I got a headache just skimming the site ...
The world's quickest slide show, apparently designed to keep anyone not quick enough to hold down a cursor button on a numberfrom reading the prattle, such as
"On this first blessing, the Pope knew that his hand was photographed too low. At the end of this first blessing, the Pope blessed the Icon again and this photo was retaken. The Pope wanted the world to see a perfect photo of his Papal Blessing of this unique Icon: the only Icon of "Our Lady Mediatrix of All Graces" in the world."
I can hear his words now ... "Oh no, my hand is too low."
They've registered "(R)" 'Miraculous Icon' as a trademark? Love to see them defend that one in a trademark action at law! (Where's a rollseye emoticon when you need one?)
Let's see: Josyp Terelya, Medjugorje visionaries, Vladyka Roman (Danylak) ... enough said on that grouping of personages
"Exactly 73 days later (there are 73 Books in the Bible)," - correlation between those 2 facts is eminently clear to me, not sure about the rest of you ...
This following reads to me like one of those recitations (I forget the precise term for them) of the supposed correlations between the deaths of Kennedy and Lincoln - or any of the other similar 'believe it or not' lists intended to awe readers with the remarkable juxtaposition of events that prove something (tho I'm never sure precisely what).
"In retrospect, many spiritually significant dates and events are linked to the creation of Our Lady Mediatrix of All Graces Miraculous Icon. For example, on “the Feast Day of the Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary”, Mary’s Way Apostolate was established. Two days later,
on October 13th, 1996 on “the Anniversary of The Great Miracle of the Sun in Fatima”, Josyp Terelya from the Ukraine, one of the world’s finest icon painters (writers), mystic, and world renowned Marian visionary, offered to paint the Icon – most surprisingly, during a Saint Louis de Montfort Religious Conference.
On November 13 and
on December 13, through inspiration, vitally important additions were made to the Icon. The Icon was completed on “Christmas Day” 1996 – “as Mary’s Gift to the entire world” given to everyone on the 2,000th Birthday of Jesus! (There is a 4 year error in our calendars. It occurred when our present “Gregorian Calendar” was revised in the year 1582 from “The Julian Calendar”.)
On the feast day of “Mary the Mother God”, January 1st, 1997, the Icon was blessed by Bishop Danylak in the Ukrainian Catholic Rite, in Canada.
On the 13th of January all the money needed to pay for the Icon was unexpectedly loaned to us.
On the 13th of February, the Icon was Express Mailed from Canada to the United States. The large box containing the original Miraculous Icon was dated and time stamped (in military time), crossing the border into the United States exactly
on the first 13th minute of Saint Valentine’s Day,
“00.13”-again for “Our Lady of Fatima.” The Icon arrived at “Mary’s Way” on Saint Valentine’s Day “The Feast Day of Love” – as a sign of Mary’s love for all! This unique Icon is spiritually linked to “Our Lady of Fatima” and to “Our Lady of Medjugorje”.
Throughout the last 13 years, the unworthy caretaker of The Miraculous Icon® “Our Lady Mediatrix of All Graces” was given
over 1000 visible signs of the number 13, assuring and guiding him, confirming how extremely important “Our Lady Mediatrix of All Graces” is to everyone throughout the world."
(Rumor has it that the icon will soon be renamed Our Lady of 13.)
I must admit to being overwhelmed by the 12-Way All-Protecting Scapular. I imagined and was disappointed to find that it was not actually a dodecagon or duodecagon (frankly, after the cataloguing of the '13s' I was more expecting a treiskidecagon).
Be sure to read the fascinating text of the
Inside View of Brochure [marysway.net]. Even its excesses are excessive.
I could (and would) go on, but I'm told that cynicism is unbecoming in one who firmly believes that an angel opened the wall of 'agia Sophia to allow the presbyters to pass through with the Holy Mysteries and will do so again when the day comes that the holy temple will be restored to its sacred purpose and the presbyters return to resume the Unfinished Liturgy.
To answer the query that sielos posed
I'd be interested in what forum members may have to say
... Not much worth repeating. The site reminds me of Bayside and myriad other such sites - rife with hyperbole, abounding with superlatives (one more 'many', 'very' or 'most' and I'd have screamed), rampant with text that promotes or verges on promoting superstition, embarressed that it contains sufficient references to matters Eastern that some readers will associate it with Eastern Catholicism, ...
THe image itself is 'a pretty picture'; it's not an icon.
Many years,
Neil (with apologies to those who find this site or its subject spiritually enriching; although I ordinarily try to refrain from comments that disparage whatever one might find assists them in their spiritual journey, this particular presentation is just too much)
PS -
Embracing this exquisite most treasured life-like Icon is the only religiously designed, biblically detailed, 3-dimensional Iconic Picture Frame in the world. The "Waves and Rays of Graces Iconic Picture Frame"
- if anyone can explain what constitutes a 'religiously designed, biblically detailed, iconic picture frame', I'd be most appreciative ... the 'waves and rays of graces', huh?