Soothe My Sorrows Mother of God is the name of a wonderworking icon treasured in the Church of St. Nikolaev Odrin Monastery in Karachev, Orlov province and copies of this icon are to be found in churches all over Moscow. The Mother of God is depicted crowned with a hand bending toward her head and with the Child holding a scroll in both hands directly sitting on her left hand. On the scroll are the words: "Judge righteously; each show mercy to one another; do not offend widows and orphans, and do not keep malice in your heart towards your brother." Tradition relates that the first time this icon was glorified was in the second half of the 18th century when the miraculous power was revealed through a certain woman who had been suffering from a weakness in her hands and feet. Physicians were not able to help her with her ailment and in a vision, she was told to go to Moscow and pray before the icon of the Mother of God bearing the inscription "Soothe my Sorrows;" in the same vision, she was shown the icon. Not finding that icon in the church, she turned to the priest for help, who then brought all of the ancient icons down from the bell tower. One of the icons bore the inscription "Soothe my Sorrows." As soon as the woman saw the icon, she exclaimed: “It is she! It is she!” After a prayer, the ailing woman felt so much stronger that she was able to stand and leave the church unaided.

Double-sided Russian Icon - Our Lady of Kazan / St Nicholas