Monte Carlo, Monaco, November 6, 2025
Photo: orthodox-europe.org
The wonderworking Kursk Root icon of the Mother of God arrived in Monaco on Monday, October 21/November 3, as part of its eight-week tour through Western Europe that began last month.
The sacred icon, which is normally housed at the Synodal Cathedral in New York, was brought to the Côte d’Azur in the care of Fr. Pavel Golynsky from Basel, Switzerland. Upon arrival in the Principality of Monaco, the icon was received by Fr. Evgeny Nikitin of the Parish of the Equal of the Apostles St. Elena in Monte Carlo, reports the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia’s Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe.
The visit came on the eve of the eighth anniversary of the parish’s founding, marking the second time the wonderworking image has visited the Monaco parish. A moleben and akathist were served before the icon. The faithful who gathered to venerate and offer prayers to the Mother of God greeted the icon’s return with evident joy.
The spiritual event drew coverage from TV Monaco’s L’Actu News:
Speaking with the channel, Fr. Evgeny emphasized the icon’s significance:
The icon is a holy treasure that’s customary to approach, customary to kiss, and from which it’s customary to ask for help…
The thing is that the Mother of God is a symbol of peace. This is absolutely true, because this woman—imagine—is a woman who gave birth to Christ, a woman who gave birth to God for us.
Photo: orthodox-europe.org
The Kursk Root Icon was also present at the first Liturgy for a new parish in Gibraltar last week.
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