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(“Not Made With Hands”)
Tradition tells that during the Lord’s earthly lifetime, his fame spread to Edessa, beyond the Euphrates River. Prince Abgar sent the court artist Ananius to Jerusalem, asking that Christ come and heal him of his leprosy; unable to go himself, the Lord promised to send one of his disciples. Ananius tried his best to paint a portrait of Jesus, but was unable to capture his likeness. Christ obliged the frustrated artist by impressing his divine countenance on a towel — which was transported back to Edessa. The “Image not-made-by-hands” healed Abgar immediately. In 944, during the reign of Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitos, the image was moved to Constantinople, and a feast was established in its honor on 16 August. It was said to have been lost at sea during one of Byzantium’s battles with the Huns. The icon on the left is 10″ x 12″ — based on an 18th century Russian prototype.
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