The miraculous icon of Saint Nicholas of the Oyster is placed in the Stavronikita Monastery. It is a mosaic depiction of the Saint, which highlights all the glory and beauty of Byzantine art.
Saint Nicholas is called the one “of the Oyster", because of the story that accompanies the icon. According to tradition, it was retrieved from the sea, where it had remained for more than two centuries. There are two versions of the reason that led it to the bottom of the Athonite Sea. According to the first, the icon was thrown into the water by corsairs who attacked the monastery. According to the second, it was thrown into the water by the monks themselves, who during the iconoclastic period adopted this practice in order to save the icons from vandalism.
In 1553, when Patriarch Jeremiah the Old wanted to rebuild the monastery, which had been completely destroyed by the raids, he decided to dedicate it to Saint John the Baptist. As the monks and fishermen of the area were fishing in the waters of Athos at the same time, they retrieved the icon of Saint Nicholas. Everyone was very surprised, as the icon did not seem to have suffered any serious damage after so many years.
However, an oyster was stuck to the Saint's forehead. When it came off, blood began to flow. This event was a great miracle of the Saint. The Patriarch, paying tribute to the miraculous icon, dedicated the new monastery to Saint Nicholas, who is called the one “of the Oyster" because of his miraculous event.
As for the iconographic type, the Saint is depicted frontally, with a slight inclination. With his right hand he blesses the faithful, while with his left hand he holds a closed Gospel. The mosaics make the image sparkle. The colors and illuminations brighten the holy face of Saint Nicholas. The "wound" from the oyster is still visible on his forehead.
