I tried to take the icon in my car to the Ukrainian through the checkpoint "Kuchurgan-Pervomaisk" of the Ukrainian-Moldovan border. As the press service of the customs, for the passage of customs control, the man chose the "green corridor".

However, during the inspection of the vehicle in the driver's door shelf without signs of concealment, an icon was found on the board.

According to preliminary information from open sources, this is a copy of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. It is also called "Hodegetria", which means "Guiding light".

According to the church legend, it was written by the holy Evangelist Luke during the earthly life of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In the beginning of the 11th century, the icon landed in Kievan Rus, and later in Smolensk. A protocol was drawn up on the violation of customs regulations on the grounds of Article 471 of the Customs Code of Ukraine. The icon was submitted for examination, according to the results of which it will be established its belonging to cultural values ??and value.

Recall, as reported URA-Inform, January 3, employees of the customs post "Senkovka" in the Chernihiv region prevented an attempt to export more than a hundred ancient coins.