The miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Quick To Hear" is one of the most ancient icons of the Mother of God. The prototype of the icon is located in the Dochariou monastery Mount Athos. The history of this icon goes back over a thousand years. According to legend, it was written in the 10th century with the blessing of the founder of the Dochariou monastery, Monk Neophyte.
The icon Quick to Hear itself is not painted on the wall. This is a fresco painted in the niche of the outer wall in front of the entrance to the refectory. It is believed that the icon is a copy of the revered image of the Mother of God, located in the city of Alexandria. But there is also a miraculous copy of it, which is taken out for the procession. The icon received its name, now known to the entire Orthodox world, later - in the 17th century, when a miracle occurred from it, which is narrated in the monastery legend.
In 1664, the monk Nile, passing at night into the refectory with a lit torch, heard from the image of the Virgin, hanging over the door, a voice urging him not to go here again and not to smoke the icon. The monk thought that this was a joke of some brother, ignored the sign and continued to go to the refectory with a smoking torch. Suddenly he is blinded. In bitter repentance, Nil prayed before the icon of the Mother of God, begging for forgiveness. And again he heard a wonderful voice, announcing forgiveness and the return of sight and ordering to announce to all the brethren: "From now on, this icon will be called Quick to Hear, because I will soon show mercy and the fulfillment of petitions to all who flow to her." The Most Holy Theotokos has fulfilled and is now fulfilling Her promise - she shows first aid and consolation to all who flow to Her with faith.
In front of the icon of the Mother of God "Quick to Hear" they pray for spiritual insight, when a person is at a loss and does not know what to do, in all cases when especially quick and effective help is needed in Her prayer to the Son. Also, the Mother of God, through her icon "Quick to Hear", grants help in curing various diseases, before her they offer a prayer for children and for help in childbirth - for the birth of a healthy child.
Prayer before the "Quick to Hear" Icon
O Holy Virgin, Mother of the Most High God, quick to intercede for all who come to You in faith. Look up from the heights of your heavenly majesty upon me, despised one, who struggles before your icon, hear soon my humble and sinful prayer and offer it to your Son: beseech Him, that He would illumine my troubled soul with the light of His divine grace and purify my mind from vain thoughts; that He would calm my suffering heart and heal its wounds, may it instruct me in good deeds and strengthen me to work with fear, may it forgive all the evil I have done, that He would free me from eternal torment and not deprive me of His heavenly kingdom. O Most Blessed Theotokos: You have deigned to be called in Your image, the Quick Hearing One, commanding everyone to come to You in faith: do not look down on me mournful and do not let me perish in the abyss of my sins.
In Thee is my whole hope and hope of salvation, and to Thy protection and intercession I commit myself for ever. Amen.
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