KURSK: October 4, 2016
The Main Holy Icon of the Russian Diaspora Visits the Sick in Kursk

On September 29, 2016, the miracle-working Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign” was brought to the construction sites of several churches, medical and social centers of Kursk, Russia.

As per tradition, when a miracle-working icon of the Mother of God is brought to Kursk, it would be brought to local hospitals. This icon was greeted with great trepidation, and even tears. The Mother of God Herself visited the sick through the icon, bringing consolation and support in their struggle against disease and affliction, bringing hope for a return to normal life.

The tour began with a visit to the Healer and Great Martyr Panteleimon Church located at Kursk Psychiatric Hospital in Iskra. Priest Ilya Kozlov, the parish rector, performed a moleben before the icon. The parishioners, medical staff and patients welcomed the Kursk Icon with great joy, and prayed for the speedy conclusion of the renovation and reconstruction of the church. Over 600 people were given the opportunity to venerate the icon.

The Kursk-Root Icon made its first-ever visit to the Oblast Specialized House for Children. At the entrance to this facility, His Eminence Metropolitan German of Kursk and Rylsk, who was holding the icon, was greeted with the traditional Russian bread and salt by the center’s Chief Physician, Larisa Anatolievna Trutaeva. Vladyka German performed a moleben with the clergymen accompanying the Kursk Icon, and the staff brought the children up to venerate it one by one. Despite the unusual circumstances, almost none of the kids cried, while the adults sensed the unseen presence of the Queen of Heaven Herself, and prayed for the health of the children and for their future well being.

On the way to the center, the Kursk Icon was also brought to Hospital No. 2, where Metropolitan German blessed the foundation of a new church dedicated to SS Vera, Nadezhda, Lubov and Sophia.

An exceptional visit was made to the home of a gravely-ill boy at the request of his parents.

The icon was also brought to the Oblast Clinical Children’s Hospital on Koltsova Street, an Oncological Center on Pirogov Street and for the first time, to the Kursk Municipal Clinic for Emergency Treatment.

Molebens were performed at every stop, and the sick were visited in their rooms.

Metropolitan German expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Oncology Center’s Chief Surgeon, Igor Leonidovich Kisilev, and all those present. Patients and medical staff prayed for healing before the icon in the center’s auditorium. They also thanked Vladyka German and the clergymen for bringing them this special joy.

On the way to Znamensky Cathedral, Metropolitan German stopped by Preobrazhensky Church, which is still under construction, where they prayed for its successful completion.

That evening, the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God was brought to the cathedral, where hundreds of worshipers awaited its return. On the morning of October 4, the miracle-working icon is leaving the Kursk Diocese.