Kursk Root Icon

Last Saturday we went to the vigil at St. Vladimir's where the Kursk Root Icon was staying overnight before moving on to visit other churches in the area. We had the opportunity to venerate the wonder-working icon. This was our first time to be able to come before the icon and also our first time visiting a Russian Orthodox parish. It was a very nice experience. The little church was full of people, from the very young to the very old. The littlest ones were so sweet, to watch them humbly and innocently bow down before the icon of the Mother of God. Older people too shuffled their way up the line to venerate the icon. One older woman could not bend to kiss the icon so two men came over and lifted the icon up to her. There was such a wonderful sense of community and one-ness in love.