07/25/2026
Blessed Feast of the Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Three-Handed” (Trojeručica)
May this feast bring salvation, joy, and good health to the Serbian people.
The Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos “Three-Handed” (Trojeručica) is kept at Hilandar Monastery on Mount Athos and is revered as one of the most honored icons in the Orthodox Church.
Today is her feast day. On this day alone each year, the icon is solemnly carried out of the Katholikon (the main church of Hilandar) in a procession to the place where, according to tradition, she miraculously arrived after coming from Serbia.
Tradition holds that this icon is among the earliest copies of the original icon painted by the Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke. It is known to have belonged to Saint John of Damascus, who lived in the 8th century.
Because he courageously defended the holy icons during the period of Byzantine Iconoclasm, Saint John’s right hand was cut off. After fervent prayer before this icon of the Mother of God, his hand was miraculously restored. In gratitude, he commissioned a silver hand and attached it to the icon as an offering. This is why the icon became known as the Three-Handed (Trojeručica).
From Damascus, the icon was taken to Jerusalem, to the Monastery of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified. From there, Saint Sava of Serbia brought it to Serbia.
After Serbia lost its independence, the icon miraculously found its way to Hilandar Monastery. About 500 meters from the monastery gate, the monks one morning discovered a donkey carrying the icon. After the monks removed the icon, the donkey collapsed and died. They brought the icon into the monastery and placed it in the altar of the main church.
In the 17th century, when the monks could not agree on who should become abbot, they found the icon of the Three-Handed Theotokos seated in the abbot’s throne. When this happened three times, they understood it as the will of the Mother of God that she herself should be the Abbess of Hilandar. Since then, Hilandar has not elected an abbot but only a deputy abbot (proigoumenos), while all the honors of the abbacy belong to the Most Holy Theotokos through her wonderworking icon.
Soon afterward, the fame of the Three-Handed Icon spread throughout the Orthodox world. In 1661, at the request of Patriarch Nikon of Russia, a faithful copy was solemnly transferred from Hilandar to Moscow. Today, there are numerous faithful copies of the icon throughout Serbia and the Serbian diaspora.
The original icon has left Mount Athos only once. This occurred during the 1990s, when the treasures of Mount Athos were exhibited in Thessaloniki. Escorted by naval vessels, the icon was brought to the port of Thessaloniki and then carried in a solemn procession through the city to the Church of Saint Demetrius. Many Serbian women traveled there to venerate the icon, since women are not permitted to enter Mount Athos or visit Hilandar.
Most Holy Theotokos, Three-Handed Protectress, pray to God for us!
