The Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign” is Discussed at a Kursk Agrarian Institute

The Official Website of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia – October 2016

On September 22, 2016, the day that the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign” arrived in the Kursk Diocese, Priest Dimitry Dolzhenkov of Uspensky Church in the town of Medvenka met with Elena Vasilievna Mazhakova, head of Medvenka Agrarian Institute, along with her teachers and students.

Fr Dimitry spoke about miracle-working icons and their veneration. He noted that “holy icons, such as the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God ‘of the Sign,’ have been known to appear miraculously. Many became widely-known and venerated because of the Divine aid worshipers would gain from prayers before them. The proper attitude towards such icons can be gleaned from the prayers devoted to the holy images. Such prayers describe how a person, having prayed before an icon, receives healing, that is, miraculous aid from God. That is why we, too, plead with the Lord that our prayers are not left unheeded. But we must remember that any miracle must strengthen our faith. It reminds us that the Lord is always beside us, and that the foundation of our faith does not lie on visible miracles but in the living experience of personal contact with God.”

Afterwards, a film on the history of the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God “of the Sign,” was shown, followed by a question-and-answer period. Fr Dimitry then shared the schedule of the visit of the holy icon to Kursk Diocese and gave everyone a paper copy of the image of the Theotokos.

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