Our ancestors

The main witness was General Corbelli, in whose own hands the Icon shed tears. All the witnesses, mostly Roman Catholics and Prostestants, admittes that the miracle could not be explained in a natural way and had to be occasioned by supernatural intervention. It was confirmed by the sick little girl whi touchrd the weeping Icon and was instantly cured. General Corbelli immediately notified Emperor Leopold I (1657-1705) about the miraculous weeping of the Icon in Povch and received orders that the Icon without any delay be brought to Vienna. Thus, during the summer of 1697, the Icon, escorted by a military guard, was solemnly transferred to Vienna. In Vienna, it was carried from one church to another where it remained exposed for a week of public veneration. Finally on Demeber 1, 1697, in the presence of the Imperial Family and numerous dignitaries, the Miraculous Icon was solemnly enthroned on the main altar of St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

During the World War II, St. Stephen’s Cathedral in Vienna wa very badly damaged but the miraculous icon remained untouched. During the reconstruction of the cathedral Cardinal Francis Konig ordered a special chapel to be built on the right side of the entrance for the Miraculous Icon of Povch, where it is still venerated by the Austrian people, ascribing to it the victory of Prince Eugene of Savoy over the Turks at Zenta, near Belgrade (presently in Yugoslavia) in September, 1697.

Toward the end of 1694, the faithful of Povch insisted that their miraculous icon of the Weeping Holy Mother of God be returned to them. To appease them, Bishop Stephen Telekessy of Eger ordered an exact copy of the miraculous Icon to be made and sent it to Povch. This copy was then placed on the iconostas, replacing the original. And the Blessed Mother, to prove her special concern for our poor Ruthenian people, again shed tears on the copy of the original Icon, between August 1-5, 1715. At that time there was already a new pastor in Povch, Father Michael Pap,27 years old, probably the son of the former pastor. Thursday, August 1, 1715, as Father Pap was making preparation (Proskomedia) for the Holy Liturgy, cantor John Molnar noticed the tears in the eyes of the Blessed Mother on the Icon. He did not say anything, since he thought that the pastor had just blessed some religious articles and also sprimcled the Icon with the holy water. After the Liturgy, informed about the tears, the pastor without saying a word, wiped the Icon dry, and left.

After breakfast having some kind of premonition, Father Pap returned to the church and noticed that the Blessed Mother was indeed shedding a flood of tears. He immediately summoned the cantor, the cantor’s father-in-law, Elias Zhishko, and a parishioner Basil Lakatosh. That morning they all witnessed the miraculous shedding of tears by the Blessed Mother. Father Pap then notified Episcopal Vicar, Rev. George Bizancij in Nagy Kallo (at that time there was no bishop in Mukachevo), who hurried to Povch and personally witnessed the miracle, as did many soldiers, that stayed at that time in Povch.

The next day, Friday, August 2, during the morning services, the pastor and the cantor again noticed tears in the eyes of the Blessed Mother. So they once more invited people to witness the miracle. And later they all confirmed the miracle by their oath. Among them was the district judge, Nicholas Nyaradi, who was a Protestant.

On the following Saturday and Sunday there was no shedding of tears recorded, but the people were still able to see some wet traces on the Face of the Blessed Mother. On Monday August 5, the neighboring Greek-Catholic priest, Father Theodore Pap, came to celebrate the Akathistos before the miraculous Icon. He also noticed the tears in the eyes of the Mother of God and immediately notified the pastor. They again invited various people of the town to witness the miraculous shedding of tears.

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