Pilgrimage to the Miraculous

Hey everyone. Sorry it's been so long since my last post. Busy busy. Anyway, I wanted to let you know what I'll be doing this weekend. This is a short one, but very exciting.

If you don't already know, I'm currently the President for my schools college student organization called Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF). As president I feel the opportunity to build community, friendships and to encourage growth in the Orthodox Christian faith.

As part of the exposure and growth in the faith, I recently arranged a trip to go to Taylor, Pennsylvania., as a pilgrimage to see two weeping icons of the Theotokos.

For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, an Icon is a religious image of Christ, saints or even specific events (Christmas, Easter, Holy Friday, Palm Sunday..etc). These icons are considered to be Holy, because of Who and What they represent. The image itself is not worshipped, nor is the image itself venerated. But rather, it is what the image represents that is honored and venerated. As Christians, we ONLY worship God. Father, Son & Holy Spirit.


What I mean when I say "Weeping Icon" is that the holy images are blessed by God and given the ability to "weep" or release an extremely fragrant myrrh. It simply cannot be explained by science or logic. The myrrh (accompanied by faith) often has the power of healing. Restoring sight to blind, healing the permanently paralized, curing cancer, deafness...anything you can think of. There have been MANY weeping icons throughout time and I'm sure there are all kinds of miraculous and unexplainable healing which have never been heard about.


both weeping icons from my church
Icons are typically made of wood. And either the images are "written" (painted) onto the wood, or the image is printed and then mounted to the wood. Both hand painted and printed paper icons have been known to weep. In fact, there was a case of weeping icons where over 20 paper icons (just paper, not mounted on wood... just paper) started to weep streams of myrrh from the eyes. Such things cannot be explained.

The whole point of my saying this is because this weekend, I have the blessing by God to take OCF friends with me to celebrate the Glory of God by being able to make pilgrimage to see two weeping icons of the Theotokos (Mary, the mother of God). We will have the chance to view, pray, venerate and be anointed with the fragrant myrrh. Please pray for our safe travels and for our spiritual growth and confirmation in the Orthodox faith.

I posted some pics of different weeping icons, all of which I've actually seen in person. The ones from my church, I actually witnessed begging to weep, as well as the icon of St Anna. I also had the privilege to carry the Sitka Icon of the Theotokos (as unworthy as I am)! Glory to God!

If you find yourself skeptical of such things, please, go and see for yourself. If you don't want to go, I can take you to these things, no problem.
weeping icon from my church

weeping icon from my church

Weeping Icon from my church
weeping icon from my church
weeping icon of Christ in Columbus OH

weeping icon of St Nicholas

Weeping Icon of St Anna (Mother of the Theotokos (Mary))
Sitka Alaska Miracle Working icon
Cicero Illinois weeping icon
Myrrh Streaming icon of the Theotokos

Weeping icon in Cicero



KURSK ROOT ICON

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