Icons from Places

Saint Cyrus was from Alexandria of Egypt. He attended university and became a physician, treating his patients free of charge and healing miraculously in the name of Christ. Under the persecutions of Diocletian, he fled to the Persian Gulf to join a...

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven ... And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying, "Amen. Alleluia!" ... Then I fell down at...

"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...

Then I saw in the right hand of the one seated on the throne a scroll written on the inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals ... Then I saw between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders a Lamb standing as if it had been...

Saint Theodore was born in Constantinople in 759. He entered the monastic life at a young age and became a deacon and priest, and eventually the abbot of the Studium monastery. He suffered greatly in defense of the holy icons during the iconoclastic...

This beautiful fresco is from the Coemeterium Maius catacombs and dates to the mid-4th century. The blessed Virgin holds Christ in her lap and raises her hands in the "Orans" posture of prayer, which is very common in catacomb iconography. In...

From the 11th century Bamberg Apocalypse.

From the 10th century Bamberg Psalter.

Saint Anatolius was a priest of Alexandria. After the Robber Council of 449, the heretical Patriarch Dioscorus of Alexandria consecrated Anatolius as Patriarch of Constantinople, thinking that Anatolius would support his views. But Anatolius upheld...

Saint Andrew was born about the year 650 in Damascus, Syria. At the age of 14 he joined the Monastery of St. Sabbas the Sanctified in Jerusalem. Known for his virtue, he became the secretary of the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and attended the Sixth...

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...

Saint Chariton was born in Iconium in the 270s. He suffered greatly for the Faith, but was set free after the death of the Emperor Aurelian. He lived in the deserts of Palestine and brought many Jews and pagans to faith in Christ until his repose in...

Emmanuel means "God with us," and is often used to refer to Christ as a youth. Yet He appears as an adult, showing that the God Who was before all time came in the form of a young child.

From the 10th century Bamberg Psalter.

Saint Eleutherius was still a young man when he became bishop of Illyricum, but he was renowned for his virtue. He was arrested during the persecution of the Emperor Hadrian, tortured, and martyred in the year 126. His mother was also beheaded...

From the 10th century Bamberg Psalter.

Saint Gregory was from Agrigentum in Sicily. After being ordained as a reader, at age 18 he made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where he was ordained a deacon by the patriarch. After more travels, he returned to Agrigentum where he was consecrated as...

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 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...

Saint Hierotheus was the first bishop of Athens. He was a member of the Aeropagus (Mars Hill), and with Saint Dionysius, he was converted by Saint Paul. Together with the Apostles, he was present at the funeral of the Theotokos. He reposed in the first...

Saint Hypatius attended the First Ecumenical Council, where he boldly defended the Faith against the Novatian heresy, the false doctrine that a person could not be forgiven of sins committed after baptism. He was captured by their sect and martyred in...

Saint Marcian was born in Rome but was educated in Constantinople. After the death of his parents, he used his inheritance to build churches and help the poor. The Patriarch was impressed by his way of life, ordained him, and made him treasurer of the...

Saint Meletius (or Meletios or Melitius) was an Armenian. He became bishop of Sebaste in 357, but was later banished and he went to Syria. After the deposition of the Arian bishop of Antioch, the Orthodox and the Arian factions debated over who to...

Saint Metrophanes was raised by pagan parents but became a Christian at a young age. He became bishop of Byzantium in the year 315, and during his episcopacy Saint Constantine made Byzantium the capital of the Roman Empire, naming it New Rome. He was...

Saint Pancratius lived during the time of the Apostles, and he came to Christ through Saint Peter. They traveled together to Sicily, where Saint Paul was preaching at that time. Together they made Pancratius bishop of Taormina, and through his...

In the Orthodox/Byzantine tradition, the five Sundays after Pascha (Easter) are dedicated to five special commemorations: The Examination of Christ by Thomas (Doubting Thomas) The Myrrh-bearing Women at the Tomb The Healing of the Paralytic The...

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,...

Saint Dionysius of Korissos Kastoria (also called Dionysios Mikroathonitis) was the founder of the Dionysiou Monastery on Mount Athos in the 14th century. He reposed in 1388, and his feast is celebrated on June 25.

Saint Martinian was from Caesarea of Palestine. When he turned 18, he left his home and lived as a hermit in the wilderness outside the city. For 25 years he lived in silence and mortified his flesh, and reached the spiritual heights. The devil, hoping...

Saint Paisios the Great was an Egyptian monastic father in the 5th century. His feast is celebrated on June 19.

Saint Sisoes lived in the fourth century, and he was a contemporary of Saint Anthony the Great. When Saint Anthony died, Sisoes went to live in his cave. His ascetic labor carried him to the heights of spiritual purity, and he was given the gift of...

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 Theodore, known as "Graptus" ("the Branded") was the brother of Theophanes the Confessor. They were born in Palestine to righteous parents, and entered the great monastery of Saint Sabbas. The brothers lived during the iconoclastic period,...

Saint Theodore was born in Constantinople to wealthy and pious Christian parents. When he was old enough, he left everything behind and entered a monastery in Thrace, west of Constantinople. He rejected his former comfortable lifestyle and wore only an...

Saint Theophanes the Confessor was the brother of Theodore the Branded. They were born in Palestine to righteous parents, and entered the great monastery of Saint Sabbas. The brothers lived during the iconoclastic period, and were defenders of the...

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 to the...

The Apostle Stephen was the first deacon of the Church. For this, he is called "Protodeacon" or "Archdeacon," and as he was the first Christian martyr, he is called "Protomartyr." While performing his missionary work, he defeated some Jews in a debate...

Saint Sylvester served as the 32nd bishop of Rome after the death of the Apostles. He was not able to attend the First Ecumenical Council in 325 due to illness, but he sent representatives. He reposed later that year. His feast is celebrated on...

From the 10th century Bamberg Psalter.

Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion! And with him were one hundred fortyfour thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads (Rev. 14:1) Saint John gazes up at the Lamb of God on Mount Zion...