Virgin Mary the Hodegetria

This icon was from a long time ago in the catholicon of the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi in the column of the left choir. In 1730, however, she suddenly disappeared from her place, while the gates of the temple were locked, and was found in the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos. Everyone thought that someone had secretly stolen it and so the icon was taken back to its place, while the Vatopedi fathers took strict security measures and sealed the temple. But in a short time, when the church was opened for the service, the icon was again missing from its place and very soon news arrived from the Monastery of Xenophon that it was found again in the corresponding place of the catholicon there. The people of Vatopedi were convinced of the miracle and decided not to resist the will of Theomitoros any longer. They ran to the Monastery of Xenophon to worship Odigetria and for a long time they sent her oil and wax to her new abode.