Belarus Celebrates Feast of the Zhirovichi Icon of the Mother of God

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On May 20, Belarus celebrated the Feast of the Apparition of the Zhirovichi Icon of the Mother of God with great ceremony. The festivities at the Holy Assumption Zhirovichi Monastery were led by Metropolitan Benjamin of Minsk and Zaslavl. The Belarusian Metropolis press service reported on the event.

The Patriarchal Exarch extended his congratulations and wished for the intercession of the Holy Mother of God for all. His Eminence expressed gratitude to the archpastors, clergy, and pilgrims for their collective prayers and imparted his archpastoral blessing.

The Zhirovichi Icon of the Mother of God is one of the most revered relics in Belarus and is also considered one of the world's most significant Orthodox icons. This miraculous icon, one of the smallest, is carved on jasper and measures just 5.7 by 4.1 centimeters. The sacred image resides in the Assumption Cathedral of the Zhirovichi Monastery.

According to legend, the icon appeared in 1470 near the village of Zhirovichi. A church was built on the site of the icon's discovery, and in the 16th century, the Zhirovichi Monastery was established around it. For over two hundred years, from the early 17th century until 1839, the monastery was under the control of the Uniates before being returned to the Orthodox Church. During World War I, the icon was moved to Moscow for safekeeping and returned to the monastery in the early 1920s. Despite the persecution the Church faced in the 20th century, pilgrimages to the great relic of the Zhirovichi Monastery continued unabated.

On the eve of the icon's feast day, a music festival, "Zhirovichi Festival," also took place in Zhirovichi. The concert featured 16 church and secular choirs and creative groups from various regions of Belarus, performing spiritual and patriotic pieces. The festival was held on a stage in the center of the village and included an exhibition of monastic products and craft workshops.

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