Miraculous Icons of the Most Holy Mother of God in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

APRIL
(Julian calendar)

1.       Icon of the Mother of God “Key of Understanding.”  This Icon depicts the Theotokos with a key at Her Feet.  Molebens are served before it on behalf of students for help with their studies.  A miraculous copy is in Nyzhhorod.

 2.  Icon “Unfading Bloom.”  The Mother of God holds a lily in this Icon which symbolizes Her Perpetual Virginity.  Miraculous copies of this Icon abound throughout Ukraine.

  3.    Icon “The Life-Giving Spring.”  This popular Icon shows the Mother of God on top of a water fountain from which drink people from diverse walks of life and receive healing.  Originally from Constantinople, the miraculous spring was the “Lourdes” of Greece and Emperor Leo Marcellos honoured it with a cathedral.  The spring was closed down by the Muslims after the fall of Constantinople.  Miraculous copies are in various villages, towns and cities in Ukraine.

  6.     The Icon of Terebovl in Galicia.  This Icon is one of the miraculous Icons of Podilia which include that of Bar and of Zarvanytsia.  This Icon helped save Terebovl from an attack of the Tatars and is known for its great miraculous healings.

11. Icon of Bezhev.   This Icon is in the village of Bezhev in Volyn and its miraculous fame dates to April 11 1645.

  13.    Icon of Kyiv-Murom.  This famous Icon was brought to Murom by St Constantine of Murom to help in the conversion of his people.  Originally from the Kyivan Caves Lavra, this icon shows the Mother of God gazing at Her Son who is reclining and touching His Mother’s Face with His Hand.  When he brought this icon to his people, the leaders of the pagan party opposing Christianity said that, after looking at the icon, they felt they had to be baptized, and this just so they could be always near the Icon!  On this same day is honoured the Bilinychka Icon in Mohylev where the Theotokos is portrayed in a Crown and holding a Sceptre.  The Polish Catholic church returned this Icon to its rightful Orthodox owners in 1832.  It is now in the Bilinych Church in Kyiv.

  14.   The Hodihitria of Vilna Icon and the Ostra Brama Icons are honoured on this day as Icons of the Kyivan Church.

  15.    The Illyn-Chernihiv Icon.  This is a “Weeping” Icon which shed tears and was examined by a Churchman no less than St Dmytry Tuptalenko who carefully catalogued its miracles and had a great veneration for it.  There are numerous Glorified Copies of this Icon throughout Ukraine and Russia.

  18.   Icon of St Maximus of Kyiv.  St Maximus, Metropolitan of Kyiv was escaping Kyiv due to the Tatar attacks.  He prayed to have his Metropolia placed under the Protective Mantle of the Mother of God.  He had a dream in which the Virgin Mary appeared to Him and gave Him Her Protective Mantle.  When He woke up, He still had the Mantle in His hands!  At Vladimir on the Klazma, there is the Sobor built in honour of this Appearance where St Maximus is buried and where the Icon of the Appearance is, along with the Mantle itself.

  28.  Icon of the Mother of God of L’viv.  This is a miraculous Icon honoured in L’viv and was donated to the Church of St George by Ilarion Simashko on this day in 1182.