Saint Gregory was born in 1296 and raised in the imperial court of Constantinople, where he excelled in both religious and secular knowledge. He later departed to Mount Athos and labored in the Vatopedi Monastery. When his harsh asceticism brought an...

Saint Païsy was born in 1722 in Poltava in modern Ukraine. He was baptized by his father, a priest, with the name Peter. His father died young, and his mother Irene raised her 12 children in piety. At age 17, Peter decided to become a monk and went...

Saint Sebastian (Dabovich) was born the son of Serbian immigrants in San Francisco, California, in 1863. He studied theology in Kiev and Saint Petersburg, where he was tonsured a monk and ordained a hierodeacon in 1887. After completing his education,...

Saint Philoumenos was born in Morphou, Cyprus, in 1913. At the age of 14, he and his twin brother entered the monastic life in Cyprus, and at age 20 departed for Jerusalem. There, Fr. Philoumenos became a priest and was raised to the rank of...

From the years 527 to 565, Saint Justinian the Great reigned as the Roman Emperor. During his reign, tens of thousands of pagans were baptized into Christ and the pagan schools of Athens were closed. Some ninety missionary churches were built to...

This glorious icon of Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner is from the iconostasis at Saint Nicholas Anthiochian Orthodox Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was painted by Fr. Theodore Koufos of blessed memory.  The Glorious Prophet, Forerunner,...

This contemporary Byzantine icon of Saint Menas the Wonderworker features the holy Saint opening his hands in the orans gesture of prayer. Christ is mystically depicted within the Saint, as the Lord filled him with His divine life. Saint Menas is one of...

This icon from Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Washington, DC, depicts the synaxis (assembly) of the holy Angels and Archangels. At the center is an orb containing Christ as a youth, known in iconography as Emmanuel. Nearest to Christ are the...

This beautiful example of Western iconography is part of the illuminated manuscript known as the Lindisfarne Gospel, which was produced in England in the early 8th century. We see Saint John writing his Gospel. The text at the top reads Imago...

This icon by American iconographer Mark Fiorenzo depicts the great 20th century luminary Saint Nektarios in his black monastic habit. He holds the Gospel and raises his hand in a gesture of blessing, proper to his role in the Church as a bishop. Saint...

The Apostle and Evangelist John was especially loved by Christ for his love and purity, and with Peter and James, was one of the closest Apostles to Him. He witnessed the Transfiguration and was the only Apostle to follow Christ to the very Cross, where...

The Apostle and Evangelist Matthew (also named Levi) was the brother of James Alphaeus. He was a tax collector until he was called by Christ. He was the first to write a Gospel, and he wrote in Hebrew. The theology of his Gospel is aimed at the Jews,...

The Apostle Andrew "the First-Called," was the brother of Saint Peter. He had been a disciple of Saint John the Baptist, but went to follow Christ when Saint John called Him "the Lamb of God," becoming the first disciple. After the Lord's ascension into...

One of the first who Jesus called to be Apostles, St. Andrew was the brother of St. Peter and a fisherman by trade. He and Peter were fishing in the sea of Galilee when Jesus called them to become “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19, Mark 1:17)...

St. Matthew the Evangelist, also called Levi, also appears both among the icons of the Apostles and beneath the dome. As one of the Twelve Apostles, he witnessed the works and miracles of Jesus, and is traditionally held to have described those in the...

The educated St. Philip plays a relatively minor role in the Gospels, but his actions as a disciple while Jesus was alive show his practical nature and logical mind. He is commemorated on November 14. He was close friends with the Apostle Bartholomew,...

The details of St. Simon's role alongside Christ are mostly unknown, but he is traditionally said to have joined Christ after witnessing the miracle at the wedding at Cana, Simon's place of birth. His going to Jesus by his own choice, without being...

St. John the Evangelist did not only author a Gospel, but was a much beloved Apostle and minister of Jesus. He and his brother James were both fishermen and both called to Jesus at the same time and place. Jesus also gave him the surname "Boanerges,"...

This beautiful Byzantine icon of Saint Andrew the First Called Apostle depicts the faithful disciple called by Christ at the Sea of Galilee along with his brother Peter and close companions, James and John (John 1:35-42). According to Holy Tradition,...

This contemporary Byzantine icon depicts Saint Gabriel (Urgebadze) the Fool for Christ. A renowned Georgian saint, he endured brutal persecution during Soviet rule and lived a long faithful life as an ascetic. His relics and intercessions have long been...

