Icons

This beautiful icon of Theophany (Epiphany) depicts Christ attended by angels and baptized by St. John the Forerunner in the River Jordan. Depicted in the Gospels as occurring before his temptations in the desert, this event marks the beginning of his...

The Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John was the older cousin of our Lord. He was born miraculously of his aged parents, specially chosen by God to prepare the way for Christ, the Messiah. It was John who identified Jesus as "the Lamb of God...

John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness, preparing the way for Our Lord. As John was baptizing the people in the Jordan River, Jesus came to be baptized Himself—not that He had sins to be forgiven, but to inaugurate His ministry. The...

One day a nun from the nearby convent of Diveyevo, coming to visit St. Seraphim at his hermitage in the woods near Sarov, found the old monk being visited by a bear. Terrified, the nun let out a scream. The staretz responded by patting the bear and...

After the miraculous conception of Saint John the Baptist by Saint Elizabeth and the Annunciation to the Theotokos of the conception of the Lord Jesus, the two cousins met at Elizabeth's home. When the Theotokos entered Elizabeth's presence, John leapt...

  Saint Nikephoros born in Greece in 1887. He suffered from leprosy and was sent to live in a leper colony at age 13. He joined the monastery of Chios in 1916 at age 24. He bore his ailment and its disfiguring effects with patience, chanting in the...

Saint Dymphna lived in the seventh century. She was born in Oriel in northeastern Ireland to Damon, a pagan king; her mother was a Christian. When she was 14 years old, Dymphna took a vow of chastity. Her mother died soon afterwards. After the death of...

Saint Anna was the wife of Saint Joachim. In her old age, Anna became the mother of the Virgin Mary Theotokos, and the grandmother of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Her feast is celebrated on September 9, and she is known as a powerful intercessor for...

This 15th century icon of Saint John Chrysostom was painted in Bulgaria. Saint John Chrysostom (which means "Golden-Mouthed," after his eloquent speaking abilities) is one of the greatest preachers and theologians in Church history. His sermons and...

Blessed Xenia (pronounced Ksenia) lived in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in the 18th century. Her husband Andrew, a Colonel in the Russian Army, died suddenly when she was 26 years old. Xenia was devastated, as Andrew died while drinking and carrying on...

  This unique historic icon depicts the Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove, as He appeared at the Baptism of Christ. Painted by an anonymous 17th century iconographer, it a unique representation of the Gospels' account of descent of the Holy Spirit...

Of all the Eastern Christian icons, the "Theotokos of Vladimir" (from the Greek word Theotokos meaning "God bearer") is one of the most beloved and well known not only among Eastern Orthodox Christians, but also in the West. Even St. Paul’s...

This 21st-century Bulgarian icon, painted by the hand of Georgi Chimev, features Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, and John Chrysostom. About the year 1100, there arose a discussion among the Christians of Constantinople about which of...

John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness, preparing the way for Our Lord. As John was baptizing the people in the Jordan River, Jesus came to be baptized Himself—not that He had sins to be forgiven, but to inaugurate His ministry...

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,...

Saint Christopher of Lycia was a third-century martyr. Originally named Reprobus, the Roman authorities became aware of him when he converted a group of soldiers to Christ. He was baptized with the name Christopher, which means "Christ-bearer." This is...

Saint Athanasius was born to a Christian family in Alexandria in 295. He was ordained the bishop of Alexandria before he reached his thirtieth birthday, and became a leader of the Church even before that.  At the time that Athanasius was...

Saint Monica was born about the year 330. She had a gentle disposition and always kept guard of her tongue, and by this she avoided the wrath of her short-tempered pagan husband. Monica desired to have her three children baptized, but her husband would...

St. Basil was born in Caesarea in 329, to a holy family full of saints. He went to complete his education in Athens, where he first met his lifelong friend St. Gregory the Theologian. Later, after he had spent some time in solitude, Basil became a...

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...

Although his parents were strong Christians, Ephraim (or Ephrem), born in Nisbis, was thoughtless and rebellious in his youth. It was not until his antics bordered on crime and he was accused of theft that Ephrem began to repent of his ways, and...

Saint Christopher was an early martyr, suffering for Christ about the year 251. His feast is celebrated on May 9 in the Orthodox Church, and he endures as one of the most well-known and venerated saints throughout the world. The depiction of a...

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 mother, Helen, served as his Empress. She was devoted to...

Saint Helen, the Equal-to-the-Apostles, was the mother of Saint Constantine. As the mother of the Roman Emperor, she served as his Empress. She was devoted to the Holy Land, and discovered the True Cross on which Christ was crucified. This event is...

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...

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...

Also known as Isaac of Ninevah, he was born in Arabia in the early 7th century. As a young man he entered a monastery and devoted himself to the monastic life. Later in his life, he was ordained Bishop of Nineveh in the north of modern Iraq. After just...

The Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John was the older cousin of our Lord. He was born miraculously of his aged parents, specially chosen by God to prepare the way for Christ, the Messiah. It was John who identified Jesus as "the Lamb of...

Saint Seraphim is one of the Orthodox Church's most beloved holy elders. This icon was painted in the 19th century, featuring beautifully embossed gold and colored inlays. He was born in western Russia in 1754. According to tradition, he was sickly as...

The Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John was the older cousin of our Lord. He was born miraculously of his aged parents, specially chosen by God to prepare the way for Christ, the Messiah. It was John who identified Jesus as "the Lamb of God...

The Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John was the older cousin of our Lord. He was born miraculously of his aged parents, specially chosen by God to prepare the way for Christ, the Messiah. It was John who identified Jesus as "the Lamb of God...

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...

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 Brendan was born in the year 484 in County Kerry, Ireland. He was educated in the monastery school at Tuam. When he was 26, he was ordained a priest and undertook several missionary journeys throughout the Scottish Isles and Britain. An...

This image is from a stained glass window in Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. The Holy Spirit is shown in the form of a dove, as He appeared at the baptism of Christ.

St. Gregory lived in the fourth century. A brilliant theologian and teacher, he was consecrated bishop of Nyssa by his older brother, St. Basil the Great. Together the brothers fought against the Arian heresy, and suffered persecution by Arian clergy...

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...

Originally called Prokhor, St. Seraphim was born to middle-class parents in Russia in 1754. He became very ill as a young child, but was healed by the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon through his own faith and the faith of his mother. After this...

The Holy Apostle Timothy was born to a pagan father and Jewish mother. He became a disciple of the Apostle Paul when he preached in Lystra, and he followed him throughout the time of his preaching. Timothy became the Bishop of Ephesus, and led the...

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 centuries to...