Saint Demetrios – Silkscreen on Naturally Aged Wood – Mount Athos

Description

Icon of Saint Demetrios on Naturally Aged Wood

Silkscreen icon of Saint Demetrios, the protector and patron saint of Thessaloniki, crafted on naturally aged wood. His memory is celebrated with great reverence in Thessaloniki on October 26th.

Saint Demetrios is regarded as the city’s guardian and liberator, not only because the city’s liberation from the Ottomans in 1912 coincided with his feast day but also due to the tradition that, before the liberation, the saint was seen by the locals riding a horse near the White Tower, encouraging them.

Born into an aristocratic family in Thessaloniki, Demetrios rose quickly through the ranks of the Roman army, achieving the title of chiliarch at the age of 22. Serving under Tetrarch (later Emperor) Galerius Maximianus during Emperor Diocletian’s reign, he became a Christian and was imprisoned in Thessaloniki in 303 AD for defying the imperial decree to renounce Christianity.

While in prison, a young Christian named Nestor (commemorated on October 27th) sought Saint Demetrios’ blessing before a duel with the fearsome gladiator Lyaeus. With Demetrios’ prayers, Nestor defeated Lyaeus, enraging the emperor, who ordered the execution of both. Demetrios was speared to death, and Nestor was beheaded. Demetrios’ body was buried at the site of his martyrdom, where a magnificent church was later built in his honor. His tomb emitted a fragrant myrrh, earning him the title “Myrrh-Streamer.”

In Byzantine and modern iconography, Saint Demetrios is often depicted on horseback with a red horse (in contrast to Saint George’s white horse), trampling the pagan Lyaeus.

This exceptional silkscreen icon, like all icons in the same collection available through “Athonite Heritage,” is crafted on naturally aged wood sourced from renovated Mount Athos cells.

Since the icon is handmade, and the wood is processed manually, slight variations may occur in the wood but not in the depiction.

The icon is available upon request.

Dimensions: 26 x 37 x 2.5 cm