The festivities dedicated to the “Tenderness” miracle-working icon of the Most Holy Mother of God began in the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery.”

“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,” – these words, special to every believing heart, from the troparion to the “Tenderness” Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God resound warm-heartedly and with love towards the Mother of God on this day in the holy Diveyevo monastery. The Queen of Heaven, the Superior Hegumenia of Diveyevo, has graciously gathered today in Her fourth lot a great multitude of clergy, monastics and laity; to all who appeal and tearfully cry out to Her, the Most Pure Virgin deigns to “give the tenderness of spirit and the compunction of the heart.”

The major events on the eve of the feast were held in the monastery’s Trinity Cathedral, whose right side chapel is dedicated to the celebrated icon of the Mother of God. Metropolitan Georgiy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas presided at the festive cycle of evening services, the Lesser Vespers with the reading of the akathist to the “Tenderness” Icon of the Mother of God and the All-night Vigil. Concelebrating His Eminence were Bishop Innocent of Sormovo, Vicar of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese, and Bishop Gideon of Makarov, the Vicar of the Kiev Diocese.

The “Tenderness” Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, or “Joy of All Joys,” as it was called by the Venerable Seraphim, was his cell icon. The elder used to anoint the sick with the oil from the lamp burning before it. He lifted his heartfelt prayers of thanksgiving and deep-held laments before this icon of the Most Pure Virgin and, kneeling before it in prayer, he departed unto the Lord in the heavenly mansions.

Shortly before his death, Batiushka Seraphim, pointing to the “Tenderness” icon, told the sisters of Diveyevo who visited him in the Sarov monastery: “When I die, no one will be able to replace me… I entrust and leave you in the care of this Queen of Heaven.”

Every once in a while, one can observe how wonderfully the icon of the Most Pure Virgin shines in the rays of the setting sun inside the Trinity Cathedral of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery: the face of the Most Pure Virgin looks as if alive, its colors looking warm and tender, while the icon decorations can hardly be distinguished from real precious stones. An endless stream of worshippers flocks to this kind Intercessor, with everyone finding in Her the Helper in sorrows and trials and our good Comforter, the Healer of our souls and bodies, Who soothes the hardened hearts and restores faith and piety.

At the end of the All-Night Vigil, Metropolitan Georgiy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas congratulated all who prayed on the remembrance day of the “Tenderness” Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God. His Eminence the Vladyka reminded that Venerable Seraphim prayed in his monastic cell before this icon and was repeatedly vouchsafed to be worthy of speaking with the Queen of Heaven.

Metropolitan Georgiy emphasized that Diveyevo is the fourth and the last lot of the Most Holy Mother of God in the universe, that’s why we particularly give honors to our Sovereign Lady.

We cannot count all the instances of the grace-filled help from the Queen of Heaven to the Russian people who are used to live through the severe trials, need, strife, and sorrow. So today, together with our pious ancestors, we turn to the Most Pure Virgin and exclaim: “We have no other help, we have no other hope but you, O Lady.” “The Most Holy Mother of God, help us! The Most Holy Mother of God, save us!”