Saint John the Baptist was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early first century AD who is revered as a significant religious figure in Christianity, Islam, and other faiths. He is called a prophet by all of these traditions and is honored as a saint in many Christian traditions. The Orthodox faithful believe that John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge between that period of revelation and the New Covenant. They also teach that, following his death, John descended into Hades and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming, so he was the Forerunner of Christ in death as he had been in life. Eastern Orthodox churches will often have an icon of St. John the Baptist in a place of honor on the iconostasis, frequently mentioned during the Divine Services. Every Tuesday throughout the year is dedicated to his memory.

The icon is finely painted on pure gold ground. The main field is divided into four parts, depicting Our Lady of Kazan, St. Nicholas, St. Prophet Elijah, and St. George Slaying the Dragon. The borders are tooled and colored to imitate enamelwork. 

St. Nicodemus of the Khozyuga Lake (†1640) (Russian: святой Никодим Кожеезерский) was a Russian Orthodox monk who lived as a hermit in the Archangel region. In the summer of 1609, Father Nicodemus left the monastery for a desert area on the banks of the Khozyuga River, here with his own hands, he set up a small cell, cultivated the land for potatoes, fished and lived "indulging in feats of piety." The fame of the Khozyuga Lake hermitage spread widely and reached Moscow. Patriarch Joasaph I learned about the exploits of the monk and, as a sign of respect, sent him a fox fur coat, which, however, Nicodemus did not accept, but sent to the monastery. Several months before his death, the monk, at the request of the brethren of the Khozyuga Lake monastery, left his hermit cell and settled in the monastery, where he died on July 3, 1640 and was buried in the Epiphany Church of the monastery. In 1662 Nikodim Kozheezersky was canonized, and in 1695 his relics were found incorruptible. His memory is celebrated on July 3 (the day of death), August 3 and October 31 (in the Cathedrals of the Arkhangelsk, Novgorod and Rostov-Yaroslavl saints).

Saint Nicholas of Myra (270 - 343), was a historic 4th-century Saint and Greek Bishop of Myra. Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolas the Wonderworker. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him, and thus became the model for Santa Claus. His reputation evolved among the faithful, as was common for early Christian saints. Saint Nicholas is the patron Saint of sailors, merchants, archers, thieves, children, and students in Greece, Belgium, France, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Albania, Russia, the Republic of Macedonia, Slovakia, Serbia, and Montenegro. He is also the patron saint of Aberdeen, Amsterdam, Barranquilla, Bari, Beit Jala, Fribourg, Huguenots, Kozani, Liverpool, Paternopoli, Sassari, Siggiewi, and Lorraine. His feast day is 6 December.

The Teotokos in the iconography of Our Lady of Kazan is depicted on the ground of pure gold imitating the precious revetment cover of the original. The icon is held in a large and ornate glass-fronted shadowbox kiot frame that was painstaikenly restored to near-perfect condition. 

The icon depicts Saint John the Forerunner in the iconography of "the Angel of the Desert". Saint John the Forerunner is depicted standing in the image of an Angel with wavy hair and wings, holding in his left hand a chalice with a Christ-Child and a scroll with the beginning of verse from Matthew 3:2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." St. John is depicted as an "earthly Angel" and a "heavenly man" according to the hymnography of the Church for his feast. His wings symbolize his Angelic pure manner of life. He is surrounded by four vignettes depicting scenes of his birth, encountering an angel, beheading, and translation of his severed head.

The icon depicts Christ's Anastasis (Resurrection) surrounded by twelve Major Orthodox Feasts: 1. Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God 2. Presentation of the Theotokos at the Temple 3. The Annunciation 4. Nativity of Christ/Christmas 5. Baptism of Christ - Theophany, also called Epiphany 6. The Transfiguration of Christ 7. Exaltation of the Holy Cross 8. The Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God 9. The Old Testament Trinity 10. The Ascension of Christ 11. Christ's Entry into Jerusalem 12. Presentation of Jesus at the Temple 

