Saint Cassiani was a nun and eminent poet who lived in the 9th century. She established a convent in Constantinople, and excelled as a theologian and musician, composing hymns for her nuns.  Dozens of her hymns endure in the liturgical life of the...

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,...

This icon presents a selection of the martyrs and confessors of Russia under the Bolshevik yolk, including the royal family of Tsar Nicolas II and the Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow. Below, their figures can be seen, the incense that rises as they pray for...

This icon by Bulgarian iconographer Georgi Chimev is a simple but powerful depiction of Christ's sacrifice and victory over sin and death. Standing by the Cross are the Theotokos and Saint John, the beloved Disciple, who mourn the Master's death...

Saint Ronan lived in the sixth century. A native of Ireland, he decided to leave everything behind and went on a pilgrimage to Brittany in modern western France. There he established a hermitage for monks, and like the Desert Fathers of old, he gained a...

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 touching 19th century Russian icon depicts the Martyr Sophia and her daughters Faith, Hope, and Love (in Slavonic: Vera, Nadezhda, and Lyubov). They lived near Rome in the 2nd century. Under the reign of Hadrian, they were found to be Christians...

In this contemporary Russian icon we have the Synaxis of the Twelve Apostles, who were the ones chosen by Christ to live closest to Him during His ministry and to be the foremost evangelists of the nations. The Twelve all have their own feast days, but...

This glorious icon of the Resurrection and Harrowing of Hades features our Lord emerging triumphant from the depths of Hades, trampling down the gates, locks and chains that forever kept humans trapped after death. He raises from their tombs Adam and...

This stunning icon of the Crucifixion features our Lord hanging on the Cross outside the city of Jerusalem. Standing nearby are His Mother, the Theotokos, and the other women, as well as Saint John. The Cross is planted in "the place of the Skull." This...

This icon features the Most Holy Theotokos sitting on a glorious throne. As the Birthgiver of God, she holds the young Christ Child in her lap as He gives a gesture of blessing. On either side of the throne, holy angels give honor to her who is "more...

This incredible icon of Saint Elias the Prophet is from the iconostasis at Saint Nicholas Anthiochian Orthodox Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It features Saint Elias being taken up to heaven in the chariot of fire, while his disciple, the Prophet...

The Holy Scriptures are the books written over the course of some seventeen centuries by men under divine inspiration. This collection of books is divided into two sections: the Old Testament, which concerns the time from the creation of the world and...

During the reign of Caesar Augustus, our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary in the town of Bethlehem. Refer to the Gospels of Matthew (chapters 1-2) and Luke (chapter 2) for the account of the Lord's birth in the flesh. The...

Saint Spyridon was from Cyprus, where he worked as a shepherd. After the death of his wife, he was appointed Bishop of Trimythus. At the First Ecumenical Council, he refuted the Arians using his simple wisdom. God granted him the gift of wonderworking,...

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...

The holy New Martyr Dionysios was a monk of Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos. In 1822, he was sent to Crete with the holy Belt of the Theotokos admidst an epidemic that was ravaging the island. A revolution had broken out on the island against the...

This icon by Brian Whirledge features Saint Dionysius in his episcopal robes, holding the Gospel. As one of the earliest converts to Christianity, he is an important figure in the first century Church. Saint Dionysius was the second bishop of Athens. He...

In icons of the "Sign" type, the Theotokos directly faces the viewer with her hands raised in the orans (prayer) position. This is the moment of her conception of Christ at the Annunciation, as He is mystically depicted within her. He is shown with...

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 beautiful example of Western iconography is part of the illuminated Lindisfarne Gospel manuscript, which was produced in England in the early 8th century. We see Saint Luke writing his Gospel. The text at the top reads Imago Tauri, "Image of a...

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

This exquisite set of two Russian Neo-Byzantine style icons portrays the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) and the infant Christ in one and Christ as the glorified Son of God in the second. The icons’ stunning gold background sets off their vivid colors and...

This exquisite set of two Russian Old Believer style icons portrays the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) and the infant Christ in one and Jesus Christ in His glorified state in the second. The vivid background sets off each icon’s vivid colors and...

This exquisite set of two Russian Neo-Byzantine style icons portrays the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) and the infant Christ in one and Christ as the glorified Son of God in the second. The icons’ deep blue background sets off their vivid colors and...

This exquisite set of two Russian Old Believer style icons portrays the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) and Jesus Christ, the glorified Son of God. The subtle brown background sets off each icon’s vivid colors and attentive detail. The Greek and Slavonic...

This exquisite set of two Russian Neo-Byzantine style icons portrays the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) and the infant Christ in one and Christ as the glorified Son of God in the second. The icons’ deep green background sets off their vivid colors and...

This touching icon of the holy Ancestor of God Saint Anna is by the hand of American iconographer Mark Fiorenzo. It depicts the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus Christ embracing her daughter. The young Mary holds a flower. This icon...

This fine icon of the holy Ancestor of God Saint Joachim is by the hand of American iconographer Mark Fiorenzo. It depicts the father of the Virgin Mary and grandfather of Jesus Christ with his hand raised in a gesture of prayer. This icon can be paired...

This beautiful icon of beloved Saint Euphrosynos is by the hand of American iconographer Mark Fiorenzo. It shows the humble saint in his monastic clothing, holding the three golden apples of Paradise mentioned in the account of his life. Saint...

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 Luke was not one of the Lord’s twelve original disciples. A Gentile physician from Antioch, he is counted among the Seventy Apostles. He was a follower of Saint Paul, and traveled with him and Saint Peter throughout the...

The Apostle and Evangelist Mark (also called John Mark) is the author of the Gospel of Mark. According to Church tradition, he was the young man who was seized by soldiers in the Garden of Gethsemane and fled away naked (Mark 14:51-52). He was a...

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,...

On the third day after His death, the Sunday of Pascha (Easter), our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ raised Himself from the dead. This icon celebrates the universe-transforming event known as the Harrowing of Hades, the doctrine laid down in the...

Saint Moses the Ethiopian, also known as Moses the Black, lived in Egypt during the fourth century. He was a slave, but after committing a murder, his master cast him out. Moses carried on with his sinful life, and was widely feared for his infamous...

This icon was specially commissioned by Saint Nicholas Cathedral for its Addictions Recovery Support Network ministry.  Based on the Lord’s words, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1), this icon provides a great comfort for...