The Story Behind This Icon:
Saint Ephraim was born in 1384 in Greece where he and his 6 siblings were raised by a single mother. At the age of fourteen, Ephraim entered the monastery of the Annunciation in the mountains of Amomon, Attica, Greece. He lived a difficult life under the discipline of the monks for thirty years before the monastery was destroyed by the Turks. While chaos and death spread around the monastery, Saint Ephraim stayed calm. As a result, he was captured and tortured for his faith in Christ. Throughout his martyrdom, he prayed for the forgiveness of his torturers and remained faithful.
After much torture, including being set on fire, being hung upside down and being beaten, the saint lost consciousness. Assuming him dead, they still continued to beat him, but after a while left him. The saint woke up the next morning and said âLord I give up my spirit to Youâ. At that moment he fell asleep. Almost 600 years later, a nun devoted to God, Saint Makaria, settled on the land of the former monastery. Saint Ephraim appeared to her and showed her where he was buried. The monastery still exists to this day, available for all to visit.
Saint Ephraim is celebrated on January 3 marking the anniversary of the discovery of his holy relics and again on May 5 marking his martyric death.
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This icon is made of solid, natural limewood (Tilia) that has been prepared by hand using traditional methods and organic materials. The background is comprised of 22 Karat gold leaves that were meticulously applied by hand, piece by piece.
All of our icons are reproduced according to museum print standards and are authentic replicas of Holy Icons from Mount Athos and elsewhere.
Learn more about how our Holy Icons are made here.
Our most popular dimensions are pictured, to scale.Â
Depending on the size and theme, Holy Icons are available in both Recessed and Level styles.
RECESSED
The groove in our recessed icons adds depth to the Iconography, making the icon even more dramatic and impressive. In order to keep the relative proportions, the depth of the groove changes with the size of the Holy Icon.
LEVEL
Level icons allow the Iconography to retain its boldness even in smaller sizes. As such most of our level icons have smaller dimensions.
Backside details vary with icon size and serve to ensure that your Holy Icon will stand the test of time.Â
Solid wooden icons of larger dimensions are prone to bending and damaging as time passes. Fortunately, our Holy Icons are supported by two additional, horizontal wooden protective panels on the backside. These panels bolster the icon and allow it to sustain its shape, ensuring that your Holy Icon will remain in its original, pristine condition as it is passed down from generation to generation.
Icons of smaller dimensions are naturally sustainable over time, and experience less structural stress. As such, you will find that the backside of smaller Holy Icons is flat and proportional to their shape.Â
