Thursday, November 24, marked the 40th anniversary of the appearance of the myrrh-streaming Montreal Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, in the home of its guardian, José Muñoz-Cortés. It is also the patronal feast day of one of the newer diocesan monastic communities, the Iveron Mother of God Monastery in Mohawk, NY.

On Thursday morning, Priest Dmitri Don (cleric of nearby Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville) celebrated Divine Liturgy for the feast, co-served by Priest Stephen Kaznica (rector of Sts. Peter & Paul Cathedral in Passaic, NJ.

The service was held in the presence of a copy of the Montreal Icon painted at Optina Hermitage on a board that had belonged to Brother José. During a visit to Optina, Archpriest Victor Potapov (rector of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC) and those with him witnessed that the icon was streaming myrrh, and it was given to him to bring back to the United States. Later, Fr. Victor would present the icon to Iveron Mother of God Monastery, where it resides today. Throughout the service, the icon emitted a beautiful fragrance, as do many of Brother José’s personal possessions.

After Liturgy, a festal meal was prepared for the clergy and faithful by the monastery sisterhood.

If you would like to acquaint yourself wih the work of the Iveron Monastery, visit their website: here: www.iveronmonastery.org.