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MIRACULOUS ICONS OF THEOTOKOS ON MOUNT ATHOS

Mount Athos is known as the "Garden of Virgin Mary". As the place where the Most Holy Theotokos is honored, as the place where she appears, acts and rests, as "the conceivable and most beautiful Paradise of Theotokos". According to the tradition, Mount Athos was given as a heritage to the Virgin Mary by the Lord himself: "Let this place be a heritage and its surroundings be Paradise, and a port of salvation for those who want to be saved".

Mother of God of Three Hands Trojeručica - Hilandar Monastery

Mother of God of Three Hands Trojeručica - Hilandar Monastery

The icon of the Theotokos Three-Handed (Trojeručica in Serbian or Tricherousa in Greek), one of the miraculous icons of the Serbian Hilandar Monastery on Mount Athos. The icon was an heirloom of Saint John of Damascus and was kept with great reverence in the chapel of his house. During the Iconoclasm, the Emperor of Constantinople was Leo III the Isaurian. During this period, the veneration of holy icons was forbidden. However, Saint John of Damascus was a fervent defender of the icons. Through his writings, he sought to fight off the pillars of Iconoclasm.

Virgin Mary Antifonitria - Miraculous Icon on Mount Athos

Virgin Mary Antifonitria - Miraculous Icon on Mount Athos

At the Holy Monastery of Kostamonitou on Mount Athos is found the icon of the Virgin Mary Antifonitria, meaning ‘She Who Retorts’. The exact time and occasion of how this holy icon appeared in the monastery remain unknown. However, the miracle associated with the holy icon of the Theotokos, which took place in 1020 AD during the reign of Constantine the Great, is widely known.

Virgin Mary Paleologina Miraculous Icon on Mount Athos

Virgin Mary Paleologina Miraculous Icon on Mount Athos

The original name of the Palaiologina was “Hodeghetria Pantanassa”. Later, to distinguish it from other icons of the same name, it was renamed “Palaiologina”, after the name of its donor “the most pious Kyra Maria Asamina Palaiologina, lady of Moldo-wallachia”, as a small inscription in gold attached to the silver revetment states. Here the Blessed Virgin is represented with an affectionate, but at the same time sad air, as she holds Christ at the age of three.

Virgin Mary Hodegetria - Holy Monastery Xenofontos

Virgin Mary Hodegetria - Holy Monastery Xenofontos

The miraculous icon of the Virgin Hodegetria was originally housed in the Katholikon (main church) of the Holy Great Monastery of Vatopedi, placed on a column in the left choir (that is the place where the chanters and the monks gathered to chant) of the church. However, in 1730 AD, the icon of the Virgin Mary Hodegetria miraculously disappeared and was found at the Holy Monastery of Xenophon. According to the narrations of the monks, the door of the church had been locked when the event occurred, which led them to suspect human intervention. As a result, the fathers of the Vatopedi monastery decided to recover the holy icon of Theotokos and began their search. During their efforts, they learned that the miraculous icon of the Virgin Hodegetria was now at the Holy Monastery of Xenophon, even though both monasteries had been securely locked.

Virgin Mary Myrovlitisa - Holy Monastery of St Paul

Virgin Mary Myrovlitisa - Holy Monastery of St Paul

This miraculous icon was once in a famous Constantinople monastery called “Myrelaiou”. From there it was brought to the Holy Mountain by St Paul of Xeropotamou, who dedicated it to the second monastery he had founded (after Xeropotamou), which had taken his name.

Panagia Glykofilousa Miraculous Icon at Monastery Filotheou

Panagia Glykofilousa Miraculous Icon at Monastery Filotheou

The miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary Glykofilousa  is one of the most loved miraculous icons of the Theotokos. It is housed at the Holy Monastery of Filotheou on Mount Athos and is placed on the left side of the Katholikon's sanctuary. The miraculous icon of Our Lady Glykophilousa is double-sided. In this holy icon, the Most Holy Theotokos tenderly holds Jesus Christ, who is portrayed at a young age and Her gaze, filled with love and compassion, is directed towards the faithful. At the same time, Jesus Christ, the God-Man, turns His head towards His Mother, resting His face lovingly against hers, while His left hand gently touches the face of the Ever-Virgin Mary. On the back side, the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ is depicted.

