Orthodox icon | Three Saints | 24976

Saint Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, born at Bethsaida, now the hill of Et-Tell at Ad Dardara in Syria and died about 101 at Ephesus, now ruins at Selçuk in Turkey, was the son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of James the Elder, a fisherman by trade with an evidently energetic character, who earned him the nickname Thunderson from Jesus. John was called as the fourth disciple of Jesus after Peter, Andrew and his brother (Gospel of Mark 1:19). With them – without Andrew – he belonged to the inner circle around Jesus, especially in the Gospel of Mark: They were already there when Jairus’ daughter was raised from the dead (Gospel of Mark 5:37), then at the transfiguration of Jesus, at Jesus’ desperate prayer on the Mount of Olives in the Night of Good Friday (Gospel of Mark 14:33). According to the testimony of the Gospel of John, he was the only disciple under the cross where Jesus called him his favorite disciple (Gospel of John 19:26). He was also the first, along with Peter, to rush to Jesus’ empty tomb after hearing the news from the women. John is considered the patron saint of sculptors, painters, book printers, booksellers, writers, clerks, civil servants, notaries, theologians, vintners, butchers, glaziers, mirror makers, engravers, of friendship, of wine; for burns; for good harvest; against hail, poisoning, burns, foot diseases and epilepsy.

A Holy Guardian Angel.

Saint Venerable Maria. Xenophon was a very wealthy man and senator in Constantinople and, with his wife Maria – or Martha – father of Arkadio and John. They sent their two sons to Beirut to study law, but they were shipwrecked. Together with Maria, Xenophon went in search of the two and found them in Jerusalem, where they had become monks and were performing miraculous deeds.

Xenophon and his wife also entered a monastery. After some time they separated, Xenophon – like his sons before him – went into the desert, Maria lived in a community with pious virgins.

According to some traditions, both died as martyrs.

Above: Christ Emmanuel.

Gilded background.

Very beautiful gold painting on the robe of the guardian angel.

Signed and dated V. Golubev 1907.