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Veneration of the Icon of the Mother of God "Burning Rosary"; St. Holy Mc. Vavila, bishop of Antioch; St. Prophet Moses; St. Mc. Petroniustranslated

September 3, 2026 · 1 min read

Orthodox calendar, September 4 Veneration of the Icon of the Mother of God "Burning Rosary" The icon of the Mother of God, called "of the Burning Bush" depicts the biblical event from the Old Testament, in which the Holy Prophet Moses, being at the foot of Mount Sinai (Horeb), saw a burning bush, but it was not consumed (Exodus, ch. 3).

Hearing God's voice from the bush, he was called to lead the Jews out of Egyptian captivity. The Holy Fathers saw in the unburnt pyre a foreshadowing of the Mother of God, who, although she received the fire of the Godhead in her womb, was not burned.

The first icons depicting the burning stake were painted at the Saint Catherine Monastery on Mount Sinai, and from the 13th century, the stake icon was often accompanied by the image of the Mother of God with the Child. In the 16th century, Russian iconographers created a new type of the Burning Bush icon, with rich symbolism. The icon of the Holy Virgin Mary with the Child is in the center, on a background consisting of two overlapping squares, red and green, representing both the leaves of the stake and the fire that engulfed them. Thus, an eight-pointed star is formed, surrounded by faces of…

Source: Агентство Basilica (română) · Read the full story →

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Ζωή Χατζή

I liked that he mentions the first icons from the Monastery of St. Catherine in Sinai. Exactly where the incident with Moses happened. Always when I see pictures like this I think how beautifully they connect the Old and New Testaments without many words.

Мариана Петкова

Yeah, I thought about that too. The icon from the Sinaitic tabernacle right where Moses saw the unburnt blackberry is the most logical starting point. Then the Russians in the 16th century added this octagonal star with the red and green - it simply and clearly shows how the Mother of God carries the fire without burning. Interesting how an old story from the desert finds its way to our churches.

Иван Стоянов

Yes, that's right, Mariana. The Sinai Tabernacle icon is where Moses actually stood - that's my favorite connection. As a courier, I often pass by the Holy Trinity Church here in Veliko Tarnovo and see how our icons with this octagonal star stand prominently. Interesting, in which church do you most often see her?

Богдана Тодорова

Ivan, just like you and I dwell on this octagonal star with the red and green – in our church in Ruse we have such an icon above the altar and every year on September 4 we decorate it with basil. It really simply and clearly shows how the Mother of God carries the fire without burning. Thanks for the reminder.