Many gifts

St. Nicholas icons written on gessoed wooden panels by Fr. Jon Buffington, a Catholic priest who is master iconographer at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.

Wooden is today's DDW-Mollymay challenge.


During these twelve days of Christmas, it's fitting to honor St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra (in modern-day Turkey) in the 4th century, from whom the nickname Santa Claus is derived. In the large icon he's shown with sailors because he is patron saint of mariners. His reputation as gift-giver stems from a story that he tossed gold coins into a window where three young women lived who lacked a dowry.

Iconography is just one of Fr. Buffington's talents. He was trained as an actor, works as a chaplain at Providence Medical Center, teaches icon writing at the Episcopal cathedral, and serves as celebrant and preacher at various Catholic parishes. For more of his work, see this interview from Oregon Public Broadcasting.