Saint Athos is revered in the Orthodox Tradition as the earthly lot of the Mother of God. According to legend, the Most Pure Virgin herself took the Holy Mountain under Her special protection.
In the year 667, the pious monk, the Monk Peter of Athos, saw in a subtle dream the Mother of God, who uttered: “The Mount of Athos is My lot, given to Me from My Son and God, so that those who withdraw from the world and choose for themselves an ascetic life according to their own strength, My name is those who call with faith and love from the soul, there they spent their lives without sorrow and for their godly deeds they would receive eternal life. It is no coincidence that it was on Athos that many of the miraculous icons of the Mother of God shone …
THE WONDERFUL ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD OF IVERSKAYA
The Iversky Monastery is the home of the icon of the patroness of the Holy Mountain, the Most Holy Theotokos of Iverskaya - the Goalkeeper (Portaitissa).
The first news about it dates back to the 9th century - the times of iconoclasm, when, by order of the heretical authorities, holy icons were destroyed and mocked in homes and churches. A certain pious widow who lived not far from Nicaea kept the cherished image of the Mother of God. It soon opened. The armed warriors who arrived wanted to take away the icon, one of them struck the shrine with a spear, and blood flowed from the face of the Most Pure One. Having prayed to the Lady with tears, the woman went to the sea and lowered the icon into the water; a standing image moved over the waves.
Two centuries later, the monks of the Greek Iversky Monastery on Mount Athos saw an icon in the sea, supported by a pillar of fire. The Monk Gabriel Svyatorets, having received instructions from the Mother of God in a dream, went on foot on the water and brought the icon to the Catholicon, but in the morning it was discovered above the gate of the monastery. Tradition says that this was repeated several times. The Most Holy Theotokos, appearing to St. Gabriel, she explained that it is not the monks who should guard the icon, but it is the guardian of the monastery. After that, the icon was placed over the gates of the monastery and received the name "Goalkeeper", and on behalf of the monastery - the Iversky monastery - it was named Iverskaya.
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According to legend, the appearance of the icon took place on March 31, on the Tuesday of Easter week (according to other sources, on April 27). In the Iversky Monastery, a celebration in her honor takes place on the Tuesday of Bright Week; the brethren with a procession of the cross goes to the seashore, where Elder Gabriel received the icon.
ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD "TRICHERUSS"
In the Russian tradition, this icon is called "Three-handed". The icon is in the Hilendar Monastery on Athos.
The image was a personal icon of St. John of Damascus. During the period of iconoclasm, the saint, defending icons, wrote letters to the iconoclastic emperor Leon III Isavro. The same, in order to justify himself, slandered him before the Saracen prince, who ordered to cut off the saint's hand. Saint John with the cut off brush came to the icon of the Mother of God, which was at his home, and asked to heal him. The brush miraculously fused together, and Saint John, in memory of this miracle, attached a silver brush to the icon. The icon remains in this form to this day.
The icon remained in the monastery in the name of Saint Sava until the 13th century, when it was presented to another Saint Sava, the Archbishop of Serbia. During the invasion of Serbia by the Hagarians, the Orthodox, wishing to preserve the icon, placed it on the donkey and let him in without a guide. With precious luggage, he himself reached Mount Athos and stopped at the gates of the Khilendar monastery. Local monks accepted the icon as a great gift, and at the place where the donkey stopped, they began to perform a procession with the cross every year.
Once an old hegumen died in the Hilendar monastery. The election of a new one caused contention among the brethren. And then the Mother of God, appearing to one hermit, announced that from now on she would herself be the abbess of the monastery. As a sign of this, the "Three-handed", which hitherto stood in the altar of the monastery cathedral, was miraculously transported through the air to the middle of the church, to the abbot's place. Since then, the Hilendar Monastery has been ruled by the priest-governor, who stands during the services at the abbot's place where the image of the Three-Handed, the Mother Superior of this monastery, is kept. The monks receive a blessing from Her, kissing the icon, as if from the abbot.
The celebration of the icon takes place on July 11.
ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD "WORTHY IS"
The shrine is located in the Assumption Church of the administrative center of the Holy Mount Athos - Kareya.
