In a small book published in 1761 by the Vilnius Carmelite, Father Gregory Hilary of St. Teresa, titled “Relation of the Image of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary, famous for its graces at the Gate of Dawn near the Church of the Discalced Carmelites of St. Teresa,” several accounts of ancient miracles have been preserved. These events were confirmed by witnesses, and naturally, those who experienced these graces would hang a votive offering near the Icon. The records also describe miraculous occurrences of a different nature—divine punishments visited upon wrongdoers who attempted to desecrate the miraculous Icon or the dignity of this holy site. Notably, these were often foreign soldiers, such as Swedes or Russians.
“In 1671, when the Image was first brought into the chapel, a two-year-old child accidentally fell from the second floor onto the stone pavement with such force that he was lifted from the ground lifeless. The grieving parents… entrusted the child to the Most Blessed Virgin Mary before the Icon of the Gate of Dawn, with great faith that their supplication would surely be answered. The following day, they found the child perfectly healthy, without the slightest injury to his body or even a bruise. In gratitude to the Most Blessed Mother, and in eternal memory of such a distinguished miracle, they hung a painted tablet depicting the event in the chapel on May 6th of that same year; this tablet later burned along with the chapel on May 27, 1715.”
“On May 18, 1706—a day that could rightfully be called a day of ashes by anyone who saw nearly all of Vilnius turned to dust—the Holy Spirit visited His apostles with tongues of fire. The fire broke out at noon near the Church of St. Nicholas from a single wretched house and destroyed many magnificent homes, monasteries, and sanctuaries of God. The flames attacked our church and monastery from both sides, so that several wooden structures in the narrow courtyard were consumed. But as soon as two of our monks, Father Zechariah of St. Louis and Brother Urban of St. Teresa, carried the Icon out and placed it in the church—noting with wonder that it felt weightless—the fire immediately relented from the monastery and the church. At that time, the Most Blessed Mother was seen by several devout persons standing with great radiance atop our Carmelite church.”
“In 1708, the Russian Tsar Peter Alexeyevich established himself in Vilnius with his entire army for the winter, placing a heavy burden on the city. One godless soldier from that army, seized by impious greed, somehow slipped into the Gate of Dawn and resolved to tear the silver garment from the Most Holy Image. As soon as his sacrilegious hand touched it, the soldier was flung against the wall by the Most Blessed Virgin and dashed to pieces. This terrifying miracle so frightened the Russian army and inspired such reverence and awe for the Most Holy Image that many of them gave alms and bowed low to it according to their custom… and they zealously sought small pictures depicting the Holy Icon. Furthermore, out of respect for the Holy Image, the guards stationed at the gate were forbidden from smoking tobacco.”Tradition also tells that when the Swedish army occupied Vilnius in 1702, guards were posted at all the city gates. The occupiers forbade the people from singing hymns before the Icon of the Gate of Dawn and mocked the Mother of God. On the morning of April 14th, Holy Saturday, “the heavy gates, which required ten men to move, were torn from their hinges by the power of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary and fell with a great crash” upon the blaspheming guards who were warming themselves by a fire lit within the gateway.