What does it mean when an icon streams myrrh? Why does the icon stream myrrh: miracles of the Orthodox world and the confusion of scientists

Since ancient times, the flow of myrrh has seemed to people as something mysterious and unknown, sometimes even mystical. This is due to the fact that it has not yet been possible to fully unravel the mystery of this phenomenon. Many scientists have conducted experiments to identify the nature of the origin of this phenomenon, but to this day it remains a mystery and a miracle. There are also many falsifications, which is why some even deeply religious people have long lost faith in the veracity of the “crying” icons.

Myrrh-streaming is a phenomenon that is unique in nature. In the Christian world, it is considered nothing less than a miracle, and the oily liquid emerging from them is miraculous.

Mirra - This is an oil with a pleasant aroma, which is made from oil seeds and essential plants.. It is this liquid that appears on the surface of the image, which is where the name itself comes from. It sometimes has a different consistency: thick, like spruce resin, or more liquid, reminiscent of dew. Therefore, this process is sometimes called “unwetting” or “wetting.”

However, the bleeding of icons should not be taken literally. In fact, it has a different nature. It is known that blood does not ooze from icons, as is commonly believed. As a rule, this is the same oily liquid that appears on the surface of the image during myrrh flow. The only difference is that it is mixed with dark paint on the canvas, which results in the formation of brownish stains reminiscent of blood.

It is believed that such a phenomenon is a harbinger of any bloody events: wars, terrorist attacks, diseases, and so on. Tears of blood can serve as a reminder that people have alienated themselves from God and are committing terrible misdeeds and sinful acts. Holy faces shed blood as a reminder for humanity to come to its senses and become more humane.

This usually happens on the eve of any significant events in history: wars, disasters, cataclysms. It's like a sign sent from heaven to make people think about their actions. Cases have been repeatedly recorded when icons cried the day before any incident. So, in 2004, the icon with the image of Tikhon of Zadonsk became myrrhic, and the next day a TU-154 plane with passengers on board crashed.

A few days before the terrorist attack in Beslan, namely on August 29, 2004, the holy face began to flow myrrh, warning of a terrible event that subsequently horrified the world.

Another example is the bleeding icon convent V Leningrad region on the day the conflict in Ukraine began. And there are many such examples.

However, such a phenomenon may not always carry a negative omen. Church ministers claim that such a sign may mean God's grace sent down to people. It is believed that such an image is miraculous, capable of healing from any disease, protecting from danger, and averting troubles and misfortunes from the person who touches it. Thousands of parishioners from all over the surrounding area flock to the monastery, where icons stream myrrh.

However, the miracle of myrrh-streaming can occur both in a monastery and in the home of believers. There are known cases when not one, but all the icons located in a house or church began to stream myrrh. This is a truly miraculous phenomenon, but people have always been wary and ambivalent about such an event.

On the one hand, such a sign always carries a bit of uncertainty: no one knows what this phenomenon portends - good or evil, and what one should prepare for. On the other hand, even deeply religious people sometimes doubt the authenticity of such a phenomenon. This is because history knows many cases when clergymen tried to deceive the people and the authorities in this way in order to achieve certain goals.

Thus, under Peter I, the clergy of one of the churches stated that in their cathedral the phenomenon of icons streaming with myrrh occurred. The revelation was not long in coming. Despite the fact that the king was a believer, he still doubted the authenticity of what was happening. The priests unanimously declared that in this way God mourns the old order, which was abolished by the Great Tsar. Peter I dared to assume that, using this event, the priests wanted to persuade him to cancel the innovations and return to the old order.

He was quite skeptical about such a “divine” manifestation and ordered the myrrh-streaming image to be taken away from the cathedral. After arriving at his palace, the king destroyed the icon and discovered capsules with liquid located inside it in the eye area. In turn, small holes were made in the eyes through which the liquid came out.

In this regard, the king issued a formidable decree, which read: “If icons cry in any other church, then the priest’s asses will cry with blood.”. Since then, the images no longer “cryed.”

It is noteworthy that when dew appears on the icon, a special commission, which includes scientists and clergy, immediately comes to the scene of the event to attest to the authenticity of this fact. For the purity of the experiment, it is placed in a special capsule.

Unfortunately, at all times there have been scammers who tried to falsify such a miracle. Many succeeded: gullible people went in droves to the church where a similar phenomenon took place and brought alms. Some imitated the phenomenon for selfish purposes, others - to glorify themselves and their church. However, there are certain patterns that can help determine how genuine such a phenomenon is:

Myrrh streaming is not tied to a specific place.
The crying of the Holy faces can be seen by everyone, and not by one or a few people, as this is a true miracle.
The image does not stop streaming myrrh because it was transferred to another place.

If the phenomenon that occurs contradicts any of these signs, then most likely it is a hoax.

Trying to find out why icons stream myrrh, people have identified some features of this process. Based on such features, signs were compiled, thanks to which this manifestation can be timed to coincide with a particular event:

A crying icon is a sign of great changes to come. Light tears are positive changes, dark or “bloody” tears are bad changes.
An icon crying with “dew” is a good omen, promising changes for the better.
The abundantly myrrh-streaming face of the saint is a harbinger good news and events.
The icon cast myrrh in the church - good news for the parishioners, the church and the city as a whole.
The image streams myrrh at home - a miracle will happen in the family, perhaps a miraculous healing.
The icon of the Almighty is crying - to favorable events, changes, harmony in business and happiness in life.
Icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - good sign, positive changes in life.
Face Mother of God- birth of a child, healthy children, healing from illnesses.
Seven-shot icon - peace and tranquility in the family, protection from the evil eye.

It is also a known fact that the flow of myrrh can be either isolated, when one or several icons cry, or massive and even spread over several states.

It is known that in Rus' it is not allowed to conduct experiments on icons of Saints, especially those located directly in the church. However, some facts were still established experimentally. What must happen to the faces of the saints for them to “cry”? One cannot doubt the fact that there really are images that stream myrrh. Nevertheless, many scientists doubt the authenticity of the myrrh-streaming of icons. They have been trying to find a scientific explanation for this process for many decades. Some believe that this is nothing more than a natural process of moisture formation under specific conditions.

The following events may also be involved in the appearance of such a phenomenon:

Oil precipitation due to contact of parishioners with the Holy Face. After anointing with oil, the person kisses the icon, leaving oil drops on it.
Condensation of oil vapors: often oil drips onto the images from the lamps that hang in front of them.
Capillary effect: moisture coming to it from the outside can seep through the icon. The sources of this moisture can be very diverse, depending on the specific case. There have been situations where such an effect was not created intentionally.

