Kiev-Pechery-Svena icon of the Mother of God

According to a legend, this icon was painted in 1085 by St.Alimpy, the first Russian icon-painter. It was kept at the Svena Monastery of the Dormition situated not far from the city of Bryansk. In 1288, Prince Roman Mikhailovich of Chernigov, when visiting the cily. tost his sight. He dispatched a messenger to the Kiev-Pechery Monastery, asking to send him a miracle-working icon. Such an icon, accompanied by a priest, was sent him by way of the Desna River, During the voyage the boat suddenly came to a halt and only after the men accompanying the icon decided to stop for the night on the Svena River did the boat resume moving- That night the icon disappeared. Following a search it was found standing upright amid the branches of an oak-tree on a hill. Prince Roman, notified about the occurrence, went to that spot and, having offered prayers to the Most Holy Theotokos before the icon, regained his sight. Subsequently the Svena Monastery was founded and a Church of the DormitioB was built there. Feast days: May 3/16 and August 17/30.