Now a Greek chapel sits on the spot where the holy spring or ayazma of Blachernae flowed in pre-Christian times. Its waters are believed to posses miraculous powers, but having drank it I feel much the same. In 451 a great church was built over the spring by Pulcheria, wife to Emperor Marcian. A few years later the robe and mantle of the Virgin were kept here. As a result it became the most important shrine in the city. The church was destroyed in 1434 by fire.

On the picture: Another ‘Theotokos’ icon (also called ‘Theotokos Blachernitissa’), a reminder of the ‘Holy Hodigitria’ icon, now in Smolensk (Russia).
Important, old or precious icons were often revetted with a hammered silver cover; open spaces show the face(s) and the hands of the original painting. Moreover this icon is hanged with all kinds of ex-votos (including money), left by pilgrims.

The Smolensk ‘Hodigitria’ icon was, according to Orthodox Church tradition, painted in Antioch by the evangelist Luke (as are reportedly many others). From Antioch, the holy image was transferred to Jerusalem. From there, Eudokia, the wife of Emperor Arcadius, gave it to Pulcheria, the sister of the emperor, at Constantinople. Pulcheria had the icon put in the Blachernae Church. In 1101, Vladimir Monomach, removed it to the Cathedral of Smolensk where it acquired the name ‘Hodigitria of Smolensk.’

Correspondent: J.M.Criel, Antwerpen.
Source: The ‘Orthodox Christianity’ internetsite (concerning the ‘Smolensk Hodigitria’ icon).