Today people from different corners the world is interested in the fact why icons stream myrrh, scientific explanation which cannot be interpreted unambiguously. Many skeptics refer to the fact that such a phenomenon, from the point of view of science and common sense, is impossible. However, the fact remains: all over the world from time to time there are myrrh-streaming icons, on which observations and experiments are carried out in order to determine the essence of such a phenomenon.

If suddenly an icon began to cry in the house, then you need to take this event seriously. Firstly, it should not be wiped, much less washed. Secondly, it is best not to disturb the image and invite a priest to the house who could testify to this fact. It should be remembered that this phenomenon can last for a very long time. One should treat with reverence and respect the icon that brought the miraculous sign.

Whatever message the weeping face of the Saint carries with it, people should pay close attention to such a sign from above. Perhaps it is worth thinking about the mission of man on Earth, about what we bring to this world, and what it will be like after us. Of course, this miraculous phenomenon is a call to keep God’s commandments, which many people have forgotten, and a reminder that life is given to a person once. You need to live it with dignity, leaving a bright memory of yourself for future generations.

Myrrh-streaming – a skeptic’s view
In my opinion, this is a relatively easy miracle to reproduce, but due to the variety of technologies, each case requires individual verification.

Nowadays the mass of myrrh-streaming is striking. In post-perestroika Russia, the pioneer of myrrh-streaming was the Mother of God brotherhood, hostile to the Moscow Patriarchate, which even now from time to time invites people to the next myrrh-streaming.

When it comes to mass myrrh-streaming, the most common thing that comes to mind is simple technology- drop a few drops of oil onto the icon or spray the oil from a spray bottle. The trace of oil will remain on the icon for quite a long time, and it is easy to process a huge number of icons overnight.

In an interview with Nezavisimaya Gazeta, the late Metropolitan of Nizhny Novgorod Nikolai Kutepov told an incident from the life of his diocese:

“We have a parish in the Bogorodsky district. Suddenly there was a huge uproar: 68 icons had lost their myrrh! I grabbed my head. Guys, you need to have some kind of conscience! A commission was quickly created. All the icons were wiped. The temple was sealed and closed. It stood for a week. At least one drop appeared. So I approach this with a certain wariness” [NK].

LJ Writes Alex Kuleshov (journalru)
@ 2007-02-06 12:10:00
[journalru.livejournal.com]
grandma, did you add butter today?
“In my almost 7-year practice there were not so many outright failures. so that I could not complete the task/order, maybe three times. Today another such case was added. They ordered me a photograph of the icon that cast myrrh.
I come to church. I’m looking for a priest, I need to get permission, or if you want a blessing. They ask me to wait because they are confessing to him. The frost outside is wild. At the same time, the lens will warm up, I think, and for now I’m going to look at the icon itself. I stand and look. nothing drips or stands out. I don't notice any sweat. I've been looking for a long time. concentrated. I'm afraid to miss that very moment of myrrh-streaming. and here the grandmother is running around, changing candles, brushing off the dust with a rag. and then the grandmother comes up to me and also fixes her pious gaze on the icon. and then it hit me. I don’t know what found it. I don’t allow myself this, although my attitude towards all these ROC attributes is not very loyal. in general, I’ll go ahead and blurt out out of the blue:
- Grandma, did you add butter today?
and the grandmother, with an enlightened look, immediately answers:
- no, I thought that was enough from yesterday...
and didn’t even pause. I ran further to change the candles and wash off the dust. However, a couple of minutes later she returned and kicked me out of the church. I never took a picture... they didn’t let me in anymore.
Damn, what a shame..."

Another technology of myrrh-streaming was described by Peter the Great. In 1720, when one of the icons was cast in myrrh, he personally came to the place, took the icon, took with him several priests from that church, came to the palace and in the presence of witnesses, I will then quote the text itself: “His Majesty soon found in the eyes of the icon very small and almost completely inconspicuous holes, which the shadow cast in that place made even more inconspicuous. He turned the board around, tore off the frame, and having broken out the crossbar or connection, which usually happens with images on the other side, to his pleasure he saw the truth of his guess and discovered the deception and the source of tears; namely: holes were made in the board opposite the eyes of the image, in which several thick wooden oils were placed, and which were covered with a back crossbar. “Here is the source of wonderful tears!” - said the Emperor. Each of those present had to come and see this cunning deception with their own eyes.

Then the wise Monarch explained to those around him how the thickened oil, closed from everywhere, could last so long in a cold place, and how it flowed into the aforementioned holes in the eyes of the image like tears, melting from the warmth, when the place against which it lay was heated by the candles , lit in front of the image" [B].

Another myrrh-streaming technology was revealed by the famous skeptic and debunker of miracles Joe Nickell, a member of the US Skeptics Society.

In September 1996, the commission on scientific research paranormal phenomena at the Toronto Sun newspaper invited him to Canada, where the weeping icon of the Holy Virgin in the Church of Our Lady in Toronto gained great popularity.

Next, I will quote the researcher himself: “Finally, I saw - the oil lamp hanging in front of the icon was splashing drops! (In the photo you can see it in the right hand of the priest - this is not an ordinary lamp, but really an oil lamp. If its wick is not screwed on well, it actually “spits” hot oil, which I quickly tested at home using a cup of sunflower oil and a gauze wick - translator’s note)” [N].

Interestingly, something similar happened in Russia.

LJ Writes bytopisatel (bytopisatel)
@ 2006-06-18 17:16:00
[bytopisatel.livejournal.com]
I have personally seen many cases of undeniable myrrh-streaming, inexplicable by any physical reasons. But in our Palestines something very dubious also happened, which, by the way, served as a reason for the “advertising” use of the icon. I will give this story below without comment - sapienti sat, so to speak.

