Panagia Axion Esti – Weathered Lithograph – Mount Athos

Description

Weathered Lithograph of Panagia Axion Esti

An exact replica of the original icon, crafted on natural fir wood.

Panagia Axion Esti is one of the most famous icons of Mount Athos. It is located in the Church of the Protaton in Karyes and is the patron icon of all the monasteries of Mount Athos.

Initially, the Panagia Axion Esti icon was in a cell of the Holy Monastery of Pantokrator, in a valley called “Adein.” On June 11, 980 AD, the elder was away for a vigil in Karyes, leaving only his novice behind. The novice completed his evening rule as usual when he suddenly heard a knock at the door. He opened it and saw a stranger asking for hospitality. The monk continued his prayers until he reached the Ninth Ode, *”More honorable than the Cherubim.”* The guest interrupted him and said, *”First, you must say: ‘Axion Esti, as truly…’* as a supplement to the hymn of the Theotokos.”

Excited, the monk asked the guest to write the hymn so he could sing it as well. Since there was no ink or paper in the cell, the mysterious stranger carved the hymn with his finger on a stone tablet. He told the novice that from then on, this hymn must be sung by all Orthodox Christians and mysteriously disappeared, just as he had appeared.

The Athonite fathers sent the stone tablet to the king and Patriarch Nikolaos Chrysoverges, who approved the inclusion of this angelic hymn into the liturgical life of the Church.

The icon in front of which this hymn was first sung was transported to the Protaton, where it became the focus of an annual feast in honor of the Theotokos, commemorating this miraculous event.

Lithograph – Features

The technique of lithography is taught in the iconography workshops of Mount Athos and is also used by several monks to create exceptional works of art. In this case, the monk-iconographer used a lithographed replica of Byzantine art and crafted this piece following the traditional method of manual aging. This process resulted in a beautiful artwork with unique aesthetic value. The wood has been treated with appropriate materials to ensure the durability of the colors over time.

The icon is available upon request

Origin: Mount Athos

Dimensions: 20 x 30 x 2 cm