Artemius of Verkola Orthodox Icon

Artemius of Verkola Orthodox Icon is a hand-painted full-length image of the righteous youth Saint Artemius of Verkola. He is a northern Russian saint especially close to Orthodox families, parents, children, and teenagers. His short earthly life is remembered as an example of purity of heart, meekness, obedience, and quiet faith.

Saint Artemius is shown standing in a light ocher garment, holding a green branch. A blessing hand appears in the upper part of the composition, and a small landscape in the lower part recalls the northern land connected with his veneration. The icon includes a kovcheg, gilded ornamental fields, a gold leaf halo, and a warm, prayerful color harmony.

Available sizes: 13×25 cm (5.1×9.8 in), 18×31 cm (7.1×12.2 in), and 30×50 cm (11.8×19.7 in). Larger church and iconostasis formats may be discussed individually.

Features of This Icon

Saint Artemius is shown in a full-length vertical composition. This format emphasizes his youth and allows the figure to be read clearly without unnecessary detail. The elongated proportions suit the listed sizes especially well and make the icon appropriate both for a small home setting and for a larger church format.

The face of the saint is painted softly and attentively. There is no sternness in the expression; the image presents a young righteous servant of God marked by trust, purity, and humility. His gaze is directed upward toward the blessing hand, strengthening the prayerful meaning of the whole composition.

The light ocher garment gives the icon a calm and clear tone. The green branch in his hand points to life, purity, hope, and spiritual victory. The small landscape below the figure adds a quiet reminder of the northern world in which Saint Artemius lived and came to be venerated.

The Blessing Hand and the Green Branch

The blessing hand in the upper part of the icon shows that Saint Artemius’s life and holiness are understood in the light of God’s providence. The saint’s direction toward this heavenly blessing makes the icon more than a portrait. It becomes an image of prayerful standing before God.

The green branch is not a casual decorative element. It helps express the saint’s innocence, freshness of soul, hope, and life in God. For parents praying for children, this detail is especially meaningful: the life of a child needs care, protection, good formation, and spiritual strengthening.

The kovcheg gathers the central image and visually separates the holy figure from the outer fields. The gilded fields with ornament give the icon a festive dignity while keeping the young face of Saint Artemius at the center.

Materials and Gold Work

The icon is painted on a solid linden board strengthened with oak splines. Linden is traditionally used for hand-painted icons because it allows a smooth prepared surface and careful fine painting. Oak splines help the board keep its shape through natural changes in humidity and temperature.

The board is prepared with natural chalk gesso. The image is painted in egg tempera, a traditional Orthodox icon-painting medium that allows delicate work on the youthful face, light garment, green branch, inscriptions, and small landscape details.

Gold leaf is used on the background, halo, and fields. The gilding gives the icon a solemn sacred space, highlights the halo, and makes the ornamental fields more festive. The gold does not overpower the image; it frames the simple and pure figure of the young saint.

Available Sizes

The icon is available in 13×25 cm (5.1×9.8 in), 18×31 cm (7.1×12.2 in), and 30×50 cm (11.8×19.7 in).

The 13×25 cm size is suitable for a small prayer shelf, child’s room, bedside space, or compact name-saint gift. The 18×31 cm size is a balanced home format that gives more room for the full-length figure, kovcheg, gilded fields, and ornament.

The 30×50 cm size is suitable for a family icon corner, prayer room, chapel, parish church, or a solemn gift for Baptism, name day, or a child’s birthday. Larger iconostasis formats can be selected individually according to placement, lighting, and neighboring icons.

What People Pray For Before Saint Artemius

Orthodox Christians ask Saint Artemius of Verkola for his intercession for children, teenagers, parents, family peace, patience, spiritual purity, and protection in difficult circumstances. The icon is not an amulet and does not replace church life. Prayer before an icon is prayer to God, with the saint depicted asked to intercede.

• For the health of children and teenagers
• For protection of a child in school, travel, and daily life
• For help to parents in raising children
• For purity of heart and a good inner life
• For patience, humility, and obedience
• For peace and understanding in the family
• For consolation of parents in anxiety and sorrow
• For boys and men named Artemius or Artem

For Whom This Icon Is Suitable

This icon is especially suitable as a name-saint icon for boys and men named Artemius or Artem. It can be given for Baptism, name day, birthday, the beginning of school, or another important family occasion.

