The wonderful history of the miracle-working icon of the Mother of God “Sweet Kissing” discovered by the Pious Antipas of Calapodeşti
The wonderful history of the miracle-working icon of the Mother of God “Sweet Kissing” discovered by the Pious Antipas of Calapodeşti

Summary/Abstract: Father Antipas of Calapodeşti is the only Romanian monk honoured as a saint in Mount Athos, since 1906, shortly after his death in 1882. He has also been honoured as a saint in the Romanian Patriarchate since 1992, and in the Russian Patriarchate since 2000, following the decision of Patriarch Alexei II to extend the honouring of the Abbot Antipas to Russia. Together with Fathers Nifon and Nectary, disciples of the Cousin Irinarh Roset of Horaita, Father Antipa helped to build the Romanian settlement Prodromu in the Holy Mountain Athos.This article highlights the great devotion of a lesser-known Romanian saint, the Abbot Antipas of Calapodesti, to the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as the assistance and marvellous intervention of Our Lady in the life of this holy father, a native of Moldova, through the intercession of the miracle-working icon “Sweet Kissing”, discovered by him in a cave in Mount Athos. In 1940 the icon was taken by monks from the Valaam Monastery and taken to the New Valaam Monastery in Finland, where it was lost until it was wonderfully found on 10 May 2006. Nowadays, this miracle-working icon is placed in a place of great honour in the “Transfiguration” Cathedral of the New Valaam Monastery in Finland, and is celebrated in the Orthodox Church of Finland every year on 11th January from 9th August 2020.

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