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Welcome to the Guild's site !
From St. Paul's Letter to the Galatians 5:22-26; 6:1-2
Brethren, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;
against such there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy
of one another. Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.
Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
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| The Chapel of Panagia Soumela, Paracletos Monastery |
Paracletos Greek Orthodox Monastery in Antreville, South Carolina. The Monastery is under the auspices of
the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta
Divine Liturgy on Saturdays (call the Monastery for times)
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| The Chapel (side view) |
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| New marble iconostasis at the Monastery |
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| New dining room addition at the Monastery |
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| a young volunteer at the Monastery |
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| Father George with the children at the Monastery |
Photos of the Agape Group at the Monastery - March 2009
Photos from the Monastery's Lenten Luncheon (click here)
Photos from the First Salutations at the Monastery with His Eminence, Metropolitan Alexios
Anderson Greek Festival volunteers at the Paracletos Greek Orthodox
Monastery, January 13, 2008
Festival volunteers attending a luncheon at the Monastery on January the 13th, 2008
Thiranixia at the Paracletos Greek Orthodox Monastery: September the 7th, 2007
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| Thiranixia |
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| Fr. Nikoly, Fr. Aris, Fr. Marcus & Abbess Pavlina |
Photos of the Chapel process
Feb. 21, 2006: His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta officiated the
Groundbreaking (Laying of the Foundation Stone) of the Chapel of Panagia Soumela, Paracletos Greek Orthodox Monastery
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| The Chapel of Panagia Soumela |
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| Chapel under construction, Summer 2006 |
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| The Chapel of Panagia Soumela, Paracletos Greek Orthodox Monastery |
Photos from the Dormition Feast at the Paracletos Monastery
St. Euphrosynus the Cook, of Alexandria
Commemorated on September 11
Saint Euphrosynus the Cook was from one of the Palestinian monasteries, and his obedience was to work in
the kitchen as a cook. Toiling away for the brethren, St Euphrosynus did not absent himself from thought about God, but rather
dwelt in prayer and fasting. He remembered always that obedience is the first duty of a monk, and therefore he was obedient
to the elder brethren.
The patience of the saint was amazing: they often reproached him, but he made no complaint
and endured every unpleasantness. St Euphrosynus pleased the Lord by his inner virtue which he concealed from people, and
the Lord Himself revealed to the monastic brethren the spiritual heights of their unassuming fellow-monk.
One of the
priests of the monastery prayed and asked the Lord to show him the blessings prepared for the righteous in the age to come.
The priest saw in a dream what Paradise is like, and he contemplated its inexplicable beauty with fear and with joy.
He
also saw there a monk of his monastery, the cook Euphrosynus. Amazed at this encounter, the presbyter asked Euphrosynus, how
he came to be there. The saint answered that he was in Paradise through the great mercy of God. The priest again asked whether
Euphrosynus would be able to give him something from the surrounding beauty. St Euphrosynus suggested to the priest to take
whatever he wished, and so the priest pointed to three luscious apples growing in the garden of Paradise. The monk picked
the three apples, wrapped them in a cloth, and gave them to his companion.
When he awoke in the early morning, the
priest thought the vision a dream, but suddenly he noticed next to him the cloth with the fruit of Paradise wrapped in it,
and emitting a wondrous fragrance. The priest, found St Euphrosynus in church and asked him under oath where he was the night
before. The saint answered that he was where the priest also was. Then the monk said that the Lord, in fulfilling the prayer
of the priest, had shown him Paradise and had bestown the fruit of Paradise through him, " the lowly and unworthy servant
of God, Euphrosynus."
The priest related everything to the monastery brethren, pointing out the spiritual loftiness
of Euphrosynus in pleasing God, and he pointed to the fragrant paradaisical fruit. Deeply affected by what they heard, the
monks went to the kitchen, in order to pay respect to St Euphrosynus, but they did not find him there. Fleeing human glory,
the monk had left the monastery. The place where he concealed himself remained unknown, but the monks always remembered that
their monastic brother St Euphrosynus had come upon Paradise, and that they in being saved, through the mercy of God would
meet him there. They reverently kept and distributed pieces of the apples from Paradise for blessing and for healing. (source:
OCA)
 St. Nektarios of Aegina
A 20th-Century Saint
Commemorated on November 9
St. Nektarios of Aegina, is one of the most widely known of Greek Orthodox Saints. He was born on October
1st, 1846 in Silyvria, in Asia Minor (now Turkey). At Holy Baptism he was given the name Anastasios. His
parents were simple pious Christians. They brought him up in a manner pleasing to God, and did what their very limited means
allowed for his formal education. Having completed elementary school in his hometown, he left for the great city of Constantinople
at the age of 14. There, he found employment as a shop assistant and was able to earn a meager living. As well as regularly
attending Divine Liturgy, he also read the Holy Scriptures and Writings of the Holy Fathers of the Church on a daily basis.
From his wide reading, the young Anastasios made a collection of wise sayings, which he fervently spread to the customers
of his store by writing them on the paper used to wrap their goods. He was selected to teach the lower grades of the orphanage
of the All-Holy Sepulchre in Constantinople. This allowed hime to continue his studies, he longed to become
a Theologian. In 1866, at the age of 20, Anastasios went to the island of Chios, where he was appointed a teacher. After 7
years, he entered into the local monastery, under the care of the venerable elder Pachomios. After 3 years as a novice Anastasios
was tonsured a Monk and given the nmae Lazarus. A year later, he was ordained a Deacon and received the name Nektarios. Elder Pachomios, and a wealthy local benefactor convinced the young monk to complete his school studies
in Athens. From there Deacon Nektarios went Alexandria, where he was cared for the Patriarch of Alexandria, Sophronios. The
Patriarch insisted that Nektarios complete his Theological studies, and so in 1885 he graduated from the School of Theology
in Athens. The Patriarch of Alexandria ordained Deacon Nekatrios to the Priesthood in 1886. His great service to the Church,
prolific writing and teachings, energy and zeal led Fr. Nektarios to be ordained as the Metropolitan of Pentapolis in Egypt.
As a Metropolitan he was greatly admired and loved by his flock for his virtue and purity of life. But this
great admiration by the people aroused the envy of certain high officials, who plotted and succeeded in having the Blessed
Metropolitan removed from office in 1890. - without a trial or any explanation whatsoever. He returned tio Greece to become
a monk and Preacher, to the great edification of the people. There the Blessed Metropolitan continued to write his now famous
books. In 1894, St. Nektarios became Director of the Riarios Ecclesiastical School, where he was to remain for 15 years. As
an educator, the chief concern of the venerable Hierarch was to incite and guide youth to become good Christians. His fifteen
years at Rizarios were also productive for the writing of many more books and teachings.
In 1904, our Saint founded a monastery for women in Aegina, the Holy Trinity Convent. Under his guidance
the Convent florished. In 1908, the Blessed Nektarios, at the age of 62, retired from the Rizarios Ecclesiastical School and
withdrew to Holy Trinity Convent in Aegina. There, for the rest of his life as a true monk and ascetic. He served as a confessor
and spiritualguide tothe nuns andeven priests from as far as Athens and Piraeus. His Holy and pious life shone forth like
a guiding light to all near him. Many would come to him for healing. Saint Nektarios was a great Wonderworker even while alive.
On September 20, 1920 one of the nuns took him to the local hospital, in spite of his protest. He was convulsing
in pain from a long-standing ailment. He was admitted, and placed into a ward reserved for the poor and unwanted. There he
stayed for two months among the sick and dying. At 10:30 in the evening of November 8th, although in the midst of terrible
pains, in peace and at prayer he gave up his spirit unto God at the age of 74.
As soon as the Saint gave up his Spirit, a nurse came to prepare him for transfer to Aegina for burial.
As the nurse removed the Saints sweater, she inadvertently placed it on the next bed, on which a paralytic lay. And O,
strange wonder!, the paralytic immediately began to regain his strength and arose from his bed healthy, and glorifying God.
Some time after his repose, strangely a beautiful fragrance was emitted by his Holy body, filling the room.
Many came to venerate his Holy relics prior to his burial. With amazement, people noted a fragrant fluid that drenched his
hair and beard. Even after 5 months, when the nuns of the convent opened the Saints grave to buld a marble tomb, they found
the Saint intact in every respect and emitted a wonderful and heavenly fragrance. Similarly three years later, the Holy Relics
were still whole and radiating the same heavenly fragrance.
Many people had regarded Nektarios as a Saint whilst he was still alive, because of his purity of life,
his virtues, the nature of his publications, his gift of foreknowledge and the miracles he performed. The recognition of him
as a Saint spread rapidly after his repose. God confirmed the Sanctity of Nektarios at his repose and by the miracles attributed
to the Saint after his respose. The Orthodox Church proclaimed him as a Saint on April 20, 1961. His Blessed memory ic celebrated
by the Church on November 9th.
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia website
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| The Monastery of Saint Nectarios on the island Aegina, Greece |
St. Nicholas Planas (Papa Nicholas)
Commemorated on March 2
St. Nicholas was a simple parish priest in Athens, humble, poor and barely literate.
He was born on Naxos in 1851 to moderately prosperous parents; but when his father died, his mother was reduced to near-poverty,
and moved the family to Athens. St. Nicholas married at the age of seventeen, but his wife died after a short time, leaving
him with one son. He served the Divine Liturgy daily, never missing a day of fifty years, despite illness, storms, and wars.His
liturgies unfailingly lasted for several hours, mostly due to hundreds of commemorations that he included. The faithful would
give him sheets of papers containing names to be commemorated, he would carry all the sheets with him in bulging satchels.
A few of his spiritual children made it their task to go through the paper secretly and discard the oldest and most worn,
so that the commemorations would not increase without limit.
In his conversation, the Saint had a simple and childlike (his detractors
would say childish) manner, and he was widely despised by more sopisticated laymen, priests and hierarchs, never being appointed
to any but the smallest and poorest parishes. Many, however, discerned his hliness, and large synadia of spiritual
children slowly gathered around him.
Once, a very young boy ran out from the altar while Fr. Nicholas was serving
with fear, cried to his mother, 'Mama, Father Nicholas is floating in the air!' His mother, trying to comfort him, said "Don't
be afraid, all priests do that when they serve the Liturgy.' St. Nicholas was often in difficulties with the hierarchy because
he continued to keep the feasts according to the Old Calendar. Nonetheless, he never broke commumnion with the national church
(nor they with him): his humility left no room for church politics. "New Calendar' Church of Greece and their "Old Calendar'
opposition. Like St. John Maximovich, his holinesshas transcended the canonical disputes that bedevil the Church. He reposed
on March 2, 1932 (on March 2, 1884, he was ordained a priest in the church of the Holy Prophet Elisha).
Source: Orthodox Saints, www.abbamoses.com
Holy Wonderworking
Unmercenary Physicians Cosmas and Damian at Rome
Commemorated
on July 1
These holy brothers, Ss. Cosmas and Damian of Rome, were born in the third century of Christian
parents that raised them in piety and chastity. Ss. Cosmas and Damian were physicians that were given the gift of healing.
