St. Irene the Great Martyr icon (3)
SKU: 90760093858

St. Irene the Great Martyr icon (3)

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St. Irene the Great Martyr icon (3)Orthodox icon of Saint Irene the Great Martyr (3). Copy of a contemporary icon. Commemorated May 5. The holy Great Martyr Irene was born in the city of Magedon in Persia during the fourth century. She was the daughter of the pagan king Licinius, and her parents named her Penelope. Penelope was very beautiful, and her father kept her isolated in a high tower from the time she was six so that she would not be exposed to Christianity. He also placed

Orthodox icon of Saint Irene the Great Martyr (3). Copy of a contemporary icon.

Commemorated May 5.

The holy Great Martyr Irene was born in the city of Magedon in Persia during the fourth century. She was the daughter of the pagan king Licinius, and her parents named her Penelope. Penelope was very beautiful, and her father kept her isolated in a high tower from the time she was six so that she would not be exposed to Christianity. He also placed thirteen young maidens in the tower with her. An old tutor by the name of Apellian was assigned to give her the best possible education. Apellian was a Christian, and during her lessons, he told the girl about Christ the Savior and taught her the Christian Faith and the Christian virtues.

 

Apellian explained that the dove signified her education, and the olive branch stood for the grace of God which is received in Baptism. The eagle with the wreath of flowers represented success in her future life. The raven and the snake foretold her future suffering and sorrow.

It is said that an angel gave her the name Irene and instructed her in the faith. It was Timothy. the disciple of Saint Paul, who baptized her. Shortly after this, she destroyed all her father’s idols. he questioned her and ordered that she be bound. She was cast between many horses so they might trample on her. Instead, one of the horses, instead of harming the saint turned on Licinius, her father, crushing his right hand and slaying him. Afterwards at the request of bystanders she prayed for him and he was resurrected.  He then came to believe in the true God and di his wife, Licinia. 

Since St Irene had dedicated herself to Christ, she refused to marry any of the suitors her father had chosen for her. When Licinius learned that his daughter refused to worship the pagan gods, he was furious. He attempted to turn her from Christ by having her tortured. She was tied up and thrown beneath the hooves of wild horses so that they might trample her to death, but he horses remained motionless. Instead of harming the saint, one of the horses charged Licinius, seized his right hand and tore it from his arm. Then it knocked Licinius down and began to trample him. They untied the holy virgin, and through her prayers Licinius rose unharmed in the presence of eyewitnesses with his hand intact.

After Licinius renounced the world Sedekias rose to power. He tried to force her to sacrifice to the idols but she refused. He then ordered Saint Irene to cast into a deep pit filled with poisonous snakes and other reptiles. She persevered and emerged safe after fourteen days. Next they amputated her feet but through the miracle of an angel she was able to stand again on her feet. Next they bound her to  a wheel turned by the force of water. The water miraculously stopped flowing. as a result of these miracles many, eight thousand, came to believe in Jesus Christ.

Sedekias was ousted and his son, Saavor, fought with those who had deposed his father. Irene met him in Magedon and through her prayers his entire army was stricken blind. She again prayed that their sight be restored and it was. Even so those who were ungrateful pierced her heels with spikes and tied a sack of sand to her back and led her on a three mile March. But, suddenly, the earth opened up and swallowed ten thousand infidels. Because of these events there were thirty thousand infidels who accepted Christ as their savior. Savor still persisted as a pagan but shortly he died apparently the work of an angel sent by God. Saint Irene was then able to walk through the city unhindered and performing many miracles.

Next, the saint went to the city of Callinicus, or Callinicum (possibly on the Euphrates River in Syria). The ruler of that place was King Numerian, the son of Sebastian. When she began to teach about Christ, she was arrested and tortured by the pagan authorities. She was placed into three bronze oxen which were heated by fire. She was transferred from one to another, but miraculously she remained uninjured. Twenty thousand of idolaters embraced Christianity as a result of this wondrous event.

Christ’s holy martyr then traveled to the city of Constantina, forty miles northeast of Edessa. By 330, the Persian king Sapor II (309-379) had heard of St Irene’s great miracles. To prevent her from winning more people to Christ, she was arrested, beheaded, and then buried. However, God sent an angel to raise her up again, and she entered the city of Mesembria with an olive branch in her hand. She was accepted by the ruler who immediately accepted Christ and was baptized along with many others by Timothy.

When she returned to her home Magedon, she mourned the death of her father. She left her mother and went to Ephesus where she taught the people and performed many miracles. The Lord revealed to her that the end of her life was approaching. Then St Irene left the city accompanied by six people, including her former teacher Apellian. On the outskirts of the town, she found a new tomb in which no one had ever been buried. After making the Sign of the Cross, she went inside, directing her companions to close the entrance to the cave with a large stone, which they did. When Christians visited the cave two days later, they did not find the body of the saint.

Thus did God glorify St Irene, who loved Him and devoted her life to serving Him. Although many of these miracles may seem improbable to those who are skeptical, nothing is impossible with God.
St Irene led thousands of people to Christ through her preaching, and by her example. The Church continues to honor her memory and to seek her heavenly intercession.

The holy, glorious Great Martyr Irene is invoked by those wishing to effect a swift and happy marriage. In Greece, she is also the patron saint of policemen. St Irene is also one of the twelve Virgin Martyrs who appeared to St Seraphim of Sarov (January 2) and the Diveyevo nun Eupraxia on the Feast of the Annunciation in 1831. By her holy prayers, may the Lord have mercy upon us and save us.

