Saint George The Acheiropoietos

Holy Monastery of Zografou

In the eastern column of the right choir is the miraculous icon of Saint George, which is also connected with the name of the Monastery of Zografou. This icon is attributed to the three brothers and founders of the Monastery, Saints Moses, Aaron and John from Achrid. They, as tradition says, built three towers and then a temple, without having agreed on which saint they would dedicate it to.

They prepared the wood needed to paint the icon, placed it in the Temple and devoted themselves to prayer so that it would be revealed to them to which saint they should dedicate it. The next day, when they went down for Mass in the Temple, they found the icon of St. George depicted without hands. According to tradition, the painting of this icon was transferred from the church of Count Fanuel, located near Lydda, the hometown of Saint George.

This recognition was made by the monk Efstratios and other monks who came with him from Fanuel to the Zografou Monastery on Mount Athos after the destruction of Palestine. From this wonderful event, the Monastery they built was called the Monastery of the Zografou (Painter). A little-believing bishop, who visited the Monastery, touched the icon with his finger and asked with some indifference if this was the miraculous icon.

Then his finger stuck there, and it was painfully cut off leaving a small portion on the icon. That is why to this day this part of the finger can be seen on the left wing of the saint's nose.