In one of the districts of our region, the priests purchased a batch of lamp oil (seemingly from a visiting auto peddler), which began to “shoot” finely when burning on the wick; if a lamp with such oil hung very close to the icon, then tiny splashes remained on the surface of the image, gradually merging into a more or less large spot. The dean noticed this matter and warned the fathers in his district center to monitor the situation to prevent an unhealthy stir. And - right there, in a rural church not far from the regional center, the icon of the Mother of God “The Inexhaustible Chalice”, naturally of modern writing, began to myrrhize (however, it would not hurt to talk specifically about the possibility of the existence of such icons painted before the archimandrite Joseph Balabanov, now a bishop, in Serpukhov ))). That icon was painted by the local father himself, a considerable cunning man and demagogue, not very beloved by his fellow censers and sprinklers. This father immediately made quite a fuss in the media; As a result, our saint learned about what was happening in the village from local TV news and sent the same dean to analyze the situation.
The dean himself later said:
“I arrived, I looked at the icon - there was a lamp hanging in front of it and a picture that was painfully similar to the already familiar splashes of oil. “What kind of oil do you have?” I asked the abbot. He said: “Good, Sofrinsky.” “Okay,” I say, “ let's do this. We place the icon in an icon case with glass, close it and seal it with my seal, let's see if it will continue to stream myrrh." And so they did. I come again after a while. "It streams myrrh?" - "But of course!" I look - and the seals are already on the icon case no, and the icon case itself is open, and the icon lamp is right there... "Where is the seal?" they are offended that the icon is closed, they want to venerate..." Well, I gave up, wrote a report to the bishop - he'll figure it out himself."
The saint read the report and began to think. I thought and thought, I watched local TV again - and there was another story: the myrrh-streaming “Inexhaustible Chalice” from the village of N. was temporarily moved to one temple regional center(where, by the way, the abbot is very practical and says about himself: “I’m not greedy, I’m frugal”), and people flock there to worship in droves...
So this story remained not fully clarified, although the icon’s “tour” through towns and villages by volitional decision The bishop was still terminated. The dean has his opinion, the pop icon painter has his, the flock is in a stir, the bishop is in thought

More from LiveJournal
Writes Alex Kuleshov (journalru)
@ 2007-02-06 12:10:00

The pastor of one of the Protestant churches told me an interesting technology, which in turn was told to him by an Orthodox priest who repented in their church.

The board for the icon is dried and then soaked until the wood is saturated in the oil or substance that will flow from it. After soaking, dry it a little, and then cover it like a regular icon. It should be noted that this coating protects the icon from the release of liquid that the board has absorbed. Better icon keep in a damp room, such as a basement. At the right time, the icon is taken out, in places where the world is supposed to flow out, the protective layer is damaged pointwise and placed in the driest place. The tree will begin to give off liquid and dry out, and the icon, accordingly, will begin to stream myrrh.
This technology is based on simple physical laws. But so far I have not seen anyone reproduce or use it.

In addition to the described technologies, there are many others that are no less effective, but I want to emphasize that each myrrh-streaming is inherently individual and requires individual analysis.

As for the composition of the world, as a rule, I came across conclusions that olive, sunflower and others are used, quite famous sciences substances. Sometimes you can read that something unearthly flows from the icons, but the conclusions of the corresponding laboratory are not provided. Therefore, it is impossible to verify the words.

Scientific study
To begin with, it should be noted that scientific study is not when scientists study a certain phenomenon, but when the study is carried out according to a certain protocol, aimed at the most objective study. No such study has been conducted in connection with myrrh-streaming. There is a commission on miraculous signs occurring in the Orthodox Church, which includes a number of Orthodox scientists.
But they are engaged not so much in studying as in describing what they are told or see for themselves. They do not keep any research protocols (at least nowhere they said them or gave any reason to think that they have them).
An example of their work:
“The hostess laid a clean tablecloth on the table, then a sheet of paper, and placed icons brought by Florensky’s colleagues on top. The edge of one sheet accidentally slipped out from under the board. Father served a prayer service. And then the owners asked the guests to leave the room: they say, it is not appropriate to be present at the miracle.
- We returned in an hour. All the icons laid out on the table were covered with droplets. Important point- the sheet of paper was also covered with oil, but only the edge that protruded from under the image, and the part of the sheet lying under the icon was clean. What conclusion do we draw? - Florensky falls silent for a minute. - The substance did not appear from within, but from above. In this case, it was not an exudation that occurred, but the appearance of oil on the icon.”
[www.radonezh.ru]
Why not conclude that the oil was applied by hand?

What does the analysis of the substance collected by the commission from myrrh-streaming icons show?
“Scientists collect the released oil in a test tube... And then it is examined by experts from the FSB Institute of Forensic Science, who are always present during experiments. Their conclusion: “... the composition of the substance from the surface of the icon is identical to flavored sunflower oil... We took the oil for analysis from different icons,” explains Pavel Vasilievich. “The composition is always similar to sunflower or olive. organic matter oils are so complex that the substances from different icons are always different from each other. This is approximately the same as vegetable oil from two different manufacturing plants, which is externally the same, but if it is broken down into its components, the organic substances will turn out to be different. ”

And what thoughts does this prompt the commission?
Right there.
“Let’s say we carried out tests and showed that the composition of the myrrh collected from the icon is flavored sunflower oil. So what? Any priest will explain that our country is God’s chosen one, because we grow sunflowers, from which myrrh is made. But, let’s say, Greek icons more often exude olive oil, because their land is the birthplace of olives.”

Among all the researchers of myrrh-streaming, this commission stands out with positive side. But among apologists there is a tendency to distort the results of analyzes.
So, in the description of the wonderful properties of the world of relics in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, you can find the following link to the research of scientists:

“The resumption of activity of the Orthodox monastery on the territory of the Far Caves was marked by a sign of God - three myrrh-streaming heads began to exude myrrh. A chemical analysis of samples “taken from bowls with myrrh-streaming heads No. 26, No. 9, No. 4” was carried out. “A chemical analysis of the samples was carried out in the laboratory of the Department of Biochemistry of Kyiv medical institute... The results of the analysis showed: all samples are highly purified oils that do not contain impurities of higher fatty acids, which is confirmed by the absence of sterification and methylation reactions. The samples dissolved well in chloroform and acetone and were practically insoluble in water and methanol. The low electrical conductivity of the samples indicates the absence of an ionized medium (water and ionized particles). Inorganic phosphates and ammonium ions (NH4OH, H3PO4) were not detected in the samples, which indicates the absence of decomposition processes of organic substances containing nitrogen and phosphates. A study of protein content (according to Lowry) was carried out in aqueous extracts of the samples.

The study found that sample No. 26 has 20 mg of protein per 100 mg, sample No. 9 - 13 mg, and sample No. 4 - 73 mg. This indicator is characteristic only of a living organism."
[lavra.kiev.ua]

Oil cannot be highly purified if it contains a significant admixture of proteins, and certainly not 13-72%. This is the same as if water were in liter bottle called high-purity, which contained only 130-720 grams of harmful substances.

Therefore, when referring to conclusions of this kind, you should be skeptical and demand an indication of the place of research and the conclusion of the laboratory. This is not an isolated case. I had to talk with people who analyzed the world and, having issued a conclusion, discovered that the people who provided the world for research said something completely different about the results of the study.

