November 17, 2011
From
23rd to 28th November 2011, the wonderworking Icon of
the Mother of God “Surety of Sinners” is
being brought to England from Moscow. It will be
brought by a delegation headed by His Grace, Bishop
Tikhon of Podolsk, Chairman of the Moscow
Patriarchate’s Finance and Economic
Administration, Rector of the church of St Nicholas
at Khamovniki in Moscow where the icon resides,
reports the
website of the Diocese of Sourozh.
Surity of Sinners icon of the Mother of God, Moscow.
The icon is known by this name because of the inscription on the icon: “I am the Surety of sinners for My Son Who has entrusted Me to hear them, and those who bring Me the joy of hearing them will receive eternal joy through Me.” The icon was first glorified by miracles at the St Nicholas Odrino Monastery in the Orlov province of Russia in the mid-nineteenth century. It was in an old chapel beyond the monastery gates, and stood between two other ancient icons. Because it was so faded and covered with dust, it was impossible to read the inscription. In 1843, it was revealed in peoples’ dreams that the icon was endowed with miraculous powers. These same townspeople solemnly brought the icon into the church. Believers began to flock to the church to pray for the healing of their sorrows and sicknesses. The first one to receive healing was a crippled child, whose mother prayed fervently before the icon in 1844. The icon was glorified during a cholera epidemic, when many fell deathly ill, and were restored to health after praying before the icon. In 1848, through the zeal of Demetrius Boncheskul, a copy of the wonderworking image was made and placed in his home. Soon it began to exude a healing myrrh, which healt many after grievous illnesses. This wonderworking copy was brought to the church of St Nicholas at Khamovniki in Moscow, where a chapel was built in honor of the icon.
For more information, see the website of the Diocese of Sourozh.
