The Chukhloma (Galich) Icon of the Mother of God

This Icon of the Mother of God appeared to Avraam of Galich, a disciple of St. Sergius of Radonezh, in the year 1350. Carrying on his life of severely ascetic labors in the Chukhloma and Galich forests, he was made worthy to receive a miraculous revelation from the Mostholy Theotokos, who directed him to find her Miraculous Icon on one of the nearby little hills. Gazing upon the hill, Ven. St. Avraam witnessed a blinding light on its summit. When he ascended, he found there, emitting an indescribably light, a “Tenderness” Icon of the Mother of God. The Saint decided to take the Icon to wherever the Queen of Heaven directed him. In a vision received in a dream, the Theotokos revealed to him that the place of his service and ascetic labors was to be right there. She directed that he establish a monastery on the hill, and promised her almighty protection to, and intercession on behalf of, the new monastery. Soon thereafter, Prince Dimitry Fyodorovitch learned of the miraculous appearance of the Holy Icon and asked Ven. St. Avraamy to bring it to Galich. When a Moleben with the Blessing of the Waters was served before the Icon in the city’s Dormition Cathedral, and the people were sprinkled with Holy Water, all of the infirm and sick who had come to bow down before the icon received unanticipated and complete healing. Stunned by this miracle, the Prince donated a great estate toward the building of the monastery. Later, with great solemnity, the Icon was installed in the main cathedral of the Holy Protection St. Avraam-Gorodetsky Monastery, where to this day an exact copy of the Miraculous Icon remains