TheMother of God of theLife-giving Spring orLife-giving Font (Ancient Greek:Ζωοδόχος Πηγή,romanized: Zōodóchos Pēgḗ,modern pronunciation:[zo.oˈðoxospiˈʝi];Russian:Живоно́сный Исто́чник,romanized:Zhivonósny Istóchnik,IPA:[ʐɨvɐˈnosnɨjɪˈstotɕnʲɪk]) is anepithet of the HolyTheotokos that originated with her revelation of asacred spring (Ancient Greek:ἁγίασμα,romanized: hagíasma) inValoukli, Constantinople, to a soldier named Leo Marcellus, who later becameByzantine EmperorLeo I (457-474).[note 1] Leo built the historicChurch of St. Mary of the Spring over this site,[3] which witnessed numerous miraculous healings over the centuries,[note 2] through herintercessions, becoming one of the most importantpilgrimage sites inGreek Orthodoxy.[4] Thus the term "Life-giving Font" became anepithet of the HolyTheotokos and she was represented as such iniconography.[5]
Thefeast day of the Life-giving Spring is celebrated onBright Friday in theEastern Orthodox Church,[2][note 3] and in thoseEastern Catholic Churches which follow theByzantine Rite. Additionally, theicon of theTheotokos the "Life-giving Spring" iscommemorated onApril 4 / 17 in Slavic Orthodox churches.[8]
Outside the Imperial City of Constantinople, near theGolden Gate (Porta Aurea) used to be found a grove of trees. Ashrine was located there with a spring of water, which from early times had been dedicated to theTheotokos. Over time, thegrove had become overgrown and the spring became fetid.[9]
Thetraditional account surrounding the feast of the Life-Giving Spring is recorded byNikephoros Kallistos Xanthopoulos, the last of the Greek ecclesiastical historians, who flourished around 1320. It begins with a miracle that occurred involving a soldier named Leo Marcellus, the futureByzantine EmperorLeo I. On April 4, 450,[9][10] as Leo was passing by the grove, he came across a blind man who had become lost. Leo took pity on him, led him to the pathway, seated him in the shade and began to search for water to give the thirsty man. Leo heard a voice say to him, "Do not trouble yourself, Leo, to look for water elsewhere, it is right here!" Looking about, he could see no one, and neither could he see any water. Then he heard the voice again,
"Leo,Emperor, go into the grove, take the water which you will find and give it to the thirsty man. Then take the mud [from the stream] and put it on the blind man's eyes.... And build atemple [church] here ... that all who come here will find answers to theirpetitions."
Leo did as he was told, and when the blind man's eyes were anointed he regained his sight.
After his accession to the throne, the Emperor erected a magnificent church on this site, dedicated to theTheotokos,[3] and the water continued to work miraculous cures, as well asresurrections from the dead, through theintercession of the Theotokos, and therefore it was called "The Life-Giving Spring."[2]
HistoriansProcopius andCedrenus state thatEmperorJustinian erected a new church, larger than the first, in the last years of his reign (559-560), utilizing materials that had remained after the erection of theHagia Sophia.[4] After the erection of the sanctuary, the Byzantines named the Gate that was situated outside thewalls of Theodosius II"Gate of the Spring" (Ancient Greek:Πύλη τῆς Πηγῆς,romanized: Pýlē tês Pēgês).[11]
After theFall of Constantinople in 1453, the church was torn down by theTurks, and the stones used to build amosque ofSultan Bayezid. Only a small chapel remained at the site of the church. Twenty-five steps led down to the site of the spring, surrounded by a railing. In 1547 the French humanistPetrus Gyllius noted that the church no longer existed, but that ailing people continued to visit the spring ofholy water.[5]
As a result of theGreek War of Independence of 1821, even the little chapel was destroyed and the spring was left buried under the rubble.
In 1833 the reformingOttomanSultanMahmud II gave permission for the Christians to rebuild the church. When the foundations of the original church were discovered during the course of construction, the Sultan issued a secondfirman permitting not only the reconstruction of the small chapel, but of a large church according to the original dimensions. Construction was completed on December 30, 1834, and theEcumenical Patriarch,Constantius IIconsecrated the church on February 2, 1835, celebrating with 12 bishops and an enormous flood of the faithful.
On September 6, 1955, during the anti-GreekIstanbul Pogrom, the church was one of the targets of the fanatic mob. The building was burned to the ground while the abbot was lynched, and 90-year-oldArchimandrite Chrisanthos Mantas was assassinated by the mob.[12]
Another small chapel has been rebuilt on the site, but the church has not yet been restored to its former size. The spring still flows to this day and is considered by the faithful to havewonderworking properties.
The feast day is observed onBright Friday, that is, the Friday followingPascha (Easter). It is the only feast day which may be celebrated during Bright Week, as all other commemorations which happen to fall during this time are usually transferred to another day. Thepropers (hymns and prayers) of the feast are combined with the Paschal hymns, and there is often aLesser Blessing of Waters performed after theDivine Liturgy on Bright Friday.[citation needed]
There is also a commemoration of theIcon of the Theotokos theLife-giving Spring observed onApril 4 (Julian Calendar) / April 17 (Gregorian Calendar).[8]
This type of icon spread throughout theOrthodox world, particularly in places where a spring was believed to besacred.[5]
In oldRussia, continuing Greek traditions, there was a custom to sanctifysprings that were located nearchurches, dedicate them to theHoly Mother, and paint icons of her under the titleThe Life Giving Spring.[13]
A similar revelation of the Theotokos occurred in Estonia in the 16th century. ThePühtitsa Convent is located on a site where, according to a 16th-century legend, near the local village ofKuremäe, a shepherd witnessed a divine revelation of theTheotokos near a spring of water that is to this day venerated as holy and is famous for many miracles and healings. The icon, which was painted much later, is known as thePühtitsa icon of the Mother of God "To the spring" (Russian:Пю́хтицкая ико́на Бо́жией Ма́тери «У исто́чника»,romanized: Pyúkhtitskaya ikóna Bózhiyey Máteri “U istóchnika”).[14]
In the 9th century,Joseph the Hymnographer gave the title 'Life-giving Spring' (Zōodóchos Pēgḗ) to ahymn (Theotokíon) for theMother of God for the first time.[5]
Apolytikion (Tone 3)[15]
Kontakion (Plagal of Tone 4)[15]
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