| Story of the Holy Napkin |
While Jesus Christ was healing many among the multitudes in Israel, Prince Avgar of Edessa on the Euphrates was suffering with leprosy all over his body. He heard of the miracles Christ was working in Palestine. He sent Ananias, a portrait painter, to fetch Christ for him. He instructed him that if the Master would not come that he was to paint His likeness for he believed that that would be enough to heal him. The Lord's Passion was at hand. He wiped his face with a napkin and gave it to Ananias, leaving a perfect image of His most pure face on the napkin. He sent this with a message back to Prince Avgar. The message was that this napkin would heal him mostly, but that He would send an envoy later to complete the healing. Avgar kissed the napkin and his leprosy left him except a small spot on his face. Later, Apostle Thaddaeus came and preached the gospel to him. He healed him and baptised him. The prince smashed the idols at the city gates and placed the Holy Napkin above them, fastened to wood, with a gold frame and ornamented with pearls. He had inscribed above it: "O Christ our God, no-one who hopes in Thee will be put to shame." Many miracles have been worked by this icon. It was later moved to Constantinople and remained there until the Turks destroyed it in the 15th century. |