Hope to expect...

The Mother of God Our Lady of Pochaev

"It is said that on 17 April 1198 a monk went as usual to pray on top of the Mount of Pochaev. Suddenly a pillar of fire appeared. Some shepherds saw it as well and joined the monk in prayer. When the flame had died down they saw the Blessed Mother on the mount. When the apparition disappeared the imprint of her right foot had been left embedded in the rock. A spring welled up over this footprint

The Mount of Pochaev, which is part of the Carpathian Mountains, is a place of natural beauty and for many centuries had many visitors and pilgrims. A monastery was established there in the thirteenth century. It is thought that the word Pochaev comes from the old Slavic word, charity, which means to hope, to expect."

John Bird from the story
The Miraculous Icon of Pochaev
Veritas Press

This icon was commissioned by the Arcbbishop of Anchorage, Alaska, to be given as a gift to the Russian Orthodox Monastery, St. Sergius of Radonezh Lavra, in Magadan, Far East, Russia.

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