Hand painted icon of Saint Mark the Courteous and Saint Makarius of Egypt made on Mount Athos, on natural wood. The icon is delivered in a wooden box.
Saint Mark was born into a noble family of Constantinople, which earned him the epithet ‘Eugenikos’ or the Courteous. From an early age, he was distinguished for his extensive theological training and the sanctity of his life. At the age of 25, Saint Mark became monk at the Holy Monastery of Saint George of Mangana and was ordained to the holy priesthood. He later served as both teacher and director at the Patriarchal School. In time, Saint Mark was appointed Metropolitan of Ephesus and participated in the Council of Ferrara–Florence (1438–1439). There, he devotedly opposed the Union of the Churches and refused to sign the decree, a stance that established him as the leading figure of the anti-unionist action. Upon his return, he began his struggle against the Union, authoring the “Encyclical of the Orthodox” to uphold the faith and encourage the faithful. Saint Mark reposed the Lord peacefully at the age of 52, in the year 1444 or 1445, and was recognized as a saint by the Church a few years later. The memory of Saint Mark Eugenikos is commemorated on January 19.
Saint Makarius was born in 301 AD. in a village in Egypt and lived during the reign of Theodosius the Great (379 - 395 AD). At the age of 30 he retired to the desert of Nitria and Syria, where he lived for 60 years. Saint Makarios became a disciple of Saint Antonius the Great and at the age of 40 he was ordained an Elder. He was honored with the foresighting gift and healed many sick people. His grace became known and many people travelled to the desert to visit him. Thus, Saint Macarius, in order to remain uninterrupted in prayer, was forced to build an underground cave in the desert. Saint Makarius slept peacefully at the age of 90, while exiled to a small island in the Nile by the Arian Bishop of Alexandria, Lucius.
