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As the sages of the East used to say, one would be cursed to live in a time of abrupt change. Saint Sergius of Radonezh lived in one of Russia's most troubled periods and left us some valuable insights that have survived his day.
The birth of the Holy Theotokos is very special. She bore and brought into the world our Saviour, son of man and son of God. Through her, humanity reestablished the intimate connection to Him in the flesh and blood.
On August 26, the Belarusian Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Minsk Icon of the Mother of God. The image was discovered in the river which flows through Minsk. The icon is safely located today in the Holy Spirit Cathedral.
One night in 1500, an ethereal glow appeared on the tranquil waters of the Svisloch River. There, floating serenely on the river's surface, was an icon of the Mother of God, its light ascending heavenwards.