[affozyBoomi]

The miraculous icon of the Panaghia Odighitria is being brought from Mt. Athos (Xenophontos monastery) to a church in nearby Penteli, here in Athens. By the grace of God, I pray that my husband will be able to find the church so that we can venerate and see it. (Remember this is Greece, and although you can find the location of most everything here these days on 'mapquest', 'viamichelin' and other such sites, we haven't even been able to find its location or to find a phone number for the church)...

My question is, does anyone know anything about this specific icon? I have done a google search and all I have found is that it is miraculous.

In Christ,
Alice

[Nesskissabe]

Dear Alice,

http://orthodoxwiki.org/Panagia_Hodegetria

[michael247]

Here is basically the same information in Greek for anyone in Greece that is interested:

"Η εικόνα αυτή βÏ�ισκόταν από πολÏ� παλιά στο Καθολικό της ΙεÏ�άς Μονής Βατοπεδίου στον κίονα του αÏ�ιστεÏ�οÏ� χοÏ�οÏ�. Το 1730 όμως εξαφανίστηκε ξαφνικά από τη θÎ*ση της, ενώ οι Ï€Ï�λες του ναοÏ� ήταν κλειδωμÎ*νες, και Î*τσι η εικόνα μεταφÎ*Ï�θηκε πίσω στη θÎ*ση της, ενώ οι Βατοπεδινοί πατÎ*Ï�ες Î*λαβαν αυστηÏ�ότατα μÎ*Ï„Ï�α ασφάλειας και σφÏ�άγισαν το ναό. Σε λίγη ÏŽÏ�α, όταν ανοίχτηκε η εκκλησία, για την ακολουθία, η εικόνα Î*λειπε και πάλι από τη θÎ*ση της και πολÏ� σÏ�ντομα Î*φÏ�ανε είδηση από τη Μονή του Ξενοφώντος ότι βÏ�Î*θηκε και πάλι στην αντίστοιχή θÎ*ση του εκεί ΚαθολικοÏ�. Οι Βατοπεδινοί πείσθηκαν για το θαÏ�μα και αποφάσισαν να μην αντισταθοÏ�ν άλλο στη θÎ*ληση της ΘεομήτοÏ�ος. ΈτÏ�εξαν στη Μονή Ξενοφώντος για να Ï€Ï�οσκυνήσουν την “ΟδηγήτÏ�ιαâ€� και για πολÏ� καιÏ�ÏŒ της Î*στελναν λάδι και κεÏ�ί στη νÎ*α της κατοικία."
(http://www.mountathos.gr/active.aspx...1759c7d9f}View)

[raspirator]

Thank you Niko and Nina,

We found the church, and even got there early. There were not too many people there--most of the people knew each other and belonged to the close knit community (in Nea Pendeli for anyone who knows Athens)...Well, the evil one threw our little pilgrimage a curve ball.

At first we were all sitting in the church (before the icon came) and then the priest said to go outside and up above into the courtyard (where the unfinished church is) to await the icon. My husband had a very nice, new pullover sweater with him and he decided to put it across our seats so that we could find them when we came back down. A few ladies had done the same thing on the other side of the church..however, I told him that I did not think it was a good idea. He responded that in that congregation no one would take it.

Well, guess what?!?! I alerted the trustees who were very helpful and did not want to believe that someone could have taken it. They felt very bad because we may have been the only visitors from outside the community. We live all the way in the south of the city which is about an hour away. Besides the inevitable 'I told you so', it was a temptation and challenge to our spirits that had gone there to leave with spiritual joy. I kept on saying the Jesus Prayer to not allow my inevitable annoyance turn into anything worse. It was a temptation to be judgemental. Finally, as we were leaving, my husband said that he hoped whoever took it needed it. I prayed inside of me that although they would probably not return it, that atleast they would realize their sin and repent of it. We are at peace and have the spiritual blessing of venerating despite the little curveball. May Our Lady the Directress direct us all away from sin.

Kyrie Eleison!

In Christ,
Alice

[Evdokia]

I love Old and New Penteli, preferably Old Pendeli because when I am in Greece I stay there and so know it very well.

What a blessing to have venerated the Hodegetria ... its a shame that the evil one found a way to take your attention away from what was important that day ... Thank God that whoever took the sweater must have really needed it. You both contributed towards a good deed

Can you post some photos? Do you have Picasa Web albums?

[Ruiceara]

Sorry to hear abt the loss but I am glad that you are not letting the loss rob you of the greater joy that you have been privileged to have.

[tyclislavaify]

Finally, as we were leaving, my husband said that he hoped whoever took it needed it. I prayed inside of me that although they would probably not return it, that atleast they would realize their sin and repent of it. We are at peace and have the spiritual blessing of venerating despite the little curveball. May Our Lady the Directress direct us all away from sin.

Dear Alice,

More proof of miracles which God bestows to the faithful! A person, who obviously needs prayer and assistance, for reasons we have no clue of and would only be speculating, stole your husband's pullover sweater. (At least, this is an assumption, since, for all we know, an elderly and poor-sighted gentleman may have mistaken it for his own!) Truly, this event is a blessing from God if you follow God's will. Happily, it sounds like you were as you found compassion and mercy for this person. And as we Christians know and have been promised by the Lord, compassion and mercy matures into love when strenuously cultivated and when granted by God. May Our Lady the Directress also direct us all towards love!

In Christ,
Antonios

[Jimambol]

Maybe an angel made it disappear so God can give you something else in return.

[GlictStiply]

Update: Two days after this happened, we received a phone call from one of the parish trustees who we had given our number to. He said that they had the sweater. He did not say how or where and my husband did not think it was proper to ask. Today he was able to get there to pick it up. Glory to God!