Life-giving Spring
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The
Mother of God ''Theotokos'' (Greek: ) is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Christianity. The usual Latin translations are ''Dei Genitrix'' or ''Deipara'' (approximately "parent (fem.) of God"). Familiar English translations ar ...
of the Life-giving Spring or Life-giving Font (
Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
: ''Ζωοδόχος Πηγή,'' ''Zoodochos Pigi'',
Russian Russian(s) refers to anything related to Russia, including: *Russians (, ''russkiye''), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *Rossiyane (), Russian language term for all citizens and peo ...
: ''Живоносный Источник'') is an epithet of the Holy Theotokos that originated with her revelation of a
sacred spring A holy well or sacred spring is a well, spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christian or pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualities, through the numinous presence of its gua ...
( el, , ''hagiasma'') in Valoukli, Constantinople, to a soldier named Leo Marcellus, who later became
Byzantine Emperor This is a list of the Byzantine emperors from the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD, which marks the conventional start of the Byzantine Empire, Eastern Roman Empire, to Fall of Constantinople, its fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. On ...
Leo I (457-474). Leo built the historic Church of St. Mary of the Spring over this site,''The Great Horologion or Book of Hours.'' Boston MA: Holy Transfiguration Monastery, 1997. p.621. which witnessed numerous miraculous healings over the centuries, through her intercessions, becoming one of the most important
pilgrimage A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, aft ...
sites in
Greek Orthodoxy The term Greek Orthodox Church (Greek: Ἑλληνορθόδοξη Ἐκκλησία, ''Ellinorthódoxi Ekklisía'', ) has two meanings. The broader meaning designates "the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also call ...
. Thus the term ''"Life-giving Font"'' became an epithet of the Holy Theotokos and she was represented as such in iconography. The feast day of the Life-giving Spring is celebrated on Bright Friday in the
Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, also called the Orthodox Church, is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 220 million baptized members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops vi ...
, and in those
Eastern Catholic Churches The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous ('' sui iuris'') particular churches of t ...
which follow the Byzantine Rite. Additionally, the
icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
of the Theotokos the ''"Life-giving Spring"'' is commemorated on April 4 / 17 in Slavic Orthodox churches.
April 4/17
.'' Orthodox Calendar (Pravoslavie.ru).


Legend

Outside the Imperial City of Constantinople, near the
Golden Gate The Golden Gate is a strait on the west coast of North America that connects San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. It is defined by the headlands of the San Francisco Peninsula and the Marin Peninsula, and, since 1937, has been spanned by t ...
(''Porta Aurea'') used to be found a grove of trees. A
shrine A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon, or similar figure of respect, wherein they ...
was located there with a spring of water, which from early times had been dedicated to the Theotokos. Over time, the grove had become overgrown and the spring became fetid.Kovalchuk, Archpriest Feodor S. (1985). ''Wonder-Working Icons of the Theotokos.'' Youngstown OH: Central States Deanery, pp.67–70. The
traditional A tradition is a belief or behavior (folk custom) passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common examples include holidays or ...
account surrounding the feast of the Life-Giving Spring is recorded by
Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos, Latinized as Nicephorus Callistus Xanthopulus ( el, Νικηφόρος Κάλλιστος Ξανθόπουλος), of Constantinople (c. 1256 – c. 1335), was the last of the Greek ecclesiastical historians. H ...
, the last of the Greek ecclesiastical historians, who flourished around 1320. It begins with a miracle that occurred involving a soldier named Leo Marcellus, the future
Byzantine Emperor This is a list of the Byzantine emperors from the foundation of Constantinople in 330 AD, which marks the conventional start of the Byzantine Empire, Eastern Roman Empire, to Fall of Constantinople, its fall to the Ottoman Empire in 1453 AD. On ...
Leo I. On April 4, 450, as Leo was passing by the grove, he came across a blind man who had become lost. Leo took pity on him, led him to the pathway, seated him in the shade and began to search for water to give the thirsty man. Leo heard a voice say to him, "Do not trouble yourself, Leo, to look for water elsewhere, it is right here!" Looking about, he could see no one, and neither could he see any water. Then he heard the voice again,
"Leo, ''Emperor'', go into the grove, take the water which you will find and give it to the thirsty man. Then take the mud rom the streamand put it on the blind man's eyes.... And build a
temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
hurchhere ... that all who come here will find answers to their
petitions A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication. In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to some offic ...
."
Leo did as he was told, and when the blind man's eyes were anointed he regained his sight. After his accession to the throne, the Emperor erected a magnificent church on this site, dedicated to the Theotokos, and the water continued to work miraculous cures, as well as resurrections from the dead, through the
intercession of the Theotokos The Intercession of the Theotokos, or the Protection of Our Most Holy Lady Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, is a Christian feast of the Mother of God celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic Churches on October 1 (Julian calendar: ...
, and therefore it was called "The Life-Giving Spring."


