The Feast Source Healing It commemorates the miracle performed by the Mother of God in the 5th century at the spring near the Silivri Gate of Constantinople, today’s Istanbul. According to tradition, seven years before becoming emperor, Leo the Great was walking through a forest near Constantinople. He encountered a blind man who asked him for water, as well as for help in reaching the city of Byzantium. While searching for water nearby, Leo heard the voice of the Mother of God, and, heeding her words, found a spring from which he gave the blind and thirsty man a drink. After washing the blind man’s face with water, the man began to see. As a sign of gratitude, when Leon became emperor, he built a church dedicated to this feast at that very spot.
In Fridays Bright, at the The Healing Spring, On May 10, 2024, the faithful gathered at the Archiepiscopal Cathedral in Suceava enjoyed moments of profound spiritual experience as they received the archbishop’s blessing. His Eminence Calinic, Archbishop of Suceava and Rădăuți, and His Grace Damaschin Dorneanul, Vicar Bishop, celebrated the Holy and Divine Liturgy on a platform set up within the monastic complex, surrounded by a congregation of priests and deacons, ministers of the Cathedral, as well as clergy from the Diocesan Center, including Archimandrite Paraschiv Dabija, administrative vicar.
The liturgical responses were provided by the „Dimitrie Suceveanu” Psaltic Group of the Archiepiscopal Cathedral, and the homily was delivered during the clergy’s Communion by Archimandrite Dosoftei Dijmărescu, cultural exarch of the monasteries in the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți. He spoke to those present about the context in which this great event in the history of Christianity took place, The Healing Spring, spring life-giver, while also recalling the importance of the help offered to all by the Mother of Christ, the Savior of the world.
The two hierarchs of the diocese then performed the rite of the small blessing of water, blessing those who joined in communal prayer near the reliquary housing the venerable relics of Saint John the New, on one of the most important feasts dedicated to the Most Holy Mother of God.
In closing, His Eminence Archbishop Calinic drew attention to the book Miraculous springs and icons of Our Lady, published by Crimca of the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți. This work demonstrates once again the existence and perfection of the Virgin Mary through the countless miracles she has performed over time through the holy icons and springs found in our country, places blessed by God through which the Virgin Mary bestows physical and spiritual healing.
„Some time ago, at the publishing house Crimea, the work was published Miraculous springs and icons not only from Moldova, but also from Muntenia, Oltenia, and Transylvania. This is a book I recommend not because I wrote it myself, but because it shows us a few places where we can pray when our soul calls for it. In the first part, I spoke about icons as visible images of the invisible, and about miracles as visible works of the Holy Trinity. Then I titled the chapter on miracle-working springs Angel Wings at the Miraculous Springs of the Mother of God and, as I was telling you, from Moldova, Muntenia, Dobrogea, and Banat. In the last section, I spoke about the miracle-working icons of the Mother of God from Moldova, and I will list them here to bring them to your attention once again: the Icon of the Mother of God of Neamț, The Icon of Saint Anne from Bistrița, the Icon of the Mother of God from Agapia, the Icon of the Mother of God Prodromița, the Icon of the Mother of God from Putna Monastery, the Icon of the Mother of God from Sucevița, the Icon of the Mother of God from the Metropolitan Cathedral in Iași, the Icon of the Mother of God from Golia, the Axionița from Hadâmbu Monastery, the Icon of the Mother of God from Giurgeni Monastery, the Icon of the Mother of God from Adam Monastery, the Icon of the Mother of God from Trifești, the Icon of the Mother of God with Two Mouths from the Vovidenia Hermitage, and the Icon of Saint John the Baptist from Gorovei Monastery. From Muntenia, I have highlighted the Icon of the Mother of God from the Nămăiești Monastery, the Icon of the Mother of God from the Monastery From a Piece of Wood and the Icon of the Mother of God Siriana from Ghighiu Monastery. And in Transylvania, you’ll find references to the Icon of the Mother of God at Nicula Monastery and the Icon of the Mother of God at Rohia Monastery. I highly recommend this book, as it details the visible work of the Mother of God through miraculous springs and icons.”
Last but not least, the Archbishop congratulated the faithful throughout the diocese for having tended to the graves of their loved ones who have passed away this year, as His Eminence had visited a number of cemeteries in the Archdiocese of Suceava and Rădăuți this week. The hierarch wished everyone May the light of the Holy Resurrection shine forever in everyone’s homes and hearts.
Irina Ursachi
