Miraculous Icons
06/03/2020 11:08
Virgin Mary Holy Belt
The Holy Belt of Theotokos is the only heirloom that is preserved from its terrestrial life and a part of it is kept in the Vatopedi Monastery. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary herself made the Belt of camel hair. After her Metamorphosis and the delivery of the Belt to Apostle Thomas, two poor pious women from Jerusalem undertook the responsibility of its preservation. This continued from generation to generation with gentle virgins coming from this family. The Byzantine Emperor Arkadios transferred the Belt to Constantinople and placed it in a reliquary called "Agia Soro".
Later, the daughter of Arkadios, Pulcheria, when she became the Empress, embroidered the Belt with a golden thread and built the temple of Halkoprateion, where she placed the reliquary. Around 1150, the Holy Belt was cut into pieces and have been distributed among churches.
During the reign of Manuel I Komnenos the celebration of the Holy Belt was officially established on 31st of August, because on that date the emperor Arkadios delivered the Belt at ''Agia Soro''. In the Fourth Crusade, in 1204, pieces of the Holy Βelt were stolen from the crusaders, but some devout Christians hid one piece. After the reoccupation of Constantinople in 1261 by Michael II Palaiologos, the piece of the Holy Belt was placed in the Temple of Virgin of Blachernae. This piece was dedicated by Emperor John VI Katakousinos (1341-1354) to the Vatopedi Monastery, who later resigned from the imperial duty, became a monk named Ioasaf and lived a monastic life at the Vatopedi Monastery. The Holy Belt of the Theotokos preserves the grace of the Virgin Mary, consecrates the faithful Christians and relieves them of their sorrows and illnesses.
Later, the daughter of Arkadios, Pulcheria, when she became the Empress, embroidered the Belt with a golden thread and built the temple of Halkoprateion, where she placed the reliquary. Around 1150, the Holy Belt was cut into pieces and have been distributed among churches.
During the reign of Manuel I Komnenos the celebration of the Holy Belt was officially established on 31st of August, because on that date the emperor Arkadios delivered the Belt at ''Agia Soro''. In the Fourth Crusade, in 1204, pieces of the Holy Βelt were stolen from the crusaders, but some devout Christians hid one piece. After the reoccupation of Constantinople in 1261 by Michael II Palaiologos, the piece of the Holy Belt was placed in the Temple of Virgin of Blachernae. This piece was dedicated by Emperor John VI Katakousinos (1341-1354) to the Vatopedi Monastery, who later resigned from the imperial duty, became a monk named Ioasaf and lived a monastic life at the Vatopedi Monastery. The Holy Belt of the Theotokos preserves the grace of the Virgin Mary, consecrates the faithful Christians and relieves them of their sorrows and illnesses.
Virgin Holy Protection (Skepe)
At the time that Leo the Great (A.D. 457-474) was king, saint Andrew the Fool-for-Christ lived in Constantinople. A night οf vigil in the temple of Our Lady of Blachernae, Saint Andrew, together with his student Epiphanius, who later became a patriarch of Constantinople (520-536 AD), saw the Holy Mother of God clearly visible, coming from the central gate of the temple. On the side of Holy Mother of God was a multitude of angels, and the virgins John the Forerunner and John the Theologian.
After entering the temple, he went to the choir and prayed for a long time with warm tears in favour of the salvation of the faithful Christians. But only Andrew and Epiphanius saw this incident. After she prayed, the Mother of God stood up and entered the chancel, where her cloak was placed, took it in her hands and went out and laid it over the believers. With that she wanted to show to the crowd that she cares and protects them.This is the incident that is celebrated by our Church and was established as the feast of the Holy Protection (Skepe). It is the celebration in honour of the Virgin, which cares and protects the people of God and illuminates the believers on their way to perfection through her prayers, invocations and tears.
Virgin Eleousa (Mercy Giving)
The miraculous icon of the Virgin Eleousa was hiden, at a depth of one and a half meters under the ground over centuries, and found in a miraculous way. The Holy Mother of God appeared in the eight-year-old Athanasius Syros, while he was playing with other children on a hillside. She appeared to him as an unknown woman, who was dressed in black and barefoot, to make repentance. Despite the fact that the place was dry, it became soft and sank like the dough, because of the repentance that this unknown woman made. At the three points, where the woman worshiped, the place began to produce a sweet sense. However, no one believed what the little Athanasius experienced.
That same night the unknown woman appeared in the sleep of little Athanasius, but this time she had a bright wreath on her head. Little Athanasius asked "Old Lady, who are you? and what do you want from me? I'm afraid!". And then the black-dressed woman responded to him, "Do not be afraid, my little one, I am the mother of Christ, whom you love so much, and He sent me to reveal to you that you have a pure heart and a pure soul and at the place where you saw me praying, you will find an icon of me, if you dig. That place should become a place of worship, become a temple, a holy place". With these words, Virgin Mary disappeared from the sight of little Athanasius.
