This Icon is a Special Source of Abundant Divine Grace

The following is an episode from the life of Saint Josaph (Gorlenko), Bishop of Bielgorod (d. 1754):

During his pastoral visit to Isioum, the bishop noticed a large icon of the Most Blessed Virgin stored inside in a room near the church that he was visiting. It was being used as a screen to cover up some bits of coal. He contemplated the icon for a long time, then fell to his knees and said in a loud voice: "Queen of Heaven! Forgive the negligence of your servants, they do not know what they are doing."

He reproached the priest for his lack of respect for sacred objects and demanded that the icon be placed inside the church, in a visible location. "This icon," he said, "is a special source of abundant divine grace. In it the most Blessed Queen manifests her intercession on behalf of the town and the whole country."

Each morning and evening, the bishop came to pray before the image. He sometimes said that he had seen it before in a dream and heard the words: "Behold what the servants of that temple did with my image, destined to be a source of grace for the country: they threw it away with the sweepings!"