February 18, 2016
Atlanta, GA: Kursk Root Icon visits Churches & Monasteries of
Georgia & Tennessee
From
February 3-13, the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of
God performed a visitation to the states of Georgia and Tennessee.
On
February 3, with the blessing of Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan –
guardian of the Kursk Root Icon – the Protectress of the Russian
Diaspora was accompanied by Priest Eugene Antonov from Synodal
Headquarters in New York City to
Joy
of All Who Sorrow Church in Cumming, GA. On Thursday, February
4, a moleben was served in the church, and that evening, Fr. Eugene
accompanied the Icon to the Romanian Church of Sts. Constantine &
Helen (OCA) in Lilburn, GA. Approximately 160 faithful prayed at the
moleben.
On
Friday, February 5, an akathist was served before the holy image in
the Church of the Holy Hierarch Innocent of Moscow Enlightener of
America (OCA) in Macon, GA. On Saturday, February 9, the Divine
Liturgy in the presence of the Kursk Root Icon was celebrated in
Annunciation Diocesan Cathedral (Greek Archdiocese) in Georgia’s
capital of Atlanta.
That evening and on Sunday, February 7, molebens and the Divine
Liturgy were served before the holy Icon in Joy of All Who Sorrow
Church in Cumming.
On
Monday, February 8, the Kursk Root Icon departed for
Glorious Ascension Monastery in Resaca, GA, where a moleben was
served, and the Divine Liturgy celebrated the following day in the
presence of many pilgrims. That evening, February 9, the Icon
visited Holy Protection Church of the Romanian Patriarchate in
Dacula, GA, and from there proceeded to
St. Nektarios Church in Lenoir City, TN, where a moleben and
Vespers were served before the holy Icon, and Divine Liturgy on
Wednesday, February 10.
On
Thursday evening, February 11, and at Liturgy on the feast of the
Three Holy Hierarchs on February 12, parishioners of Joy of All Who
Sorrow Church prayed before the Icon, and that evening the Icon
visited St. Mary of Egypt Church (OCA) in Norcross, GA.
On Saturday morning, February 13, a moleben and akathist were served
before the Kursk Root Icon in Holy Transfiguration Greek Church in
Marietta, GA, from whence the Icon continued on to
St.
Mary of Egypt Church in Roswell, GA, where the visitation of the
holy Icon to Georgia and Tennessee concluded.
For
the clergy and faithful of the various jurisdictions, greeting the
Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign" was a great
spiritual joy and inspiration. At the many divine services, many
became witnesses to the special fragrance emitted from the Icon.
"Often the Lord visits us in unexpected and unpredictable ways, when
we in no way anticipate it," said several parishioners. The
parishioners and pilgrims were all given copies of the holy Icon. In
each of the Romanian churches, the number of those who came to
venerate the Most Holy Theotokos reached 160-180 people, The
faithful decorated the Icon with flowers, and after the service took
the flowers from the Icon home, as a symbol of their experience with
the sacred. Prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos were lifted up in
Church Slavonic, English, Greek, and Romanian. Upon completion of
the visitation, the wonderworking Icon departed for South Carolina.
Media Office of the Eastern
American Diocese