Christ Pantocrator refers to a specific depiction of Christ. The most common translation of Pantocrator is "Almighty" or "All-powerful". In this understanding, Pantocrator is a compound word formed from the Greek words for "all" and the noun "strength" (κρατος). This is often understood in terms of potential power, i.e., the ability to do anything, omnipotence. The iconic image of Christ Pantocrator was one of the first images of Christ developed in the Early Christian Church and remained a central icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Christ is depicted half-length, holding the Gospels in his left hand and making the blessing gesture with his right.  The Gospels are opened on Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Known as Synaxaria (monthly), twelve monthly panels of the Calendar icons are exhibited in the Orthodox church one at a time on a special lectern called the analogion and depict images of saints arranged chronologically according to their feast days in alteration with the movable liturgical feasts as they distributed in the Orthodox calendar for one specific month. 

Although, most saints are represented standing, martyrs are usually depicted at the moment of their martyrdom. The images are arranged in four rows, each row signifying a calendar week of a month with portraits of saints venerated during this week. The layout and color scheme of this “calendar of sainthood” play a role in their legibility and practical use. 

The Holy Mandylion icon represents the first not made by human hands image of the Savior miraculously created by Christ himself. According to the Christian tradition, King Abgar of Edessa wrote to Jesus, asking him to come to cure him of an illness. Instead, one of the seventy disciples, Thaddeus, is said to have come to Edessa, bearing the words and an image of Jesus, by the virtues of which the king was miraculously healed. To create his likeness, Jesus used a face cloth that miraculously bore the image of His face. This image of Christ preserved on the face cloth was kept and venerated in Edessa and became known as “The Holy Image of Edessa”, the “Holy Mandylion” (from Greek “face cloth”), or “The Image Not Made With Human Hands”. This iconographic type is widely used by both the Eastern and the Western Christian Churches. 

The icon depicts Christ's Anastasis (Resurrection) surrounded by twelve Major Orthodox Feasts: 1. Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God 2. Presentation of the Theotokos at the Temple 3. The Annunciation 4. Nativity of Christ/Christmas 5. Baptism of Christ - Theophany, also called Epiphany 6. The Transfiguration of Christ 7. Exaltation of the Holy Cross 8. The Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God 9. The Old Testament Trinity 10. The Ascension of Christ 11. Christ's Entry into Jerusalem 12. Presentation of Jesus at the Temple 

Saint Nicholas of Myra (270 - 343) was a historic 4th-century Saint and Greek Bishop of Myra. Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolas the Wonderworker. He had a reputation for secret gift-giving, such as putting coins in the shoes of those who left them out for him and thus became the model for Santa Claus. His reputation evolved among the faithful, as was common for early Christian saints. 

Saint Nicholas is the patron Saint of sailors, merchants, archers, thieves, children, and students in Greece, Belgium, France, Romania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Albania, Russia, the Republic of Macedonia, Slovakia, Serbia, and Montenegro. He is also the patron saint of Aberdeen, Amsterdam, Barranquilla, Bari, Beit Jala, Fribourg, Huguenots, Kozani, Liverpool, Paternopoli, Sassari, Siggiewi, and Lorraine. His feast day is 6 December. 

The 4-part icon is painted on gold and tooled ground depicting Our Lady of Smolensk, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra, and four Selected Saints in the lower registers: St. Prince Alexander Nevsky, St. Dmitrius of Thessaloniki, St. Panteleimon the Unmercenary Healer, and St. Princess Olga.

