Icon of Jesus 12 apostles meaning. What do they pray in front of the icons of the holy apostles. Apostle Judas Iscariot
Despite the fact that after the Descent of the Holy Spirit, which occurred on the 50th day after Easter, life separated the disciples of Christ, there is an Orthodox icon of the holy apostles, in which they are depicted all together. Written miraculous icon in honor of the feast of the Council of the Glorious and All-Valuable 12 Apostles, which is celebrated by the Orthodox Church annually on July 13, the day after the memory of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul. The first mentions of this holiday are found in sources dating back to the 4th century.
Every Orthodox Christian should know the names of the icons of the holy apostles: Andrew the First-Called with his brother Peter, brothers James Zebedee and, Bartholomew, Philip, Matthew, Thomas the Twin, James Alpheus, Judas Jacob (Thaddeus), Matthias and Simon. On the icon of the holy apostles, the Apostle Paul is not depicted because he is not one of the twelve, since he converted to Christianity after the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ.
Icons of the Holy Apostles - Passion-Bearers for the Name of Christ
The holy apostles were the closest companions and followers of Christ. After His death and Resurrection they received the grace to speak different languages and dispersed to different ends of the earth. Of all, only one John the Theologian died a natural death in the city of Ephesus. The rest died at the hands of the pagans: Bartholomew, Matthew, Philip, Judas, Simon, James Alphaeus, Andrew and Peter were crucified, Matthias was stoned to death, Thomas died, pierced by spears, James Zebedee's head was cut off.
Before the icons of the holy apostles they pray for strengthening and spreading Orthodox faith, about deliverance from persecution on religious grounds, about the return of the lost to the fold of the Orthodox Church, about the increase in love between people. Icons of the holy Apostles of Christ's disciples are heavenly patrons not only for those who bear their names, but also for all believers. The Catholic Church also honors their memory.
Where can you buy icons of the holy apostles for your home iconostasis?
Orthodox icons of the holy apostles individually or all together can be bought in any Orthodox church, in icon shops. But what to do if what you need is not available in the nearest temple, and there is absolutely no time to search? In this case, Orthodox online stores that specialize in selling icons and other church utensils will come to the rescue. Here you will always be offered the widest range of images embroidered with beads, cross-stitch, gold, hand-painted, decorated with pearls, amber, semi-precious and precious stones. You can embroider with beads the icon of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul yourself - thanks to the existence of embroidery kits, today even novice needlewomen can do this painstaking work. A good gift for your loved ones will be a gold or silver breastplate icon with the image of the holy apostles Peter and Paul.
Listen to the video of the prayer to the holy apostles Peter and Paul
Text of the prayer to the holy apostles Peter and Paul
First prayer
O glorification of the apostles Peter and Paul, who gave up their souls for Christ and fertilized His pasture with your blood! Hear your children's prayers and sighs, now offered by your brokenhearted hearts. Because we are darkened by lawlessness and for this reason we are covered with troubles, like clouds, but with the oil of a good life we are greatly impoverished and we are not able to resist the predatory wolf who is boldly trying to plunder the heritage of God. O strength! Please, do not separate from us in spirit, so that we will not be separated from the love of God in the end, but protect us with your strong intercession, may the Lord have mercy on all of us, for the sake of your prayers, may He destroy the handwriting of our immeasurable sins and may we be honored with all the saints of the blessed Kingdom and of His marriage is the Lamb, to whom be honor and glory and thanksgiving and worship forever and ever. Amen.
Second prayer
O holy apostles Peter and Paul, do not be separated in spirit from us, sinful servants of God (names), so that we may not be completely separated from the love of God, but protect us with your strong intercession, may the Lord have mercy on all of us for your prayers for the sake of, and may He destroy the handwriting of immeasurable sins ours, and may He, together with all the saints, be worthy of the blessed Kingdom and marriage of His Lamb, to Him be honor and glory, and thanksgiving and worship forever and ever.
Prayer three
About the supreme Apostle: Peter, the steadfast exponent of the faith of Christ, and Paul, the sweet-talking gusset of the teachings of the Lord! We see you, like a multi-flowing river of the legends of Christ’s words, flowing from the true bowels of God and revealing the entire depth of the well of God-revealed truths to us, who thirst for them. We see you, like luminaries, from the sky currents of warmth of divine love that make clear to us: we please you, who have accepted labors and sweats, in the hedgehog of all the divine teachings of the seeds: we kiss your feet, flowing around the ends of the earth, and in the trembling of sin we see your heads, humbly bowing to to the most pure feet of the Lord: one by the way of the cross (by hanging) and the other by beheading with a sword. We tenderly ask you, holy Apostles, to make us more sinful before our Teacher, the Lord, to cut off the pride of our head with the revealed teaching: may the Lord satisfy our spiritual hunger with food, indicated from heaven itself, like Peter: - but you, Paul, are saturated with God Christ’s words, strive to raise us to the third heaven with your unceasing prayers for us to the Lord, so that we there too may glorify from the faces of the angels and apostles the wondrous Father of all in our saints, and He who was sent into the world to save and guide us to eternal life, the Lord Jesus Christ , and the Holy Spirit consubstantial with Him. Amen.
