October 26 — is one of the days when Orthodox Christians honor the Iveron Icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Iveron icon, also called the Goalkeeper or Gatekeeper, depicts the Virgin Mary with the Child. The original image is located in the Iversky Monastery on Mount Athos in Greece. According to legend, the icon was painted by the evangelist Luke, an associate of the Apostle Paul.
There is a legend that gave the icon one of its names. In the 9th century, the image was kept by a pious widow who lived near the city of Nicaea. To save the face of the Mother of God from the iconoclasts, who became especially active during the reign of Emperor Theophilus, the woman lowered the icon into the sea. After some time, — according to various sources, from several days to two centuries passed between these events — the monks of the Iversky Monastery, located on Mount Athos, saw it in the sea. The icon was supported by a pillar of fire.
Saint Gabriel, a monk of the monastery, walked through the water and brought the icon to the monastery. However, in the morning she was found above the gate. According to legend, they tried to bring her into the room several times, but she always returned back. That's why the icon was nicknamed the Gatekeeper.
The Iveron icon became famous for the miracles that happened next to it. Rumors about the image of the Mother of God reached Russia. The future Patriarch Nikon, who was then still an archimandrite, turned to the rector of the Iversky Monastery, Pachomius, with a request to make a list from the icon. On October 13 (old style), 1648, the copy was delivered to Moscow. Since then, Orthodox Christians began to celebrate this date — the day the list of icons was moved. According to the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church according to the new style —, this is October 26.
On February 25, another date dedicated to the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God is celebrated. On this day, the monks of the monastery on Mount Athos acquired a miraculous image.