House Church of the Icon of the Mother of God «Quick to Hear»
The house Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Skoroposlushnitsa” is located at 42A Lazenka 7th St., p. 4. The Icon of the Mother of God “The Quick-Hearer” (Greek: γοργοεπήκοο-“Gorgoepikoos”) is a revered miraculous image that was painted on Mount Athos and is now kept in the Dohiar Monastery. The icon is celebrated on November 9 (22), but in the monastery itself this day has been celebrated since 1919 on October 1 (14). The icon belongs to the type of Odigitria, in which the Mother of God holds a Baby on her left arm, blessing with her right hand. The Infant of God holds a scroll in his left hand. One of the distinctive features of the image is that the baby’s right heel is facing the worshippers. Later, on some icons, the Mother of God is depicted wearing a crown. The original Athos icon is an almost full-fledged image of the Virgin and Child, unlike later versions, for example, the St. Petersburg one. The icon is located in the Dohiara Monastery on Mount Athos, where it was painted, probably in 1563. The iconographic composition is located on the outside of the eastern wall of the refectory of the monastery, to the right of the entrance. After a while, the passage to the refectory was closed, and a chapel was built in front of the icon. The image was painted on the outside of the eastern wall of the monastery refectory, and its miraculous property was confirmed in 1664, when Monk Neil, who served as a refectory attendant, became blind because he had blackened the icon. He accidentally left the lamp so that soot covered the face of the Virgin. After that, Neil heard a voice that forbade him to smoke the image. However, the monk, not believing that this was the instruction of the Virgin, left the lamp again. As a result, he was blinded. Neil realized his mistake and on the same day fell on his knees in front of the icon, begging for forgiveness. After prolonged prayers, the Mother of God heard his requests and healed him of his blindness. With her blessing, the icon was named “Skoroposlushnitsa”, which means “hearing quickly”, since all appeals to her received a quick response. The news of the miracle spread quickly, and since then, the monastery has begun to establish a special veneration for this image. Prayer in front of the icon of the Mother of God “Skoroposlushnitsa” is considered miraculous: many people were cured of blindness, and the lame began to walk. In addition, the image helps to save people in difficult situations such as shipwrecks and captivity.
Address: Moscow, 7-ya Lazenki str., 42A, building 4
