The Savior Not Made by Hands, an icon of the Novgorod school, c. 1100. Photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image_of_Edessa
The holy evangelist John ends his Gospel with these words: And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written (John 21:25). That is, besides what is written in the Gospel, Jesus did many other things, and it seems that if all of them were described, the whole world could not contain the wonders He performed on earth. And to such Gospel accounts belongs the event we celebrate today.
King Abgar of Edessa suffered the greatest misfortune—he fell ill with a severe, mysterious disease. He did everything possible for his healing, yet found no relief. But he heard that in the land of the Jordan there was a great Healer, a great Prophet and Teacher, Who with a single word healed incurable diseases and even raised the dead. Hope arose in his tormented soul, and he sent his servant with a letter, asking Him to come and heal him. In it he wrote: “I know that Thou art good, merciful… I know that Thou healest diseases, curest infirmities, and even raisest the dead. Show mercy on me, heal me… I suffer grievously.” And along with the letter, he gave his servant another instruction—to paint His [Christ’s] portrait.
Ananias fulfilled the first commission—he delivered the letter. But although he was a skilled painter, he could not capture the features of the Savior. Then Christ Himself came to his aid. He took a towel, wiped His face with it, and His features were imprinted upon it—His wondrous image. And then He said that He could not come, for He must fulfill that for which He had come into the world. He must ascend into Heaven, and then He would send His apostles. And indeed, soon after, Apostle Thaddeus came there; and this image was long preserved as a very great relic.
This feast is very important for us because it resolves the question: Should holy icons be venerated? Yes, they should, because Christ the Savior Himself showed that such veneration is not displeasing to Him—He left us this example. This feast is especially dear to us, students of the Theological Academy. We wear the cross with the image of Christ the Savior, wearing it as a sign that we bear the image of Him Who is the true Light. And for this reason, education is called “obrazovanie” (The word “image” is “obraz” in Russian. Thus, obrazovanie is the process of “taking on an image or likeness.—Trans). Before the Fall, man had no need of education, but after sin, he began to strive for the knowledge of God. The ancient wise men, such as Plato, said that God could neither be found anywhere nor spoken of. And behold, God Himself descends to earth, and He shows the way to find the image of God: He humbles Himself. This is the path of humility, of self-emptying; this path leads to Christ the Savior and consists in self-sacrifice. Thus, as we strive toward this image, studying all that is written of Him, we are studying the image of the Savior. That is why, at the end of our course, a cross is given to us—as a sign of Christ the Savior.
And for those who have not studied in theological schools, let them know that for them the school is the world, and their school is the Holy Church. The world teaches of the great omnipotence of God, of His wisdom. And the temple of God—is it not also a great school? Come into it, listen to the Holy Scriptures, to church singing, to prayers. Pray that the grace of God may descend upon you. And certainly, you will acquire that lost image of God.
May the grace of God help us to restore this image of God! And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten our path with the true Light!
