Appearance of the Mother of God on the Amur: The Annunciation Diocese prayerfully remembers the miraculous intercession of the Queen of Heaventranslated

August 2 is a special day for Orthodox residents of the Amur region. On this day, the Diocese of Annunciation prayerfully remembers the miraculous intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, revealed during the events of 1900, when Blagoveshchensk found itself under artillery fire. For more than a century, the memory of this event lives in the hearts of Amur residents as evidence of the mercy of God and the heavenly protection of the Queen of Heaven.

In the summer of 1900, the Yihetuan uprising broke out in China. Its participants, who opposed foreign influence, inflicted severe persecution on Christians. Hundreds of Orthodox Chinese accepted martyrdom for their faith, and then armed detachments began shelling the Russian bank of the Amur.

The main target of the enemy was the Annunciation Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where the miraculous Albazin Icon of the Mother of God “The Word became Flesh” resided. The practically defenseless city found itself under continuous artillery fire. The shelling continued for nineteen days.

The danger was enormous. Most of the buildings in Blagoveshchensk were made of wood, the summer heat was dry, and any fire could destroy the city. However, something happened that contemporaries unanimously called a miracle...