JACKSON TWP.: A holy icon believed to be responsible for numerous physical and spiritual healings will be at St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, 4665 Applegrove NW, from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday.Believers say the Iveron Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, which depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ child, streams myrrh (which by biblical accounts is one of three gifts given to the Infant Jesus). The myrrh, which is reported to be an oil-like substance that smells like roses, is used to anoint the faithful.Theotokos is the Greek title of Mary, the mother of Jesus.“It is a very rare occurrence that an icon will exude myrrh. We consider it a great blessing,” said the Rev. Dragan Filipovic, pastor at St. George. “I am hoping that while we have the service here, the icon will exude the myrrh and that miracles will take place.”Since the Hawaiian icon officially was recognized in 2008 as miraculous and worthy of veneration by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, numerous miracles — including the healing of blindness, cancer, demonic possession, paralysis, kidney disease and chronic pain — have been attributed to it. The small icon, which is roughly 7 inches by 9 inches mounted in a one-inch wooden frame, has traveled to more than 250 Orthodox churches and been venerated by about 250,000 people of various faith backgrounds since its blessing by the Russian orthodox church.Those who venerate the icon typically pray for the Mother of God to intercede for them in asking for help with their troubles, maladies, physical ailments and spiritual needs. Filipovic said the veneration is done out of respect and honor, not as a sign of worship.“We venerate the saints, the Blessed Mother and the blessed icons out of love and respect. We only worship God,” Filipovic said. “The special prayer service for this icon is for those in attendance to ask the Blessed Mother for intercession with her son, our lord.”The icon — its permanent home is the Holy Theotokos of Iveron Russian Orthodox Church in Honolulu — is a replica of the Montreal Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, which was made in Russia. The original icon of the Iveron Mother of God is housed in the ancient Iveron Monastery on the peninsula of Mount Athos in Greece. The local stop is part of an East Coast tour.The Rev. Nicholas Gamvas, pastor at St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church in Canton, saw the icon when he served from 2001 to 2006 as dean of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Honolulu. His experience was before myrrh began flowing from the icon in 2007.Gamvas will be among the group of Stark County orthodox priests participating in the local prayer service.“It is a very beautiful icon that is itself a miracle. The miracle is that since 2007, an oily liquid substance has been streaming from this paper icon mounted on wood,” Gamvas said. “In orthodoxy, a miracle is seen as divine intervention. It is a mystery that is only accepted by faith.”Gamvas and Filipovic agree that the purpose of the miraculous, myrrh-streaming icon is to strengthen the faith of those who believe and to serve as a reminder that God is present.“Our hope is that people come with expectation, great humility and gratitude,” Filipovic said. “We hope they are not surprised if miracles do take place.”Colette Jenkins can be reached at 330-996-3731 or cjenkins@thebeaconjournal.com