According to legend, in the 10th century, in a cave not far from Kareya, a certain old priest with a novice asceticised. Once on Sunday, June 11, 982, the elder went to the monastery for the all-night vigil, while the novice remained at home. Late at night an unknown monk knocked on the door. The novice bowed to the stranger, gave him water to drink from the road, and offered to rest in his cell. Together with the guest, they began to sing psalms and prayers. However, while singing the words "Most Honest Cherub", the mysterious guest unexpectedly noticed that in their places this song is sung in a different way: adding before the "Most Honest" the words "It is worthy to eat, as truly blessed You, Mother of God, Ever-Blessed and Most Immaculate, and the Mother of our God ". And when the monk began to sing these words, the icon of the Mother of God "Merciful", which stood in the cell, suddenly shone with a mysterious light,and the novice suddenly felt a special joy and sobbed with emotion. He asked the guest to write down the wonderful words, and he traced them with his finger on a stone slab, which softened under his hand like wax. After that, the guest, who called himself humble Gabriel, suddenly disappeared. The icon continued to shine with a mysterious light. The disciple waited for the elder, told him about the mysterious stranger and showed him a stone slab with words of prayer. The spiritually experienced elder immediately understood that the Archangel Gabriel had come to his cell, sent to earth to proclaim to Christians a wondrous song in the name of the Mother of God. Since then, the angelic song "It is worthy …" has been sung during every Divine Liturgy around the world - wherever there is at least one Orthodox see or at least one Orthodox Christian lives.and he traced them with his finger on a stone slab, which softened under his hand like wax. After that, the guest, who called himself humble Gabriel, suddenly disappeared. The icon continued to shine with a mysterious light. The disciple waited for the elder, told him about the mysterious stranger and showed him a stone slab with words of prayer. The spiritually experienced elder immediately understood that the Archangel Gabriel had come to his cell, sent to earth to proclaim to Christians a wondrous song in the name of the Mother of God. Since then, the angelic song "It is worthy …" has been sung during every Divine Liturgy around the world - wherever there is at least one Orthodox see or at least one Orthodox Christian lives.and he traced them with his finger on a stone slab, which softened under his hand like wax. After that, the guest, who called himself humble Gabriel, suddenly disappeared. The icon continued to shine with a mysterious light. The disciple waited for the elder, told him about the mysterious stranger and showed him a stone slab with words of prayer. The spiritually experienced elder immediately realized that the Archangel Gabriel had come to his cell, sent to earth to proclaim to Christians a wondrous song in the name of the Mother of God. Since then, the angelic song "It is worthy …" has been sung during every Divine Liturgy all over the world - wherever there is at least one Orthodox see or at least one Orthodox Christian lives. The novice waited for the elder, told him about the mysterious stranger and showed him a stone slab with the words of a prayer. The spiritually experienced elder immediately realized that the Archangel Gabriel had come to his cell, sent to earth to proclaim to Christians a wondrous song in the name of the Mother of God. Since then, the angelic song "It is worthy …" has been sung during every Divine Liturgy all over the world - wherever there is at least one Orthodox see or at least one Orthodox Christian lives. The novice waited for the elder, told him about the mysterious stranger and showed him a stone slab with the words of a prayer. The spiritually experienced elder immediately realized that the Archangel Gabriel had come to his cell, sent to earth to proclaim to Christians a wondrous song in the name of the Mother of God. Since then, the angelic song "It is worthy …" has been sung during every Divine Liturgy all over the world - wherever there is at least one Orthodox see or at least one Orthodox Christian lives.where there is at least one Orthodox throne or at least one Orthodox Christian lives.where there is at least one Orthodox throne or at least one Orthodox Christian lives.
The celebration of the icon takes place on June 24.
ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD "HERONTISSA"
In the Russian tradition, this icon is called "Staritsa". The shrine is kept in the Patnokrator monastery. One of the most revered on Athos.
According to an ancient legend, the first miracle from this icon occurred during the construction of the future monastery, which began about five hundred meters from modern buildings. One night both the icon and all the tools of the builders disappeared, and in the morning they were found at the site of the current location of the monastery. This was repeated several times, and then people understood that the Most Holy Lady herself was choosing a place to build Her monastery.
Over the years, many miracles have been shown from the Gerontissa icon. The elder hegumen of the monastery, who received the revelation of his imminent departure, wished to receive the Holy Mysteries of Christ before his death and humbly asked the ministering priest to hasten with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. However, he did not heed the elder's request. Then, from the miraculous icon in the altar, a menacing voice was heard, commanding the priest to immediately fulfill the desire of the abbot. He gave communion to the dying one, and he at once peacefully departed to the Lord. It was after this miracle that the icon, as patronizing the elders, was named "Gerontissa".
In the XI century, during the Saracens' attack on the monastery, the following happened: one of them wanted to split the icon into pieces in order to blasphemously light his pipe, but at the same moment he lost his sight. Then the barbarians threw the image into the well, where it remained for over 80 years. Before his death, the Saracen, who had been blinded for insolence, repented and ordered his household to visit Holy Athos again and point out to the monks the place where the icon is. The shrine was found and honorably placed in the cathedral church of the monastery.
The celebration of the icon takes place on April 17.
ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD "THE HUNDRED"
The icon was painted on the Holy Mount Athos and is kept in the Dokhiar monastery, where its blessed power was first revealed.
