Prayer for wisdom

The "Greater Wisdom" is an ancient icon of the Virgin Mary. The origins of the icon are rooted in the belief of orthodox people in the Virgin Mary as the applicant before the Father and the Son for spiritual and material gifts to the people, the main place among which is occupied by the illumination of the mind and the soul by Spiritual Truth.

The history of this icon is interesting. It is thought that it was created in the XVII century by an iconographer, who could not understand in any way the sense of the Nikon reform during the division of the Russian Orthodox Church and determine which books of divine service were true - old or new. He suffered in this choice for so long, that he feared losing his mind and began praying to the Virgin Mary for greater wisdom. His prayers helped him to obtain an answer and in return, he promised that he will create the icon of the Virgin Mary in the means, in which she appears to him. The iconographer fulfilled his promise.

There is another version of the history of the icon. It is possible that the prototype of "Greater Wisdom" was the Loretanskaya (or Loretskaya) statue of the Virgin Mary, made from cedar by the apostle Luke. This statue was kept in a small house, which stood in Nazareth. The Virgin Mary was born in this house and lived there in her youth. In the XIII century the Turks began to conquer the eastern lands. Then the Christians took the house to Europe. The bishop of the Italian city of Loreto had a vision of the Virgin Mary, which said: "My son, my modest dwelling in Nazareth, where I was born and spent my youth, arrives at your shores". Both the holy house and the statue were brought to Loreto. It is believed that the cedar statue was seen in Italy by the Russian ambassadors of the Grand Duke Vasiliy III in 1528. It is thought that the icon of "Greater Wisdom" was created from this prototype.

The very name of the icon gives clues to the prayer. The prayer before the icon of "Greater Wisdom" is said for those, who lack wisdom or to whom it was insufficiently granted. This prayer best helps parents, who are noticing in their children inadequate mastering of the initial bases of faith and literacy. Young people pray to the icon of “Greater Wisdom” for aid in understanding of subjects, in which they have limited success, for the successful undertaking of difficult examinations and support in successfully gaining entry into various educational institutions.