Déposition de la précieuse ceinture de la Toute-Sainte Mère de Dieu en l'église des Chalkoprateia à Constantinople (vers 530). Une partie de cette ceinture est aujourd'hui gardée au monastère athonite de Vatopédi. (Office traduit en français par le père Denis Guillaume au tome VIII des Ménées.)

 

Déposition de la précieuse ceinture de la Toute-Sainte Mère de Dieu en l'église des Chalkoprateia à Constantinople (vers 530). Une partie de cette ceinture est aujourd'hui gardée au monastère athonite de Vatopédi. (Office traduit en français par le père Denis Guillaume au tome VIII des Ménées.)

The Placing of the Venerable Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos in a church of Constantinople's Chalcoprateia district took place during the reign of the emperor Theodosius the Younger. Before this the holy relic, entrusted to the Apostle Thomas by the Mother of God Herself, was kept by pious Christians at Jerusalem after Her Dormition. During the reign of Emperor Leo the Wise (886-911), his wife Zoe was afllicted with an unclean spirit, and he prayed that God would heal her. 

http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/08/holy-belt-zoni-of-theotokos.html

http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/10/miracles-by-holy-belt-prologue.html

http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2012/08/8-miracles-of-holy-belt-of-theotokos.html

http://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2011/08/when-elder-daniel-of-katounakia-was.html

The empress had a vision that she would be healed of her infirmity if the Belt of the Mother of God were placed upon her. The emperor then asked the Patriarch to open the coffer. The Patriarch removed the seal and opened the coffer in which the relic was kept, and the Belt of the Mother of God appeared completely whole and undamaged by time. The Patriarch placed the Belt on the sick empress, and immediately she was freed from her infirmity. They sang hymns of thanksgiving to the Most Holy Theotokos, then they placed the venerable Belt back into the coffer and resealed it.

In commemoration of the miraculous occurrence and the twofold Placing of the venerable Belt, the Feast of the Placing of the Venerable Belt of the Most Holy Theotokos was established. Parts of the holy Belt are in the Vatopedi monastery on Mt. Athos, in Trier monastery, and in Georgia.

Troparion — Tone 8

Ever-Virgin Theotokos, protectress of mankind, / you have given your people a powerful legacy: / the robe and sash of your most honored body which remained / incorrupt throughout your seedless childbearing; / for through you time and nature are renewed! / Therefore we implore you: “Grant peace to your people and to our souls great mercy!”