Icons

Both Apostles, being chosen by our Lord, were instrumental in the establishment and growth of the early Church through their boldness, spiritual strength, and wisdom. Thus they are recognized as "pillars" of the Church, having offered all even unto death...

Then I saw a great white throne and the one who sat on it; the earth and the heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another book was...

This 19th century Russian icon, also known as the Holy Face or Mandylion, portrays the face of Christ on a piece of cloth, carried by the Archangels Michael and Gabriel. According to Christian legend, King Abgar of Edessa wrote to Jesus, asking him to...

This icon depicts the Fathers of the Ecumenical Council of Nicaea, where the Nicene Creed was written. Emperor St. Constantine the Great sits in the center, surrounded by the holy bishops. The heretic Arius is visible at the bottom, cowering after his...

This unique 19th century Russian icon features a stylized church iconostasis. This is a great way to bring the church into the home as a centerpiece for prayer. Bottom Row: the Holy Doors and Deacon's Doors Second Row: the 12 Great Feasts with Pascha...

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...

Saint Olga was born on February 3, 1916, in the Yup'ik village of Kwethluk, Alaska. Her family herded reindeer, and Olga (Arrsamquq, her Yup'ik name) loved spending time in the mountains as a child, playing with her six brothers. She married her husband,...

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 Philip II served as Metropolitan of Moscow (1566-68) during the reign of Tsar Ivan IV "the Terrible." He was born with the name Fyodor (Theodore) in 1507 to a leading Russian noble family. He grew up in close proximity to the royal court, but was...

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 Theodore was born out of wedlock in Sykeon of Galatia. When he was a child, his mother gave him a soldier's belt, and told him he would be a soldier. The Great Martyr George then appeared to her and told her that God had a different plan for her...

  Saint Sophronius was from Damascus. While living as a monk in Palestine, he met John Moschus. They became close friends and traveled throughout the Middle East seeking spiritual instruction for many years. After John's death, Sophronius returned...

This beautiful historic icon depicts the Theotokos and Christ Child enthroned in glory. As is typical in Byzantine iconography, the Theotokos is pictured with her Son, both of them dressed in regal clothing and colors. Kings and prophets stand on towers...

Saint Abercius (or Averky) was bishop of Hierapolis and was known for his God-given ability of wonderworking. During a festival of Apollo, he destroyed the idols in the temple, to the horror of the pagans. He cried out that the gods had become drunk...

Starting with the Nativity of the Theotokos (September 8) in the upper left corner and moving down row-by-row to the Dormition of the Theotokos (August 15) in the lower right corner, this stunning icon features all of the Great Feasts on a single icon...

Saint Gregory was from Caesarea. He served the king of Armenia until he was discovered to be a Christian, and for this he was tortured. He was cast into a pit of snakes and left to die, but God preserved him and he later went free. He converted many...

Saint Augustine lived during the 4th century in Carthage, Africa. After being raised by his righteous Christian mother Monica (later canonized as a saint as well), Augustine fell away from the church and lived a prodigal life of sin. However, with the...

Saint Boniface lived during the reign of Emperor Diocletian (286-305). He was the servant of a ranking Roman woman named Aglais, but in truth they were living together in a sinful union. Boniface drank heavily and lived in hedonism, yet he was...

This historic Byzantine icon features Saint Kyriakos (or Cyriacus) the Hermit. Living in the 5th-6th centuries, he embraced ascetical living at an early age in the lived in the deserts in and near the Holy Land. He blessed fellow monks and visitors with...

From the 10th century Bamberg Psalter.

"So the cohort and the tribune and the servants of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him, and led him away to Annas first. For he was Caiaphas’ father in law, who was chief priest that year. It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that...

This unique icon of the Washing of the Feet is from the 10th century Bamberg Psalter. It is a glorious depiction from St. John's Gospel (13:1-17) of Christ washing the feet of his disciples on the night of the Last Supper and his imminent betrayal...

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit,...

This unique 18th century Russian icon depicts the Lord alone on the Cross, outside the city of Jerusalem (here, with characteristic Slavic architecture). The sun and moon are shown as darkened or red, according to the Gospels’ narrative.  As...

This 19th century Russian icon of the Moscow school features Christ in the center as Emmanuel and Word of God. Above the center is the Old Testament Trinity, or Hospitality of Abraham, and above this, Christ depicted as Almighty God. On either side,...

Saint Peter was archbishop of Alexandria for 12 years at the beginning of the 4th century. He it was who excommunicated the priest Arius for his heresy. Saint Peter was arrested and imprisoned at the command of Emperor Maximinus in 312. While in...

Saint Tatiana lived in Rome in the early 3rd century. She was raised a Christian and served as a deaconess. After her prayers resulted in the miraculous destruction of various idols and pagan temples, she was arrested and brutally tortured. Her...

The hodigitria (guide or directress) genre of icons features Christ sitting on the Virgin's lap. Her hands point to her Son in a gesture of humility, guiding the viewer to look to Him. This icon, also known as Smolenskaya or Our...

Inspired by one of the hymns of the Great Compline service, this historic Russian icon depicts the Mother of God making intercession before her Son on behalf of those who need help. In particular, it includes the cold and naked, the elderly and...

This Hodigitria (Guide or Directress) icon is a symbol of Georgian Orthodoxy. It is traditionally dated to the times of Saint Nina in the 4th century. It is found in the Tsilkani monastery church in Cartalina, Georgia, where it has...

This historic Greek icon depicts the Apostle Luke the Evangelist. Renowned for his authorship of the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, his accounts feature some of the most distinctive and renowned stories of Christ’s Incarnation and the...

This unique icon of the Arrest of Christ is from the 10th century Bamberg Psalter. It is a glorious depiction from the Gospels' accounts of Christ being greeted by Judas Iscariot with a kiss and then being arrested by guards. The anonymous iconographer...

When Jesus was a youth 12 years of age, he went with his Mother and Saint Joseph to the Temple. They left him behind by mistake, and three days later, they found him in the midst of the elders. This event is recorded at the end of Luke chapter 2, and it...

Saint Clement was a monk, and later became bishop of Ancyra in Galatia. He suffered persecution for some 30 years until he was martyred under the reign of Diocletian and Maximian in 296. His feast is celebrated on January 23.

Rendered in simple and elegant forms, this icon presents God’s creation of the first man: Adam. As related in the first chapter of Genesis, “…God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness’” (Gen...

Eight days after the Resurrection, we celebrate the "excellent unbelief of Thomas," in the words of one Vesperal hymn for the feast. This unbelief led the Lord to offer proof, which brings all of us to the knowledge of the risen Savior as Lord and God.

Saint Gregory was born in Neocaesarea, and traveled throughout the Mediterranean region during his education. He was instructed in the faith by Origin. In the year 240 he became bishop of his home city, where only 17 Christians were living. By the time...

This instructional icon depicts the Second Coming and the Last Judgment. At the top Christ is seen coming in glory, flanked by the armies of the heavenly host, his Mother, and the Prophet John. In the next row are the Twelve Apostles, sitting as judges...

This beautiful 12th century mosaic is from the Xenophontos Monastery on Mount Athos. It depicts Saint George raising his hands in prayer to Christ, who gives a blessing from heaven. Saint George was born in the province of Cappadocia, Asia Minor...

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...