July 8 is the Feast of Our Lady of Kazan, Russia – The Holy Protectress of Russia – Theotokos of Kazan
The Icon is thought to have originated in Constantinople in 988AD, in the Church of the Apostles, before it was taken to Russia. When the Turks took Kazan in 1438, the icon may have been hidden, as in 1579 the town was destroyed by fire. The Icon was eventually found unharmed, through Our Lady to a little girl. Our Lady, Who lead the child to the ruins of a burnt-out house at Kazan on July 8th in 1579. Miracles followed. A magnificent Basilica was constructed which housed the Sacred Icon. On October 13, 1917 (the day of the Fatima Apparition and Miracle of the sun) the Basilica of Our Lady of Kazan was destroyed. Our Lady of Fatima said to the shepherd children on that same day, October 13, 1917, “If humanity does not turn back to God, Russia will spread errors and terrors worldwide” The sacred Icon had been mysteriously saved, years later being housed in Fatima in a Byzantine-style Shrine. In 2004, the Icon was given to the Russian Orthodox Church by a Roman Catholic Cardinal. http://www.divinemysteries.info/our-lady-of-kazan-kazan-russia-1579/ and https://www.thecompassnews.org/2017/10/russias-ties-lady-fatima/
In 1940 an American, Roman Catholic Priest, Servant of God Walter Ciszek, at the request of Pope Pius XI, young Fr. Ciszek voluntarily and secretively entered Russia to minister to persecuted Catholics under communist oppression. After being arrested and spending years imprisoned and in labor camps, providing Priestly service to others, Fr. Walter was released back to the United States of America, in 1963.
Fr. Ciszek, SJ entered Eternity on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception December 8, 1984.
Video – the story of Fr. Walter Ciszek:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7Msnkohqzk
Cause for his Canonization:
At the same time of his detainment in Russia, Our Lady of America was Appearing to an American nun, Sister Mary Ephrem.
It was Our Lady of America Who requested of the American Bishops to process Her statue in the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC. The fulfillment of Our Lady’s Request would usher in the many Promised Miracles, more than that of Lourdes and Fatima, thus bringing Peace and Purity to all nations.
Book: https://bookofheaven.com/our-lady-of-america/our-lady-of-america-booklet/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNmslFGISL0
Additionally, Pope Pius XI, who sent Fr. Ciszek to Russia, proclaimed on December 11, 1925 the Feast of Christ the King!
V25 – 10.28.28 – Jesus to Luisa: “My daughter, the Church does nothing but intuitively grasp what She Must Know on My Divine Will and how Its Kingdom Must Come. Therefore, this Feast is the prelude of the Kingdom of My Divine Fiat. Indeed, the Church is doing nothing other than honoring My Humanity with those Titles which, by Right, are Due to It; and when She has given Me all the Honors that Befit Me, She will move on to Honor and to institute the Feast to the Kingdom of My Divine Will, by which My Humanity was Animated. The Church proceeds step by step, and now She institutes the Feast to My Heart, now She consecrates the century, in all solemnity, to Christ the Redeemer, and now She moves on, with greater Solemnity, to institute the Feast to Christ the King. Christ the King means that He Must have His Kingdom, He Must have peoples worthy of Such a King. And who will ever be able to form for Me this Kingdom if not My Will? Then, Yes, will I be able to say: ‘I have My people – My Fiat has Formed it for Me.’ Oh! if the leaders of the Church knew what I have Manifested to you about My Divine Will, what I Want to do, Its Great Prodigies, My Yearnings, My Sorrowful Heartbeats, My Anguishing Sighs, for I Want My Will to Reign, to make everyone happy, to Restore the human family – they would feel that in this Feast of Christ the King is nothing other than the Secret Echo of My Heart which, Echoing in them, without their knowing it, has them institute for Me the Feast of Christ the King in order to Call their attention and reflection. ‘Christ the King…. And His True people – where are they?’ And they would say: ‘Let us hasten to make His Divine Will known; let us let It Reign, that we may give a people to Christ the King, whom we have called So. Otherwise, we
have honored Him with words, but not with facts’.”
Our Lady, The Immaculate Conception Pray for us!
Our Lady of Kazan, Russia Pray for us!
Our Lady of America Pray for us!
Pope Pius XI pray for us!
Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta pray for us!
Servant of God Fr. Walter Ciszek pray for us!
Sister Mary Ephrem pray for us!