Church

Historians
Procopius Procopius of Caesarea ( grc-gre, Προκόπιος ὁ Καισαρεύς ''Prokópios ho Kaisareús''; la, Procopius Caesariensis; – after 565) was a prominent late antique Greek scholar from Caesarea Maritima. Accompanying the Roman gen ...
and Cedrenus state that
Emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
Justinian Justinian I (; la, Iustinianus, ; grc-gre, Ἰουστινιανός ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was the Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565. His reign is marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovat ...
erected a new church, larger than the first, in the last years of his reign (559-560), utilizing materials that had remained after the erection of the
Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia ( 'Holy Wisdom'; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque ( tr, Ayasofya-i Kebir Cami-i Şerifi), is a mosque and major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The cathedral was originally built as a Greek Ortho ...
. After the erection of the sanctuary, the Byzantines named the Gate that was situated outside the walls of Theodosius II ''" Gate of the Spring"'' ( el, Πύλη τῆς Πηγῆς). After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, the church was torn down by the
Turks Turk or Turks may refer to: Communities and ethnic groups * Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages * Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation * Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic ...
, and the stones used to build a
mosque A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
of Sultan Bayezid. Only a small chapel remained at the site of the church. Twenty-five steps led down to the site of the spring, surrounded by a railing. In 1547 the French humanist
Petrus Gyllius Petrus Gyllius or Gillius (or Pierre Gilles) (1490–1555) was a French natural scientist, topographer and translator. Gilles was born in Albi, southern France. A great traveller, he studied the Mediterranean and Orient, producing such works as ...
noted that the church no longer existed, but that ailing people continued to visit the spring of
holy water Holy water is water that has been blessed by a member of the clergy or a religious figure, or derived from a well or spring considered holy. The use for cleansing prior to a baptism and spiritual cleansing is common in several religions, from ...
. As a result of the Greek War of Independence of 1821, even the little chapel was destroyed and the spring was left buried under the rubble. In 1833 the reforming Ottoman Sultan
Mahmud II Mahmud II ( ota, محمود ثانى, Maḥmûd-u s̠ânî, tr, II. Mahmud; 20 July 1785 – 1 July 1839) was the 30th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. His reign is recognized for the extensive administrative, ...
gave permission for the Christians to rebuild the church. When the foundations of the original church were discovered during the course of construction, the Sultan issued a second firman permitting not only the reconstruction of the small chapel, but of a large church according to the original dimensions. Construction was completed on December 30, 1834, and the Ecumenical Patriarch,
Constantius II Constantius II (Latin: ''Flavius Julius Constantius''; grc-gre, Κωνστάντιος; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germanic ...
consecrated the church on February 2, 1835, celebrating with 12 bishops and an enormous flood of the faithful. On September 6, 1955, during the anti-Greek Istanbul Pogrom, the church was one of the targets of the fanatic mob. The building was burned to the ground while the abbot was lynched, and 90-year-old
Archimandrite The title archimandrite ( gr, ἀρχιμανδρίτης, archimandritēs), used in Eastern Christianity, originally referred to a superior abbot (''hegumenos'', gr, ἡγούμενος, present participle of the verb meaning "to lead") wh ...
Chrisanthos Mantas was assassinated by the mob. Another small chapel has been rebuilt on the site, but the church has not yet been restored to its former size. The spring still flows to this day and is considered by the faithful to have
wonderworking Thaumaturgy is the purported capability of a magician to work magic or other paranormal events or a saint to perform miracles. It is sometimes translated into English as wonderworking. A practitioner of thaumaturgy is a "thaumaturge", "thauma ...
properties.


