Saint Silouan the Athonite

Saint Silouan the Athonite was born in 1866 in Russia to a peasant family with God-fearing parents. After military service, he left his native Russia and came to Mount Athos, where he became a monk at the Monastery of Saint Panteleimon. Upon arrival at the Holy Mountain, Saint Silouan threw himself into asceticism and developed a reputation around the Monastery for being conscientious and diligence in his prayers. But after a time the Saint found himself struggling with feelings of pride and due to his inexperience, and eventually the Saint began to despair. Reaching the brink of despondency, Saint Silouan sat in his cell one evening and concluded that "It is impossible to reach God through prayer." The same day, during vespers, on an icon of the Savior outside the church of the Holy Prophet Elijah by the windmill, he saw the Living Christ. The Lord mysteriously revealed himself to the young novice, and his entire being was filled with the fire of grace of the Holy Spirit. Though the trials and tribulations of Saint Silouan's life of course did not end with this visitation from Christ, the Saint continued to struggle each and every day to purify his soul and grow closer to the Lord. Later, in his writings, Saint Silouan often repeated that he came to understand the Lord through the Holy Spirit, that he saw God in the Holy Spirit. The fervent simplicity of Saint Silouan's writings reminds us that our knowledge of the Living Christ is not one of intellectual variety, but one of communion of being. Saint Silouan the Athonite is celebrated each year on September 24. *** This icon is made of solid, natural Limewood that has been prepared by hand using traditional methods and organic materials. The background is comprised of 22 Karat gold leaves that were meticulously applied by hand, piece by piece.   All of our icons are reproduced according to museum print standards and are authentic replicas of Holy Icons from Mount Athos and elsewhere.  Learn more about how our Holy Icons are made here.