MOSCOW: March 27, 2017
A Painted Copy of the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God Arrives in Moscow's Novospassky Monastery

On March 25, 2017, His Grace Bishop Savva of Voskresensk and the brethren of Moscow’s Novospassky Monastery greeted a painted copy of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign,".

Paul Kuzubov, Head of the US Section of the Union of Descendants of the Russians of Gallipoli, brought the icon to the monastery.

The icon was painted in Russia, and through the efforts of the Memorial Foundation of the White Movement, it was brought to New York, where it was laid upon the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign” and blessed in the Church of St Sergius of Radonezh in the Synodal Residence of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. It was then brought back to Moscow.

After the ceremonial welcoming of the icon, it was brought into Pokrovsky Church, where a moleben was performed. Worshipers then kneeled as they sang “My Queen, Most Blessed.” Bishop Savva, the monastery’s Prior, then addressed those in attendance with a sermon devoted to the historic event of the day. Vladyka Savva then announced that on March 26, after Divine Liturgy, the icon will be taken to Znamensky Church, where it will remain for veneration.

Vladyka Savva was then interviewed for television, and noted that whenever a holy icon or relic comes to the monastery, it encourages Christians for special prayer. “Today we ceremoniously greet this icon, and will fervently lift our prayers with special veneration now and always,” he said, expressing the hope that this copy of the Kursk Icon of the Mother of God will likewise become miraculous, as is the existing “All-Sovereign” Icon of the Mother of God presently housed at the monastery.

“This icon is a symbol of our unity with the Russian diaspora,” said the hierarch. “History may show moments of division, but still, faith, staunchness and strength in faith will always prevail when people come to their senses and unite.”

The Kursk-Root Icon has indeed become a symbol of the unity of the two Churches. “This year, we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion within the Local Russian Orthodox Church. A great deal will be said about this event this year. Some participants in the historic moment have already passed into the next world, among them the eminent hierarch Metropolitan Laurus, who signed the Act in 2007 in Moscow. Thank God, this image of the Most-Pure Mother of God has become a symbol of the unity of our two Churches, having become a bridge between us, who as a result of historical processes were once divided, but are now united in prayerful and Eucharistic communion,” noted the Patriarchal Vicar.