The Icon of the Mother of God named "Xenophite Hodegetria"

Commemorated on January 21

The Icon of the Mother of God named "Xenophite Hodegetria": According to tradition, this wonderworking icon from time immemorial was situated at the Athonite Batopedeia monastery, in the cathedral. In the year 1730 from behind closed doors it disappeared not only from the church, but also from the monastery. They found the icon at the Xenophite monastery, a three hour journey from the Batopedeia monastery. Returned to the Batopedeia monastery, the icon was restored to its former place, and the fathers of the monastery took protective measures of precaution for preventing the theft of the icon. But again a second time the icon of the Mother of God left the Batopedeia monastery and appeared at Xenophe. Persuaded of the providential aspect of this event, the brethren of the monastery gave up on returning the icon to their monastery and left it at Xenophe. As a sign of their blessing, the brethren after several years furnished for the icon both tapers and oil.
The "Hodegetria" Icon at Xenophe is situated in the cathedral church, nearby a column of the left kleros-choir, the very same place it occupied at the Batopedeia monastery.