The miracle working Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God visited Holy Trinity Monastery and Seminary from Sunday, January 24th, until Monday the 25th. For almost 715 years, this sacred Icon of the Russian Orthodox world has shown mercy to all the faithful through miracles and help.

The Icon was discovered on September 8th, 1295, on the day of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, by a small group of hunters from Rilsk on an expedition near the river Tuskora, about 27 miles from Kursk. In 1919, joined by Bishop Theofan of Kursk and Oboiansk and several brothers of the Monastery of the Sign, the holy Icon crossed the borders of Russia into neighboring Serbia. In 1920, it returned to the Russian land, in Crimea, by request of General Wrangel, and remained there until the common evacuation of General Wrangel’s Russian Army in early November, 1920. The holy Icon returned to Serbia, where it remained until 1944, when together with the Synod of Bishops it crossed the border, finding itself in Munich (Bavaria) with Metropolitan Anastasii (Gribanovskii). From 1957, the Icon has been located in the main church at the Synod of Bishops in New York, which is consecrated to its memory. The holy Icon regularly travels through all the dioceses of the Russian diaspora.

This miracle working Icon was solemnly met by the Rector of Holy Trinity Seminary, Archimandrite Luke, along with the clergy and choir, including seminarians, on Sunday evening. The moleben and Akathist were supported by the parishioners of Holy Trinity Cathedral, who came to pray before and venerate this sacred treasure.

After the Akathist, the Kursk-Root icon was solemnly transferred to the seminary hall. Over an hour and a half, Archpriest Serge Lukianov, the Icon’s guardian during its travels, presented the history of the first visit of the Icon to Russia since its 90-year exile. Fr. Serge’s presentation included a large number of photographs showing the visit of the Icon of the Theotokos to Moscow and Kursk in the fall of 2009. The monastery brotherhood, seminarians, and parishioners of Holy Trinity Monastery had the chance to venerate the icon after Fr. Serge’s talk, as well.

The next morning, all those willing were able to bow down before this sacred Russian Icon during the early Liturgy. After the Liturgy, the Icon continued its widespread journey through the cities and towns of the Russian diaspora in America. Joyous greetings await it from Orthodox in New York, New Jersey, Georgia, and Florida. In the summer of 2010, a second visit to Russia is planned.

O Theotokos, Thee do we magnify!