Prayer Four
Holy Supreme Apostle Peter, the rock of faith, on Christ, the cornerstone, established in the Church by confession! Pray, and I, always shaken by intelligent thoughts and carnal lusts, on that same Christ, the living, chosen, honest Stone, ordained by faith, I am always fulfilled by love in a spiritual temple, in a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices to God to Jesus Christ. Holy Supreme Apostle Paul, chosen vessel of Christ, full of the grace and glory of God! Pray to the Creator who has power over creation, that I, now a destroyed vessel, will create for Himself a vessel in honor, sanctified and useful, prepared for every good thing. Amen.
On this day the Church celebrates memory of the twelve closest disciples of the Savior , the holy apostles Peter, Andrew his brother, James Zebedee, John his brother, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James Alphaeus, Judas James, or Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot and Matthias.
Chosen by Christ to serve, His disciples became those who brought the news of Christ to all corners of the populated world and throughout their lives showed an example of devotion to the Christian faith. The apostolic word still warms us and gives us wise fatherly advice.
“As He passed near the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting nets into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they immediately left their nets and followed him. From there, going further, He saw other brothers, James Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and called them. And they immediately left the boat and their father and followed him” (Matthew 4: 18-22).
“In those days He went up the mountain to pray and spent the whole night in prayer to God. When the day came, he called his disciples and chose twelve of them, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he called Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James Alpheus and Simon, called Zealot, Judas Jacob and Judas Iscariot, who later became a traitor” (Luke 6: 12-16).
“Apostle” translated from Greek means “messenger”, “servant”. Christ chose His first twelve disciples, who walked with Him throughout His entire earthly journey, saw His miracles, and heard His preaching from His very mouth. They had the happiness of being with Him, chosen by Him. But they also had the opportunity, together with the Mother of God, the myrrh-bearing women, and Joseph of Arimathea, to experience the hours of deepest sorrow when He was crucified, and the shock of holy joy upon learning of His Resurrection. He appeared to them at Emmaus before ascending to His Father. They received the grace of the Holy Spirit to preach in different languages, heal the sick, cast out demons, and until the end of their days they served Him as if He were nearby in the flesh. And He really was always nearby, as in all centuries after the Nativity of Christ He is next to everyone who believes in Him and trusts in Him...
There were twelve of them, and each had their own destiny, information about them varied in volume - about some more, about others less, but they were inseparably connected by one thing - lifelong joyful and difficult service to Him.
Here they are wonderful stories and their names, which partially reflected their personalities and destinies.
Brief Lives of the Apostles of Christ
Andrew the First-Called
Translated from Greek, Andreas means “courageous.” Brother of Simon (Peter), nicknamed the First-Called in the Holy Tradition, because he was a disciple of John the Baptist and became the first whom the Savior called to follow Him.
He accepted the teachings of Christ with all his heart, left the vain worldly life, and renounced marriage, preferring bodily chastity to its joys. It was him, together with his brother Peter, previously called Simon, who the Lord called to follow him from the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and he followed Christ, so as never to turn away from this path. Upon receiving the Holy Spirit, he went through the lands assigned to him by lot - Bithynia 1, Propontis 2 with Chalcedon 3 and Byzantium, Thrace 4 and Macedonia, in places that lay to the Black Sea and the Danube. He traveled through Thessaly 5, Greece, Achaia 6, Amanitin, reaching the Dnieper and the Kyiv Mountains in his apostolic wanderings. Near Kyiv, the apostle planted a cross, predicting that the Baptism of Rus' would take place here... He, like most of the apostles, suffered many difficult trials, but he continued to testify to the faith of Christ, gaining more and more followers into the Church, and graduated his earthly path, like his Teacher, is on the cross. Only the boards of that cross were knocked down differently - its symbol glows on the sailors’ banner: an oblique white cross on a blue field. This is the memory that Andrew the First-Called crossed the seas standing on a flat stone - so great and true was his faith.
Simon (Peter)
Simon, otherwise Shimon, “heard in prayer,” the son of Jonah, later named Peter. The Greek "petros", in Aramaic "kypha", is translated as "stone". Jesus confirmed this name for Simon after confessing Him as the Son of God in Caesarea Philippi: “And I say to you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). Peter's love for Jesus was ardent, but tested by temptation. In order for this love to be understood by himself, it was strengthened through the work of conscience, since Peter denied Him three times, bitterly repented three times and was forgiven by Him three times. Following Christ, he himself, together with other disciples, witnessed many of His miracles, and after the descent of the Holy Spirit on him and the other apostles in his preaching works, in his two conciliar Epistles, he left us a wise apostolic word. The power of his miracles was so great that where he passed, “they carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and beds, so that the shadow of Peter passing would overshadow one of them” (Acts 5:15). And when Herod put him in prison, the Lord sent His angel, and he, by the will of the Lord, brought the apostle out of prison. (Acts 12:1-17). Like the Apostle Andrew, he was crucified by the Romans, but upside down, for he considered it daring to become like the Savior on the cross, and at the hour of death he bowed his head at His feet.
