Holy Mother of God, Giver of Mind

To the Chosen One of all the families, the Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and earth, who bestows spiritual medicine upon the whole world, we offer a song of thanksgiving for the gift of the Divine treasure, Her miraculous icon, called “The Giver of Mind,” and surrounded by her, we rejoice brightly and lovingly call out:

Rejoice, All-Merciful Lady, bestowing wisdom and understanding upon Your faithful people.

From the Akathist of the Mother of God, Giver of Mind.

On the eve of the new school year, it is good to remember and turn for help to the Holy Mother of God, Giver of Mind.

The legend tells of an icon painter who lost his mind from reading too much. The Mother of God appeared to him and told him how to draw her and he would recover. The icon painter was unable to remember everything and so the Virgin Mary appeared to him several times until the icon was completed in the manner in which the Virgin Mary appeared to him. The icon painter recovered. From there this image of the Most Pure Lady, our Mother of God, bears its name. Before this image of the Mother of God we pray for all students, teachers and all who do mental work. It helps mothers, giving them reason in raising children.

Prayer to the Holy Mother of God, Giver of Mind:

O Most Holy Virgin! You are the Bride of God the Father and the Mother of His Divine Son Jesus Christ! You are the Queen of Angels and the salvation of men, the accuser of sinners and the avenger of apostates! Have mercy on us, who have sinned grievously and have not fulfilled the commandments of God, who have broken the vows of Baptism, and many others that we have promised to fulfill. When the Holy Spirit departed from Saul, then fear and despondency attacked him, and the darkness of despair and the gloomy mood of the soul tormented him. Now we have all been deprived of the grace of the Holy Spirit because of our sins. Our minds have become entangled in vain thoughts, forgetfulness of God has darkened our souls, and all kinds of sorrows, sorrows, illnesses, hatred, evil, enmity, revenge, gloating and other sins oppress our hearts. And lacking joy and consolation, we call upon You, Mother of our God Jesus Christ: beseech Your Son to forgive us all our sins and to send us the Spirit the Comforter, as He sent Him to the Apostles, so that, comforted and enlightened by Him, we may offer You a song of thanksgiving: Rejoice, Most Holy Theotokos, who has given us understanding for our salvation. Amen.