They are called unmercenaries, because they refused payment. The brothers told those seeking healing from them: "It is not by our own power that we treat you, but by the power of Christ, the true
God. Believe in Him and be healed." Through their faith and the power of healing, they brought many to the Faith rousing
the anger of the Roman authorities. The local Christians convinced them to hide, but they surrendered themselves when
they heard of other Christians being imprisoned in their place. They were imprisoned and put on trial in front of Emperor
Carinus, being accused of sorcery. They professed their faith in Jesus Christ. The emperor Carinus was then struck
blind and pleaded with the Saints to heal him and promised to release them and to repent and join the Faithful. Ss.
Cosmas and Damian did so and the emperor did as he promised. Seeing this and the fame that the brothers found from the
miracles that occurred through them, their former teacher became filled with envy. He invited them into the wilderness
to collect healing herbs. Ss. Cosmas and Damian, trusting their teacher went suspecting nothing, only to be murdered
and thrown into the river. Many are still healed through their intercessions.
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| The Presentation of Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church in Malbis, Alabama |
St Tikhon the Bishop
of Amathus in Cyprus
Commemorated on June 16
Saint Tikhon, Bishop
of Amathus, was born in the city Amathus on the island of Cyprus. His parents raised their son in Christian piety, and taught
him the reading of sacred books. It is said that the gift of wonderworking appeared in St Tikhon at quite a young age.
His
father was the owner of a bakery, and whenever he left his son alone in the shop, the holy youth would give free bread to
those in need. Learning of this, his father became angry, but the son said that he had read in the Scriptures, that in giving
to God one receives back a hundredfold. "I," said the youth, "gave to God the bread which was taken," and he persuaded his
father to go to the place where the grain was stored. With astonishment the father saw that the granary, which formerly was
empty, was now filled to overflowing with wheat. From that time the father did not hinder his son from distributing bread
to the poor.
A certain gardener brought the dried prunings of vines from the vineyard. St Tikhon gathered them, planted
them in his garden and besought the Lord that these branches might take root and yield fruit for the health of people. The
Lord did so through the faith of the holy youth. The branches took root, and their fruit had a particular and very pleasant
taste. It was used during the lifetime of the saint and after his death for making wine for the Mystery of the Holy Eucharist.
They accepted the pious youth into the church clergy, made him a reader. Later, Mnemonios, the Bishop of Amathus ordained
him a deacon. After the death of Bishop Mnemonios, St Tikhon by universal agreement was chosen as Bishop of Amathus. St Epiphanius,
Bishop of Cyprus (May 12), presided at the service.
St Tikhon labored zealously to eradicate the remnants of paganism
on Cyprus; he destroyed a pagan temple and spread the Christian Faith. The holy bishop was generous, his doors were open to
all, and he listened to and lovingly fulfilled the request of each person who came to him. Fearing neither threats nor tortures,
he firmly and fearlessly confessed his faith before pagans.
In the service to St Tikhon it is stated that he foresaw
the time of his death, which occurred in the year 425.
The name of St Tikhon of Amathus was greatly honored in Russia.
Temples dedicated to the saint were constructed at Moscow, at Nizhni Novgorod, at Kazan and other cities. But he was particularly
venerated in the Voronezh diocese, where there were three archpastors in succession sharing the name with the holy hierarch
of Amathus: St Tikhon I (Sokolov) (+ 1783, August 13), Tikhon II (Yakubovsky, until 1785) and Tikhon III (Malinin, until 1788).
Source: OCA
The All-Praised Olga, Equal-To-The-Apostles, Princess
of Kiev
Commemorated on July 11
Saint Olga, renowned for her wisdom and sobriety, in her youth became the wife of Igor, Great Prince of Kiev,
who ruled during the tenth century. After her husband's death, she herself ruled capably, and was finally moved to accept
the Faith of Christ. She traveled to Constantinople to receive Holy Baptism. The Emperor, seeing her outward beauty and inward
greatness, asked her to marry him. She said she could not do this before she was baptized; she furthermore asked him to be
her Godfather at the font, which he agreed to do. After she was baptized (receiving the name of Helen), the Emperor repeated
his proposal of marriage. She answered that now he was her father, through holy Baptism, and that not even among the heathen
was it heard of a man marrying his daughter. Gracefully accepting to be outwitted by her, he sent her back to her land with
priests and sacred texts and holy icons. Although her son Svyatoslav remained a pagan, she planted the seed of faith in her
grandson Vladimir (see July 15). She reposed in peace in 969.
St. John Maximovitch the Wonderworker, Archbishop
of Shanghai and San Francisco
Commemorated on June 19
John was born in Russia in 1896 and at first given the name Michael. When he became a monk, he took the
a monk, he took the name of John in honor of his relative Saint John of Tobolsk. He taught at the Orthodox Seminary in Serbia,
and then was elevated to bishop and sent to Shanghai, China. He became known for his daily church services, the strictness
of his own asceticism, coupled with a loving heart, and the raising of orphans. By this point, John had been known as a holy
man for some time. In 1950, John and his spiritual children safely left Shanghai. He was then elevated to Archbishop of Paris
and later of San Francisco in 1963. Wherever John went, he inspired souls to convent to Orthodoxy. He also found and celebrated
the services of many of the forgotten saints of the West, and he foresaw and worked for the canonization of Saint Herman of
Alaska as well. The power of John's prayers worked miracles in the lives of those for whom he prayed.
Source: "2006 Daily Lives, Miracles, and Wisdom of the Saints"
Blessed Nicholas of Pskov the Fool-For-Christ
Commemorated on February 28
Blessed Nicholas of Pskov lived the
life of a holy fool for more than three decades. Long before his death he acquired the grace of the Holy Spirit and was granted
the gifts of wonderworking and of prophecy. The Pskov people of his time called him Mikula [Mikola, Nikola] the Fool. Even
during his lifetime they revered him as a saint, even calling him Mikula the saintly.
In February 1570, after a devastating
campaign against Novgorod, Tsar Ivan the Terrible moved against Pskov, suspecting the inhabitants of treason. As the Pskov
Chronicler relates, "the Tsar came ... with great fierceness, like a roaring lion, to tear apart innocent people and to shed
much blood."
On the first Saturday of Great Lent, the whole city prayed to be delivered from the Tsar's wrath. Hearing
the peal of the bell for Matins in Pskov, the Tsar's heart was softened when he read the inscription on the fifteenth century
wonderworking Liubyatov Tenderness Icon of the Mother of God (March 19) in the Monastery of St Nicholas (the Tsar's army was
at Lubyatov). "Be tender of heart," he said to his soldiers. "Blunt your swords upon the stones, and let there be an end to
killing."
All the inhabitants of Pskov came out upon the streets, and each family knelt at the gate of their house,
bearing bread and salt to the meet the Tsar. On one of the streets Blessed Nicholas ran toward the Tsar astride a stick as
though riding a horse, and cried out: "Ivanushko, Ivanushko, eat our bread and salt, and not Christian blood."
The
Tsar gave orders to capture the holy fool, but he disappeared.
Though he had forbidden his men to kill, Ivan still
intended to sack the city. The Tsar attended a Molieben at the Trinity cathedral, and he venerated the relics of holy Prince
Vsevolod-Gabriel (February 11), and expressed his wish to receive the blessing of the holy fool Nicholas. The saint instructed
the Tsar "by many terrible sayings," to stop the killing and not to plunder the holy churches of God. But Ivan did not heed
him and gave orders to remove the bell from the Trinity cathedral. Then, as the saint prophesied, the Tsar's finest horse
fell dead.
The blessed one invited the Tsar to visit his cell under the belltower. When the Tsar arrived at the cell
of the saint, he said, "Hush, come in and have a drink of water from us, there is no reason you should shun it." Then the
holy fool offered the Tsar a piece of raw meat.
"I am a Christian and do not eat meat during Lent", said Ivan to him.
"But you drink human blood," the saint replied.
Frightened by the fulfillment of the saint's prophecy and denounced
for his wicked deeds, Ivan the Terrible ordered a stop to the looting and fled from the city. The Oprichniki, witnessing this,
wrote: "The mighty tyrant ... departed beaten and shamed, driven off as though by an enemy. Thus did a worthless beggar terrify
and drive off the Tsar with his multitude of a thousand soldiers."
Blessed Nicholas died on February 28, 1576 and
was buried in the Trinity cathedral of the city he had saved. Such honors were granted only to the Pskov princes, and later
on, to bishops.
The local veneration of the saint began five years after his death. In the year 1581, during a siege
of Pskov by the soldiers of the Polish king Stephen Bathory, the Mother of God appeared to the blacksmith Dorotheus together
with a number of Pskov saints praying for the city. Among these was Blessed Nicholas (the account about the Pskov-Protection
Icon of the Mother of God is found under October 1).
At the Trinity cathedral they still venerate the relics of Blessed
Nicholas of Pskov, who was "a holy fool in the flesh, and by assuming this holy folly he became a citizen of the heavenly
Jerusalem" (Troparion). He also "transformed the Tsar's wild thoughts into mercy" (Kontakion).
Source: OCA
St. Hilarion the Hieromartyr and Archbishop of Vereiya
A 20th-Century Saint
Commemorated on December 15
The holy New Martyr Archbishop Hilarion
(Vladimir Alexeevich Troitsky in the world), an outstanding theologian, an eloquent preacher, and a fearless defender of Christ's
holy Church, was born around 1885.
Vladika Hilarion wrote many books and articles on various topics, including "The
Unity of the Church." His Master's thesis, "An Outline of the History of the Church's Dogma," was over five hundred pages
long, and was a well-documented analysis of the subject.
During the Council of 1917 he delivered a brilliant address calling for the restoration of the Moscow Patriarchate,
which had been dissolved byTsar Peter I in the eighteenth century. When St Tikhon (April 7) was chosen as Patriarch, St Hilarion
became his fervent supporter.
St Hilarion was consecrated as bishop on May 20, 1920, and so the great luminary was
placed upon the lampstand (Luke 11:33). From that time, he was to know less than two years of freedom. He spent only six months
working with Patriarch Tikhon.
Vladika was arrested and exiled in Archangelsk for a year, then he spent six years
(1923-1929) in a labor camp seven versts from Solovki. There at the Filomonov Wharf he and at least two other bishops were
employed in catching fish and mending nets. Paraphrasing the hymns of Pentecost, Archbishop Hilarion remarked, "Formerly,
the fishermen became theologians. Now the theologians have become fishermen."
Archbishop Hilarion was one of the most
popular inmates of the labor camp. He is remembered as tall, robust, and with brownish hair. Personal possessions meant nothing
to him, so he always gave his things away to anyone who asked for them. He never showed annoyance when people disturbed him
or insulted him, but remained cheerful.