Jacob Zebedee
Jacob, whose name comes from the Hebrew verb “akav” - “to conquer”, is the son of Zebedee and Salome, the brother of the Evangelist John. The first martyr among the apostles, put to death by Herod (in 42 - 44 after R.H.) through the beheading (Acts 12:2). To distinguish him from Jacob the younger Alfeev, he is called Jacob the elder. His brother, the holy evangelist John, and the apostle Peter were among those closest to the Lord. Apart from his conciliar Epistle, there is little historical information about him, but it is known that the Lord appointed him to serve in Spain. It is also known that during the persecution of Christians, after his return to Jerusalem, where he again proclaimed Christ among the Jews as God's Messiah, he became the first martyr among the apostles and was beheaded by sword on the orders of Herod Agrippa in the period between 44-47 years after AD. X.
John the Evangelist, brother of James
Greek name Ioannes comes from the Hebrew Jochanan, “The Lord is merciful.” John, also the son of Zebedee and Salome, brother of James the Elder, author of the fourth Gospel, which in theology is considered the deepest in spiritual and philosophical content, and therefore it is recommended for those who are taught in the faith to read it after studying the first three and some books of the Old Testament, so that it would be more thorough understood. The holy evangelist himself also, according to Tradition, said that in the first three Gospels there is too much description of the earthly path of Christ and not enough about his Divine origin. In addition, he added a description of those miracles and events that had not been mentioned before, and therefore some facts from the earthly life of Christ could not be too clearly interpreted only on the basis of information from the first three Gospels. John the Theologian is also the author of Revelation (Apocalypse). He was especially loved by the Lord for his exceptional kindness, gentleness of character and spiritual purity. Together with Peter, he prepared the Last Supper for Easter, and was the only one of the apostles who was at the Cross of the Lord on Calvary. Until the year 70 he remained in Jerusalem, where he led the early Christian community until the Dormition. Holy Mother of God, since he was entrusted with the responsibility of caring for Her. After the Dormition in 70 AD. retired to Asia Minor. Here he founded several churches. The Gospel was written by him in the city of Ephesus, when the first three Gospels had already been created - Matthew, Luke and Mark. Unlike his 11 brothers, John the Theologian became the only one of them who ended his days in his home, and the last on earth who saw the Lord with his own eyes (c. 105-106 AD at the age of 100 years and 7 months) . He was not executed, but also during his ministry he endured many torments for his faith.
Philip of Bethsaida
Philip - translated from Greek as “horse lover”, a native of Bethsaida, according to the Evangelist John, “the same city with Andrew and Peter” (John 1:44). He had good education- From childhood, his parents sent him to learn to read and write. Reading the books of the Old Testament, prophecies about the coming of the Messiah, young Philip dreamed of meeting the Lord. He was sent to testify about God in Galilee, then among the pagans in Hellas; on his apostolic journey, his sister, the maiden Mariamne, was with him. Here they were persecuted and stoned, but suddenly the persecutors became blind, and only through the prayers of the Apostle did they see again for them. He preached further in Ethiopia, Parthia, Arabia - the southern regions of Asia Minor and in the territory North Africa. While traveling through Asia Minor, he and Mariamne met the apostles John the Theologian and Bartholomew. Having parted with John, together with Saint Bartholomew they came to the Phrygian city of Hierapolis. The pagan priests of the city, having heard the sermons of the apostles, filed a complaint against them with the mayor. All three were captured, and Philip and Bartholomew were crucified on crosses upside down, like Peter, near a pagan temple. But then a terrible earthquake occurred, in which many townspeople died. Frightened, the townspeople begged the chief to release the apostles. However, Philip had already departed to the Lord by that time, and Bartholomew was alive.
Bartholomew (Nathanael)
Bartholomew, which translated from Aramaic means the son of Talmai, Nathanael - from the Hebrew Netanel, “gift of God,” a native of Cana of Galilee. Jesus Christ said about him that he is a true Israelite, in whom there is no guile (John 1:47).
After the funeral of the Apostle Philip, Bartholomew and the holy blessed virgin Mariamne remained for some time in Hierapolis, founding the Church of Christ there. Then their paths diverged, and Bartholomew went to India and the countries nearby, preaching and healing. There he also established churches and translated the Gospel of Matthew into their languages, leaving them the Gospel in Hebrew. In Armenia, he healed the king's daughter. The king presented him with great gifts, but the apostle refused them, saying that his main gifts were the souls acquired for Christ. The king and many of his subjects believed, and the apostle founded the Church here. In the city of Albanople (now Baku), the saint was crucified on the cross, but from the cross he preached the Savior and praised Him. Then he was again tortured and his head was cut off.