It is also appropriate for an Orthodox family praying for children, their health, character, spiritual protection, and peaceful growth. The icon may be placed in a child’s room, home icon corner, family prayer space, chapel, or parish setting.

Feast Days of Saint Artemius of Verkola

The memory of Saint Artemius of Verkola is celebrated on July 6 according to the new calendar, corresponding to June 23 on the old calendar. He is also commemorated on November 2, or October 20 on the old calendar.

These dates may be considered when choosing a name-saint icon for Artemius, or when preparing a gift for Baptism, name day, birthday, or a family celebration. Since a hand-painted icon requires time for board preparation, gesso, painting, gilding, ornament, inscriptions, drying, and finishing, it is best to order in advance for a specific date.

Short Life of Saint Artemius

Saint Artemius of Verkola lived in the sixteenth century in the Russian North, in the village of Verkola. He was a young boy raised in piety, meekness, and obedience. His Church veneration is connected with his pure life, righteousness, and the love of the faithful for this young intercessor.

According to tradition, Artemius died at a young age during a thunderstorm. Later his veneration spread through signs and prayerful help attributed to his intercession. He became especially close to people who pray for children, their health, protection, and good growth.

The image of Saint Artemius reminds us that holiness is not limited to old age or great outward deeds. Purity, meekness, obedience, faith, and trust in God can become true spiritual light even in childhood.

Materials and Characteristics

Name	Artemius of Verkola Orthodox Icon
Saint depicted	Righteous Youth Artemius of Verkola
Iconographic type	Full-length image of the young righteous saint with a branch
Feast days	July 6 / June 23 old calendar; November 2 / October 20 old calendar
Board	Linden board with oak splines and kovcheg
Ground	Natural chalk gesso
Painting medium	Egg tempera
Gilding	Gold leaf on the background, halo, and fields
Features	Green branch, blessing hand above, small northern landscape, gilded ornamental fields
Available sizes	13×25 cm (5.1×9.8 in), 18×31 cm (7.1×12.2 in), 30×50 cm (11.8×19.7 in)

Care and Blessing

The icon may be blessed before shipping if requested, or after receiving it at your own parish church. A hand-painted icon should be kept away from moisture, direct sunlight, radiators, humidifiers, and sudden temperature changes.

Dust should be removed only with a dry soft brush or dry soft cloth, without pressure. Special care should be taken with the gilded fields, halo, ornament, inscriptions, kovcheg, and painted surface.

Ordering and Shipping

The icon can be painted in the listed sizes or in larger church and iconostasis formats by individual agreement. Free international shipping is included. Payment is made after you receive and approve the icon.

FAQ

Who is shown on the Artemius of Verkola Orthodox Icon?

The icon shows the righteous youth Saint Artemius of Verkola, a northern Russian saint especially venerated by families, children, teenagers, and parents.

What do people pray for before Saint Artemius of Verkola?

People ask for the health of children, protection of teenagers, help in upbringing, family peace, patience, humility, purity of soul, and consolation for parents.

Who is this icon suitable for as a name-saint icon?

It is especially suitable for boys and men named Artemius or Artem, and can be given for Baptism, name day, birthday, or another family occasion.

When are the feast days of Saint Artemius of Verkola?

His feast days are July 6, or June 23 on the old calendar, and November 2, or October 20 on the old calendar.

Why is Saint Artemius shown as a youth?

He is venerated as a righteous youth, so the icon emphasizes purity of heart, meekness, obedience, and childlike faith.

What does the green branch mean?

The green branch points to purity, life, hope, and spiritual victory in God.

What does the blessing hand above mean?

The blessing hand indicates God’s blessing and providence in the life and glorification of the saint.

What sizes are available?

The available sizes are 13×25 cm (5.1×9.8 in), 18×31 cm (7.1×12.2 in), and 30×50 cm (11.8×19.7 in).

What materials are used?

The icon is painted on a linden board with oak splines, natural chalk gesso, egg tempera, kovcheg, and gold leaf on the background, halo, and fields.

How should this hand-painted icon be cared for?

Keep it away from moisture, direct sunlight, and sudden temperature changes. Dust it only with a dry soft brush or dry soft cloth, especially on gilded areas.