Moscow. June 27. INTERFAX—The Wonderworking Port Arthur icon of the Theotokos, "Feast of the Most Holy Theotokos" will be brought to Moscow at the beginning of July.
With the blessings of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and Metropolitan Herman of All America and Canada, will be available for veneration July 1-21 at St. Catherine the Great Martyr in-the-fields temple.
"Interfax" was informed on Tuesday at the Moscow Representation of the OCA, that this icon is an exact copy of the Port Arthur icon of the Theotokos, which 100 years ago appeared to a Russian sailor, a hero of the battle of Sevastopol.
The copy of the wonder-working image was painted especially for the Port Arthur naval base during the Russo-Japanese war. However, the icon never reach the Russian soldiers, and later all traces of it disappeared.
Nothing was known about the Port-Arthur icon for a long time, until it was found in an antique shop in Jerusalem in 1988. Representatives of the Russian Church redeemed the icon, and since then the image has visited many Russian cities and monasteries, including the Solovki islands, Valaam, and Diveyevo.
At present, the construction of a temple honouring the Port-Arthur icon is under discussion.
Interfax was told that while the icon was in the Arkhangelsk diocese, many faithful testified to the abundant help resulting from prayers near the image and the frequent cases of healing.
By tradition, the Port-Arthur icon, "Feast of the Theotokos", is the protector of the Russian military fleet.
A festive welcoming ceremony will take place on July 1 at 5:00 pm in the temple of St. Catherine in-the-fields.