Thomas (Didim)
Thomas - Aramaic Thoma, in Greek Didim, which means “twin”, the people also called him Thomas the infidel (non-believer), since he is known for the fact that the Lord Himself allowed him to put his hand into His ribs and touch His wounds, when he, Having met the Savior on the way to Emmaus, he doubted Him. However, he was also devoted to the Lord and His Word in the days of his stay with Him. By lot, Thomas was given the path to India, to the pagans, about which Thomas was saddened. However, the Lord appeared to him in a dream and promised to be with him. After which Thomas walked to India through Persia, Parthia, and Media, where he also endured suffering and persecution, and in India he died a martyr.
Levi Matthew
This name is Greek, but goes back to the Hebrew Mattathia (Mattathia) - “gift of the Lord.” Before coming to Christ, the author of the first Gospel fulfilled the hated position of a publican - a tax collector. He became the twelfth apostle instead of the traitor Judas Iscariot. A sinful man, but, as Tradition says, he was better than the arrogant, prideful Pharisees. When the Lord called him to follow him, he threw a bag of taxes onto the road and followed Him. In that joy, Matthew prepared a meal in his house, and the Lord came to him. He spent eight years after the Ascension of Christ in Jerusalem. Before leaving Jerusalem, he wrote down His deeds and teachings for the Christians of the city. This is how the Gospel of Matthew arose - the first book of the Old Testament. It was immediately translated into Greek, presumably the author of the translation is John, Bishop of Jerusalem. Preaching the Truth of Christ, Matthew traveled through Macedonia, Persia, Parthia, Media, Ethiopia, and visited Syria. Around 60 A.D. the first evangelist suffered martyrdom.
Matthias
Bearing the same name as Levi Matthew, more often called Matthias, he immediately accepted the teachings of Christ, left the world and wandered with the Teacher. He preached in Judea, Asia Minor, and Ethiopia. In the mid-60s after R.H. upon returning to Jerusalem, he again preached the gospel of Christ as the Messiah. The high priest named Anan filed a complaint against him, accusing him of blasphemy. After considering the denunciation, the apostle was taken out city wall and they stoned him to death, like the first martyr Stephen before him.
Jacob, brother of the Lord
James the Younger, son of Alphaeus, who was also nicknamed the brother of the Lord, because his mother Mary was the sister of the Mother of the Lord (John 19:25), that is, he was cousins with Jesus Christ. He was also called “the Divine seed” for the zeal with which he sowed the Word of God, faith and called for piety among the people. He destroyed pagan temples, crushing idols from their thrones, with the will given to him by the Lord, he healed people and cast out demons. At the first Council of Jerusalem, he was the first to stand up as a sign of his agreement that non-Israelite Christians should be freed from following the Mosaic Law. In addition to preaching in Judea, he preached the gospel in Syria, Mesopotamia and Egypt, where he was crucified on the cross, like many of his fellow apostles.
Judas Thaddeus, Jacob
Judah is from the Hebrew Yehudah, “praise of the Lord,” and Thaddeus is the Hebrew “praise,” brother of the Apostle James the Younger. It was difficult for him, as the brother of the Lord according to the flesh, to convince people that Jesus was the Messiah. But nevertheless, he preached strenuously against paganism, confirming people in the faith of Christ. His conciliar Epistle is addressed to the newly initiated, in it he calls for observance of moral laws and instructs in the Truth of Christ. It is known that he preached in Judea, Samaria, and Idumea; Together with the apostles Paul and Silas, he walked through Antioch, then visited Persia and Armenia. In Armenia, presumably around 80 A.D., he was captured, crucified and pierced on the cross with arrows.
Simon the Canaanite, or Zealot
The second name of the apostle - Canaanite - comes from the Hebrew “kanai”, or translated into Greek - “zelotos”, which means “zealot”. Originally from the Galilean city of Cana, according to Tradition, he was the groom at whose wedding Jesus Christ was with His Mother and where the Savior turned water into wine (John 2:1-11). Having believed in Christ, he left his young bride and followed Christ straight from the wedding celebration. Zealot - a zealot - made many efforts in his testimonies and converted many pagans to the true faith. He preached throughout Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Mauritania (North Africa). There is information that, together with one of the 70 apostles, Aristobulus, he preached in Britain, where he suffered martyrdom.
Other apostles, history of the establishment of the festival
It is also customary to classify the Apostle Paul as one of the closest apostles, originally from the Cilician city of Tarsus. First - the cruel king Saul, who undertook very serious persecution of Christians. His name, which in Hebrew sounds like Shavl - “asked of God,” correctly describes the history of his appearance among the apostles, for he was miraculously called to serve by the Lord himself (Acts 9: 1-20). The name Paul, from the Latin Paulus, the lesser, was adopted by him to make it more convenient to preach among the population of the Roman Empire. His Epistles to the Nations are the greatest storehouse of apostolic wisdom, for the mere definition of love as the greatest Divine human priority is a detailed, inspired reflection of the Gospel wisdom that God is Love...