Myrrh-streaming literature

B. - “From R.H. 1720.
On May 1, [Peter] was present at the launching of a new ninety-six-pound ship, naming it Friedrichshtat. For this reason, the Great Sovereign went to work on the Ladoga Canal. His presence during these works revived, so to speak, the souls of the workers again and poured new strength into them.
During this time when the Monarch was at work, we will place what happened in his absence in St. Petersburg and was recorded by Mr. Professor Shtelin. It is known that in the first years after the construction of this city, its Great Builder faced many and strong obstacles, not only from the enemy among whom he built it, but also from anger and superstition and unreason, which strained all his strength to prevent it; however, the courage and constancy of the Great Sovereign was stronger than all of them. During His Majesty’s absence, a rumor suddenly spread that in one church, namely Trinity, on the Petersburg side big image Our Lady sheds tears. People began to gather there in great numbers. Superstition has attached to this the dangerous interpretation that the Mother is dissatisfied with this country, and with her tears heralds a great misfortune to the new city, and perhaps to the entire State. Chancellor Count Golovkin, who lived not far from this church, went there, but not only could not disperse the people who had come running, but he himself could barely get back through the crowd. He immediately sent a messenger to the Emperor with news of this incident and the murmur among the people.
The Great Sovereign, knowing from experience that even one spark of superstition can cause a terrible fire if it is not extinguished in advance, immediately set off, rode all night, and the next morning, arriving in St. Petersburg, he immediately went to the aforementioned church, where was met by the local priests and taken to the weeping image. Although His Majesty himself did not see the tears, many of those who were there assured him that they had indeed recently seen them. The Emperor, examining the image very closely for some time, noticed something suspicious in the eyes. However, without letting others notice, he ordered one of the priests to remove the icon from its place and take it with him to the palace. There, the perspicacious Monarch examined this varnished image very carefully in the presence of the chancellor, some of the noblest courtiers, the highest clergy and priests of that church, who removed the image from its place and brought it to the palace.
His Majesty soon found very small and almost completely inconspicuous holes in the eyes of the image, which the shadow cast in that place made even more inconspicuous. He turned the board around, tore off the frame, and having broken out the crossbar or connection, which usually happens with images on the other side, to his pleasure he saw the truth of his guess and discovered the deception and the source of tears; namely: holes were made in the board opposite the eyes of the image, in which several thick wooden oils were placed, and which were covered with a back crossbar. “Here is the source of wonderful tears!” - said the Emperor. Each of those present had to come and see this cunning deception with their own eyes.
Then the wise Monarch explained to those around him how the thickened oil, closed from everywhere, could last so long in a cold place, and how it flowed into the aforementioned holes in the eyes of the image like tears, melting from the warmth, when the place against which it lay was heated by candles lit in front of the image. It seemed that the Emperor was pleased with this discovery and proof of deception. He did not let anyone notice his intention to investigate this matter further and punish the inventors, but only said to those present: “Now you have all seen the reason for the imaginary tears. I have no doubt that you will talk everywhere about what you have seen with your own eyes; this will serve to prove the emptiness and refute the stupid, and perhaps even malicious, interpretation of this false miracle. The image will remain with Me; I will put it in my Kunst Kammer.”

Acts of Peter the Great, the wise transformer of Russia; collected from reliable sources and arranged by year. M., 1789. Part VII. pp. 93-97.
The text is taken from Basov D. The Miracle of Myrrh Streaming. St. Petersburg: A.V.K. - Timoshka, 2001, p. 38-40.

N. - Anomaly No. 16(148), September 1, 1997, based on materials from the Skeptical Inquirer magazine, No. 2, 1997

NK. - From an interview with Metropolitan. Nizhny Novgorod Nikolai Kutepov (Nezavisimaya Gazeta, section Figures and Faces, 26.4.2001, p. 11) [www.krotov.info]
Here's a post from LiveJournal
O people!
Lord of the Snowmen, 01/16/08 14:44
It’s not that I hate priests and priests of all kinds... but! I’m telling you what I myself was a witness to and, to be honest, an assistant, or what? I have a friend, his father is a priest. Well, the guy was unlucky in life, to be honest. My friend doesn’t want to become a “seller from the temple” (his words), but his father forces him. Has everyone heard about all sorts of myrrh-streaming icons? Perhaps there are miraculous ones among them, but definitely not the one described below. We ordered it from Turkey, with a secret icon. Oil is poured into it from above and it “cries”. So: it is announced in advance that such an icon will be brought to the church, everyone is in ecstasy, everyone is happy. An icon arrives, everyone is rushing to touch this myrrh-streaming, and this is simple sunflower oil, refined (odorless, damn it!). They also sell small bottles of oil with supposedly added tears from the icon. 5 bucks a bottle. AND PEOPLE BUY! Not just one bottle. In general, one liter of Oleina sunflower oil costs an average of 500 bucks. The next day there were even more people... I myself helped pour oil for a friend (I didn’t know why, but a fact is a fact). Why are we such a gullible people?

Once I happened to see a shameful report on the news about how in one Russian church or monastery a wonderful thing suddenly happened - an icon lost its myrrh. I was amazed: this is a real miracle - a deception, the shameful absurdity of which was clear to people three hundred years ago, still works!

But Peter the Great also warned the priests: if an icon flows myrrh somewhere, in that parish the priest’s ass will cry with blood! And the icons in Rus' immediately stopped streaming myrrh. The priests took care of their asses. Christian miracles, as you can see, are very easy to cancel. Catholics, who have had the sad and discrediting experience of large-scale medieval falsifications, decided in the 16th century senior officials churches “cancelled” 90% of all miracles known at that time (we’ll talk about rare exceptions below). And among Protestants, who generally deny the existence of miracles, no miracles happen. Only one who has an undeveloped consciousness can find a miracle everywhere - even in a church...

Peter the Great himself gladly exposed the priest's tricks. One day the Tsar was informed that people in St. Petersburg were worried: in the Trinity Church, the icon of the Mother of God began to cry. The people are like children, they believe everything, so crowds of simpletons immediately rushed to the church. The show organizers were rubbing their hands. Immediately there were interpreters who claimed that the Mother of God was crying because she was dissatisfied with the newly rebuilt city and the Antichrist king. And this was already dangerous! Therefore, Peter, who could seemingly be concerned with more important issues, for example, preparations for the next war, abandoned everything and personally rushed to the church. Unlike the stupid idiot, he knew that miracles did not happen. And there are provocations.

