Saint Euphrosynos the Cook was a monk who lived in Alexandria during the ninth century. He worked in the kitchen of the monastery, prepared the food and serving his fellow brethren while praying and fasting. Obedience and patience were his strongest virtues, as he endured disapproval and many reproachements from his fellow brethren without ever complaining.There is one incident in the life of this humble monk that made him known: The Elder monk of the monastery prayed to the Lord to show the Elder the blessings prepared for the righteous in the age to come. In what the Elder thought was a dream, he saw with fear and joy the mystifying beauties of Paradise along with an image of a monk of his monastery, the cook Euphrosynos next to a tree bearing luscious apples. In the vision, the Elder monk asked the cook how he came to be there and if the cook would give him three of the apples from the surrounding beauty of Paradise. Euphrosynos the cook replied that he was in Paradise through the great mercy of God, picked three apples, wrapped them in a cloth and handed them to the Elder. When the Elder monk awoke in the morning, he found next to him the three apples of Paradise wrapped in the cloth, emitting a splendid aroma. He sought out Euphrosynos in the monastery and asked him to reply under oath where he was the night before. The cook replied that he was where the Elder monk also was. Then the cook continued that the Lord, in fulfilling the prayer of the Elder, had shown him Paradise and had bestowed the fruit of Paradise through him, "the lowly and unworthy servant of God, Euphrosynos." Later in the day, the Elder monk gathered the brethren of the monastery and revealed everything he had experienced, describing the spiritual heights of Euphrosynos in pleasing God. Deeply remorseful but also impressed, the monks ran to the kitchen to pay respect to Saint Euphrosynos only to find that he was gone. The apples were kept and distributed for blessing and for the healing of the sick.Saint Euphrosynos is commemorated by the Orthodox Church on September 11. *** Thisicon is made of solid, natural limewood (Tilia) that has been prepared by hand using traditional methods and organic materials. The background is comprised of 22 Karat gold leaves thatwere 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.
