On Friday evening, our parish was honored by the visit of the Miraculous Myrrh streaming Icon of the Theotokos of Iveron of Hawaii. The Icon is a replica of the Iveron Icon that Brother Jose Munoz received on Mount Athos which became a Myrrh streaming as well as healing Icon. Brother Jose traveled to many Orthodox Parishes with the Montreal Iveron Icon of the Theotokos until his martyr death in Greece many years ago. With his death the miraculous Icon disappeared. With reverence and faith towards the Mother of God, many copies of the icon were printed.
The Icon that came to our parish this evening was such a copy printed in Sofrino, Russia- a large producer of Orthodox icons, vestments, church articles, candles and other clerical items. Sofrino is located approximately twenty miles south of the much revered Russian Monastery and Holy place, Saint Sergius Lavra.
The Icon, laminated on a wooden backing, was given by rector, Father Anatole. to his Reader Nectarios of the Orthodox Church in Honolulu which incidently was named in honor of the original Iveron Icon of Montreal.
With the blessing of Archbishop Kirill of San Francisco and the Western Diocese, and with an ukaz (decree) from the Synod of ROCOR, Reader Nectarios travels to all ROCOR, OCA, Greek, Serbian and Antiochan Orthodox Churches with the Myrrh streaming Icon.
Reader Nectarios-keeper of the miarculous Icon was driven to our parish by Father Victor Boldewskul, Rector of the Ortodox Church of the Epiphany in Roslindale, MA-outside of Boston.
This evening the Icon was met by Orthodox as well non- Orthodox believers alike. The Church was filled to capacity- as one sees during the Great Feasts of Easter and Christmas.
The Icon was met by our Rector, Mitered Father George Larin along with Father Alexander Donchenko of Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church in Poughkeepsie, NY; Father Protodeacon Sergei Arlievsky of the Orthodox Convent of Novo Diveevo in Spring Valley, NY; Father Protodeacon Pavel Volkow of Saint Seraphim of Sarov Orthodox Church in Sea Cliff, NY and Father Deacon Nathan Mousselli of Saint Alexander Nevsky Orthodox Cathedral in Howell, NJ.