Iveron Icon of the Mother of God

The Iveron icon is unique due to a wound depicted on the Mother of God's face, traditionally believed to have been inflicted by an iconoclast's spear, from which blood is said to have flowed. In the 9th century, a devout widow near Nicaea saved the icon from destruction by throwing it into the sea, leading it to float to Mount Athos. Monks at the Iveron Monastery, attracted by a pillar of fire that appeared in the sea, discovered the icon on the shore. This cherished image remains preserved in the monastery founded by descendants from Iberia.

The Iveron icon of the Mother of God reflects the artistry of lacquered icons workshop, where we create folding icons, crosses, and various-sized icons.

The creation process begins with preparing wooden boards, which are cut into smaller panels and smoothed into refined oval shapes. These panels are transformed into polished lamellas that are then glued together to form a solid base. After selecting and laminating images stored for this purpose, artisans fit these images to the panels, cutting and verifying their symmetry before applying special glue to secure them. A final polish enhances durability and aesthetics.

Once the icons are fully dried, they undergo a blessing ritual, with a stamp of authenticity from the convent placed on the back. Each lacquered icon, crafted through this meticulous process, serves as thoughtful gift, or as part of your prayer corner.