August 16 is a special date for the Orthodox. On this day, in 944, the miraculous Image of Jesus Christ was transferred from Odessa to Constantinople.
Bread, Canvas, Walnut
This holiday has many names. But for the Orthodox, this day is notable for the fact that it is on August 16 (according to the old style - August 29) that one of the main holidays is celebrated. And not by chance. In 994, there was a historical transfer of the Miraculous Image of Jesus Christ to Constantinople.
According to one of the biblical legends, the king Avgar, who ruled during the time of the Savior in Edessa, had leprosy, believed in the Lord and turned to the Master for healing. As a retribution for the service, the king instructed the court artist Ananias to paint a portrait of the Savior. Ananias went to Jerusalem, but could not approach Jesus surrounded by people. Then he went up to the nearest hill and set to work. But no matter how hard the painter tried, he did not succeed. Soon, the Lord himself called Ananias, listened, and promised to send his disciple to his ruler. And then he asked that they bring him water and a towel (ubrus).
Having washed, the Lord wiped his face with a hide, on which His divine face was imprinted. This canvas with the Miraculous Image of Christ, along with the letter of Ananias, was taken to his master. And only he applied ubrus to his face, as there was almost no trace of the disease. Healing canvas with the face of the Savior and the words "Christ God, everyone trusting in you, will not be ashamed" Hagar, who was baptized, set over the city gates. Thus, the ruler made it possible for all his inhabitants to turn to God.
In 944, Konstantin Bagryanorodny, who redeemed the holy face of Christ, transferred with great honors the Image of the Savior and the letter that Master addressed to Avgar, in Constantinople - the capital of Orthodoxy. Ubrus with the Miraculous Image was placed in the Pharos Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
There are several legends about further "travels" of the holy canvas. According to one of them, the Crusaders stole the Miraculous Image in the 13th century. Another legend says that the canvas with the face of Christ circa 1362 was transferred to Genoa. It is also known that the Image was printed several times, leaving its exact copies. One of them remained "on ceramics" when Ananias returned to Edessa, the other appeared on a cloak and came to Georgia.
In honor of the holy Image of the Savior, in Pskov there is a temple in the name of the Not-Made Image of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, the festival of the Transference is celebrated in all Orthodox churches. It coincides with the rank of Shroud Burial.
On this day, festive services, prayers and consecration of nuts are held in all holy cloisters, as the festival is celebrated on the Assumption, or the third (Nut) Savior. And the Icon of the Miraculous Image of Jesus Christ in the Orthodox world is considered the most common.
