October 28 is the feast of the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God “The Multiplier of Wheat.” The church at the Arkhangelsky skete of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery was consecrated to this holy icon of the Mother of God. Since the vast fields surrounding the skete are mostly used for harvesting grains, such as wheat, rye, barley, and oats, its church was dedicated to this icon.

A Vigil, paraklesis with the water blessing prayer service, and the Divine Liturgy were served at the church on its feast day. Hegumenia Sergiya attended the services.

The icon of the Mother of God “The Multiplier of Wheat” was painted with the blessing of Venerable Ambrosius of Optyna. Elder Ambrosius blessed the Shamordino monastic community for women located not far from the Optina Pustyn monastery with this icon.

The Mother of God is depicted sitting upon the clouds with Her hands outstretched in blessing the harvested fields full of sheaves of grains and flowers. Elder Ambrosius singled out the date of October 15/28 as its feast day and named the icon noting that the Most Holy Mother of God is the Helper of people laboring to earn their daily bread.

The first time the lovingkindness has shone forth from the icon “The Multiplier of Wheat” was when the plentiful harvest of 1892 had been gathered on the fields around Shamordino and nearby Kaluga while the rest of Russia experienced famine.