The Uncut Icon of the Mother of God, also called the “Clouded Mount” (Ru: Tuchnaya Gora – Тучная Гора) is particularly associated with the Annunciation (March 25), as this icon was revealed as miracle-working on the eve of the feast.
In the 18th century, the icon was
presented by the abbot of the Tver monastery to Cosmas Volchaninov, in
gratitude for his fine work in the monastery’s church. Taken from the
monastery, it was passed on from generation to generation in the Volchaninov
family, until it came into the possession of one of Cosmas’ grandsons.
This
grandson treated his wife harshly, and allowed his relatives to do likewise.
Being impious, he hid the icon of the Clouded Mount away in an attic. It was in
this atmosphere of worldly sin that the icon suddenly revealed the glory of
God, in accordance with the words of Jesus Christ: “I
came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)
In despair over her marriage, the wife of this impious grandson resolved
to commit suicide in a deserted bath-house. On the way there, on the Eve of the
Annunciation, a monk appeared to her and said, “Where
are you going, unhappy one? Go back, pray to the Theotokos of The Clouded
Mountain, and you will live in peace.”
The agitated young wife returned home
and revealed everything, including her intention to commit suicide. They
searched for the monk, but they did not find him, and no one had seen him but
her. However, they found the icon of the Mother of God in the attic. In the
icon, the Mother of God stood full-length on a rounded mound, the mount,
holding Christ in her left arm. Christ was leaning over to bless the small
mountain held in Mary’s right hand; on top of the mountain were churches with
many cupolas and crosses. Recognizing this as the icon the monk referred to,
the family cleaned off the dirt and set it up in the house in a place of honor.
In the evening, the parish priest served the all-night Vigil before the icon.
From that time, Vigil was served in the house every year on the eve of the
Annunciation, celebrating the joy that was brought to the house.
For more than 150 years the icon was in
the family until Katherine, the last of the Volchaninov line, married George
Ivanovich Konyaev, taking with her the icon of the Mother of God as a precious
inheritance.
In 1863 near a cemetery church of the
Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God it was decided to build a chapel in honor of
St Tikhon and St Macarius of Kalyazin. The then owner of the icon, George
Konyaev, already 92 years old, wanted to donate the icon of the Theotokos to
the church. He asked the clergy to build another chapel for the wonderworking
icon of the Mother of God of the “Clouded Mountain.” He said:
I feel the very best place for it is the
temple of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, since the place on which the
church was built, in former times was called a Mount, since it was the highest
place in the city. The inhabitants took their possessions to the Mount and
saved themselves from ruin during a flood. Let the icon, The Clouded Mountain,
remain on this mountain with your blessing, and let all who are buried here be
veiled with Her mercy.
CONVERSATION