By Rebecca Dillingham
The Hawaiian Iveron Icon has been streaming myrrh since 2007. Starting this past mid-week and through the weekend, the wonder-working icon made its way swiftly but solemnly from Honolulu to the great state of Georgia, Western North Carolina, East Tennessee, Northern Virginia, and then on to Washington, DC. Pilgrims came from all over the respective regions to see the holy icon of the Theotokos and to ask for her intercessory prayers in alleviating our sorrows and in healing our wounds.
The icon is a “blessing that has been bestowed on us sinners, unworthy though we may be, by the grace of the Almighty and the love and concern for us by the All Holy Theotokos,” says Archpriest Anatole Lyovin. Here are a few excellent sources explaining the deep backstory of this miraculous icon and some of the miracles worked by it.
• The Iveron Mother of God, and the Myrrh-Streaming Icons of Hawaii
• Miraculous Healing By Hawaiian Iveron Icon at St. Tikhon’s Monastery
• New Film Released on Br. José Muñoz-Cortes and Miracle of Hawaiian Icon at His Grave
• Miraculous Healing of the Custodian of the Myrrh-Streaming Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Mother of God
• New Miracle of the Hawaiian Iveron Icon of the Mother of God
Below: Photos from the icon’s visit to St. Nicholas Orthodox Church in Fletcher, North Carolina, where two of my children and I and a few friends were blessed to greet and venerate the Hawaiian Iveron Icon and attend a Small Vespers and a Moleben/Akathist to honor the all-immaculate Mary, Mother of Our God. We were given the opportunity to prostrate before and kiss the oil-soaked icon a second time later in the evening, when many faithful had already departed, so this was when I was able to capture these reverent and joyful images.
Below: Photos and videos from St. Tikhon Russian Orthodox Church in Blountville, Tennessee. My husband and many friends from our Tobaccoville, NC parish traveled to this lovely sanctuary to see the icon of the ever-virgin with Christ child and attend Small Vespers, a Moleben/Akathist, an All-Night Vigil, and a Liturgy – there was even an infant baptism! – all of which were co-served by our home-parish priest, as well as a few other priests from around Tennessee and from multiple jurisdictions.
Below: A hymn sung and a prayer chanted to our ever-blessed and most pure Lady Theotokos, who gavest birth to God the Word. We magnify thee!
Troparion to the Iveron Icon, Tone 7
“From thy Holy Icon, O Lady Theotokos, blessed myrrh has flowed abundantly.
Thou hast thereby consoled those, in exile, faithful unto thee, and hast enlightened the unbelievers by thy Son’s light.
Therefore O Lady, with tears we bow down to thee.
Be merciful to us in the hour of judgment.
Lest having received thy mercy we be punished as those who have been contemptuous of it.
But grant us through thy prayers to bring forth spiritual fruit, and save our souls.”
Kontakion I to the Iveron Icon
“Unto thee, the helper of the Christian race, chosen out of all generations, who hast given unto us a wondrous sign through thy precious icon and the fragrant myrrh which poureth forth therefrom, do we offer hymnody of praise and compunction of heart. As one who holdest sway over all creation, grant renewal of heart and life unto us who cry aloud: Rejoice, O good gatekeeper who openest the gates of paradise to the faithful!”
Rebecca Dillingham is a co-founder of the Ludwell Orthodox Fellowship.
