The Seraphimo-Ponetaevsk Znamenie-Sign Icon of the Mother of God

Commemorated on November 27

      The Seraphimo-Ponetaevsk Znamenie-Sign Icon of the Mother of God was written in the year 1879 by the nuns of the Seraphimo-Ponetaevsk women's monastery, situated not far from Arzamasa, near the village of Ponetaevka. The monastery was named after the Monk Seraphim of Sarov by the founderess of the monastery – a sister of the Diveevsk community.
      Six years after its writing, the icon became for its numerous miracles and became the chief holy item of the monastery. During the time of Divine-services the sisters praying discerned distinct changes in the countenance of the Mother of God: Her All-Pure face became bright and literally alive. Numerous pilgrims thronged to the icon, and many were healed from blindness and crippling. In all about 70 instances of healing were taken note of.

© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.