The patronal (εφέστιος) icon of the Cathedral of Saint Andrew of Patras preserves, in the lower part of the inscribed icon frame, the following dedicatory inscription, which reveals valuable information on the history of the icon: “This respectful icon was dedicated to theHoly Church of Saint Andrew the Protoclete in Patras, by the brothers Georgios and Nikolaos Tzortzis, father’s name: Konstas, from Makrinitza”. In the inscribed frame under the saint’s feet, the artist provides, in finer writing compared to the other inscriptions, the exact date, the place where the icon was created, and his signature: “13 August 1846, in Mount Athos, by the hand of monk Makarios of Galatista, Macedonia”.

The painting style of the Mount Athos monks of Galatista, including that of Monk Makarios, is rooted in the artistic tradition introduced to Mount Athos by the Epirus painters in the 18th century. The Galatista painters reshaped this tradition, returning to the models of the first period of the Palaeologian dynasty, while incorporating elements of Western painting in an eclectic manner.

The artistic style of the icon of Saint Andrew in Patras stands out for the stout figures of the saints, depicted with academic precision and intense decorative flair, while the clothes are characterised by an exuberance of mannerist style. At the same time, baroque elements are employed in the decoration of the thrones and decorative frames. Landscapes are depicted in a naturalistic manner, while interior scenes are set against architectural Renaissance-style depths, featuring richly folded parapets. It is also worth noting that the icon of Saint Andrew, together with that of Saint Nicholas in Galaxidi, are the only works in which Makarios develops a biographical cycle of the saint.