Today, December 14th, in the
Moscow church of the Nine Martyrs of Kizichesk, Orthodox people
are making prostrations before an icon of the Savior which is literally
bleeding...
Archpriest Ioann Bukotin,
witness of this miracle, was shaken at this visible sign. In prayerful
distress he cried out: "O Lord, my Lord! Surely the Pharisees and
scribes didn't crucify Thee as we crucify Thee with our sins!.." After
these words, the flow of blood on the icon noticeably increased. Fr.
Ioann began to serve a molebin. And, surprisingly, as the molebin
was being served, the flow of blood on the icon stopped. But when
the molebin concluded, blood flowed again. (On the evening of that
very day Fr. Ioann was hospitalized - this was his final illness) The
events (just) described took place in the Orenburg village of Derzhavino
where icons have been streaming myrrh for five years in a modest chamber
in a simple rural house. The icon of the Savior had also previously
been streaming myrrh.
And then - on Adoration
of the Cross Wednesday in the year 2000 - they noticed that on the
icon of the Savior there appeared a pale-rosy liquid, resembling serum,
(coming) from His right hand (which is raised to give a) blessing,
and then blood poured forth from an open wound. Later on there appeared
red spots in the Savior's hair - like traces of a crown of thorns
- and from these blood poured forth in unstoppable streams. These
bloody streams flowed together with the streams of myrrh and became
bright scarlet. As time passed the flow of blood increased significantly.
Blood runs down the icon and across the face of the Savior in a dense
flow; it coagulates, forming clots and dark splotches. Clotted scabs
on the wounds are dark brown in color, which is what always occurs
with dried blood.
"The Lord has shown us
His mercy," - says Sergei, Archbishop of Samara, who has blessed the
icons to travel around Rus'. "People are standing in very long lines
just to draw near to these images. Moreover these icons are not old,
not painted (literally "written"), but are printed on paper. I happened
to observe how the chrism appears on the surface of the icons in the
form of fragrant droplets and flows downwards. What's more, even a
copper crucifixion is streaming chrism right along with the (other)
icons! This is a rare phenomenon.
"Equally as rare is an image which bleeds.
When I first heard about it, I couldn't help having my doubts.
The Church is very scrupulous in her approach to manifestations
of this nature, painstakingly verifying the authenticity of
the miracle. But when I (first) looked upon this image, (all)
doubts vanished. From the Savior's head on the icon, red streams
were flowing directly from the spikes of the crown of thorns,
and I sensed the natural odor of blood. And when they did a
chemical analysis of the flowing liquid, it turned out that
it was real plasma of human blood.
"Just as (He did) in the first centuries of Christianity, the Lord
is showing us wonders to strengthen us in the Faith and, perhaps,
to prepare us for difficult trials in the future."
With inexpressible love
and pain, the Lord looks upon us - vain, sinful people as we keep
on pounding new nails into His bleeding wounds.
Is it I, Lord?
Russian version
