We now ask each of you to pray, along with us, the hymn below, which is the hymn of the icon of Panagiagorgoripokos (The Virgin Mary Quick to Hear), to guide us in building this Housing complex and Senior Ministry for the faithful of the Metropolis of the Metropolis of New Jersey and the Tri-State area, as well.
Troparion Icon of the Mother of God “Quick to Hear”, in Tone IV
Let us make haste to the Theotokos amid our misfortunes,
and fall down now before her holy icon,
crying out with faith from the depths of our soul:
Hearken quickly to our entreaty, O Virgin,
in that thou art called ‘she who is quick to hear’
For thee do we, thy servants,
have as a ready helper in our needs.
Ήχος α´. (Της ερήμου πολίτης).
Ὥς θεόβρυτον κρήνην τῶν αΰλων χαρίτων Σου, τὴν θαυματουργόν Σου Εἰκόνα Θεοτόκε πλουτίσαντες, εἐκ ταύτης τωῶν θαυμάτων τὰς ροάς, ἀντλούμεν δαψιλῶς ὡς ἐξ Ἐδέμ· συ γάρ Γοργοϋπήκοος βοηθός, πέλεις τῶν ἐκβοώντων Σοι· Δόξα τοῖς σοις χαρίσμασιν Ἀγνή· δόξα τῆ παρθενία Σου· δόξα τῆ πρὸς ἡμᾶς Σου ἀνεκφράστω προνοία Ἄχραντε.
Panagia Gorgoepikoos (Gr., Γοργοεπήκοο, "She who is quick to hear") the Feast Day is October 1.
Icon painted by the Good Sisters at Agia Skepi Monastery White Haven Pennsylvania. USA.
History of Panagia Gorgoepikoos Icon
One of the miraculous icons of the Holy Mountain is an ancient wall-painting of Panagia Gorgoepikoos. It is located at Docheiariou Monastery. In 1664, the monk Neilos, who used to pass regularly in front of the icon holding in his hand a lighted torch which he needed for his duties in the refectory, heard a voice telling him: “Do not come past here with a torch, leaving smoke on my icon”. Neilos did not pay much attention to the voice, but it was soon heard again. Then a punishment was given to the monk, and he became blind. The brethren began to show great reverence in passing before the icon and hung a perpetual lamp before it and burnt incense before the icon every day.
The blind Neilos spent all his time in front of the icon, imploring the Theotokos to forgive him and heal him, and his prayer was granted when, for the third time, a voice was heard from the icon. The Theotokos told Neilos that his supplication had been heard, he was forgiven and he received his sight as before.
Henceforth, all faithful who flee to Gorgoepikoos are heard as she promised “Let the monks flee to me for their every need and I will quickly hear them and all Orthodox Christians who flee to me with reverence for I am called ‘Quick to Hear’”.