Icon of the Mother of God of Molcha

There are, in fact, two wonderworking Icons called Molcha. One of them is located in the Molcha Sophroniev Nativity of the Theotokos men's Monastery. The other is in the women's Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos at Molcha. Both monasteries are located in the Putivl Konotop Diocese, in Ukraine (formerly Kursk province).

Tradition says that in the early XIV century, two monks moved into this area from the Tatar-ravaged city of Kiev. They settled in a cave on Wondrous Mountain not far from the Molcha swamp. These monks brought with them an Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, before which they prayed. When the hermits departed to the Lord, they were gradually forgotten, and the place where they had lived became overgrown with dense forests.

On September 18, 1405, a beekeeper who was searching for wild bees in the forest, saw the Icon of the Theotokos in a linden tree, surrounded by a bright light, and he heard a voice say: "Let a church be built in this place, and dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos."

The beekeeper hastened to Putivl with news of this unusual phenomenon. The clergy and many of the people went at once to the specified place, and they all saw the Icon shining with a wondrous radiance. A Moleben was served before it, and many people received healing from their various illnesses. Subsequently, the Molcha Nativity of the Theotokos men's Monastery was built on this site.

In 1605 the Monastery was plundered by the Poles, so the Igoumen and the brethren were forced to leave their ruined cloister and the Icon was transferred to the city's Putivl Monastery on April 24, 1605. Since the monks had brought the Molcha Icon with them, the Putivl Monastery was also called Molcha.

In 1653, the Nativity of the Theotokos Monastery was restored through the efforts of a certain builder named Sophronios, that is why the Monastery received yet another name - Sophroniev.

The wonderworking Icon was destroyed in a fire at the Monastery in 1752, but fortunately several ancient copies of the Icon were preserved, which were also renowned for their many miracles.

During the Soviet era, the monastery was destroyed and the Icon was believed to be lost. Both Molcha Monasteries were restored in the nineteen-nineties. A lost Icon was also found. It turned out that the Icon had been hidden by the residents in order to save it from being desecrated. On May 7, 1995 there was a Cross Procession to transfer the Icon to the Transfiguration of the Savior Cathedral of the Molcha Putivl Monastery.

There is also a wonderworking copy of the Molcha Icon of the Mother of God, which appeared in the village of Businovo near Moscow. Currently, this Molcha Icon of the Theotokos is located in the temple of Saint Sergius of Radonezh in Businov. According to Tradition, the Icon was brought to the temple in the XIX century by a blind girl who lived in the village of Businovo