In the summer of 1925, Vladika was taken from the camp and placed in the Yaroslav
prison. There he was treated more leniently, and received certain privileges. For example, he was allowed to receive religious
books, and he had pleasant conversations with the warden in his office. St Hilarion regarded his time at the Yaroslav Isolated
Detention Center as the best part of his imprisonment. The following spring he was back at Solovki.
In 1929 the Communists
decided to exile Archbishop Hilarion to Alma-Atu in central Asia. During his trip southward from the far north, St Hilarion
was robbed and endured many privations. When he arrived in Petrograd, he was ill with typhus, infested with parasites and
dressed in rags. When informed that he would have to be shaved, he replied, "You may now do with me whatever you wish." He
wrote from the prison hospital, "My fate will be decided on Saturday, December 15. I doubt I will survive."
St Hilarion
died at the age of forty-four in the hospital of a Petrograd prison on December 15, 1929. His body was placed in a coffin
hastily made from some boards, and then was released to his family. The once tall and robust Archbishop Hilarion had been
transformed by his sufferings into a pitiful white-haired old man. One female relative fainted when she saw the body.
Metropolitan
Seraphim (Chichagov) provided a set of white vestments for the late Archbishop. He was also placed in a better coffin.
Metropolitan
Seraphim presided at the funeral of St Hilarion, assisted by six bishops and several priests. The saint was buried at Novo-Divichy
Monastery.
Source: OCA
St. Demetrius (Dimitri), Metropolitan of Rostov
Commemorated on October 28
Saint Demetrius, Metropolitan
of Rostov (in the world Daniel Savvich Tuptalo), was born in December 1651 in the locale of Makarovo, not far from Kiev. He
was born into a pious family and grew up a deeply believing Christian. In 1662, soon after his parents resettled to Kiev,
Daniel was sent to the Kiev-Mogilyansk college, where the gifts and remarkable abilities of the youth were first discovered.
He successfully learned the Greek and Latin languages and the entire series of classical sciences. On July 9,1668 Daniel accepted
monastic tonsure with the name Demetrius, in honor of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica. Prior to the spring of 1675
he progressed through the monastic obediences at Kiev's Kirillov monastery, where he began his literary and preaching activity.
The Archbishop of Chernigov Lazar (Baranovich) ordained Demetrius as hieromonk on May 23, 1675. For several years
Hieromonk Demetrius lived as an ascetic and preached the Word of God at various monasteries and churches in the Ukraine, Lithuania
and Belarus. It was while he was Igumen of the Maximov monastery,and later the Baturinsk Nikol'sk monastery, in 1684 he was
summoned to the Kiev Caves Lavra. The Superior of the Lavra, Archimandrite Barlaam (Yasinsky), knowing the high spiritual
disposition of his former disciple, his education, his proclivity for scientific work, and also his undoubted literary talent,
entrusted the hieromonk Demetrius with organizing the MENAION, the Lives of the Saints for the whole year.
From this
time, all the rest of St Demetrius's life was devoted to the fulfilling of this ascetic work, grandiose in its scope. The
work demanded an enormous exertion of strength, since it necessitated the gathering and analizing of a multitude of various
sources and to expound them in a fluent language, worthy of the lofty subject of exposition and at the same time accessible
to all believers. Divine assistance did not abandon the saint for his twenty year labor.
According to the testimony
of St Demetrius himself, his soul was filled with impressions of the saints, which strengthened him both in spirit and body,
and they encouraged faith in the felicitous completion of his noble task. At this time, the venerable Demetrius was head of
several monasteries (in succession).
The works of the ascetic brought him to the attention of Patriarch Adrian. In
1701, by decree of Tsar Peter I, Archimandrite Demetrius was summoned to Moscow, where on March 23 at the Dormition cathedral
of the Kremlin he was consecrated as Metropolitan of the Siberian city of Tobolsk. But after a certain while, because of the
importance of his scientific work and the frailty of his health, the saint received a new appointment to Rostov-Yaroslavl,
and on March 1, 1702 assumed his duties as Metropolitan of Rostov.
Just as before, he continued to be concerned about
the strengthening of the unity of the Russian Orthodox Church, weakened by the "Old Believers" schism.
From his inspired
works and preachings many generations of Russian theologians drew spiritual strength for creativity and prayer. He remains
an example of a saintly, ascetic, non-covetous life for all Orthodox Christians. Upon his death on October 28, 1709, it was
discovered that he had few possessions, except for books and manuscripts.
The glorification of St Demetrius, Metropolitan
of Rostov, took place on April 22, 1757. He is also remembered on September 21, the day of the uncovering of his holy relics.
Source: OCA
Great Prince Alexander Nevsky
Commemorated on May 23 (also, August 30 & November 23)
Alexander Yaroslavich (Александр Ярославич
in Russian), the fourth son of Grand Prince Yaroslav II Vsevolodovich of Vladimir, was born in Pereslavl-Zalessky on May 30, 1219. He was the grandson of Vsevolod III (Big Nest, for his numerous family). Being fourth in line, he was
considered to have no chance of succeeding his father to the throne of Vladimir. In 1239, he married Alexandra, the daughter
of the Prince of Polotsk. After his father was poisoned during a visit to see Uzhedei, the Mongol/Tatar Grand Khan in 1246,
Alexander succeeded as the Grand Prince of Vladimir.
In 1236, he was called by the leaders of Novgorod (formally, Lord Novgorod the Great) as their military
leader in defense against Swedish and German invaders. He was named the Prince of Novgorod. At the time Novgorod was a major trading center and was associated with the Hanseatic League. On July 15, 1240, Alexander and his army surprised the Swedish army in a battle at the confluence of the river Izhora with
the Neva. With his victory over the Swedes, Alexander put an end to a further invasion from the north and increased his political
influence in Russia. However, the victory did not help his relations with the boyars and he soon had to leave Novgorod. In
recognition of his victory the nineteen year old Alexander was given the name "Nevsky" (of the Neva).
In the spring of 1241, the Novgorod leaders again called upon Alexander to defend them from the invading and
crusading Teutonic Knights. Again he and his army stopped the invasion, this time in the famous battle on the ice during the
"Battle on Lake Peipus" near Pskov on April 15, 1242. By defeating, first, the Swedes and then the German Teutonic Knights, Alexander stopped their eastward
expansion for several centuries. However, he fought many more battles against the Swedes, including one defeat in 1256 when
they tried to block Novgorod’s access to the Baltic Sea. With the defeat of the Teutonic Knights, Alexander took to
strengthening the defenses of the Russian lands in the northwest by completing a peace treaty with Norway in 1251.
In the meantime, Mongol/Tatar forces had invaded the Russian lands, sweeping through both the northern and
southern regions, destroying principal cities such as Yaroslavl, Vladimir, Chernigov, Pereaslavl, and reducing Kiev to a small
village. Alexander choose a course of submission and co-operation with the Tatars as he considered that resistance was hopeless.
When in 1247, the Tatars came for tribute, he used his reputation as a hero of Novgorod to convince the citizens of Novgorod
that submission was best under such hopeless conditions. When in 1263 a few towns refused to pay tribute to Tatar tax-collectors,
Alexander made his fourth trip to the Tatar headquarters to beg the khan to stop the Tatar army that was enroute to Novgorod.
While he succeeded, this was his last and most difficult of his service for his people; he died on November 14, 1263 during his journey home. Upon receiving the news of his death, Metropolitan Cyril of Vladimir announced in the cathedral: My dear children, know that the sun of Russia has set. (Source: Orthodox Wiki)
Icon of the Mother of God "the
Joy of All who sorrow" (with coins) in St. Petersburg
Commemorated on July 23
The Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of
All Who Sorrow" (With Coins) was glorified in the year 1888 in Petersburg, when during the time of a terrible thunderstorm
lightning struck in a chapel. All was burned or singed, except for this icon of the Queen of Heaven. It was knocked to the
floor, and the poor box broke open at the same time. Somehow, twelve small coins (half-kopeck pieces), became attached to
the icon. A church was built in 1898 on the site of the chapel.
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| St. Matthew (www.comeandseeicons.com) |
Commemorated on November 16
He was a Galilean, the son of Alphaeus, and was originallynamed Levi. He was a tax-collector
(an occupation despised by the Jews of Palestine) until he met the Lord, who said to him, "Follow me." From that day he was
one of the disciples.
After the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the Apostle was appointed to bring
the Gospel to his fellow Jews, for whom, according to the Church's tradition, he wrote down the Gospel for the first time,
in the Aramaic language, eight years after the Ascension. Some years later,this book was translated into Greek by St. James,
the first Bishop of Jerusalem. No copy in the original language has survived.
Later, St. Matthew traveled to Parthia and the city of Hierapolis (on the Euphrates river)
to proclaim the Gospel to the pagans there. When he is depicted in icons, there is portrayed next him the likeness of a man,
one of the symbolic living creatures mentioned by Ezekiel (1.10), which, as Saint Irenaeus writes, is a symbol of our Saviour's
Incarnation.
 St. Gregory Palamas
Commemorated on November 14
The teaching of St. Gregory is so fundamental to Orthodoxy that he is especially commemorated
each year in Great Lent on the Sunday following the Sunday of Orthodoxy (as well as on Nov. 14); Bishop Kallistos observes
in the English edition of the Philokalia, "his successful defence of the divine and uncreated character of the light
of Tabor...(is) seen as a direct continuation of the preceding celebration, as nothing, less than a renewed Triumph of Orthodoxy."
The son of a prominent family, St. Gregory was born (1296) and raised in Constantinople.
At about age twenty, he abandoned a promising secular career to become a monk on Mt. Athos.(His family joined him en masse:
two of his brothers went with him to the Holy Mountain; at the same time his widowed mother, two of his sisters, and many
of the household servants also entered monastic life.) He spent next twenty years living as a hermit, spending five days a
week in complete solitude, then joining the brethren on weekends for the Divine Liturgy and its accompanying services.
Around 1335 he was called to live a much more public life in defense of the
faith and spirituality of the Church. A Greek living in Italy, Barlaam the Calabrian, had launched an attack on the hesychastic
spirituality of the Church. Fundamentally, Barlaan]m denied that man can attain to a true vision of God Himself, or true union
with Him, in this life. Gregory, recognizing in this an attack on the Christian faith itself, responded. He even left the
Holy Mountain and re-settled in Constantinople so as better to wage the struggle, which had become so public that a Church
Council was called to settle the issue. St. Gregory views were affirmed, and Barlaam's condemned, at the Council of Constantinople
of 1341.
Though Barlaam himself returned to Italy, a series of his followers continued the attack,
eventually resulting in two more Council in 1347 and 1351, both of which affirmed the hesychasts' position. Metropolitan Hierotheos
(The Mind of the Orthodox Church) writes that these councils have "all the marks of an Ecumenical Council;" This,
along with the fact that St. Gregory's view are affirmed in the Synodikon of second Sunday of Great Lent, makes clear that
his teaching is a basic and indispensable part of the Orthodox Faith.
