Panagia Myrtidiotissa is an ancient and beloved icon of the Virgin Mary that has been on the Greek island of Kythira for hundreds of years. According to legend, a shepherd discovered the icon in the sea near an area with many myrtle trees, and it was named after that area. The colors of the icon were originally vibrant, but over time, they faded. The shepherd built a small church where the icon was kept, which was later expanded by a monk named Leontios and eventually replaced by a larger church built by Hieromonk Agathangelos Kalligeros. The inhabitants of Kythira loved the icon so much that they commissioned a gold coating for it in 1837, which features depictions of three miracles, including the finding of the icon and the healing of a paralyzed man. The gold coating also includes a jewel in the shape of a crescent moon, with an inscription commemorating a miracle that saved the island's fortress from a storm. The Panagia Myrtidiotissa is a treasured symbol of Kythira's religious and cultural heritage.