Adoration of Holy Cross IconoGraphic | Striking Red, White, & Black Russian Cross Design w Angels | Orthodox Christian Hoodie 2The Good God provides each of us with a cross to bear analogous to the strength of each not to punish us, but to enable us to climb from that cross to Heaven because in essence, the cross is a ladder to Heaven. + St. Paisios of Mount Athos This design is an edit of a modern rendition the Adoration of the Holy Cross icon of the Novgorod school.

not even in the present life is it so

Who created man in Thine own likeness

my beloved adversary (and yet not mine)

Yet He opened not His mouth

chosen city

This Theotokion is sung at Matins of Mid-Pentecost during Ode 5 of the Second Canon

Since it was from Abraham’s seed that the nation of Israel would be birthed

precisely to heal the will of man

for the devil is come down unto you

especially a portraitist by trade

Let us be mutually mindful of each other

taking the form of a bondservant