Christ Pantocrator refers to a specific depiction of Christ. The most common translation of Pantocrator is "Almighty" or "All-powerful". In this understanding, Pantocrator is a compound word formed from the Greek words for "all" and the noun "strength" (κρατος). This is often understood in terms of potential power, i.e., the ability to do anything, omnipotence. The iconic image of Christ Pantocrator was one of the first images of Christ developed in the Early Christian Church and remained a central icon of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Christ is depicted half-length, holding the Gospels in his left hand and making the blessing gesture with his right.  The Gospels are opened on Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Our Lady of the Sign is one of the most beloved Russian miracle-working icons of Theotokos. The icon depicts Her during the Annunciation at the moment of saying, "May it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38). The Virgin Mary is depicted frontally half-length, with her hands raised in a praying position, and the Child Jesus within a round aureole upon her breast representing him at the moment of his conception. The term Virgin of the Sign is a reference to the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Our Lady of Vladimir is one of the most highly venerated Orthodox icons and a typical example of Byzantine iconography. The original 12th-century icon survived and is displayed in the Tretyakov Gallery museum in Moscow. Even more than most famous icons, the original has been copied repeatedly for centuries and many copies now have considerable artistic and religious significance of their own. The icon is a version of the Eleusa (Tenderness) type, with the Christ child snuggling up to his mother's cheek. The venerated image was used to celebrate the coronations of tsars, the elections of patriarchs, and other important ceremonies of the Russian state. Her feast day is June 3.

St. Venerable Sabbatius of Tver († 1438) was a famous Russian miracleworking monk. He took the tonsure and labored in the Orshinsky Ascension Monastery. In the 1380s, he traveled to the Holy City of Jerusalem, where he got acquainted with the life of Palestinian monasticism. Returning to his native monastery, he decided to move to desert life. For this purpose, having asked the blessing of his confessor, St. Arseny, he retired to a dense forest up the Orsha River, where he dug a cave in which he prayed for the salvation of human souls. In the same place, the monk dug a pond, and on the bank of the river, through the prayers of the saint, a healthy spring broke through. Soon the brethren began to gather around the Monk Sabbatius and, eventually, the Sabbatius' Monastery arose. The saint was in fraternal correspondence with St. Sergius of Radonezh, Cornelius of Komel, and many other holy monks. The monastery arranged by the Monk Sabbatius was considered one of the most strict and organized. Even during the life of St. Sabbatius became famous for miracles. Through his prayer, the daughter of Prince Boris of Tver, Maria, the future wife of Ivan III, received healing. The St. Sabbatius monastery suffered the fate of many Russian monasteries and in the 18th century.

St. Martyr Pelagia of Tarsus (Greek: Πελαγία, † early 4th century), was a legendary Christian saint and martyr who lived in Tarsus in Cilicia (southeastern Asia Minor) during the reign of Roman emperor Diocletian. According to her vita, Pelagia was born in the 3rd century in Tarsus (the Cilician region of Asia Minor) in a family of noble pagans. The girl was distinguished by her extraordinary beauty, received a good education, and the emperor Diocletian decided to make her the wife of his adopted heir, who was captivated by her beauty. Pelagia, who heard about Christians, their faith and martyrdom, was baptized by Bishop Clinon in Tarsus. After that, she refused to marry the adopted son of Diocletian and was brought by her mother to the Emperor, who, after seeing her beauty, wanted to make her his wife. Pelagia refused Diocletian, confessed herself as a Christian, and was executed by being burned in a red-hot copper bull. The bones of the saint were collected by local Christians and buried on one of the hills in the vicinity of the city. Emperor Constantine I the Great built a holy church over the relics of Pelagia.

St. Charitina of Amisus was a virgin martyr from Asia Minor, distinguished by strict chastity and piety. Charitina spent her life in fasting, prayer, and study. By her example, she converted many to Christianity during the reign of Emperor Diocletian and was seized in the city of Amisus in Pontus. After torture and death, her body was thrown into the sea in the year 304.

Saint Barbara, known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian saint and martyr living in the Greek city Nicomedia, present-day Turkey or in Heliopolis of Phoenicia, present-day Baalbek, Lebanon. Saint Barbara is often portrayed with miniature chains and a tower. As one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, Barbara continues to be a popular saint in modern times, perhaps best known as the patron saint of armourers, artillerymen, military engineers, miners and others who work with explosives because of her old legend's association with lightning, and also of mathematicians. Many of her thirteen miracles turn on the security she offered that her devotees would not die without making confession and receiving extreme unction.

Saints Emperor Constantine and His Mother Empress Helena, Equal-to-the-Apostles made early and important contributions to the Orthodox Christian Church. They are celebrated together because Helen is Constantine's mother. 

