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Icon of Holy Martyr Maura — Bride of Christ, Martyr of Egypt, Venerated with Saint Timothy Her Husband | Handcrafted Orthodox & Catholic Icon
Holy Martyr Maura is one of the most tender and devastating figures in the entire calendar of saints — a young bride who had been married for only twenty days when she was called to make the ultimate choice. She chose Christ. She chose her husband. She chose the cross. And she never looked back.
The holy and glorious martyrs Timothy and Maura were a newly-married Christian couple who suffered martyrdom in the year 286, under the pagan governor of Thebaid, during the reign of Diocletian, in Egypt. Saint Timothy was a reader among the church clergy, a keeper and copyist of the divine service books. He was a man who lived surrounded by the Word of God — and when the empire demanded those books be handed over and burned, he answered that surrendering them would be like surrendering his own children to the lions.
They tortured him for it. They shoved two red-hot iron rods into his ears, from which he lost his eyesight and became blind. They hung him head downwards with a stone tied to his neck. And then — calculating that what force had failed to accomplish, love might — they informed the governor that Timothy had a young wife named Maura, whom he had married only twenty days before. The governor ordered Maura to be brought, hoping that with her present, they could break Timothy's will.
It was the cruelest kind of trap. They placed a new wife before a blinded, broken husband — and waited for one of them to collapse.
Neither did.
Saint Timothy urged his wife not to fear the tortures, but to follow his path. And Saint Maura answered: "I am prepared to die with you." She boldly confessed herself a Christian.
The hair of her head was pulled out and her fingers were cut off. Then she was lowered into a cauldron of boiling water — and remained unharmed. The torturers tried everything. Grace was stronger than every torment.
Finally, husband and wife were crucified facing each other. What the persecutors intended as a final cruelty became instead an act of profound grace. For nine days they hung upon two crosses facing one another, speaking to each other, encouraging each other in the face of death. Their last conversation on earth was face to face, across the short distance between two crosses.
On the tenth day, the saints offered up their souls to the Lord.
The story of Maura is not only the story of a martyr — it is the story of a marriage. She had not had time to grow used to being a wife. She had not had time to know what life with Timothy would hold. She had twenty days. And in those twenty days, she had seen enough of his faith to know it was true, and enough of his courage to know she wanted to share it — whatever the cost.
Timothy and Maura are venerated by the Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican churches. A solemn celebration in their honor was instituted at Constantinople, and a church was built in their memory. Saint Maura's skull is venerated as a relic in the church of Koilani, Limassol, Cyprus. A miracle-working icon of Saint Maura is also kept on the island of Zakynthos, Greece — originally from Egypt, it was discovered by a shepherd who saw a bright light emanating from a small ravine.
In iconography, Maura is most often depicted together with her husband Timothy — two young figures standing side by side, bearing palms of martyrdom, their faces calm and luminous. Sometimes they are shown on the cross. Always, they are together.
This icon is a meaningful gift for:
- Those bearing the name Maura / Mavra / Moira / Mora
- Newly married couples — as a blessing and a powerful patron for the beginning of a life together
- Couples facing hardship, illness, or persecution together
- Young women of faith seeking a model of courage and fidelity
- Those devoted to the early Egyptian Church and the Desert tradition
- Anyone who has lost a spouse or fears losing one — Maura knows that love
Feast Day: May 3 (Catholic & Orthodox) Venerated in: Roman Catholic · Eastern Orthodox · Anglican traditions Relics: Koilani, Cyprus · Zakynthos, Greece Patronage: Married couples · Young brides · Those who suffer for faith
Feast Day: May 3 / April 20 (Old Calendar)
Prayer to Saints Timothy and Maura
"O holy martyrs Timothy and Maura, united in marriage and united in witness to Christ, pray for us who honor your memory. You chose death together rather than betray the Lord who bought you with His precious blood. Strengthen Christian marriages that husbands and wives may encourage one another toward holiness. Grant courage to those who face persecution. Teach us to love Christ more than life itself, and to love one another with a love that endures beyond death into eternal glory. Intercede for us before the throne of God, that we may be found faithful when our time of testing comes. Amen."
May Saints Timothy and Maura bless your marriage and strengthen your witness to Christ! 💑✝️✨
🖼 Product Features
Each icon in our workshop is made to last a lifetime and beyond. The image is printed with rich, fade-resistant pigment inks on a premium solid-core wood panel — then hand-finished with a natural beeswax coating that deepens the colors, protects the surface, and gives each piece the warm, reverent quality of a traditionally crafted sacred object. A metal hanging hook is included on the back, so your icon is ready to display the moment it arrives.
- Crafted on a premium wood panel — 1.6 cm (0.6") thick, sturdy yet lightweight
- Fade-resistant pigment print — rich, true-to-life colors that last for generations
- Natural beeswax finish — hand-applied for depth, protection, and a traditional feel
- Ready to hang — metal hook pre-attached on the reverse
- Hand-finished by Orthodox Christian artisans in Portugal
📏 Size:
14x30 cm (6"x12")
🎁 Perfect For
• Meaningful Orthodox Christian gifts
• Housewarming and family blessings
• Prayer corners and devotional spaces
• Baptisms, name days, weddings, and feast days
🌍 Worldwide Delivery
Securely packed and shipped worldwide from Portugal with tracking.
✨ Crafted with Tradition
Each icon is carefully made by Orthodox Christian artisans in Portugal — created to become a lasting blessing for your home or a treasured gift for someone you love.
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