A very special visit

Last week, we had the absolute honor and blessing of having a visit from two holy relics in our home in one night - the kamilavka (priest's hat) of St. John of Krondstadt, and the Kursk-Root Icon. This was a huge coincidence, but the biggest blessing to our family.

The kamilavka of St. John is usually kept at St. Seraphim's Russian Orthodox Church in Sea Cliff, NY, (my home parish), but my husband was able to borrow it for the period of Great Lent and has been taking it to local Serbian Orthodox churches each week so the faithful can venerate it. Many Serbians are Russophiles, and have enjoyed having the kamilavka visit their parish. For several nights, we kept it in our home as well, and the other nights it has resided at the Bishop's residence.

The Kursk-Root icon has made its way to the Midwestern diocese this Great Lent and has been taken around by its guardian, by Bishop Peter, and by another priest as well. Fortunately for our family, the priest who is the official guardian of the icon happens to be family to us as well. He stayed at our house for a few nights and one of the nights, the Icon was here as well. My husband, the baby and I all slept in the same room as the Icon, and in the morning, very early might I add, we woke up the kids to venerate and see the Icon off with us. It was a tremendous blessing for us!

The Kursk-Root Icon is extremely special to me for several reasons. 1) I grew up in the parish of St. Seraphim of Sarov in Sea Cliff, NY. Many people know that St. Seraphim, as a boy, had a terrible fall and was extremely ill following that. He was healed when the Kursk-Root icon (yes, it is that old indeed!) came for a visit to his town and he venerated it. It is so deep and so inspiring to think that the saint whom I have grown close to prayed in front of this very icon a long time ago! 2) In 2008, I was blessed to go on a trip to Russia with a group of young people from ROCOR (the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia). The 'home base' of our group for this trip was in Kursk itself, and we made several visits to the monastery where the icon was actually found! It was an incredible trip. Here are a few photos from my trip...these were all taken at the "Korennaya Pustin'", the monastery that is built around the place where the Icon was found.

This tree was planted by Metropolitan Lavr when he visited the monastery after the Reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church and ROCOR in May of 2007

After the Icon was found, this holy spring began coming out of the ground in the spot where the Icon was found...it is a huge spring today and covers a lot of the territory of the monastery!

A picture of our group from ROCOR just outside the monastery walls

Here is the Troparion to the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God.


Having obtained thee as an unassailable rampart and wellspring of miracles, O Most Pure Mother of God, thy servants quell the assaults of enemies. Wherefore, we pray to thee: Grant peace to our land, and to our souls great mercy.

If you'd like to view and read the Akathist to Her, please click here. 

Below is some history about St. John of Kronstadt, since I didn't speak about him much. He's a beautiful saint, and so many Russians view him as a favorite of theirs. 

Information taken from the OCA website. 

"St John of Kronstadt was born in the village of Sura in Archangel province on October 19, 1829, and was called John in honor of St John of Rila (August 18). His parents were very poor but were very devoted to the Church. Even though he was poor, as a young boy John learned to feel compassion for others in their misfortune. His neighbors frequently asked him to pray for them, as they noticed this special grace-endowed gift in him. When John was ten, his parents were able to raise some money and send him to the local school which was attached to the church. At first, the boy had an extremely difficult time with his studies. He worked for days on end, but still failed to keep up.

Writing about his life he once recalled an evening when everyone had already gone to bed. “I could not sleep, and I still failed to understand anything I was taught. I still read poorly and could not remember anything I was told. I became so depressed I fell to my knees and began to pray. I don’t know whether I had spent a long time in that position or not, but suddenly something shook my whole being. It was as if a veil had fallen from my eyes, and my mind had been opened, and I remembered clearly my teacher of that day and his lesson. I also recalled the topic and the examples he had given. I felt so light and joyous inside.” After this experience he did so well he became one of the first in his class to be chosen to go to seminary, and after seminary to the Theological Academy in St Petersburg (a great honor at that time).

Throughout his studies, John thought about the importance of forgiveness, meekness, and love, and came to believe that these were the very center and power of Christianity, and that only one path—the path of humble love—leads to God and the triumph of His righteousness. He also thought a great deal about the Savior’s death on the Cross at Golgotha, and pitied those who did not know Jesus Christ. He wished to preach to them about His death and Resurrection. He dreamed about becoming a missionary to distant China, but saw that there was a great deal of work for a genuine pastor of Christ’s flock both in his own city and the surrounding towns.

When John graduated from the Academy he met Elizabeth Nesvitsky who lived in the town of Kronstadt. They dated, he proposed, and they were married. After his studies, John still desired to learn more about his faith and his Church.

