Trojeručica

Bogorodica Trojeručica (Serbian Cyrillic: Богородица Тројеручица, Greek: Παναγία Τριχερούσα, Panayia Tricherousa, meaning "Three-handed Theotokos") or simply Trojeručica (Three-handed) is a famous wonderworking icon in the Serb Orthodox monastery of Hilandar on Mount Athos, Greece. It depicts Theotokos (Virgin Mary) with young Jesus in the hodegetria position, and is covered with a riza. It is the most important icon of the Serbian Orthodox Church.^[1] On the back of the icon is the painting of St Nicholas.^[1]

History

According to tradition, the icon was in the possession of John of Damascus in the early 8th century^[2] and it is associated with his miraculous healing around the year 717. According to tradition, while he was serving as Vizier to caliph Al-Walid I, he was falsely accused of treachery and his hand was cut off.^[2][3] The accusation was, allegedly, made by Byzantine Iconoclast emperor Leo the Isaurian, who was indeed a great opponent of St John, and friend of Al-Walid I.^[2] Upon praying in front of an icon of the Theotokos, allegedly, his hand was miraculously restored. In thanksgiving, he had a silver replica of his hand fashioned and attached it to the icon.^[2] After this, the icon became known as "three-handed" (Tricherousa), because it had three hands (two of Theotokos plus one more).^[2]

John Damascene became a monk at Mar Sabbas monastery outside of Jerusalem and gave the icon to the monastic community there. Later the icon was given as a present to St. Sava when he visited the monastery, together with another icon of Theothokos in the style of Nursing Madonna, and with the crosier of Sabbas the Sanctified, the founder of the monastery.^[2] Sava brought the icon to Hilandar monastery where he lived.^[2] It remained there until 1347 when it was taken by Dušan of Serbia during his visit to Hilandar and brought with him to Serbia. At the end of 14th century, the icon was in the possession of the Studenica monastery.^[2] In the early 15th century, Trojeručica was back in Hilandar.

Until very recently the icon was formally the abbot of Hilandar, with monks elected to serve as its deputy.^[2][4] This icon has two feast days: July 11 [O.S. June 28] and July 25 [O.S. July 12].

Art historians think the style of the icon is more likely from the 14th century, and that it may be a copy or re-painting of an earlier prototype.^[5] Another version brought to Moscow in 1661 became famous, and resulted in many Russian copies.^[6][7]

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Trojeručica.

• Votive deposit
• Tama (votive)

