Panagia Eleoussa

The Story Behind This Icon:

In the year 1462, during the Turkish Ottoman occupation, the Monastery of Taxiarches on Lesvos, Greece was attacked by pirates who threatened the monks with death if they did not reveal the whereabouts of the hidden villagers. The monks refused and the invaders slaughtered them all except for one, Gabriel, who remained hidden. The pirates noticed him from afar and returned to kill him, but the Archangel Michael appeared and with his own sword, forced them to retreat in terror. The monk survived and gathered up the earth that was red from the blood of the martyred monks and shaped it into the icon of the Archangel as it is today, while it was still vivid in his memory.  According to legend, the monk did not have enough of the dirt-blood mix and so the head of the Archangel has turned out disproportionately larger to the rest of his body. Centuries have passed and the Icon of the Archangel Michael is still venerated by thousands of pilgrims every year.

The original icon is now kept in the interior of the church. Many islanders and pilgrims have had personal experiences of miracles granted for them by the icon. This is evident by the numerous gifts housed inside the church.

Work of the iconographer Lazaros Pechlivanidis. 

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This icon is made of solid, natural limewood (Tilia) that has been prepared by hand using traditional methods and organic materials. The background is comprised of 22 Karat gold leaves that were meticulously applied by hand, piece by piece.  

All of our icons are reproduced according to museum print standards and are authentic replicas of Holy Icons from Mount Athos and elsewhere. 

Learn more about how our Holy Icons are made here. 

The Story Behind This Icon:

On June 11, 980 AD, as a group of monks were conducting an all-night vigil before the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, they noticed a monk whom they did not recognize, standing on the right of the icon. This unidentified monk began to chant the beautiful hymn written by St. Cosmas, with the addition of the words "Axion Esti os Alethos Makarizin Se Tin Theotokon", which means "It is worthy to bless Thee, Theotokos the ever blessed and most pure Virgin and Mother of God".

The monk explained to the others that he was the Archangel Gabriel and that these words should be added to the hymn. The Archangel vanished from their sight. Since that day, the additional words to the hymn of St. Cosmas have been sung by all Orthodox Christians around the world. The icon of the Blessed Mother Axion Esti, which is said to be miraculous, is still venerated today in the Cathedral of Mount Athos in Greece.

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This icon is made of solid, natural Limewood that has been prepared by hand using traditional methods and organic materials. The background is comprised of 22 Karat gold leaves that were meticulously applied by hand, piece by piece.  

All of our icons are reproduced according to museum print standards and are authentic replicas of Holy Icons from Mount Athos and elsewhere. 

Learn more about how our Holy Icons are made here. 

The Story Behind This Icon:

This icon is a replica of the original Holy Virgin Mary Gorgoepikoos, a miraculous wall-painting/icon found in the Docheiariou Monastery on Mount Athos, Greece dating to the 11^th century. Holy Virgin Mary Gorgoepikoos is known for responding quickly to prayers.

In 1646, a monk of the monastery lost his sight after disobeying for the second time the voice of the Icon (which he initially believed was from a human being) commanding him not to pass by the Icon with the smoke from his lighted torch.  Following the loss of his sight, the monk spent his days in front of the Icon praying to the Holy Virgin Mary for forgiveness. His prayers were granted when, for the third time he heard a voice from the Icon: “Today I give you your sight and from this time on, do not pass through here with lighted torches, I am the Guardian of this monastery and I respond quickly to those who call me.  From now on my name is “Gorgoepikoos” (She Who Is Quick to Hear)."  Since then, the Holy Virgin Mary Gorgoepikoos has responded to many prayers with miracles.

The icon is remembered by the church on October 1.

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This icon is made of solid, natural Limewood that has been prepared by hand using traditional methods and organic materials. The background is comprised of 22 Karat gold leaves that were meticulously applied by hand, piece by piece.  

All of our icons are reproduced according to museum print standards and are authentic replicas of Holy Icons from Mount Athos and elsewhere. 

Learn more about how our Holy Icons are made here. 

The Story Behind This Icon:

This icon is a replica of the original icon, found above the gates of the Iviron Monastery in Mount Athos, Greece.

Perhaps one of the most treasured icons on Mount Athos, Greece and throughout the world, Panagia Portaitissa is connected to a rich history and a plethora of miracles. During the years of the Byzantine Iconoclasm (8^th & 9^th century), a widow and her son threw the Icon into the sea in an effort to save it from being burnt and destroyed by the soldiers of the Emperor Theophilus. Instead of sinking, the Icon stood upright and travelled through the sea. Deeply moved by this scene, the widow’s son dedicated himself to God and later settled in Mount Athos where he told the story to other monks.

About a century later, the monks of the Iviron Monastery in Mount Athos saw for several days a column of light extending from the sea to the heavens. The mystery was revealed by the Holy Mother of God Herself, who urged Gabriel, a monk of the monastery, to walk on the waters (as if it were land) and bring the Icon back to shore. The monks built a chapel and zealously worshipped the icon every day. Despite this, after its installation in the altar, the icon repeatedly disappeared from the chapel and was always found above the gate of the monastery. The Holy Virgin Mary appeared to monk Gabriel again, to tell him that this was the place she had chosen, so that she could protect the monks, and not be protected by them. The icon has since then taken the name “Portaitissa” (The Keeper of the Portal).

According to legend, a pirate once struck the icon with his sword and blood began to flow from the Virgin’s cheek. Shaken by this miracle, the soldier instantly repented and started a monastic life. Since then, all copies of the Icon have depicted Her with a scar and blood on Her cheek.

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This icon is made of solid, natural limewood that has been prepared by hand using traditional methods and organic materials. The background consists of 22 Karat gold leaves that were meticulously applied by hand, piece by piece.  

All of our icons are reproduced according to museum print standards and are authentic replicas of Holy Icons from Mount Athos and elsewhere. 

Learn more about how our Holy Icons are made here. 

The Story Behind This Icon:

The original icon is found in the Holy Monastery Pantokratoros on Mount Athos, Greece.

Theotokos Gerontissa is the only Icon depicting the Virgin Mary in full stature and alone. The Icon was brought to Mount Athos from Constantinople with the purpose of establishing a monastery. It miraculously moved three times from the place it was originally placed to its current location before the builders finally decided to leave it on the site The Theotokos had selected. Since then, countless miracles have occurred:

I. Once there lived a monk who received a revelation about his impending end. Before death, he wanted to be communed in the Holy Mysteries of Christ and he asked the serving priest to hasten the end of the Service, but the priest would not respect his request and continued to perform the Service at a slow pace. Suddenly a threatening voice coming from this icon of the Mother of God was heard, ordering the priest to do as the monk wished.

II. Another miracle occurred when through the prayers of the head of the monastery, the empty oil jars of the monastery were suddenly found filled with oil. In memory of the miracle, a jar was added on the silver cover of the icon when it was later refurbished.

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This icon of the Theotokos Gerontissa is reproduced, with permission, from the authentic icon painted by the monks in the Cell of St. John the Theologian Holy Monastery of Koutloumousiou in Mount Athos, Greece. This icon is part of our collection “Icons from Mount Athos”, which features all icons from the Cell of St. John the Theologian.

This icon is made of solid, natural limewood (Tilia) that has been prepared by hand using traditional methods and organic materials. The background is comprised of 22 Karat gold leaves that were meticulously applied by hand, piece by piece.  

All of our icons are reproduced according to museum print standards and are authentic replicas of Holy Icons from Mount Athos and elsewhere. 

Learn more about how our Holy Icons are made here.