In 1347, St. Gregory was consecrated Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, where he served until
his repose. (He spent a year of this period as the prisoner of Turkish pirates). Despite (or due to?) his austere monastic
background, he was revered by his flock: immediately after his respose in 1359, popular veneration of him sprang up in Thessaloniki,
Constantinople and Mt. Athos and, in 1368, only nine yearsafter his death, the Church officially glorified him as a saint.
St. Gregory was always clear that unceasing mental prayer is not a special calling of
monastics, but is possible and desirable for every Christian in every walk of life. See his "On the Necessity of Constant
Prayer for all Christians."
Source: www.abbamoses.com
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| photo: Reuters/Eliana Aponte |
St. Sava I, Archbishop of Serbia
Commemorated on January 12
The son of Stefan Nemanja, the great Serbian national leader, he was born
in 1169. As a young man he yearned for the spiritual life, which led him to flee to the Holy Mountain, where he became a monk
and with rare zeal followed all the ascetic practices. Nemanja followed his son's example and himself went to the Holy Mountain,
where he lived and ended his days as the monk Simeon.
Sava obtained the independence of the Serbian Church from the Emperor and
the Patriarch, and became its first archbishop. He, together with his father, built the monastery of Hilandar and after that
many other monasteries, churches and schools throughout the land of Serbia. He traveled to the Holy Land on two occasions,
on pilgrimage to the holy places there. He made peace among his brothers, who were in conflict over their rights, and also
between the Serbs and their neighbors.
In creating the Serbian Church, he created the Serbian state and Serbian culture
along with it. He brought peace to all the Balkan peoples, working for the good of all, for which he was venerated and loved
by all on the Balkan peninsula. He gave a Christian soul to the people of Serbia, which survived the fall of the Serbian state.
He died in Trnovo in the reign of King Asen, being taken ill after the Divine
Liturgy on the Feast of the Theophany in 1236. King Vladislav took his body to Mileseva, whence Sinan Pasha removed it, burning
it at Vracar in Belgrade on April 27th, 1594.
Virginmartyr Theodosia the Nun of Constantinople
Commemorated on May 29
The Virgin Martyr Theodosia of Constantinople
lived during the eighth century. She was born in answer to the fervent prayers of her parents. After their death, she was
raised at the women's monastery of the holy Martyr Anastasia in Constantinople. St Theodosia became a nun after she distributed
to the poor of what remained of her parental inheritance. She used part of the money to commission gold and silver icons of
the Savior, the Theotokos, and St Anastasia.
When Leo the Isaurian (717-741) ascended the imperial throne, he issued
an edict to destroy holy icons everywhere. Above the Bronze Gates at Constantinople was a bronze icon of the Savior, which
had been there for more than 400 years. In 730, the iconoclast Patriarch Anastasius ordered the icon removed.
The
Virgin Martyr Theodosia and other women rushed to protect the icon and toppled the ladder with the soldier who was carrying
out the command. Then they stoned the impious Patriarch Anastasius, and Emperor Leo ordered soldiers to behead the women.
St Theodosia, an ardent defender of icons, was locked up in prison. For a week they gave her a hundred lashes each day. On
the eighth day, they led her about the city, fiercely beating her along the way. One of the soldiers stabbed the nun in the
throat with a ram's horn, and she received the crown of martyrdom.
The body of the holy virgin martyr was reverently
buried by Christians in the monastery of St Euphemia in Constantinople, near a place called Dexiokratis. The tomb of St Theodosia
was glorified by numerous healings of the sick.
Source: OCA
St. John of the Ladder (Climacus)
March 30
He was born about 579 and came to the monastery at Mount Sinai when he was sixteen, learning
from his spiritual father Martyrius who tonsured him a monk at about age twenty. Martyrius died soon after and John retired
to Tholas, five miles from the monastery, to live as a hermit. He lived in prudent moderation, eating everything allowed in
small amounts. He slept very little and received the grace of continual prayer and the gift of tears. He became famous as
a spiritual guide and received many visitors---so many that some criticized him as a chatterbox! After this criticism he kept
silent for a year, finally speaking only when entreated by those who once criticized him. He visited a large monastery in
Egypt, but continued to live at his hermitage. After forty years at the hermitage, he was elected abbot of the monastery at
Mount Sinai. John was a great spiritual director and he placed great emphasis on mourning for one's sins, attaining inner
stillness, and being constantly in prayer, invoking the name of Jesus. It was for his monks that he wrote his famous book
of monastic direction, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, which is read by monks during Great Lent. In it, he said, "When
we die, we will not be criticized fof having failed to work miracles. We will not be accused of having failed to be theologians
or contemplatives. But we will certainly have to offer some explanation to God for not having mourned unceasingly." Before
his death he resigned as abbot and returned to the quiet of a hermitage. He died in peace in about 649.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
St. Athanasios, Patriarch of Alexandria
January 18
Athanasios was a young deacon to the archbishop of Alexandria in Egypt.
When Arias, an elderly priest also from Alexandria, was spreading his heresy that the Holy Trinity was separate and not one
Godhead, Athanasios wrote brilliant sermons entitled "Against the Arians" and spoke well against them at the Council of Nicaea
in 325. When the patriarch died, Athanasios assumed the post at the age of only thirty. Arias had been excommunicated for
his heresy, but when he convinced the emperor that he had accepted the Nicene Creed, Athanasios correctly understood that
he was not to be believed and would not reinstate him. In fact, the Arians would not be defeated for another two hundred years.
Because of his enemies, a years later Athanasios was banished by a synod in Antioch. Instead of imprisonment, he escaped and
did not return this time until the year 345. This is the return commemorated today. In all, he was persecuted by three emperors,
a Bishop Eusebius, by Arians, and others. He hid in a well, a grave, the desert, and private homes, seeking solace and spiritual
counsel from his elder Anthony the Great.
Source: "The Daily Lives, Miracles, and Wisdom of the Saints and Fasting Calendar, 2006" by the Orthodox
Calendar Company
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| Icon by comeandseeicons.com |
St. Andrew the Apostle, the First-Called
November 30
St. Andrew, the first who was called to be an apostle of Christ. A native
of Bethsaida, he was the elder brother of St. Peter and a fisherman with him on the sea of Galilee. He was a disciple of St.
John the Baptizer (John 1:36ff.) and through John's witness of Jesus, Andrew became Jesus' first follower, believing Him to
be the Messiah.
When Christ called Andrew and Peter from their life as fishermen to
be His disciples, they immediately left all and followed Him (Matt. 4:18ff.). He was one of the Twelve and seems to have had
a special knack for engaging individuals and introducing them to Christ. Thus he brought his brother Simon to Christ (John
1:41), introduced a little lad with five loaves and two fishes to Christ (John 6:8ff.), and even, with Philip, introduced
some Greeks to Him (John 12:20-22). In his later apostolic travels, he went as far as Scythia near the Black Sea (and is therefore
hailed by Russians as their national patron) and established a church in Byzantium on his return. He then went to preach in
Greece.
He was finally martyred by being tied to an X-shaped cross, lingering for some
time and preaching to all who saw him. The martyrdom took place in Patras in Achaia. His relics were kept in Constantinople
until 1210. In the church of St. Andrew on Cephalonia a relic can be found.
St. Andrew is the patron of Scotland, Russia, Greece and fishermen. He is usually
depicted with a cross or fish.
St. John the Soldier
Commemorated on July 30
The Holy Martyr John the Warrior served
in the imperial army of the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363). He was sent with other soldiers to seek out and kill Christians.While
appearing to be a persecutor, St John rendered great help to the Christians. He freed those who had been arrested, warned
others of dangers threatening them, and assisted in their flight. St John showed charity not only to Christians, but to all
the destitute and those needing help. He visited with the sick, and he consoled the grieving. When Julian the Apostate learned
about the actions of the saint, he ordered him locked up in prison.
In the year 363 Julian the Apostate was killed
in his war with the Persians. St John was set free and devoted his life to service of neighbor, and he lived in holiness and
purity. He died in his old age.
The precise year of his death is unknown, and the place of burial of St John the Warrior
was gradually forgotten. Then he appeared to a certain devout woman and indicated the location of his tomb. This became known
throughout the region. His uncovered relics were placed in a church of the Apostle John the Theologian in Constantinople.
The Lord granted the relics of St John the Warrior the power of healing. Through the prayers of St John, the aggrieved and
sorrowing received comfort.
In the Russian Church, St John the Warrior is revered as a great intercessor in sorrows
and difficult circumstances. We also pray to him for the recovery of stolen articles.
Source: OCA
St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow is seen illuminated New Year and Christian
decoration. 14 Dec 2005 (photo: Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin)
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| www.comeandseeicons.com |
Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Equals-to-the-Apostles and Teachers
of the Slavs
Commemorated on May 11
Constantine and Methodius were wealthy brothers. They were natives of Thessalonica, a
border city where Greeks and Slavs mixed together. Constantine had a career in the imperial court, but forsook it to live
as a monk. His older brother Methodius had a career in the army which he also forsook for monastic discipline. The two
retired to a monastery in Mount Olympus in 850. In 858, the Khazars of southern Russia asked the emperor to send some missionaries
to them and he sent Constantine and Methodius. They worked among the Khazars for about ten years and then went to Constantinople.
In 862, the Slavs of Moravia asked the emperor for missionaries and the brothers were again sent. The people of Moravia had
already been sent western missionaries, but these missionaries insisted on using Latin and the Moravians wanted to worship
in the their own language. Constantine and Methodius therefore translated the Scriptures and the liturgy for the people into
their own language. They had to invent an alphabet to do this (the so-called "Cyrillic" alphabet). The western missionaries
there were quite hostile to Constantine and Methodius' efforts and accused them interfering with their work. They were
sent to Rome in 868 to explain why they interfered and why they the vernacular in their work instead of Latin. The pope of
Rome agreed with Constantine and Methodius and blessed them to continue using the Slavic vernacular in their mission in Moravia.