Tradition dates the time of its writing to the 10th century, to the time of the life of the abbot of the monastery of Saint Neophytos. In 1664, refectory Nile, passing at night into the refectory with a lighted torch, heard from the image of the Virgin hanging over the door, a voice urging him not to go here and not smoke the icon from now on. The monk thought it was a joke of some brother, ignored the sign and continued to go to the refectory with a smoky torch. Suddenly he went blind. In bitter repentance, the Nile prayed in front of the icon of the Mother of God, begging for forgiveness. And again I heard a wonderful voice announcing forgiveness and the return of sight and ordering to proclaim to all the brethren: "From this time on this icon will be called My Quick-Hearing, because I will show the ambulance to all who come to her with mercy and the fulfillment of petitions."
Soon, the miraculous icon became known throughout Mount Athos. Numerous crowds of monks and pilgrims flocked to worship the shrine.
Many miracles and healings were performed through the icon. Many suffering ones received deliverance from possession and demoniacal possession.
The Holy Virgin helped to avoid shipwreck and captivity. The Most Holy Theotokos has fulfilled and is now fulfilling Her promise - she shows first aid and consolation to all who come with faith to Her.
There are twenty icon lamps near the icon. Six of them are inextinguishable, they were donated by Christians in memory of miraculous healings. Oil is also added by those who are suffering, who have received deliverance from ailments thanks to the help of the Mother of God. And in 1783 a silver-blessed robe was placed on the icon. It was made by Russian benefactors.
In Russia, copies of the miraculous Athos icon "The Quick to Hearken" have always enjoyed great love and veneration. Many of them became famous for miracles. Cases of healing from falling sickness and demonic possession were especially noted.
The celebration of the icon takes place on November 22.
ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD "SWEET LOBBYING"
Sweet Kissing (Glykofilussa), the miraculous icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. It is named so because the Mother of God is depicted on her kissing the infant Christ, belongs, according to legend, to one of the 70 icons painted by the Evangelist Luke. It is located in the Filofeevsky Monastery on Athos.
The icon became famous during the time of iconoclasm. It belonged to the pious woman Victoria, the wife of a certain Simeon Patricius. Victoria, with danger to her life, honored and kept it in her room. The husband demanded that she burn the icon, but the woman chose to let her into the sea. The icon appeared on the shore in front of the Filofeevsky monastery. The hegumen and the brethren brought it into the cathedral church. Since then and until now, on Easter Monday, a procession has been made from the monastery to the place where the icon appeared.
The following story is connected with this miraculous icon. During the German occupation of Greece, the stocks of wheat in the monastery of St. Philotheos were running out, and the fathers decided to stop receiving visitors. One pious elder Savva was saddened by this and began to beg the advice of the elders of the monastery not to do this, because this would sadden Christ and the monastery would lose its blessing. They obeyed him. However, after some time, when the supply of bread was practically exhausted, the elder began to pester him with reproaches. Savva answered them: “Do not lose hope in Glycophilus. Knead the remaining twenty-five okada, bake bread from them and distribute it to the brethren and laity, and God, as a Good Father, will take care of all of us. After some time, a ship docked at the pier of the monastery, and the captain offered to exchange the wheat he was carrying for firewood. Monks,seeing the obvious Providence of the Mother of God, Who, like the Good Mother, took care of Her children, glorified God and the Mother of God. Miracles are still performed from this icon.
The celebration of the icon takes place on April 30.
ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD "THE TSARESS"
The miraculous icon "The Tsaritsa" (Pantanassa) is located in the catholicon of the Vatopedi monastery
The image was painted in the 17th century and was the blessing of the famous on Athos Elder Joseph the Hesychast to his disciples. The old man's story about this icon has been preserved. In the 17th century a strange young man appeared in front of the icon of the Mother of God "The Tsaritsa". He stood, muttering something indistinctly. And suddenly the face of the Mother of God flashed like lightning, and some invisible force threw the young man to the ground. As soon as he came to his senses, he immediately went to confess to the fathers with tears in his eyes that he lived far from God, practiced magic and came to the monastery to test his strength on holy icons. The miraculous intervention of the Mother of God convinced the young man to change his life and become pious. He was healed of a mental illness and after that stayed on Athos. So this icon first showed its miraculous power on a person possessed by demons.
Later they began to notice that this icon has a beneficial effect on patients with various malignant tumors. In the 17th century, she was first written off by a Greek monk and gradually became known throughout the world as a healer of cancer. The very name of the icon - the All-Lady, All-Sovereign - speaks of its special, all-embracing power. For the first time showing her miraculous power against magic spells (and after all, sorcery, fascination with magic and other occult "sciences" spread throughout the Christian world like a cancerous tumor), the Tsaritsa has the grace to heal the most terrible disease of modern mankind.
