Iveron icon of the Mother of God | Gold and silver foiled icon on wood | Size: 8 3/4"x7 1/4"

The original Iveron icon of the Mother of God is preserved on Mt. Athos. It is traditionally called the Panagia Portaitissa ("She who resides by the door" or "Keeper of the gate"), and was, according to tradition, painted by the Apostle and Evangelist Saint Luke. It is commonly known by many as the Iveron icon, because of its location in the Iveron Monastery on Mt. Athos. The icon miraculously survived the iconoclasm of Emperor Theophilus (829–842) in Byzantium—a pious widow hid it in her house, and when soldiers came to destroy icons at the emperor’s orders, they found this one and pierced it with a spear. But to their great horror, blood flowed from the wound. The mark is depicted in all copies that have since been painted of this icon.