My aunt and uncle threw a going away party for us at their house this past weekend; we were blessed with the company of about fifty friends from family, church, and work. The icon to your right was given to us by a couple from our parish; if you click on the image to enlarge it, you'll see something unique to this icon; below the Theotokos and Child is a glowing, red footprint. A little digging identified this icon as the Theotokos of Pochaev icon. The "IOB" to the right of the Mother of God, then, would obviously be St. Job of Pochaev, but the identity of the monastic on the left eludes me. What I can make out comes out to something like "MBFOLIEH," and I'm guessing that's not it.The only "google-able" Pochaev saint that comes up regularly is Amphilochius, but the lettering on the icon 1) is in Cyrillic, so unless it's simple like "IOB" or close to the Greek I'm pretty much outta luck, and 2) is very tiny and smooshed together.
Any help would be appreciated! I'd like to know whose prayers I'm asking for, here....
7 comments:
It's METhODIE. (Methodius). [The pride-demon told me that]. >:)
What a lovely gift - it is always such an encouragement to be supported like this. I am glad for you.
Lucian,
Thank you. What threw me was that the letter that makes the "th" sound is written like a Greek Φ, and thus all I could hear in my head was the "f" sound. I have much to learn...St. Methodius, pray for me.
Elizabeth,
Yes, we were very blessed. My aunt commented on how, in just seven short years, we have gone from knowing literally no one but them in this city to having over fifty good friends who would come and say goodbye (and no doubt more who couldn't make it). God has been gracious, and we will miss them terribly during the next three years.
A blessing indeed: and what a great visual encouragement and reminder of the love and prayers of those of your parish, as well as the love and prayers and communion of the Saints depicted, to take with you.
It is a beautiful Icon. Holy Theotokos, pray to God for us.
"St. Methodius, Archimandrite of Pochaev" - this is, according to tradition, the founder of the Pochaev Lavra, the first monk who lived at that spot (before there was a monastery). He died in 1228 at the age of 137.
VP
...the letter that makes the "th" sound is written like a Greek Φ, and thus all I could hear in my head was the "f" sound.
The name is actually pronounced transliterated as 'Mefody' from the Slavonic and pronounced the same way: [meh FOH dee].
BTW, I'm just down the street, so to speak, in Manhattan. Chandler (David) Poling, another first year seminarian, can point you my way - during the week, at least.
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