Nosów, Poland, October 9, 2026
Photo: orthodox.pl
Hundreds of pilgrims gathered in the village of Nosów on October 5 to honor the Leśna Icon of the Theotokos, as three hierarchs of the Polish Orthodox Church joined in celebrating the feast at the Church of the Holy Archangel Michael.
His Eminence Archbishop Abel of Lublin and Chełm presided at the festal Divine Liturgy, assisted by His Eminence Archbishop Paisjusz of Przemyśl and Gorlice and His Grace Bishop Warsonofiusz of Siemiatycze, reports the Polish Orthodox Church.
The Liturgy was served on the Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross, in keeping with a long-standing tradition. Pilgrims came from Białystok, Bielsk Podlaski, Siemiatycze, nearby Biała Podlaska, and many parishes along the Bug River in the diocese.
Abbess Anastasia of the monastery in Zwierki was among those present. The Zwierki monastery continues the spiritual tradition of the monastery in Krasnystok, today’s Różanystok. Its first abbess, Abbess Helena, came with the first sisters from the Leśna Monastery.
After the Gospel reading, Fr. Korneliusz Wilkiel, rector of the Orthodox military-civilian parish of St. Mark in Biała Podlaska, addressed the faithful. He spoke about the role of prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos in every person’s life and recounted the history of the Leśna icon. He also stressed the meaning of the Exaltation of the Cross in connection with the 1,700th anniversary of the finding of the Cross by St. Helena.
Photo: orthodox.pl
During a procession around the church, prayers were offered at the graves around the Nosów church. Those gathered also saw the building of the former school in Nosów, which is being reconstructed next to the church. It will serve the Orthodox Church in the southern Podlasie region.
For the past four years, the faithful have been able to pray before an exact copy of the Leśna Icon of the Mother of God, blessed at the Leśna Convent in Provemont, France, where the original wonderworking icon remains to this day.
The celebration ended before the Leśna Icon with the congregation singing a prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos. Archbishop Abel then thanked all who took part, and gave special thanks to the visiting hierarchs, presenting each with a commemorative Panagia.
Following the service, everyone was invited to a festive meal.
***
Abp. Abel venerates the Leśna Icon. Photo: orthodox.pl
The Leśna Icon of the Mother of God was discovered on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord in 1683 by a shepherd on the branches of a pear tree, and taken to a nearby Orthodox church of the village of Bukovich, not far from the town of Leśna.
When news of the miraculously appearing icon circulated throughout all the surrounding area, the Catholic priests then decided to use the icon for spreading Catholicism. They took away the icon by force from the inhabitants of Bukovich in 1686 and put it in the Roman church at Leśna.
At the beginning of the 18th century, monks of a Catholic order founded a large Roman church and monastery at Leśna, where the wonderworking icon was. In 1863, the monks of the order took part in the Polish revolt, and, by decree of the Russian government, the monastery was closed and converted into an Orthodox convent. Many miracles were worked by the icon.
Follow OrthoChristian on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, and MeWe!
