The Miracle of the Miraculous Image of Jesus Christ: the history of celebration and strict prohibitions

Orthodox Christians celebrate the feast of the Transference of the Image of Jesus Christ on August 29. According to legend, the face of the Savior was miraculously imprinted on the canvas, and the image itself became evidence of the earthly presence of Christ and a source of comfort. In 944, the relic was transferred from Syrian Edessa to Constantinople. For believers, the image, not made with hands, remains not just an ancient relic, but also a reminder of the constant presence of Christ among people. The history and prohibitions of Orthodox celebrations are in the material of Izvestia.

The Miracle of the Miraculous Image of Jesus Christ

The legend of the Miraculous Image, a square piece of cloth on which the face of Jesus Christ is miraculously imprinted, occupies a special place in the history of Christian tradition and theological thought.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Sergey Lantyukhov

According to early accounts, King Avgar of Edessa, who was suffering from a serious illness, sent a letter to Christ asking him to visit the city. According to another version, the image itself appeared on the Savior's clothes and was sent to Edessa by one of the disciples.

The story of conversion and miraculous healings associated with this image is quoted in church literature and in works of church history, and in later sources the image is referred to as a "Mandylion" or "Ubrus" — "cloth not made by hands" (acheiropoieton). This legend formed the basis for the veneration of the image as evidence not only of the historical, but also of the mystical presence of Christ in the world.

Ecumenical Parents' Saturday has arrived: important memorial rites, strict prohibitions

History and traditions for Parents' Day on Feb. 22

The transfer of the shrine to Constantinople: meaning for the Orthodox

The transfer of the Uncreated Image from Edessa to Constantinople in 944 is interpreted in the Orthodox tradition as one of the most significant ecclesiastical events of the 10th century.

The solemn meeting, organized under Emperor Romanus I Lacapenus, ended with the placement of the image in one of the court chapels and served as a symbol of protection and legitimization of the new government in the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire.

Photo: RIA Novosti/Valery Melnikov

For believers, this event reinforced the idea of icons not only as works of human craftsmanship, but also as points of contact with the divine, which in turn stimulated the development of icon worship and theological debates about the nature of icons in subsequent centuries.

Historians note that the transfer of the relic also had a political dimension: the demonstration of the miraculous icon enhanced the prestige of Constantinople on the Christian-Byzantine map.

The Orthodox Feast of the Transference of an Image Not Made with Hands

The liturgical calendar records the memory of the image's transfer in mid-August. In Orthodox practice, this day is celebrated on different dates, depending on the Julian or new style: traditionally, the transfer is associated with August 16 in the old style, which falls on August 29 in the new style.

Modern liturgical practices include funeral and festive services, the reading of hagiographies and akathists, as well as processions around churches with special veneration of the icon.

The spiritual meaning of the Uncreated Image for believers

An image made with hands is not just a historical artifact, but a concentrate of theological meanings. First, it demonstrates the idea that God can leave a sign of His presence in the material world without the help of human hands, which for believers confirms the possibility of direct communication with the divine.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Sergey Lantyukhov

Secondly, the image serves as a reminder of the incarnation and that the human and divine in the person of Christ are inseparable. His face, printed on canvas, becomes an object of prayerful gaze, a source of spiritual comfort and healing.

In pastoral texts and sermons, this image is often interpreted as a symbol of the saving presence of Christ among people and as an example of how the holy can transform the ordinary.

At the same time, the historical fate of the Mandylion, its displacement, veneration and loss, is perceived as part of the general history of the Church, in which material objects serve as a means of spiritual experience.

The Nativity of John the Baptist in 2025: the spiritual meaning of the July 7 holiday

The Orthodox event is celebrated annually on July 7.

What can and cannot be done on August 29

On this day, believers are encouraged to take part in divine services: going to church for the festive liturgy, communion, joint prayer and reading the akathists — all this is considered the best expression of reverence and a way to receive spiritual benefits.

Special attention is paid to the veneration of icons and relics: many believers venerate the images, ask for prayerful help and recall cases of healing associated with an image not Made with Hands.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Yulia Mayorova

Along with this, the church's instructions contain prohibitions typical of the twelve and great holidays: to avoid hard physical labor, profanity, excessive fun, and everything that distracts from prayer and a penitent mood.

There are specific prohibitions and rituals in the folk tradition. For example, it is not allowed to wash and dry clothes on this day, which is due to the rich national layer of prohibitions around the August Holidays. Modern parish publications emphasize that following these rules should not turn into formalism.