September 4
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Georgian Mother of God, Arkhangelsk, RussiaWhen Shah Abbas of Persia conquered Georgia in 1622, he sold off many church treasures. A Russian merchant named Stephen bought this icon for his private devotion. Meanwhile, in Yaroslavl, on the Volga 150 miles northeast of Moscow, his employer, George Lytkin, dreamed of receiving a divine mission to take an icon to a new monastery in Arkhangelsk. When Stephen returned to Yaroslavl in 1629, he showed his purchase to George, who recognized the image of his dream. George took the icon far north to Krasnogorsky Monastery, where it worked many miracles. In 1654, it visited Moscow during an epidemic of bubonic plague, from which those who prayed before it were spared. In 1658, the Russian Orthodox Church designated August 22 (Sepember 4 in the modern calendar) as a feast day in celebration of the Georgian, or Gruzinskaya, Icon of the Mother of God. The Soviet regime used the Krasnogorsky Monastery as a prison and mental hospital. It is now a ruin. The original icon has disappeared but is known from copies. (Information from Orthodox Church in America, oca.org; image from www.aquarium.ru/misc/icons/030_gruzin.html) |
Also celebrated this date:
 | Notre-Dame de Foy, Amiens, Somme, Picardy, France. Confraternity established, 1629, now defunct. Miraculous statue in Cathedral. |
| Madonna Assunta, Carpi, Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. Cathedral dedicated, 1791. Festa Aug. 15. |
| Madonna del Voto, Siena, Tuscany, Italy. Victory, 1260. |
| Madonna dell'Oriente, Tagliacozzo, L'Aquila, Abruzzo, Italy. Painting crowned, 1793. Festa first Sunday in Sept. |
| Nostra Signora di Corte, Sindia, Nuoro, Sardinia, Italy. Statue crowned, 1948; new statue crowned, 1998. Festa Sept. 8. |
| Madonna della Misericordia, Spilinga, Reggio Calabria, Calabria, Italy. Church consecrated, 1932. |
| Trakų Dievo Motinos, Trakai, Vilnius, Lithuania (Mother of God of Trakai). Icon crowned, 1718. |
| Marija Bambina, Senglea, Malta. Statue crowned, 1921. Church of the Nativity of Our Lady dedicated 1580; Immaculate Conception statue, venerated as Madonna tal-Vitorja (Our Lady of Victories) or Il-Bambina, found at sea in 1618. Patronal festa Sept. 8. |
| Królowa Kaszub, Sianowo, Kartuzy, Pomorskie, Poland (Queen of Kashubia). Statue crowned, 1966; pilgrimages July 2 & Sept. 8. |
| Królowa Aniolów, Skalmierzyce, Nowe Skalmierzyce, Ostrów Wielkopolski, Poland (Queen of Angels). Icon crowned, 1966. |
| Nuestra Señora de la Consolación, Yuso, Santillana del Mar, Occidente, Cantabria, Spain |
| Nuestra Señora de los Santos, Alcalá de los Gazules, Cádiz, Andalucia, Spain. Statue crowned, 1994. Romería Sun. before Sept. 12. |
| Mother of God of Prusa, Bursa, Bursa, Turkey (Aug. 22 Julian calendar) |
| Our Lady of the Angels, Los Angeles, California, USA (usually celebrated on nearest Saturday) |