Description
This is a round icon.
These two Great Apostles of Our Lord Jesus Christ are depicted here in a brotherly embrace. Both were transformed from ordinary men to servants of the Most High God, and became living icons of the Lord they worshiped and loved exceedingly. They are both considered chief among the Apostles, and have a major fasting period that precedes their dual commemoration on June 29th each year. They are great miracle-workers.
Simon bar-Jonah was a fisherman who was transformed by Christ when He called him from his earthly fisher’s nets to Heavenly ones, later called Peter for the rock of his confession of Christ as the living Son of God, given to him by revelation. He led the early Church and preached at Pentecost, converting thousands. Saul was a Pharisee who led the persecution by the Jews of the early Church. He was converted by a vision of Christ on the road to Damascus, which blinded him to earthly sight, but gave him Divine wisdom. He was healed through St. Ananias’ prayers, who baptized him. In a.d. 64, the Emperor Nero in Rome condemned St. Peter to death by crucifixion, and St. Paul by beheading.