Another 70 chosen by God are also called apostles, as evidenced by the saint Evangelist Luke(Luke 10:1). His Latin name is Lucius or Lucianus, which translates to "bright one". Also numbered among the apostles and saint Evangelist Mark- Latin "hammer".
The apostles Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, as we know, are called evangelists, Peter and Paul - the supreme ones. Among the saints there are those who devoted themselves to spreading Christian teaching among pagans and other activities related to the gospel of Christ; they are called Equal-to-the-Apostles - for example, the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles King Constantine the Great and the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Queen Helen.
Despite the fact that the days of celebration of each of the 12 apostles have been established, since ancient times, approximately from the 4th century, the Day of Remembrance of the Council of the Holy Glorious and All-praised Twelve Apostles, which Russian Orthodox Church celebrates June 30/July 13. At the same time, the holy king Constantine the Great erected a temple in Constantinople in the name of the holy Twelve Apostles.
Creed
We owe it to the Holy Apostles summary Christian dogmas - the Creed, which they are believed to have folded before they dispersed to preach the gospel. It is also called differently - the Apostles' Creed. It sounded like this: “I believe in God the Father, the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, our Lord, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, died and buried, descended into hell, rose again on the third day from the dead, ascended into heaven, seated on the right hand God, the almighty Father, from where He will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, in the one holy Christian Church, in the communion of saints, in the remission of sins, in the resurrection of the body and in eternal life. Amen".
Nowadays the Orthodox Church does not use the initial version, which is accepted in the services of the Roman Catholic, Protestant and other Western churches. In divine services we read a different, Nicene Creed, adopted at the First Council of Nicaea in 327, convened by Constantine the Great after the disgrace of the Arians and the recognition of God the Son as Consubstantial with the Father.
These are the words that we, Orthodox Christians, have been saying for seventeen centuries in a Russified translation:
“I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, of everything visible and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one essence with the Father, by whom all things were created. For the sake of us people and for the sake of our salvation, He came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And he who ascended into heaven and sat on the right hand (by right hand) Father. And He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead, whose Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, worshiped and glorified with the Father and the Son, who spoke through the prophets. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the age to come. Amen".
Temples of Russia erected in the name of the Twelve Apostles
The Church of the Twelve Apostles is located in the Patriarchal House of the Moscow Kremlin. In St. Petersburg in St. Isaac's Cathedral there is a chapel in honor of the Twelve Apostles. On the outskirts of Tula in 1898, the first wooden church was erected in honor of the Holy Twelve Apostles. The Temple of the Twelve Apostles is part of a large complex of temple buildings in the village of Kholmogory, Arkhangelsk region. In Crimea, in the village of Uyutnoye near Feodosia, there is also a functioning temple dedicated to the Twelve Apostles.
Brief iconography
The iconography will indeed be brief. There are few widely known versions of this icon - three or four. All 12 apostles are represented on them. The 12 evangelists, Matthew and John, are depicted with the Gospels in their hands. All images are from the Byzantine school; the oldest dates back to approximately the 4th century, when the widespread glorification of the apostles began. Also included in these images are the images of the holy supreme apostles Peter and Paul.
The apostolic feat of evangelization continues daily and will continue forever, without stopping until the end of time. John Chrysostom writes about them in his “Creations”: “The grace of holy men does not disappear with their death, does not weaken with their death, is not allowed into the ground. They (i.e., the apostles) were fishermen, they died, but their nets are still active today, as evidenced by the many who receive salvation daily. They were winegrowers, and after their death, the vines are still green with their leaves and laden with fruit” 7.
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1 Bithynia— ancient state, which existed in the north of Anatolia (now Turkey) from the 5th century BC. e.
2 Propontius - ancient name Sea of Marmara.
3 Chalcedon is an ancient Greek city located in Asia Minor. Founded in 680 BC. e.
4 Thrace is a historical and geographical region in the eastern Balkans. Now part of it belongs to Bulgaria
5 Thessaly - this was the name of the territory in the northeast of Greece, the coast of the Aegean Sea.
6 Achaia is a region in the north of the Balkan Peninsula.
7 Saint John Chrysostom. Creations. T. 3. St. Petersburg, 1897. P. 863.
"... Peter and James, John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas, the brother of James... Matthias (Acts 1:13, 26).
Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles. Byzantine icon, XIV century
Troparion to the Council of the Glorious and All-Valuable 12 Apostles, Tone 4
The first apostles and universal teachers, pray to the Lord of all to grant peace to the universe and great mercy to our souls.
Kontakion to the Council of the Glorious and All-Valuable 12 Apostles, Tone 2
The Stone of Christ, the Stone of Faith, glorifies lightly, the disciples in abundance, and with Paul the entire twelve-strong council today, whose memory is faithfully fulfilled, we glorify these Glorified Ones.
