Icons from Places

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...

And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain an showed me the holy city of Jersualem coming down out of heaven from God. It was the glory of God and the radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal. It has a great,...

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...

This unique icon of the Throne of God is from the 11th century Bamberg Apocalypse. It is a glorious depiction of the eternal rule and omnipotence of the Trinitarian Godhead.    It features Western iconographic forms and colors heavily...

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...

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...

This historic icon of Christ "Emmanuel" is from the ancient Orthodox monastic community of Mount Athos, Greece. It depicts Christ as a young man and illustrates the powerful meaning of one of his Hebrew names, Emmanuel, God with us, given to him in...

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 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...

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 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 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...

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...