“Hearken quickly to our entreaty, O Virgin, in that thou art called ‘She who is quick to hear’ ”
The Holy Church celebrates today the feast of the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God “Quick to Hear.” The house church of the Kutuzovsky skete of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery is consecrated to this holy icon. Hegumenia Sergia, the abbess of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery, arrived to the skete to share the joy of the patronal feast with the sisters residing there.
The Vigil service before the feast and Divine Liturgy, the water blessing prayer service and paraklesis on the feast day were celebrated by Rev. Fr. Anthony (Belov) of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery. At the end of the liturgy, the clergymen, the abbess of the monastery with the sisters and faithful walked in the procession around the church.
The icon of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear” so named by the Holy Virgin Herself testifies to the fact that She hears us in every earthly care, illness, and sorrow. The miracle revealed through this icon took place in the 7th century at the Athonite monastery of Dochiariou.
In 1664, the steward, Nilos, while passing by beside the icon of the Queen of Heaven at night with the torch, heard a voice telling him to stop blackening the Image with soot. The monk thought it was a joke of one of the brethren and paid no attention to the voice. But suddenly he was struck blind.
Repenting bitterly, Nilos fell down to his knees before the icon of the Mother of God seeking forgiveness. Soon, he heard the wondrous voice of the Most Holy Mother of God again: “Since this moment, this icon will be called “Quick to Hear,” as I will quickly show mercy and fulfill the petitions to all who come to Me.”
The Most Holy Mother of God never ceases to intercede before Her Divine Son for the Christian race; our sorrows are close to Her and She quickly responds to prayers of sorrowful and suffering hearts. So today, as we gaze at the main icon of this church lovingly decorated with flowers we appeal: “You appeared as Merciful, Bountiful and Quick to Hear, O Sovereign Lady, to us who call on Your Divine grace every time we need Your help: let us lay all the hopes of our souls on You, the Most Merciful One, and rely on Your providence so that You can vouchsafe us worthy to receive future glory and eternal life.”