The Virgin Mary Portaitissa, or Panagia Portaitissa, is a miraculous icon accredited to Saint Luke the Evangelist. Icons depicting the Panagia Portaitissa are the most famous icons of the Theotokos, or Virgin Mary. According to tradition, the original...

Virgin Mary, Sweet Kissing is one of the most familiar depictions. An icon inspired by the Virgin that is located in the Holy Monastery of Preveli in Crete. It is an intriguing version depicting the Mother of God, an artwork of a hagiographer of the...

Archangel Gabriel was the holy messenger sent to inform Zechariah of the birth of John the Baptist. He is further associated with the Annunciation, the event in which Archangel Gabriel visits the Virgin Mary to inform her that she will give birth to...

At the age of nineteen, Saint Seraphim entered the monastery of Sarov, where he showed his obedience, self-discipline, and humility. He devoted himself to solitary prayer in the forest. He returned to the monastery after fifteen years of living in the...

The Icon of Extreme Humility, also known as the icon of Jesus Christ “The King of Glory,” is from Mount Athos in the 13th century AD. It depicts Jesus Christ standing naked in an open sarcophagus. It is clear that the Holy Passion has already...

The Icon of the Vaioforos, or the Entry into Jerusalem, depicts Jesus as He arrives in Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The city of Jerusalem is shown on the right side of the icon and features a domed Temple. To the left of Jerusalem is the Mount of Olives,...

The Crucifixion is one of the icons that make up the Twelve Feasts. Jesus Christ was crucified in AD 30 or AD 33 after being sentenced to be scourged, then put to death by Roman executioners. One of the sayings of the cross is: “It is...

Click here to buy on Lulu.com “Christmas Tales by Alexandros Papadiamantis” presents three evocative stories translated and adapted by Elena Crociani — transporting readers into the rustic villages and wintry seas of 19th-century...

Saints Constantine and Helen, also referred to as Equal-to-the Apostles, are key figures in the expansion of Christianity during the 4th century. Emperor Constantine was the son of Constantine Chlorus and Helen, and served as the leader of the western...

Also known as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Egypt. She had a vision of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus. With this vision she began to preach the word of God. Frightened that she would convert people to Christianity, the Emperor ordered Catherine...

Saint Demetrios, or Demetrios of Thessaloniki, is a Great-martyr and amongst the most popular Orthodox Christian saints. Saint Demetrios belonged to a noble family, which allowed him to rise the ranks in the Roman military, despite being a Christian in a...

Also known as the Virgin of Unfading Flower. The Virgin Mary with the Christ Child on her knee. His right hand raised in blessing, holding an orb representing the world on His lap and the stem of a lily with three blooms symbolize the Holy Trinity. The...