Fr. Theodore Koufos

An angel is a messenger of God, and a being which has stood before God and praised Him from a time before human comprehension. We cannot fully grasp what an angel's exact nature is, but we can understand an angel's function on earth. In icons,...

Jesus is shown blessing the children, after the account in the Gospel where parents bring their children to Him. In this icon, we are reminded that children are important in the Lord's eyes, and we must have childlike faith to enter...

An angel is a messenger of God, and a being which has stood before God and praised Him from a time before human comprehension. We cannot fully grasp what an angel's exact nature is, but we can understand an angel's function on earth. In icons,...

The Great Prophet and King David, who lived about the 11th century before Christ, is one of the great prefigurements of our Lord. One of his greatest contributions to the Christian faith is the book of Psalms; many of these hymns prophecy the coming of...

    This icon is used in the Russian tradition for the feast of Pentecost, and in many churches it appears above the Holy Doors. It bears two meanings.  On its surface, this icon depicts a scene from the Bible. The image of three...

Born to wealthy and devout Christian parents in Egypt, Anthony was always sensitive to the duties of faith. When his parents died, Anthony distributed his inheritance to the poor and went to live a life in solitude that set an example for...

Saint Mary lived in the fifth century. As a girl, she left her Christian family in order to follow her pleasures in unbridled sinful living. At one point she joined a group of pilgrims to Jerusalem, selling herself in exchange for passage. When they...

Saint Nicholas was born in the third century in the city of Patara. His wealthy Christian parents died when he was young, and he gave his inheritance to the poor. Devoting himself to the Church, Nicholas was eventually ordained Bishop of Myra...

This icon was painted by Fr. Theodore Koufos.

This icon was painted by Fr. Theodore Koufos.

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,...

Like St. Mark,  St. Luke was not one of the Twelve Apostles, but was one of the the four Evangelists. He was a Gentile, not a Jew, born in Antioch. He was a physician by profession. Luke became a disciple of St. Paul and traveled with Paul and...

While Elijah and Elisha are both notable for their prophetic deeds, Isaiah (or Isaias), who appears in the Bible shortly after Elisha’s death, is a more traditional prophet of words. Isaiah advised Hezekiah, a God-fearing king, passing on...

Saint Tikhon was the first Patriarch of Moscow after the patriarchate was restored in 1917. But before this, he served as Bishop of the Aleuts and North America, and became an American citizen. He worked tirelessly to establish new churches in America,...

Samuel’s prophecies were a driving force in the era after the Israelites had settled in one land. His conception and birth, after his then-barren mother Hannah offered her sorrow to God and asked for His mercy and blessing, foreshadows the...

Saint Innocent served as a missionary among the native peoples of Alaska. Along with his wife and family, he was devoted to educating the Aleuts and bringing them to Christ. When his wife died, he became a bishop and served as Metropolitan of Moscow...

Saint Romanos (or Romanus) the Melodist was born in Syria in the late 5th century. After serving as a deacon in Beirut, he went on to Constantinople. While he served the Church passionately, he felt his voice was weak. He prayed to the Mother of God,...

Also spelled Jeremias or Jeremy. Feast May 1.

The Holy Prophet Ezekiel is commemorated on July 23.

Also spelled Sofonias. Feast December 3.

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...

Elijah (or in Greek, Elias) lived under the rule of Ahab, “who did evil before the Lord, more than all who were before him” (3 Kgd. 16:38). Through Elijah, God gave the world a voice of justice in an unjust time. But the miracles and signs...

While not himself one of the Twelve Apostles, the Evangelist St. Mark is said to have been present at Jesus’ arrest. In the Gospel of Mark, the “young man” who ran away from the scene, and apparently watched the Crucifixion from...

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...

Although St. Paul was not one of the original Apostles, called while Jesus was on earth, he is known today as a chief Apostle, and his works were vital in the church’s beginning. Paul, known at that time as Saul, was a Roman citizen who persecuted...

Also spelled Habakuk, Abbacum, or Avakum. Feast December 2.

Moses was a prophet, transcriber of Holy Law, and mediator between God and man. Through Moses, God made Himself known to the people of Israel. In his obedience to God and his communication of the Law to the people, Moses laid the foundation for our...

Saint Joseph lived in Syria in the 19th century. He was a priest who worked as a translator and editor of the Church Fathers' writings, desiring to bring their teachings to the faithful. In 1860, a wave of anti-Christian Druze riots swept through...

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," Son...

St. Luke was not one of the Twelve Apostles, but was one of the the four Evangelists. He was a Gentile, not a Jew, born in Antioch. He is known for being a physician. He became a disciple of St. Paul and he travelled with Paul and Peter through the...

While not himself one of the Twelve Apostles, the Evangelist St. Mark is said to have been present at Jesus’ arrest. In the Gospel of Mark, the “young man” who ran away from the scene, and apparently watched the Crucifixion from afar,...

Elisha (or Elisseus) succeeded Elijah, and throughout his life performed similar wonders and miracles. After he watched Elijah’s being accepted into Heaven, Elisha went on to provide wholesome land, food, and water for cities stricken with famine...

Also spelled Michaias. Feasts January 5 and August 14.

Also spelled Zacharias or Zachary. Feast February 8.

Saint Alexis was a Hungarian-American Greek Catholic priest. After being mistreated by a series of bishops, he converted to Orthodoxy and worked tirelessly to bring other uniate communities into the Orthodox Church. Saint Alexis died in 1909. His feast...

Saint Raphael was born in Beirut in 1860. He spent the first decades of his life traveling throughout the Middle East and Russia, gaining knowledge and experience as a clergyman. Father Raphael was called to America and established a parish in...

St. Peter, a chief Apostle along with St. Paul, was originally called Simon. The names "Peter" and "Cephas" both mean rock, and were both given by Jesus. He was first called alongside his brother Andrew.   Peter is known for committing a great error...