Believers from all over Russia visit Christ image depicted supposedly in IX century on a mountain in Karachaevo-Cherkesia.

Local citizens, brothers Varchenko discovered the icon at mid-nineties. But they decided to keep a secret. Finally brothers told archeologists about the image but didn`t show the exact location.

After long search archeologists found "icon" of 8 meters in height and 2.5 meters in width. "Image of Jesus Christ showed up on a vertical mountain, - remembers a member of expedition. - It became clear from first sight that work is a masterpiece. Our tiredness has disappeared under charming look".

Miraculous properties of the image have been noticed by local citizens after case with childless woman. She asked the icon for the baby and got pregnant within a month.

"Every day people all over Russia come here. Some of them wish to change the life, others search for conciliation", - said the priest of local Orthodox church Father Victor.

The mountain is developed at expense of donations: footsteps have been cut, the mountain has been fenced for protection of image from souvenir-lovers.

As experts notice, the image is similar with Sinai icon of Christ Pantocrator drawn by wax paints.
sections: Society, Region News
areas: Southern region