Stalin and the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan

[Zoya]

This is a remarkable story from the Great Patriotic War!

The Icon of Our Lady of Kazan

In 1941, during World War II against Nazi Germany, the Virgin appeared to Metropolitan Ilya of the Antiochian Church, who prayed wholeheartedly for Russia. She instructed him to tell the Russians that they should carry the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan in a religious procession around the besieged city of Leningrad (now St Petersburg). Then, the Virgin said, they should serve a prayer service before the icon in Moscow. The Virgin said that the icon should stay with the Russian troops in Stalingrad, and later move with them to the Russian border. Leningrad did not surrender. Miraculously, Moscow was also saved.

During the Battle of Stalingrad, the icon was with the Russian army on the right bank of the Volga, and the Nazi troops could not cross the river. The Battle of Stalingrad began with a prayer service before the Icon of Our Lady of Kazan. Only when it was finished did the troops receive the order to attack. The Icon of the Virgin of Kazan was at the most important sectors of the front, and in the places where the troops were preparing for an offensive. It was like in the old times, when in response to earnest prayers, the Virgin instilled fear in enemies and drove them away. Even atheists told stories of the Virgin’s help to the Russian troops.

During the assault on Königsberg in 1944, the Soviet troops were in a critical situation. Suddenly, the soldiers saw their commander arrive with priests and an icon. Many made jokes, “Just wait, they will help us”! The commander silenced the jokers. He ordered everybody to line up and to take off their uniform caps. When the priests finished the prayer service, they moved to the frontline carrying the icon. The amazed soldiers watched them going straight forward, under intense Nazi fire. Suddenly, the Nazis stopped shooting. Then, the Russian troops received orders to attack on the ground and from the sea. Nazis died in the thousands. Nazi prisoners told the Russians that they saw the Virgin in the sky before the Russians began to attack, the whole of the Nazi army saw Her, and their weapons would not fire.

From: The Icon of Our Lady of Kazan « Voices from Russia

And this:

True, the ideas of socialism brought many people together in the war against Nazi Germany. But in case of Russia the Nazis’ obsession with the plan to wipe out this country as a nation turned the world war into a patriotic one. So it was natural that in a bid to overpower the enemy the nation turned to their imperial tradition and to Russian history. The Orthodoxy was the Russian man’s main spiritual basis. Stalin just couldn’t fail to realize this, so it is small wonder that he sought assistance from the Church during that dangerous period of time in this country’s history.

20,000 churches were opened during the war years. In spring 1942 Soviet Government allowed Easter celebrations for the first time in many years. On September 4th 1943 Stalin invited the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church to the Kremlin to discuss the need for reviving religious life in the USSR and the speedy election of a Patriarch.

From: ROAD TO VICTORY [THE VOICE OF RUSSIA]

[T-34]

yes, and not only the legend has it, but also - there were those who personally witnessed it.

[marcus69x]

Very interesting. Not so sure about the virgin mary appearing in the sky though. Is it true that all their weapons stopped firing? Has this actually been documented?

[T-34]

Originally Posted by marcus69x

... Is it true that all their weapons stopped firing?...

well, as to ''all their weapons'' - that's, of course, an exaggeration...

[Tom Canning]

T34 - don't know that it is much of exaggeration as the Virgin has been known to do many strange - to us - things - Like at Fatima Portugal in 1917 when she foretold that the war would soon finish - but a greater one would begin during the papacy of Pius X1 and would be heralded by a great light in the Northern skies - this happened as I witnessed in Scotland in January 1938 or ' 39 - not sure now - but it was written off as another Aurora Borealis - she also claimed that Russia would be converted to the Roman catholic Faith - if the Pope and his Bishops would do the consecration - this would then bring a period of peace to the World as Communism - yes in 1917 ! - will spread it's errors across the world - this consecration hasn't been done yet !!!

[tovarisch]

Then, the Virgin said, they should serve a prayer service before the icon in Moscow.

Not only that, I also heard that the Lady of Kazan' was flown round the whole city in a plane just before the defense of Moscow. I'm not sure of the relevancy of all this, it's been discredited as a myth by many historians here in Russia, and I myself at one time was inclined to believe that all that was a farce, but who knows, the icon is said to have done miracles for the Russian armies of the ages, going back to 1812 and the Napoleonic Wars, and even further back to the times of Genghis Khan and the war against the Mongol hordes, the Lady of Kazan' has been associated with every large Russian military victory ever since it appeared, and it's always brought victory along with it.

[Za Rodinu]

So where was the icon at Stalingrad, Kursk, Bagration, Berlin, etc, etc?

[tovarisch]

The battle of Stalingrad actually began after a service in front of the Icon. It was indeed flown round the capital, Moscow, before the defence of the city in 1941. It played its part in Leningrad as well. This has been confirmed by church officials, and Soviet officials too.

It's just that in recent years all of the facts that are similar to myth are discredited as myth straight away. I watched a documentary on NTV by Aleksey Pivovarov, who created the documentary on Rzhev as well, you've probably heard of it. He said that that was all made up by the church and some historians, and I began to doubt the stuff I was hearing about the Icon. But I've had a look around and all the info is confirmed and legit.

Here's a link to the Pivovarov Movie, if you were wondering.
YouTube - Мо�ква. О�ень. 41-й. [фильм]1ча�ть.avi

It's all in Russian, but what can I do

[Za Rodinu]

Thanks very mudh, T.

[tovarisch]

Don't mention it