But the most memorable images are of the charismatic saints and of miracle-working icons that sprang up in America itself and were objects of intense popular devotion.

At Tarabados, just north of Tinos Town, a villager plied us with liqueur and biscuits, then let us into the parish church to see the Catholics' own miracle-working icon.

Its standing was further augmented in 1597, when a noble lady, Anna Hojska, presented to the monastery her extensive lands and a miracle-working icon of the Theotokos.

We've seen people crawling on all fours to a miracle-working icon of the Virgin in Tinos, dolphins leaping off the coast of Ikaria, and preposterously red suns setting over Andros, Paros and Kalimnos.

Overcoming demonic attacks, he reached Valaam where the Mother of God entered his life through a miracle-working icon, "Surety of Sinners," which he found and kept to his death.

At the Upper Church altar is situated the list from the miracle-working Korsun icon of the Mother of God, which, according to legend, was brought from Chersonese by Vladimir the Great.

Later the Theotokos of Pochayiv acquired a reputation as a miracle-working icon.

Manyava Skete is famous for the apparition of Virgin Mary who appeared here twice and for its miracle-working icon of Manyava Icon of Mother of God.

Later Lidov turned to the study of miracle-working icons and Christian relics, which was quite a new subject in art history.

He described to us with reverence their priceless, miracle-working icons, such as the image of the Virgin in the great church of Saint Sophia, and her veiled icon in the sanctuary at Blachernae.