This icon is a reproduction of the Cathedral Shrine to St. Raphael. Originally commissioned prior to his becoming a saint, the icon was later corrected after his glorification in 2000. An interesting feature of this icon is the engolpion (panagia) that...

This icon of Saint Raphael of Brooklyn is from Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn. It depicts Saint Raphael in his full ligturgical vestments. Surrounding him is a vine sprouting from the seeds of Orthodoxy he planted in North...

This is an original and unique icon from Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral. It depicts Saint Raphael of Brooklyn, the founding cleric of the Cathedral community in 1895, and Saint Tikhon of Moscow, who actually consecrated the old Saint...

This contemporary Byzantine icon depicts the Archangel Gabriel in vivid colors. He bears a scepter and orb, denoting the authority delegated to him by the Lord of Hosts. As a member of one of the nine celestial hierarchies accounted by Scripture and...

This contemporary Byzantine icon of the Archangel Michael depicts him in his role as warrior and intercessor for the church. He bears a sword and scroll bearing the Trisagion Prayer, reminding the viewer of the angelic beings’ role in continual...

The Apostle Andrew "the First-Called," was the brother of Saint Peter. He had been a disciple of Saint John the Baptist, but went to follow Christ when Saint John called Him "the Lamb of God," becoming the first disciple. After the Lord's ascension...

This icon is a faithful reproduction of a renowned Byzantine original of the 12th century depicting Michael the Archangel. It was a treasure of Byzantine goldsmithery, featuring enameled inlays and numerous gemstones. Several military saints adorn the...

Saint Justinian the Great reigned as Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, tens of thousands of pagans were baptized into Christ and the pagan schools of Athens were closed. Some ninety missionary churches were built to evangelize and...

This famous image is one of Russia's finest and most ancient treasures. Dating to the 12th century, it survived the Mongol invasion and first appeared in Moscow in the 16th century. Based on the style, scholars believe it may have been painted in...

John the Evangelist did not only author a Gospel, but was a much-beloved Apostle and minister of Jesus. He and his brother James were both fishermen and both called by Jesus at the same time and place. Jesus also gave him the surname Boanerges,...

Matthew the Evangelist was also called Levi. As one of the Twelve Apostles, he witnessed the works and miracles of Jesus, and is traditionally held to have described those in the Gospel of his name eight years after the Ascension. When he was called...

Saint Rastislav was the second Prince of Great Moravia (today part of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary), reigning from 846 to 870. During his reign, he sought to free Moravia from the dominion of Eastern Francia under King Louis the...

  Saint Gabriel was born on March 22, 1684, in Zvierki (Zwierki, Poland). His parents, Peter and Anastasia, maintained their Orthodox faith despite the growth of Uniatism in the region. As a child, Gabriel preferred prayer and solitude rather than...

Job was a descendent of Abraham, and righteous in every way. For this, he was richly blessed with wealth and power. God saw fit to test Job. All at once, he lost his children and his wealth. His body was afflicted with painful sores. Job's few...

This icon of the Holy Archangel Michael depicts him in festal robes in a traditional Russian pose. The icon makes use of vivid color and decoration to commemorate this saint’s role as intercessor and protector.  Michael in the Hebrew language...

Saint Nectarios (also spelled Nektarios or Nectarius) was from Thrace (in modern northern Turkey). He was born in 1846 and became a monk in 1876. He was blessed to undertake theological studies in Athens, and was ordained a priest in Cairo, Egypt, in...

Emperor Constantine the Great, Equal-to-the-Apostles, legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire. He once saw a vision of the Cross in the sky and heard a voice say, "In this sign conquer." His feast is celebrated on May 21, together with his mother...

This 21st-century Bulgarian icon, painted by the hand of Georgi Chimev, features Saints Photius the Great, Gregory Palamas, and Mark of Ephesus. Also known as the Three New Holy Hierarchs, these holy Hierarchs had significant roles in guiding the...

Raphael in the Hebrew language means Healing of God or God the Healer. One of the eight traditional archangels, he is named in the book of Tobit, where he restores sight to the blind. He holds a staff and an orb, which represents authority...

Gabriel in the Hebrew language means Man of God or Might of God. He is a bringer of good news of the mysteries of God, especially at the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary. He holds messenger's staff, rather than a soldier's spear, and an orb, which...