The icon of Jesus Christ the Antifonitis is placed in the Holy Step of the church of the Protaton in Karyes. He got the nickname "Antifonitis" from a miracle performed during the Divine Liturgy on a priest of Mount Athos.
According to tradition, a monk who was at a very advanced age asked the hieromonk of his brotherhood to celebrate the Holy Thursday service earlier so that he could take communion. The monk, being very old, had great difficulty in performing his monastic duties, among which was also fasting. As he could not bear to remain fasting until the ninth hour, he asked the hieromonk to hasten the celebration of the Holy Communion, despite the usual rule. He, wishing to fulfill the request of the venerable old man, did indeed begin the Mass earlier. However, he procrastinated and delayed as long as possible in order not to violate completely the rules. When he approached to venerate the image of Jesus Christ, he heard His voice commanding him to follow the old man's exhortation and to hurry up. From this event of the manifestation of Jesus Christ, the icon was nicknamed "The Antifonitis", from the word Φωνή (foni) which means voice.
As far as the iconographic type is concerned, Christ is represented frontally. With his right hand he blesses the faithful, while with his left hand he holds a closed gospel. His robe has a deep blue color, while his tunic is red with gold details. On the halo there is the phrase "He who is" while to his right and left there are the inscriptions "Jesus Christ" and "The Almighty".
At the bottom of the icon, within the blue frame surrounding the figure, there is the date of creation, "16 April 1853".
