On August 16, the Church celebrates the feast of the Orthodox calendar: the Holy Image of our Lord Jesus Christ “Not Made by Hands”—often called the Holy Napkin or Mandylion.
According to the ancient tradition, King Abgar of Edessa, suffering from an incurable illness, sent a messenger to Christ, asking for healing. The Lord, moved with compassion, pressed His divine countenance upon a cloth, leaving His image there miraculously—not painted by human hands, but by divine grace. When the cloth was brought to Abgar, he was healed, and the holy napkin became a testimony to the living presence of Christ.
This feast is not merely about a historical relic, but about the mystery it reveals. The Son of God, who is “the image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), has taken on true human flesh. He became man for our salvation, so that we might see Him, know Him, and enter into communion with Him. The Holy Napkin proclaims the reality of the Incarnation, the union of God and man in the Person of Christ.
It also reminds us of the gift and purpose of holy icons in the life of the Church. Icons are not art for decoration—they are windows into heaven, testifying to the truth that the Word truly became flesh and dwelt among us. Through them, the faithful encounter the presence of Christ, His saints, and His saving works.
As we keep this feast, let us venerate Christ’s most pure image, giving thanks for the great mystery of His Incarnation. May His divine likeness be impressed upon our hearts, so that we too may be living icons of His love, holiness, and truth.
Troparion — Tone 2
We venerate Thy most pure image, O Good One, and ask forgiveness of our transgressions, O Christ God; of Thine own will Thou wast pleased to ascend the Cross in the flesh, to deliver Thy creatures from bondage to the enemy. Therefore with thanksgiving we cry aloud to Thee: Thou hast filled all things with joy, O our Savior, for Thou didst come to save the world.