Entering the temple with his retinue, Peter looked at the icon for some time, then chuckled and ordered it to be removed from the wall and delivered to him in the palace. There, in front of witnesses, Peter tore off the frame and, having destroyed the icon, showed those present two small holes in the board opposite the eyes of the Mother of God. There were pieces of butter in them. And in the eyes of the Mother of God the cunning priests pierced holes. When candles were placed near the icon and a lamp was hung, the oil melted and began to slowly ooze through the holes in the paint layer.

There is another method that is similar. The board on which the icon is written is soaked in oil. Then, when the board has dried a little, it is covered with a thick layer of paint, in which two tiny holes are pierced with a needle in the area of the pupils. From the heat, the wood begins to “sweat” with oil, which finds its way out through these holes. Believers are absolutely delighted!

It also happens that the icon is oiled by an insufficiently screwed wick of an oil lamp, which splashes the oil. In this case, oil can be detected not only on the icon itself, but also on surrounding objects.

And why, by the way, oil?... If God needs to be shown a miracle, then the saints on the icons should cry with some kind of miraculous liquid! Or at least real tears. And they flow with improvised materials, for example, myrrh. Miro is vegetable oil, infused with aromatic herbs. Similar balsamic oil is sold in large retail networks as a seasoning for dishes. A similar product is used in the church for magical rituals fat anointing...

The vulgar trick of streaming myrrh is already so indecent that even many church hierarchs are embarrassed by it. In 2001, Nezavisimaya Gazeta published an interview with Metropolitan Nikolai Kutepov of Nizhny Novgorod, in which he told the following story: “We have a parish in the Bogorodsky district. Suddenly there was a huge uproar: 68 icons had lost their myrrh! I grabbed my head. Guys, you need to have some kind of conscience! A commission was quickly created. All the icons were wiped. The temple was sealed and closed. It stood for a week. If only one drop appeared!”

This is how it is - educated priests expose their thieving provincial colleagues, television talks about a “miracle”, and crazy-eyed parishioners rush to such a temple, bringing their hard-earned money there...

Throughout long history Christianity fanatics believed in everything they were shown. In the holy swaddling clothes in which Jesus was wrapped after his birth (they were exhibited at the beginning of the 20th century in the main cathedral of the German city of Aachen)… In the authenticity of Jesus’ cradle, or rather, cradles (one cradle of Jesus is kept in Italy, and the other in Israel)… And even in hay (in the Middle Ages, in many European monasteries, parishioners were shown hay in which the baby Jesus lay)!..

For several centuries, French monks made a living by showing pilgrims the tears of Jesus. And not just tears, but that specific tear that Jesus shed upon learning of the death of Saint Lazarus! Apparently, at that moment someone stood next to the test tube at the ready and immediately took an analysis of the discharge from Christ.

In Genoa for a long time The tail of the donkey on which Jesus rode into Jerusalem was kept. And Spanish churches displayed the severed heads of the very rooster that crowed after Peter denied Jesus three times!

I remember in Rome my sister persistently dragged me to some church where a piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified and the nail with which they nailed him are kept. She did not know that more than a thousand Calvary nails are kept in different churches and monasteries around the world! Apparently the Romans sewed Jesus to the cross using construction gun. Or even a machine gun...

And the believers believed and believe in all this! Even after the sensational confessions of the Jerusalem hierarch Theophilus that the lighting ceremony Holy Fire There is just an idea; on Orthodox websites, barely blowing messages from drowning people clutching at straws flashed:

But I am still sure that this is a true miracle!

Theophilus could have spoken about the lighter in order to test our faith.

In fact, Theophilus simply deceived us all!

And he didn’t say that at all. Yes, he stated that this was just a ceremonial performance. But he didn’t say directly that a miracle wasn’t happening! The words “not a miracle” were not said!

He simply did not use the word “miracle” because he had been accustomed to miracles for many years and perceived them as commonplace.

Even if all the patriarchs admit that this is a fraud, I will still believe in a miracle, because people can lie, but the Lord cannot.

The Church is considering icon as a special form of revelation of Divine reality.

All canonical icons in churches or homes are sacred due to their spiritual content and meaning. However, some are elected By God's providence for special signs. The indescribable light, fragrance, and myrrh emanating from them are material signs of the appearance of the heavenly world, the Kingdom of God.

Laboratory tests show that myrrh is an organic liquid that sometimes resembles olive oil, but how it appears on shrines remains unexplained. As a result of a study of moisture taken from one of the weeping icons, it was established that “these are real tears.” Myrrh is not removed from the substance of the icon, but appears on it “out of nothing.” It happens that moisture appears and swells on the glass of the icon case covering the image, or appears on the icon itself underneath it. The antiquity or novelty of the icon, its material does not matter; images can stream myrrh on wood, paper, glass, etc.

The type, color, and consistency of the resulting liquid are varied: from thick, viscous resin to dew, which is why they sometimes talk about “oil flow” or “dew flow.” It may have a fragrant aroma. The shape and size of the droplets are also extremely variable. Sometimes they cover the entire image, sometimes they seem to flow from certain points. In the broad sense of the word, myrrh streaming refers to any miraculous appearance of moisture on icons and sacred objects. Often, through anointing with the exhausted myrrh, healing of ailments occurs.

The history of the Orthodox Church includes about a thousand images, famous for their miracles throughout the history of Christianity. Most of them are images of the Mother of God, the Heavenly Intercessor of the human race. The main basis for venerating a particular image as miraculous was the certified gift of specific help to people, be it healing the sick, intercession from enemies, fires, or the elements. Sometimes this help was preceded or accompanied by a certain supernatural event: the Mother of God Herself came in a dream or in a vision and informed where and how Her image should be found; icons walked through the air, descended or rose by themselves; a radiance was observed from them when they were acquired (Eletskaya-Chernigovskaya, Czestokhovskaya-Tyvrovskaya, Tsarevokokshaiskaya, Zhirovitskaya,"Merciful" Akhtyrskaya, Galichskaya, Dubovitskaya), a fragrance emanated (“Uncleaning”), a voice sounded (“Quick to Hear”, Yugskaya, Smolenskaya-Solovetskaya), the icon was updated by itself (Kasperovskaya) or the image on it came to life ("Unexpected Joy" Serafimo-Ponetaevskaya).

