Chicago Tikhvin Icon Visits Holy Cross

Earlier this week, Abbot Seraphim and the brotherhood of Holy Cross Monastery were honored to host a visit of the Chicago Tikhvin Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Monastery clergy greeted the Icon on Sunday evening with incense and the festive pealing of bells as the local faithful scattered rose petals before it during its procession to the church.

The next evening an All-Night Vigil with Akathist was served, followed by a festive Divine Liturgy on Tuesday morning. Fr. Alexander Koranda, dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral and guardian of the icon, preached on the Tikhvin Icon as a manifestation of love of the Theotokos for her people throughout the history of the Church. At the festive meal following, Fr. Alexander read an epistle from Archbishop Daniel addressed to the brotherhood and local faithful who had come to venerate and pray before the holy icon.

The original wonderworking Tikhvin Icon spent 55 years at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Chicago (OCA Diocese of the Midwest) before being returned to Russia in 2004. In 2016, the Chicago Tikhvin Icon (an exact replica of the original) was gifted in thankgiving to Holy Trinity Cathedral by Bishop Mstislav of Tikhvin. This year it is traveling throughout the country in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the return of the original icon to her home in Tikhvin.

The OCA has also published an article on the visit of the icon to our monastery. May God reward Abp. Daniel, Fr. Alexander, and the OCA Diocese of the Midwest for their overwhelming kindness in bringing the Mother of God to visit us sinners!

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