Greece gifts ‘Virgin Mary of the Bees’ icon to Notre Dame for reopening

Greece presented a religious icon of the Virgin Mary, known as “Panagia Melissou” (Virgin Mary of the Bees), to Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France, during its reopening ceremony on Saturday, December 7.

The symbolic gesture aimed to celebrate the cathedral’s restoration after the devastating 2019 fire and to reaffirm the enduring friendship between Greece and France.

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou presented the gift during the ceremony, which was attended by 40 world leaders.

The icon, created by a hieromonk from Mount Athos, depicts the Virgin Mary holding a beehive, symbolising hope and resilience. The design was inspired by the survival of around 200,000 bees that miraculously lived through the fire, despite their hives being on Notre Dame’s roof.

The idea for the gift came from Father George of Mount Athos, a well-known advocate for bee protection.

The concept of “Panagia Melissou” emerged from a tradition at a monastery in Karditsa, Greece, where bees would nest inside the church, flying freely without disturbing worshippers. The first “Panagia Melissou” icon was crafted in 2009, with replicas later displayed at monasteries in Rhodes and Trikala.

On the sidelines of Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening, President Sakellaropoulou held discussions with other leaders, including Germany’s Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Italy’s Sergio Mattarella, and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy. She also had a brief conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron at a formal dinner he was hosting with First Lady Brigitte.

Macron described the cathedral’s restoration as a metaphor for “what a nation is, and what the world should be,” adding, “Tonight the bells of Notre Dame ring anew.”

Source: tovima.com