Prayer to the Council of the Twelve Apostles
About the saints, the apostles of Christ: Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, James and Jude, Simon and Matthew! Hear our prayers and sighs, now offered by our contrite hearts, and help us, the servants of God (names), through your powerful intercession before the Lord, to get rid of all evil and enemy flattery, and to firmly preserve the Orthodox faith that you have devoted to us, without any wounds in it through your intercession, We will not be belittled by reprimand, nor by pestilence, nor by any wrath from our Creator, but we will live a peaceful life here and be honored to see good things on the land of the living, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the One in the Trinity, glorified and worshiped God, now and ever and to the ages centuries.
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Read also an interesting and very extensive review centuries-old tradition images of the apostles:
- Iconography of the apostles- Nina Kvlividze
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- Prayer to the Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Apostle Andrew is the patron saint of Russia and Ukraine. They pray to him for the conversion of the peoples of Russia to the Christian faith, for the intercession of the Fatherland, for success in naval warfare and simply navigation.
- Prayer to the Apostle Bartholomew (Nathanael). Apostle Bartholomew, an example of straightforwardness, honesty and spiritual prudence, was from Cana of Galilee; after Pentecost, he and the Apostle Philip were given the lot of preaching the Gospel in Syria and Asia Minor. He is prayerfully asked to enlighten liars and unbelievers, for help with eye, mental and skin diseases, madness. Heavenly patron of missionaries and apologists.
- Prayer to the Apostle James Zebedee. Apostle James of Zebedee is the elder brother of the Apostle John the Theologian, one of the favorites to whom the Lord primarily revealed Divine mysteries. He preached in Spain, then returned to Jerusalem, where he was by order of King Herod Agrippa. The Spaniards revere him as the heavenly patron and protector of their country. Medieval chronicles testify to numerous miracles and appearances of the apostle to Spanish soldiers during the Reconquista. The most ancient pilgrimage route Western Europe- this is the path of the Apostle James. He is also the patron of missionaries, theologians and pilgrims.
- Prayer to the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. Beloved disciple of the Lord, author of the Fourth Gospel, Council Epistles and Apocalypse. For his deep love for the Lord and all people, he was called the “apostle of love.” He endured imprisonment, exile and torture, but remained unharmed and died at the age of 105 in Ephesus. The patron saint of schoolchildren and students, they pray to him for the ability to truly love God and neighbors, for well-being in the family, for advice and love between spouses, for the admonition of those of little faith and those who have fallen into sects and schisms.
- Prayer to the Supreme Apostle Peter. Before becoming an apostle, he was a fisherman, then, together with his brother, the Apostle Andrew, he was the first called by the Lord to become a disciple. He had various grace-filled gifts - he healed the lame, the paralytic, raised the dead, and cast out demons in the name of Jesus. They pray to the Apostle Peter for the well-being of the church, for the increase of faith in the face of lack of faith, during temptations and persecutions, for the admonition and conversion of non-Christians and those of little faith, for the return to the fold of the Church of people who have fallen into sects, for help in studies, for healing from various ailments, for example, in case of fever ( flu), about assistance in fishing and fish farming.
In almost every world religion, in addition to the figure of the messenger of God or the prophet, there are a number of people who helped spread the faith. In Christianity, such people are the apostles, for whose veneration the corresponding icon of the 12 apostles is used, which depicts the closest disciples of Christ, the great preachers of the Christian faith.
In Greek, the word apostle means messenger, that is, it indicates the main activity of these people. They were sent by Christ to spread his faith throughout the entire earth.
The apostles began preaching after the Resurrection of Christ, and not immediately, but after Pentecost, when they received the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Who became the apostles
In fact, the group of Christ’s disciples did not form immediately. Even after meeting the Savior, many of the apostles continued to fish and left their activities only after the miracles that He showed. Now they have become "fishers of men" rather than fishers.
In addition to the formed group of 12 closest disciples, there was another group of 70 apostles. They divided into pairs, and each had a free choice of country for preaching.
The closest students, in turn, were endowed with great tasks, but also great opportunities. In order for them to be able to preach in pagan countries, the Lord gave them not only perseverance, but also the opportunity to show various miracles and spread grace. In this way the apostles were able to strengthen their faith ordinary people and attract them to the true faith.
Names of the 12 holy apostles
Let's briefly talk about each of the 12 apostles depicted on the icon.
- Peter. He became the first Roman bishop and was crucified upside down in Rome. He preached throughout the countries of the East and Asia Minor, as well as in Britain.
- Andrew the First-Called. It is especially valuable for residents of Russia, since he preached in this territory, as well as in Macedonia, Thrace and Byzantium. Peter's brother. Crucified in Patras on an X-shaped cross.
- Jacob Zavedeev. He is the brother of John the Evangelist and preached in Spain. Killed by the sword in Jerusalem.
- John the Theologian. The only apostle who died peacefully from old age. Author of the famous revelation, evangelist.
