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The Spirit of Christmas

The Spirit of Christmas icon was created by Leonidas Diamantopoulos at the direction of the Saint Nicholas – Tele-Santa executive committee. The icon depicts the birth of Jesus and shows a symbolic Icon of St. Nicholas passing forward a Cross and a gift to the modern-day Santa Claus. The icon inspires children and adults that Christmas is about remembering and honor the birth of Jesus and encourages LOVE which trumps hate. St. Nicholas was known for his acts of kindness and love. Orthodox Christians venerate our icons to teach our young children about our Orthodox faith.

The Spirit of Christmas icon is used by our St. Nicholas Tele-Santas to help explain the correlation between Saint Nicholas the Saint and the modern day Santa to children.  

About the Icon

The Spirit of Christmas is an icon aimed towards children between the ages of three and ten.  The icon celebrates the Incarnation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 


The eye of the child, upon gazing at the icon, is captivated by the glow of the North Star that leads to the Nativity of our Lord with His beloved mother, along with Joseph, His earthly father, and the magi who are bringing gifts to present to Him.


The loving spirit of giving is accentuated in that God sent His only begotten Son to the world, so that all of us who believe in Him shall be saved. The Spirit of Christmas was exemplified by this holy man, the Bishop of Myra, St. Nicholas, who offered The Spirit of Christmas to save lives by giving all that he had for his fellow man.


This icon depicts the humble and holy St. Nicholas offering to Santa Claus, his example of the modern era, the cross of Christ, like an athlete running in an event, who hands the baton over in a race to his fellow team member. The Spirit of Christmas is then shared with households throughout the World. The joy of giving and celebrating the Incarnation of Christ is reenacted every time people embody that Spirit of Christmas: LOVE!

About the Iconographer

Iconographer Leonidas Diamantopoulos

A native of Greece, Leonidas Diamantopoulos is a revered iconographer whose expertise was forged alongside esteemed masters. His dedication to Orthodox Iconography led him from Greece to North America and beyond, establishing his residence in the USA in 1980. With a prolific career that has graced over forty churches with his art, Leonidas’ icons serve as spiritual beacons to congregations worldwide. His masterpieces, recognized as some of the most magnificent in the Western Hemisphere, reflect his deep reverence for the divine art form that is as eternal as the faith it depicts.

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