New York, September 16, 2025
Saints Kyril & Metodi Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Cathedral in New York
The Bulgarian Orthodox Cathedral of Sts. Cyril and Methodius in New York welcomed the miraculous myrrh-streaming Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Mother of God over the weekend, drawing crowds of faithful who packed the church even before services began.
The icon arrived with ceremonial splendor as bells rang out and the faithful processed with banners and candles. His Grace Bishop Kliment of Levka received the sacred image and blessed those gathered before leading an akathist service. The reception continued with Great Vespers for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, with the service extending nearly four hours, the cathedral reports.
“God permits such miraculous signs to strengthen the faith of His people,” Bp. Kliment explained to the congregation, addressing the significance of myrrh-streaming icons in Orthodox tradition.
Fr. Nectarios Yangson, who serves as guardian of the icon and travels with it worldwide, shared his personal experiences with the faithful. “I have witnessed countless miracles through this icon,” he testified, speaking of the Heavenly intercession and Divine protection manifested through the sacred image.
Saints Kyril & Metodi Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Cathedral in New York
Following the service, each person present received anointing with the fragrant myrrh flowing from the icon, along with a small blessed icon and cotton ball soaked in the holy oil. Many worshippers were visibly moved, some to tears, as they venerated the icon.
The icon’s remarkable history began in 2007 at the Honolulu home of the then-layman Nectarios. A hand-painted icon of Christ’s Cross began streaming myrrh, followed shortly by a small print of the Iveron Mother of God icon, both accompanied by an intense fragrance of roses. The streaming occurred particularly on major feast days, and Fr. Nectarios reports that among the first miracles was the healing of a seriously ill family member whose health improved suddenly and without medical explanation.
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia formally recognized the icon as miraculous in June 2008, appointing Fr. Nectarios as its official guardian. Since then, the icon has traveled to more than 1,000 churches throughout North America and Europe. During a 2014 pilgrimage to Georgia, over 1 million Orthodox Christians came to venerate the icon.
Saints Kyril & Metodi Bulgarian Eastern Orthodox Cathedral in New York
Testimonies of healings continue to follow the icon’s travels, with reported miracles including recoveries from blindness, cancer, paralysis, kidney disease, and chronic pain conditions.
OrthoChristian recently reported on the icon’s presence at the historic concelebration between the Orthodox Church in America and Macedonian Orthodox Church primates in Washington DC earlier this month.
The icon will next travel to Bulgaria, where Orthodox faithful await the opportunity to venerate this grace-filled image of the Theotokos.
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