 Reference: G.O.A.A.

 

 

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Melinda
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Beauty as an assassin? Yes, please.
Format: Kindle
I am a sucker for Beauty and the Beast retellings, especially when there is fae magic involved. This story is a stand-alone and can easily be read and enjoyed as such, but the story in the background is waiting to unfold. Briannis is a lost woman trying to find her place in the world. She happens to be an excellent assassin, but only when there is a good reason behind the job. She runs afoul of the law and is coerced into killing the King of Fae. Their tale begins with much violence and mistrust. They reach an understanding that turns into more as they are stuck inside the Keep thanks to the murderous roses encasing the building. Some of my favorite quotes "This is not very..." "Proper?" His low drawl curled around her guts, sweet and syrupy. "I thought you'd realise by now that I'm far from a proper man, Miss Iavi." She swallowed hard. "You're... you're not making sense. You don't even like me." "I don't?" he said dryly. "I tried to kill you! Three times in a row!" "You may want to leave," he added, barely even moving his lips. His voice was low and raspy, little more than a growl; the words came out with laboured breaths. "Before I no longer let you." "You can’t just act like you didn’t have your fingers inside me a few hours ago! That’s not something you talk about over strawberries!" He took a sip of tea. "You’ve had your knife inside me too." "That," she said exasperatedly, "is something extremely different." "In the sense that I’d be happy to repeat one incident and not the other, yes." He smiled at her over his teacup, shameless... "You make a terrible king out of me, Briannis Iavi." "Are you very sure? There’s no need to be polite if you—" "I’m not being polite!" A trembling laugh escaped her. "I have no intention at all of being polite to you!"
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Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2023
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Jessica Peyton
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 4
So cute
Format: Kindle
I really enjoyed this retelling! This read was a quick read, and had all the love you need in it! I love the King and the assassin. Cannot wait to continue this series!
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Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2023
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BuCNMNCJ
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 3
Love how this author writes, BUT..
Format: Kindle
I wanted to love everything about this book. I had this book release on my calendar. I read it the moment it became available. I’ve become a big fan after Marshall’s Blood and Bindings series, and I think she does a beautiful job writing complex, thoughtful characters. BUT. Spoilers below- This book missed the mark in two important ways for me. The first is the intro - this “very proper lady assassin” - first of all - we are supposed to believe that SHE is who the most powerful man in the city chose to assassinate his mortal enemy? Sure. She had killed some unsuspecting guys. But the leap from there to a Fae king with magic? And when she goes to do it- she does it by blindly bumbling around his castle and walking into the room where he is and trying to stab him in the middle of the day? I am willing suspend a lot of disbelief for a good story, but that was a major stretch that made the whole premise of the book feel contrived. And second… a whole dead side of his body? Like … dead. As in.. she smelled the rot. Saw the skeleton and dead mouth and skin. And then … had sex with it? Um. I’m no prude but … yuck. I couldn’t get past the necrophiliac imagery and visual, and it was a major turn off for me.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2023
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Ms.VioletGlikestoread
Belleville, US
★★★★★ 5
Fantasy Romance
Format: Kindle
✨’Would it truly be that bad?' he muttered, and for the first time since she'd awoken, there was a hint of humanity in his quiet words, a crack in that jaundiced shield. Warm breath brushed past her scalp. His arms didn't let go. 'If you ended up here with no way to leave?' ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Fantasy Romance 📖 🥀Oh, these moment with our MMC reach deep for me and make me love him all the more! Curse Of The Thorn King is @authorlisettemarshall’s new and utterly enchanting Beauty and the Beast retelling, and I absolutely loved it! This steamy, forced proximity, enemies to lovers story is the first installment in the new Wayfarer Fae series and I fell hard for these characters! ✨I thoroughly enjoyed the unique flower magic systems, the assassin plot, all of fun additions of Lady Lockwell's Handbook of Etiquette, and how that factored into the story. The flirtatious and stabby banter between the two main characters had me grinning like a complete fool as the romance developed….all while experiencing the moments that made my heart ache and even break for our MC’s as the plot unfolded. 🥀As I read Curse of the Thorn King I was consumed by that quintessential balance of angst, tension, steam, COMPLETE frustration (in the best way) emotional turmoil, and swoon worthy moments that my heart has come to associate with the magic of Lisette Marshall’s writing. This authors always makes me feel allll the feels ✨✨It is no surprise that I intimately drawn to these characters and their story. ✨I highly recommend Curse Of The Thorn King to fantasy, fantasy romance, and romantasy readers.
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Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2023
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Lia
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
5 ⭐️ / 2.5-3 🌶️
Format: Paperback
I do not know where my original review went so I’m reposting Includes: - Beauty and the Beast vibes, but with a Fae twist - Enemies to lovers - Slow burn - Forced proximity - Standalone HEA There are now two books I love that have opening sentences that reference bars of soap. @authorlisettemarshall ‘s books never disappoint me and this standalone is no exception. I absolutely love her writing style, the unique magic systems she uses, as well as her ability to convey such vivid details regarding things like clothing and places. It really helps someone like me (who isn't a good visualizer) immerse myself in the story. It also MUST be said that Lisette has really mastered the art of writing the slow burn for me. With fun characters and banter, she sprinkles in little breadcrumbs here and there that help with the romance build up and, baby, I'm hot on those breadcrumbs' trails just EATING them up. TLDR; Put this on your TBR.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2023

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