Icon of the Mother of God of Volokolamsk

Commemorated on March 3

The Volokolamsk Icon of the Mother of God is a copy of the Vladimir Icon at the Dormition Cathedral in Moscow, Russia. The icon was brought from Zvenigorod to the Dormition Monastery of St. Joseph of Volokolamsk on March 2, 1572, during the second week of Great Lent and was solemnly met by Abbot Leonid and the monastic brethren.

It is distinguished by its particular depictions of St. Cyprian (right) and St. Gerontius (left), Metropolitans of Moscow, on the margins. Metropolitan Cyprian was present at the first arrival of the ancient Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God from Constantinople to Moscow in 1395. In 1480, under Metropolitan Gerontius, the Vladimir Icon finally came to Moscow.

In 1588, the Volokolamsk Icon was dedicated at the south gates of the St. Joseph of Volokolamsk Monastery in honor of the Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos.

At the end of the 17th century, when a church of the same name was built in Moscow, the gates of St. Joseph of Volokolamsk were rededicated in honor of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. The Volokolamsk Icon was transferred to its proper place on the iconostasis of the new Cathedral of the Dormition at the St. Joseph of Volokoamsk Monastery.

The icon was ultimately recognized as wonderworking.

By permission of the Orthodox Church in America (www.oca.org)