Icon of the Mother of God of Pozhai

The Pozhai Dormition Monastery was founded in the XVII century on the banks of the Neman River. Its precious shrine was a wonderworking Icon of the Mother of God called Pozhai. It is of very ancient origin and was sent from Rome by Pope Alexander VII as a sign of special favor to the founder of the Pozhai Monastery, Christopher Sigismund Pac, the Chancellor of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1661.The holy Icon was placed behind the left kliros in the Dormition Cathedral, built in 1662-1674, in a gilded oval frame.

The Icon was painted on an oval-shaped canvas by an unknown artist. Some believe that the image may have been painted by two masters: First, the Mother of God with her Child; and second, with a wreath of colorful and magnificent flowers. On the face of the Most Holy Theotokos is an expression of mercy and love for the suffering and sorrowful, who with faith resort to her grace-filled help and intercession.

In 1830, the Monastery and the Pozhai Icon which was located there, was given to the Orthodox and remained under the jurisdiction of the Orthodox Church until 1914. The Pozhai Dormition Monastery was founded there, and the church was rebuilt in 1839, and consecrated in 1840. In 1898, a gilded silver oklad was made for the holy Icon, and the image, which had been damaged by time, was restored.

In 1893, the city of Kovno, not far from where the Monastery is located, was threatened by cholera. The frightened people fled into the forest, and those who remained prayed to the Most Holy Theotokos, their Heavenly Protectress. The Mother of God did not abandon those who suffered and hoped for her all-powerful intercession – and so the terrible illness ceased. About that time, in remembrance of this event, a copy of the miraculous Pozhai Icon was painted. This copy was kept in the Annunciation Cathedral in Kaunas. An inscription appears at the bottom of the Icon: "This image was built by the parish guardianship in remembrance of the deliverance of the parish from cholera in 1893."

At all times, even when the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was in the possession of the Orthodox, Roman Catholics constantly visited the Monastery to pray before the Icon.

In Soviet times, the Pozhai Monastery was closed. There was a camp site and a psychiatric hospital. The Icon was received by the Kaunas Archdiocese. In 2000, it was solemnly transferred to the restored Pozhai Monastery.