Thread by @Kaleb_Atlanta

☦️ Thread

Orthodox Marian Apparitions

Throughout the history of Christianity, the Saints have appeared to the faithful in many ways, both obvious and not. Below I shall include examples of the Mother of God appearing to Christians all over the world.

Much of this thread is being taken almost verbatim from @/percy_gryce. This thread will remain a good reference for Orthodox Christians and will provide more examples from before and after the schism of the latins.

In the 4th Century, the Mother of God appeared as light to two distressed sailors who thence built her a shrine at Theoprosopon in Lebanon, where a monastery guards a later appearing miraculous icon. She is called "Our Lady of Nourieh" or "Our Lady of Light."

She spoke to the future Emperor Leo I, in 450 AD, to direct him to a miraculous spring, which eventually became the site of a Church and gave rise to her epithet, "Our Lady of the Life-Giving Spring," or "Our Lady of the Font."

Commemorated annually on Bright Friday.

She appeared to Saint Andrew of Constantinople, his disciple Saint Epiphanius, and a group of people at the Church of Blachernae in Constantinople in 935 AD, protecting them from enemies visible and invisible.

The Holy Protection of the Mother of God is commemorated October 1st

She appeared to Saint Gabriel of Iveron Monastery on Mount Athos in 1003 AD, with regard to the icon of her that traveled miraculously to the Holy Mountain, which is commemorated on February 12th.

She appeared to Saint Justinian in 546 AD during a campaign against the Persians. He was out hunting and saw a beautiful gazelle, which he chased to kill. When he climbed a mountain in pursuit, she appeared surrounded by radiance, instructing him to build a monastery there.

The monastery which Saint Justinian built was the "Our Lady of Saidnaya" Monastery. Saint Justinian also established the Feast of of the Nativity of the Mother of God on September 8th to honor her.

She appeared to Saint Andrew Bogoliubsky, Grand Prince of Vladimir-Suzdal, in 1155 AD, to request her icon be honored in Vladimir, said icon of which, "Bogoliubov," is now commemorated on June 18.

She appeared to Saint Pelagia of Tinos in 1822 AD to direct her to recover a lost icon of the Mother of God, which is now housed in a Church on Tinos.

She appeared to the monks of Saint Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos who were distributing alms, in 1903 AD. This event was actually photographed. The icon is now commemorated on August 21st as the Light-Painted image of the Most Holy Mother of God.

She appeared to Saint Sergius of Radonezh as he and his cell-mate, Saint Micah, were praying an Akathist, and she promised them that she would protect the monastery and abundantly provide for it. The appearance is commemorated on August 24th.

In 1903, she appeared to an old sailor, Theodore Kantansky. He was awoken by a strange noise which turned out to be the Mother of God surrounded by the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. She held the image of Christ Not-Made-By-Hands and the Lord of Sabaoth was seen overhead.

The old man was seized by fear, but the Mother of God clamed him saying that Russia would soon be involved in a war in the far east. She told him to write an icon depicting exactly what he saw before him, and that if he brought that icon to Port Arthur, Orthodoxy would triumph.

Within two months, the icon's story was spread all over Russia. When the Russo-Japanese war broke out at Port Arthur, Russians remembered the icon and raised money to have the icon brought to the Port. The icon was not brought due to one Admiral's slow movement in transporting it

This Admiral, rather, kept the icon as a decorative piece in his apartment. A different Admiral was given charge over the icon by Dowager Empress Maria, yet he also wasted time sorting out domestic affairs, and did not make it to Port Arthur, causing Russia to lose the war.

The Port Arthur icon, otherwise known as the "Triumph of the Holy Mother of God," is commemorated on August 16th.

In 1675 AD, the Turks attempted to seize Pochaev Monastery. The Abbot instructed the monks to seek the intercessions of the Mother of God. As the Turks approached, the Mother of God appeared in the sky with an army of angels, causing the Turks to panic and destroy themselves.

The Pochaev icon of the Mother of God is commemorated both on July 23rd and on Bright Friday.

In 1914, the Mother of God appeared to a group of Russian Troops shortly before victory in Augustow, Poland. This is also depicted in the Russian Military Cathedral. The Augustov icon of the Mother of God is commemorated on September 1st.

The Tikhvin icon of the Mother of God had appeared in clouds in Tikhvina River where a Church was built for it in 1383. It was written by the Apostle Luke and had traveled a great distance around the world for the faithful. It healed the blind and survived many fires

The Mother of God "Sfătuitoarea," or "The Counselor," who appeared, alongside Saint Nicholas of Myra, to the parish priest George in 1383 in order to instruct him to replace a metal Cross on a newly built Church with a wooden one.

The priest related this miracle to his parishioners, who did not believe him. As the workers went to affix the iron Cross, a gust of wind blew them off the Church and carefully placed them down on the ground. After seeing this sign, the people believed and placed a wooden Cross.

She appeared to Saint John Koukouzelis while he was chanting an all night vigil. Saint John was an immensely talented chanter, and his gifts had recently been recognized while he lived as a monk on Mount Athos. Some time after he began his chanting, the Mother of God appeared.

She made known by her appearance that Saint John should continue chanting "Chant for me and I will never leave thee," she said, and gave him a gold coin. He placed the gold coin on an icon which was then known as the Koukouzelissa icon of the Mother of God.

And the Mother of God kept her promise. After the appearance, Saint John chanted more enthusiastically with piety and devotion, standing for hours and never sitting. This all took a toll on his feet which formed open wounds with great pains. She appeared again to take the pain.

The Koukouzelissa icon is remembered on October 1st and on the 10th Friday after Pascha.

In 1422, an Ottoman army of around 10,000 was sieging Constantinople after some months, and they launched a massive attack on August 24.

On that day, while all the people were fleeing and panicking, the Mother of God appeared on the ramparts calmly walking through insanity.

The people, unarmed, were emboldened. After seeing her, the people picked whatever thing was on the ground and started taking out Ottoman soldiers. Some started punching with bare fists... and they were winning. Even those peasants from outside the city joined the fight.

The Ottomans also saw the Mother of God, and were confused and afraid. All at once, the months long sieging army of the Ottomans fell into ruin. The Ottomans suffered 1,000 losses, the Romans lost 28, and 100 were injured.

The victory was given to the Mother of God.