Saint Paraskevi of Epivates – Handmade Iconography – Mount Athos

Description

Iconography with gold leaf on a natural piece of poplar wood, handcrafted by the monks of Mount Athos.

An exceptional icon depicting Saint Paraskevi of Epivates.

Saint Paraskevi was born in Epivates, a coastal town in the Propontis region of Thrace, in the early 10th century. She was the biological sister of Saint Euthymius of Madytos and came from the Byzantine family of Retzelis. From a young age, following the call of the Gospel, she engaged in acts of charity, exchanging her clothes for the torn garments of beggars. On another occasion, unable to assist a beggar woman in any other way, she gave her golden cross to her. Her beauty and kindness attracted the attention of many prominent and wealthy young men who sought her hand in marriage, but she declined all proposals.

To avoid marriage, Saint Paraskevi left her home and fled to Constantinople. After visiting the monasteries and churches there, she traveled on foot to Heraclea so that her parents would lose track of her. In Heraclea, she stayed for a short time and then boarded a ship bound for Jerusalem. After venerating the holy sites associated with the life of Jesus Christ, she joined a women’s monastery, where she took monastic vows. After some years, she left the monastery to lead an ascetic life as a hermit.

There is a church dedicated to Saint Paraskevi in Neoi Epivates, Thessaloniki, where the icon brought by devout refugees is preserved. Her memory is celebrated on October 14th.

The icon is available upon request.

Dimensions: 23x28x3