9/2/2026
Nun Alexandra (Markova)
St. Ephraim chose a special place for his church, and a man to serve him there.
There were many orphans around you. You stroked their hair and smiled at them, because you’re their “mama,” the one who raised them. You taught them to love Christ, the Theotokos, and St. Ephraim, and to help the less fortunate.
For her many years of great ascetic labors, God and the Theotokos prepared her for the highest honor and mercy, to the joy of the entire Orthodox world—the discovery of the fragrant relics of the Great Martyr Ephraim the Wonderworker amidst the ruins of the ancient monastery, after 500 years of being hidden in the ground.
In the fifteen years since, he has gained recognition and love among Orthodox Russians, and St. Ephraim now lives in the hearts of many believers who turn to him for help, protection, and healing.
Mother Paraskeva treated all people with special understanding and respect—even those who didn’t love or understand her, or who had done her harm. She lived with a special sense of inner attention to her heart and soul, fearing to sin before God, whether in deed or thought.
In 1653, this icon was delivered to Russia as a gift to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, together with a document describing its origin and veneration and several copies of the icon.
