Saint Basil the Great - Athonite
Saint Basil the Great - Athonite
Saint Basil the Great - Athonite
Saint Basil the Great - Athonite
Saint Basil the Great - Athonite
Saint Basil the Great - Athonite
Saint Basil the Great - Athonite
Saint Basil the Great - Athonite
Saint Basil the Great - Athonite
Saint Basil the Great - Athonite

Saint Basil the Great

$79.00

The Story Behind this Icon:

Saint Basil the Great, also called Basil of Caesarea was born in Cappadocia, Asia Minor (330 - January 1st, 379) and was one among the eight or nine children of Basil the Elder and Saint Emmelia, both known for their piety. He received a formal education in Cappadocia but later traveled to Alexandria, Athens, Egypt, Syria for further studies. 

His life changed when he met Eustathius of Sebaste, a charismatic bishop and ascetic, thus renouncing his former teaching career and devoting his life to God. In a letter he described his spiritual awakening: "I had wasted much time on follies and spent nearly all of my youth in vain labors, and devotion to the teachings of a wisdom that God had made foolish. Suddenly, I awoke as out of a deep sleep. I beheld the wonderful light of the Gospel truth, and I recognized the nothingness of the wisdom of the princes of this world."
In addition to being a great theologian, Saint Basil was known for taking care of the poor and underprivileged.
He established the guidelines for the monastic life to include community life, liturgical prayer and manual labor, as the solitary life did not call him. 
In 362 he became a deacon and was ordained presbyter of the church in Caesarea in 365. Saint Basil opposed the heresies of the early Christian Church
and the Arian heresy. As a great orator he took part in rhetorical contests and, along with Saint Gregory, triumphed. 
In 370 he became bishop of Caesarea and with compassion for the ones in need, he organized a soup kitchen and distributed food to the poor. He also worked to reform thieves and encouraged his clergy to not be tempted by wealth. 
Saint Basil fell asleep in 370 after suffering from liver disease. He is celebrated each year on January 1st and again on January 30 as one of the Three Holy Hierarchs (Saint Basil the Great, Saint John Chrysostom and Saint Gregory the Theologian). 
Τhe Saint Basil Pie - a pie baked with a coin inside - dates back to Saint Basil and is prepared on January 1st, the day of his commemoration. According to tradition, thieves once entered Caesaria and stole all the gold and jewelry. In some miraculous way, the jewelry was recovered and Saint Basil thought of baking a huge pie and placing the jewelry inside. Everyone would get a piece of the pie and could keep the jewelry hidden in the piece. That way, everyone was happy to have received back pieces of gold.
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This icon is made of solid, natural limewood (Tilia) that has been prepared by hand using traditional methods and organic materials. The background is comprised of 22 Karat gold leaves that were meticulously applied by hand, piece by piece. All of our icons are reproduced according to museum print standards and are authentic replicas of Holy Icons from Mount Athos and elsewhere. 

Learn more about how our Holy Icons are made here. 

From the moment you first hold your Holy Icon, you will see the exquisite details that bear truth to the meticulous preparation and creation of the image, as well as feel the depth and weight of the solid wood upon which it is portrayed. One of our larger icon dimensions (11.8" x 15.7"/30 x 40 cm) weighs more than 5 pounds! 

Because we value quality even in the details, your Holy Icon will be shipped in luxury packaging and can be presented as a gift for a friend or family member.

We are proud to offer the highest quality products! However, if you are not satisfied with your purchase, you may return it for an exchange or refund, free of charge! We offer free return shipping for all orders, so long as: 
a) Item(s) are been purchased in the last 30 days.
b) Item(s) are returned with their original blue box and/or packaging.
c) Both the packaging and item(s) are in their original condition.

You can read our full Refund & Return Policy here.

Customer Reviews

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J
John Adams
Glory to God

These icons are of the utmost quality and very beautiful. Truly a blessing! Excellent service from AthoniteUSA as well. This was the perfect baptism gift for my father who will have St Basil as his patron saint.

Compare Dimensions

Our most popular dimensions are pictured, to scale. 

Icon Styles

Depending on the size and theme, Holy Icons are available in both Recessed and Level styles.

recessed

The groove in our recessed icons adds depth to the Iconography, making the icon even more dramatic and impressive. In order to keep the relative proportions, the depth of the groove changes with the size of the Holy Icon.

Level

Level icons allow the Iconography to retain its boldness even in smaller sizes. As such most of our level icons have smaller dimensions.

Backside Details

Backside details vary with icon size and serve to ensure that your Holy Icon will stand the test of time. 

Solid wooden icons of larger dimensions are prone to bending and damaging as time passes. Fortunately, our Holy Icons are supported by two additional, horizontal wooden protective panels on the backside. These panels bolster the icon and allow it to sustain its shape, ensuring that your Holy Icon will remain in its original, pristine condition as it is passed down from generation to generation.

Icons of smaller dimensions are naturally sustainable over time, and experience less structural stress. As such, you will find that the backside of smaller Holy Icons is flat and proportional to their shape. 

The Art of
Making Holy Icons

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