Icon of the Mother of God,
"Enlightener of Minds", "Adding to the Mind", "Increase in Intelligence"
(Прибавление ума / Pribavlenie Uma)
Commemorated August 15 / August 28, (17th century?)
I came across a description of an icon of the Mother of God known as "Enlightener of Minds", or "Adding to the Mind", or "Increase of Intelligence" (more simply known in Slavonic as Прибавление ума / Pribavlenie Uma) while looking through some old catalogs I had of Orthodox Christian merchandise. Information about this icon seems hard to come by, so I thought it might be useful to post what I learned about it, particularly given the frequent inquiry of why this is typically an icon given to students.While searching for information about this icon, I discovered that in addition to helping students to obtain true wisdom (not just worldly knowledge), it is also known for healing of mental illness/mental disorders and spiritual delusion (prelest). Another source states that prayer before the icon helps in making decisions difficult situations. One source stated, "This icon is prayed to for successful study, for the enlightenment of the mind in learning. This icon owes its origins to the deep faith of the Orthodox in the Blessed Virgin as the Intercessor before God and Her Son about the gift of spiritual and material blessings to people, among which the enlightenment of the mind and the heart by the Divine Truth holds the most important place. Parents, who notice in their children a weakness of the mind in the learning of the beginning foundations of faith and literacy, address the Blessed Theotokos and the Divine Infant Christ with prayer, as the fount of wisdom and reason, and the addition of the mind for their children."
I found references made to the icon not being "truly Orthodox" in nature; I am not an expert on the matter.
I searched far and wide for English translations of a tropar, kondak, prayer, akathist, etc., and came up empty-handed. If I find anything in English, I will post it at a later date. I included information I found in Russian as it may be helpful.
"This very symbolic and unusual icon depicts the Most Holy Mother of God holding the Divine Infant, our Lord Jesus Christ. They are wrapped in what appears to be a Priest's phelonion (chasuble), and are surrounded by the six-winged Seraphim and the holy Angels. The Angels hold candles and there are burning lamps depicted shining in each of the upper corners of the icon. Beneath them are depicted cities and churches. The whole scene takes place before a huge gate opening up to a starry sky.
"This icon depicts the reality that all true wisdom comes only from God. On his own, man can only understand in part, and his mind will always be flawed, darkened as it is by sin. The more one is purified by repentance and sanctified by the grace of God, the more one is able to perceive reality.
"We need to turn to God and fervently beseech Him to enlighten our minds so that we may do that which is pleasing in His sight, and be converted from the errors of our ways.
"This icon is popular among students, and has been a favorite of all those who long not just for vain earthly knowledge, but for wisdom."
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Akathist in Russian:
http://akafist.narod.ru/B/Bogorodice.htm
Prayer before the icon:
Молитва ко Пресвятой Богородице пред иконой Ее «Подательница ума» или «Прибавление ума»
О Пресвятая Дево! Ты — Невеста Бога Отца и Матерь Божественнаго Его Сына Иисуса Христа! Ты — Царица Ангелов и спасение людей, обличительница грешников и наказательница богоотступников. Помилуй и нас, тяжко согрешивших и не исполнивших заповедей Божиих, нарушивших обеты крещения и обеты монашества и многие другие, которые обещали исполнять. Когда Дух Святый отступил от царя Саула, тогда боязнь и уныние напали на него и тьма отчаяния и безрадостное состояние души мучили его. Теперь и мы за грехи наши все лишились благодати Духа Святаго. Ум осуетился суетою помышлений, забвение о Боге омрачило души наша, и теперь теснят сердце всякаго рода печали, скорби, болезни, ненависть, зло, вражда, мстительность, злорадство и прочие грехи. И, не имея радости и утешения, зовем к Тебе, Мати Бога нашего Иисуса Христа, да умолиши Сына Твоего простить нам все наши согрешения и послать к нам Духа Утешителя, как послал Он Его на апостолов, да утешенные и просвещенные им воспоим Тебе благодарственную песнь: радуйся Пресвятая Богородице, ко спасению прибавившая нам ума. Аминь.
Тропарь, глас 4: (Tropar, tone 4)
О
Преславная Мати Христа Бога нашего, благих Подателя, милостию Своею всю
вселенную сохрани, даруй нам, рабом Твоим, премудрость и разум, светом Сына
Твоего души наша просвети, едина Всепетая, от Херувим и Серафим славимая.
Кондак, глас 2: (Kondak, tone 2)
Яко
Единицы умом нас просвещающую, хвалим Тя, Пречистая, Мати Разума, всю вселенную
держащаго, Красото мира видимаго и невидимаго, лучами жизни нас озаряющая.
