Gifts for Those Who Serve: Military, Police, Firefighters and EMTs

For a soldier, a police officer, a firefighter or an EMT, the gift Orthodox Christians have always given is a saint to carry: St Michael the Archangel, St George or St John the Warrior, on a medallion or in a folding icon that fits in a pocket or a locker. Our first pick is the Protector Set ($169), which carries two of them, St John the Warrior and St Michael. Below are the saints, what the Church asks of them, and the gifts for each kind of service.

The saints who stand with those who serve

St Michael the Archangel

His name in Hebrew means “who is like unto God.” The OCA calls him the Chief Commander appointed over all nine ranks of angels. It also says plainly why the faithful turn to him: “We invoke Saint Michael for protection from invasion by enemies and from civil war.” He is honored with all the heavenly powers at the Synaxis on 8 November (21 November on the Old Calendar).

Catholics and Orthodox share his veneration, so a St Michael medallion suits an officer of either Church. Read more on his saint page.

St George the Victory-bearer

George served in the Roman army and rose to command in the emperor’s guard. When Diocletian began his persecution, George gave his wealth to the poor, freed his servants and confessed Christ before the Senate. The OCA says he is called Victory-bearer “not only for his military achievements, but for successfully enduring martyrdom.” His feast is 23 April (6 May on the Old Calendar). See St George.

St John the Warrior

John was a soldier under Julian the Apostate (361–363), sent to hunt down Christians. He was secretly one of them. The OCA records that “he freed those who had been arrested, warned others of the dangers which threatened them, and helped them to escape.” The Church turns to him for comfort in grief and sorrow, and for help recovering what was stolen. His feast is 30 July (12 August on the Old Calendar). See St John the Warrior.

The Guardian Angel

Every named diptych we sell pairs the saint with the Guardian Angel, given at baptism. As the psalm says: “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways” (Psalm 91:11, KJV; Psalm 90 in Orthodox Bibles).

Gifts by service

For a soldier, sailor, airman or Marine

• Protector Set, $169. The St John the Warrior and Guardian Angel diptych, a St Michael the Archangel medallion, a black and gold-tone crucifix on a 60 cm chain and a prayer rope, in a gift box with a card for each saint. For a son or daughter deploying, or a godson starting basic training.
• St George medallion, 60 cm chain, $49. Stainless steel, silver color, on its own chain: the soldier-saint on horseback.
• Travel Set, $99. A travel diptych of Christ and the Mother of God, a 10 cm wooden cross and a prayer rope, in a gift box. A small church that opens in a barracks room.

For the Navy and the Coast Guard, remember St Nicholas. The OCA says merchants and sailors honored him as “a protector of all those journeying on dry land and sea.” The St Nicholas & Guardian Angel diptych is $69.

See all saints for soldiers.

For a police officer

• St Michael the Archangel medallion, $49. Stainless steel, silver color. The saint officers of both Churches know.
• St John the Warrior & Guardian Angel diptych, $69. The soldier who used his post to shield the people he was sent to arrest. It folds shut for a locker or a glovebox.

See saints for police officers.

For a firefighter

In the West, firefighters know St Florian. Catholic Exchange describes him as a high-ranking officer in the Roman army in Noricum, now Austria, martyred by drowning in the Enns River around 304, and kept on 4 May. He is not on the OCA’s calendar for that day, so we don’t present him as an Orthodox saint, and we don’t sell his icon.

Orthodox families have their own icon for fire: the Mother of God “Unburnt Bush”, after the bush Moses saw burning but not consumed. Azbuka Very records the popular belief that this icon saves the homes of those who honor it from fire. Its feast is 4 September (17 September on the Old Calendar). We don’t carry it yet, so for a firefighter we suggest:

• St Michael the Archangel medallion, $49, for the one who runs toward danger.
• Orthodox Crucifix (Eight-Pointed) wooden cross, 10 cm, $29, for the rig or the bunk.

See saints for firefighters and first responders.

For an EMT, paramedic or nurse on nights

• Orthodox Crucifix, black, on a 60 cm chain, $49. A plain three-bar cross that stays under the uniform.
• Black wool prayer rope, 50 knots, $24. For the Jesus Prayer between calls. Our prayer rope guide shows how.

Gifts by budget

Shipping to a base or a ship

We ship to all 50 states, DC and APO/FPO addresses. Free shipping on orders of $99 or more. Browse everything for those who serve in Protectors.

Consecration before it ships

Add Consecration ($49) and our Orthodox priest consecrates the gift with holy water and the prayers of the Church, with a signed certificate and a vial of holy water. A medallion or cross is consecrated before it ships, commemorating the person you name (give their baptismal name); orders with Consecration ship in 3–8 business days. With Consecration, where the Protector Set’s page offers it, the diptych in the set is one our priest consecrated before it left the workshop, filmed with its number on a card, and the set ships in the normal time. Consecrated items are final sale.

A gift of prayer

Some gifts don’t fit in a pocket. Through our prayer services, our priest reads the names you give at the Divine Liturgy, for someone deployed or on the line. For those who gave their lives, ask for them to be remembered in memory. “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13, KJV).