References

Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church overview topics Overview topics Patriarchs (current) Holy Synod Serbian saints Serbian Orthodox monasteries (list) See also Đurđevdan Vidovdan
Subdivisions of the Serbian Orthodox Church Metropolitanates Belgrade and Karlovci Dabar-Bosna Montenegro and the Littoral Zagreb and Ljubljana Australia and New Zealand Traditional dioceses Bačka Banat Banja Luka Bihać and Petrovac Braničevo Buda Budimlja and Nikšić Dalmatia Upper Karlovac Kruševac Mileševa Niš Osječko polje and Baranja Raška and Prizren Šabac Slavonia Srem Šumadija Temišvar Timok Valjevo Vranje Zahumlje and Herzegovina Žiča Zvornik and Tuzla Diaspora dioceses Austria and Switzerland Britain and Scandinavia Buenos Aires Canada Central Europe Eastern America New Gracanica - Midwestern America Western America Western Europe Ohrid Archbishopric Metropolitanate of Skopje Eparchy of Prespa and Pelagonija Bregalnica Debar and Kičevo Polog and Kumanovo Veles and Povardarie Strumica Historical Belgrade Metropolitanate Karlovci Metropolitanate Karlovci Patriarchate Hvosno Lipljan Toplica Banjska Marča Samokov Kyustendil Arad (1695-1865) Kostajnica (1713-1771) Šabac and Valjevo (1831-2006) Kotor and Dubrovnik (1870-1931) Zahumlje and Raška (1878-1931) Ohrid (1920-1931) Bitola (1920-1931) Ohrid and Bitola (1931-1967) Zletovo and Strumica (1920-1967) (For others see: History of Serbian Orthodox Church)
Spiritual leaders of the Serbian Orthodox Church   Archbishops 1219–1346 Sava (St.) Arsenije Sremac (St.) Sava II (St.) Danilo I (St.) Joanikije I (St.) Jevstatije I (St.) Jakov (St.) Jevstatije II (St.) Sava III (St.) Nikodim I (St.) Danilo II (St.) Joanikije II (St.)   Patriarchs (since 1346) 1346–1463 Joanikije II (St.) Sava IV Jefrem (St.) Spiridon (St.) Danilo III Sava V Danilo IV Kirilo I (St.) Nikon I (St.) Teofan I Nikodim II Arsenije II 1557–1766 Makarije Sokolović (St.) Antonije Sokolović Gerasim Sokolović Savatije Sokolović Nikanor Jerotej Filip Sokolović Jovan Pajsije I Gavrilo I (St.) Maksim I Arsenije III Kalinik I Atanasije I Mojsije I Arsenije IV Joanikije III Atanasije II Gavrilo II Gavrilo III Vikentije I Pajsije II Gavrilo IV Kirilo II Vasilije I Kalinik II since 1920 Dimitrije Varnava Gavrilo Vikentije German Pavle Irinej   Heads of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Habsburg Monarchy (1690–1920) Metropolitans of Karlovci 1690–1726 Arsenije III Čarnojević Isaija Đaković Sofronije Podgoričanin Vikentije Popović Metropolitan of Belgrade 1718–1726 Mojsije Petrović Metropolitans of Belgrade and Karlovci 1726–1739 Mojsije Petrović Vićentije Jovanović Arsenije IV Jovanović Šakabenta Metropolitans of Karlovci 1739–1848 Arsenije IV Jovanović Šakabenta Isaija Antonović Pavle Nenadović Jovan Đorđević Vićentije Jovanović Vidak Mojisije Putnik Stefan Stratimirović Stefan Stanković Josif Rajačić Metropolitans and Patriarchs of Karlovci 1848–1920 Josif Rajačić Samuilo Maširević Prokopije Ivačković German Anđelić Georgije Branković Lukijan Bogdanović   Metropolitans of Belgrade 1831–1920 Melentije Pavlović Petar Jovanović Mihailo Jovanović Teodosije Mraović Inokentije Pavlović Dimitrije Pavlović   Metropolitans of Montenegro 1766–1920 Sava Petrović Arsenije Plamenac Petar I Petar II Danilo II Nikanor Ivanović Ilarion Roganović Visarion Ljubiša Mitrofan Ban
Serbian Orthodox monasteries Serbia Banjska* Bavanište Bođani Devič* Gračanica* Holy Archangels* Banja Beočin Bukovo Ćelije Crna Reka Đurđevi stupovi Fenek Gorioč* Gornjak Gradac Hajdučica Kalenić Kastaljan Koporin Kovilj Ljubostinja Manasija Mesić Mileševa Nimnik Poganovo Pokajnica Prohor Pčinjski Pustinja Rača Rajinovac Ravanica Rukumija St. Nicholas Sopoćani Studenica Suvodol Tronoša Tuman Vitovnica Bešenovo Divša Grgeteg Jazak Krušedol Kuveždin Mala Remeta Novo Hopovo Petkovica Patriarchate of Peć* Privina Glava Rakovac Staro Hopovo Šišatovac Velika Remeta Vrdnik-Ravanica Holy Trinity St. Melanija Sombor Središte Vojlovica Visoki Dečani* Zemun Žiča Zočište* Montenegro Bijela Beška Cetinje Ćelije Dajbabe Dobrilovina Donji Donji Brčeli Dovolja Dubočica Duljevo Đurđevi Stupovi Gradište Kaludra Kom Kosijerevo Majstorovina Miholjska Prevlaka Morača Moračnik Nikoljac Orahovo Ostrog Piva Podmaine Podmalinsko Podostrog Podvrh Praskvica Reževići Savina Stanjevići Starčeva Gorica