Tomsk, western Siberia, Russia, July 1, 2016
On June 30 the city of Tomsk solemnly received a copy of the miracle-working Pantanassa (“the Queen of All”) icon of the Most Holy Mother of God from Mt. Athos, reports the Tomsk Diocese’s official website. The icon which was brought from Vatopedi Monastery at the request of Tomsk residents will be kept at Theophany Cathedral for two weeks and then will visit other parishes of the Diocese of Tomsk.
After the solemn meeting of the icon in which parish priests from Tomsk, and Seversk as well as remote areas of the region participated, Metropolitan Rostislav of Tomsk and Asino addressed those present with a sermon in which he told the history of the Pantanassa icon and gave an account of miracles that had accompanied the glorification of this holy icon.
“Through this icon the Mother of God shows all of us that She is close to us, that She is listening to us and is always willing to take an active part in our life and help us, to stretch forth a helping hand in hard times, when we are exhausted, and when we lose our hope and orientation,” Metropolitan Rostislav stressed.
Everybody sang a supplicatory prayer service with an Akathist to the Mother of God before the icon after which all believers venerated it and thus, according to the metropolitan, became closer to Holy Mount Athos – the abode of the Mother of God on earth.
The icon will stay at Theophany Cathedral for a fortnight. Every day at 2.00 PM diocesan parish priests will perform prayer services with the Akathist before the icon. The icon will be accessible for veneration from 8.00 AM till 8.00 PM daily.
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The Pantanassa icon of the Mother of God is kept at Vatopedi Monastery and has the power to heal oncological diseases. Its healing properties were particularly revealed in the 1980s and 1990s with numerous cases of cures and the glory of the icon spreading all over Greece and the whole of the Orthodox world.
The icon destined for Tomsk was blessed on the wonder-working icon on Mt. Athos. According to Metropolitan Rostislav of Tomsk and Asino: “Many parishioners more than once expressed their desire to bring the Pantanassa icon from Mt. Athos which is noted for numerous healing miracles. It is especially famous for healing cancer.
Donations for obtaining the copy of the icon and its delivery to Tomsk were collected by parishioners of our churches – Theophany Cathedral, the Cathedral of Sts. Peter and Paul, as well as other churches of Tomsk and Seversk.
The permanent location of the icon within the cathedral is not yet determined. The icon is expected to visit all major large parishes of the Tomsk Diocese over the course of a year.
Although Pantanassa is best known for healing cancer, it also has the power to help in many other cases, for example, difficult life situations. So, not only those with cancer, but all who have difficult life situations: in family or everyday life, all are welcome to read the daily Akathist”.
Photos by Priest Dionisy Zemlyanov, Vladislav Raitsky.
