arts.iconpainting

ICONS WEEP MYRRH
Church of the Protection of
The Theotokos
in Dzerzhinsk

January, 23, 2005 in an orthodox church of Dzerzhinsk, a small town, that in 30 kilometers from Minsk icons have started to weep myrrh. At first there were twelve icons, then twenty seven. Today nobody counts the weeping icons - crosses and walls in an altar began to weep! February, 9 the temple was visited by metropolitan Minsk and Slutsk Filaret.

The first icon was an icon of Mother of god of Kazan. It was a 12-years sexton Alexander who has found out a miracle. The boy serving in a temple, has noticed on an icon something unusual and has called the prior of a church arch priest. Nikolay Lednik. Having looked narrowly, he convinced, that an icon was weeping myrrh. Three days later, on January, 26, an icon of Holy Nikolay started “weeping”, then there was noticed the myrrh on the faces of icon painted on metal. Soon strings of myrrh were flowing from the wounds on an icon with the crucifixion of the Christ. For the first 10 days in the church were weeping 12 icons. On some icons which are in an altar, myrrh appeared and from the back side. The myrrh weeping stops, and starts again.

Constantly pilgrims are coming from Minsk and other cities of Byelorussia. February, 11 a group of 45-persons from our parish made pilgrimage to the church. Among pilgrims - clergy of our cathedral led by the prior, other people from the most younger, the sisters of mercy from the Sisterhood of Holy Evfrosinia of Polotsk, guards of our church, employees of various parish services. On arrival the pilgrims have put candles to the icons, and then young servants of the church of Dzerzhinsk have lead our priests and other men in the altar.

Everyone was struck seen! Weeping are not only icons in an altar, not only crosses, but also walls of the altar! From walls blood (or myrrh of bloody color) is appearing, not only myrrh. The icon of new martyrs of Belarus, made on paper, is put in a tray because of the plentiful myrrh expiration. In a hour one glass full! From the legs of the Lord on big altar icon blood (or myrrh of bloody color) also is streaming. Myrrh on many icons flows from eyes of the Lord and the Holy Virgin - icons look like crying. Some icons like the icon of Mother of Gor of Kazan, are completely wet from the rich expiration of myrrh. A throne wet from myrrh, flowing from crosses. The icon of Three Prelates, on a column in the church hangs highly. But myrrh flowing from eyes of all three holy persons is clearly observed. This icon started weeping on the day of memory of Gregorios of Nazianzenos, John Chrysostomos and Vasily the Great.
Clerics have annointed everyone who was in an altar, and also all those who was at this time in the church with the miraculous myrrh. We have sung prayers to the Lord, the Holy Virgin and to the Cross. We came back home silently. All we had reverential, but disturbing feeling. .

Last years in Byelorussia icon began weeping more and more often. But there are no “instructions” how it should be perceived, and there may not be any. Some people say, that it is a sign of soon tragedy, others consider on the contrary, that miracles with icons are given us to strengthen us in faith. It depends on faith of people, on their spiritual state and mood, on a state of affairs in the church, in the country and in the world. In any case, the myrrh weeping, tears on the icons and other surprising phenomena, not explainable, are declarations of the attention and care of the Creator to the world He has created.

Myrrh extracts from wounds of the Lord on hands and legs, on many icons streams from Lord’s and Holy Virgin’s eyes - icons are like “crying”,
From Lord’s legs on an altar icon the blood is seen (or myrrh of bloody color). The Photo #3 is made on February 11th, the photo #4 is made on February 5th.
Not only icons in an altar are weeping, not only altar crosses, but also walls of an altar! From the walls myrrh extracts. November, 11 on one of walls in the altar blood (or myrrh of bloody color) has appeared.
Icon of Mother of God of Kazan plentifully weeps myrrh from different sides. Myrrh flows down on the wood a lot. The icon of new Martyrs of Belarus, made on paper, is put in a tray because of the plentiful flowing of myrrh. In a hour a glass full!
We came back home silently. All we had reverential, but disturbing feeling.
Recent events. On February 12 before liturgy started in potir (eucharist cup) myrrh was found. Metropolitan of Minsk and Slutsk Filaret allowed the divine service to be continued having removed the myrrh. On February 13 in the cup there was found blood or myrrh of bloody color. It was again allowed to continue the divine service. On Sunday February 20 before the divine service, when the believers came to the church, there happened consecutive self-ignition of tissues: towels decorating icons, coverlets on analoys, and others tissues that were in the altar and other parts of a temple. The temple was filled with smoke. People have been asked to leave a the church. Firemen were called, which did not manage determine a source of ignition. The church was closed. Since March, 5 divine services are been celebrated again. As far as it is known, now the icon weeping in the church stopped. The similar phenomena for believers it is an appeal of the Lord to repentance and a pray.