Saint Stephen icon, Handmade Greek Orthodox icon St Stephen the Apostle, Byzantine art wall hanging on wood plaque icon, religious decor

Bring the spiritual elegance of Byzantine art into your home with this exquisite, handmade Greek Orthodox icon of Saint Stephen. 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 Stephen

The holy, glorious, all-laudable Apostle and Archdeacon Stephen the Protomartyr (Gk. Στέφανος, "crown") was an early Christian convert from among the Hellenistic Jews, one of the original seven deacons ordained by the Apostles, and the first martyr of the Orthodox Church. The Church remembers the martyrdom of St. Stephen on December 27, and the translations of his relics on August 2, as well as commemorating him on June 15 with Ss. Fortunatus and Achaicus.

St. Stephen was a Jew living in the Hellenic provinces, related to the Apostle Paul and one of the first seven deacons ordained by the Apostles to serve the Church in Jerusalem (thus making him an archdeacon). In the words of Asterias, St Stephen was "the starting point of the martyrs, the instructore of suffering for Christ, the foundation of righteous confession, since Stephen was the first to shed his blood for the Gospel."

As mentioned above, the main commemoration for St Stephen is December 27, the day of his repose by martyrdom(stoning). The Orthodox Church celebrates the discovery (opening) of the Saint's relics on September 15 and the Translation of the Relics of Protomartyr Stephen on August 2. The September 15 feast day celebrates the discovery of Stephen's relics in 415, after which they were solemnly transferred to a church built in his honor in Jerusalem. Later, during the reign of Emperor Theodosius the Younger (408-450), the relics were transported to Constantinople: this event being commemorated on August 2. January 4 marks the commemoration of the "Synaxis of the 70 Apostle.