Lives of The Saints: Saint Basil the Great – Archbishop of Caesarea

SAINT BASIL THE GREAT, ARCHBISHOP OF CAESAREA Basil was born during the reign of Emperor Constantine. While still unbaptized, Basil spent fifteen years in Athens where he studied philosophy, rhetoric, astronomy and all other secular sciences of that time. His colleagues at that time were Gregory the Theologian and Julian, later the apostate emperor. In …

Lives of The Saints: Saint Sylvester – Bishop of Rome, The Venerable Seraphim of Savrov, Saint Theodota, & The Venerable Ammon

SAINT SYLVESTER, BISHOP OF ROME Sylvester was born in Rome and from his early youth was learned in worldly wisdom and in the Faith of Christ. He always conducted his life according to the Gospel commandments. He benefited much from the instruction of Timothy the priest whose death for the Faith Sylvester himself witnessed and, …

Lives of The Saints: The Prophet Malachi, The Priest-Martyr Gordius, & Saint Genevieve

THE PROPHET MALACHI Malachi was the last of the prophets in time. He was born after the return of the Hebrews from the Babylonian Captivity in 538-340. He was unusually handsome in countenance; According to legend, the people called him an angel, perhaps because of his external beauty or because of his spiritual purity, or …

Lives of The Saints: The Assembly [Synaxsis] Of The Seventy Holy Apostles, Eustathius – Archbishop of The Serbs, The Eunuch of Queen Candace, & The Venerable Martyr Onuphrius of Hilendar Monastery

THE ASSEMBLY [SYNAXSIS] OF THE SEVENTY HOLY APOSTLES Besides the Twelve Greater Apostles, the Lord chose Seventy Lesser Apostles and sent them to preach the Gospel. "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place He intended to visit. He said …

Lives of The Saints: The Priestly-Martyr Theopempos & The Martyr Theonas, The Holy Prophet Micah The First, The Venerable Mother Syncletica, & The Venerable Apollinaria

THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR THEOPEMPOS AND THE MARTYR THOENAS When Diocletian began his persecution of the Christians, Theopempos, Bishop of Nicomedia, was among the first to suffer martyrdom for Christ. Theopempos was brought before the emperor who threatened him with punishment of death if he did not deny Christ. To that threat, the courageous bishop responded to …

Lives of The Saints: Saint John the Baptist, & The Holy Martyr Athanasius

SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST Because John's main role in his life was played out on the day of the Epiphany (Theophany), the Church from earliest times dedicated the day following Epiphany to his memory. To this feast is also linked the incident with the hand of the Forerunner. The Evangelist Luke desired to remove the …

Lives of The Saints: The Holy Martyrs Julian And Basilissa, Venerable George The Chozibite, Saint Domnica, And Saint Gregory – Bishop of Ohrid

THE HOLY MARTYRS JULIAN AND BASILISSA Julian and Basilissa were of noble and wealthy parents. United in marriage, they vowed to live chastely as brother and sister. They distributed all of their property to the poor and both were tonsured. Julian founded a monastery and Basilissa founded a convent. Julian had about ten-thousand monks and …

Lives of The Saints: The Holy Martyr Polyeuctus, The Venerable Eustratius, Saint Philip – Metropolitan of Moscow

THE HOLY MARTYR POLYEUCTUS The Armenian city of Melitene was drenched with the blood of Christians as was the entire country of Armenia. The first blood shed for Christ in this city was that of Saint Polyeuctus in the year 259 AD. during the reign of Valerian. In this city [Melitene] were two friends: both …

Lives of The Saints: Saint Gregory – Bishop of Nyssa, The Venerable Ammon – Egyptian Ascetic, & Saint Marcian

SAINT GREGORY, BISHOP OF NYSSA Gregory was the brother of Basil the Great. At first, he was only a presbyter since he was married; but when his wife Blessed Theosevia died, Gregory was chosen and consecrated as bishop of Nyssa. He was distinguished by his great secular leaming and spiritual experience. He participated at the …

Lives of The Saints: Venerable Theodosius The Great (The Cenobiarch), Blessed Michael – A Fool For Christ

VENERABLE THEODOSIUS THE GREAT [THE CENOBIARCH] Theodosius was the first founder and organizer of the cenobitic way of monastic life. He was born in the province of Cappadocia in the village of Mogarissus of devout parents. As a child, he visited St. Simeon the Stylite who blessed him and prophesied great and spiritual honors about …

Lives of The Saints: Holy Martyr Tatiana of Rome, Holy Martyr Peter Apselamus, Venerable Mother Theodora

THE HOLY FEMALE MARTYR TATIANA Tatiana was a Roman whose parents were of great nobility. She was a Christian and a deaconess in the church. After the death of Emperor Heliogabalus, Emperor Alexander, whose mother Mammaea was a Christian, reigned in Rome. The emperor himself was wavering and indecisive in the Faith for he kept …

Lives of The Saints: The Holy Martyrs Hermylas and Stratonicus, Saint James – Bishop of Nisibis, The Venerable Maximus Kapsokalivitos

