Iconographers

The Apostle Jude (also known as Thaddeus, Lebbaeus, and Barsabas), was one of the twelve Apostles. He was also Jesus' half-brother, the son of Saint Joseph the Betrothed by his first wife. Saint Jude wrote a brief epistle, which is part of the New...

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,...

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,...

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...

This icon of the holy Apostle Paul was painted by the master iconographer Saint Andrei Rublev. Originally named Saul, Paul was a Jew and a Pharisee. He was a leader of Christian persecutors, and was responsible for the stoning of Saint Stephen, a...

Saint Chloe was a citizen of Corinth and a co-worker of the Apostle Paul. She was concerned about divisions forming within the Church of that city, and she rushed to Ephesus to ask Saint Paul for help (I Corinthians 1:11). From this, we can see that...

The Apostle Philip of the Twelve was a friend of brothers and fellow Apostles Andrew and Peter. When Christ called Philip to be an Apostle, Philip immediately went to Nathanael and proclaimed that He was the Messiah of Israel. After Pentecost, Philip...

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...

This contemporary Byzantine icon depicts the Holy Patriarch Abraham. Called to leave his homeland in the Fertile Crescent for a new land and God, he became the father of the children of God. One of the Holy Forefathers of Christ, his faithfulness is...

The Apostle Bartholomew (also known as Nathaniel/Nathanael) was from Cana of Galilee, but the Gospels tell us little else about his early life. After Pentecost, he preached throughout Asia and India, and was martyred brutally. His feast is celebrated...

Saint Vladimir was the grandson of Saint Olga, who became a Christian at Constantinople. Vladimir's father Svyatoslav divided his kingdom among his three sons. Vladimir, at that time a fierce pagan, was granted the principality of Novgorod. He...

St. Jude is another Apostle whose role in Jesus’ ministry is not elaborated on in scripture.  When he is named among the Apostles, he is also called Thaddeus or Lebbaeus. It is not known how he was called to Jesus or exactly what he achieved...

The Apostle Jude (also known as Thaddeus, Lebbaeus, and Barsabas), was one of the twelve Apostles. He was also Jesus' half-brother, the son of Saint Joseph the Betrothed by his first wife. Saint Jude wrote a brief epistle, which is part of the New...

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...

St. James Alphaeus, is also known as “St. James the Less,” meaning the smaller or younger, to distinguish him from the second apostle James, the brother of John. Unlike the brother of John, St. James Alphaeus is not often mentioned in the...

The educated St. Philip plays a relatively minor role in the Gospels, but his actions as a disciple while Jesus was alive show his practical nature and logical mind. He is commemorated on November 14. He was close friends with the Apostle Bartholomew,...

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,...

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,...

St. James, the brother of St. John the Evangelist, was with his brother among the second of the Apostles to be called to Jesus. With John as well, James was given the surname "Boanerges," Sons of Thunder, by Jesus, and with John and Peter James was...

The Apostle Matthias was the 12th Apostle, chosen to replace Judas after he hanged himself. He died a martyr's death.  His feast is celebrated on August 9 by the Orthodox Church, May 14 in the West, and On February 24 in certain Protestant...

The Apostle James, Son of Alphaeus, was the brother of the Apostle Matthew. After Pentecost, he and the Apostle Andrew preached throughout Palestine, healed the sick, and converted many to Christ. Saint James was finally crucified by pagans in Egypt...

Also known as Nathanael, St. Bartholomew is traditionally held to have been one of the younger Apostles, and followed Christ with a simple, cheerful faith. After the Ascension, he ministered through Syria and Asia Minor alongside St. Philip, and was...

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...

Saint Theodora was born in Paphlagonia, along the Black Sea coast in Asia Minor, about the year 815. The daughter of a military commander, she is believed to have been of Armenian descent. When Theodora was about 15 years old, she was selected to...

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...

  The Apostle Simon the Zealot is traditionally regarded as the bridegroom at the Wedding of Cana, where Christ performed His first miracle. After witnessing this, he became a zealous follower of Christ. After Pentecost, he traveled throughout...

The details of St. Simon's role alongside Christ are mostly unknown, but he is traditionally said to have joined Christ after witnessing the miracle at the wedding at Cana, Simon's place of birth. His going to Jesus by his own choice, without being...

The renowned Russian Saint Juliana of Lazarevo lived in the 16th century. She was faithful as a noblewoman, spouse, mother, and daughter of the Church, modeling how to live a saintly life in the context of family and everyday concerns. She cared for...

Saint Agafya (Agatha) was the wife of Grand Duke Yuri II of Vladimir (1188-1238), and Theodora was their eight-year-old daughter. Grand Duke Yuri's rule saw the Mongols invade the lands of Kievan Rus. In the course of many battles, they gradually took...