Orthodox Icon of Holy Martyr Abo

Holy Martyr Abo

January 8th
Troparion
The Church celebrates thy memory, and her children gather to praise thy labors, thy victorious life, and the waters that thou didst sanctify by thy death, O Holy Abo, jewel of all the martyrs!

As a young man in the eighth century, St. Abo became acquainted with the imprisoned Duke Nerse in Baghdad. When the duke was released after three years, St. Abo accompanied him to Georgia. St. Abo was immediately enthralled with the faith of the Georgians, so he studied the language and the Orthodox faith. He was baptized and moved to Abkhazeti with the duke to escape the Muslim raids in search of Christians. After a time, Duke Nerse went back to his home of Kartli and St. Abo stayed behind at the request of the Abkhaz king. The king feared for St. Abo's life, because of his great Christian faith. St. Abo, growing anxious, went to Kartli prepared for the worst. He spread the Christian faith for three years before being captured by his own people. He was soon released. A new emir took power and once again St. Abo was captured and put in chains. In response to his imprisonment, St. Abo asked that his fellow Christians take his belongings and sell them and use the money gained to buy incense and candles for the local churches. On the day of his death, he prepared himself by washing and anointing himself with holy oil and partaking of Holy Communion. He encouraged those Christians gathered for his last hours by saying, "Weep not, but rejoice, for I am going to my Lord. Pray for me, and may the peace of God protect you." When the time came to kill the saint, he placed his arms across his chest in the form of a cross and bowed his head. His executioners beheaded him, burned his body, gathered the ashes into a sheepskin and threw them in the Mtkvari River. He entered into Glory in the year 786. A star appeared over the place where his remains came to rest in the river. A church was established on the left bank of the river in his honor.

This Icon is by the hand of Lasha Kintsurashvili. The inscription is in Georgian.

Order # lkg-08