Icon of the Mother of God of Korsun

Commemorated on October 9

The Korsun Icon of the Mother of God is believed to be one of those painted by the holy Evangelist Luke, and it had been preserved in Ephesus. On October 9, 988, a copy of this icon was transferred from Korsun to Kiev by the holy Great Prince Vladimir (July 15), and it came to be called the Korsun Icon. Later this icon was transferred to Novgorod, and from there to Moscow to the Dormition cathedral in the Kremlin. Another copy of the Korsun Icon of the Mother of God was brought from Greece to Russia by Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk (May 23) in 1162.

Saint Euphrosyne founded the Savior monastery at Polotsk. When she learned that there was an icon painted by Saint Luke at Menignus in Greece, she sent rich presents to the Byzantine Emperor and the Patriarch Chrysovergos asking them to send her this icon.

The icon was sent to Rus from Ephesus, and passed through Korsun. At the request of the inhabitants of that city it remained there about a year, thus it became known as the Korsun Icon.

In 1239, Alexandra, the daughter of Prince Bryachislav of Polotsk, brought this icon to the city of Toropets on her way to be married to the holy Great Prince Alexander Nevsky (November 23).

The Korsun Icon is also mentioned in the Life of Saint Dorothy of Kashin (September 24).

The Orthodox Church in America

10/18/2017

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