Saints

  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...

The Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, also called Levi, was one of the Twelve Apostles and the brother of the Apostle James Alphaeus. He was a tax collector for Rome, but followed Jesus when he heard...

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...

Saint Columba was a 6th century Irish missionary who evangelized in Scotland. One of the earliest missionaries to the Scottish tribes, he founded several monasteries and churches. Also a renowned...

  Both Apostles, being chosen by our Lord, were instrumental in the establishment and growth of the early Church through their boldness, spiritual strength, and wisdom. Thus they are recognized as...

This icon depicts the many saints who shone forth at Mount Sinai and in the surrounding desert. Saint Catherine, the patron of the monastery at Mount Sinai, stands at the center of the fathers at...

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...

One of the most renowned women saints of the early church is the virgin martyr Lucy (or Lucia). This wonderful saint was born in Syracuse, Sicily in the year 283 AD to wealthy parents. She was raised...

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...

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...

This icon is a beautiful contemporary Byzantine portrayal of the Old Testament Prophet Jeremiah. Renowned for his prophecies of the coming Messiah and records of the destruction of Jerusalem during...

The holy prophet Joshua, the Son of Nun (in Greek, Jesus of Navi), was called by Moses to survey the Promised Land. He urged the people to trust in God as they prepared to enter the land. He was...

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 i

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...

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...

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...

Saint Spyridon was from Cyprus, and he worked as a shepherd. After the death of his wife, he was appointed Bishop of Trimythus, and he attended the First Ecumenical Council. There he refuted the...

This famous image is one of Russia's finest and most ancient treasures. Dating to the 12th century, it survived the Mongol invasion and first appeared in Moscow in the 16th century. Based on the...

This historic icon of the Archangel Michael is depicted in vivid colors and stunning details. Following a traditional Balkan style, Holy Michael is depicted bearing a sword in his right hand and an...

Saint Alexis Toth (or Tovt) was a Hungarian-American Greek Catholic priest. After being mistreated by a series of Latin bishops, he converted to Orthodoxy and worked tirelessly to bring other...

Saint Cecilia was from a wealthy Roman family. Through her witness to the Gospel, she brought her husband and brother into the Faith. They suffered martyrdom in the year 288, during the reign of...

Saint George was born in the province of Cappadocia, Asia Minor (Turkey), in the third century and raised as a Christian. At the age of 20, he joined the Roman army under Emperor Diocletian and...

Maximus was born in the year 580 AD in Constantinople. He was raised as a pious Christian and received a thorough education. He eventually attained a high position in the government of the time,...

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...

The holy Virgin Martyr Paraskevi (or Paraskeva) was born in Rome in the 2nd century to Christian parents. From her earliest years she was devout, spending much of her time in prayer and reading the...

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...

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...

This 17th century icon features the Prophet Elias (Elijah, Iliya) and the Patriarch Enoch (Enokh). What these Old Testament men have in common is that they never died. According to Genesis, Enoch...

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...

Saint Macarius the Great (or Makarios) was from Egypt. He struggled in the deserts near Skete in Thebaid, northern Egypt. He was called "the child elder" for his advanced wisdom and ascetic life...

This icon is a beautiful contemporary Byzantine portrayal of the Old Testament Prophet Solomon. As the son of David, he also is included in the line of Christ as one of his fore-fathers. Renowned...

Saint Abigail (also known as Gobnait or Gobnata) was born in Ireland around the beginning of the sixth century. After seeing a vision of white deer, she was granted land to build a women's...

Saint Clement was converted to Christ through the Apostle Peter. He served as the third Bishop of Rome after the death of the Apostles, from about AD 91 to 99. His feast is celebrated on November...

Although his parents were strong Christians, Ephraim (or Ephrem), born in Nisbis, was thoughtless and rebellious in his youth. It was not until his antics bordered on crime and he was accused of...

This historic Greek icon depicts the beloved Apostle John the Theologian. Exiled to the Mediterranean island of Patmos in his old age, he is shown receiving the revelation of the apocalypse...

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...

  This famous 13th century icon depicts the life and martyrdom of Saint George. George was a soldier of noble birth from Cappadocia, and was put to death under Emperor Diocletian at Nicomedia on 23...

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,...

This late-15th century Russian icon features the holy hierarchs Saint James of Jerusalem, the Brother of the Lord; Saint Nicholas of Myra; and Saint Ignatius the God-bearer of Antioch. (This icon...