Feast Day - Sunshine - Icon of the Virgin of Tenderness

I mentioned earlier that I am re-reading a book

on St. Seraphim of Sarov;

I read this footnote about the icon of the Mother of God

that St. Seraphim loved

and it made me wonder:

"The Virgin Mary is represented at the moment of

uttering her Fiat; with lowered eyes she is

very humbly listening to the archangel's words.

We know that Father Seraphim was never

separated from this icon and that he died

kneeling in prayer before it*."

*

We had liturgy today for

the Entrance of the Lord into the Temple

and afterwards I asked my spiritual father

about this icon

(I had just made and framed another one)

and he said that this icon is either

the exact one that St. Seraphim had or

"a close cousin."

*

I was overjoyed to hear this!

How special**!

I have a copy that I can see from where I am typing this,

such a gift!

*

Here's another quote from the book:

"...the icon of the Virgin of Tenderness...the Staretz named

this icon 'Joy of all joys' and he loved to call himself

her 'servant'.

He used to sing the Easter hymns before her:

'Rise, shine, O new Jerusalem,

for the glory of the Lord has risen upon you...' ***

*

This week,

being

Eat Anything Week

is a really special week.

I know at one monastery the nuns,

this week,

get to rest in their rooms and be quiet;

a refreshment before the start of Lent.

*

I am seeking to keep this in mind

as I go through this week;

I find reading again of the life of St. Seraphim

to be really refreshing.

*

And I am letting myself have a few

chocolate chip cookies

(homemade with butter)

and am soon to prepare a beef roast for the slow cooker.

*

May St. Seraphim and the Mother of God's prayers

protect us as we go towards another

Lenten Journey...

*

*page 24 footnote 1

**Thanks again to Jodie Anna who has this icon on her blog

and is where I first saw it

***page 49, in the paragraph under the heading

"The Dower of the Queen of Heaven"