An Iconic Display

Lauren LoAlbo of Carmel and her son Timothy view the centuries’ old icon. Timothy reaches down and touches the historical symbol that has brought good fortune to millions of people over the years.Eric Gross An icon found in Russia 715 years ago that has brought miracles to people of all faiths over the years returned to Mahopac Sunday, where it was venerated by hundreds of people.

The Kursk Root icon of Mary was discovered by a hunter in a remote section of Russia in 1295 and is considered the most famous of all Russian icons because of its connection to ready intercession for those seeking it.

The icon was venerated at Our Lady of Kursk-Root Hermitage Mother of God Russian Orthodox Church in Mahopac during a candlelight ceremony before a public viewing in the church social hall.

Bishop Jerome of the Eastern United States Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church—an area reaching from Maine to Washington, D.C.—explained that the icon “from the 1940s through 1958 lived in the Mahopac parish. The icon was brought out of Russia during the Russian civil war in 1919 and has been called the ‘guide of the Russian immigration.’ Our church here in Mahopac has a brother relationship with the church in Kursk, Russia, because of the historical significance of the icon.” Dozens of men, women, and children recited prayers to the icon while bringing flowers and other gifts, including candles.

The service is highlighted by the lighting of dozens of candles. ERIC GROSS Nick Lukianoff of East Fishkill, a parishioner at the church, said “anyone with problems dealing with business, careers, money, married life, illness, safety, and protection can benefit from praying before the icon. It has an excellent track record of performing miracles and granting prayerful requests that stretches back for generations.”

The icon is on display. ERIC GROSS Father Viktor, the priest at the Russian church, reiterated that numerous miracles have been attributed to “our most famous icon. The sick are healed. The unemployed find work. Long-term problems go away. Childless couples conceive. Lives improve. What seems hopeless becomes real.”

Rob and Lauren LoAlbo of Carmel brought their 21-month old son Timothy to the view the icon. Lauren explained: “Rob and I are adopting a little sister for Timothy this year from Russia and we wanted to bring him here so he could see a piece of his new sister’s heritage.”

The icon is making its way throughout the U.S. by visiting parishes from Maine to Florida. In 2009 it visited Australia and Russia.

In September 1295 after a small band of hunters found the icon lying on the root of a tree, one of them picked it up and, legend states, a strong spring of pure water burst out. The icon was placed in a wooden chapel which a century later was invaded by the Tartars, who burned the house of worship, but the wooden icon would not become incinerated.

In 1898 a group of atheists again tried to destroy the icon but, despite the terrifying destruction of a cathedral surrounding it, the icon remained untouched.

The icon remained in Russia until the Communist takeover in 1920, when the holy icon was taken to Serbia, where it remained until 1944 before coming to Mahopac.

Father Viktor noted the icon didn’t return to its motherland until last September when during a three-week period, the “Kursk Root Icon visited Moscow and Kursk where more than one million people came to venerate this holy image— some waiting for up to 10 hours in line.”