The Icon of the Mother of God “Surety
of Sinners” is known by this name because of the inscription on the icon: “I am
the Surety of sinners for My Son Who has entrusted Me to hear them, and those
who bring Me the joy of hearing them will receive eternal joy through Me.” The
Mother of God embraces Her Child, Who holds Her right hand with both His hands
so that Her thumb is in His right hand, and Her small finger in His left hand.
This is the gesture of one who gives surety for another.
Although we do not know when or by whom
the icon was originally painted, it is believed that the basis of the icon is
to be found in the Akathist to the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos:
“Rejoice, You Who offer Your hands in surety for us to God.”
This icon was first glorified by
miracles at the Saint Nicholas Odrino men’s monastery of the former Orlov
gubernia in the mid-nineteenth century (The “Assuage My Sorrows Icon”
commemorated on October 9 is also from this monastery). The “Surety of Sinners”
icon of the Mother of God was in an old chapel beyond the monastery gates, and
stood between two other ancient icons. Because it was so faded and covered with
dust, it was impossible to read the inscription.
In 1843 it was revealed to many of the
people in dreams that the icon was endowed with miraculous power. They solemnly
brought the icon into the church. Believers began to flock to it to pray for
the healing of their sorrows and sicknesses. The first to receive healing was a
crippled child, whose mother prayed fervently before the icon in 1844. The icon
was glorified during a cholera epidemic, when many people fell deathly ill, and
were restored to health after praying before the icon.
A large stone church with three altars
was built at the monastery in honor of the wonderworking icon.
In 1848, through the zeal of Lt. Col.
Demetrius Boncheskul, a copy of the wonderworking image was made and placed in
his home. Soon it began to exude a healing myrrh, which was given to many so
they might recover their health after grievous illnesses. Boncheskul donated
this wonderworking copy to the church of Saint Nicholas at Khamovniki in
Moscow, where a chapel was built in honor of the icon.
The “Surety of Sinners” Icon is also
commemorated on March 7 and on Thursday of the week of All Saints.
Source: https://oca.org/saints/lives/2010/05/29/101565-icon-of-the-mother-of-god-the-surety-of-sinners
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