Русская Версия

February 18, 2011
Charlotte, NC: The Kursk Root Icon visited Holy Trinity Greek Cathedral

On Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th of February, the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God visited Holy Trinity Greek Cathedral in Charlotte, NC. On Saturday evening, seven priests, two choirs, and a great multitude of children and the faithful gathered before the cathedral to greet the Icon. After the greeting, Great Vespers and a Paraclesis were served by cathedral rector Archpriest Michael Varvarelis, co-served by Eastern American Diocesan secretary Archpriest Serge Lukianov, who was accompanying the Icon, and clerics of the Greek and Serbian Churches and ROCOR. Upon completion of the service, Fr. Serge spoke to the gathered faithful about the travels and miracles of the Kursk Root Icon, and then presented the rector with a copy of the Kursk Root Icon with a commemorative plaque on behalf of the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, His Eminence, Metropolitan Hilarion.

The following morning, Matins were served, followed by two Liturgies. The first Liturgy was served by parish cleric Priest Philemon Patitsas, while the second was celebrated by the cathedral rector, co-served by Fr. Serge and parish Deacon George Politis. After the Liturgy, due to the large crowd in attendance, the faithful venerated the holy icon for three hours. Among them was one miraculously healed Greek man, whom the Icon visited in the hospital last year, when it was last in Charlotte. The servant of God John was suffering from Guillain-Barré Syndrome (a form of nervous paralysis), and was unable even to make the sign of the Cross when the wonderworking Icon came to visit him in the hospital. But by God’s grace, three days after the Kursk Icon visited him, John was sent for rehabilitation. This process usually takes months, and some sufferers of the syndrome never recover or die. In gratitude for the intercession of the Mother of God, John’s family donated the wonderful flowers that adorned the Icon during the divine services.

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