Tikhvin icon in America

A PILGRIMAGE TO
THE ORTHODOX HOLY PLACES OF AMERICA


THE SIXTH PILGRIMAGE
A Pilgrimage to the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God

AMERICA, ALTHOUGH called Christian, has yet to be extensively enlightened by Orthodoxy. Its spiritual soil has as yet been little plowed by truly righteous men, and the seed of Christ in Holy Orthodoxy (the churches with their services, writings of the Holy Fathers, Orthodox traditions, and the like) has not yet brought forth its fruits. Our cities very little resemble Christian settlements, and as time proceeds, sin in creases and accumulates into an atmosphere charged with sin, as it were, 2 common sum of iniquity that spreads like a disease...

The Church, however, teaches that where sin multiplies, there also flows forth ever more abundantly the Grace of God to aid men to salvation. Some of our cities have witnessed the ascetic labors of certain Orthodox bishops and priests, and laymen too, as they laid their spiritual foundation upon the surce of the outpouring of God's Grace. Other cities have been granted to guard and treasure holy relics of Saints or Miraculous Icons of the Mother of God.

In Chicago, Illinois, for example, there is treasured one of the greatest Icons of the Mother of God. The Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God is located in the Old Russian Cathedral at 1121 North Leavitt Street (now in the American Metropolia). Before it, in awesome trembling and with tears of repentance, our Orthodox forefathers used to gather from great distances to pray and worship. Today the miracles are not as abundant as in former times, for today men have less faith, and less love is in their hearts...


THE MIRACULOUS ICONS OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

THE TIKHVIN MOTHER OF GOD



ONE OF THE SEVENTY ICONS of the Mother of God which were painted, according to tradition, by the Apostle and Evangelist Luke, the Tikhvin Icon takes its name from the river and small village in the area of Novgorod in northern Russia near which it was housed and where it became an object of great veneration by Orthodox believers for over five centuries. It is possible, however, to trace the history of the Icon much farther back, into Byzantine times.

The Icon was brought in the 5th century by the Empress Eudoxia from Jerusalem to Constantinople, where a church was built to house it. During the period of iconoclasm it was hidden in the Pantocratoros Monastery and with the victory of Orthodoxy was brought again to the temple built for it.

In 1383 there was a miraculous apparition of an Icon of the Mother of God near Novgorod; its identity with the wonderworking Icon of Constantinople is attested by the following account:

Soon after the appearance of the Icon in Russia some merchants from Novgorod were visiting Constantinople and went to see the Patriarch. In conversing with them the Patriarch asked them if there was talk in Russia of the appearance anywhere of a wonderworking Icon of the Mother of God; for one had recently disappeared from Constantinople. The merchants told him of the Icon which had appeared near Tikhvin; and the Patriarch, after comparing the time of the Icon's dis appearance from Constantinople with its appearance in Russia, came to the conclusion that it was one and the same Icon. The Patriarch told them how the Icon had already several times miraculously disappeared from Constantinople, but it had always reappeared later. "And now," concluded the Patriarch, "for our pride and wrongdoings She has left us for good." He showed the merchants the shrine in the temple, near the first column on the right side, where the Icon had been located; and on the basis of this information the Icon was placed in exactly the same place in the Tikhvin Monastery in Russia.

In the year 1383, on June 26, on Lake Ladoga in northern Russia, several fishermen saw a bright light flowing from the heavens, and in this light there was carried through the air an Icon of the Mother of God holding the Child in Her left arm. The miracle was repeated many times in other places near Novgorod. Whenever the Icon was met by the prayers of faithful worshippers, it would descend and be received by them, and miracles would be performed by the mercy of the Most Holy Mother of God.

Finally the Icon came to rest by the shore of the river Tikhvin, near the town of the same name. First a chapel, and then a church, were built on this spot. Seven years after it was completed, however, the church was set on fire by a neglected candle. It was burned to the ground, but by a miracle of God the Icon remained unharmed. being held up in the air by angels. A new church was built in the same place to house the miraculous Icon, but within a few years it too was turned to ashes; and again the Icon was left unharmed. The third church raised on this site, being much larger and stronger, stood for more than a hundred years. In 1560 a monastery was erected and dedicated to the Icon.

All the while that the miraculous Icon remained among believers countless miracles took place. The blind were given to see again; the deaf would be allowed to hear; and the mute were blessed with speech. Anyone who would come before the Mother of God with faith in Her miraculous Icon and in God would receive mercy and be made whole.

