Icon of the Mother of God "Gerontissa" Mt. Athos

The icon of the Mother of God Gerontissa (which means "eldress", "overseer") is one of the most revered shrines of the Holy Mount Athos, the patroness of elders.

According to the ancient Athonite tradition, the icon became especially revered after the following event. The old abbot of the monastery of Pantocrator, who was dying, asked the priest to bring him holy communion. But the young priest neglected the request and, after the service, remained in the temple on his own business. In the altar, he heard a voice from the icon of the Virgin: the Blessed Virgin urged him not to delay and to go immediately to the dying elder. After receiving Holy Communion, the old monk reposed in the Lord.
In the seventeenth century, the monastery had an olive crop failure and the monks began to run out of oil. The abbot and the monks prayed diligently before the holy image. One morning they noticed that olive oil was dripping from under the door of the monastery's storeroom, although all the jars had long since been emptied. When they entered the room, they found that from one formerly empty jar the oil was pouring out in an endless stream. The monks gave thanks to God and Our Lady and decorated the icon with the image of the vessel that was perpetually full.