Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos before the Pochaevskaya Icon
Kontakion 1
To the chosen Governor of the Christian clans and our country, the most famous Deliverer, let us bring songs of praise, faithfully, gathered on Her holy mountain; But You, who have unspeakable mercy, O Lady Theotokos, do not reject our prayer, which is offered up before Your miraculous image, but in the tenderness of our hearts we call to You:
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Ikos 1
Archangel Gabriel says “Rejoice!” brought to you, O Lady, when the conception of the Son of God was preached to you, after your glorious Dormition all the heavenly powers continually bring you praise in Heaven; Why should we, sinners, dare to unite our voices with the voices of the Bodiless? Moreover, remembering Your mercy to all who repent, we open our lips with fear and love, saying:
Rejoice, abyss of mercy; Rejoice, inexhaustible sea of love.
Rejoice, good Representative of the Christian race; Rejoice, unbreakable wall of the Pochaev monastery.
Rejoice, you who attract Orthodox people to Mount Pochaev with bonds of love; Rejoice, you who drive away all sadness from their souls.
Rejoice, even the miraculous image, like a star, guides us from Mount Pochaevsky; Rejoice, Passionate prayers offered to her are soon reflected.
Rejoice, you who consoled people with Your appearance on this mountain; Rejoice, you who left the footprint of Your foot on it for us.
Rejoice, everlasting boldness of the faithful; Rejoice, those who doubt the good statement.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 2
Seeing the hermit and the simple John the Barefoot, the Most Holy Theotokos appeared on the rock in a pillar of fire, kissing the footprint of Her foot and sprinkling the water that flowed from the stone, crying out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 2
The misunderstood mind about Your appearance, O Lady, seeking, in the blue hope is affirmed, as first from the Hagarians, after from the heretics, you deigned to establish the stronghold of Orthodoxy on the Mount of Hope, for this reason, coming to Your holy temple, we fill our hearts with warm faith, saying:
Rejoice, confirmation of the true faith; Rejoice, clear reproof of evil.
Rejoice, thou who was known of old in the burning bush of Sinai; Rejoice, you who appeared here as a Christian in the pillar of fire.
Rejoice, for in the burning cave, with the dew of salvation, the youths of Abraham foretold Thee; Rejoice, for through the water of Your footsteps You preached Your healing grace.
Rejoice, our land, devastated in ancient times by the Hagarians, who was then comforted by Your appearance; Rejoice, and now you encourage those praying here with many signs.
Rejoice, those who repent will soon be heard; Rejoice, help and refuge for those who strive.
Rejoice, and admonition of the ignorant; Rejoice, and strengthening of the faint-hearted.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 3
You showed the power of deep grace, O Lady, on Mount Pochaevstey, when you enriched the place of Your appearance in three hundred years with Your miraculous icon, and by the hand of St. Neophytos Hellenes, who came from Moscow, you first bestowed it on the boyar Anna, then from her you received it to the monastery of Pochaevskaya Thou art the people who rejoice and sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 3
Having in her house your icon, Lady, the noblewoman Anna and having seen the healing from it of her brother Philip who was born blind, was struck by the spirit of jealousy for your glory and was inflamed with a monastery of stone in the name of your most honorable Dormition by the hermit of Pochaev, in which the worshipers cry out to your miraculous image. sitse:
Rejoice, you who taught us the rich treasure in Your holy icon; Rejoice, having sanctified our land by the hand of the saint given by Thy image.
Rejoice, turning away our souls from earthly wealth; Rejoice, you who teach us to sing the Glory of God.
Rejoice, for Thy miracles are visible, we admire our hearts to Heaven; Rejoice, for in Your abode, as if on the threshold of paradise, we find ourselves.
Rejoice, Orthodox people who have consoled you with Your icon; Rejoice, you who call praying people from all countries to the Pochaev monastery.
Rejoice, for Her faith increases; Rejoice, for her despondency will be driven away.
