The icon of Theotokos Esfagmeni is today placed in the Holy Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius. The harsh nickname that has been given to it derives from an unpleasant event that took place in the Zograf Monastery.
According to the Athonite tradition, the icon was placed in the Monastery's Katholikon. During the revolutionary years for the liberation of Greece from the Ottoman domination, many Turkish soldiers had come to the monastery. One of them raised his sword and carved the neck of Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary, wanting to impose himself on their holy figures and discredit the Orthodox faith of the monks. His disrespect was strictly punished immediately, as that very night he went insane and even died a horrible death. Deprived of the love and protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, this man was ultimately left helpless in the face of evil.
Despite the particularly unpleasant story that accompanies the icon, its beauty and brilliance make it a jewel of Byzantine iconography. The depiction seems to follow primarily the iconographic type of Theotokos Hodegetria. The Virgin Mary holds Jesus Christ on her left side, while her gaze is fixed on the faithful. However, her right hand is quite lowered and appears to be resting on the right foot of the Divine Infant. Jesus blesses the faithful with his right hand, while with his left hand he holds a closed scroll.
Of particular interest are the colors and artistic details of the garments. The Virgin Mary wears a purple mantle with subtle gold details outlining it. Two of the three stars that are customarily adorned on her clothing are still visible. Jesus wears a light blue tunic, which is covered by a second layer of earth-toned fabric with blue and white flowers, which is quite unusual. The all-gold background emphasizes the effectiveness and spirituality of the figures.
