On Friday, October 16/29th, St. Nicholas Orthodox Church was visited by the wonderworking Kursk-Root Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. This was truly a blessing not only for our small parish, but also for the Dallas-Fort Worth Orthodox community.
On Friday morning, Divine Liturgy was served in the presence of the icon by the parish rector, Fr. Seraphim Holland. There were over 100 people praying with us, and about 80 communicants.
Fr. Seraphim spent the day bringing our Lady's icon to many homes throughout the metroplex, returning to the church shortly after 7PM in time for a molieben with akathist at 7:30, and departing again afterward to visit several more homes throughout the evening / night.
An estimated 200 faithful from the Dallas area prayed in front of the holy icon at the molieben service, including 5 priests.
The atmosphere was festive as we all sang the praises of the Mother of God and sought her aid. One of our visitors left late in the evening with the words, “Christ is Risen!” — and truly, the visit of the wonder-working icon brought a renewal of the joy of Pascha to our community, for the renewal of the soul is the greatest of wonders.
On Saturday morning Fr. Seraphim took the icon to All Saints of America parish in DeQueen Arkansas and concelebted together with the parish rector, Fr George Brooks, and two other priests in a molieben with akathist in another overflowing church.
Since the visit, Fr. Seraphim has learned from a parishioner that for the first time in many years he is able to perform a poklon without pain. Previously he had been unable to bend even a small amount from the waist without great pain. He discovered this when he started to bend a tiny bit in his usual way. Not feeling the expected pain, he “kept going down”, and was able to bow deeply several times. Perhaps for some this is not an incredible miracle, but it is a great consolation for this man, and he expressed great thanks to God and His Most Pure Mother for quite unexpectedly helping him.
Photoreport: http://www.flickr.com/photos/saint-nicholas/sets/72157625171585181/
Glory to God in all things! What an incredible experience to pray in such a crowded church before such a beautiful and historic icon in the presence of the Theotokos and our All Holy God!
Thank you, Father Seraphim, for sharing the photos and the story. Thank God for His goodness and for His Holy Mother Who shares her love with all of us and visits us and cares for us!
I had an experience similar to your parishioner's back in 2002, when I fell down a flight of stairs and fractured my wrist. The icon was visiting Holy Trinity Monastery at the time, and when I reverenced it, I touched my wrist to it, went back to class, picked up a pen, and started writing. I had been in such pain all morning long that I was planning to have the wrist re-examined that afternoon; thanks to our Most Holy Theotokos, that was unnecessary. Nor does that wrist ever bother me, even in the most extreme weather… I get tears in my eyes every time I think of her generosity to me.