The moment Richard Jendras of Bayonne heard that the “Miraculous, Myrrh-weeping icon of St. Anna” was on display at the church in Wilmington, Delaware, he vowed to go see it.
“A friend of mine from Philadelphia told me about the icon so I went to Delaware to see it,” Jendras said.
The icon was commissioned in 1998 by Father Athanasy Mastalski, Pastor of Our Lady, Joy of All Who Sorrow in Philadelphia, PA, to honor Saint Anna – the mother of Mary, mother of Jesus Christ.
The icon reportedly began “weeping” on Mothers’ Day 2004 and has since become venerated by thousands, attributing to it a variety of miracles.
Once he saw it weep, Jendras knew he had to bring it back to Bayonne for people here to see.
“What I saw impressed me” he said. “And I hoped that I could bring it back to Bayonne where other people could see it. I admit I was a little skeptical when I first went It is human nature to questing things. But when I looked at it, I knew there was no way to make this hoax.”
He had a personal reason for bringing the Icon to Bayonne. His grandmother Anna Moroz, who died the same year the Icon was created, was a founding member of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. Sophia in Bayonne, and he saw it as fitting as to have an Icon with her name on display in the church she helped establish.
“I spoke to the priest in Philadelphia to find out if we could bring the Icon to Bayonne,” he said.
Strapped to the back seat of Jendras’ friend’s Toyota Forerunner, the icon arrived in Bayonne and was placed for viewing in the front of Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. Sophia.
It all began with a miracle
For Father Mastalski – who commissioned the painting of the Icon in 1998 — St. Anna had a special meaning.
As a boy, he fell out of a tree and broken his arm so significantly, doctors believe the arm would have to be amputated. His mother, however, anointed his arm with myrrh oil she had obtained during the Feast of St. Ann, and the next morning his arm had improved so all it needed was a cast. From that moment, he dedicated himself to St. Anna.
When he was later ordained to the priesthood and assigned to be the Chaplain for the Nuns at the Monastery on the Mount of Olives (at Gethsemane near Jerusalem), he commissioned the sisters to paint the icon of Saint Anna for him – an icon he brought back to Our Lady, Joy of All Who Sorrow in Philadelphia. Before being brought to the United States, the painting was laid over the historic tomb of Jesus at the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem.
“This was laid on Jesus’ grave,” Jendras said.
The Icon was transported to Philadelphia where it remained for about six years when on Mother’s Day 2004, a parishioner, who was cleaning the icons in the parish, reported that the painting seemed to be “perspiring.” When the parish staff lifted it to take pictures to send to the bishop, they noticed the back was soaked with myrrh — a fragrant oil often associated with holy rituals. The liquid started on the front from the cuffs of St. Anna’s sleeves and veil, and eventully the liquid came from her eyes as if she was crying. Eventually, even the box (kivot) built to protect the icon also became saturated with myrrh. The local bishop was satisfied the validly of the weeping to permit the Icon to travel churches throughout the country.
Thousands came to see the icon
“The icon has been brought to other churches throughout the United States and has had many miracles attributed to it,” said the official church release. As a result of these visits and the miracles associated with them, the Icon has become knows as “Miraculous.”
Father Myroslav Schirta, pastor of St. Sophia’s, contacted 41 Bayonne clergy from the various houses of holy in Bayonne in order to allow their parishioners to come view the icon.
“We are so blessed to have this unique opportunity of having this gift from God visit with us,” he said. “We wanted everyone to know about the icon and have a chance to see it.”
Archbishop Antonym of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the United States officiated at a prayer service on Sept. 19 following anointing ceremonies on Sept. 19 to 20.
Over three days thousands passed through the doors of the church in what Father Schirta called an amazing expression of faith.
“It was an overwhelming response,” Father Schirta said. “As a result there will be a prayer service every Monday night at 7 p.m.”
People crammed the small church on 22nd Street. Many arrived in small groups – forming a line down the center aisle to wait their turn. Some kissed the glass that protected the icon; some simply touched the frame with their finger tips. Others fell to their knees weeping and praying, awed by it. One woman, who did not give her name, brought photographs of family members which she systematically pressed against the class, mumbling their names in prayer, hoping apparently for a blessing.
“It is very beautiful and moving,” said Mary Murphy, one of the visitors. “It gave me chills.”
She and three other women had come to see the Icon before it left.
“It was breath-taking,” said Cookie Desio, Murphy’s sister.
Vito Amormino also said it took his breath away when he first saw it.
“It is wonderful and overwhelming,” said Nancy Downie, who was drawn to see the icon because of what she called the moving story behind it. “I’m happy and glad I came.”
For Jendras, who was near to tears during the visitations, the response was “overwhelming,”
“There were so many people the walls were breaking,” he said. “It is very emotional.”
Jendras said he believed the visit was profoundly positive.
“Only good came out of this, nothing negative,” he said. “When you see people lining up to see if for three days as a showing of faith, you have to be moved – especially these days when so many lack faith.”
Jendras – who serves as a sub deacon at St. Sophia’s, said he is spiritual, but that this reinforced it.
“This is not so many from the icon, but from the people whom came out and where changed because of the icon,” he said, noting that people seeking hope came, such as a boy being treated for cancer. “The icon is doing its work. It is giving people hope.”
On Step. 21, two priests carried the Icon out of the church, put it into Jendras’ car for the long drive back to Philadelphia – people standing at the curb to say good bye.
The church kept a photographic copy that will be on display and will play a central role in each Monday evenings’ service.
What do the tears mean?
Jendras doesn’t know.
“Are they tears of sorrow or tears of joy? I can’t say, but I know they are a sign from God and a sign that He’s there for us,” he said.
Contact Al Sullivan at asullivan@hudsonreporter.com