Synaxis of the Theotokos of Miasena

The Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos of the Monastery of Miasena

The synaxis of the Theotokos of Miasena, kept on September 1, commemorates the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God of the monastery of Miasena, near Melitene in eastern Asia Minor. According to the tradition, the icon was cast into a lake to preserve it from destruction in the age of iconoclasm and was recovered from the waters unharmed generations later — one of several such recoveries the Church celebrates as vindications of the holy icons.

The monastery of Miasena stood in the region of Melitene on the upper Euphrates frontier. The tradition transmitted in the synaxaria relates that when the imperial persecution of the holy icons made the monastery's wonderworking icon of the Theotokos unsafe, it was committed to the lake of Zagurou (the name is variously transmitted) rather than surrendered to destruction; and that long afterwards, with iconoclasm defeated, the icon rose from the waters intact and was restored to the monastery with rejoicing. The annual synaxis on September 1 — the opening day of the church year — kept the memory of the recovery.

Beyond this the record is thin: the traditions do not fix the years of the icon's concealment or recovery with any precision, and the later history of the monastery and of the icon itself is not securely transmitted. The commemoration remains in the received calendar among the fixtures of September 1.

Feast and commemoration

September 1 (church date; Old Calendar civil September 14), joined in the Menaion with the Indiction and the feast of Symeon the Stylite. No proper hymns for the synaxis survive in general use.

Appointed readings

Epistle — Philippians 2:5–11

⁵Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁷But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. ⁹Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel — Luke 10:38–42; 11:27–28

³⁸Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. ³⁹And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word. ⁴⁰But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. ⁴¹And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: ⁴²But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. ²⁷And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. ²⁸But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

Iconography

The icon type of the Miasena Theotokos is not securely preserved; later representations follow the Hodegetria pattern. No image is stored for this entry.