Celebration: February 18
For a long time, the people believed in the almighty help of the Most Holy Theotokos and turned to Her as “The Recovery of the lost.” This name became for him the last hope for those who were on the verge of death. The origin of the image “Recovery of the dead” remains a mystery, there is practically no historical information about it. There are several miraculous icons, so called, through which the Mother of God showed Her mercy to people who were already in critical situations. In the 17th century, in the village of Bor, Kaluga province, a miracle occurred associated with the image of “Recovery of the dead”. The pious peasant Fedot Obukhov, returning during the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, encountered a strong storm and stopped at an impassable ravine. He was literally on the verge of death, but at that moment he appealed to the Queen of Heaven, promising to create an icon “Recovery of the lost” for his church. A miracle happened: a peasant passing by a house in a nearby village heard a voice calling to him and found Obukhov, who was on the verge of freezing. Obukhov was saved and immediately fulfilled his promise by ordering an icon from St. George’s Church in Bolkhov, Oryol province. Since then, the icon “Recovery of the dead” has become famous for numerous miracles. At various times, other icons of “Recovery of the Dead” were found, such as from the village of Malizhina in Kharkiv province in 1770, which saved residents from cholera, and from the village of Krasnoe in Chernihiv province. Icons from Voronezh and Kozlov, Tambov Province, are also known. It is important to note the icon of the Mother of God “Recovery of the lost”, located in the Church of the “Resurrection of the Word” in Moscow. The transfer about this icon is remarkable: the last owner found himself in a difficult situation after being widowed and gave the icon to the church after it saved him from despair and improved the lives of his orphaned daughters. During the French invasion of Moscow in 1812, the church was looted and the icon was broken into three parts. However, when it was acquired, many miraculous healings occurred. The icon “Recovery of the lost” became an appeal for brides who want a blessed marriage, as well as for those who suffered from drunkenness, need and suffered from diseases. Her prayer message includes the words: “Seek us who are perishing. Most Holy Virgin, do not punish us for our sins, but have mercy on us out of love for mankind: deliver us from hell, sickness, and want, and save us.”
