29 May marks the 600th anniversary of the discovery of this miraculous Cross.

The year 2023 marks the 600th anniversary of the revelation of the Great Miracle-working Jesus Cross, which is now called the Godenovsky Cross, in the Sakhotsky Swamp near Rostov Veliky. Rostov Veliky, of course, as many who follow such events know, was the first port of call for the Gleason family when Father Joseph moved his family out of America to Russia some seven years ago. Since then, the family has been joined by many more families from around the world who have fled to Russia seeking protection from the Satanic New World Order that rages outside her borders. It is said this begins to fulfill a prophecy that Rostov would see many from all around the world come to it for protection in the last days.

But alas, in a nation of miracles, this is the story of another miracle 600 years previously. Shepherds tending flocks saw a great light “coming from the Greek direction,” and upon seeking it out, they discovered this Cross in the sky shining like the sun, and St. Nicholas guarding it. Falling from fear, they only recovered their senses when they heard a voice from the Cross: 

"The grace of God and the house of God will be in this place. And those who come with faith to pray, many will receive healings and miracles from the Life-giving Cross, prayers for the sake of the wonderworker Nicholas. Go and tell all the people about it, so that they can put My church in its place." 

Eventually, a hill miraculously manifested in the swamp so that the Church housing the Cross could be built. And if any tried to move it from its preferred place, it would become as heavy as lead and immovable. 

Over the years, the Cross produced many miraculous healings, from cancers and various sicknesses. 

During the dark and godless years of communism, many tried to destroy the Cross, with fire, acid, transformer oil, and even axes and chainsaws, all to no avail. The fire did nothing, the oil was transmuted into fragrant myrrh. The chainsaws and axes bounced off as if they were being wielded against stone or metal. One particularly hateful man cut himself while expending a tremendous effort and chipped the foot of the Cross, only to develop gangrene and die a foul death from his festering wound, much like the man in Ukraine recently who knocked a Cross out of the hand of a UOC priest and was struck dead on the spot. 

The Cross did, however, suffer environmental damage from being stored in damp and inappropriate places, since Believers often took and hid the Cross where they could to prevent more blasphemous attacks on it by communists. In 2003, it was completely restored by professionals from Saint Petersburg in situ, so that the people could continue to venerate it even as it was being restored. 

The Cross before restoration procedures.

There is nothing else quite like the Cross in Russia, due to its heavy Byzantine influences and nearly unique construction. 

Some believe the Cross manifested during a particularly vital part of Russian history, when Moscow was becoming ascendant and native Russian bishops were becoming Patriarch, signaling the independence of Moscow from Constantinople ecclesiastically. This was also the sunset of Constantinople as the Second Rome and bulwark of Orthodoxy, as just 30 years later it would fall to the Turks, leaving Moscow as the last free Orthodox capital and Russia as one of the world’s only independent Orthodox states, and certainly the strongest one. 

To this day in the little village of Godenovo pilgrims come from all over the world to reverence the cross, which has the dignity of a police guard. If you are ever in the Rostov Veliky region or seeking a miracle healing, making the effort to see the Cross could bring you great blessings. 

You can read more about this story here. (In Russian)
You can also check out this pdf version with more beautiful pictures. (In Russian)