Murom-Ryazan icon of the Mother of God

 

The invention of this miracle-working icon is linked with the spreading of Christianity in Rus. In the 12th century, Prince Konstantin Svyatoslavich of Murom (d. 1129) for a long time tried to convince the people of the city to adopt Christianity. The local pagan leaders hatched a conspiracy to assassinate the Prince or drive him out of Murom. Having learned about this, the Prince came out to face the conspirators, holding an icon of the Mother of God in his hands, and they suddenly believed in Christ and bowed reverently before the holy image, In the late 13th century, St.Vassily the Bishop of Murom was accused of leading a life unbecoming to an archpastor. Enraged people wanted to put him to death, but he asked to postpone the execution till the next morning. The bishop spent the whole night praying in the Church of Sts Boris and Gleb, then went to the Church of the Annunciation and, having taken the miraculous icon, directed his steps to the Oka River. Having got there, he took off his bishop's mantle, spread it on the water and stood on it, holding the holy image in his hands. A strong wind began to blow, carrying him upstream until he reached the place known as Old Ryazan. The Prince and people of Ryazan warmly welcomed the hierarch and the icon, which was then installed in the local cathedral church. In 1814, at the request of the people of Ryazan, the Holy Synod instituted a feast day in honor of the icon to be celebrated on April 12/25.