Feast Day: June 28th
About the Icon of the Mother of God Of the Three Hands: During the time of the Iconoclasts, Saint John of Damascus was zealous in his Veneration of Holy Icons. Because of this, he was slandered by the emperor and iconoclast Leo III the Isaurian, who informed the Damascus caliph that Saint John was committing treasonous acts against him. The caliph gave orders to cut off the hand of the Monk and take it to the marketplace. Towards evening Saint John, having asked the caliph for the cut-off hand, put it to its joint and fell to the ground before the Icon of the Mother of God. The Monk begged Our Lady to heal the hand, which had written in defense of Orthodoxy. After long Prayer he fell asleep and saw in a dream that the All-Pure Mother of God had turned to him promising him quick healing… Having awakened from sleep, Saint John saw that his hand was unharmed. In thankfulness for this healing Saint John placed on the Icon a hand fashioned of silver, from which the Icon received its name “Of Three Hands.”… Saint John wrote a hymn of thanksgiving to the Mother of God: “All of creation rejoices in You, O Full of Grace,” which appears in place of the Hymn “It is Truly Meet” in the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great…
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Prayers
Troparion – Tone 4: From Palestine, the Godly-minded Savva brought your Divine Icon to us, O Holy Bride of God, known as the Icon “Of the Three Hands.” Wherefore, since the Monastery of Hilandar has acquired it as their boast, they Hymn you, O Theotokos, crying out in exultation: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.
Kontakion – Tone 8: Come, let us venerate the most revered Icon of “Of the Three Hands” with faith and piety. O Maiden, preserve your Monastery from all misfortunes and adversities, and also those who cry to you; “Hail, defender of all.”
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Saint Sabbas of Serbia receiving the staff and icon of Of the Three Hands at the Lavra of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified
