Orthodox Icon of St. John the Theologian

St. John the Theologian, Holy Apostle & Evangelist Please do not deep-link to any of our icons.

September 26th & May 8th
Troparion (Tone 2)
Apostle beloved of Christ our God, hasten to deliver a defenseless people. He Who allowed thee to recline on His breast receives thee bowing in prayer, O John the Theologian. Implore Him to dispel heathen persistence and to grant us peace and mercy.

John was the son of Zebedee and Salome the daughter of Joseph the Betrothed. With Peter & John, he was present at the raising of Jairus' daughter & the Transfiguration. He was the only Apostle to stay with Christ and his Mother at the Cross. He provided for the Theotokos up to her Dormition. Then he went with his disciple, Prochorus, to preach the gospel in Asia Minor. He was sent to be martyred in Rome, but nothing that Emperor Domitian did to him had any effect, whether poison or boiling oil. So Domitian exiled him to Patmos. There he wrote his Gospel and the Revelation. When Emperor Nerva liberated all captives, John returned to Ephesus and served for a while. He was over 100 years old at his repose. He is the first of only three Saints who bear the title "Theologian" for his clear exposition of the Deity of Christ starting with: "In the beginning was the Word ... ."

This is mid 15th century Cretan by the hand of Angelos. The original is at St. Katherine's Monastery at Sinai. Inscription is in Greek.

Order #pds-02