The celebration of the icon takes place on August 31st.
ICON OF THE MOTHER OF GOD "Mammal"
The icon of the Mother of God "Mammal" is the Hilendar Monastery on Athos. The image depicts the Blessed Virgin breastfeeding the Divine Infant
Initially, the image was in the Lavra of the Monk Sava the Sanctified near Jerusalem. At the time of his death, the holy founder of the Lavra predicted to the brethren that a pilgrim from Serbia Savva would visit the Lavra, and ordered to give him a miraculous icon as a blessing. This happened in the XIII century. Saint Sava of Serbia brought the icon to the Hilendar monastery on Mount Athos and placed it on the right side of the iconostasis, in the church at the Kareyskaya cell, later called the Typikarnitsa, since the rule of Saint Sava was kept there.
The theological meaning of the holy image is very deep: “The Mother feeds the Son, in the same way She feeds our souls, in the same way God feeds us“with the pure verbal milk of the Word of God (1 Peter 2.2), so that we, while growing, pass from milk to solid food (Heb. 5.12)
The icon of the Most Holy Theotokos "Mammal" depicts the sun and the moon with corresponding inscriptions. The image is sometimes found in a mirror image and with other symbols. There are several miraculous lists, about each of which written and oral traditions have been preserved. Thus, in Russia, the image acquired in 1650 in the village of Krestogorsk near Minsk became famous. In the middle of the XIX century. - in 1848 - another copy of the icon "Mammal" brought to Russia by the schema-monk of the Ilyinsky skete on Mount Athos Ignatius became famous. He was sent to Russia to collect donations and was blessed on his way with this icon. In Kharkov, the first miracle was revealed from her - the carpenter, who was adjusting the icon case without due reverence, lost his hands. The prayers of repentance at the brought image brought him healing, and this first miracle was followed by many others:in Yelets, Zadonsk, Tula, Moscow …
The celebration of the icon takes place on August 31st.
ICON OF THE VATOPED MOTHER OF GOD "OTRADA" OR "CONSOLATION"
The image of the Mother of God "Joy" ("Paramithia") is in the Vatopedi monastery.
She received the name Vatopedi from the fact that in 390 near the island of Imbros, opposite the Holy Mountain, the young prince Arkady, the son of Emperor Theodosius the Great, fell into the sea from a ship, and by the miraculous intercession of the Mother of God was transported to the shore safe and sound. Here in the morning they found him sleeping deep, restful sleep under a thick bush, not far from the destroyed Cathedral of the Annunciation. From this event came the name "vatoped" ("boy's bush"). Emperor Theodosius, in gratitude for the miraculous deliverance of his son, erected a new temple instead of the destroyed monastery, where the altar was located in the very place where the saved young man was found.
The history of this image is connected with the events that took place on January 21, 807. A gang of robbers, who decided to rob the Vatopedi monastery, disembarked on the shore in the dark, took refuge in the vicinity of the monastery, intending to wait for the opening of the monastery gates. While the robbers were waiting for the gates to open, matins ended and the brethren began to disperse to their cells for temporary rest. One abbot of the monastery remained in the church. Suddenly, from the icon of the Mother of God standing near, he heard a woman's voice warning of the danger threatening the monastery. The igumen fixed his gaze on the icon and saw that the faces of the Mother of God and the Divine Infant had changed. The Vatopedi icon was similar to the Hodegetria, on which the Infant God is always depicted with a blessing hand. And now the abbot sees how Jesus raised His hand, blocking the mouth of the Mother of God, with the words: “No, My Mother,do not tell them this: let them be punished for their sins. " But the Mother of God, avoiding His hand, twice uttered the same words: "Do not open the gates of the monastery today, but climb the monastery walls and scatter the robbers." The amazed abbot immediately gathered the brethren. Everyone was amazed at the change in the outline of the icon. After a prayer of thanks in front of the holy image, the inspired monks climbed the monastery walls and successfully repelled the attack of the robbers. After a prayer of thanks in front of the holy image, the inspired monks climbed the monastery walls and successfully repelled the attack of the robbers. After a prayer of thanks in front of the holy image, the inspired monks climbed the monastery walls and successfully repelled the attack of the robbers.
Since that time, the miraculous icon has received the name "Joy", or "Consolation". The outlines of the icon remained the same as during the warning given to the abbot: the Mother of God avoided the outstretched right hand of Jesus Christ.
The icon was adorned with a silver vestment and placed in a church built on the choir of the cathedral. The icon remains in this place to this day. In memory of the miracle in the Church of the Mother of God "Otrada" monks are tonsured and a prayer of thanksgiving to the Mother of God is performed before the miraculous icon.
The celebration of the icon takes place on February 3.