Rejoice, everlasting Joy of the Pochaev monks; Rejoice, shameless Hope of the worldly people.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 4
A storm of heretical fury rushed towards Your holy monastery, O Lady, the holy icon by Your hand, captivating the evil iconoclasts and inciting them to blaspheme, soon the wrath of God restrained the speed, while the invisible force of the blasphemers who feasted without cold, like Artaxerxes and Herod, was cast into slack and into illness, over the holy now Those who cursed and did not take away your song: Alleluia.
Ikos 4
Hearing that the monks and all the Orthodox people heard that Your holy icon, after seventy years of heretical captivity, returned to the holy monastery from the shamed blasphemers, Abiy came out to meet it and turned its cry into joy, I cried out to You:
Rejoice, refuge for Christians; Rejoice, denunciation of heretics.
Rejoice, the Pochaev monastery has not completely deprived you of Your icon; Rejoice, you who have put to shame the blasphemy of the iconoclasts.
Rejoice, for you teach us not to lose heart in troubles; Rejoice, for you commanded us to believe in the justice of God.
Rejoice, Who has established Orthodoxy in our country; Rejoice, You have been worthy to receive the embodied Truth and the whole universe.
Rejoice, imitator of God’s long-suffering; Rejoice, Your people are strengthened in patience.
Rejoice, for those who are humble receive consolation from You; Rejoice, for those who are proud are humbled by You.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 5
The God-bearing star appeared to those seeking salvation, O Lady, leading them to the Sun of Truth, just as in Your earthly life for people the intercessor to Your Son in Cana of Galilee appeared, so also after Your glorious departure to Heaven, prayers for the faithful were brought from the ends of the earth, Thou didst ascend to Thy Son, and here, on Mount Pochaevstya, He gave manifold healings to the people who cried out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 5
Seeing people, on Mount Pochaevskaya, as in ancient times, as in recent years, many healings are given by You, in the desire for the salvation of my soul I affirm and offer warm repentance for my sins, crying out to You:
Rejoice, recovery of sight for the blind and healing for the lame; Rejoice, deliverance of demons from demons.
Rejoice, Thou who miraculously returned the captive monk to Thy abode in the air; Rejoice, you who resurrected baby Simeon through the prayer of the old woman.
Rejoice, for in these signs the power of Your ancient miracles has again appeared to the people; Rejoice, for healing from Your holy icon will not fail in the last days.
Rejoice, you who provide a source of healing throughout the whole world from Your holy icons; Rejoice, you enrich those who pray with spiritual gifts even more than these.
Rejoice, who have given birth to Orthodoxy; Rejoice, to Him help and lack of faith flow.
Rejoice, earthly hope! Rejoice, joy of the heavenly ranks.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 6
The preachers of the glory of the Most Pure Virgin appeared to the Hagarians at the Pochaev monastery, having found and visioned the Most Pure Theotokos with the Monk Job without first understanding; When the arrows fired from them again rushed at her, having realized the power of the Lady and brought repentance for her madness, she cried out in faith: Alleluia.
Ikos 6
Thy vision appeared, O Lady, on Mount Pochaevstey, when the brethren of the monastery, heavily besieged by the Hagarians, lifted up their prayers with a great cry before Thy holy icon and before the shrine of the Venerable Job, while the brethren of the Hagarians, dismayed by this vision and fleeing, saw it with joy. sing to Your face:
Rejoice, our Redeemer and salvation; Rejoice, everlasting help of the Christian race.
Rejoice, thou who drove away the wicked enemies from Thy shrine; Rejoice, you who bring them to repentance.
Rejoice, even the invisible enemy of our salvation trembles; Rejoice, the Holy Angels and the departed righteous women worship in Heaven.
Rejoice, you who received the Venerable Job with You in prayer; Rejoice, you who brought the Hagarians to Holy Baptism with your vision.
Rejoice, for by Your return the fear of death has been put aside to the end; Rejoice, for for Your sake there were no God-fearing foreigners from the Hagarians who appeared here.
