Holy Spring of Rakov

The holy spring in Rakov, known since the 15th century, is located at the entrance to the city. According to legend, a sick and blind man lived in Rakov at that time. One day, the Virgin Mary appeared to him, who ordered him to go to the outskirts of the village. Being weak, he got lost in the forest, but came to the spring, where he washed himself and drank water. Miraculously, his illnesses retreated, he regained his sight and saw a brightly shining icon, which was called the Rakov Icon of the Holy Mother of God. The icon was kept for a long time in the church, which was built on the site of the miraculous appearance of the Mother of God. However, during the First World War, it was taken to Russia. Now a copy of it is kept in the church. The spring itself has been ennobled, there is a chapel near it, built in 1993. It is believed that the water from the spring helps with eye diseases. Interestingly, the spring does not flow anywhere. It comes out of the ground and after 150 m goes back into the ground.