Days of celebration: February 3
This icon of the Mother of God is located in the Holy Athos monastery of Xenophos, and it is considered one of the icons that are especially worshipped here. The following legend about this icon is kept in Xenophon. Since historical times, it has been located in the Vatopedi Monastery. This shrine was located in the cathedral church of the monastery, on the left side of the choir. In 1730, she mysteriously disappeared from the temple when the doors were locked. The monks believed that the icon had disappeared from the church because of sacrilege and began an active search in the monastery. However, they soon learned that the icon of the Mother of God is located in the Xenophon monastery, which is located at a considerable distance from the Vatopedi Monastery. Several monks were sent to Xenophos to transport the icon back to Vatopedi. When the shrine was brought to Vatopedi, it was installed in its original place. The monks of the Vatopedi monastery continued to suspect that someone had stolen the icon, and they took strict measures to prevent the future disappearance of the shrine. Despite all their efforts, the holy icon of the Mother of God once again disappeared from the Vatopedi monastery and, apparently, miraculously returned to Xenof. The monks of Vatopedi, after this second disappearance of the icon, realized that this event had a supernatural origin and allowed the icon to remain in Xenophos. The icon of Odigitrius is still in the Xenophon monastery and will remain there as long as it is in accordance with God’s will. The monks of the Vatopedi monastery, as a sign of respect and reverence for this holy icon, often sent candles and oil to Xenophon. They fulfilled this obligation for several years, until the monks of Xenophus refused this help, as they no longer needed it. The icon of Odigitrius in Xenophon is located in the cathedral church, to the left of the choir, in the same place where it stood in Vatopedi. Not so long ago, during the Greek revolt, the Holy Mountain was captured by the Turks. One of the Turks tried to insult the icon of Hodegetria Xenophon, but was immediately punished by God’s justice for his unholy act. In Russia, there are many miraculous icons called Odigitria or Smolenskaya.
