The Icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita at Techirghil Monastery

On 13 August 2013, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, met on a scene specially arranged in the yard of Saint Mary Monastery – Techirghiol – patriarchal stavropighie in the county of Constanta – the Icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita, brought from the Chapel of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation of Bucharest. Besides His Beatitude, His Eminence Teodosie, Archbishop of Tomis, and His Grace Visarion, Bishop of Tulcea were also present.

The Icon has been previously taken in procession in the streets of Techirghiol town around Saint Mary Monastery. It was accompanied by rev archimandrite Ciprian Gradinaru, servant priest at the chapel of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation, as well as by many priests and faithful present at the monastery.

After meeting the icon a polichronium service was celebrated in the honour of the Patriarch of Romania, and then His Beatitude spoke to the faithful present about the beneficent presence of the Icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita at the celebration of the dedication day of the monastery of Techirghiol: “We thought it was a good thing to bring the Icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita to be present at the Monastery of the Mother of God – Techirghiol, patriarchal stavropighia, on this great feast of the Falling Asleep of the Mother of God. Here, the nuns do many spiritual, liturgical things, and receive the pilgrims and patients who come for medical treatment and spiritual renewal. It is a very good thing for us to see how the Mother of God helps the sick, poor, lonely, abandoned, forgotten, those whom nobody loves, but whom she loves with the devoted love of a merciful mother. The presence of the Mother of God – Prodromita these days here is a sign of blessing and encouragement both for the community of nuns of the Monastery of Saint Mary – Techirghiol, and for the faithful and pilgrims who come to this monastery to pray to her icon wishing to feel the help, joy and peace that she bestows, through her prayers, over the devoted faithful who pray to her icon with faith, much love and joy”.

His Beatitude Daniel has also shown the benefices that the Icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita bestows over the Christians: “This year it is 150 years since this icon was painted in Iasi and taken to Mount Athos where it has become the protector of the Romanian Skete of Saint John the Baptist or Prodromu. The icon has bestowed blessings and much assistance ever since over all the inhabitants of Mount Athos, especially over the members of the community of the Romanian Skete of Prodromu. This icon which protects and guides those over 100 Romanian monks willing to spiritually progress in the life in Christ and in the Holy Spirit who live at the Holy Mount Athos, enlightens and protects all the Romanians of the country. We have felt the help of the Mother of God ever since this icon was brought to the Chapel of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation, a little church built in three months and a half, through the progress of the construction of the new Patriarchal Cathedral, as well as through the brotherly spiritual communion cultivated in this chapel of the future Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation.

“We wish that all the donations of the faithful collected these days, because the icon will remain here for veneration till next Monday, 19 August, to be used for painting the new church dedicated to the Mother of God, founded by the worthy remembering Patriarch Teoctist, which we finished and must be painted now. Therefore, the Mother of God is the one who bedecks the churches and the souls of the generous, devoted ones who love her Son and all the saints” His Beatitude has also said.

To end with, the faithful received small icons as presents on behalf of the Patriarch of Romania.

The icon of the Mother of God – Prodromita from the chapel of the Cathedral for the Nation’s Salvation is a copy – painted and bound in gilded silver – of the original miracle worker Prodromita icon from the Holy Mount Athos.

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