Day of the Kikka Icon of the Mother of God
Description:
Despite numerous attacks on the ship, the image reached the shores of Constantinople and was stored there in the royal palaces until the XII century, after which it was solemnly transported to the island.
The events that preceded it were truly unique. One day, the ruler of the island, Manuel Vutomitis, was hunting in the mountains and lost his way. He met the elder Isaiah, who, not wanting to be recognized, tried to leave. Manuel became angry with Isaiah and severely beat him, after which he was punished with paralysis. He sincerely repented and asked the elder to pray to God for his forgiveness.
In one of the visions, the elder was told that the work of transferring the image of the Mother of God to Cyprus could save the ruler, which he hastened to do. Manuel left the elder money to build a temple in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, and went on his way.
At Constantinople, Manuel hesitated to tell the emperor about the vision of the elder for a long time. Having once seen the Emperor Alexei Comnenus in inconsolable grief, he considered it necessary at this moment to announce the icon.
The illness of the emperor’s daughter resembled Manuel’s disease. He spoke of what had happened to him on the island, of the terrible ailments he suffered after his sin, and of the salvation that could be given to his daughter after the emperor had handed over the image of the Mother of God he had kept.
Alexei Komnin did not want to part with the image. He made a list of the icon and asked Manuel to choose one of the two. The emperor’s daughter fell ill again, and Alexei Komnin no longer cunning. According to legend, stored in the monastery of Kikkos, Isaiah himself sailed to Constantinople. The day before in a dream, the Mother of God appeared to him and said, “The icon on which the bee will sit is the original.” Since then, the bee has decorated the coat of arms of the Cypriot monastery.
As soon as the ship miraculously landed on the shores of Cyprus, not only believers, but also trees, the flowers bowed their heads before the Lady. A temple was erected for her, which marked the beginning of the life of the Kykkk monastery.
Until now, people resort to the help of this icon, are healed from infertility, female diseases, through prayers to the Kikk image, rain falls on the ground in dry weather.
The faces of the Mother of God and the Child of God on the icon “Merciful-Kikskaya” according to the custom established in ancient times are closed from the eyes of people with a dense cover that is never removed. Even when the monks change the veil according to dilapidation, they take the image out of the temple, lifting and turning it to the sky. Anyone who dares to open the veil can go blind. Cyprus to tradition.