Saints

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...

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 Hebrew. The theology of his Gospel is aimed at the Jews,...

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 23 in the West, November 24 by the Greeks, and November...

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...

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 was previously misidentified as the Three Holy...

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 Arians using his simple wisdom. God granted him the gift...

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 He was the Messiah of Israel. After Pentecost, Philip...

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 orb in his left. The orb is marked with the Greek...

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 Babylonian exile, his message of enduring hope...

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 Mardarije of Libertyville was the first bishop of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the New World. He was born Ivan Uskokovich on November 2, 1889, in Kornet, Montenegro, to pious parents. Baptized in the local church of Saint George, young Ivan...

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 Thunder, by Jesus, and with John and Peter James was...

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 Jude wrote a brief epistle, which is part of the New...

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 pagan, was granted the principality of Novgorod. He...

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 uniate communities into the Orthodox Church. Saint Alexis...

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 called to Jesus or exactly what he achieved...

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 walked with God for 365 years "and he was no more;"...

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 monastery at Ballyvourney. As abbess, she was known for gifts...

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...

This historic Russian icon depicts the meeting of St. Thomas the Apostle and the Risen Christ a week after the Resurrection. According to the Gospel account, Thomas said that he would not believe in Christ’s resurrection until he touches his...

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 for his Wisdom literature (Song of Solomon and...

Job was a descendent of Abraham, and righteous in every way. For this, he was richly blessed with wealth and power. God saw fit to test Job. All at once, he lost his children and his wealth. His body was afflicted with painful sores. Job's few...

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 writer, he composed hymns and transcribed hundreds of...

Saint Ignatius is known to have been a disciple of Saint John the Evangelist, and a contributor to the early ministry of the Church. He is also believed to have been that “little child” who Jesus used as an example of the...

This contemporary Byzantine icon depicts the Holy Patriarch Abraham. Called to leave his homeland in the Fertile Crescent for a new land and God, he became the father of the children of God. One of the Holy Forefathers of Christ, his faithfulness is...

Saint Katherine (also spelled Catherine) is celebrated as a Great Martyr of the Orthodox Church. She suffered greatly for her faith in Christ in the year 305 at the hands of Maximinus of Alexandria. She was killed for refusing his marriage intentions,...

Saint Nicholas II reigned as the last Tsar (Emperor) of Russia from 1894 to 1917. His rule saw the liberalization and eventual fall of the Russian Empire in the Bolshevik Revolution, which ushered in the Soviet communism which was incredibly...

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 India, and was martyred brutally. His feast is celebrated...

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 April 303. The center icon depicts the most famous...

This 19th century Russian “Academic” icon depicts the Archangel Gabriel. In this icon, Gabriel wears white, the color of purity, and blue, the color of humanity and especially the Virgin Mary. He holds a bouquet of lilies, which are...

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...

Job was a descendent of Abraham, and righteous in every way. For this, he was richly blessed with wealth and power. God saw fit to test Job. All at once, he lost his children and his wealth. His body was afflicted with painful sores. Job's few...

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...

Saint Cassiani was a nun and eminent poet who lived in the 9th century. She established a convent in Constantinople, and excelled as a theologian and musician, composing hymns for her nuns.  Dozens of her hymns endure in the liturgical life of 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 style, scholars believe it may have been painted in...

Saint Mark of Ephesus entered the monastic life as a young man, and became a devoted student of the hesychast teachings of Saint Gregory Palamas. He became a deacon, and later a priest, and was appointed Metropolitan of Ephesus. He attended the Council...

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...

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 Three Holy Youths Ananias, Misael, and Azarias were among the Jews who were taken to Babylon in the sixth century BC. King Nebuchadnezzar took them into his royal household where they served, along with the Prophet Daniel. They were given Persian...

The feast of All Saints is commemorated on the Sunday After Pentecost by Eastern Christians and November 1 by Western Christians. Symbolism Circle — Christ enthroned in glory, with the Theotokos and John the Baptist and the ranks of the saints:...