Saint Emmelia icon, Handmade Greek Orthodox icon of St Emmelia of Caesarea, Byzantine art wall hanging icon wood plaque, religious decor

Bring the spiritual elegance of Byzantine art into your home with this exquisite, handmade Greek Orthodox icon of Saint Emmelia. Crafted with reverence, this piece makes a profound addition to any prayer corner or a deeply meaningful religious gift.

Product Specifications

• Origin: 100% Handmade in Greece
• Mounting: Includes a built-in wall hook for easy hanging

This wonderful icon has been created with the technique of lithography and has a double varnish for water resistance and long-lasting durability. The creator of this icon learned the canon of iconography in the workshops of the monasteries of Mount Athos, where he was taught both lithography and hand-ageing.

The Significance of Saint Emmelia

There are precious few descriptions of Saint Emily's life. She was the daughter of a martyr and the daughter-in-law of Macrina the Elder. Along with her husband Basil the Elder, she gave birth to ten children. She instilled the Orthodox faith in her children, teaching them to pray and devote their lives to the service of the Church. As a result of her zealous yet maternal instruction of her children, five of them are commemorated as saints on the calendar of the Church: Saints Macrina, Basil, Peter of Sebaste, Gregory of Nyssa, and Theosebia, a deaconess. Therefore, Saint Emily is often called without exaggeration "the mother of saints."

When her son Naucratius suddenly died at the age of twenty-seven, she was consoled by her eldest daughter Macrina. Macrina reminded her that it is not befitting to a Christian to "mourn as those who have no hope" and inspired her to hope courageously in the resurrection vouchsafed to us by the Pascha of the Lord.

After her children left home, Saint Emily was persuaded by Macrina to forsake the world. Together they founded a monastery for women. Emily divided the family property among her children and freed her slaves. Retaining only some meager possessions, she and Macrina withdrew to a secluded family property in Pontus, picturesquely located on the banks of the Iris River and not far from Saint Basil's wilderness abode. A number of liberated female slaves desired to join the pair, and a convent was formed. They lived under one roof and held everything in common.