Virgin Mary Gorgoepikoos - Holy Monastery Dochiariou

Virgin Mary Gorgoepikoos - Holy Monastery Dochiariou

The best-known miraculus icon of the Holy Mountain after the Portaotissa is an ancient wall-painting of the Blessed Virgin on the outside of the eastern wall of the refectory, to the right of the entrance, in the Docheiariou Monastery. In 1664, the trapezares Neilos, who used to pass regularly in front of the icon holding in his hand a lighted torch which he needed for his duties in the refectory, heard a voice telling him: “Do not come pat here with a torch, leaving smoke on my icon”. Neilos did not pay much attention to the voice, but it was soon heard again, imposing a punishment on the monk and leaving him blind. The brothers began to show great reverence in passing before the icon and hung a perpetual lamp before it and ordered the new trapezares to burn incense before it every day.

Virgin Mary Epakouousa Miraculous Icon on Mount Athos

Virgin Mary Epakouousa Miraculous Icon on Mount Athos

The icon of our Lady Epakouousa is closely connected with the life of Saint Kosmas the Zographite. Saint Cosmas the Zografite was a hermit, who lived in the late 13th and early 14th centuries. One day, while he was still residing in the monastery, he found himself alone in the church. There, he approached the icon of the Virgin Mary Epakouousa and prayed heartlly, saying the following words: «Most Holy Theotokos, intercede to your Son and God that He may guide me on the path of salvation». At that very moment, the Most Holy Theotokos answered him with the following words: «My Son and God, teach Your servant how to be saved». This time, the response came from Jesus Christ, who urged him, saying:«Let him depart from the monastery and find peace alone». 

Virgin Mary Proanagelomeni - Holy Monastery Zografou

Virgin Mary Proanagelomeni - Holy Monastery Zografou

During the period of the false union of the Council of Lyons under th pro-Latin Michael VIII Palaeologus and the Patriarch Ioannes Beccus, in the 13th century, Latin clerics accompanied by soldiers invaded the Holy Mountain, that stronghold of Orthodoxy, to impose by force union with the Western Church. The Zografou Monastery had the honour to produce in this struggle against error the 26 Martyrs of Zographou. At that time, there was a saintly elder living the ascetic life near the Monastery whose habit it was to recite the Akathistos Hymn many times a day before the icon of the Theotokos.

Miraculous Icon of the Virgin Mary Gerontissa the Eldress

Miraculous Icon of the Virgin Mary Gerontissa the Eldress

In this icon, which is on the pillar of the left choir of the Monastery s katholikon, the Blessed Virgin is shown standing in an attitude of supplication, without Christ. On the Silver reventment of the icon can be seen a storage jar overflowing, reminding us of a miracle of the Theotokos when, hearing the prayers of the Elder (Yerontas – hence the name “Yerontissa”) filled with oil the empty storage jars of the Monastery.

Virgin Mary Fovera Prostasia - Holy Monastery Koytloymoysi

Virgin Mary Fovera Prostasia - Holy Monastery Koytloymoysi

This icon of the Theotokos is the only object which was saved from a terrible fire which completely destroyed a metochi of the Monastery in Crete. It was brought to the Monastery where it continues to perform many miracles, to which the fathers of the Monastery and its pilgrims are witnesses.

The Miraculous Icon of Theotokos that Saved Constantinople

The Miraculous Icon of Theotokos that Saved Constantinople

The miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary Myrrh-scented, also known as the Virgin Mary of the Salutations or of the Akathist Hymn, is among the oldest icons of Mount Athos. It is preserved in the Holy Monastery of Dionysiou and its presence there is closely tied to numerous miracles.The venerable icon of the Theotokos of the Salutations is small in size, made from wax and mastic while Its features have nearly disappeared due to the holy myrrh that exudes from it.

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