While in Rome, Constantine died. He was formally tonsured a monk before his death and given the name Cyril. Methodius returned
to his mission field, having been ordained by the pope as archbishop of Pannonia and Moravia. This added authority did
not help him with his Latin opposition there---the western bishops had him arrested and imprisoned. He was tried and banished
to a prison in faraway Swabia. There he remained until a later pope learned of it in 873 and had him released. He was continually
harassed and accused by the western bishops even though he had the support of Rome. In 881, he was invited to the capital
in Constantinople and was received with honor there. The combined support of Constantinople and Rome at last overcame the
opposition of the western bishops, and he was left by them in peace to do his missionary work. He died in peace in 885. The
work of Cyril and Methodius stands as a testimony to the desire of the Church to have all the nations to the earth hear
the Gospel and worship God in their own vernacular language.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
St. Theodosius, Abbot of the Kiev Far Caves Monastery
and Founder of Coenobitic Monasticism in Russia
Commemorated on May 3
He was born about 1008 in Vasilev, near Kiev. He spent his boyhood in Kursk
and lived in great piety, often giving away his new clothes to the poor---much to his parents' vexation! After his father
died, his mother was alarmed at his monastic temperament and tried to discourage him from this way. He left her at age twenty-four
to search for a holy guide for his life, He found an ascetic, Anthony, who lived in a cave, and attached himself to him with
devotion, sharing his hard life. He refused to leave the caves in which he lived with the ascetic Anthony, even though his
mother, who came looking for him, burst into tears and begged him to return to her. Theodosius was eventually ordained to
the priesthood and at length he became the abbot there. The community expanded under his leadership and Theodosius moved his
monks to a lager physical facility in 1062. The monastery adopted the rule of the Studium monastery of Constantinople and
also served the poor. Theodosius himself was an example to his monks---he was always the first to enter the church and the
last to leave. He performed the most menial tasks even though he was abbot, such as cleaning out the stables and carrying
water. When his monks went astray, he wept over them as a loving father. Some thought him too lax in discipline but he continued
walking in the way of love. One day Theodosius was away from his monastery, visiting the prince. The prince arranged a coach
to return him to his monastery. The coachman, not knowing who he was and thinking him but a poor beggar monk, roughly told
him to drive while he rested. This Theodosius did without a work of rebuke. They changed places before arriving at the monastery.
There the coachman was aghast to learn that his "beggar" was the great Theodosius, abbot of the monastery favored by the prince.
Theodosius never told anyone of his rough treatment but instead gave orders that the coachman be given a good meal. Such was
his humility. The saint died in peace in 1074, a great light for the Russian people.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
St. Innocent, Metropolitan of Moscow, Enlightener
of the Aleuts and Apostle to the Americas
Commemorated on March 31
Innocent believed in the words of the psalm that said, "The steps of a man are rightly
ordered by the Lord." And this was the theme of the sermon that he asked to be taught at his funeral. He was a nineteenth-century
priest from the Russian village of Anginsk. Innocent believed that the heart cannot resist words of one who abounds in faith
and love, and to this end he took the word of God to as many as he could, from the most remote areas to vast continents.
He even translated the word of God into the six dialects of the local tribes on the island of Sitka, and the Yakut first heard
the word of God because of Innocent. He also translated the Gospel for the Aleuts and wrote one of the finest studies for
Orthodox missionary work, Indication of the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven. Innocent also helped Saint Nicholas the Apostle
to Japan with his mission work by sharing his own experiences.
Source: "2006 Daily Lives, Miracles and Wisdom of the Saints and Fasting Calendar" by The Orthodox Calendar
Company
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| A monastery in Greece |
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| Greece |
Jan 22, 2005: Benefit Luncheon for the Monastery's Chapel
Luncheon sponsored by the Velouchi Society (Chapter 9). Hosted by the Building Fund of the Paracletos
Monastery at the Hellenic Center, St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral (Greenville, SC).
Photos by Charlie Joiner
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| The Velouchi Volunteers |
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| Left to right, Fr. John, the Sisters, Fr. Tom, George (Parish Pres.) and Presbytera |
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| Lauren, Sam, Kathy and Maria |
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| Steve and Jimmy |
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| Sister Miriam & George |
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| A nice gathering, over 250 people came over to support the Monastery |
St. Seraphim of Sarov
January 2
Born in Kurst, Russia in 1759, with the name of Prokhor, the future saint was a son of
devout Christian parents of the merchant class. At the age of eighteen, he entered the monastery in Sarov. He dovoted himself
to saying the Jesus Prayer and continued in humble service in the monastery, baking bread and working in the woodwork shop.
After four years he fell quite ill and was near death. While the brothers prayed for him in church, he had a vision of the
Mother of God in which he was told he would he would recover, which he eventually did. He was finally tonsured a monk in 1786
with the name Seraphim and was ordained priest in 1793. He served liturgy daily and exhorted the people to receive Holy Communion
frequently. Soon he asked for a blessing to live a life od solitude in the nearby forest. Upon obtaining the blessing, he
moved to the forest, during which time he devoted himself to prayer. He prayed for one thousand days upon a hard rock. He
subsisted each week on a loaf of bread and a few vegetables, out of which he fed the animals that came to his cell. Every
Saturday and Sunday he returned to the monastery and served liturgy. Later, he moved into further isolation in the forest,
not returning to the monastery for three years and living in total silence. Ill health brought an order from the monastery
for him to return. After spending another fiver years in solitude within the monastery walls, he then began to receive visitors,
guiding many as a true elder and confessor. He also guided the Diveyevo convent of nuns, whose care he inherited after the
former abbot of Sarov had reposed. One of St. Seraphim's many visitors was Nicholas Motivilov. In a visit with the saint,
Nicholas was him shine with the uncreated light of God. St. Seraphim was a man filled with God. Year round, he would greet
each visitor with the salutation, "Christ is risen, my joy!" He said that the goal of the Christian life was the acquisition
of the Holy Spirit. He died at the age of eighty in 1833 while kneeling in prayer.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
St. Sergius, Abbot of Radonezh
Feastday: September 25
Even as a child in the womb, Sergius had the grace of the Holy Spirit. Three times during a service, those
around his mother heard him cry out from within her. From his birth he would not drink milk on Wednesdays, Fridays or other
fast days. As a child, he could not read well until an angel of God blessed him. When his parents died, he realized his own
mortality so acutely that he gave away his belongings and built a hut in the wilderness. At twenty-three years of age, he
was tonsured a monk by a passing priest. In vain, demons would transform themselves into snakes and wild animals to drive
him away. He built a small church and then a monastery that stands today. He prayed, and suddenly a spring appeared, which
also still exists. He raised a child from the dead, cleaned lepers, and caused the blind to see. Monks left their monasteries
to live close to him. An angel of the Lord celebrated the Divine Liturgy with him. He had the gift of clairvoyance and reported
the results of a far-off battle as it was happening. The Theotokos came with Saints Peter and John to bless his monastery.
He foresaw his repose six months in advance. After he died, his countenance was bright, and thirty years, his relics were
incorrupt, fragrant, and healed the sick.
Source: "2006 Daily Lives, Miracles and Wisdom of the Saints"
St. Alexios the Man of God
Commemorated on March 17
Alexios (Alexis) was the only son of godly, noble and wealthy parents: Euphemianus & his wife, Agalais.
When he was of age, he was compelled to be married. But on his wedding night, he ran away and sailed to Edessa in Mesopotamia,
where the Holy Napkin, bearing the Face of Jesus, was kept. He venerated this Face, donned simple clothes and lived in poverty
for 17 years there, constantly praying on the porch of the Church of the Mother of God. His peputation grew as a holy man.
He fled from the praise of men by taking a ship bound for Laodicea. Thip ship was blown off course, and he was taken right
to Rome. Receiving this as a call from God, he returned to his parent's home and lived as a hermit in a shack in the courtyard.
He did this for 17 years without his parents or his bride (who lived there as well) knowing who he was. He graciously suffered
abuse by the servants. Just before he died, he wrote down who he was on a sheet of paper and clutched it in his hand. He breathed
his last on March 17, 411. Immmediately there was a voice heard in the Church of the Holy Apostles, where the Patriarch and
the Emperor were, saying, "Look for the Man of God." The Emperor and Pope along with their whole entourage were led by the
Spirit to the courtyard of Euphemianus' house. They found Alexis dead in the shack, his face shining like the sun. His parents
and his bride were comforted by the discovery when they realized how he had been glorified. Sweet myrrh flowed from his body
and many who touched him were healed. He was buried in coffen of marble and emerald.
Source: "Come and See" Icons, Books & Art
Saint Stylianus of Paphlagonia
Commemorated on November 26
Saint Stylianus was born in Paphlagonia
of Asia Minor sometime between the fourth and sixth centuries. He inherited a great fortune from his parents when they died,
but he did not keep it. He gave it away to the poor according to their need, desiring to help those who were less fortunate.
Stylianus left the city and went to a monastery, where he devoted his life to God. Since he was more zealous and devout
than the other monks, he provoked their jealousy and had to leave. He left the monastery to live alone in a cave in the wilderness,
where he spent his time in prayer and fasting.
The goodness and piety of the saint soon became evident to the inhabitants
of Paphlagonia, and they sought him out to hear his teaching, or to be cured by him. Many were healed of physical and mental
illnesses by his prayers.
St Stylianus was known for his love of children, and he would heal them of their infirmities.
Even after his death, the citizens of Paphlagonia believed that he could cure their children. Whenever a child became sick,
an icon of St Stylianus was painted and was hung over the child's bed.
At the hour of his death, the face of St Stylianus
suddenly became radiant, and an angel appeared to receive his soul.
Known as a protector of children, St Stylianus
is depicted in iconography holding an infant in his arms. Pious Christians ask him to help and protect their children, and
childless women entreat his intercession so that they might have children. (source: OCA)
A Gathering with the Sisters
of the Paracletos Greek Orthodox Monastery, Antreville, South Carolina
Saturday, June, 4
Venerable Paul the
Founder of the Xeropotamou Monastery On Mt Athos
Commemorated on July 28
Saint Paul of Xeropotamou, in the world
Procopius, was the son of the Byzanatine Emperor Michael Kuropalatos, who later resigned the imperial office and became a
monk in a monastery he built. Having received the finest education, Procopius became one of the most learned men of his time.
His "Discourse on the Entrance of the Most Holy Theotokos into the Temple," the "Canon to the Forty Martyrs", the "Canon to
the Venerable Cross" and other works gained him great renown. But worldly knowledge and honors did not interest him. He exchanged
his fine garb for beggar's rags, and he went to the Holy Mountain [Athos], to Xeropotamou. He built a cell there at the ruins
of an old monastery founded by the empress Pulcheria in honor of the Forty Martyrs (March 9). From Cosmas, a hermit, he received
monastic tonsure with the name Paul.
Out of humility the saint did not reveal his erudition to anyone. The fame of
Paul's strict life quickly spread throughout the Holy Mountain. He became called Paul of Xeropotamou, and the monastery where
he pursued monasticism, to the present day bears the name Xeropotamou ("dry river").
At that time the emperor Romanus,
a relative of Paul, ascended the throne. Through the Protos of the Holy Mountain he requested the saint to come to Constantinople
and planned a splendid reception for him. The humble Paul, not betraying his monastic duty, appeared with a cross and in torn
robes amid the courtly splendor and magnificence. St Paul confirmed his fame as a chosen one of God, miraculously healing
the grievously ill Romanus by placing his hand on him. But the vanity of courtly life, promised by the gratitude of the emperor,
did not interest the saint; he returned to the Holy Mountain, having asked one favor of the emperor: to restore the Xeropotamou
monastery.
In the holy altar in the consecrated cathedral church of the restored monastery, was put a piece of the
Venerable Wood of the Life-Creating Cross of the Lord, given to St Paul by the emperor Romanus.
