Chukhloma (Galich) Icon
20 July / 2 August

his image appeared in the year 1350 to Venerable Abramius of Galich, who, with the blessing of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh, had come north to pursue spiritual struggle. On the barren shore of the Galich lake, near a great hill covered by dense forest, he turned to the Mother of God in prayer, asking her blessing for his spiritual struggle. After praying, the venerable one sat down to rest. Suddenly, he beheld a bright light on the neighboring hill, and he heard a voice saying: "Abramius, ascend the hill upon which stands the icon of My Mother." The venerable one climbed up the hill from which the light was gleaming and indeed discovered there, in a tree, an icon of the Mother of God with the Pre-eternal Infant. Deeply moved, and thanking the Lord, the holy struggler received the image which had miraculously appeared. Strengthened by prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos, he built a chapel on the blessed site and in it placed the Icon. Some time later, the Prince of Galich, Dimitry Feodorovich, having learned of the elder's arrival, requested that he bring the Icon to him. Venerable Abramius crossed the Galich lake by boat and, accompanied by clergy and by a multitude of people, transferred the miraculous image to the cathedral church of the city of Galich.

That day, many sick people received healing from the Icon. When Venerable Abramius related an account of the Icon's miraculous appearance, the prince donated funds with which to build a monastery. Soon afterward, a church dedicated to the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos was erected, and around it grew a monastery. Subsequently, Venerable Abramius established several other monasteries, of which the last was the Chukhloma Monastery, not far from the town of Chukhloma. The spiritual struggler came to be known as Abramius of Chukhloma, after the name of that monastery, and the miraculous Icon became known as the Galich-Chukhloma Icon. This Icon is also celebrated on 28 May and 15 August.

Icon from the website of Kostroma Eparkhy, http://kostroma-eparhiy.narod.ru/