Rejoice, everlasting manifestation of truth; Rejoice, good admonition to those who go astray.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 7
Wanting to kindle the desire for eternal life in the hearts of Christians, the Most Holy Theotokos heals the sick with Her miracles, casts out demons, frees the captives, raises the dead, so that we all, having understood the power of God, will hate the earthly power and take care of our souls, constantly crying out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 7
The Pochaev monastery suffered new and grave misfortunes, when, together with the whole country, it was torn away from Orthodoxy by flattery into the possession of heretics, but in the past hundred and ten summers it was quickly given over to Orthodox Christians; foreigners came and took away the holy relics of the Venerable Job from under the bushel. , fell to the miraculous image of the Lady, saying:
Rejoice, defender of Orthodoxy; Rejoice, accuser of heretics.
Rejoice, you who did not completely leave Your abode; Rejoice, you who teach us the fear of God.
Rejoice, for through Your intercession the Volyn country has returned to Orthodoxy; Rejoice, for from the ancient years many heretics have been corrected by Your admonition.
Rejoice, thou who once again calls Thy faithful to prayer to Thy holy Lavra; Rejoice, teaching the infidels here to worship the more Orthodox shrine.
Rejoice, even the righteous and the righteous sing unceasingly; Rejoice, those who have fallen will flock to Neizha in repentance.
Rejoice, return of apostates to the faith; Rejoice, raising those who are led to the light of truth.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 8
We see a strange miracle about You, Mother of God, since the physical health of Your holy icons is healed by kissing and sprinkling Pochaev water, so the passions of the soul are taken away by the vision of Your shrine, faith is confirmed and the tenderness of our hearts is filled, singing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 8
All unworthy, I have been filled with sins, given over to worldly dispersion and neglecting my soul, both looking at Thy holy icon, Lady, and the enlightenment from it to the countless people who come here, seeing, I am rushing again on the path of salvation and in the joy of my heart I sing to Thee:
Rejoice, treasure of purity; Rejoice, abyss of mercies.
Rejoice, you who bring prayers to Your Son for the faithful; Rejoice, you who do not reject the prayers of sinners.
Rejoice, for through You I have escaped much of the despair of sin; Rejoice, for those who call on Your name from the fall of the strange riser.
Rejoice, the iconoclastic heresy has been put to shame in the universe; Rejoice, the true faith of the Volyn country has returned.
Rejoice, you who lead souls to the feat of chastity; Rejoice, teaching to forgive those who offend.
Rejoice, tenderness of our hearts; Rejoice, hope of our souls.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 9
You have forgiven all apostasies and heretical wanderings to the repentant people of the land of Volyn, O Lady, and again you have opened the source of healing from Your miraculous icon, from the footprint of Your foot on Mount Pochaevstei in Your Orthodox Lavra, only if they bring repentance for their sins to God and, about Your Without hesitation, they will cry out to Him: Alleluia.
Ikos 9
The vigor of Thy glory appeared, O Lady, to the blind and chromium, healing from Thy icon, returned to the Orthodox people, who received, like a heretical wife of a certain sick woman, to call upon Thee for help and, after healing, to confess the true faith and kiss, and we cry out to Thee:
Rejoice, supplication of the Heavenly King; Rejoice, earthly intercession.
Rejoice, you who turned away a certain woman from Luther’s errors with healing; Rejoice, all people who have believed in the truth of Orthodoxy.
Rejoice, for for You, for the sake of Orthodoxy, people have overcome the deception of the Hagarians so many times; Rejoice, for for Your sake and seduction from the Latins you have again embraced the Orthodox faith.
Rejoice, all who live lift up their eyes to Neizha in prayer; Rejoice, O South, and those praying for the repose of the dead call for help.
Rejoice, and taking away from the needs of life those that flow to You; Rejoice, for you bestow strength on those who endure all kinds of need.
Rejoice, help to the Christ-loving army in battle; Rejoice, good instruction for demons who are militant.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 10
Wanting to save the Most Pure Mother of God, a certain simple old woman, who was blinded by Latin and had little grandson, already enlightened by Orthodoxy, but blinded by her bodily hairs, she gives both of them a good desire to venerate Her miraculous image on Mount Pochaevstey, where she miraculously heals the blind young woman and the Orthodox old woman teaches to confess faith, crying out to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 10
The indestructible wall of true faith appeared to you, Lady, like the wicked heretics from glorifying You, like the True Mother of God, stubbornly rejecting, so Orthodoxy remained in Your faith in the firmament and from the prayers constantly offered to You, they will no longer turn away from glorifying You, and these for the sake of heretics They do not dare to take the verb into their own ears, but with a grateful heart they will not stop praising You, saying:
Rejoice, joy and consolation for Christians; Rejoice, glory and worship to the angelic order.
