Antiochian Orthodox Icon of St. Gerasimos

Saint Gerasimos of the Jordan Please do not deep-link to any of our icons.

March 4th
Troparion (Tone 1)
Thou didst shine as a desert dweller, a summit of ascetics and a reflection of the angelic life; thou wast made radiant with the light of the Spirit, O Gerasimos, adornment of the righteous. Therefore thou healest unfailingly those who cry: Glory to Him Who has strengthened thee; glory to Him Who has crowned thee; glory to Him Who through thee works healings for all.

Kontakion (Tone 4)
Aflame with heavenly love thou didst prefer the desert's hardship to all the pleasures of the world. Wherefore a wild creature served thee and became obedient till death. God glorified thee with signs and miracles: in thy prayers remember us also, O Godbearing Father Gerasimos.

St. Gerasimos became a monk in the Egyptian Thebaid, then went into the Jordan valley to found a community of about 70 monks with a particularly strict rule of asceticism. He once saw a lion roaring in pain because of a thorn in its paw. The saint blessed himself with the sign of the Cross, then approached the lion and removed the thorn. The lion was immediately tame and followed Gerasimos to the monastery. He remained there until Gerasimos died. Then he died of illness. St. Gerasimos was at the 4th Ecumenical Council in Chalchedon, 451. He at first leaned toward the Monophysite heresy, but was persuaded of the truth by St. Euthymius, and was a great champion of Orthodoxy at the council. He reposed in 475.

Inscription is in Arabic.

Order # pdg-08