The Holy Mandylion

  The Story Behind This Icon: The Holy Mandylion is a piece of cloth with the imprinted face of Jesus Christ and remains one of the lost heirlooms of the Christian Orthodox Church. It is said that King Abgar of Edessa, who was suffering from leprosy, sent an invitation to Jesus via his servant Ananias, asking Him to visit and preach. Jesus responded that one of his disciples will indeed visit in a future time, but the servant, not wanting to disappoint his master, sat aside to sketch the face of Jesus. Jesus understood that Ananias was troubled and asked his disciples for water to wash. He then dried His face on a piece of cloth on which His face was miraculously imprinted. He folded the piece of cloth in four and handed it to Ananias, asking him to deliver it to his master. Once receiving the Holy Mandylion, King Abgar believed in Christ and was healed immediately. A small scar that was left from his disease was healed later by Thaddeus who visited and preached in the area. The event