Delegation of Polish Church brings Athonite copy of the Chelm Icon to Lutsk

Prayer service before the Chelm Icon of the Virgin in Lutsk. Photo: Facebook of Archpriest Vladimir Litvenchuk

On July 22, with the blessing of Archbishop Abel (Poplavsky) of Lublin and Chelm (the PAOC), priests and pilgrims of the PAOC brought to Lutsk a copy of the Chelm Icon of the Theotokos, painted on Mount Athos in the cell of St. Nicholas, reports on Facebook the press service of the Museum of Volyn Icon.

The guests visited the Museum of the Volyn Icon in Lutsk, which houses the ancient Chelm miraculous icon of the Mother of God.

On this day, an akathist and a moleben were served before the ancient Christian icon – the Chelm Icon of the Virgin – by the priests of the PAOC and the UOC; the prayer was attended by believers of the two countries, members of the “Kholmshchyna” society.

Photos of the event were posted on Facebook by the cleric of the Volyn Eparchy of the UOC, rector of the Holy Annunciation Church in Lutsk, Archpriest Vladimir Litvenchuk.

An Athos copy of the relic will be kept in the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Chelm (Poland).

The Chelm Icon of the Mother of God is a wonder-working icon revered by Orthodox and Catholic Christians, especially in Western Ukraine. In the XX century, the icon was considered lost but was preserved and exhibited in 2000. The storage place is the Museum of the Volyn Icon in Lutsk.

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