Some images miraculously emitted blood, tears, and myrrh. Bleeding (“Slaughtered”, Doliska, Częstochowa, Iverskaya, Kiprskaya, Pakhromskaya,“Unexpected Joy”), as a rule, came from a wound inflicted on the image - to admonish people who had offended the shrine. Tears flowing from the eyes Holy Mother of God("Crying" Tikhvinskaya- Afonskaya, Ilyinskaya-Chernigovskaya, Pryazhevskaya, Ryaditenskaya, Kazanskaya-Vysochinovskaya, Kazanskaya-Kargopolskaya, " Tenderness"-Novgorodskaya, Kaplunovskaya, Mirozhskaya, “Znamenie”-Novgorodskaya, Korsunskaya-Izborskaya), were perceived both as a sign of the sorrow of the Mother of God for human sins, and as a sign of the mercy of the Lady, crying for her children. From April 16 to April 24, 1662, the Ilinsko-Chernigov Icon of the Mother of God wept. This happened four years after the image was painted. Subsequently, this icon became famous for many wondrous miracles described by St. Dimitry Rostovsky in the book “Irrigated Fleece”. In 1854, Bishop Melchizedek of Romania became one of the eyewitnesses of the flow of tears from the icon, which later received the name “Weeping” (in the Romanian Sokolsky Monastery). The Bishop said that similar events occurred in ancient times and that this “always foreshadowed difficult trials for the Church of Christ and for the Fatherland.”

Church tradition knows several icons from which holy myrrh exuded. Even in ancient times, in the 6th century, on Pisidian The icon flowed with oil from the hand of the Mother of God. Subsequently, this miracle was confirmed in its truth VII Ecumenical Council. In the 13th century after fervent prayer, the blessed one. Procopius and people about salvation from the stone city of Veliky Ustyug according to the icon Annunciation("Ustyug"), myrrh began to flow - a sign of the mercy of the Mother of God that had taken place over the city. On September 16, 1392, the myrrh arose from the right hand of the Mother of God on Tomsk icon. In 1592 image "Praises to the Blessed Virgin Mary" was kidnapped from Mount Athos by robbers. But when the icon was covered with fragrant myrrh, they repented and returned the shrine. On the fifth week Lent 1635 in Oran Bogoroditsky Monastery Nizhny Novgorod diocese during the evening doxology with akathist on Vladimirskaya- Oranskaya The icon flowed with ointment from the head of the Infant Jesus and the whole temple was filled with a fragrance. In 1848 in Moscow in the house of Colonel D.N. Boncheskul there was a just written list miraculous icon "Helper of sinners." IN Easter the icon began to sparkle, and drops similar to rain were seen on it. They were oily to the touch and fragrant. Through the anointing with miraculous moisture, the sick received healing. The image was donated to the temple, where it became famous for other miracles.

Up to the 20th century. myrrh-streaming or lacrimation of an icon (in the book E. Poselyanina“Tales of the miraculous icons of the Mother of God and of Her mercies to the human race” describes, respectively, 6 cases of myrrh-streaming and 12 lacrimation - for the almost 2000-year history of the Church) was a rare, exceptional phenomenon. Mass signs were observed in Russia only in the 20th century. The first such period occurred in the early 1920s, when, along with numerous icon updates Myrrh-streaming also occurred (for example, on July 25, 1921, in the Harbin Cathedral, drops of myrrh flowed from the eyes of the Savior Not Made by Hands and remained visible for several months).

1991 - the beginning of the time of widespread signs from icons. Although some cases have been observed before (for example, the flow of myrrh from the icons of the Kazan Mother of God, etc. Ambrose V Optina Pustyn November 16, 1988), precisely since 1991, reports of miracles from icons begin to arrive one after another from various places in Russia. Hundreds of cases were recorded in the following decade. Icons are miraculously found, renewed, and stream myrrh—in churches, monasteries, and in the homes of ordinary people.

Fateful for the history of Russia, 1991 marked the beginning of the dismemberment of the state that had been assembled for centuries. Huge country found herself plunged into the abyss of trials. On Bright Week 1991, the icon of the Mother of God exuded fragrant myrrh "Sovereign" from Nikolo-Perervinskaya monastery in Moscow. In the summer of 1991, in one of the ancient churches of Vologda, tears flowed from the eyes of the Lord on the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. On August 18, an ancient icon of the Mother of God began to cry in Georgia. On November 22, 1991, in the Smolensk Assumption Cathedral, the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God shed a tear (Smolensk is the closest Russian city to Belarus, on whose territory two weeks later the Belovezhskaya Conspiracy was concluded).

Several icons at once showed grief in different parts of Russia and beyond its borders. “Tears of the Mother of God! A phenomenon that brings awe and reverence, writes Archpriest Mikhail Pomazansky about the crying icons. “It testifies to how close the Mother of God is to the world.” But let these tears not exist! If there is no greater grief for children in a family than to see their mother crying, then for Christians what a strong and terrible shock it must be to know that the Mother of God is shedding tears for them and because of them!.. Do they testify that Heaven Do they see sorrow, that they hear those crying and that the Mother of God through Her icon speaks comfortingly: “I am with you”? Does the Mother of God grieve over the troubles in the Orthodox Churches? We don't know. But let us not turn away from ourselves the thought of the great significance of these signs for all of us and for each of us, we will not allow the thought that “this does not apply to us.” We must accept the tears of the Mother of God as a reproach for us, as a warning, and as a call to repentance!”

As in previous centuries, signs from icons are most often given during the days of Great Lent - a time of special repentance and lamentations about sins. Nowadays, blessed dew or myrrh often appears not on one, but on several temple icons, on crucifixes. It can disappear and appear again. Eyewitnesses seem to be called upon to imprint in their hearts the action of the good will of the Lord, as if sanctifying the “house of prayer” with the sprinkling of peace. And - according to the Oros of the Ecumenical Council - to “raise honor to the original”, in sorrowful and difficult times to once again be convinced that the Fatherland and the Church have not lost their heavenly army.

In the 1920s, renovations of icons took place across the country in waves, affecting only certain areas. In the 1990s, the whole of Russia became a place of signs: city and rural churches, monasteries, houses of pious people. Never before Russian Orthodox Church I have never encountered icons crying and streaming myrrh everywhere. This is an unprecedented phenomenon in the history of the country - undoubtedly historical fact, which has great spiritual significance. This is the clear voice of God addressed to the entire Russian people.

However, compared to past centuries, among clergy and laity there is a decrease in love and attention to the shrine of the Lord. The canonical rules are not always followed: drawing up a document signed by the rector of the church and witnesses to the miracle and then submitting it to the bishop, who appoints a commission to certify the authenticity of what happened. Sometimes clergy remain indifferent to such phenomena, sometimes they are afraid of unhealthy excitement. But practice has shown the groundlessness of such fears. Even after reports in the press, on radio and television about a certified miracle, no one rushes to the temple to see it. Only a small part of lay believers experience genuine reverence in the face of the mysterious sign of God.

