"Svenskaya" (Kiev Caves) Icon
3 / 16 May
This
icon was written by Venerable Alipy of the Caves. The Mother of God is depicted
on this icon, seated on a throne, with her Divine Infant upon her knees. To the
right of the throne stands the Venerable Theodosius, and to the left stands the
Venerable Antony of the Caves. Until 1288, the icon remained in the Kiev-Caves
Monastery, where it became renowned for miracles. In the following manner, it
was translated in 1288 to the Bryansk-Svena Monastery of the Dormition of the
Most Holy Theotokos. While in Bryansk, Roman Mikhailovich, Prince of Chernigov,
became blind. Hearing of the miracles proceeding from the icon painted by
Venerable Alipy himself, the prince sent a messenger to the monastery, with the
request that the icon be sent to him in Bryansk, so that he might be healed. The
icon, accompanied by a priest, was dispatched via the River Desna. Along its
way, the boat docked on the right bank of the River Svena. The following
morning, the travellers went out to the boat in order to pray before the icon.
However, they did not find it there. They beheld it standing amid the branches
of an oak tree, on a hill opposite the Svena River. After word of this came to
Prince Roman, he was brought on foot to the icon. Praying fervently, the prince
promised to build a monastery on this site, and to give to it all of the lands
visible from the hill. After these prayers, the prince gradually began to regain
his sight. At first, he saw the path, then nearby objects, and finally all of
his surroundings. After venerating the icon, the prince had a moleben served.
After the moleben, all of those present erected there a wooden church dedicated
to the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. They cut down the tree in which the
icon had rested, and used its wood to fashion boards upon which to write other
icons. At the same time, it was determined that the Svena Icon of the Mother of
God would be celebrated on 3 May.
The icon became glorified for its healing of the blind and of those possessed
by demons, and as a protection against enemies.
icon from www.pravoslavie.ru