Saints

Born to wealthy and devout Christian parents in Egypt, Anthony was always sensitive to the duties of faith. When his parents died, Anthony distributed his inheritance to the poor and went to live a life in solitude that set an example for centuries...

This icon by American iconographer Mark Fiorenzo depicts the great 20th century luminary Saint Nektarios in his black monastic habit. He holds the Gospel and raises his hand in a gesture of blessing, proper to his role in the Church as a bishop. Saint...

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,...

Joachim and Anna were the parents of the holy Virgin Mary. They were childless, and for this they were derided by their fellow Jews, who believed they must have been cursed. They both devoted themselves to prayer, and they each vowed to dedicate their...

The Apostle Andrew "the First-Called," was the brother of Saint Peter. He had been a disciple of Saint John the Baptist, but went to follow Christ when Saint John called Him "the Lamb of God," becoming the first disciple. After the Lord's ascension into...

Joachim and Anna were the parents of the holy Virgin Mary. They were childless, and for this they were derided by their fellow Jews, who believed they must have been cursed. They both devoted themselves to prayer, and they each vowed to dedicate their...

Emperor Constantine the Great, Equal-to-the-Apostles, legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire. He once saw a vision of the Cross in the sky and heard a voice say, "In this sign conquer." His mother, Helen, served as his Empress. She was devoted to...

This detail from a large 16th century fresco features a Cherub. The Cherubim are the second-highest of the nine ranks of angels. The Ark of the Covenant fashioned by Moses, and later the Temple, depicted images of Cherubim. In the icon, the Cherub...

This is an original and unique icon from Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral. It depicts Saint Raphael of Brooklyn, the founding cleric of the Cathedral community in 1895, and Saint Tikhon of Moscow, who actually consecrated the old Saint...

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 Brendan was born in the year 484 in County Kerry, Ireland. He was educated in the monastery school at Tuam. When he was 26, he was ordained a priest and undertook several missionary journeys throughout the Scottish Isles and Britain. An...

Saint Raphael was born in Beirut in 1860. He spent the first decades of his life traveling throughout the Middle East and Russia, gaining knowledge and experience as a clergyman. Father Raphael was called to America and established a parish in Brooklyn,...

The Great Prophet and King David, who lived about the 11th century before Christ, is one of the great prefigurements of our Lord. One of his greatest contributions to the Christian faith is the book of Psalms; many of these hymns prophecy the coming of...

Saint Porphyrios of Kafsokalivia was an Athonite hieromonk known for his gifts of spiritual discernment, a type of clairvoyance which he sometimes called "spiritual television." He was born in 1906 in the village of Saint John Karystia, in the province...

St. Gregory lived in the fourth century. A brilliant theologian and teacher, he was consecrated bishop of Nyssa by his older brother, St. Basil the Great. Together the brothers fought against the Arian heresy, and suffered persecution by Arian clergy...

This detail from the famous Hagia Sophia mosaic features Saint John the Baptist in a Deesis (Supplication) pose. The mosaic was completed in the 13th century. The Hagia Sophia iconography is some of the most beautiful in the world. Uncovered in the...

Saint Benedict was born in Nursia in central Italy in the the year 480. In his 20s he left the world for solitude, and became a hermit. He spent his days in prayer, and mortified his flesh in repentance for his sins. He is considered the founder of...

Saint Katherine (also spelled Catherine) was a Great Martyr who suffered in the year 305 at the hands of Maximinus of Alexandria. She is commemorated in the Slavic churches on November 24, the date of her martyrdom. In the Byzantine churches, she is...

Saint Thekla (or Thecla) was born into a pagan noble family just sixteen years after the Ascension. When she was eighteen, against the wishes of her mother and fiancé, she became a disciple of St. Paul. Despite the objections of her...

Saint Menas the Wonderworker is one of the best-known Egyptian saints throughout the world. He was a soldier in the Roman army, and died a martyr about the year 309 when he refused to renounce his faith in Christ. His feast is celebrated on November 11...

Emperor Constantine the Great, Equal-to-the-Apostles, legalized Christianity in the Roman Empire. He once saw a vision of the Cross in the sky and heard a voice say, "In this sign conquer." His feast is celebrated on May 21, together with his mother...