Soon the Xeropotamou
monastery was filled by a throng of monks, wanting to put themselves under the guidance of the holy ascetic, but St Paul,
having entrusted the rule of the monastery to one of the brethren, moved off to the remote wilderness. His quiet was again
disturbed by disciples, not wanting to leave their Elder. Then the monk requested of the emperor the means for the building
of a new monastery. Thus the saint founded a monastery in the name of the holy Great Martyr and Victory-Bearer St George.
The first head of the new monastery was St Paul himself, who also brought a piece of the Venerable Wood of the Cross of the
Lord there.
Having been informed in advance by the Lord of his impending end, the saint summoned the brethren of the
Xeropotamou and the new Georgikos monasteries and gave them his final instructions. On the day of his death, St Paul donned
the mantle, and read the prayer of St Joannicius, which he said continually: "My hope is the Father, my refuge is the Son,
my protection is the Holy Spirit, O Holy Trinity, glory to Thee," and he received the Holy Mysteries of Christ.
St
Paul had instructed in his will to bury his body on the peninsula of Pongosa (opposite the Holy Mountain). But by the will
of God the ship was driven to the shores of Constantinople, where the Emperor and Patriarch with the pious took the body of
the saint and solemnly placed it in the Great Church (Hagia Sophia). After the sacking of Constantinople by the Crusaders,
the relics of St Paul were transferred to Venice. (Source: OCA)
St. John of Kronstadt
A 20th-Century Saint, 1829 - 1908
Commemorated on October 19
The Wonder-Working Father John Sergiev is another of the great elders and
saints who were a part of the spiritual revival started by St. Paisius Velichkovsky. Widely venerated as a saint even during
his lifetime, and the only married parish priest in the Russian calendar of saints, Father John is known for spiritual gifts
of powerful prayer, healing, spiritual insight and great love for all people. He reawakened the Russian Orthodox Church to
the Apostolic tradition of receiving Holy Communion at every Divine Liturgy. This is why he ismost commonly portrayed holding
a Communion chalice, as he is in the Russian icon above.
Born to poor, devout parents in a small in the far north of Russia,
Father John experienced the power of prayer even as a child. While at the Theological Academy in St. Petersburg, he wanted
to be a missionary where he was. Thus he married ans was ordained priest in 1855. He was assigned to the St. Andrew Cathedral
on the Island of Kronstadt, in the bay near St. Petersburg. Kronstadt was filled with unspeakable squalor and misery, disease
and starvation, crime and alcoholism. However, Father John remained there for 53 years as an urban missionary, putting into
action Christ's command to love our neighbor, healing people's bodies and souls, and teaching children whom he especially
loved. As his reputation as a healer and miracle-worker spread the many requests for his help that flowed in were accompanied
by much money, which he used for extensive charitable works, including building a "House of Industry" that provided jobs,
job-training, food, shelter and medical care for the poor.
Father John managed to perfect his holiness, not in a peacful, remote monastery,
but in a large, noisy, dirty, stressful, crime-ridden city, always surrounded by crowds of people everywhere, with time to
himself. He received his strength from the overwhelming awareness of the Presence of God from reading the Bible, and from
daily serving the Divine Litugy and receiving Holy Communion. Every day his cathedral was packed with 5,000 people for Matins
and Litugy: it lasted from 4 am until noon, because there were so many requests for his prayers. After, he healed and prayed
for those who asked his help, treating rich and poor equally, and rarely returned home before midnight. Despite his demanding
schedule, he managed to maintain a spiritual diary of simple and practical Bible-based meditations, published as My Life
in Christ. He teaches that the weapons in spiritual warfare are the traditional Orthodox armor: prayer, repentance, fasting,
reading the Bible, and at least weekly Confession and Holy Communion. Father John was a simple parish priest who was endowed
with an absolute faith in the power of prayer, a power that he used daily, and continues to use, to help people who request
his aid.
Although venerated as saint since before his repose, he was officially glorified/canonized
1988. St. John's relics are located in the crypt of the St. John of Rila Women's Monastery, which he founded in northeastern
St. Petersburg. Today as even throughout the Communist era, flowers were regularly placed outside by the street, on the window
ledge closest to his burial site in the crypt on the other side of the wall.
Source: Jane M. deVyver, M.Th., PH.D.
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| Church of The Saviour on the Spilt Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia ( Reuters/ Alexander Demianchuk) |
St John-Vladimir the Prince of Bulgaria, the Greatmartyr
and Miracle-worker
Commemorated on May 22
The Holy Martyr John-Vladimir,
a Serbian prince, was born in the tenth century. From his childhood he was raised in piety, and at maturity he wisely governed
his holdings Illyria and Dalmatia, preserving the holy Faith in purity.
The noble prince was married to Kosara, a
daughter of the Bulgarian Tsar Samuel. Summoned for talks with the Bulgarian Tsar John-Vladislav, he was treacherously murdered
by the Tsar on May 22, 1015, at the entrance to a church. Kosara, the pious spouse of the holy prince, entered a women's monastery
that she built, and where also she died, not leaving the church until the very end of her life. The relics of the holy prince
are located near Elbosan. (Source: OCA)
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| Shipka Monastery, Bulgaria |
Saint James, son of Zebedee
Commemorated on April 30
He was the brother of John and the son of Zebedee. Together with Simon Peter and
Andrew, he was a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee. With the others, he heard Christ's call in Galilee and promptly gave up
all to follow Him (Matt. 4:18-22). He was appointed to be one of the Twelve and, together with his brother John and
Peter, formed a closer inner circle of Christ's friends. They alone witnessed the Transfiguration and the raising of Jairus's
daudhter (Matt. 17:1ff., Mark 5:37ff.).
He ansd his brother were quite warm and impulsive (he would have called down fire from heaven to destroy
a Samaritan town that Christ---Luke 9:51ff.) and our Lord nicknamed them Boanerges---sons of thunder. At first he
shared with the other Twelve a desire for preeminence and had his mother ask Christ to give him and his brother the chief
places in His kingdom. Our Lord, howerver, rejected the ways of ambition and favoritism and said that those places were for
those the Father had parpared. He called them instead to the self-denial that would lead to martyrdom. This "cup of suffering"
they said they were ready to drink (Matt. 20:20ff.). James did indeed drink this glorious cup---he was the first of the apostles
to suffer martyrdom, being slain with the sword by King Herod in about 44 (Acts 12:2). Thus did he fulfill his service
to his Lord and inherit the crown.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
The Book List
"The Orthodox Church" by Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia (Timothy Ware), Penguin Books, London
"Courage to Pray" by Metropolitan Anthony Bloom, Paulist Press, New York
"The Orthodox Church: 455 Questions and Answers", Seventh Printing by Rev. Fr. Stanley S. Harakas,
Light & Life Publishing Company, Minneapolis
"The Greek War of Independence" by David Brewer, The Overlook Press, Woodstock & New York
"Alexander Men: A Witness For Contemporary Russia" by Yves Hamant, Oakwood Publications, Torrance, California
"Mother Maria Skobtsova Essential Writings" Introduction by Jim Forest, Orbis Books, Maryknoll, New York
"Orthodox Worship" by Benjamin D. Williams and Harold B. Anstall, Light & Life Publishing Company, Minneapolis,
Minnesota, 1990
"Introducing The Orthodox Church, Its Faith and Life" by Fr. Anthony M. Coniaris, Light
& Life Publishing Company, 15th Printing (a catechism book)
"The Forgotten Medicine, The Mystery of Repentance" by Archimandrite Seraphim Aleksiev, St. Xenia Skete
Press, 1994
"The Pilgrim's Tale" ("The Way of a Pilgrim"), edited by Aleksei Pentkovsky, Paulist Press, New York
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| Main church in Karyes, Parnonas, Greece |
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St. Panteleimon the Great Martyr & Healer
Commemorated on July 27
This Saint, who had Nicomedia as his homeland, was the son of Eustorgius and Eubula. His father was an idolater, but his
mother was a Christian from her ancestors. It was through her that he was instructed in piety, and still later, he was catechized
in the Faith of Christ by Saint Hermolaus (see July 26) and baptized by him. Being proficient in the physician's vocation,
he practiced it in a philanthropic manner, healing every illness more by the grace of Christ than by medicines. Thus, although
his parents had named him Pantoleon ("in all things a lion"), because of the compassion he showed for the souls and bodies
of all, he was worthily renamed Panteleimon, meaning "all-merciful." On one occasion, when he restored the sight of a certain
blind man by calling on the Divine Name, he enlightened also the eyes of this man's soul to the knowledge of the truth. This
also became the cause for the martyrdom of him who had been blind, since when he was asked by whom and in what manner his
eyes had been opened, in imitation of that blind man of the Gospel he confessed with boldness both who the physician was and
the manner of his healing. For this he was put to death immediately. Panteleimon was arrested also, and having endured many
wounds, he was finally beheaded in the year 305, during the reign of Maximian. Saint Panteleimon is one of the Holy Unmercenaries,
and is held in special honor among them, even as Saint George is among the Martyrs.
Reading courtesy of Holy Transfiguration Monastery
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A Profile of Faith:
Elder Porphyrios
1906–1991
Elder Porphyrios at Kallisia, c. 1965.
Elder Porphyrios was born in the village of Aghios Ioannis in the province of Karystia on the Greek island of
Evia (Euboea). The name he received at birth was Evangelos. His parents, Leonidas and Eleni Bairaktaris, were poor farmers
and had difficulty in supporting their large family. For this reason his father left for America where he worked on the construction
of the Panama Canal.
Young Evangelos was the fourth child of the family. As a boy he looked after sheep on the hills and had completed only
the first class of primary school when, at the age of seven, he was obliged on account of his family’s extreme poverty
to go to the nearby town of Chalkida to work. He worked there in a shop for two or three years. Thereafter he went to Piraeus
to work in a general store owned by a relative. At the age of twelve he left secretly to go to the Holy Mountain. His longing
was to imitate Saint John the Hut-dweller whose life he had read and for whom he felt a special affinity. The grace of God
led him to the hermitage of Saint George in Kavsokalyvia on the wooded slopes of the south-eastern extremity of Mount Athos
where he lived in obedience to two elders, natural brothers, Panteleimon, who was a father confessor, and Ioannikios, who
was a priest. He devoted himself with great love and in a spirit of utter obedience to the two elders who had a reputation
for being exceptionally austere.
He became a monk at the age of fourteen and took the name of Niketas. Two years later he took his final monastic vows of
the Great Schema. Shortly thereafter he was granted the gift of clear sight. At the age of nineteen he became very seriously
ill and was obliged to leave the Holy Mountain. He returned to Evia where he went to live in the Monastery of Saint Charalambos
at Levka. A year later, in 1926, and at the age of twenty, he was ordained priest at the Church of Saint Charalambos in Kymi
by the Archbishop of Sinai, Porphyrios III, who gave him the name Porphyrios. At the age of twenty-two he became a confessor
and spiritual father. For a time he was parish priest in the village of Tsakei in Evia.
