Saint Christopher

Icon made on natural linden wood with water-gilding technique. After the thermal treatment, the wood was gilded with 22K gold leaf, in accordance with traditional Byzantine techniques. The icon has been painted with egg tempera for a higher quality and durability of the colors.

Saint Christopher

Saint Christopher is depicted as a large-statured saint. According to tradition, he was a disfigured man who devoted his life to Christ, living under strict ascetic conditions along the banks of a swift river. One day a child appeared before him and asked to be carried across to the opposite shore. He lifted the child onto his shoulders. As they approached their destination, he began to feel the burden on his back growing heavier. The child revealed to him that he was carrying “not only the whole world, but also the One who created it.” Thus, in the Orthodox iconography, the saint is portrayed with the Divine Infant seated on his right shoulder. With his left hand he holds a branch that helps him cross the river’s rushing waters, while with the other he lifts his garment. Because of this miraculous manifestation of Christ, the saint is regarded as the protector of travelers and drivers.