0268 Virgin of All Who Grieve

Russian.
1888-1914.
38x48cms. in Gold Gilded Frame
Icon 18×14 cms.

This icon is a variant of the traditional icon “Virgin of All Who Grieve”. It commemorates an event that occured in 1888. In that year an explosion at The St Petersburg Glassworks caused a nearby church’s alms box to shatter and 12 coins embed themselves in a nearby icon of “The Virgin of All Who Grieve”.  On examination, the icon was found to be fresh and undamaged apart from the embedded coins. Subsequently, one coin fell away and the image is shown, as here, with eleven coins causing some to feel it represents the betrayal of Judas. The variant”with coins” , not surprisingly had a particular following in the area surrounding St. Petersburg.

The icon carries an inscription that reads “O most holy Lady, Mistress, The Mother of God, higher than the angels and archangels and more honoured than all creatures, you are the help of all injured, hope of the weak , intercessor of the poor, consolation of the sorrowing, feeder of the hungry, clother of the naked, healer of the sick, salvation of sinners and defence of all Christians.

Because of its history, the icon can be dated very precisely. It has been placed in a gilded frame of similar date. however, the original gilding has been replaced more recently.