MORDOVIAN METROPOLIATE, RUSSIA: October 5, 2016
St Theodore Cathedral in Saransk Ceremoniously Greets the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign”

On October 4, 2016, the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God "of the Sign” was ceremoniously brought to St Theodore Cathedral in the city of Saransk, Russia. Led by His Eminence Metropolitan Zinovy of Saransk and Mordovia and local government authorities greeted the icon.

Despite the fact that it was a weekday, a multitude of people of the city welcomed the icon.

After the icon was placed in the center of the cathedral, Metropolitan Zinovy and the caretaker of the icon, His Grace Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan, spoke to the people.

Regional chief VD Volkov thanked His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion of Eastern America and New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, that they blessed the visit to the area of the great holy icon of the Russian diaspora. “I also thank Vladyka Zinovy and Bishop Nicholas for organizing the visit to the Mordovian region,” he added.

“We know of the many miracles associated with the Kursk-Root Icon of the Mother of God,” noted Metropolitan Zinovy. “In the 20th century, this icon united Russian emigres living abroad, preserving the diaspora in unity.”

“To date, millions of people have venerated and prayed before this icon. Let us approach it with trepidation and with petitions for help in correcting our spiritual lives,” said Vladyka Nicholas.

A moleben service was then performed before the icon.