$20 image of Jesus is leaking myrrh and performing miracles, believers claim
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There are many stories of statues weeping, but have you ever heard of a picture seeping? One Father claims that a sacred image of Mary and a young Jesus is producing myrrh, and has done since 1997. So, as people flock to see this ‘miraculous’ picture, what exactly is going on? (Picture: @RealBenLuigi/X/Holy Theotokos of Iveron Orthodox Church)
The picture is not something that’s rare, it’s a $20 mass produced picture that was allegedly found in Toronto and gifted to Father Nectarios Yangson for a Name Day celebration. It now sits at Honolulu’s Holy Theotokos of Iveron Russian Orthodox Church. But according to the Father, the framed picture has been oozing a sticky fragrant substance that smells something like roses – which the Father says is myrrh. (Picture: @RealBenLuigi/X)
What is myrrh?
Myrrh has some importance in the Bible as it was one of the three gifts the Three Wise Men gifted Jesus when he was born. Myrrh itself is a fragrant gum resin found in some Arabian and African trees, and has been mentioned in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The resin is described to have a deep, earthy-woody smell that can smell slightly spicy, sometimes perceived as almost bitter. However, it has also been called a sweet smell – similar to licorice, anise or vanilla. (Picture: @RealBenLuigi/X)
The Father wrote a letter to his parish in 2007, saying that he suddenly noticed a sudden, overwhelming scent of myrrh in his office, that even his cat noticed. He wrote: ‘I was working in my office, which also doubles as our home chapel where our icon corner is located. My cat walked into the office and began to sniff around as if he smelled something. I did not smell anything. He proceeded to walk toward the area were our family reliquaries are kept. I thought this was strange since he would never go near the reliquaries; amazingly something always stopped him, and he’s a nosy cat. Yet this time he stood on his hind legs and sniffed around, I assume in order to figure out what the smell was. I still didn’t smell anything. I proceeded to pick him up and then I noticed the scent. It was so strong, even overwhelming.’ (Picture: @RealBenLuigi/X)
He continued: ‘Never have I smelled anything like that in my life. I couldn’t explain why I hadn’t smelled it before. It was like a thousand roses had fallen into the room. I crossed myself and guarded myself with the Jesus Prayer. I put the cat down and proceeded to look at the icons. I admit I was afraid to look at the icons near the reliquaries. I finally came to the icon of the Cross and noticed that the bead of myrrh by the side-wound of Christ was still dry, for a split second I regained some composure, even as the smell of roses was getting stronger. I then looked down and my hand was wet — it was myrrh. How did it get there? The icon was dry? Or was it?’ (Picture: @RealBenLuigi/X)
He says beads of the substance formed on the baby Jesus’ left knee in the image, and within days it was covered with resin. The Father since claims that ‘numerous miracles have been attributed’ to the image, including the ‘healing of blindness and eye disease, cancer, demonic possession, paralysis, kidney disease, chronic pain, and debilitating viruses’. Visitors to the church have dipped cotton swabs into the substance and pressed them against their forehead. The image has travelled to more than 1,000 churches in the US and around the world, where the Father says it has been venerated by ‘millions of people’ (Picture: @RealBenLuigi/X)
Footage of the icon has circulated online, showing the paper image inside a wooden case that is claimed to be seeping myrrh. A white cloth was placed on the back of the case, which appeared to become soaked by the resin, as was the table it was placed on. Father Nectarios shared on the church’s website: ‘Some days have been completely dry, while on other days they are covered in myrrh. Yet whether they stream or not, they continuously give off an extremely strong scent of roses. It is truly a great miracle! I sometimes wonder if it is a warning.’ (Picture: Holy Theotokos of Iveron Orthodox Church)