- Philip. He preached throughout the territories of Arabia and Ethiopia, Greece and Phrygia, where he was crucified upside down.
- Bartholomew. He kept Philip company on his travels, also traveled to India and Armenia, where he was also crucified and also upside down; in addition, the pagans carefully tore off his skin. The relics are partially located in Rome.
- Thomas. The same one whom Christ strengthened in faith preached in Parthia, Media, Persia, India, where he was pierced with spears and left the mortal world. Some of the relics remained in India, the city of Edessa, the rest in Hungary and Constantinople.
- Matthew. He is the first evangelist, preached throughout the lands of Syria and Macedonia, was crucified in Africa, after which he was burned and probably eaten by cannibals.
- Jacob Alfeev. He is the brother of Matthew, preached in Palestine, Judea, Edessa, Gaza and Egypt, where he was crucified.
- Judas Jacob. He is a brother of Christ, preached in the territory of the modern Middle East. Crucified and pierced with arrows in Armenia.
- Simon Zelot. He preached in North Africa and Abkhazia, where he was crucified on the cross.
- Matthias. He replaced Judas Iscariot, who, for obvious reasons, was excluded from among the apostles. He preached in Macedonia, Colchis and Judea, where he was stoned.
As you can see, only the only one of those included in the composition of the icon of the holy apostles completed his earthly journey peacefully. The rest were mocked and martyred like Christ. Nevertheless, as Christian sources testify, each apostle fulfilled his own work with dignity.
Additionally, it should be noted that Paul (Saul) is not seen either among the 12 or among the 70 apostles. However, he belongs to the chief apostles (along with Peter) and was called to serve by Christ himself, after the Resurrection.
The meaning of the icon of Jesus Christ and the 12 Apostles
The iconographic image includes the very first Christian ascetics; it was thanks to these people that other believers learned about the path to Salvation. In addition, they simply did a lot of good on earth and helped people, demonstrating the ideals of philanthropy and meekness. Therefore, the significance of these individuals and the prayer before the icon of the twelve apostles for every Orthodox Christian was and remains very significant.
According to its significance, the icon of the 12 apostles helps in reconciliation between people and healing of ailments. In addition, the apostles are also considered protectors from evil spirits.
Prayer before the icon of the 12 apostles
Almighty Master, Lord our God, who chose His beloved disciples and Apostles to preach salvation to the whole world, giving them the power to forgive sins, accept their petitions for the human race, and judge with them, those same ones who are Your friends, who are very honest to us, We dare, in our unworthiness, to bring you into intercession, which will greatly advance the salvation of our souls, praying for them earnestly.
Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul, Evangelists of Christ John the Theologian and Matthew, first-called disciple Andrew, who blessed Russia with the planting of the Cross, Holy Apostles James, brother of the Lord, with the other James, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Simon, Judas and Matthias!
All holy apostles of God's choice, most saintly servants of Christ, eradicators of godlessness and planters of the true faith, help us through your powerful intercession before the Lord to get rid of all evil and enemy flattery, to firmly preserve the Orthodox faith devoted to you, in which, through your intercession, neither wounds, nor rebuke, nor pestilence, we will not be belittled by any wrath from the Creator, but let us live a peaceful life here and may we be honored to see good things on the land of the living, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the one God glorified and worshiped in the Trinity, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
The ancient praying pilgrim icon “The 12 Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ” or “The Council of the Holy Glorious and All-Praised 12 Apostles of Christ” was painted in the second half of the 19th century in the Holy City of Jerusalem and was brought by Russian pilgrims to the expanses of their native land Russian Empire. The icon is written on a board measuring 30x22.7x2.2 cm. The icon depicts the apostles: Peter, Andrew, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James Alphaeus, Judas Jacob or Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot and Matthias. Matthias was elected the twelfth apostle instead of Judas Iscariot at the Council of the Apostles. Icon of icon case storage, very good collectible condition. There are minor updates to the bottom and right edge of the icon (the black border is the edge), the total amount of tinting is less than 1%. An interesting rare story for true connoisseurs of icons associated with the Orthodox pilgrimage movement of the 19th century.
Icon with an attribution document. The authenticity and venerable age of this ancient icon is confirmed by a certificate certified by an expert from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. Attention. This icon is cultural value and is not subject to free movement across the customs border Russian Federation according to the Law of the Russian Federation “On the export and import of cultural property”.
For their faithful service, the apostles now surround God’s throne in heaven, and the Last Judgment they, together with the Lord, will judge the living and the dead for their sins. Christian prayer to the apostles is a petition for the intercession of the saints for us sinners before God. Miraculous prayers to the holy 12 apostles help to overcome illness, solve family problems, get married successfully, achieve financial well-being and in many other everyday situations. They pray in front of the “12 Apostles” icon when they desire the prayerful intercession and protection of the holy apostles.