Saint Constantine the Great (†337), was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first to convert to Christianity. During his reign, Christianity began to transition to the dominant religion of the Roman Empire. Renouncing paganism, the Emperor did not let his capital remain in ancient Rome, the former center of the pagan realm. He transferred his capital to the East, to the city of Byzantium, which was renamed Constantinople, the city of Constantine (May 11). Constantine was deeply convinced that only Christianity could unify the immense Roman Empire with its diverse peoples.  

Saint Helena, (or St. Helen) († c. 330), was the consort of the future Roman Emperor Constantius Chlorus (reigned 293-306) and the mother of the future Emperor Constantine the Great (reigned 306-337). She ranks as an important figure in the history of Christianity and of the world due to her major influence on her son. Tradition credits her with a pilgrimage to Syria Palaestina, particularly to Jerusalem, during which she allegedly discovered the True Cross. Because of her great services to the Church and her efforts in finding the Life-Creating Cross, empress Helen is called “the Equal of the Apostles.”

Saints Constantine and Helen are celebrated on the same day – May 21st of each year.

Saint John the Baptist was a Jewish itinerant preacher in the early first century AD who is revered as a major religious figure in Christianity, Islam, and other faiths. He is called a prophet by all of these traditions, and is honored as a saint in many Christian traditions. The Orthodox faithful believe that John was the last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a bridge between that period of revelation and the New Covenant. They also teach that, following his death, John descended into Hades and there once more preached that Jesus the Messiah was coming, so he was the Forerunner of Christ in death as he had been in life. Eastern Orthodox churches will often have an icon of St. John the Baptist in a place of honor on the iconostasis, and he is frequently mentioned during the Divine Services. Every Tuesday throughout the year is dedicated to his memory.

According to the Tradition, Herod's daughter Herodias danced before Herod, who was so pleased that he offered her anything she asked for in return. When the girl asks her mother what she should request, she is told to demand the head of John the Baptist. Reluctantly, Herod orders the beheading of John, and his head is delivered to her, at her request, on a plate. (Mark 6:17–29).

St. George the Victory-Bearer (c. †303), also known in the Orthodoxy as the Great Martyr of Lydda, was a Roman soldier and Christian martyr born in Cappadocia. Renowned for his steadfast faith, he served in the Praetorian Guard under Emperor Diocletian. When ordered to renounce Christianity, George refused, boldly professing his faith, leading to his arrest, torture, and execution in Lydda, Palestine, on April 23, 303. His courage inspired countless Christians, and legends, like slaying a dragon, symbolize his triumph over evil. Canonized as a saint, George is venerated worldwide as a patron of soldiers, with his feast celebrated on April 23.

Our Lady of the Sign is one of the most beloved Russian miracle-working icons of Theotokos. The icon depicts Her during the Annunciation at the moment of saying, "May it be done to me according to your word." (Luke 1:38). The Virgin Mary is depicted frontally half-length, with her hands raised in a praying position, and the Child Jesus within a round aureole upon her breast representing him at the moment of his conception. The term Virgin of the Sign is a reference to the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14: "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Saint Martyr Alexander of Rome (†289) was a Roman soldier serving in the regiment of the tribune Tiberian at Rome. During this period, the Roman emperor Maximian issued an edict by which all citizens were required to go to the temple of Jupiter to offer sacrifice. Alexander refused to follow this order because of his strong Christian faith. As a result of that, Maximian sent Alexander to Thrace, but Alexander died on the way to this Roman province. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates him on May 26.

St. Venerable Theodosius, the Miracleworker of Totma (†1568), was the founder and abbot of the Totma monastery in the Archangel region of Northern Russia North. The monk led the most strict ascetic life, constantly being in prayer and labor. After his death, it was revealed that under his clothes, the ascetic wore iron chains and a hard-hair shirt that tormented his body until it bled. And on his head under the schema hood, he wore an iron cap. Over 150 after-life miracles are attributed to his intercession.