He lived for twelve years in the Monastery of Saint Charalambos in Evia serving as a spiritual guide and confessor and
then for three years in the deserted Monastery of Saint Nicholas in Ano Vatheia.
In 1940, on the eve of Greece’s entrance into the Second World War, Elder Porphyrios moved to Athens where he became
chaplain and confessor in the Polyclinic Hospital. He himself said that he served there for thirty-three years as if it were
a single day, devoting himself untiringly to his spiritual work and to easing pain and suffering.
As of 1955 he made his home in the tiny Monastery of Saint Nicholas in Kallisia on the foothills of Mount Pendeli. He rented
this monastic dependency along with the surrounding area from the Pendeli Monastery and worked the land with great diligence.
At the same time he carried out his copious work of spiritual guidance.
In the summer of 1979 he moved to Milesi, a village some thirty miles north of Athens and overlooking his native Evia,
with the dream of founding a monastery there. To begin with he lived in a caravan under exceedingly adverse circumstances
and later in a simple room constructed from breeze blocks where he endured without complaint his many health troubles. In
1984 he moved into a room in a wing of the monastery which was under construction. In spite of the fact that the elder was
seriously ill and blind, he worked constantly and unstintingly for the completion of the monastery. On the 26th February 1990
he was able to see his dream becoming reality when the foundation stone of the church of the Transfiguration was laid.
During the final years of his earthly life he began to prepare himself for his death. His desire was to return to the Holy
Mountain and to his beloved Kavsokalyvia. So it was that he died in his hermitage in Kavsokalyvia on the morning of 2nd December
1991
source: Wounded by Love: The Life and Wisdom of Elder Porphyrios
On Fasting (click here)
"The Role of the Priest in the Parish and in a Secularized Society" by an Orthodox Priest
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| Greece |
"Orthodoxy is life; one cannot talk about it, one must live it."
Elder Nektary of Optina
Three Great Hierarchs, Sts. Basil the Great, Gregory
the Theologian, and John Chrysostom
Synaxis of the Three Hierarchs: January 30
These three lived in the fourth century, and has his own day of commemoration in January. However, a great
controversy arose in the eleventh century as to which one was the greatest. Gregory was known for his theological mind, John
for the beauty and clarity of his talks, and Basil for his purity and courage. Bishop John was appointed as an arbitrator,
and after prayer, he saw the hierarchs in a dream. They conveyed to him that each had his own strengths, but that they were
one in God and there were no disputes among them. They asked that a common feast day be given to them, and harmony was restored.
Source: "The Daily Lives, Miracles, and Wisdom of the Saints and Fasting Calendar 2006"
The Life of the Cross
“Christians obtain their inheritance from Christ when they meet certain conditions. They must seek the Kingdom of
God, according to Christ’s statement: ‘Seek the Kingdom of God and all these things will be yours as well’
(Luke 12:31). They are obligated to love Christ and keep His commandments (John 14:23), pick up their Cross and follow Him
(Matthew 10:38), do unto others as they would want to be done to them (Matthew 7:12), love their neighbors as themselves,
and follow many other conditions that are written in God’s Covenant with the Church.”
[The Church’s
Identity Established through Images according to Saint John Chrysostom, Patristic Theological Library 2, Orthodox Research
Institute, Rollinsford, New Hampshire, 2006; pg. 163.]
Grand Duchess Elizabeth
Commemorated on July 5
Saint Elizabeth was the older sister of Tsarina Alexandra,
and was married to the Grand Duke Sergius, the governor of Moscow. She converted to Orthodoxy from Protestantism of her own
free will, and organized women from all levels of society to help the soldiers at the front and in the hospitals.
Grand
Duke Sergius was killed by an assassin's bomb on February 4, 1905, just as St Elizabeth was leaving for her workshops. Remarkably,
she visited her husband's killer in prison and urged him to repent.
After this, she began to withdraw from her former
social life. She devoted herself to the Convent of Sts Martha and Mary, a community of nuns which focused on worshiping God
and also helping the poor. She moved out of the palace into a building she purchased on Ordinka. Women from the nobility,
and also from the common people, were attracted to the convent.
St Elizabeth nursed sick and wounded soldiers in the
hospitals and on the battle front. On Pascha of 1918, the Communists ordered her to leave Moscow, and join the royal family
near Ekaterinburg. She left with a novice, Sister Barbara, and an escort of Latvian guards.
After arriving in Ekaterinburg,
St Elizabeth was denied access to the Tsar's family. She was placed in a convent, where she was warmly received by the sisters.
At the end of May St Elizabeth was moved to nearby Alopaevsk with the Grand Dukes Sergius, John, and Constantine,
and the young Count Vladimir Paley. They were all housed in a schoolhouse on the edge of town. St Elizabeth was under guard,
but was permitted to go to church and work in the garden.
On the night of July 5, they were all taken to a place twelve
miles from Alopaevsk, and executed. The Grand Duke Sergius was shot, but the others were thrown down a mineshaft, then grenades
were tossed after them. St Elizabeth lived for several hours, and could be heard singing hymns.
The bodies of St Elizabeth
and St Barbara were taken to Jerusalem in 1920, and buried in the church of St Mary Magdalene.
source: OCA
St. Euthymios the Great
Commemorated on January 20
This Saint, who was from Melitene in Armenia, was the son of pious parents named Paul and Dionysia. He was born about
377. Since his mother had been barren, he was named Euthymius-which means "good cheer" or "joy"-for this is what his parents
experienced at his birth. He studied under Eutroius, the Bishop of Melitene, by whom he was ordained and entrusted with the
care of the monasteries of Melitene. Then, after he had come to Palestine about the year 406, he became the leader of a multitude
of monks. Through him, a great tribe of Arabs was turned to piety, when he healed the ailing son of their leader Aspebetos.
Aspebetos was baptized with all his people; he took the Christian name of Peter, and was later consecrated Bishop for his
tribe, being called "Bishop of the Tents." Saint Euthymius also fought against the Nestorians, Eutychians, and Manichaeans.
When Eudocia, the widow of Saint Theodosius the Younger, had made her dwelling in Palestine, and had fallen into the heresy
of the Monophysites which was championed in Palestine by a certain Theodosius, she sent envoys to Saint Symeon the Stylite
in Syria (see Sept. 1), asking him his opinion of Eutyches and the Council of Chalcedon which had condemned him; Saint Symeon,
praising the holiness and Orthodoxy of Saint Euthymius near whom she dwelt, sent her to him to be delivered from her error
(the holy Empress Eudocia is commemorated Aug. 13). He became the divine oracle of the Church, or rather, "the vessel of divine
utterance," as a certain historian writes. He was the instructor and elder of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified. Having lived for
ninety-six (Source: GOArch)
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St. Spyridon the Wonder-worker, Bishop of Tremithus
December 12
Spyridon (Spiridon) was born in about 348 in Cyprus. He was an uneducated and unsophistticated shepherd
with a wife and children. When he was chosen bishop of Tremithus for his great piety, he kept his living as a shepherd. One
day, it is said, a robber came to steal a sheep from his fold. Spyridon found him there, as it were, in the act. "So that
you won't have had trouble for nothing" he said, "take a ram and go. But I wish you would've asked first."
He as a simple, but wise man. One day Spyridon was listening to the sermon of a famous preaher of
Cypus. In quoting the gospels, the preacher substituted the more luxurious word "couch" for the original "bed." "What!" Spyridon
said in response, "Are you better than the Lord who used the word 'bed' that you are ashamed to use His words?"
Another time a traveler came to him, much worn by his journey. He had no food to set before him except
some salted pork. It was Great Lent and the traveler did not want to break the fast. Spyridon replied, "You have good reason
to eat. As St. Paul says 'to the pure, all things are pure." Spyridon himself began to eat the pork.
He traveled to the First Ecumenical Council in Nicea in 325. He had no educated philosophical sublety,
but he had the shrewdness of spiritual wisdom. When he heard two men arguing philosophically, he interrupted and silenced
them by saying, "Christ and His apostles left us not a system of logic, but a naked truth to be guarded by faith and good
works." After the council, he returned to his native Cyprus and died in peace in about 348. His relics were afterwards translated
to Constantinople.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
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A 20th-Century Saint
Saint Savvas the New of Kalymnos
March 25 OC
He was born in Thrace to a poor family. Early
in life he desired to become a monk and, failing to get his parents' consent, left secretly for Mt Athos. After several years
there, he traveled to Palestine, where he entered the Monastery of St George the Chozebite. In 1903 he was ordained to the
priesthood. From 1907–1916 he lived in severe asceticism as a hermit on the banks of the Jordan. After living in several
monasteries in Greece, he served with St Nektarios of Aegina for the last year of the Saint's life (he reposed in 1920). After
six more years on Aegina, Fr Savvas moved to the island of Kalymnos, where he spent the remainder of his life. He lived in
quietness and asceticism, acquiring a reputation throughout the island as a confessor and spiritual father. He slept only
a few hours each night, and gave away any money that came to him the same day, since he believed that it was wrong for a monk
to have money in his cell after nightfall.
Saint Savvas reposed on the Old Calendar feast of the Annunciation in
1948. Innumerable miracles and healings have been wrought through his intercession. A striking example occurred in 1957: A
group of young islanders were talking about the Saint, and one of them, who doubted his sanctity, said 'If this lamp breaks
I'll believe.' At that moment the lamp shattered spontaneously.
The following account is from Mother Nectaria McLees'
Evlogeite! A pilgrim's guide to Greece: 'His last words of counsel to his nuns were, "...love... is
the bond of perfection," and to the abbess he said, "Love, love, love (Agapa, agapa, agapa)." Then he
clapped his hands six times, saying "The Lord, the Lord, the Lord..."
'In 1957 his relics were uncovered in the
presence of Metropolitan Isidoros of Kalymnos, who described them as "the bones being perfectly joined, and the vestments
intact." When the sepulchre was opened a divine and otherworldly fragrance covered the area, even to the outskirts of town
far below. In 1961, an iconographer of the Skete of Kapsokalyvia on Mount Athos painted an icon of St. Savvas at Abbess Philothei's
request. The icon arrived by ferry, and as it was being transferred from the post office to the customs house where the nuns
would pick it up, the convent bell began ringing by itself and continued until the icon was brought to the monastery.'
source: www.abbamoses.com
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St. Demetrius the Great Martyr
October 26
He was a Christian born of wealthy parents in Thessalonica. During the persecution of
the Church. Demetruis was arrested and taken to be imprisoned. The emperor Maximian was going to Thessalonica that day and
ordered the Christian detained until he could be investigated by him and tried. Maximain then went to the arena for the games
to watch his favorite gladiator, the champion Lyaeus. The emperor offered a reward to any man who would defeat his favorite
champion and one young man, an unknown named Nestor, jumped into the midst and accepted the offer. The
eperor, knowing the gladiator Lyaeus to be much his superior, tried to dissuade the young man, but he insisted on fighting
him. Much to everone's shock, Nestor killed the huge Lyaeus with one blow. Furious at losing his favorite champion, Maximian
rose up in a huff and stormed out without giving Nestor the promised reward. When his officers met him and asked him
what was to be done with the Christian Demetrius awaiting him, he angrily replied, "Run him through with your spears!" Thus
Demetrius perished without trial , a martyr for the Lord. This happened in about 306. His relics were treasured in Thessalonica
in a church built in his honor by Leontius, a Christian prefect of Illyria.
