September 30, 2009
New York: The Myrrh-Streaming Icon of the Mother of God the "Softener of Evil Hearts" visits Novo-Diveevo

On September 22, the myrrh-streaming icon of the Mother of God the "Softener of Evil Hearts," widely renowned throughout Russia, visited the convent and nursing home located in Novo-Diveevo. Despite the icon's many travels, her regular home is in the Moscow suburb village of Bachurino. She began to stream myrrh in a Moscow apartment when, in 1998, this otherwise regular image was placed on the relics of St. Matrona of Moscow. The icon began to stream myrrh very strongly at the Local Council of Bishops in 2009, during the election of Patriarch Kyrill of Moscow and All Russia.

The holy icon arrived at the convent from the Holy Virgin Protection Church in Nyack, NY, before which she visited the Synodal Cathedral of the Sign in New York City, its neighboring Patriarchal Cathedral of St. Nicholas, the Holy New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia Church in Brooklyn, and St. Seraphim's Church in Sea Cliff.

The myrrh-streaming icon was in Novo-Diveevo's Church of St. Seraphim of Sarov during the Divine Liturgy, after which an akathist was served before the icon.

Over the course of the divine service, numerous Orthodox Christians venerated the icon, coming to ask for healing from physical ailments, comfort from sadness and the sorrows and tumult of this world, the softening of their hearts and those of their neighbors, and aid and support for their souls and spirits.

Protodeacon Sergei Arlievsky and Mr. Serge Fomin, the icon's caretaker, proceeded with the icon to the nursing home, whose inhabitants were able to venerate her, as well.

Media Office of the Eastern American Diocese