The feast in honor of “She Who Is Quick to Hear” Icon of the Most Holy Mother of God is the patronal feast in the Kutuzovsky skete of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery. Traditional festive services were celebrated there, and began with the All-Night Vigil service. Archpriest Fr. Alexander Naumov, clergyman of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery, served. Concelebrating him were Kulebaki clergymen Rev. Fr. Artemiy Rabochikh and Rev. Fr. Nikolay Fedotov, headed by the local dean Rev. Fr. Dionisiy Timin.

In the morning, after the paraklesis and the water blessing prayer service, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated there. The clergy, sisters of the monastery and parishioners later walked in a procession around the church. Parishioners from Kulebaky village prayed at the service: they arrived to the Kutuzovskiy skete in a procession bearing the crosses and icons.

The icon called “She Who Is Quick to Hear” became famous on Mount Athos in the 17th century. Because of his foolishness and narrow-mindedness of heart, the steward monk Nil insulted the majesty of the Mother of God. According to tradition, he’d repeatedly walk beside the fresco depicting the Mother of God with its oil lantern covering it in soot. When Nil lost his sight, he dropped to his knees before the icon and prayed all night for the Most Pure Theotokos to grant him forgiveness, until the rest of brethren have arrived. When the monks learned of the miracle, they venerated the miracle-working icon filled with fear, lit an inextinguishable oil lamp before it, and the new steward was told to burn incense and cense around the icon every evening. Neil, hoping for the great mercy of the Mother of God, decided not to leave the icon until he received forgiveness and healing. His diligent prayer has soon been answered. The entrance to the refectory was moved to another location, a chapel was erected around the miraculous image and the condition of the oil lamps has been closely watched.

Since then, the faithful come to venerate this holy icon of the Mother of God Who truly “hears”.