St. Nicholas, Obod Vranjina Bosnia & Herzegovina Bišnja Detlak Dobrićevo Dobrun Dragaljevac Duga Njiva Duži Glogovac Gomionica Hercegovačka Gračanica Ilinka Karno Klisina Knežina Krupa Liplje Lomnica Lovnica Moštanica Ozren Papraća Petropavlov Pjenovac Rmanj Rožanj Sase Sokolica Stuplje St. Nicholas St. Basil of Ostrog Tavna Treskavac Tvrdoš Veselinje Vozuća Zavala Žitomislić Croatia Dragović Gomirje Komogovina Krka Krupa Lazarica Lepavina Oćestovo Orahovica Sv. Nedjelje Sv. Petke St. Basil of Ostrog Others Hilandar (Mount Athos) New Gračanica Monastery (USA) Notes * indicate monasteries in Kosovo, which is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Kosovo. List of Serbian Orthodox monasteries
Serbian Orthodox churches Serbia Church of Saint Sava St. Michael's Cathedral St. George, Banovo Brdo Ružica St. Mark's Church St. Basil of Ostrog St. Achillius, Arilje Peter's Church, Ras Cave Church, Lukovo Štava Church Odžaklija Kađenica Lazarica Church Church of St. George, Lukovo Church of Holy Ascension, Krupanj Saint George's Cathedral (Novi Sad) the Assumption, Zrenjanin Our Lady of Ljeviš* Church of the Virgin Hodegetria* Church of St. Elijah, Podujevo* Church of St. Nicholas, Prizren* Mala Gospojina Church* Christ the Saviour Cathedral, Pristina* Montenegro Cathedral of Podgorica Vlah Church Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Sarajevo Old Orthodox Church in Sarajevo Church of the Holy Transfiguration, Sarajevo Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, Banja Luka Church of St. George, Sopotnica Church of St. Nikola, Dobrelja Old Church of St. Nicholas, Javorani Croatia Church of the Holy Venerable Mother Parascheva Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord, Trpinja Church of St. Nicholas, Vukovar Church of Pentecost, Vinkovci Church of St. George, Kneževo Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, Negoslavci Church of Pentecost, Markušica Church of St. George, Bobota Church of St. Stephen, Borovo Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, Srijemske Laze Church of St. Peter and Paul, Bolman Church of St. Stefan Štiljanović, Karanac Church of St. Nicholas, Mirkovci Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Gaboš Church of St. Nicholas, Jagodnjak Church of St. Demetrius, Dalj Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, Zagreb Church of St. George, Grubišno Polje Church of St. Nicholas, Karlovac Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, Drežnica Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Štikada Church of St. George, Varaždin Church of the Holy Annunciation, Dubrovnik Orthodox Church in Knin Church of St. Peter and Paul, Tepljuh St. Spyridon Church, Peroj Church of St. Nicholas, Rijeka Church of St. Nicholas, Vrlika Orthodox church of Holy Salvation, Cetina United Kingdom Church of St Sava, Notting Hill, London Church of the Holy Prince Lazar, Birmingham Serbian Orthodox Church, Halifax St. Nicholas, West Wycombe United States Sts. Constantine and Helen Serbian Orthodox Church, USA Trinity Chapel Complex, USA Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church (Jackson, California), USA Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church (Merrillville, Indiana), USA St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), USA Other countries St. Archangel Michael Serbian Orthodox Church (Toronto), Canada Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church, Slovenia Serbian Church in Arad, Romania St. Sava Church, Paris, France Saint Spyridon Church, Trieste, Italy Annunciation Church, Szentendre, Hungary Transfiguration Church, Szentendre, Hungary Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Church, Stockholm, Sweden Notes * indicate churches in Kosovo, which is the subject of a territorial dispute between Serbia and Kosovo.
Serbian saints St. Angelina St. Basil of Ostrog St. Danilo II St. Gavrilo Rajić St. Helen of Anjou St. Jovan Vladimir St. Prince Lazar / St. Princess Milica St. Makarije Sokolović St. Maksim Branković St. Nikodim I St. Nikolaj Velimirović St. Peter of Cetinje St. Sava St. Sava II St. Simeon the Monk St. Simeon the Myrrh-flowing St. Stefan Lazarević St. Stefan Štiljanović St. Stefan Uroš St. Stefan of Dečani St. Stefan the Blind St. Stefan of Piperi St. Teodor Komogovinski St. Vladislav St. Vukašin St. Georgije Bogić