Feast day

The feast day is observed on Bright Friday, that is, the Friday following
Pascha Pascha (or other similar spellings) may refer to: * Passover, the Aramaic spelling of the Hebrew word ''Pesach'' **Pesach seder,_the_festive_meal_beginning_the_14th_and_ending_on_the_15th_of_Nisan *Easter.html" ;"title="san in the Hebrew c ..., t ...
(Easter). It is the only feast day which may be celebrated during Bright Week, as all other commemorations which happen to fall during this time are usually transferred to another day. The
propers The proper (Latin: ''proprium'') is a part of the Christian liturgy that varies according to the date, either representing an observance within the liturgical year, or of a particular saint or significant event. The term is used in contrast to the ...
(hymns and prayers) of the feast are combined with the Paschal hymns, and there is often a
Lesser Blessing of Waters Among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern-Rite Catholic Christians, holy water is blessed in the church and given to the faithful to drink at home when needed and to bless their homes. In the weeks following the Feast of Epiphany, clergy visit the ...
performed after the
Divine Liturgy Divine Liturgy ( grc-gre, Θεία Λειτουργία, Theia Leitourgia) or Holy Liturgy is the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine Rite, developed from the Antiochene Rite of Christian liturgy which is that of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of ...
on Bright Friday. There is also a commemoration of the
Icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
of the Theotokos the ''Life-giving Spring'' observed on April 4 (
Julian Calendar The Julian calendar, proposed by Roman consul Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar. It took effect on , by edict. It was designed with the aid of Greek mathematicians and astronomers such as Sosigenes of Alexandr ...
) / April 17 (
Gregorian Calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...
). This type of icon spread throughout the Orthodox world, particularly in places where a spring was believed to be
sacred Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; is considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. The property is often ascribed to objects ( ...
. In old
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
, continuing Greek traditions, there was a custom to sanctify springs that were located near churches, dedicate them to the Holy Mother, and paint icons of her under the title ''The Life Giving Spring''. A similar revelation of the Theotokos occurred in Estonia in the 16th century. The
Pühtitsa Convent Pühtitsa Convent (Estonian: Kuremäe Jumalaema Uinumise nunnaklooster, Russian: Пюхтицкий Успенский женский монастырь) is a Russian Orthodox convent in Eastern Estonia (Ida-Viru County) between Lake Peipus and ...
is located on a site where, according to a 16th-century legend, near the local village of
Kuremäe Kuremäe is a village in Alutaguse Parish, Ida-Viru County in northeastern Estonia. (retrieved 28 July 2021) See also *Pühtitsa Convent Pühtitsa Convent (Estonian: Kuremäe Jumalaema Uinumise nunnaklooster, Russian: Пюхтицкий У ...
, a shepherd witnessed a divine revelation of the Theotokos near a spring of water that is to this day venerated as holy and is famous for many miracles and healings. The icon, which was painted much later, is known as the ''Pühtitsa icon of the Mother of God "To the spring"'' (: Пюхтицкая икона Божией Матери «У источника»).Пюхтицкая икона Божией Матери «У источника»
Православные.Ру. 07.07.2010. Retrieved: 2013-07-29.


Hymns

In the 9th century,
Joseph the Hymnographer Saint Joseph the Hymnographer ( el, Όσιος Ιωσήφ ο Υμνογράφος) was a Greek monk of the ninth century. He is one of the greatest liturgical poets and hymnographers of the Eastern Orthodox Church. He is also known for his confessi ...
gave the title "Zoodochos Pege" (''Life-giving Spring'') to a
hymn A hymn is a type of song, and partially synonymous with devotional song, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word ''hy ...
(''Theotokion'') for the
Mother of God ''Theotokos'' (Greek: ) is a title of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Christianity. The usual Latin translations are ''Dei Genitrix'' or ''Deipara'' (approximately "parent (fem.) of God"). Familiar English translations ar ...
for the first time.
Apolytikion The Apolytikion () or Dismissal Hymn is a troparion (a short hymn of one stanza) said or sung at Orthodox Christian worship services. The apolytikion summarizes the feast being celebrated that day. It is chanted at Vespers, Matins and the Di ...
(Tone 3)
Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia Eastern Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia () is an Eastern Orthodox diocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. It is centred in Hong Kong and has jurisdiction over Eastern Orthodox Christians in Southeast Asia. ...
.
Bright Friday
'' Accessed: 2011-05-20.
:As a life-giving fount, thou didst conceive the Dew that is transcendent in essence, :O Virgin Maid, and thou hast welled forth for our sakes the nectar of joy eternal, :which doth pour forth from thy fount with the water that springeth up :unto everlasting life in unending and mighty streams; :wherein, taking delight, we all cry out: :Rejoice, O thou Spring of life for all men. Kontakion (Plagal of Tone 4) :O Lady graced by God, :you reward me by letting gush forth, beyond reason, :the ever-flowing waters of your grace from your perpetual Spring. :I entreat you, who bore the
Logos ''Logos'' (, ; grc, λόγος, lógos, lit=word, discourse, or reason) is a term used in Western philosophy, psychology and rhetoric and refers to the appeal to reason that relies on logic or reason, inductive and deductive reasoning. Ari ...
, in a manner beyond comprehension, :to refresh me in your grace that I may cry out, :“Hail redemptive waters.”


See also


Notes


References


External links


Bright Friday: The Life Giving Spring of the Mother of God
Orthodox
icon An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
and synaxarion
«ЖИВОНОСНЫЙ ИСТОЧНИК»
Православная Энциклопедия. Russian Orthodox Encyclopedia
Holy icon rescued from 9/11 World Trade Center rubble
Formerly St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox parish, 155 Cedar Street, Lower Manhattan
Purported site of Mary's well
Nazareth, Palestine
Collection of Marian iconography of this type
''A Reader's Guide to Orthodox Icons''

Scriptural roots of Roman Catholic prayer
"Mary and Fountain in Art"
Article at The Marian Library of the International Marian Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio. {{Virgin Mary Eastern Orthodox liturgical days Eastern Orthodox icons of the Virgin Mary Holy wells of St Mary Marian apparitions Shrines to the Virgin Mary Supernatural healing Titles of Mary Holy springs of Turkey