The full name of the holiday is the Synaxis of the Glorious and All-Valuable Twelve Apostles. This holiday is celebrated on July 13 (June 30, old style) the day after the honoring of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul.
The full name of the holiday is the Synaxis of the Glorious and All-Valuable Twelve Apostles. This holiday is celebrated on July 13 (June 30, old style) the day after the honoring of the supreme apostles Peter and Paul. The first mentions of him date back to the 4th century, when in the Church, along with the veneration of each apostle in different days year, a general honoring of all twelve apostles of Christ was established. The Greek word "apostle" means "messenger, servant", that is, the apostles were messengers of Christ to preach the Gospel throughout the world. From the multitude of His disciples, Christ Himself chose them and endowed them with miraculous power. Having been called to the apostleship, they left their relatives, their homes and occupations and inseparably followed the Teacher. At His command, they preached throughout cities and countries, willingly sharing with Him all hardships and suffering.
On this day, all 12 first disciples, the apostles of Christ, are remembered: the apostles Peter, Andrew, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James Alphaeus, Judas Jacob or Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot and Matthias. Matthias was elected the twelfth apostle instead of Judas Iscariot at the Council of the Apostles. Through the prayer of the apostles, the Lord, through the lot, pointed to him as the most worthy to accept the apostolic ministry. Not one of the apostles, except John the Theologian, died a natural death: they were tortured, stoned, imprisoned, tortured in every possible way - they all suffered a martyr’s death.
A number of Orthodox churches were built in honor of the holiday. Emperor Constantine the Great built a temple dedicated to the Twelve Apostles in the Byzantine capital of Constantinople. The only church in Moscow consecrated in the name of this holiday is the Church of the Twelve Apostles in the Kremlin. It was built in mid-17th century century, by order of Patriarch Nikon, simultaneously with the Patriarchal Chambers, it became the patriarchal house church.
Images of the apostles all together are already found in the oldest surviving ensembles, illustrating various gospel events in which all the apostles took part. In the post-iconoclastic period, a system of temple decoration developed in Byzantine art, in which life-size figures of the apostles were placed in the piers of the drum supporting the dome (for example, the mosaics of the St. Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv, 1030s). The attributes of the apostles are scrolls, as an image of Christian teaching, and the evangelists have codes. The iconography of the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles developed in Byzantium; the earliest can be considered the Byzantine icon of the Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles from the first quarter of the 16th century from the Museum fine arts them. A.S. Pushkin (Moscow), where the life-size figures of the apostles are located in two rows. In ancient Russian art, in addition to Byzantine iconography, another version of the composition developed - in the form of a vine, in the upper part of which a waist-length Deesis is represented, and in the curls there are figures of the apostles, as on a 15th-century tablet icon from the St. Sophia Cathedral in Novgorod (now in the collection of the Tretyakov Gallery). This version, similar to the compositions “The Tree of Jesus” and “The Vine of Christ,” was included in the iconographic originals. In the composition of the Council of the 12 Apostles, the number of 12 apostles is always maintained, as having a large symbolic meaning, while the Apostle Paul is depicted, who did not see Christ during His earthly life, in the composition of the icon he replaces the Apostle Matthias, who was chosen among the apostles by lot.
Prayer to the Council of the 12 Apostles, protecting from trouble and problems.
Consecration of the apostles of Christ: Peter and Andrew, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, James and Jude, Simon and Matthew! Hear our prayers and sighs, now offered by our contrite hearts, and help us, the servants of God (names), through your powerful intercession before the Lord, to get rid of all evil and enemy flattery, and to firmly preserve the Orthodox faith that you have firmly devoted to, in which your intercession will not We will not be diminished by wounds, rebuke, pestilence, or any wrath from our Creator, but we will live a peaceful life here and be honored to see good things on the land of the living, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the One in the Trinity, glorified and worshiped God, now and ever and forever and ever. Amen.
Prayer to the holy 12 apostles of the Lord
Almighty Master, Lord our God, who chose His beloved disciples and Apostles to preach salvation to the whole world, giving them the power to forgive sins, accept their petitions for the human race, and judge with them, those same ones who are Your friends, who are very honest to us, We dare, in our unworthiness, to bring you into intercession, which will greatly advance the salvation of our souls, praying for them earnestly. Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul, Evangelists of Christ John the Theologian and Matthew, first-called disciple Andrew, who blessed Russia with the planting of the Cross, Holy Apostles James, brother of the Lord, with the other James, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Simon, Judas and Matthias! All holy apostles of God's choice, most saintly servants of Christ, eradicators of godlessness and planters of the true faith, help us through your powerful intercession before the Lord to get rid of all evil and enemy flattery, to firmly preserve the Orthodox faith devoted to you, in which, through your intercession, neither wounds, nor rebuke, nor pestilence, we will not be belittled by any wrath from the Creator, but let us live a peaceful life here and may we be honored to see good things on the land of the living, glorifying the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the one God glorified and worshiped in the Trinity, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. www.pravmir.ru
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