The icon of the Virgin Mary, known for its miraculous powers, was discovered on January 30, 1823, on the Doxara estate in Tinos, Greece. The Church of the Annunciation was built on the site and became a major pilgrimage destination.
The search for the icon began in 1821 after an old man, Michalis Polyzonis, was guided by a dream of the Virgin Mary to search for the icon in the field. Despite initial failures, the search continued after the Virgin Mary appeared to a nun, Pelagia, in 1822, urging her to encourage local leaders to build a church.
During the search, the island faced a plague, which intensified the urgency of finding the icon.
On January 30, 1823, while constructing the church, a builder named Emmanuel Matsa accidentally uncovered the broken icon, which miraculously reassembled itself. The discovery was seen as a divine intervention, and shortly after, the plague ended.
Today, the icon, which depicts the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, is housed in the grand church built over the original site. The icon is adorned with gold, silver, and precious stones, donated by the faithful over time.
