Virgin Mary Hodegetria - Holy Monastery Ksenofontos

The founder of the Monastery is Saint Xenophon, who founded the monastery in 998 AD. and served as abbot. In the Third charter or Typikon, the Holy Monastery of Xenophon was in eighth place, while today the monastery's hierarchical position is the sixteenth. The Xenophon Monastery is dedicated to the Holy Great Martyr George the Trophy Bearer.

The way in which the holy icon of our Lady of Roses was found, was miraculous. According to residents in the area of Piraeus, Greece, the icon was discovered between 1890 AD and 1895 AD. It all began when a fisherman, during his fishing, found the holy icon near the cliffs of Piraeus. Once the news spread in the area, a devout family named Katsaros wanted to provide shelter for the protection of the icon. Thus, on their own initiative, they undertook the construction of a private chapel, which they named Theotokos Rose the Amaranth.

As we know from the writings in the Old Testament, wine acquired distinctive symbolism. After the flood, Noah planted and managed to create his own vineyard. In Exodus, God gave a promise to bless three significant goods for human life: bread, water and wine. The lands and climate in the regions of Hebron and Palestine were conducive for the cultivation of vineyards. Viticulture flourished in a short time and gained great demand, as people cultivated their vines to produce the blessed wine. David hymns wine through his psalms, saying: "And wine that makes glad the heart of man..." (Psalm 104:15) and "You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased" (Psalm 4:7).