Mother of God the Guarantor
Also known as Panagia Eggyitria and Mother of God of Surety.
The Icon of the Theotokos before which St. Mary of Egypt repented.
Commemorated on the Saturday of the Akathist Hymn during the Fifth Week of Great Lent.

According to St. Sophronios of Jerusalem, who wrote the biography of St. Mary of Egypt, when she was about to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on the feast of the Exaltation of the Honorable Cross, she was prevented from doing so by an invisible power due to her sinful intentions. After trying again and again to gain entry but failing, and seeing with what ease those around her entered, she looked up and saw an icon of the Theotokos and realized that it was her sins that prevented her from entering. Immediately she prayed to the Mother of God to allow her in and lead her by the hand on the path of repentance, promising that she would renounce the world and dedicate herself completely to Christ. Having fulfilled her promise, she became a model of repentance for centuries to pious Orthodox Christians.
At the southern tip of Mount Athos is the cave of Saint Athanasios the Athonite, inside of which is believed to be, according to living Athonite tradition, the very icon of the Theotokos before which St. Mary of Egypt made her repentance. This icon is known as Panagia Eggyitria (Guarantor or Surety), and it was found in this cave by the founder of Athonite coenobitic monasticism St. Athanasios himself around 965 A.D. Later he took the icon to the Great Lavra Monastery so the fathers there could venerate it, but in the morning the icon disappeared and in a mysterious manner it was brought back to the cave. St. Athanasios rediscovered the icon in the cave and brought it back to his Monastery and placed it in the church, but again the next morning it was mysteriously found in the cave. The miraculous icon was never again disturbed and has remained in the cave ever since.
This holy icon is still under the care of the Great Lavra Monastery.

There is a story about an Agathonian, a devoted man of God, who had since his childhood been taught by his pious parents to pray before the image of the Mother of God, praying; “Rejoice O Virgin Theotokos, Mary full of Grace, The Lord is with You, Blessed are You among women and Blessed is the Fruit of Your womb, for You have born the saviour of our souls”
He did not fail to say this prayer daily though as he became absorbed by the the cares and troubles of this life this practice slowly diminished until it ceased.
But one day he happened to host a pilgrim for one night, who told him he was a monk from Thivaida and that he had seen a vision in which he was ordered to go find Agathonikos and reprimand him for the fact that he had stopped the his usual prayer to the Mother of God. Agathonikos replied that for so many years he said this prayer he saw no benefit or result. The hermit answered, saying, ′′ Remember, blind and ignorant man, how many times this simple prayer has helped and saved you from disasters. Remember, once when you were very young, you were miraculously saved from certain drowning. Remember that an epidemic once sent a number of your friends to the grave though didn’t affect you at all? Did you forget when you once drove a cart with a friend, you both fell while he broke his leg and you stayed safe and sound? Do you forget that an ordinary friend of yours, who was healthy as iron, now for some time, is inhabited sick and unhappy, while you are healthy and don’t know what sickness means?
In general, he reminded Agathonikos, of the benefits bestowed by God and added; ′′ Know that all these evils were removed from you, thanks to the protection of the Holy Mother of God, because of this little prayer through which you raised everyday your soul in union with God. From now on be careful, don’t skip prayer and the memory of the Queen of Heaven and she will never abandon you.′′

Edited excerpt from Icon and Light, link to full article below…