Wooden Icon The Mother of God's visit to St. Sergius of Radonezh (Icon of the Virgin Mary visiting St. Sergius of Radonezh)
Father Sergius of Radonezh was a pivotal figure in Russian monasticism in the fourteenth century. He founded the Holy Trinity Lavra north of Moscow and was renowned for his dedication to poverty and religious fervor. He demonstrated his leadership and commitment to service by setting a powerful example of humility and faith in God. His monastery became a beacon of asceticism and was revered as a model community. Sergius also championed education and established several monastery schools to spread knowledge and taught farmers better farming methods. He has been immortalized in the name of the monastery he established, the historic Trinity-Sergius Lavra.
Behind the Mother of God are the apostles Peter and John. at the top is the Holy Trinity.
One day, late at night, the Monk Sergius read an akathist to the Mother of God. Having completed the usual rule, he sat down to rest for a while, but suddenly said to his cell attendant, the Monk Micah: “Stay awake, we will have a wonderful visit.” As soon as he uttered these words, a voice was heard: “The Most Pure One is coming.” The Monk Sergius hurried from his cell into the vestibule, and suddenly a bright light shone around him. He saw the Mother of God shining in indescribable glory, accompanied by the apostles Peter and John. Unable to bear the wonderful light, St. Sergius reverently bowed before the Mother of God, and She said to him: “Do not be afraid, My chosen one! I came to visit you. Do not mourn anymore for your disciples and for this place. Your prayer has been heard. From now on, your residence will be abundant in everything, and not only in the days of your life, but also after your departure to God, I will constantly be from your monastery, giving it abundantly everything it needs and covering it in all its needs.” Having said this, the Mother of God became invisible.
For a long time the Monk Sergius was in indescribable admiration, and, having come to his senses, he lifted up the Monk Micah. “Tell me, father,” asked the cell attendant, “what was this wonderful vision? My soul was almost separated from my body from horror!” But the Monk Sergius was silent; only his glowing face spoke of the spiritual joy that the saint experienced. “Wait a little,” he finally said to the student, “until my spirit calms down from the wonderful vision.” After some time, the Monk Sergius called two of his disciples, the Monks Isaac and Simon, and told them of common joy and hope. All together they performed a prayer service to the Mother of God. The Reverend Sergius spent the rest of the night without sleep, listening with his mind to the Divine vision. The appearance of the Mother of God in the cell of St. Sergius took place on one of the Fridays of the Nativity Fast in 1385.
The memory of the Mother of God’s visit to the Trinity Monastery and Her promise was sacredly preserved by the disciples of St. Sergius. On July 5, 1422, his holy relics were found, and soon an icon of the appearance of the Mother of God was placed on the tomb of St. Sergius. The icon was revered as a great shrine.
The icon is made by printing on a wooden board. Paints are mineral, do not fade with time. The thickness of the board is 2 cm. The board is covered with primer by hand. The image is covered with wax. Each icon has a metal mount on the back side so that you can hang the icon on the wall.
You can buy the icon in three sizes:
- 13 х 10 centimeters (5,1 x 3,9 inches)
- 19 х 15 centimeters (7,5 x 5,9 inches)
- 26 х 20 centimeters (10,2 x 7,9 inches)
Our icons are made by Orthodox craftsmen. You can read more about the technology here.
We hope it will be a good gift for you and your loved ones.
