Saint Christodoulos of Kassandra

Orthodox icon of Saint Christodoulos of Kassandra 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. Christodoulos was born in the village of Valta, Kassandra. As a young boy he went to Thessaloniki where he became an apprentice to a tailor who worked with wool. On a trip to the island of Chios he bought a large unpainted crucifix and made it a gift to the Church of St. Athanasios in Thessaloniki. Sometime later, Christodoulos heard of a Bulgarian Orthodox Christian who was preparing to convert to Islam. He was greatly saddened and he went to the Church of St. Athanasios and asked the caretaker to bring him the crucifix which he had donated. Christodoulos took the crucifix and proceeded to the coffee house in which the conversion was to take place. He approached the young man about to convert, showed him the crucifix, and said to him, ''Brother, what has happened to you? This is our faith, this is Christ who was crucified for our love. Why are you leaving Christ your Savior and becoming a Muslim?''. Christodoulos received no answer. He then said, ''Brother, kiss our Lord's cross''. But the denier of Christ refused. The Janissaries turned on Christodoulos and threw him out of the coffee house. Christodoulos returned to the coffee house, but this time the Janissaries bound him, beat him severely, inflicted some knife wounds upon his body and head, and took him first to the aga of the Janissaries and then to the judge. Christodoulos was thrown to the floor and had 200 blows delivered to the bottom of his feet. Then he was taken to be hung on July 28, 1777, which is his feast day.