Panagia Trojeručica

Marian devotion of the Monastery of Hilandar (Athos) (Mount Athos)

La Panagia Trojeručica o Theotokos Tricherousa ("Virgin of the Three Hands") is a Orthodox icon venerado en el Hilandar Monastery, on Mount Athos (Greece), where it is considered the most venerated icon of the monastic community.

Main data

Origin and history

La Panagia Trojeručica o Theotokos Tricherousa ("Virgin of the Three Hands") is a Orthodox icon venerado en el Hilandar Monastery, on Mount Athos (Greece), where it is considered the most venerated icon of the monastic community.

La tradition la vincula con san Juan Damasceno: after suffering the amputation of one hand, he would have asked the Virgin for her healing; in healing miraculously, he offered a hand de plata votive which was attached to the icon, originating the third visible hand in the image. The same tradition states that the icon later passed to the san Sava de Serbia And he came to the monastery of Hilandar, where he was kept. In the divulgative documentation of Hilandar's own environment, the image appears as the Patrona y Abadesa of the monastery.

En la documented history available in the sources consulted, the sure is their presence and veneration in Hilandar, as well as their great liturgical and monastic relevance; here is no critical historical dating of the primitive icon or a complete documentary chronology of their arrival at Athos.

The image and the sanctuary

This is a Byzantine icon of the Virgin with the Child in type Hodegetria/Tricherousawith the peculiarity of carrying a third hand of silver added as an exvote, visible in the composition. The sources consulted describe the image as one of the most venerated of the monastery and one of the most famous of the Orthodox world.

The sanctuary is the Serbian Monastery of Hilandar (also written Chiliandari / Chilandri), in Monte MateoGreece. In the sources consulted it is presented as an athonite monastery of Serbian tradition; no consta in these sources which are minor basilica, national sanctuary or diocesan sanctuary.

Sponsorship and coronation

The advocation exercises a patronage Monoco about Hilandar: the living tradition of the monastery recognizes it as its Abbott, Protectora y Patron. In the sources consulted it also appears as of Serbia in the framework of Orthodox devotion.

No documented canonical coronation for this image, and also the canonical coronation It is a practice of Catholic discipline; for this Orthodox icon no such data has been found in the sources provided.

Party and devotion

The main party consists of the sources consulted on the 25 July according to the Julian calendar, equivalent to 12 July of the current calendar used in the above-mentioned Orthodox note. Another source indicates commemorations of the 28 June y el 12 Julybut the reference of the Hilandar environment explicitly sets the annual solemn celebration 25 July / 12 July.

Devotion is closely linked to the liturgical life of the monastery: monks make offerings before the image before their services and obedience, and a night vigil in his honor. The sources consulted highlight Hilandar's "more reverent" image and his fame as a miraculous icon in Orthodox.

Link to the Rosary

No consta a specific and direct historical relationship of this advocation with the prayer of the Rosary in the sources consulted, since it is a Orthodox devotion and an icon of the eastern sphere.

Nevertheless, from a general Marian perspective, the Rosary shares with this veneration its Christological and Marian center: contemplating Mary united to Christ, asking for her intercession, and allowing oneself to be led by her to the Lord. In this sense, although the Rosary does not strictly belong to the liturgical tradition of Hilandar, it can serve as a Marian prayer of contemplation in spiritual harmony with the faith in the Theotokos expressed by this icon.