There are many accounts of miracles granted by God through the holy Icon of Tikhvin. One account relates how, in the year 1596 on the ninth of December, twenty-three hunters arrived at Tikhvin to worship before the sacred Icon. Once they had completed their prayers they re lated the following miracle.

When these men had been hunting by the North Sea there arose a great storm. Due to the foul weather the hunters were detained and were unable to return home. The storm lasted a long time, and soon their provisions had diminished. The men began fervently praying that God might help them. Then, upon remembering the holy Tikhvin Icon, they began to pray to the Mother of God. That night one of the hunters experienced a great miracle. The Mother of God appeared to him and instructed him and his friends to eat of a certain grass until the storm ceased. Arising, this hunter related his vision, and all the men began eating of the grass. They found it to taste of bread and discovered it to be very nourishing. The storm lasted for another twenty days, the hunters being nourished all the while by the grass shown them by the Holy Virgin. When the storm finally did cease they praised God and departed for their homes.

In another case a man named Kodrat suffered from a serious illness that soon caused the complete loss of his sight. He remained blind for a period of eighteen months. Then Kodrat heard of the miracle-working Icon at Tikhvin. Immediately he prayed to God and the Holy Virgin and promised to go and pray before the Icon at Tikhvin. When Kodrat had promised to make a pilgrimage to the Icon he immediately regained his sight. However, his pilgrimage was postponed and finally forgotten altogether. In ten years Kodrat again became blind. At that time he had a dream in which there appeared a man who told Kodrat to keep his promise and go to Tikhvin or else he must remain blind. Kodrat remembered his promise and made ready for the pilgrimage. Upon arriving at Tikhvin he was led before the Icon and he prayed to the Mother of God. Immediately he was granted vision by the mercy of God and the prayers of the Mother of God.

Such miracles were not uncommon in connection with the Tikhvin Mother of God. Many persons who were seriously ill, dying, or blind, had visions wherein they were instructed to go to Tikhvin and venerate the sacred Icon. Upon doing so, by faith and God's power they were made whole.

In the years that followed many misfortunes befell the Tikhvin Monastery. It was many times under siege by enemies of the Church. However, each time the holy Icon saved the monastery, most notably in 1613 from the attack of the Swedes.

Besides the original Icon, there were four copies in the Tikhvin Monastery, and hundreds of copies of the Tikhvin Mother of God were venerated in other parts of Russia; many of these were themselves miracle-working.



"The Meeting of the Holy Icon" in the Rural Countryside of Central Russia. Famous 19th century painting by K. Savitsky.


All four copies in the monastery were miracle working. Today some consider that the Icon now in Chicago may be, not the original, but one of these copies.

At the time of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia the holy Orthodox Church along with its followers was subjected to its cruelest persecution. Many churches, together with the icons and other blessed objects which they housed, were destroyed. Believers fled the persecution and sought shelter where they might pray in peace. The holy Tikhvin Icon was carried along with these Christians and was saved from destruction by the Communists. The Icon spent in such a manner about twenty years. Finally, with the Second World War, it was thought no longer safe to allow the Icon to remain in the land where God had sent it. The holy Icon was carried from the tormented Motherland to Riga, Latvia, where it was placed in the Cathedral On March 4, 1944, the Holy Tikhvin Mother of God was placed in the hands of John, Bishop of Riga, who greeted Her with the words: "And whence is this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come to me?" (St. Luke 1.43) and ever since accompanies the Icon in Her travels. As the war progressed the Icon was carried to western Germany. Here, too, the Communists attempted to take the Icon for themselves (the Icon at the time of the revolution was magnificently jewelled and valued at 70 thousand rubles). However, all attempts failed, and again the Icon remained miraculously unharmed.

Finally, on June 22, 1949, the Holy Tikhvin Icon was brought to America. Here, Archbishop John for several years stayed in New York City with the Icon, but later was appointed to the Chicago Diocese of the Russian Metropolia, and placed the much venerated Icon in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Chicago, where it remains to this day.

Holy tradition has in that when Apostle Luke presented the Icon to the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, She was pleased with the image. And truly this much venerated holy Icon shows the blessing of God and the Holy Virgin by bestowing countless mercies and miracles, which continue to this day. As recently as the fall of 1966 there occurred an instant healing of a severely sick boy in the State of Washington.

June 26th is the day the Icon is celebrated. It is by such holy relics and miracles of our Blessed Church that we Orthodox are witnesses to God's everlasting mercy. Praise be to God!

Vadim Wright



The Original Tikhvin Icon, Show ing the Entire Riza (ornamental covering, 26x36 in.)



The Weeping Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God on Mount Athos.


Next issue: A Pilgrimage to Fort Ross in California.