Rejoice, thou who turns us away from the flattering and heretical; Rejoice, thou who liftest our minds to God by the remembrance of Thy mercies.
Rejoice, holy Apostles who called upon the clouds of the air for Your Dormition; Rejoice, and sinners who gather on that day to Mount Pochaev in thousands and thousands for every summer.
Rejoice, even for the sake of Christians the difficulty of the path, like sweet repose, is lifted up; Rejoice, even for the sake of laziness they strive to imitate them.
Rejoice, for the monk to forget the sweetness of the world through Your grace; Rejoice, you who look back at the terrible and terrifying dreams.
Rejoice, best diadimo to the Church of Christ; Rejoice, invincible shield of our country.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 11
Singing of gratitude about Your, Lady, good deeds from Christians all over the world, ascended like incense, constantly ascending to Heaven, thinking, and we ask You not to turn away our wretched praise, and we also ask You to grant Thee the grace of repentance, singing with hope to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 11
The light of the temporary life and the hope of eternal life appeared to you, Lady, to a certain person in Bessarabia who had to die, but suddenly, after tasting the water from the Pochaev shrine, the former health, hedgehog his relatives saw, with fear and tenderness she cried out to you:
Rejoice, healing of the sick; Rejoice, hearing of those who mourn.
Rejoice, for through You you drove away the death that came; Rejoice, for You have given us unfailing faith.
Rejoice, for Gabriel’s prophecy is coming true before our eyes; Rejoice, for from all generations, according to Your word, now and ever you are blessed.
Rejoice, Mount Pochaev, for you have sanctified your place of residence; Rejoice, like the second Nazareth who revealed this.
Rejoice, Thou who has turned away no one’s hope; Rejoice, warmly accepting all prayers.
Rejoice, you who give us health; Rejoice, you who lead us to salvation.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 12
The grace of healing and tenderness of prayer from Thy, Lady, is exuded from the icon, so that our souls will not be in vain, even if for the sake of sin we fall into petrified insensibility, both as if you have the power to resurrect the dead, awaken our spiritual deadness and illumine our hearts with a better thought, yes Having hated the delusion of sin, let us sing to God: Alleluia.
Ikos 12
Singing Your miracles revealed in the monastery of the Holy Ones, we pray to You, Lady, not to turn Your face away from our country, but to all who come to Your holy mountain and seek mercy from You, fulfill their good request, so that everyone will sing to You:
Rejoice, propitiation of the all-righteous God; Rejoice, Christians have boldness towards Christ.
Rejoice, you who demonstrate the triumph of faith in Your Lavra; Rejoice, you who inflame the hearts of men with love.
Rejoice, for by ancient miracles people have been vouchsafed to see something like this here; Rejoice, for this mountain, like the second Sinai, has become glorified in Christian countries.
Rejoice, O God, who appeared on earth, and carried Him in Your womb; Rejoice, you who lift up people to God through Your prayer.
Rejoice, O Thy icon, for having left Thy icon of salvation in Thy monastery; Rejoice, the footprint of Your foot, filled with healing water, glorifying miracles.
Rejoice, looking down upon Your servants from the heavenly heights; Rejoice, thou who instruct the faithful in good deeds.
Rejoice, praise of Pochaev and the whole world, hope and consolation.
Kontakion 13
Oh, All-Sung Mother of Christ God, who has adopted all the Christian generations with love, who are worthy of praise, we, sinners, are perplexed, overcome by Your love and lifting up our eyes to Your miraculous image, we pray to You: in our struggles and needs, do not abandon Your children, To Your intercession the warmth of those who believe and cry out to Your Son: Alleluia.
This kontakion is read three times, then the 1st ikos “Archangel Gabriel...” and the 1st kontakion “To the Chosen Voivode...”.
