Icon of Saint George Acheiropoietos (Not Made by Hands) from Zographou Monastery

History of the Icon

On the southeast column of the main church of the Zographou Monastery stands the miraculous icon of Saint George. This icon is closely associated with the founders of the monastery, the venerable Moses, Aaron, and John of Ohrid.

Upon completing the construction of the church, the founders were uncertain about which saint to dedicate it to. They prepared a wooden panel intended for an icon and placed it inside the church, then devoted themselves to prayer, seeking guidance on which saint should be depicted. To their amazement, the next morning, a divine image of Saint George, not made by human hands, was revealed to them.

Legend suggests that this image was transferred from the Fanouil Monastery in Lydda, the homeland of Saint George, following events in Palestine. This discovery was made by Monk Eustratius and fellow monks from Fanouil. As a result of this miracle, the newly constructed monastery was named "Zographou", which means "of the artist".

In an intriguing incident, a skeptical bishop, during his visit to the monastery, touched the icon in disbelief and casually inquired if this was indeed the miraculous icon not made by hands. Instantly, his finger adhered to the icon and took significant effort to be freed, leaving a small portion forever attached to the image.

Iconography

Saint George is depicted face-on as a holy warrior, a portrayal familiar from the Middle Byzantine period. The young, beardless figure with dense dark hair is surrounded by a luminous halo. He holds a spear in his left hand at chest level and a sword in his right.

The silver riza of the icon leaves only the face of the saint exposed, embellished with semi-precious stones of red, green, and other colors, set upon the halo and the garments of Saint George.

Numerous inscriptions are readable on the icon. Flanking the saint's head, written in Old Slavonic, it reads: "Holy Great Martyr George the Victorious". The frame of the icon is adorned with intricate plant motifs, with scenes from the saint's life depicted in oval medallions on either side. A dedicatory inscription at the bottom, also in Old Slavonic, dates back to 1837 and narrates the story of the icon's divine appearance and the founding of the Zographou Monastery.