SKU: 8548267105

St. Philaret the Merciful icon (2)

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St. Philaret the Merciful icon (2)Orthodox icon of Saint Philaret, Philaretos the Merciful. Protector Saint of Beekeepers. Commemorated December 1. Righteous Philaret the Merciful, son of George and Anna, was raised in piety and the fear of God. He lived during the eighth century in the village of Amnia in the Paphlagonian district of Asia Minor. His wife, Theoseba, was from a rich and illustrious family, and they had three children: a son John, and daughters Hypatia and Evanthia.

Orthodox icon of Saint Philaret, Philaretos the Merciful.

Protector Saint of Beekeepers.

Commemorated December 1.

Righteous Philaret the Merciful, son of George and Anna, was raised in piety and the fear of God. He lived during the eighth century in the village of Amnia in the Paphlagonian district of Asia Minor. His wife, Theoseba, was from a rich and illustrious family, and they had three children: a son John, and daughters Hypatia and Evanthia. Philaret was a rich and illustrious dignitary, but he did not hoard his wealth. Knowing that many people suffered from poverty, he remembered the words of the Savior about the dread Last Judgment and about these least ones (Mt. 25:40); the Apostle Paul's reminder that we will take nothing with us from this world (1 Tim 6:7); and the assertion of King David that the righteous would not be forsaken (Ps 36/37:25).

Philaret, whose name means lover of virtue, was famed for his love for the poor. One day Ishmaelites [Arabs] attacked Paphlagonia, devastating the land and plundering the estate of Philaret. There remained only two oxen, a donkey, a cow with her calf, some beehives, and the house. But he also shared them with the poor. His wife reproached him for being heartless and unconcerned for his own family. Mildly, yet firmly he endured the reproaches of his wife and the jeers of his children. I have hidden away riches and treasure, he told his family, so much that it would be enough for you to feed and clothe yourselves, even if you lived a hundred years without working.

The saint's gifts always brought good to the recipient. Whoever received anything from him found that the gift would multiply, and that person would become rich. Knowing this, a certain man came to St Philaret asking for a calf so that he could start a herd. The cow missed its calf and began to bellow. Theoseba said to her husband, You have no pity on us, you merciless man, but don't you feel sorry for the cow? You have separated her from her calf.

The saint praised his wife, and agreed that it was not right to separate the cow and the calf. Therefore, he called the poor man to whom he had given the calf and told him to take the cow as well. That year there was a famine, so St Philaret took the donkey and went to borrow six bushels of wheat from a friend of his. When he returned home, a poor man asked him for a little wheat, so he told his wife to give the man a bushel.

Theoseba said, First you must give a bushel to each of us in the family, then you can give away the rest as you choose. Philaretos then gave the man two bushels of wheat. Theoseba said sarcastically, Give him half the load so you can share it. The saint measured out a third bushel and gave it to the man. Then Theoseba said, Why don't you give him the bag, too, so he can carry it?He gave him the bag. The exasperated wife said, Just to spite me, why not give him all the wheat. St Philaret did so. Now the man was unable to lift the six bushels of wheat, so Theoseba told her husband to give him the donkey so he could carry the wheat home.

Blessing his wife, Philaret gave the donkey to the man, who went home rejoicing. Theoseba and the children wept because they were hungry. The Lord rewarded Philaret for his generosity: when the last measure of wheat was given away, a old friend sent him forty bushels. Theoseba kept most of the wheat for herself and the children, and the saint gave away his share to the poor and had nothing left. When his wife and children were eating, he would go to them and they gave him some food. Theoseba grumbled saying, How long are you going to keep that treasure of yours hidden? Take it out so we can buy food with it.

During this time the Byzantine empress Irene (797-802) was seeking a bride for her son, the future emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitos (780-797). Therefore, emissaries were sent throughout all the Empire to find a suitable girl, and the envoys came to Amneia. When Philaret and Theoseba learned that these most illustrious guests were to visit their house, Philaret was very happy, but Theoseba was sad, for they did not have enough food. But Philaret told his wife to light the fire and to decorate their home.

Their neighbors, knowing that imperial envoys were expected, brought everything required for a rich feast. The envoys were impressed by the saint's daughters and granddaughters. Seeing their beauty, their deportment, their clothing, and their admirable qualities, the envoys agreed that Philaret granddaughter, Maria was exactly what they were looking for. This Maria exceeded all her rivals in quality and modesty and indeed became Constantine's wife, and the emperor rewarded Philaret. Thus fame and riches returned to Philaret. But just as before, this holy lover of the poor generously distributed alms and provided a feast for the poor.

He and his family served them at the meal. Everyone was astonished at his humility and said: This is a man of God, a true disciple of Christ. He ordered a servant to take three bags and fill one with gold, one with silver, and one with copper coins. When a beggar approached, Philaret ordered his servant to bring forth one of the bags, whichever God's providence would ordain. Then he would reach into the bag and give to each person, as much as God willed. St Philaret refused to wear fine clothes, nor would he accept any imperial rank. He said it was enough for him to be called the grandfather of the Empress.