The next morning, Athanasius told his parents in every detail the second appearance of Mother of God and begged them to dig where the Virgin Mary had suggested. But again, neither his parents nor the other villagers did believe him. But he was unshaken by the miracle that had happened to him and decided to build a small church with stones on his own at the point, where Holy Virgin Mary had suggested him and place an icon of Virgin Mary there.
The mistrust of the village residents lasted for years when at the beginning of June 1962 AD an excavating machine reached Xyniada in order to open the streets of the village. After this project was completed, the residents of the village asked the driver to dig and search for the icon of the Virgin Mary. And this is what happened indeed! It took only three excavations to reveal the miraculous image next to the root of an oak. Thus, the image bearing the inscription "Mother of God Eleousa" was revealed. The image seems to belong to the era of iconoclasm. It was maintained in good condition despite its stay in the soil for centuries.
Since then the arrival of the pilgrims has been so great that it has led to the foundation of a larger temple in 1965. Near the church were rebuilt cells and the other necessary buildings. In 1972, the new Monastery was inaugurated, which soon gained a great reputation. The hymnographer Gerasimos monk Mikrayanannanitis composed the sequence of the Finding of the Image, which is celebrated on June 21st. In the Monastery, with the tirelessly care of the abbot and the willing support of the pilgrims, a Nursing home for the elderly was erected to care for the needy elderly of the region. Nowadays the Image of "Virgin Mary Eleousa" has been covered with silver and gold and has been placed in a beautiful pilgrimage.
That same night the unknown woman appeared in the sleep of little Athanasius, but this time she had a bright wreath on her head. Little Athanasius asked "Old Lady, who are you? and what do you want from me? I'm afraid!". And then the black-dressed woman responded to him, "Do not be afraid, my little one, I am the mother of Christ, whom you love so much, and He sent me to reveal to you that you have a pure heart and a pure soul and at the place where you saw me praying, you will find an icon of me, if you dig. That place should become a place of worship, become a temple, a holy place". With these words, Virgin Mary disappeared from the sight of little Athanasius.
The next morning, Athanasius told his parents in every detail the second appearance of Mother of God and begged them to dig where the Virgin Mary had suggested. But again, neither his parents nor the other villagers did believe him. But he was unshaken by the miracle that had happened to him and decided to build a small church with stones on his own at the point, where Holy Virgin Mary had suggested him and place an icon of Virgin Mary there.
The mistrust of the village residents lasted for years when at the beginning of June 1962 AD an excavating machine reached Xyniada in order to open the streets of the village. After this project was completed, the residents of the village asked the driver to dig and search for the icon of the Virgin Mary. And this is what happened indeed! It took only three excavations to reveal the miraculous image next to the root of an oak. Thus, the image bearing the inscription "Mother of God Eleousa" was revealed. The image seems to belong to the era of iconoclasm. It was maintained in good condition despite its stay in the soil for centuries.
Since then the arrival of the pilgrims has been so great that it has led to the foundation of a larger temple in 1965. Near the church were rebuilt cells and the other necessary buildings. In 1972, the new Monastery was inaugurated, which soon gained a great reputation. The hymnographer Gerasimos monk Mikrayanannanitis composed the sequence of the Finding of the Image, which is celebrated on June 21st. In the Monastery, with the tirelessly care of the abbot and the willing support of the pilgrims, a Nursing home for the elderly was erected to care for the needy elderly of the region. Nowadays the Image of "Virgin Mary Eleousa" has been covered with silver and gold and has been placed in a beautiful pilgrimage.
Virgin Zoodochos Pigi (Lifegiving Spring)
About 450 AD a Byzantine soldier, called Leon, was in a forest, when he saw a blind man in front of him asking for some water to quench. Leo was willing to search and bring him water. So, he was searching in the forest for a long time to find some source of water but in vain. So, he returned sad.
Suddenly, he heard a woman's voice telling him: "No need, Leo, to worry, to be angry, to be sad, the water is beside you". And after a while he listened to the unknown voice commanding him: "Leo King, take this water and let the blind man drink and quench, and one more thing, smear his eyes with this and you will soon understand, who is the voice that is talking to you". That's what Leo did, and then the blind man found his light. At the same time, Leo's eyes were opened, and he realized that the voice that spoke to him was of the Virgin Mary and that the great miracle of the healing of the blind was due to her.
Also, remarkable miracle was the finding of the source of this saving water. At the same time, another miracle happened when Virgin Mary announced Leo as a king. In fact, Leo, in 486 AD, ascended to the throne of the Byzantine Empire as Leo the First Thracian, also called Matellis (457-474).
Leo, as the emperor, built a magnificent Temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary the Life-giving Spring, where the miraculous water spring was located, as a reminder of the Virgin Mary's donation and all her great benefits to the people.
This miraculous water spring of the holy temple, has cured many believers, including Emperor Justinian the First, Leo VI the wise, his wife, Holy Queen Theophanu, Romanos I Lekapenos and his wife, the Patriarch Stephen (886-912), Patriarch of Jerusalem John (964-966), but also a lot of other Lords and ordinary people. Even dead raised the holy water of Life-giving Spring.
Later, the Temple of Life-giving Spring was demolished by Turks to build with its materials the mosque of Sultan Bayezid. The Christians in that place built a chapel and later a larger temple (1835).
Our Church celebrates the inauguration of this holy Temple of the Holy Virgin Mary of Life-giving Spring on Friday of the Diakinesis. This temple was known in history as the sanctification of "Balukhli". In fact, "Baluk" in Turkish means fish and according to tradition, there, beside the holy water, on 23rd of May 1453 a monk was informed that the Turks invaded in the city while he was frying fish. At that time, the monk said that only if the frying fish escaped from the pan and fell into the holy water, would have believed that this happened. And the fish suddenly became alive and fell into the source of the holy water. To date, seven fish are maintained in the reservoir of Life-giving Spring.
Besides legends and traditions, the Virgin Mary of Christ and the mother of all Christians, remains for us all the Source of Life, as she brought Life, Jesus Christ to the world, our hope and protection, "the refuge and the jubilance".
Suddenly, he heard a woman's voice telling him: "No need, Leo, to worry, to be angry, to be sad, the water is beside you". And after a while he listened to the unknown voice commanding him: "Leo King, take this water and let the blind man drink and quench, and one more thing, smear his eyes with this and you will soon understand, who is the voice that is talking to you". That's what Leo did, and then the blind man found his light. At the same time, Leo's eyes were opened, and he realized that the voice that spoke to him was of the Virgin Mary and that the great miracle of the healing of the blind was due to her.
Also, remarkable miracle was the finding of the source of this saving water. At the same time, another miracle happened when Virgin Mary announced Leo as a king. In fact, Leo, in 486 AD, ascended to the throne of the Byzantine Empire as Leo the First Thracian, also called Matellis (457-474).
Leo, as the emperor, built a magnificent Temple dedicated to the Virgin Mary the Life-giving Spring, where the miraculous water spring was located, as a reminder of the Virgin Mary's donation and all her great benefits to the people.
This miraculous water spring of the holy temple, has cured many believers, including Emperor Justinian the First, Leo VI the wise, his wife, Holy Queen Theophanu, Romanos I Lekapenos and his wife, the Patriarch Stephen (886-912), Patriarch of Jerusalem John (964-966), but also a lot of other Lords and ordinary people. Even dead raised the holy water of Life-giving Spring.
Later, the Temple of Life-giving Spring was demolished by Turks to build with its materials the mosque of Sultan Bayezid. The Christians in that place built a chapel and later a larger temple (1835).
Our Church celebrates the inauguration of this holy Temple of the Holy Virgin Mary of Life-giving Spring on Friday of the Diakinesis. This temple was known in history as the sanctification of "Balukhli". In fact, "Baluk" in Turkish means fish and according to tradition, there, beside the holy water, on 23rd of May 1453 a monk was informed that the Turks invaded in the city while he was frying fish. At that time, the monk said that only if the frying fish escaped from the pan and fell into the holy water, would have believed that this happened. And the fish suddenly became alive and fell into the source of the holy water. To date, seven fish are maintained in the reservoir of Life-giving Spring.
Besides legends and traditions, the Virgin Mary of Christ and the mother of all Christians, remains for us all the Source of Life, as she brought Life, Jesus Christ to the world, our hope and protection, "the refuge and the jubilance".
Theotokos Land of Non Land
The fact of the incarnation of the Jesus Christ by the Virgin Mary and the iconography of the Virgin Mary with Jesus Christ in her bosom, gave the name to the homonymous image of "Land of Non Land". Of course, this theological fact is revealed in the hymnology of our Church before iconography. Thus, Saint Romanos the Melodus, shares his well-known hymns in the Birth of Christ: "The one that is not build by material resource and the one that does not occupy space, He is now born and exists and occupies space".
"God was revealed in flesh," that is, Jesus Christ in his will embodied to the Virgin Mary. And from the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ lovingly incarnated. Saint John of Damascus commented that "love and justice, wisdom and power of God are oppose to the envy of the Devil towards the Christians, the apostates during their persecution by the Romans”. In simple words, the Divine Economy of salvation is that Virgin Mary has embodied Christ, so that Christ can facilitate all of us and become the Living God for all of us.
"God was revealed in flesh," that is, Jesus Christ in his will embodied to the Virgin Mary. And from the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ lovingly incarnated. Saint John of Damascus commented that "love and justice, wisdom and power of God are oppose to the envy of the Devil towards the Christians, the apostates during their persecution by the Romans”. In simple words, the Divine Economy of salvation is that Virgin Mary has embodied Christ, so that Christ can facilitate all of us and become the Living God for all of us.
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