Saints Shamona, Guria, and Deacon Abibus of Edessa (known in Russia as Saints Samon, Gury, and Aviv) († ca. 322) were Christians who were martyred in Edessa, Mesopotamia under Emperor Licinius for refusal to worship the Pagan Gods. They are venerated in the Orthodox Church as Patron Saints of the Holy Matrimony and their Feast day is celebrated on November 15. The Orthodox icons depicting the Saints are traditionally gifted as a wedding present. Saint Samon is depicted as a middle-aged man with dark hair and a small beard with a cross in his hands; Saint Gury is depicted as a gray-haired elder with a long beard also holding a cross; Aviv as a young, beardless man in a deacon’s stole holding a censer.

Venerable Vassian and Jonah were monks of the Solovetsky Transfiguration Monastery, disciples of the holy Abbot Philip, later Metropolitan of Moscow († 1570; commemorated January 9/22). During the construction of the cathedral church of the Solovetsky monastery in 1561, the monks Vassian and Jonah were sent for lime. When the ships were returning to the island on which the Solovetsky Monastery stood, they were caught in a storm and drowned. But the Lord glorified the saints after death - their bodies were not touched by decay at the bottom of the sea. The holy relics of Saints Vassian and Jonah were found by peasants and buried. Shortly after, the saints appeared in a dream to the elder of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery, who managed the salt pans in Unsky Posad, and in 1599 he erected a chapel over the graves of the saints. Subsequently, on the occasion of many healings performed over their tombs, in 1623, Hieromonk Jacob founded a monastery there called Pertominskaya, and with royal contributions, a church was built in the name of the Dormition of the Mother of God. The memory of Saints Vassian and Jonah is celebrated twice a year: June 5/18 - the discovery of holy relics and June 12/25.

St. Sergius of Radonezh (†1392) was a pivotal Russian Orthodox monk and mystic. After his family’s impoverishment, he moved to Radonezh and embraced monastic life, taking the name Sergius. In 1337, he founded the Holy Trinity Lavra, a spiritual center that revitalized Russian monasticism. Known for his humility, asceticism, and miracles, Sergius inspired countless disciples, establishing numerous monasteries. He blessed Prince Dmitry Donskoy before the 1380 Battle of Kulikovo, aiding Russia’s liberation from Mongol rule. Canonized in 1452, Sergius remains Russia’s patron saint, revered for uniting faith and nation.

Saint Theodosius, Archbishop of Chernihiv (†1696) is venerated as a Hierarch of the Orthodox Church and his relics were proclaimed to have healing powers. Among St. Theodosius’ remarkable qualities were his rigorous fairness in dealing with clergy and flock, his profound sympathy, his tolerance, and his Christian peaceable disposition. Not only Orthodox people, but also people of other faiths turned to him for help and counsel. The canonisation of Holy Hierarch Theodosius took place in 1896 and his feast days are commemorated September 9/22 and February 5/18.

Rare subject!

Saint Seraphim of Sarov (Серафим Саровский) († 1833), is one of the most renowned Russian monks and mystics in the Orthodox Church who was canonized in 1903. He is generally considered the greatest of the 19th century startsy (elders) and, arguably, the first. He is remembered for extending the monastic teachings of contemplation, theoria and self-denial to the layperson, and taught that the purpose of the Christian life was to acquire the Holy Spirit. He was canonized in 1903 in Sarov at the ceremony attended by the Tsar and senior members of the Russian Imperial family. 

Christ Pantocrator is one of the most common subjects in Russian iconography, and its iconography follows a traditional pattern. In these icons, Christ is depicted as a powerful and majestic figure, with his right hand raised in blessing and his left hand holding an open book of the Gospels. The term "Pantocrator" means "Almighty" or "Ruler of All," and the image of Christ in this role conveys his power and authority as the divine judge and ruler of the world. The icon portrays Christ with a stern expression, indicating his righteous judgment and the seriousness of his message. The icon's composition features Christ's head and shoulders in the center of the image, with his body slightly turned to the right. He is shown wearing a red tunic and blue mantle, with his long hair and beard flowing around his face. The Gospels are opened on Matthew 11:28 “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”