Prayer
To You, O Mother of God, we, sinners, prayerfully flow to Your miracles, revealed in the Holy Lavra of the Most Repentant, in remembrance of our own contrite sins. We, Lady, we know, as it is not fitting for us sinners to ask anything, except for the Righteous Judge to leave our iniquities to us. All that we have endured in life, sorrows, needs, and illnesses, like the fruits of our falls, have languished us, I allow this to God for our correction. Moreover, the Lord brought all this truth and judgment to His sinful servants, who in their sorrows came to Your intercession, the Most Pure One, and in the tenderness of their hearts they cry out to You: Our sins and iniquities, O Good One, do not remember, but rather lift up Your all-honorable hand , stand before Your Son and God, so that the evil we have done may be forgiven us, and for our many unfulfilled promises, He will not turn His face away from His servants, and may not take His grace, which contributes to our salvation, from our souls. To her, Lady, be the Intercessor for our salvation and, not disdaining our cowardice, look upon our groans, even in our troubles and sorrows we lift up before Your miraculous image. Enlighten our minds with tender thoughts, strengthen our faith, confirm our hope, grant us the sweetest gift of love to accept us. By these gifts, Most Pure One, and not by illnesses and sorrows, may our belly be elevated to salvation, but by protecting our souls from despondency and despair, deliver us, the weak, from the troubles and needs that come upon us, and human slander, and unbearable diseases . Grant peace and prosperity to the Christian life through Your intercession, O Lady, establish the Orthodox faith in our country and throughout the world. Do not betray the Apostolic and Catholic Church to disparagement, preserve the statutes of the saints forever, unshakable, and save all who come to You from the perishing pit. Also, bring the heresy of our deceived brethren or the saving faith in sinful passions who destroyed them again to true faith and repentance, and together with us, who worship Your miraculous image, they will confess Your intercession. Vouchsafe us, O Most Holy Lady Theotokos, to see in this belly the victory of truth by Your intercession, vouchsafe us grace-filled joy before the end of our perception, just as the inhabitants of Pochaev of old, by Your appearance, showed the victors and enlighteners of the Hagarians, so that we may all have a grateful heart, together with the Angels, and prophets, and apostles, and with all the saints, glorifying Your mercy, let us give glory, honor and worship in the Trinity to the sung God the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
What can you pray for?
The chronicles of the Assumption Lavra contain many testimonies of the protection and support of the Most Pure Virgin.
The most famous story is about how in the 70s of the 20th century the Turks wanted to destroy the monastery. At that time, Turkish troops burned Pochaev, and its inhabitants were taken prisoner. Orthodox shrines were subjected to terrible desecration. And in this terrifying situation, the brethren of the Lavra incessantly prayed to the Mother of God. When the soldiers were already standing at the walls of the monastery, the Mother of God Herself appeared to them. Together with the heavenly army, She plunged the enemy into such fear that they were not slow to flee.
The Pochaev Lavra has always been the prayer center of Western Ukraine; over the centuries, Turks, Lutherans, and Uniates have repeatedly tried to destroy it. But the Mother of God always defended Her monastery.
Now they pray in front of the image:
- about peace and prosperity;
- about repentance and the return of the lost to the bosom of the Church;
- for healing from illnesses (they often pray for the return of vision).
In what cases is the akathist read?
Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God
Prayer in front of a shrine helps strengthen faith and choose the right path in life. It is worth resorting to reading the akathist, compiled back in 1883:
- when protection, help and intercession are needed;
- in case of quarrels and misunderstandings in the family;
- when sinful thoughts overcome (demonic situation);
- in diseases.
A man blind from birth was healed before the icon of the Mother of God
The sight of a blind person is not such a frequent event in the life of an ordinary person. If a person who is blind from birth gains sight, this causes great surprise. This is what happened in the sixteenth century in the small estate of Urlya (in some sources Orlya), where Anna Goyskaya lived with her brother Philip Kozinsky.
Philip was blind from birth. One day he miraculously regained his sight. This happened in the morning after the icon that was in their house shone with a wondrous light.
The photo of a modern copy of an ancient icon, like the original, depicts the holy prophet Elijah, the Monk Abraham, the first martyr Stephen and the great martyrs Catherine, Irina and Paraskeva
Meaning in Orthodoxy
The icon of Our Lady of Pochaev is miraculous. More than 600 recorded miracles have survived, but the exact number is unknown.