For several years, icons have been streaming with myrrh in the centers Orthodox holiness- Optina Hermitage, Spaso-Preobrazhenskaya Hermitage of the Riga Trinity-Sergius Monastery. They are recorded in photographs and film. Icons stream myrrh and cry in newly built monasteries - monasteries in the name of the icon “Quick to Hear” in the city of Pechory (Komi Republic) - in 1994, in the Intercession-Tervenichesky Monastery of the St. Petersburg Diocese - in 1994 - 95 and in the monastery monastery - in 1997 etc.

In July 1994, myrrh-streaming of icons was observed in the church in the village. Puchkovo Moscow diocese, including a paper reproduction of the icon of St. New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia. Several icons stream myrrh at once in a number of Moscow churches (St. Nicholas in Pyzhi, St. Nicholas in Kuznetsy, etc.), in the St. Petersburg Church of St. right Simeon and Anna, in the churches of Kazan, Kaluga, Naberezhnye Chelny and many others.

Myrrh streams are surprisingly diverse in nature. During the first week of Great Lent 1996 in the church of the village. Nizhnyaya Baygora, Voronezh region. the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God streamed myrrh: February 24, on the eve of Forgiveness Sunday the myrrh flowed from the image in a stream, so that a towel was placed under the icon, and the temple was filled with an indescribable fragrance. IN Clean Monday myrrh flowed from under the crown and from the forehead of the Mother of God; on Tuesday - drops all over the icon; on Wednesday - the icon dried up, and tears flowed from the eyes of the Lady. The rector was most amazed at the lack of faith and indifference of the people: no one came to the temple even just to look at the manifestation of God’s mercy.

Signs from icons in the North Caucasus marked the beginning Chechen war: On May 27, 1994 the icon of St. Nicholas in Stavropol, and on June 9, a holiday Ascension of the Lord, in the presence of hundreds of pilgrims in the church of the village of Zelenchukskaya, tears streamed from the eyes of the Mother of God on two icons - Iveron and “Quick to Hear”.

Many miracles are associated with the patron saints of Russia - the Royal Martyrs. In September 1994, myrrh streamed in Tsarskoe Selo Feodorovskaya icon - patroness of the House Romanovs. In the Intercession Church of Marienburg (near Gatchina), built in memory of the miraculous salvation Royal family during a train crash near Borki station, the icon “ Recovery of the dead." This happened on February 17, 1994, on the eve of the celebration of this icon. First, a thin stream of light flowed from the eye of the Mother of God, then tears flowed one after another, then three stripes of the world appeared from the left shoulder. Later the entire surface of the icon became myrrhized. The miracle lasted about two months. The icon itself was also painted in memory of the deliverance from the death of the Imperial family.

On January 31, 1997, in the house of a Moscow parishioner, a small paper icon of the Martyr Tsar was bathed in transparent, fragrant myrrh. Nikolai Alexandrovich and St. equal to book Vladimir. In 1998, the myrrh-streaming of the icon of Sovereign Nikolai Alexandrovich began in the Moscow Church of the Ascension of the Lord on the Pea Field. The image was transferred here from the apartment of one of the parishioners, where the miracle was first recorded on November 7, 1998. An abundant outflow of the world occurred almost every day, and the wonderful fragrance did not stop for a single day, especially intensifying during funeral services for To the Royal Martyrs. Contrary to the laws of physics, the myrrh flowed across the icon lying on the analogue not down, but from four sides of the icon case towards the image of the Tsar. The icon is one of the lithographic copies of the image painted in California. The porphyry-bearing Anointed of God is depicted on it in golden-red tones, extraterrestrial radiance, with symbols royal power- orb and scepter in hands. “This holy icon was written to glorify the Tsar-Martyr in Russia,” reads the inscription on the image. The streaming of myrrh from the icon was perceived by believers as another sign of the Tsar’s holiness, another evidence of the need for his speedy canonization in his earthly Fatherland.

Signs of the streaming of myrrh and the weeping of icons are given to the entire Orthodox world in different parts of the world.

The most famous myrrh-streaming icon XX century became the Iveron-Montreal image of the Mother of God. Painted by an Athonite icon painter, the copy of the ancient Iveron icon was given to Joseph Muñoz, an Orthodox Spaniard, who placed it in his apartment in Montreal. Beginning in 1982, this icon constantly exuded holy myrrh, and in August 1991, tears were seen on it for the first time. Cotton wool with wonderfully fragrant myrrh was sent to Russia in large numbers. Healing mercy was poured out on people who resorted to the Intercessor in sorrow and illness. In the families of pious Christians who pray, paper reproductions and photographs of the Montreal Icon exude myrrh. A number of circumstances indicated that the image was mystically connected with the fate of Russia and the feat of the New Martyrs. After Joseph Muñoz, the custodian of the miraculous icon, was killed in October 1997 mysterious circumstances in Greece, the icon disappeared.

The cry of the Mother of God in New York is known: a Greek Orthodox family living in New York bought a small paper icon of the Mother of God "Passionate." In the spring of 1960, tears flowed from the eyes of the Mother of God, causing grooves to form on the paper. The icon of the Mother of God wept Hodegetria" in the church of St. Nicholas in Chicago.

In a small church in the Australian town of Mount Pritchard on the patronal feast day Dormition of the Mother of God, On August 28, 1994, a one and a half meter crucifix began to exude myrrh. Drops appeared on the face, arms, chest and legs of the Savior. They were light, oily and emitted a fragrance reminiscent of roses or incense. During prayer services, the flow of myrrh intensified so that drops fell from the icon to the floor. The miracle, which lasted more than a year, bore spiritual fruit. Many eyewitnesses, previously indifferent to faith and God, repented and became true Orthodox believers.

In November 1996, in Bethlehem, in the Church of the Nativity, the image of the Savior began to cry. It is located on top of a marble column located on the side of the main altar, before descending into the cave where the Infant God was born. The Basilica of the Nativity was erected in the 4th century. St. equal to queen Elena, and over the past sixteen centuries, service in it has never been interrupted. The miracle was officially witnessed by priests of the Greek Church, one of whom said: “Jesus is crying because the world is going the wrong way.”

