The Story About the Icon of the Mother of God of Koloch’ and Its Role in the Formation of Russian Statehood

Abstract

The article is devoted to the source «The Tale of the Koloch Icon of the Mother of God» and its significance in the formation of Russian statehood. At the Moscow Theological Schools, popularization ofthe writings of Hieromonk German (Tulupov) and his Menology, in particular, is currently ongoing. The present work devoted to the tale of the icon of the Mother of God of Koloch could contribute to the mentioned process.

«The Tale of Luke of Koloch» – a late 15th–early 16th century source – describes the discovery of the Koloch icon. According to the Tale, in the year 1413 a peasant by the name of Luke found the wonderworking icon of the Theotokos at the Kolocha River in the Mozhaysk principality and named it after the place where it had appeared. The icon was a hinged icon of St Nicholas the Wonderworker and Holy Prophet Elias (Elijah). Having visited various cities and the capital, the Koloch icon became the holy relic of the Kolotsk Assumption Monastery founded by Prince Andrew Dimitrievich of Mozhaysk. The abundance of references in the chronicles and the creation of literary works dedicated to the Koloch icon can be explained by the fact that this was the first icon of the Mother of God to appear so close to Moscow. Researchers note the special role that the «Tale of the Icon of Kolocha» played in the ideological struggle of the Grand-ducal House during the formation of the centralized Russian state.