Our Lady of Pochaev helps:
- To recover from a physical or mental illness. She is especially often approached about blindness or deafness - both physical and spiritual.
- Free yourself from bad tendencies or addictions.
- Protect yourself from thieves or enemies. They often turn to her if a threat looms over the entire country.
- Guide a person on the righteous path. Even hardened sinners can reform.
- Strengthen your faith, find the right path and get rid of your inner enemy.
- Get support at the beginning of a difficult task, strengthen your resolve.
- Get rid of material difficulties.
- Avoid prison for those who have been unfairly accused.
The image of the Mother of God, brought to the family, helps maintain peace and tranquility, eliminates quarrels and misunderstandings, and directs household members on the righteous path.
Priests recommend that children pray in front of the image, since the Mother of God is their protector and helps them make the right decisions.
You can read the akathist in church or on your own, always standing. An exception is made only for believers who cannot stand for long. It is important to remember that this is a more difficult moral and spiritual matter than prayer. If in doubt, you should consult your confessor in advance.
When reading for the first time, it is recommended to listen to the recording. This will help you deal with stress and highlight important ideas. It is important to focus on turning to the Mother of God, without being distracted by everyday thoughts.
Before the akathist, the intended prayer is read, after it - an appeal to the guardian angel.
After the miraculous healing, the icon was handed over for public veneration.
This icon was the image of the Most Holy Theotokos. It is believed that this was the family image of Neophyte, Metropolitan of Bulgaria (according to other sources, of Constantinople). In addition to the image of the Mother of God and the Child Christ, there are depicted the faces of the saints the prophet Elijah, the martyr Mina, the first martyr Stephen, the Monk Abraham and the great martyrs Paraskeva, Catherine and Irina.
In 1559, Metropolitan Neophytos traveled from Constantinople to Moscow and stayed at the estate of Anna Goiskaya. Before leaving, he blessed the hospitable hostess with an icon of the Virgin Mary. This icon was kept in the woman’s house for a long time. Until her brother was healed of his blindness. The pious woman decided to give the icon to the monks who lived in the Pochaev caves.
She called the brethren to serve a thanksgiving prayer service, and then presented a miraculous image for the future monastery along with 200 hectares of land. So, in 1597, a monastery appeared on Pochaevskaya Mountain, which has now grown into a monastery.
Saints Methodius, Amphilochius, Job and Theodore - through their efforts a monastery was built in honor of the Dormition of the Mother of God
At the site of the future monastery, the Mother of God appeared in a pillar of fire, like the Burning Bush
Shepherds often brought their cattle to this place. One day, holy monks and a shepherd named Ivan Bosoy witnessed the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God. She appeared to them in a pillar of fire on a stone. After the vision disappeared, a trace of the Virgin Mary’s right foot remained on the stone. An imprint in a stone that is always filled with water. This water has not yet dried up.
The Most Holy Theotokos appeared to two monks and a shepherd on the mountain
The adoption of the union became a difficult time for the monastery
Anna Goyskaya, handing over the miraculous image of the Heavenly Lady to the monastery, bequeathed to preserve the Orthodox faith. The rector of the Monastery of the Dormition of the Mother of God, Job Zhelezo, firmly adhered to Orthodox teachings and himself led an ascetic lifestyle in constant prayer and labor.
1596
this year some bishops announced their accession to the Roman Church
The so-called Union of Brest was signed. A descendant of Anna Goiskaya supported the Uniates. By his order, the temple was plundered in 1623, and the Pochaev Icon of the Mother of God was brought back to the estate. Andrei Ferley, that was the name of the wicked descendant, called his wife, dressed her in priestly vestments, and gave her the sacred chalice (a cup for performing the sacrament of Communion).
In front of the holy image of the Mother of God, these foolish people began to blaspheme God. Suddenly the woman had a seizure. For twenty years these attacks did not stop. Relief came only after the image was returned to the monastery.
Ferley's wife fell seriously ill after blaspheming the monastery shrines
