Balikli Meryem Ana -The Healing Spring of Mother of God Church ISTANBUL Biserica Izvorul Tămăduirii скачать в хорошем качестве

Balikli Meryem Ana -The Healing Spring of Mother of God Church ISTANBUL Biserica Izvorul Tămăduirii

The Healing Spring of Mother of God or Life-giving Font is located in Istanbul's Zeytinburnu district, Balıklı area. Two stories have come to be attached to the Spring that grants life. Outside the Imperial City of Constantinople, near the Golden Gate (Porta Aurea) used to be found a grove of trees. A shrine was located there with a spring of water, which from early times had been dedicated to the Theotokos. Over time, the grove had become overgrown and the spring became fetid. The traditional account surrounding the feast of the Healing Spring is recorded by Nikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos, the last of the Greek ecclesiastical historians. It begins with a miracle that occurred involving a soldier named Leo Marcellus, the future Byzantine Emperor Leo I. On April 4, 450, as Leo was passing by the grove, he came across a blind man who had become lost. Leo took pity on him, led him to the pathway, seated him in the shade and began to search for water to give the thirsty man. Leo heard a voice say to him, "Do not trouble yourself, Leo, to look for water elsewhere, it is right here!" Looking about, he could see no one, and neither could he see any water. Then he heard the voice again : "Leo, Emperor, go into the grove, take the water which you will find and give it to the thirsty man. Then take the mud from the stream and put it on the blind man's eyes... And build a temple (church) here ... that all who come here will find answers to their petitions." Leo did as he was told, and when the blind man's eyes were anointed he regained his sight. After his accession to the throne, the Emperor built a magnificent church on this site, dedicated to the Theotokos, and the water continued to work miraculous cures and therefore it was called "The Life-Giving Spring." According to the Byzantine historian Procopius, Emperor Justinian I (r. 527-565) discovered the ayazma one day when he had been out hunting. He noticed some women gathered around a small chapel. He asked them why and they replied that it was because the spring performed miracles. Immediately, he had this ayazma rebuilt in 560. Another legend relates how he had been healed of a serious illness by drinking its water. He also had a chapel built next to it with the surplus material left over from the construction of the Hagia Sophia. According to another story, the spring got its name of Balıklı (with fish) when a man who lived here was frying fish and was told that the Turks had taken Istanbul under Murat II in June 1422. Upon hearing the news, he answered, “I believe this news about as much as I believe that the fish being fried in this pan will come alive and jump out of this pan.” At this, the fish came to life and jumped out of the pan... ***The feast day of the Healing Spring is celebrated on Bright Friday of the Bright Week after the feast of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.