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The Jerusalem icon of the Mother of God

The Jerusalem Icon’s Healing Touch, a Story of Miracles and Devotion

the Jerusalem icon of the Mother of God

Of the more than 700 revered icons of the Theotokos, each has a unique history, and each possesses distinct qualities. Today, we look at the Jerusalem Icon. Tradition holds that Saint Luke the Evangelist painted this icon some 15 years after the Lord’s Ascension while the Blessed Virgin still walked this earth.

Belonging to the Hodegetria type — “She who shows the Way” — this icon portrays the Virgin Mary from the waist up. Her eyes rest upon the Christ Child, Whom She cradles in Her right arm. A mirror image of this composition is found in the Georgian Icon of the Mother of God. One notable feature, particularly in the Izmailovo copy, is the Saviour’s blessing. The fingers of His right hand form the name of Jesus Christ: IC XC. Bishops often use this gesture to bless.

Apostle Luke.  Mid-16th-century icon, Pskov

Apostle Luke. Mid-16th-century icon, Pskov

The icon was created in the very heart of Israel. It could rightfully be called Korsun, echoing the icon whose feast day falls on 22 October. That icon, too, graced Korsun (present-day Chersonesus) in its storied past. But let us unfold the tale in due course…

From Jerusalem, in 463 AD, the icon journeyed to Constantinople. Emperor Leo I, known as Leo the Great, decreed its placement within the Church of the Theotokos of the Pharos in the Byzantine capital. Blessings flowed upon the city’s inhabitants, and continued to do so under the wise reign of the pious Emperor Heraclius. The Theotokos also revealed Her power during a Scythian attack on Constantinople. Through prayers offered before the miraculous icon, the enemy was defeated. In gratitude, the citizens transferred the Jerusalem Icon to the Church of Blachernae.

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In the 10th century, the icon left Byzantine as a gift to the great Russian Prince Vladimir preparing for baptism in Korsun in 988 AD. Following his baptism and marriage to the Byzantine princess Anna, the Russian ruler carried the icon to Kiev. Later, he gifted it to the people of Novgorod who embraced Christianity.

For centuries, the image of the Mother of God resided in the Saint Sophia Cathedral of Novgorod the Great. The entire Russian North revered the Jerusalem Theotokos.

However, in the 16th century, the icon departed its temporary haven for Moscow. History brooks no “what ifs,” but had it not been moved to the capital of the Russian state, perhaps it would have remained on Russian soil. Sadly, during the Napoleonic War of 1812, the French seized and carried it to Paris. Some sources suggest the original now rests in the Vatican.

Yet, by God’s grace, miraculous copies of the Jerusalem Icon endure in Russia. Russian rulers commissioned faithful reproductions, placing them in their private chapels. One such icon graced the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos on the Porch, situated within the very chambers of the Moscow tsars. Now, it resides in the Kremlin’s Assumption Cathedral, standing in the original’s stead. This image holds a special charm, as it features not only the Heavenly Protectress, but also the visages of the Holy Apostles Paul, Peter, Luke, Simon, Philip, Matthew, Mark, James, Thomas, and Bartholomew, along with the Holy Martyrs Procopius, Demetrius, George, and Mercurius, flanking the central figure.

In Izmailovo, within the ever-open doors of the Church of the Nativity of Christ, resides another treasured copy. Relocated from the Intercession Cathedral on the Tsar’s island estate in the Serebryano-Vinogradny Pond, this icon holds a special place in the hearts of the faithful.

Church of the Nativity of Christ in Izmailovo

Church of the Nativity of Christ in Izmailovo

The Izmailovo image became renowned for its healing powers during the cholera epidemic of 1866. The surrounding villages of Novinki, Dyakovo, and Nagatino organised a procession with the Jerusalem Icon. Carrying the icon proved a feat of strength; its size and weight required eight men to bear it through the villages. Miraculously, from that moment on, the deadly epidemic loosened its grip on the Russian villages.

That same year, a similar miracle occurred in Podolsk, near Moscow. Cholera raged, a terrifying reaper. The desperate citizens pleaded with Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow to bring them the miraculous Iveron Icon. However, daily prayers were already ascending before the Iveron Icon, as Moscow itself grappled with the epidemic. The icon was constantly in motion, carried in processions throughout the city. So, the Metropolitan directed them to bring the Jerusalem Icon from Bronnitsy instead. On 12 August 1866, the imposing icon, resplendent in its silver-gilt riza weighing two pudd (approximately 36 kilograms), arrived in Podolsk. Thousands of hopeful souls thronged the streets to welcome it. And a miracle they witnessed. That day, not a single death occurred, nor did a single new case arise.

The Jerusalem icon of the Mother of God in Bronnicy

The Jerusalem icon of the Mother of God in Bronnicy

The number of sick plummeted, and the cholera retreated. From that day forward, the people of Podolsk joyfully celebrated an annual procession, bringing the wonderworking icon from Bronnitsy. A faithful copy was also commissioned for Podolsk’s Trinity Cathedral, and each year, a 40-verst (approximately 43 km) procession with the Jerusalem Icon wove its way through the town.

Through Her icons, the Jerusalem Mother of God extends Her prayerful embrace across Russia. They grace both humble village churches and magnificent cathedrals alike. And everywhere, in answer to the fervent prayers of the faithful, miracles blossom.

October 23, 2024
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