Miraculous 16th-century icon returns to Russian monastery from museum

Yaroslavl, April 5, 2021

Photo: yarreg.ru Photo: yarreg.ru     

A great event in the life of the Christ the Savior-St. Athanasius Monastery in Yaroslavl was celebrated on Friday, with the return to the monastery of a 16th-century wonderworking icon of Christ.

“Today is an historic day for Yaroslavl. A precious sacred treasure is returning to the Christ the Savior-St. Athanasius Monastery—the icon of the Christ ‘Not Made by Hands,’” Yaroslavl Governor Dmitry Mironov said during the solemn transfer ceremony, reports Yaroslavl Region.

The Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova also attended the ceremony.

“More than 400 years ago, it blessed the formation of the people’s militia in Yaroslavl, which was gathering for the liberation campaign against Moscow,” Mironov recalled.

“The icon was kept in a museum storeroom for many years and required serious restoration. We found an opportunity to restore the icon so that it could become the main shrine of the reviving monastery,” he added.

All the necessary conditions have been created to ensure the safety of the newly-returned icon. It has been placed in a specialized climate-controlled kiosk, and a multi-level security and fire alarm system has been installed, with video surveillance.

***

Photo: yarreg.ru Photo: yarreg.ru     

From the 17th to the early-20th century, the Icon of the Savior “Not Made by Hands” was a treasured relic of the Christ the Savior parish. The Sts. Cyril and Athanasius Monastery was built on the site where it was found in 1616 in commemoration of the liberation from the Poles during the Time of Troubles. The monastery was closed in 1925 and later used for various enterprises. The icon was transferred to the Yaroslavl Art Museum.

The icon underwent restoration in Moscow from 2018 to 2020, with later layers of paint being peeled back to reveal the image of the Savior’s face as it originally appeared on the icon.

In November, the Holy Synod renamed the monastery from Sts. Cyril and Athanasius to Christ the Savior-St. Athanasius.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, Parler, MeWe, and Gab!

4/5/2021

See also
First service in 90 years in church at St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra to be held on Annunciation First service in 90 years in church at St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra to be held on Annunciation First service in 90 years in church at St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra to be held on Annunciation First service in 90 years in church at St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra to be held on Annunciation
The rectification of an historical injustice is underway as the only altar of the St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg named for its patron saint has finally been returned to the Church. Pre-revolutionary St. Nicholas icon returned to Belarusian Church Pre-revolutionary St. Nicholas icon returned to Belarusian Church Pre-revolutionary St. Nicholas icon returned to Belarusian Church Pre-revolutionary St. Nicholas icon returned to Belarusian Church
The solemn transfer of the icon was held at the Holy Protection Church, attached to the local Holy Theophany Monastery, where the icon is believed to have originally been located. Antique icons stolen by Nazis finally returned to Pskov Caves Monastery Antique icons stolen by Nazis finally returned to Pskov Caves Monastery Antique icons stolen by Nazis finally returned to Pskov Caves Monastery Antique icons stolen by Nazis finally returned to Pskov Caves Monastery
In Moscow, the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation handed over several early-18th-century icons to Metropolitan Tikhon of Pskov and Porkhov, the abbot of the Pskov Caves Monastery.
Comments
Here you can leave your comment on the present article, not exceeding 4000 characters. All comments will be read by the editors of OrthoChristian.Com.
Enter through FaceBook
Your name:
Your e-mail:
Enter the digits, seen on picture:

Characters remaining: 4000

Subscribe
to our mailing list

* indicates required
×