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From among the holy ones commemorated on the 8th of
June, we especially remember the Icon of the Mother of God of Yaroslavl.
The Yaroslavl Icon of the Mother of God became the first wonderworking Icon revealed
by the Most Pure Theotokos during the Tatar-Mongol yoke. It was brought to Russia (probably from Kiev) almost immediately
after Batu's invasions. In this way, the Icon of the Mother of God visited the Russian land and consoled the Orthodox people
in their sorrow. It is significant that this is an icon of the "Tenderness" type, filled with her maternal care
and concern.1 The Yaroslavl Icon was brought to that city by the holy right-believing Princes Basil and Constantine (July 3), and
the lower church in the temple of the Prophet Elias was consecrated in honor of the wonderworking Yaroslavl Icon of the Mother
of God. In addition to this Icon, there are two more Yaroslavl
Icons: the Yaroslavl-Kazan (June 8) and the Yaroslavl-Caves (see May 14).
1 Similarly,
during the First World War, the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God (March 2) appeared on the very day that Tsar Nicholas II
abdicated in 1917.
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