Thousands of Orthodox pilgrims from Poland, Estonia, and other countries gathered in Sŭprasl on August 9–10 to mark the feast of the Sŭprasl Icon of the Mother of God “Odighitria,” according to the website of the Polish Orthodox Church.

Many pilgrims covered about 15 kilometers on foot from Białystok, while others traveled by kayak from Hrudak along the Sŭprasl River downstream toward the monastery.

Nightlong worship continued through August 9, and on August 10 the monastery hosted three Divine Liturgies. The main service, held at an outdoor altar, was led by Archbishop Iakov of Białystok and Gdańsk. After the liturgy, the faithful joined a cross procession around the Annunciation Church.

During the celebrations, Father Jan Fedorczuk delivered a sermon on the veneration of the Virgin Mary as an intercessor before God. He said pilgrims come to Sŭprasl to share their joys and anxieties with the Mother of God and to ask for help.

At the end of the events, Bishop Andrey of Sŭprasl thanked Archbishop Iakov, all those present, and especially the nuns supporting the monastery’s work in organizing parish services. He also noted that this year marks the 1,400th anniversary of the first performance of the Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God—performed every Wednesday before her icon in the Sŭprasl monastery.

The Sŭprasl Icon is considered one of the main shrines of the historic Sŭprasl Monastery, founded around 1500. The original icon appeared in Sŭprasl in 1503 and was a copy of an 11th-century Smolensk icon of the Mother of God known as “Odighitria,” meaning “Guide.”

The icon depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, with the right hand of Jesus blessing and the left holding a book. The image later gained widespread veneration among believers.

The original icon, however, was not preserved. In 1915, amid World War I, the monks and much of the Orthodox population left the region and went to Russia. The icon was taken along with other church relics, after which its whereabouts were lost. Today the monastery keeps and venerates a 19th-century copy, before which pilgrims continue to pray.

The Sŭprasl Monastery is also described as one of the most significant historical centers of Orthodox Christianity in Poland. In the 16th century it was a major spiritual and scholarly hub, where monks copied and collected liturgical books and maintained ties with Orthodox monasteries in Russia and the Balkans.

The feast of the Sŭprasl Icon is observed every year on August 10 and is regarded as one of the monastery’s most important events. This year, pilgrims from Estonia arrived in organized fashion for the first time.