The Seraphim-Diveyevo Tenderness Icon of The Mother of God,
also known as the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos Umileniye, of Tender Feeling-Diveyevo.
Feast Day: July 28th
Troparion – Tone 4: Let all of us, who are burdened with sins, fall on our knees before the Theotokos, bowing before her Wonderworking Icon of Tenderness, kissing it and crying aloud with tears: “O Sovereign Lady, accept the Prayer of your unworthy servants, and grant to us who ask, your great mercy.”
Kontakion – Tone 6: We have no other help, we have no other hope but you, O Lady. Help us, for in you do we hope, and of you do we boast, for we are your servants. Let us not be put to shame.
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“…the Icon of the Virgin of Tenderness… the Staretz named this Icon ‘Joy of all joys’ and he loved to call himself her ‘servant’. He used to sing the Easter Hymns before her: ‘Rise, shine, O new Jerusalem, for the Glory of the Lord has risen upon you…'”
Saint Seraphim would Pray to Our Most Holy Mother of God often saying “Fill my heart with joy, for you have received Joy and can heal all sorrow.”
Below is a photo of the Cell of Saint Seraphim and his most beloved Tenderness Icon of the Mother of God. Saint Seraphim Prayed before this Icon night and day. In 1815, Saint Seraphim left his seclusion and opened the doors of his Cell to all who sought his counsel and preaching. When someone came to him, he would Prayer together with the person a Prayer of Repentance and Blessing, then Saint Seraphim would make the Sign of the Cross on the person’s forehead with the Holy Oil in the lamp that burned in front of his beloved Icon Joy of all joys, and the person would receive healing.
One time when a person received healing he rushed to kiss Saint Seraphim’s feet, but he rebuked him sternly saying: “Is it Seraphim’s job to handle life or death questions? This is solely upon the Lord! Offer your Prayers of thanks to the All-Mighty God and His Ever-Pure Mother.”
When Saint Seraphim received Spiritual Children in his Cell, he would give the chair to his visitor to sit on, and he would sit on the tree stump. Saint Seraphim had seven candleholders burning before the Icon and they took up most of the space in his Cell.
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