July 24

Mother of God of Rzevsk, Okovtsy, Selizharovsky, Tver, Russia

  

On Pentecost Sunday, May 26, 1539, a monk named Stephen discovered two holy objects attached to trees at a crossroads near Rzev in northwest Russia. One one pine was a large iron cross; on another, an old icon depicting the Holy Mother and Child with St. Nicholas of Myra. Many people witnessed a supernatural light shining around the trees and experienced healings there. Stephen brought the news to Moscow, where the head of the Russian Church, Metropolitan Joasaph, decided to build two new churches, one in honor of the Cross of Rzev and the other for the Holy Mother and St. Nicholas. In January, 1541, the sacred objects were transferred to Moscow for the dedication of the new churches. The feast of the Rzevsk Mother of God commemorates the the icon's return to Rzev on July 11, 1541 (July 24 in the modern calendar). (Picture & information from "The Rzhevsk or Okovetsk Icon of the Mother of God," Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church, Baltimore, MD, www.holytrinityorthodox.com/calendar/los/July/11-05.htm.)

Also celebrated this date:

bulletBorkolabovskaya Mother of God, Barkalabau, Bychau, Mahilou, Belarus (July 11 Julian)
bulletMadonna del Campione, Todi, Perugia, Umbria, Italy. Madonna in Holy Family painting opened and closed eyes, 1796. Festa last Sunday in May.
bulletBeata Vergine Maria di Costantinopoli, Agropoli, Salerno, Campania, Italy (Blessed Virgin Mary of Constantinople). Maritime procession.
bulletMother of God of the Three Hands, Irig, Srem, Vojvodina, Serbia, Grgeteg Monastery. Vigil before 1400s copy of the Mt. Athos Three-Handed icon.
bulletRudnenskaya Mother of God, Kiev, Ukraine (July 11 Julian)

 

 

Where We Walked ~~~ Mary Ann Daly