The Nicea Icon of the Mother of God
Commemorated on May 28
The Nicea Icon of
the Mother of God was glorified in the year 304. During the time of a siege
by Hamir of the city of Nicea, situated in Asia Minor, a certain Constantine,
seeing the icon of the Mother of God, took hold a stone and threw it at the
icon, and then began to trample it underfoot. By night the Mother of God
appeared in a dream to the perpetrator of the sacrilege and said: "Thou
hast committed grave insult to Me. Know, that thou hast done this to thine own
perishing". Punishment followed forthwith. During the time of battle he
was suddenly struck on the head by a stone and fell down senseless.
This event was told
of by the fathers of the First OEcumenical Council (year 325), and they
established it to sing before the Mother of God: "Thine Holy Sanctuary
Thou hast made the womb".
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.