February 3, 1997, on the day of celebration of the icon of the Mother of God "Consolation and Consolation" In the Kykkos monastery in Cyprus, a copy of this miraculous icon began to cry. Tears simultaneously streamed from the eyes of the Blessed Virgin and the right eye of the Infant God. The Archbishop called on the people to repent, so that the entire island would not suffer the fate of its eastern part, where thousands of Orthodox Christians were exterminated by infidels.

The abundance of miracles and signs from icons occurring in the 20th century is a sign of God for all of Russia. This is a harbinger of grandiose events in the history of all mankind, a sign of the eschatological era. But miracles are not performed by God in order to capture anyone's imagination. In Christians, signs give rise to feelings of fear of God and joy in the Lord, and encourage intense prayer and repentance.

Christians often observe how an oily or red liquid begins to emerge from icons, very reminiscent of blood. Moreover, as a rule, this comes precisely from the eyes of the one who is depicted on the shrine.

It is difficult for people who did not observe this to believe in such unusual phenomenon. However, it does happen and there is a huge amount of real evidence for this. Why do icons stream myrrh and what does it mean?

It is difficult for people who have not observed this to believe in such an unusual phenomenon.

Before you understand why icons stream myrrh and what it means, you should find out what myrrh streaming is.

This word comes from the term “miro”, which is translated from ancient Greek as “oil having a fragrant”. Christians use it to consecrate a newly built church, or during the ritual of Confirmation. The creation of myrrh is also a kind of sacrament that was carried out during the life of the apostles of Christ.

The creation of myrrh is also a kind of sacrament that was carried out during the life of the apostles of Christ

In the Orthodox Church, the patriarch blesses the creation of the chrism. This sacrament occurs once every few years and is combined with the singing of songs and the reading of a large number of prayers.

After making the myrrh, it is poured into special containers, then sealed and transported to dioceses.

So, it is this liquid that, as a rule, is highlighted by various icons. A few drops may appear on its surface, or it may happen that the shrine is completely covered with myrrh.

If you believe the Holy Scriptures, then every year the oil is released from the relics of Theodotus, John the Theologian and the Apostle Philip. When icons stream myrrh, not all Christians understand what it means, but everyone knows that this phenomenon is miraculous and serves as a sign from above.

When icons stream myrrh, not all Christians understand what it means, but everyone knows that this phenomenon is miraculous and serves as a sign from above.

It is also unknown which icons distinguish the myrrh. This can be either an ordinary shrine located in the house or one that has been preserved since ancient times.

Myrrh-streamings of past centuries

What does it mean when icons stream myrrh, they tried to find out in past centuries. The first cases of the release of an oily liquid were described in Holy Tradition and non-canonical apocrypha.

The myrrh-streaming of icons occurred back in the 7th century.

It is known that the phenomenon first occurred in 1040. John Skylitzes reported this in writing. But Dmitry Rostovsky stated that the streaming of myrrh from icons occurred back in the 7th century.

However, Christians observed the phenomenon long before this - in the 3rd century. A striking example served as a myrrh flow from the remains of Fedot of Ancyra and the Apostle Philip.

A striking example was the flow of myrrh from the remains of Fedot of Ancyra and the Apostle Philip

World currents of recent decades

Many reports of icons streaming myrrh began to arrive at the end of the 20th century. So, in the early 90s, a rumor spread among Christians that they began to “cry” en masse at the shrine of the Mother of God called “Sovereign”.

This phenomenon first occurred in the Nikolo-Perervinsky Church, and then in the Assumption Cathedral, when droplets of liquid appeared on the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.

Droplets of liquid appeared on the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God

And what is history worth when the image of Tikhon Zadonsky became myrrh in 2004. After this, residents all over the world learned that the TU-154 plane had crashed along with its passengers and pilots.

The same phenomenon was observed before the terrorist attack in Beslan and the military conflict in Ukraine. From all this we can conclude that icons “cry” precisely before terrible events that claim a huge number of lives.

Icon of the Iveron Mother of God

It is worth telling about the case when, located in Montreal, streamed myrrh for 15 years. The bloody tears of the shrine of the Mother of God “Softening Evil Hearts” deserve special attention. This happened in Sevastopol during a service in 2009.

What to do if the icon of the house is streaming myrrh

What this means and why the icons of the house stream myrrh, no one knows except the Lord God. But we are sure of one thing. This phenomenon is miraculous and is directly related to the message from heaven. Therefore, under no circumstances should you wipe the ointment from the shrine.

You need to treat the icon with care and respect, because it is you who have the honor of observing this miraculous event.

Why do Divine icons stream myrrh and cry in churches and at home: folk signs

It is popularly believed that if myrrh stands out from the eyes of the Saint depicted on the icon, then global changes should be expected. Dark tears? Wait bad news and grief. If they are light, then events will develop for the better.

If the surface of the shrine is completely covered with droplets of the world, then expect good news. The holy face highlights large quantities oils? This is a harbinger of kindness and favorable events.

Why does the icon stream myrrh with blood?

If the icon bleeds, this is a harbinger of terrible news. The Orthodox Church claims that this happens when people are separated from God. From this, the Saints and the Mother of God’s hearts begin to break with pain, and bloody tears flow.

One confirmation of this is the incident that happened to a resident of Kurgan. The icon that was lying on her table began to cry tears of blood. Then the woman realized that with her alienation she had greatly offended Saint Irene. After repentance, the shrine stopped crying.

In addition, icons can bleed when some terrible event is coming. The Sacred Chronicles indicate that one of the shrines of the Mother of God cried tears of blood before the persecution and mass murder of Christians began.

Which icons are currently streaming myrrh in Russia: list

On at the moment In Russia, the allocation of myrrh to:

the shrine of the “Hodegetria of Dorogobuzh” of the Most Holy Mother of God;
icon of the Virgin Mary of Cyprus;
icon of the Mother of God "Iverskaya".

Church ministers' point of view

Even priests do not know the answer to the question of what it means when icons stream myrrh, despite the presence of numerous videos on the Internet. However, some of them have their own opinion on this matter.

Many of God’s servants urge us not to be so enthusiastic about this phenomenon, and, moreover, to consider it a sign from above or a harbinger of some event.

Thus, one of the priests, Andrei Kuraev, claims that at one time pagan statues also streamed myrrh. And even now in one of the most terrible sects “Orthodox Sovereign Church Mother of God" this phenomenon is observed.

Therefore, it would be wrong to say that the flow of myrrh is a sign of the holiness of a particular image.

Bishop Nikolai Kutepov of Nizhny Novgorod also thinks the same. He argues that this phenomenon should be treated with caution. After all, liquid may be released on icons for other reasons - vapor condensation, capillary effect, unfavorable conditions in the place where the shrine is kept.