THE HOLY MARTYRS HERMYLAS AND STRATONICUS The Emperor Licinius raised up a persecution against Christians. St. Hermylas, a Christian and a deacon in the Church, was captured and led to court. When Hermylas was informed that he was being led away to be tortured, he greatly rejoiced. In vain did the emperor threaten him. Hermylas …

Lives of The Saints: Saint Sava – Archbishop of the Serbs, The Venerable Martyrs – The Fathers of Sinai and Raithu, Saint Hilary – Bishop of Poiters, Saint Nina – Enlightener of The Georgians

SAINT SAVA [SABAS], ARCHBISHOP OF THE SERBS Sava was born in 1169 AD. He was the son of Stephen [Stefan] Nemanja the Grand Zupan of the Serbs. As a young man Sava yearned for the spiritual life for which he fled to the Holy Mountain [Mt Athos] where he was tonsured a monk and with …

Lives of The Saints: Venerable Paul of Thebes, Venerable John Kushchnik, Venerable Gabriel of Lesnov, The Holy Martyr Pansophius

VENERABLE PAUL OF THEBES Paul was born of wealthy parents in Lower Thebes in Egypt during the reign of Emperor Decius. Paul, along with his sister, inherited all the property of their parents. But his brother-in-law, an idolater, wanted to confiscate Paul's share of the property and threatened to betray Paul before the judge as …

Lives of The Saints: Saint Peter The Apostle, The Holy Martyrs Speusippus, Eleusippus, Meleusippus, and Their Grandmother Leonilla, The Venerable Martyr Damaskin of Gabrovo, & The Venerable Romil

SAINT PETER THE APOSTLE (THE CHAINS OF ST. PETER) Saint Peter is commemorated on this day because of the chains by which he was shackled by the lawless Herod and which during the appearance of an angel in prison fell from him, "Suddenly the angel of the Lord stood by him and a light shone …

Lives of The Saints: Venerable Anthony the Great, The Holy Emperor Theodosius The Great, & The Holy Neo-Martyr George of Ionnina

VENERABLE ANTHONY THE GREAT Anthony was an Egyptian and was born about the year 250 A.D. in the village of Koman near Herculea. Following the demise of his noble and wealthy parents, he divided the inherited estate with his sister, who was a minor, and provided for her with some relatives. Anthony distributed his half …

Lives of The Saints: Saint Athanasius The Great – Archbishop of Alexandria, & Saint Maxim – Archbishop of Wallachia

SAINT ATHANASIUS THE GREAT, ARCHBISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA Athanasius was born in Alexandria in the year 296 AD, and from his early childhood had an inclination to the spiritual life. He was a deacon to Archbishop Alexander and accompanied him to the First Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 325 AD]. It was at this Council that Athanasius became …

Lives of The Saints: Macarius The Great, Macarius of Alexandria, Arsenius – Bishop of Corfu, Saint Mark – Archbishop of Ephesus & Blessed Theodore “Fool For Christ” From Novogrod

VENERABLE MACARIUS THE GREAT Macarius was an Egyptian and one of the younger contemporaries of Anthony the Great. His father was a priest. Out of obedience to his parents, Macarius married. However, his wife died shortly thereafter and he withdrew into the wilderness where he spent sixty years in labor and struggle, both internally and …

Lives of The Saints: Saint Euthymius The Great & The Holy Martyrs Innas, Nirras, and Pinnas

SAINT EUTHYMIUS THE GREAT Of noble and distinguished parents, Euthymius was born in the Armenian town of Melitene near the Euphrates river about the year 377 AD. He was the only child, a son, born in answer to the prayer of his mother Dionisiya, who had a heavenly vision regarding the birth of Euthymius. From …

Lives of The Saints: The Venerable Maximus The Confessor, Maximus The Greek, & Holy Priest-Martyr Neophytus

VENERABLE MAXIMUS, THE CONFESSOR Maximus was a Constantinopolian by birth and, at first. a high-ranking courtier at the court of Emperor Heraclius and. after that, a monk and abbot of a monastery not too far from the capitol. He was the greatest defender of Orthodoxy against the so-called Monothelite heresy which proceeded from the heresy …

Lives of The Saints: The Holy Apostle Timothy & The Venerable Martyr Anastasius

THE HOLY APOSTLE TIMOTHY Timothy was one of the Seventy Apostles. He was born in Lystra in Lycaonia of a Greek father and a Jewish mother. The Apostle Paul praised his mother and grandmother because of their sincere faith.  "I yearn to see you again, recalling your tears, so that I may be filled with …

Lives of The Saints: The Priestly-Martyr Clement, Bishop of Ancyra & Saint Paulinus the Merciful

THE PRIESTLY-MARTYR CLEMENT, BISHOP OF ANCYRA Clement was born in the year 258 AD. in the city of Ancyra of a pagan father and a Christian mother. His devout mother Euphrosyne prophesised that her son would die a martyr's death and then she departed this world when Clement was twelve years old. Her friend Sophia …