Saints

Saint Cyprian served as bishop of Carthage in the Roman province of Africa (in modern Tunisia). He was baptized late in life, but his conversion was radical and swift. Because of his great zeal, he was ordained a deacon, then priest, then bishop within...

Barbara, born in the third century in Syria, was so beautiful that her pagan father placed her in an isolated tower to keep her innocent of any influence except his own until she could be married. Like St. Christina, Barbara also came to realize...

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 Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John was the older cousin of our Lord. He was born miraculously of his aged parents, specially chosen by God to prepare the way for Christ, the Messiah. It was John who identified Jesus as "the Lamb of God...

The Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John was the older cousin of our Lord. After he baptized Christ in the Jordan River, John was arrested by Herod and beheaded at the request of his wicked wife Herodias and daughter Salome, as described in...

Saint Lydia was a first-century “seller of purple,” an expensive, wine-colored fabric.  As described in Acts 16, Saint Paul received a vision in which a man pleaded with him to come to Macedonia. When he awoke, he immediately set out...

Aaron was the brother of Moses. While God assigned the task of Israelite leadership directly to Moses, Aaron became an important leader in his own right.  At his first encounter with God, Moses expressed concern that he was not well-spoken enough...

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...

Ruth lived about the 13th century before Christ. She was the great-grandmother of David, the King of Israel. During a time of famine in Israel, Elimelech and Naomi of Bethlehem took their sons and traveled to the nearby country of Moab. Elimelech died,...

This icon is a beautiful contemporary Byzantine portrayal of the Old Testament Prophet Micah. Renowned for his prophecies of the coming Messiah and God’s redemption of His rebellious people, the Prophet Micah holds an important place in the...

The Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John was the older cousin of our Lord. He was born miraculously of his aged parents, specially chosen by God to prepare the way for Christ, the Messiah. It was John who identified Jesus as "the Lamb of God...

This unique Russian icon depicts Saint Nicholas with Sword and Scenes.  Serving as Bishop of Myra, Saint Nicholas obeyed the word of scripture, to "do justice for the orphan and defend the widow" (Isaiah 1:17). He holds a sword, a symbol of...

The Seven Sleepers were a group of young soldiers who confessed their faith in Christ before the Emperor Decius. They were allowed to go free, and they fled to the caves to hide. As they prayed in preparation for martyrdom, they were discovered by...

  Saint Ambrose was born in Gaul in the year 340 and became a member of the Roman Senate as Governor of Milan. When the Arian bishop of Milan died, the Orthodox and Arians fought over who would succeed him. Ambrose, desiring to maintain peace, tried...

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...

This infanticidal slaughter was ordered by Herod, who was afraid of losing power to the one called "King of the Jews" by the Magi. Soon after the birth of Christ, all the male children in the Bethlehem region under two years of age were murdered. Mary...

Saint Dionysius was born in 1547 on the island of Zakynthos. He entered the monastic life at age 21, and became a priest a few years later. Eventually he became Archbishop of the Aegean. Even during his lifetime he was regarded by many as a living...

Saint John (surnamed Mansur, later called Chrysorroas, "the Golden Stream" for his writing) was born in Damascus, Syria, late in the 7th century. (This was soon after the Umayyad dynasty took control of the region from the Eastern Roman Empire.) His...

Saint Aidan was a seventh century Irish missionary who preached in Northumbria in northern England. Centuries after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the impacts of the fall were beginning to fade, and paganism was making a comeback in the British...

Saint Benjamin was born in 1873 in the northwestern Russian Empire with the name of Vasily. At age 20, he graduated from seminary. Two years later, he was ordained a priest-monk with the name of Benjamin. A man of great intellect, he served as a...

This historic Byzantine icon depicts the Archangel’s Michael response to Saints Florus and Laurus’ prayers in aiding them in their work with horses. As patron saints of horses and horsemanship, these saints–who eventually were martyred...

This contemporary Byzantine icon commemorates the Holy Prophet Micah. One of the minor prophets, he is renowned for his prophecies of the coming of St. John the Forerunner and the Messiah, Jesus Christ. He is commemorated onJanuary 5 and August 14. His...

This beautiful Byzantine icon depicts Saint Theophylact of Ohrid. Renowned for his writings on Scripture and missionary presence to the Bulgarians in the 11th-12th centuries, he reposed on December 31, 1107, and is commemorated on that day.  This...

These 20,000 saints were martyred on Christmas Day in the year 303. A great number of Christians were burned alive in a church, and many others were killed in the surrounding area at the decree of Diocletian. They are all commemorated together on...

This icon is a beautiful Byzantine portrayal of the Old Testament Prophet Zephaniah. A contemporary of the Prophet Jeremiah, he lived during the time of King Josiah and was instrumental in helping to eliminate idolatry and prepare Israel for its...

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 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...

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...

Saint Dorotheos was born in Antioch about the year 506 of prominent parents. He was well-educated and worked as a physician. He desired to enter the monastic life, and joined the monastery of Thawatha, where Saints Barsanuphius and John also lived...

This unique icon depicts the Saints Peter, Paul, Olga, and Xenia gathered under the glory and grace of their mutual Lord. The anonymous medieval Russian iconographer captured the glory and humility of these renowned female saints with the 1st century...

The Church has received the tradition of the conception of the Mother of God from the ancient Fathers of the Church. The Virgin Mary was born to her parents about 16 or 17 years before the birth of Christ. Her father Joachim was descended from the...

This icon is a beautiful Byzantine portrayal of the Old Testament Prophet Habakkuk. Living between the destruction of the Northern and Southern Kingdoms, Habakkuk received visions of the destruction of Jerusalem and the eventual return of a remnant in...

Gideon was appointed by God as one of the Judges of Israel during the Old Testament. His feast is celebrated on September 26, and he is also remembered among the Old Testament righteous on the Sunday of the Forefathers in December.

In this radiant icon, we see Moses and Aaron standing within the Tabernacle of Witness. Moses holds a chalice and a text of the Law, while Aaron the high priest holds a censer and the budded rod. The orb with the seven-branch candle stand contains an...

This historic icon from the 1400s depicts a number of miracles and saints related to horses and other domestic livestock. As such, it is a moving reminder of God’s power revealed through creation, even through common animals.  The historic...

This historic Byzantine icon depicts Saint Stephen the Protomartyr in his vestments and incense burner of the diaconate. His story is recalled in chapters 6-7 of the Acts of the Apostles.  The Apostle Stephen was the first deacon of the Church. For...

When the Forerunner was beheaded by Herod, his head was placed on a platter and given to his daughter at the request of her mother. This 19th century Russian icon depicts the Forerunner's sacred head, which is commemorated on several feast days during...

This 18th century icon shows the frontal depictions of the saints full-length. Blasius (or Blaise) is represented dressed as a bishop, with the Gospel book in his hands, martyrs Florus and Laurus are holding the crosses in their right hands.

According to Church tradition, after the bodily death of Mary the Theotokos, she was buried by the Apostles. But Thomas was delayed, and he desired to look upon her face one last time. When the tomb was opened, her body was gone (for Christ had already...

Saint Cyprian served as bishop of Carthage in the Roman province of Africa (in modern Tunisia). He was baptized late in life, but his conversion was radical and swift. Because of his great zeal, he was ordained a deacon, then priest, then bishop within...