The Feast of the Cincture of the Most Holy Theotokos

Life

At her Dormition, the Most Holy Theotokos gave her cincture to the Apostle Thomas. This cincture was later transferred to Constantinople and kept in a sealed casket in the Church of the Theotokos at Blachernae, an endowment of Empress Pulcheria. And this casket was never opened until the time of Emperor Leo the Wise (886-912). Leo's wife, Empress Zoe, fell ill in soul, and following a certain mysterious vision, she desired that the cincture of the Most Holy Theotokos be placed upon her. The emperor entreated the patriarch, and the casket was opened, the cincture brought out and placed upon the ailing empress. The empress was immediately healed. In memory of this miracle this feast was established. A portion of that cincture is found in Georgia, in Zugdidi. Namely, the daughter of Emperor Romanus was healed by means of this cincture, and later, when her father gave her in marriage to the king of Abkhazia in Georgia, she took a portion of the cincture with her. By the command of the Russian Emperor Alexander I, a special church was built in Mingrelia, in Zugdidi, where this portion of the wonder-working garment of the Holy Mother of God is preserved.

From the Hymn of Praise

An ornament to the whole Church, the glory of Carthage,Before and after death, Cyprian the holy one,By word and by deed he taught the faithful,Especially praising the chaste and the virginal: