Saints Abramios the Recluse and Maria of Edessa

Orthodox icon of Saints Abramios the Recluse and Maria of Edessa on thick plywood 20mm, which does not sting and keeps its shape over time. Preparation with acrylic stucco and have been used acrylic colors. It has been covered with varnish to keep the colors undiluted in time and humidity. Hanging clip included on the back of the icon. 

St. Abramios was born in 290 AD in Edessa, Turkey. On the day of his wedding, he left his fiancée and went to the coast of the Sea of Marmara, near Lampsacus. There, he lived in a cave and left it only two times: first, when he was ordered to baptise a pagan village; and second, to free his niece Maria from sin. He achieved perfection in hermetic life and was devoted to the God and praying. When his parents died and left him large fortune, he distributed his possessions among the poor. He died in 360 AD. His feast day is on October 29. 

St. Abramius’s niece, the Nun Maria, had grown up being edified by his spiritual instruction. Her father died when she was seven, and so she had been raised by her saintly uncle. But the Enemy of the race of man tried to turn her from the true path. At twenty-seven years of age she fell into sin with a man. Thoroughly ashamed, she left her cell, went to another city, and began living in a brothel. Two years later, when he had learned of this, Saint Abramius clad himself in soldier’s garb, so that he would not be recognized, and went to the city to find his niece. He pretended to be one of her “clients,” and revealed his identity once they were alone. With many tears and exhortations, he brought her to repentance and took her back to her cell. Saint Maria returned to her cell and spent the rest of her days in prayer and tears of repentance. The Lord forgave her and even granted her the gift of healing the sick. She died five years after Saint Abramius.