Monastery of Our Lady of Kazan

The quite controversial return of the historical icon is housed in this monastery at present. I say controversial due to some facts or maybe stories interpreted by media which came together with the return of the icon. I do not however want to elaborate in the contriversy but rather on the importance of the icon's history and itself.

Here's if you are interested in its controversy.

http://www.traditioninaction.org/HotTopics/b010htKazanReturned.htm

The icon is one very essential part of Russian faith. The icon has a long history but to cut it short, the icon was found underneath a house after a devastating fire sometime in the second half of the 16th century. The icon is named Mother of Kazan as it was found in the cuty if Kazan near Volga region. 

The icon had been safeguarded allthroughout wars which took place since 1612. Starting from war with the Poles, with the Swedes, with French until the great patriotic war against Hitler. The icon had been carried from one city to another to ensure its safety by soldiers even by one who was once in prison. It was thing which they were sure never to surrender to the enemies even after a devastation of one cities where it was safeguarded.

It ended up being handed to the Pope, until its return to where it was found.

I strongly recommend reading the full (maybe not so full) story of the icon. It is a profound story of how it was saved during those terrible wars.

http://sputniknews.com/voiceofrussia/radio_broadcast/2248514/5239997/

Now the icon is in this monastery. I was lucky to be a foreigner as they allowed us to make pictures from the inside. It was also a great timing when there were not too many people.

The icon of the Holy Mother of Kazan

It's a pity I couldn't make anymore clearer picture than this. There are so much more details in it.

I'm linking with: 

http://inspiredsundaymeme.blogspot.ru