It was in this frame of mind that he prepared to be a priest and to enter public ministry. He was ordained a deacon on December 10, 1885, and then priest on December 12. He was assigned to St Andrew’s Cathedral in the city of Kronstadt. He said, “I made myself a rule to be as sincere as possible in my work, and of strictly watching myself and my inner life.”

Fr John wanted most of all to earn the love of the people in his care, because only a loving attitude could provide the firm support and help he needed as he faced the difficult work of the priesthood. His constant thought was how he would come before the Last Judgment and have to give an account, not only for his own deeds, but also the deeds of his flock, for whose education and salvation he was responsible. To him no one was a stranger; everyone who came to him for help became a friend and relative. He would tell people “The Church is the best heavenly friend of every sincere Christian.” He conducted divine services daily and offered the prayers of the faithful. He called all who rarely receive Holy Communion to prepare themselves and live their lives in a Christian way so that they could receive more often. Listening to Fr John, many people changed their lifestyle, repented sincerely, and joyfully received Holy Communion on a regular basis.

At that time the government exiled murderers, thieves and other criminals to Kronstadt. Life was horrible for the exiles. Even children of exiles would become thieves and criminals. He would go to their dugouts, hovels and shacks to visit with them. Not satisfied with staying for five or ten minutes to administer some rite and then leave, Fr John believed he was coming to visit a priceless soul, his brothers and sisters. He would stay for hours, talking, encouraging, comforting, crying, and rejoicing together with them.

From the beginning he also concerned himself with the material needs of the poor. He would shop for food, go to the pharmacy for prescriptions, to the doctor for help, many times giving the poor his last few coins. The inhabitants of Kronstadt would see him returning home barefoot and without his cassock. Often parishioners would bring shoes to his wife, saying to her, “Your husband has given away his shoes to someone, and will come home barefoot.” He would also write articles for the newspaper exhorting the people of Kronstadt to “support the poor morally and materially.” These appeals touched the hearts of many and Fr John organized many charitable efforts. Realizing that his individual charity was insufficient for aiding the needy, he founded the Orthodox Christian House Parish Trusteeship of St Andrew the First-Called. This brotherhood coordinated many charitable efforts throughout the city and helped many needy people.

In 1857, he began teaching in the local city schools. He would tell people, “If children cannot listen to the Gospel, it is only because it is taught like any other subject, with boredom and indifference. Such teaching defeats the purpose of the Gospel. It fails because it forces students only to read words and memorize them instead of making them live in their lives.” To Fr John there were no incapable students. He taught in such a way that poor pupils as well as good ones were able to understand. His attention was aimed not so much at forcing students to memorize as to fill their souls with the joy of living according to Christian values, sharing with them the holy thoughts which filled his soul.

When speaking to other priests about their vocation he would say, “You are a representative of the faith of the Church, O priest; you are a representative of Christ the Lord Himself. You should be a model of meekness, purity, courage, perseverance, patience, and lofty spirit. You are doing the work of God and must not let anything discourage you.”

St John has performed more miracles than almost any other saint, with the possible exception of St Nicholas. Through his prayers he healed the sick, gave hope to the hopeless, and brought sinners to repentance.

Fr John labored endlessly in his work for the Lord preaching, teaching, and helping those in need. Having spent his entire life serving God and His people, Fr John fell ill and died on December 20, 1908. Almost immediately, people from near and far began to make pilgrimages to the monastery where he was buried. Even today millions of Orthodox Christians in Russia and around the world pray to him to intercede for them as he had always done from his childhood.

St John was glorified by the Russian Orthodox Church on June 8, 1990."

Here are the Troparion and Kontakion (there are actually 2 Troparions) to St. John.

Troparion — Tone 1
As a zealous advocate of the Orthodox faith, / As a caring Solicitor for the land of Russia, / Faithful to the rules and image of a pastor, / Preaching repentance and life in Christ, / An awesome servant and administer of God’s sacraments, / A daring intercessor for people’s sake, / O Good and righteous Father John, / Healer and wonderful miracle-worker, / The praise of the town of Kronstadt / And decoration of our Church, / Beseech the All-Merciful God / To reconcile the world and to save our souls!

Troparion — Tone 4

With the apostles your message has gone out to the ends of the world, / And with the confessors you suffered for Christ! / You are like the hierarchs through your preaching of the word; / With the righteous you are radiant with the grace of God. / The Lord has exalted your humility above the heavens / And given us your name as a source of miracles. / O wonder-worker, living in Christ for ever, / Have mercy on those beset by troubles; / And hear us when we cry out in faith, O our beloved shepherd John!

Kontakion — Tone 3

This day the pastor of Kronstadt / Appears before the throne of God / Praying fervently on behalf of the faithful / To the chief pastor Christ, who has promised: / “I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it!”