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Commemorated on July 8
The Kazan
Wonderworking Icon of the Mother of God, named the Vysochinsk, is situated
in the Mikhailo-Arkhangel'sk church of the men's monastery near the city of
Zmiev in Khar'kov district.
The holy icon
appeared in the XVIII Century to a forest warden in a pine woods at the bank of
the River Mzha. The warden saw standing on a marsh hillock the icon, from which
shone bright rays of light. When he took hold the holy icon to put it in his
sentry-hut, below the hillock welled up a spring of pure water.
One time, when the
warden's father was in the sentry-hut (a decrepit blind old man, getting about
on crutches) with his ten year old grandson, the boy saw bright light emit from
the icon. The boy became frightened and told his grandfather, lying at the
stove, that in the corner something was burning. The old man with difficulty
got up from the stove and made his way to the corner, where stood the holy
icon. Suddenly his eyes could see and he beheld the holy Kazan Icon of the
Mother of God and he sensed himself completely healed. With tears he gave
thanks to the Mother of God for the wondrous miracle.
On the following
morning the warden's entire family set off to church in the nearest village to
give thanks to God for the healing of the old man and to report everything to
the local priest. The holy icon was put into the church, and the family
returned home. To the astonishment of everyone, on the following morning the
holy icon was at its place in the sentry-hut. Three times the holy icon was
taken to the church and thrice it returned back to its place. Then they decided
to leave the icon there, where the Most Holy Mother of God wanted it. And many
people came hither, beseeching the help of the Mother of God.
After the Poltava
Battle the emperor Peter I rewarded with a parcel of land a company commander,
named Vasilii Vysochinov, who had distinguished himself in the fight. Vasilii
thus became owner of the place, where the wonderworking icon stood in the sentry-hut.
Learning about the appearance of the holy icon, Vysochinov made request to
transfer the parish church of the village of Artiukhovka to the place of the
appearance of the holy icon.
In 1795 a stone
church was built, and in 1886 at Vysochinovka was founded a men's monastery, in
which was installed the wonderworking icon.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
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