Theotokos Gerontisa

Holy Monastery of Pantokratoros

The protector icon of the holy Pantokratoros monastery is Panagia Gerontissa. Accordin was offered as a gift to the monastery by Emperor Alexios Komnenos and is a copy of the mosaic icon of Panagia Gorgoepikou, which was in the holy monastery of Pantokrator in Constantinople.

The following is mentioned as the first miracle of this icon. ῞When the emperor Alexios began to build the original monastery on a hill located 500 meters further from the current location of the monastery, the icon along with the tools of the builders left at night invisibly on a rock near the sea. This phenomenon was repeated many times, so it was understood that the will of the Virgin Mary was to build the monastery in the indicated place.

This miraculous icon was called Gerontissa because of her special care for a virtuous old and dying elder of the monastery. ῞When he was informed by God of his impending end and wanted to receive holy communion, he begged the hieromonk priest who was in the Liturgy that day to shorten the Divine Liturgy. '

But he did not obey and continued at his same slow pace. Then the voice of the Virgin was heard from the icon repeatedly asking the vicar to shorten, so that the Elder could have time to receive communion. As soon as the Elder took communion, he passed away. ῎Since then, this holy icon, which was placed inside the Holy Altar, in the agia trapeza, behind the Holy Table, was moved to the northeast column of the main church for the convenience of the pilgrims.