Life-giving Spring
Epithet of the Virgin Mary / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Mother of God of the Life-giving Spring or Life-giving Font (Greek: Ζωοδόχος Πηγή, translit. Zōodóchos Pēgḗ, IPA: [zo.oˈðo.xos piˈʝi], Russian: Живоно́сный Исто́чник, tr. Zhivonósny Istóchnik, IPA: [ʐɨvɐˈnosnɨj ɪˈstot͡ɕnʲɪk]) is an epithet of the Holy Theotokos that originated with her revelation of a sacred spring (Greek: ἁγίασμα, translit. hagíasma) in Valoukli, Constantinople, to a soldier named Leo Marcellus, who later became Byzantine Emperor Leo I (457-474).[note 1] Leo built the historic Church of St. Mary of the Spring over this site,[3] which witnessed numerous miraculous healings over the centuries,[note 2] through her intercessions, becoming one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Greek Orthodoxy.[4] Thus the term "Life-giving Font" became an epithet of the Holy Theotokos and she was represented as such in iconography.[5]
The feast day of the Life-giving Spring is celebrated on Bright Friday in the Eastern Orthodox Church,[2][note 3] and in those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite. Additionally, the icon of the Theotokos the "Life-giving Spring" is commemorated on April 4 / 17 in Slavic Orthodox churches.[8]