Icon of Mother of God  "Succor in Travail"

 

This is an icon to which women turned most often when asking the Mother of God for help in successful delivery of a child. The time of the icon's appearance, its history and miracles wrought by it are unknown. Records of Church legends related to it have not been kept since the help it provided in bearing children had been quite extensive and fully evident. The icon shows the Most Holy Theotokos with Her hair undone and with Her hands raised in prayer. In the mandorla—the shining symbol of the Mother of God's womb--in the lower part of the Most Holy Virgin's chest is a naked figure of the Pre-Eternal Infant Jesus Christ with his hands crossed on His chest. Feast day: December 26/January 8.