The Sumorin Totemsk Icon of the Mother of God
Commemorated on January 28
The Sumorin
Totemsk Icon of the Mother of God was glorified by numerous healings at the
Spaso-Sumorinsk monastery of the city of Tot'ma. When the inhabitants of the
city turned to tsar Ivan the Terrible for permission to build a monastery in
their city, the Rostov archbishop Nikandr in the year 1554 bestowed upon the
Monk Theodosii the grammota-grant for building. The hegumen of the Prilutsk
monastery blessed the Monk Theodosii with an icon of the Mother of God for
success at building the new monastery. The icon thereafter received the name
Sumorinsk-Totemsk ("Sumorinsk" derives from the family name of the
Monk Theodosii, and Totemsk from the placename Tot'ma). After the death of the
monk, the wonderworking icon was situated in a kiosk-case in front of the crypt
of the saint at the Ascension church of the monastery.
It is to be noted,
that for many of the sick, the Monk Theodosii has appeared to them holding this
icon in his hands.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.