Icon of the Mother of God Eleusa from Novgorod, in blue – embroidered, framed, 31x37cm.
The icon of the Most Holy Mother of God "Eleusa" illustrates in a profound spiritual sense the love between God and His creation, humankind. It is a love that can only be mediated through a heavenly being, in this case, the Most Holy Virgin Mary.
She carries the Son of God in her arms, while the Son turns His face towards her and wraps His hand around her neck. The Mother of God represents in this icon the image of the Church.
Those who look closely can observe how the Most Holy Mother of God holds the Child in her arms without looking directly at Him. Her gaze does not turn towards those around her or the horizon, but is always directed towards the depths of her soul, in deep contemplation. Her tenderness is shown through the sanctity of her hands.
She embraces the Child without squeezing Him, but carrying Him with a sanctity reminiscent of sacrifice, and all tenderness, all human love, is reflected in the Child, not in His mother. She remains forever the Mother of God and does not treat the Child as if He were her swaddled baby, but as the incarnate Son of God. Son of the Virgin, He embraces within Himself both humanity and divinity, both her Son and the Savior.
History of the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God "Eleusa" from Novgorod:
On July 8, 1337, a guard of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Novgorod was drawn by a sound heard in the holy place and, approaching, witnessed a miracle: the icon of the Most Holy, located on the second level of the icons, above the northern door of the iconostasis, had left its place and floated in the air, and holy tears flowed from the eyes of the Mother of God.
Without delay, Archbishop Alexius was called and, surrounded by clergy and faithful, approached the holy place. A special iconostasis was erected to house the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, and July 8 was honored as a feast in her honor.
In the same year, the city of Novgorod was struck by a plague, but through the intercession of the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, many faithful gathered to pray, and the plague was driven away. In 1352, Archbishop Basil instituted an annual procession with the icon of the Virgin Mary, starting from the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and ending at the Cathedral of St. Sophia.
In the summer of 1366, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity was engulfed in flames, but the icon "Eleusa" remained untouched by fire, miraculously floating in the air above the fire. Archbishop Alexius arrived immediately and, through the power of prayers, the icon descended into his hands, and the flames were extinguished. Despite this miracle, a seven-centimeter burn mark remained on the back of the icon, a testimony to the miracle that occurred.
Grand Prince Ivan III transferred the icon to Moscow in 1397, where it remained until 1508. During this period, the Most Holy appeared to Maria the Kniazha in a dream, commanding her to return the icon to Novgorod.
