Disclaimer and Endorsement:
The Icons posted on this web site are for spiritual inspiration only. There are no claims for ownership of the Icons listed. This Icon Directory is intended as an Orthodox Christian medium for Spiritual education.
If an Icon listed is an infringement of copywright, I will gladly remove it.
For those authors who kindly allow the spiritual, educational, and memorial display of their beautiful work, thank you for your blessed ministry.
Many Miracle-Working Icons can be found on the Orthodox Church in America web site.
For purchasing information please visit the web site of The Icon Studio of the Convent of St. Elizabeth which produce Icons in all sizes of Jesus, the Theotokos, traditional Saints and Festal Ocasions.
They are in strict Byzantine or traditional Russian style.
For full or partial Church Iconography, large Icons can be produced on canvas by the studio and permanently applied to Church walls and ceilings.
Their Icon studio has a well-known reputation for the beauty and refined artistic quality of its work, and has the lowest prices available.
They also provide Icon prints of all Icon productions.
It is a pleasure to list and give the appropiate credit for all authorship listed.
Gilbert-Joseph
GGallant2@Tampabay.rr.com
Synaxarion or Legend:
Icons of Mary holding her Son Jesus have been popular since the Council of Ephesus which in 431 solemnly declared Mary to be the Theotokos or Mother of God.
St. Luke was the first one who painted the "Theotokos", "Mother of God", while she was still alive. He is credited with three icons of the "Panagia", in one case using the wooden table where Mary and St. John ate their meals.
Throughout history, many Icons of the Most Holy Mother of God have had miracles attributed to them.
In addition, there are those Icons which may not have been miracle working, but still been venerated with the hope of intercession from the Mother of God.
The Icons posted on this web site are for spiritual inspiration only. There are no claims for ownership of the Icons listed. This Icon Directory is intended as an Orthodox Christian medium for Spiritual education.
If an Icon listed is an infringement of copywright, I will gladly remove it.
For those authors who kindly allow the spiritual, educational, and memorial display of their beautiful work, thank you for your blessed ministry.
Many Miracle-Working Icons can be found on the Orthodox Church in America web site.
For purchasing information please visit the web site of The Icon Studio of the Convent of St. Elizabeth which produce Icons in all sizes of Jesus, the Theotokos, traditional Saints and Festal Ocasions.
They are in strict Byzantine or traditional Russian style.
For full or partial Church Iconography, large Icons can be produced on canvas by the studio and permanently applied to Church walls and ceilings.
Their Icon studio has a well-known reputation for the beauty and refined artistic quality of its work, and has the lowest prices available.
They also provide Icon prints of all Icon productions.
It is a pleasure to list and give the appropiate credit for all authorship listed.
Gilbert-Joseph
GGallant2@Tampabay.rr.com
Synaxarion or Legend:
Icons of Mary holding her Son Jesus have been popular since the Council of Ephesus which in 431 solemnly declared Mary to be the Theotokos or Mother of God.
St. Luke was the first one who painted the "Theotokos", "Mother of God", while she was still alive. He is credited with three icons of the "Panagia", in one case using the wooden table where Mary and St. John ate their meals.
Throughout history, many Icons of the Most Holy Mother of God have had miracles attributed to them.
In addition, there are those Icons which may not have been miracle working, but still been venerated with the hope of intercession from the Mother of God.
Miraculous Icon of Axion Esti
Within discussions of Orthodoxy, the Holy Mountain of Mt. Athos does get mentioned many times. Mt. Athos itself is what we call a "Spiritual Republic." It is an independent state which pledges allegiance only to Almighty God. Mt. Athos which is perched on a peninsula 20 miles long and seven miles wide is off the Macedonian Coast The monasteries there are among the oldest in Christendom. Monks, hermits and holy men have lived there since the third century. During the Byzantine Era, the total population exceeded 50,000. No women have ever been allowed on Mt. Athos. The Blessed Ever-Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, is the "Patron Saint" of the Spiritual Republic of Mt. Athos. In one of the magnificent monasteries there is a huge icon on the Blessed Virgin Mary which has been titled "Axion Esti," meaning 'it is worthy to bless Thee, the Virgin'. This beautiful icon was painted in the seventh century and has since graced the sacred walls of the Cathedral of Mt. Athos.
Today we commemorate the anniversary of the miracle which took place in front of this icon over 1,000 years ago, on June 11, 98( A.D, During the celebration of the Divine Liturgy every Sunday, we hear the beautiful, and inspiring hymn called "Axion Esti" which follows the prayer (as we kneel) called the "Epiklesis." This hymn was written originally in the year 720 by St. Cosmas, one of the greatest hymnographers of the Christian Church. The hymn, however, began with the words 'Thee that art more honourable than the Cherubim (Tin Timioteran)." It was well over one hundred years later that this hymn was added to the Divine Liturgy, but with an added beginning as the result of the following miraculous event:
On June 11, 980A.D. as a group of monks were conducting an all-night vigil before the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, they suddenly noticed a monk standing on the right of the icon whom they did not recognise at all. He was unknown to the monks, and no one could explain his abrupt presence. This unidentified monk began to chant the beautiful hymn written by St. Cosmas, but rather began with the words "Axion Esti os Alethos Makarizin Se Tin Theotokon" which means "It is very meet to bless Thee, Theotokos the ever blessed and most pure Virgin and Mother of God." The monk then explained to the others that he was the Arch- angel Gabriel and that these words should be added to the hymn. The Arch-angel then vanished from their sight, leaving the monks amazed at the power of God. Since that day on June 11, 980 A.D. the additional words to the hymn of St. Cosmas have been sung by all Orthodox Christians around the world. The icon of the Blessed Mother Axion Esti is still venerated today in the Cathedral of Mt. Athos.
"It is meet indeed to bless Thee, the ever-blessed and most pure and Mother of our God. Thee that art more honourable than the Cherubim, and incomparably more glorious than the Seraphim, who without spot of sin didst bear God the Word; Thee, verily the Mother of God, we magnify