Icons

This stunning icon depicts the Six Days of Creation in one single incredible icon. The starry firmament above contains the sun, moon, and stars. The border of the sky is marked by a rainbow, which in iconography symbolizes God's divine power and...

The Harrowing of Hades is the icon most often used to represent the Resurrection of Christ: the Feast of Feasts, Pascha (Easter). In this scene, Christ is seen coming out of the dark pit of Hades, bringing with Him all of the righteous Old Testament...

This contemporary Byzantine icon depicts the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. Capturing the emotion and glory from the famed story from the Gospels, it demonstrates Christ’s power and care for his disciples as they lie storm-tossed in 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...

This 21st century icon shows the scene of the Mystical Supper (or the Last Supper). Christ reveals that one of his Disciples will betray Him, as they look at one another with shock. Judas, the betrayer, is seen reaching his hand toward the bowl, as the...

The Washing of the Feet occurred in the Gospel at the Last Supper before the Lord’s Passion. In this event, he as the Master washes the feet of his servants, the Disciples. This role reversal demonstrated Christ’s great humility and taught us how we...

This icon of the Deësis type features our Lord Jesus in the middle, enthroned in heaven as King and God. Nearest to Him and offering prayers of supplication in behalf of the faithful are His Mother, the Theotokos, and Saint John the Baptist...

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...

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 angels grouped around...

This icon, the Apostles' Communion, is often seen in the sanctuaries of Orthodox Churches. In it, Christ is depicted as the High Priest and prototypical celebrant the Mystical Supper of the Holy Eucharist, distributing it to his Apostles. In the words...

This 21st century icon, specially commissioned by Legacy Icons, shows the scene of the Mystical Supper (or the Last Supper). Christ reveals that one of his Disciples will betray Him, as they look at one another with shock. Judas, the betrayer, is seen...

Here Christ extends His hand to His beloved friend Lazarus, who comes out of his tomb after being dead for four days. This miraculous event happened just before Palm Sunday. By this action, Christ displayed His power over death and pointed to His...

This beautiful mosaic is from the Church of the Nativity in Jerusalem.

This incredibly beautiful icon features the Magi presenting their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ Child. This event is celebrated on December 25 in Eastern Christianity and January 6 (Epiphany) in Western Christianity. The icon has...

This icon, known as the Hospitality of Abraham, depicts the Old Testament scene when Abraham and Sarah were visited by three angelic visitors who announced the birth of their son, Isaac. This scene is traditionally understood to be a prefigurement...

The icon known as the Hospitality of Abraham depicts the Old Testament scene when Abraham was visited by three angelic visitors, who announced the birth of a son, Isaac, by his wife Sarah. This scene is traditionally considered a prefiguring...

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 angels grouped...

This icon depicts the Lord Jesus as Judge at the Last Judgment, coming in glory with the angelic host. With the Theotokos and Saint John the Baptist in poses of supplication, this is also a deësis icon, as they pray for the souls of those facing...

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...

Joachim and Anna were the parents of the holy Virgin Mary. They were childless, and for this they were derided by their fellow Jews, who believed they must have been cursed. They both devoted themselves to prayer, and they each vowed to dedicate their...

After the Resurrection, the Myrrh-bearing Women came to the tomb. They found the soldiers fallen as dead, the stone rolled away, and an angel sitting on it. He showed them the Lord’s empty grave clothes, and told them to tell the Disciples of the...

This 13th century fresco, from the Mileševa Monastery in Serbia, shows the angel announcing the Resurrection to the myrrh-bearing women. The tomb is shown empty, with only Christ's burial clothes remaining. The icon demonstrates a transition...

This historic icon of the Temptation of Christ movingly depicts Christ's three temptations in a panoramic scene.    Painted by an anonymous iconographer, the original icon resides in the ancient Orthodox monastic community of Mount Athos,...

After the Resurrection, Christ met Luke and Cleopas on the road to Emmaus. They did not recognize His resurrected body, and they invited Him to come and eat with them. At the table, Christ broke bread and gave it to them, and they recognized Him as...

This beautiful is from the Monastery of St. Nicholas, one of the clifftop monasteries in Meteora, Greece. It depicts the scene from Genesis 2:19-20, where Adam the first-formed man named the animals which God had created. "Out of the ground...

This matching set of icons is found on the back side of the iconostasis at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, overlooking the holy altar. The holy faces of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos are surrounded by floral greenery. The unique horizontal...

This historic Greek icon depicts the events of the days leading up to the Great Food of Genesis 7-9. Noah and his family are depicted preparing to board the ark, together with animals of every kind. Above, God the Father and accompanying angels are...

This 17th century icon from Crete features Christ Pantocrator (Almighty) in the center, with the Theotokos Virgin Mary and John the Baptist on either side. These holiest of saints are always nearest to our Lord Jesus, praying for the peace and...

The Sunday before the beginning of Lent is known in the Orthodox Church as Forgiveness Sunday. On this day, we commemorate the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise. Through this, we remember that we are far from God because of sin, but we can be...

This exquisite 19th century fresco is from the Church of St. John the Baptist in Kratovo, Macedonia. It depicts the Angelic Host of Heaven of  archangels, cherubim, and seraphim, from the visions of Ezekiel. The iconographer captures the glory and...

The Prophet Jonah (or Jonas) lived in the 8th century before Christ. He prophesied to the Israelites and the Ninevites, calling all to repentance. He also foretold of the coming Messiah. Jonah was eaten by a sea creature and spent three days in...

This incredible Russian icon is a stylized map of Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside, featuring numerous Old and New Testament scenes as well as famous saints who lived near Jerusalem. Dominating the center is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre,...

This famous Hagia Sophia mosaic features Christ, the Theotokos, and Saint John the Baptist in a Deesis (Supplication) scene. The Lord Jesus is enthroned while his Mother and Forerunner pray in behalf of the world. The mosaic was completed in the 13th...

In this beautiful detail from a massive 17th century fresco at Slivnichki Monastery in Macedonia, the Holy Spirit is depicted as a dove, perched on a royal throne. He holds the Holy Gospel, and is surrounded by the instruments of the passion: the...

This historical icon of The Great Commission powerfully displays Christ's command to His disciples to spread the Gospel throughout the world. Depicting the words of Matthew 28:19-20,    Therefore go and make disciples of all...

The first Great Feast of the ecclesiastical year, the Nativity of the Theotokos (September 8) is also the first Great Feast of our salvation. The Mother of God is born to Saint Anna, after a miraculous conception following a lifetime of barrenness.

This beautiful icon features the 13 holy fathers who are considered to be the founders of Georgian monasticism. Their names are: John of Zedazeni, Abibus of Nekresi, Anthony of Martqopi, David of Gareji, Zenon of Iqalto, Thaddeus of Stepantsminda, Jesse...

This 6th-century mosaic is from the apse of the Basilica of Saint Apollinare in Ravenna, Italy. The holy Cross is jeweled (crux gemmata) and appears in the center, surrounded with the Taboric light. Moses and Elias appear on either side, and...

"Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane and said to the disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’ And taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee he began to grow sorrowful and distressed. Then Jesus said to...

This historic Byzantine icon of the Burial of Christ depicts the moment before He is laid to rest in the tomb.  After the life-giving death of Jesus, St. Joseph of Arimathea asked for His precious body, in order to give Him a dignified burial...