This icon is offered by Legacy Icons with the permission of the iconographer, Brian Matthew Whirledge.

Saint Panteleimon lived in the late 3rd century. A native of Nicomedia, his mother wished for him to be raised a Christian. When she died young, his pagan father sent him to be educated as a physician. He was befriended by Saint Hermolaus, a priest, and...

Saint Seraphim is one of the Orthodox Church's most beloved holy elders. This icon was painted in the 19th century, featuring beautifully embossed gold and colored inlays. He was born in western Russia in 1754. According to tradition, he was sickly as a...

In addition to being a physician and author of one of the Gospels and the Book of Acts, the Apostle and Evangelist Saint Luke is traditionally held to be the first iconographer. In this icon, he is depicted as painting the original Theotokos...

Saint Justin was born in Palestine in the year 103. He was incredibly intelligent and had a love of knowledge, which led him to a fervent study of Greek philosophy. After probing the depths of Plato and others, he concluded that none of them could...

The Martyr Sophia (Sofia) and her daughters Faith, Hope, and Love (or Charity) lived near Rome in the 2nd century. Under the reign of Hadrian, they were found to be Christians and were taken before him. Knowing they faced death, they prayed for strength...

This icon depicts the Archangel Michael in his role as protector and intercessor for the church. In this beautiful contemporary icon, he is portrayed in his traditional colors of crimson and royal blue. He holds a spear and an orb, which represents...

Originally called Prokhor, St. Seraphim was born to middle-class parents in Russia in 1754. He became very ill as a young child, but was healed by the wonderworking Kursk Root Icon through his own faith and the faith of his mother. After this...

Raphael in the Hebrew language means Healing of God or God the Healer. One of the eight traditional archangels, he is named in the book of Tobit, where he restores sight to the blind. He holds a staff and an orb, which represents authority...

Evgeny (Yevgeny or Eugene) Rodionov was born in western Russia in 1977. He was conscripted into the Russian army in 1995 and deployed to Chechnya in the midst of the First Chechen War. While guarding a checkpoint, Evgeny and two other soldiers were...

Saint John Chrysostom (which means "Golden-Mouthed," after his eloquent speaking abilities) is one of the greatest preachers and theologians in Church history. His sermons and commentary on the scriptures are invaluable, and his bold preaching is...

Born to wealthy and devout Christian parents in Egypt, Anthony was always sensitive to the duties of faith. When his parents died, Anthony distributed his inheritance to the poor and went to live a life in solitude that set an example for centuries to...

Saint Peter was an Aleut native of Kodiak Island, Alaska. He was baptized by the monks of Saint Herman's mission. In 1815, while hunting seals, he and several other Aleuts were kidnapped by Spanish sailors and taken to San Francisco. There they were...

The Apostle Andrew "the First-Called," was the brother of Saint Peter. He had been a disciple of Saint John the Baptist, but went to follow Christ when Saint John called Him "the Lamb of God," becoming the first disciple. After the Lord's ascension into...

Christ is at the center, with His right hand raised in a gesture of priestly blessing. He holds a scroll in His left hand. He is robed in gold and bright red, symbolizing divinity. He is depicted as a youth, a form known as Christ Emmanuel ("God with...

Father Roman Braga was born in 1922 in a small village in central Moldova. His mother was a devout Orthodox Christian, and she raised him in a religious environment centered around the monastery of Condrita. During World War II, Roman attended seminary...

The Venerable Stylianos (or Stylianus) lived around the sixth century. He lived a strict ascetic life in the wilderness, praying and fasting. The citizens of the area became aware of his holiness, and many sought him out for his advice and prayers. He...

Saints Cyril and Methodius were 9th-century Greek brothers born in Thessalonica in Macedonia, in the Byzantine Empire. They dedicated their lives to the evangelism of the Russian peoples, and they are known as the Apostles to the Slavs. Saint Cyril is...

Saint James was a kinsman of the Lord Jesus, either His half-brother (a son of Joseph by his first wife) or His cousin (a son of Joseph's brother Cleopas). In any case, the Scriptures refer to him as the Lord's brother, as was the idiom of the Jews at...