Icon of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker from Gregoriou Monastery

The miraculous Icon of Saint Nicholas, the guardian of Gregoriou Monastery, is situated in the proskynetarion before the right column of the main temple.

Maritime Miracles and Gratitude

The monastery's lore recounts numerous old and new miracles of the saint, some of which have been documented in manuscripts and partially published in the book of the Gregoriou monk, Elder Varlaam. One notable event took place in April 1850: a ship docked at the monastery's pier to load timber. A strong wind rose, churning the sea so violently that the ship nearly sank.

Desperate and losing hope, the sailors invoked Saint Nicholas and pleaded for the monks to pray on their behalf. As the prayer began, the wind calmed and stillness prevailed over the sea. In gratitude, the sailors later gifted a small silver ship as an eternal remembrance, which to this day remains attached to the icon of Saint Nicholas.

Iconographic Representation

Saint Nicholas is portrayed in the established iconography, face-on, donned in a robe, blessing with his right hand and holding a closed Gospel in his left. To his left stands Christ, and to the right, the Virgin Mary, each depicted with a Gospel and omophorion respectively — referencing the miracle at the First Council of Nicaea in 325. Above Nicholas' halo adorned with acanthus leaves, three medallions bear an Old Slavic inscription: "Saint Nicholas". This inscription is reiterated in Greek on the golden background of the icon. The figure of the saint is nestled within an arch, upheld by columns that split the vertical space of the icon into two zones, each housing six saintly figures. Old Slavic inscriptions accompany most of these figures, assisting in their identification. Specifically, the uppermost pair features John Chrysostom and Basil, followed by Gregory and Athanasius, Cyril and Spiridon, plus two more unnamed pairs. Hierarchs on the last level are complemented by two deacons: Saint Stephen to the left, and Saint Roman to the right. The icon also exhibits a later layer of paint, likely from the 18th century, present on the clothing, the Gospel, and the saint's right hand.