Theotokos koukouzelissa

Holy Monastery of Great Lavra

The name of this miraculous icon comes from the renowned melodist and saint Ioannis Koukouzelis, a monk of the Great Lavra monastery. He, after singing in the right dance of the katholikon one Saturday of 'Akahistos hymn, retired to a pew facing the icon of the Virgin Mary, to rest.

There he fell asleep for a while and saw in his sleep the Holy Virgin Mary who promised him her support in his work and offered him a gold coin. ῞When he woke up, he found this coin in his hand and thanked the Virgin Mary with tears of joy.
The coin was hung on the icon, from which many miracles were performed. In 1713, the chapel of the Entry of the Virgin, which is considered as the second katholikon of the Monastery, was erected in the courtyard of the Monastery, near the great Gate.

This chapel is also known as the Church of Koukouzelissa, where the miraculous icon of Panagia Koukouzelissa is kept. This icon is carried at certain times of the year and worshiped in the katholikon .