‘Tenderness’ Icon of the Mother of God:  this unique icon  (showing the Theotokos alone without Jesus) delivered Pskov from a Polish invasion in 1581 and protection against Napoleon’s invasion in 1812.  We read this but do we really believe it?  If so, would we trust in the icon to protect us at a time a national peril or would our ‘faith’ be in the armed forces? The answer will reveal move about ourselves than we care to know.

http://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/06/23/101798-icon-of-the-mother-of-god-ldquotendernessrdquo-of-the-pskov-cave

http://images.oca.org/icons/sm/july/0728tendernessicon.jpg