord God has blessed us by giving us a child for our joy. Let nothing harm him while still in his mother’s womb. May he be born a believer, honoring and respecting his parents. Hear, Holy Virgin Mary, my requests and grant all women an easy and painless birth. May the happiness of motherhood come with the advent of my child. Help and bless us, Great Mother of God. Amen".

You can turn to the image of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth” at any time. If you have such an icon at home, pray to it every day so that your requests bring positive results.

Date of celebration of the miraculous image of the Virgin Mary

The official date for the celebration of the icon is January 8. This event is associated with another Orthodox holiday - the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this day, believers visit churches and cathedrals, thank the Mother of God for her help and for all her gifts, and praise her in prayers. Young mothers and pregnant women pray before the icon of the Mother of God “Helper in Childbirth,” thanking her for the gift of a child or asking for protection before childbirth and for the health of themselves and their unborn child.

The miraculous image stored in . It is considered to help with pregnancies with complications, as well as with infertility.

The place and time of the appearance of the prototype of the icon has not been established, however, two canonical versions of it have been known since ancient times

The Virgin Mary is depicted standing at full height, with her hands raised up in prayer, and at the level of her chest is the baby Jesus.

The Mother of God is depicted with her head uncovered, her hair flowing and her hands folded on her chest. The outer robe is red, with a golden tint. The lower one is dark green, also covered with gold.

There are also many variations of canonical images.

The appearance of the image in Serpukhov occurred in 1993. It was given to the rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral by one of the parishioners of the temple, who found the icon in the attic of her house.

The akathist in front of the Serpukhov icon was blessed by Bishop Juvenaly, Metropolitan of Krutitsky and Kolomna.

Interesting facts about the Serpukhov Icon of the Mother of God "Helping Childbirth"

The icon is also known as “Help in childbirth”, “Helper in childbirth”, “Helper to wives in giving birth to children”.

The fact that in one of the versions of the prototype of the icon the Mother of God is depicted with her hair flowing, although according to Orthodox canons of icon painting she should be depicted with her head covered, may indicate the Western origin of this icon.