The Story Behind This Icon:
The original icon is found in the Holy Monastery Pantokratoros on Mount Athos, Greece.
Theotokos Gerontissa (meaning Elder) 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, many 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.
Our most popular dimensions are pictured, to scale.
Depending on the size and theme, Holy Icons are available in both Recessed and Level styles.
RECESSED
The groove in our recessed icons adds depth to the Iconography, making the icon even more dramatic and impressive. In order to keep the relative proportions, the depth of the groove changes with the size of the Holy Icon.
LEVEL
Level icons allow the Iconography to retain its boldness even in smaller sizes. As such most of our level icons have smaller dimensions.
Backside details vary with icon size and serve to ensure that your Holy Icon will stand the test of time.
Solid wooden icons of larger dimensions are prone to bending and damaging as time passes. Fortunately, our Holy Icons are supported by two additional, horizontal wooden protective panels on the backside. These panels bolster the icon and allow it to sustain its shape, ensuring that your Holy Icon will remain in its original, pristine condition as it is passed down from generation to generation.
Icons of smaller dimensions are naturally sustainable over time, and experience less structural stress. As such, you will find that the backside of smaller Holy Icons is flat and proportional to their shape.