The saint reached ninety years of age and knew his end was approaching. He went to the Rodolpheia (The Judgment) monastery in Constantinople. He gave some gold to the Abbess and asked her to allow him to be buried there, saying that he would depart this life in ten days. He returned home and became ill. On the tenth day he summoned his family, he exhorted them to imitate his love for the poor if they desired salvation. Then he fell asleep in the Lord.

He died in the year 792 and was buried in the Rodolpheia Judgment monastery in Constantinople. The appearance of a miracle after his death confirmed the sainthood of Righteous Philaret. As they bore the body of the saint to the cemetery, a certain man, possessed by the devil, followed the funeral procession and tried to overturn the coffin. When they reached the grave, the devil threw the man down on the ground and went out of him.

Many other miracles and healings also took place at the grave of the saint. After the death of the righteous Philaret, his wife Theoseba worked at restoring monasteries and churches devastated during a barbarian invasion.

Reference: O.C.A.

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chzgr8er
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Great suit set
Color: Light Grey, Size: 4
It is incredibly attractive and includes everything a young child needs for a special occasion. The material is a 75% polyester and 25% linen blend, and the outer fabric feels remarkably smooth. Its unstructured design allows for an attractive, natural drape, and the blend conveniently allows for machine washing at home. As is typical with linen-based materials, the fabric can be naturally stiff and prone to wrinkling, so I recommend ironing or steaming it before use. The lightweight feel makes it an excellent choice for the spring, summer, and fall months. Overall, this suit offers exceptional value for the price.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2026
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Amazon Customer
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Summer wedding kids suit
Color: Navy, Size: 10 Years, Color: Navy, Size: 10 Years
Bought this suit for my son in the 10 youth size and honestly was pleasantly surprised by the quality for the price. The navy color looks sharp and dressy without being too stiff or uncomfortable. The material has a little stretch, which helped it fit nicely and made it comfortable for him to move around in. The adjustable waist was a huge plus, especially for growing kids. It fit true to size overall, though the blazer sleeves were slightly long on my son. The pants had a nice slim look without being too tight. We paired it with white sneakers for a more modern look and it came out adorable. This would be perfect for weddings, graduations, concerts, communion, school events, or family photos. Overall, very happy with the purchase and would definitely buy again.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2026
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Kindle Customer
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Very Modern Handsome Suit
Color: Grey, Size: 7 Years, Color: Grey, Size: 7 Years
This is an incredibly sharp looking suit for the little guy. Great price and features, too. I made a mistake in sizing up instead of down and first one was too sloppy on him and would need alterations. He is thin and very thin in the waist. There is a lot of adjustment with buttons in waistband and coat hides the bunching. This shirt and coat will easily take a fuller body than slim I believe. He loves posing in it and feels very classy. Best purchase for a formal suit that will last longer than most kids clothes size wise. Felt bad about returning but careful folding and packing got it good as new.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2026
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Berthav
New York, US
★★★★★ 5
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Color: Black, Size: 7 Years, Color: Black, Size: 7 Years
Excellent quality, My son looks incredible
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Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2026
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Lady Wescott
Birmingham, US
★★★★★ 4
Sharp Looking Kids Suit With One Missing Piece
Color: Navy, Size: 7 Years, Color: Navy, Size: 7 Years
I ordered this suit for my 6yo son in a size 7 so he would have a little room to grow and get more wear out of it, and sizing is perfect. He did not need it for any specific occasion, he just wanted a suit because apparently kindergarteners sometimes wake up and decide they are businessmen now. Let me start with the positives because there are a lot of them. This is a very well made suit. The jacket, pants, and dress shirt are all surprisingly nice quality. The fabric does not feel cheap or flimsy at all. The jacket has good structure, the buttons are well attached, the seams are clean, and all the little details like the collar and pockets look great. It honestly looks like a proper little formal suit. The pants are nicely made as well and pair perfectly with the jacket. The white dress shirt underneath is also good quality and completes the whole look. Overall, it is a really sharp outfit and would absolutely work for special occasions like weddings, recitals, formal events, church, or family photos. Now for the reason I am deducting one star. The listing specifically shows and mentions that this set includes a bow tie. That was actually the main reason I chose this particular suit over others. Some options only had a standard tie or no tie at all, but my son specifically wanted a bow tie. Unfortunately, the bow tie was not included with mine. That was definitely disappointing because it was one of the main selling points for me when choosing this set. Now I have to go find a separate bow tie that matches, which I was hoping to avoid. That said, I do want to be clear that this issue does not take away from the actual quality of the suit itself. The suit is genuinely very well made and looks fantastic on him. If your child needs a suit for a wedding, formal event, recital, or something similar, this would absolutely work. My son mostly just wanted a suit because he thinks it is cool, so now he has one and can show up to school looking like the smallest CEO in kindergarten. Overall, this is a very nice quality suit set. I just wish the bow tie that was advertised had actually been included.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2026

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