Source: "A Daily Clendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
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| Saint Dimitrios Cathedral of Thessaloniki, Greece |
Martyr Philothea the Monastic
Commemorated on February 19
The Monastic Martyr Philothea was born in Athens in 1522. Her parents, Syriga and Angelos Benizelos, were renowned not
only for being eminent and rich, but also deeply devout. Often the kind-hearted Syriga had implored the Most Holy Theotokos
for a child. Her fervent prayers were heard, and a daughter was born to the couple. They named her Revoula.
The parents
raised their daughter in deep piety and right belief, and when she was twelve years old they gave her away in marriage. Her
husband turned out to be an impious and crude man, who often beat and tormented his wife. Revoula patiently endured the abuse
and she prayed to God, that He might bring her husband to his senses.
After three years Revoula's husband died, and
she began to labor in fasting, vigil and prayer. The saint founded a women's monastery in the name of the Apostle Andrew the
First-Called (November 30 and June 30). When the monastery was completed, the saint was the first to accept monastic tonsure,
with the name Philothea.
During this time Greece was suffering under the Turkish Yoke, and many Athenians had been
turned into slaves by their Turkish conquerors. St Philothea utilized all her means to free her fellow countrywomen, ransoming
many from servitude. Once, four women ran away from their Turkish masters, who demanded that they renounce their Christianity,
and took refuge in the monastery of St Philothea.
The Turks, having learned where the Greek women had gone, burst
into the saint's cell, and beat her. They took her to the governor, who threw the holy ascetic into prison. In the morning,
a mob of Turks had gathered, and they led her out of the prison. The governor said that if she did not renounce Christ, she
would be hacked to pieces.
Just when St Philothea was ready to accept a martyr's crown, a crowd of Christians assembled
by the grace of God. They pacified the judges and freed the holy ascetic. Returning to her monastery, St Philothea continued
with her efforts of abstinence, prayer and vigil, for which she was granted the gift of wonderworking. In Patesia,an Athens
suburb, she founded a new monastery, where she struggled in asceticism with the sisters.
During the Vigil for St Dionysius
the Areopagite (October 3), the Turks seized St Philothea and tortured her. Finally, they threw her down on the ground half-dead.
The sisters tearfully brought the holy martyr, flowing with blood, to Kalogreza, where she died on February 19, 1589. Shortly
thereafter, the relics of the holy Monastic Martyr Philothea were brought to the Athens cathedral church. (Source: OCA)
St. Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea
Commemorated on January 1
St. Basil was born into a wealthy Christian family in Caesarea in Cappadocia in 330. He was educated
in the schools of Caesarea, Constantinople, and Athens where he formed a great friendship with Gregory (later known as St
Gregory Nazianzus). Shaken by the sudden death of his younger brother, he was converted by his pious Macrina. After visiting
monastic centers, he formed a monastic community of his own in Ibora, near his home in Annesi. He lived there with his
monks for about five years. He wrote many rules and guidelines for monastics so that all Eastern monasticism owes something
to his spirit. He was ordained priest in 365 and bishop of Caesarea in 370. He greatly cared for the poor and suffering and
built an estate which included houses for travelers, a church, a hospital, and a hospice all which a complete staff. A famine
struck the area and sent many poor and starving into his care; their pain grieved him and he labored to feed them with his
own hands. He wrote: "If you are reduced to your last loaf of bread and a beggar appears at your door, then take that loaf
and lift your hands to heaven and say 'O Lord, I have but this one loaf: hunger lies in wait for me but I revere Your commandments
more than all other things.' If you should say this , then the bread you gave in your poverty will be changed for an abundant
harvest."
In his struggle against the Arian heresy, Saint Basil stood up against the Arian emperor Valens. When
called to account by the state for his orthodoxy, he conducted himself in such a way that the examining prefect (accustomed,
as he was, to more pliable hierarchs) expressed astonishment at his boldness. Basil retorted, "Perhaps you have never had
to deal with a proper bishop before!"
Basil wrote to his nephews to make full use of pagan literature (a rare attitude in those days) in
order to gain a deeper understanding of the Christian faith.
Basil was aware of his own shortcomings and dispirited by disappointments in his life of struggles,
wrote, "For my sins, I seem to fail in everything. "Nevertheless, he was far from a failure. His labors, including his writings
On the Holy Spirit and Against Eunomius greatly contributed to the final triumph of Nicene orthodoxy at the Second
Ecumenical Council of Constantinople in 381. He had a great effect on the formulation of monasticism. The Liturgy of St. Basil
is largely his own work. He died peacefully in the Lord in 379.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
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St. Xenia of St. Petersburg
Feastday: January 24
She was born early in the eighteenth century. Xenia married Andrei, a singer in the royal choir. Her
husband died suddenly and left her a widow at the age of twenty-six. She then took up her husband's persona, using his name
and wearing his military uniform. She began the process of selling her husband's house in order to distribute the money to
others. Her friends, distressed at her renunciation of wealth, had her examined to declare her insane and thus not competent
to give away her wealth. But when the doctors examined her, they found her to be of sound mind and thus legally entitled to
dispose of her property as she wished. So she sold all she had and went to live in the cold streets of St. Petersburg as a
fool-for-Christ. Though mocked by the locals as an insane woman, she went about doing good in secret. For example, when a
new stone church was being built, night after night, after all the workers had gone, she would carry bricks for the next day's
work up to the roof. She accepted only the minimum of alms, often giving them away to her fellow poor. God granted her the
gift of prophetic foresight. Eventually, her true worth began to become known to the local people and they would bring themselves
and their children to be blessed by her. After forty-five years of prayer and life in the streets, she fell asleep in Christ
in the year 1803 and was buried in Smolensk Cemetery.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
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| icon: www.sveti-panteleimon.com |
St. Nicholas, Wonderworker and Archbishop of Myra
Commemorated on December 6
He was born at the turn of the fourth century
in Asia Minor, possibly in the town of Patara in Lycia. Some say that his uncle was bishop of his city and that he served
for a while as a monk in a monastery there. It is likely that he suffered during the persecution of the Church prior to the
peace of Constantine. He was elected bishop of Myra and served there as a faithful pastor and possibly even attended the First
Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 325. He vigorously opposed Arianism---so much so that story is told how he punched Arius at
the Nicene Council! As bishop of the busy seaport town of Myra, devoted much of his energy to charitable work. The story is
told of how he anonymously gave three bags of gold to a needy family with three daughters who otherwise would have had to
send the girls out to earn a dishonorable living on the streets. He was a kindly and compassionate pastor to his flock
and a model for hierarchs---so much so, that in the weekly calendar of the church, where each day is given a special liturgical
theme, he shares every Thursday with the apostles. He died in peace in the fourth century, one of the most beloved of the
Church's saints.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
The Holy Protection of the Theotokos
The Protection of the Mother of God is one of the most beloved feast days on the Orthodox calendar among the
Slavic peoples, commemorated on October 1. The feast is celebrated additionally on October 28 in the Greek tradition. It is
also known as the feast of the Virgin Mary's Cerement.
In most Slavic languages the word "cerement" has a dual meaning of "veil" and "protection." The Russian word Pokrov
(Покров), like the Greek Skepi (Σκέπη), has a complex
meaning. First of all, it refers to a cloak or shroud, but it also means protection or intercession. For this reason, the
name of the feast is variously translated as the Veil of Our Lady, the Protecting Veil of the Theotokos, the
Protection of the Theotokos, or the Intercession of the Theotokos
According to Eastern Orthodox Sacred Tradition, the apparition of Mary the Theotokos occurred during the 10th century at the Blachernae church in Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul) where several of her relics (her
robe, veil, and part of her belt) were kept. On Sunday, October 1 at four in the morning, St. Andrew
the Blessed Fool-for-Christ, who was a Slav by birth, saw the dome of the church open and the Virgin Mary enter, moving in
the air above him, glowing and surrounded by angels and saints. She knelt and prayed with tears for all faithful Christians
in the world. The Virgin Mary asked her son, Jesus Christ, to accept the prayers of all the people entreating him and looking
for her protection. Once her prayer was completed, she walked to the altar and continued to pray. Afterwards, she spread her
veil over all the people in the church as a protection.
St Andrew turned to his disciple, St. Epiphanius, who was standing near him, and asked, "Do you see, brother, the Holy
Theotokos, praying for all the world?" Epiphanius answered, "Yes, Holy Father, I see it and am amazed!"
An icon of the Virgin Mary praying, surrounded by people, was said to be kept in the Blachernae church. It is said
to reproduce the events as St Andrew saw them that day. (source: OrthodoxWiki)
St. Luke the Evangelist
Commemorated on October 18
This Apostle was an Antiochean, a physician by trade, and a disciple and companion of Paul. He wrote his Gospel in Greek
after Matthew and Mark, after which he wrote the Acts of the Apostles, and dedicated both works to Theophilus, who, according
to some, was Governor of Achaia. He lived some eighty-six years and died in Achaia, perhaps in Patras, the capital of this
district. His emblem is the calf, the third symbolical beast mentioned by Ezekiel (1:10), which is a symbol of Christ's sacrificial
and priestly office, as Saint Irenaeus says. Also, Christian tradition states that St. Luke was the first iconographer.(source:
GOArch)
Commemorated on December 4
Saint Barbara was from Heliopolis of Phoenicia and lived during the reign of Maximian.
She was the daughter of a certain idolater named Dioscorus. When Barbara came of age,
she was enlightened in her pure heart and secretly believed in the Holy Trinity. About this time Dioscorus began building
a bath-house; before it was finished he was required to go away to attend to certain matters, and in his absence Barbara directed
the workmen to build a third window in addition to the two her Father had commanded. She also inscribed the sign of the Cross
with her finger upon the marble of the bath-house, leaving the saving sign cut as deeply into the marble as if it had been
done with an iron too. (When the Synaxarion of Saint Barbara was written, the marble of the bath-house and the cross inscribed
by Saint Barbara were still preserved, and many healings were worked there.) When Dioscorus returned, he asked why the third
window had been added; Barbara began to declare to him the mystery of the Trinity. Because she refused to renounce her faith,
Dioscorus tortured Barbara inhumanely, and after subjecting her to many sufferings he beheaded her with his own hands, in
the year 290.
Saint John IV the Faster, Patriarch of Constantinople
Commemorated on September 2
Saint John IV the Faster, Patriarch of Constantinople
(582-595), is famed in the Orthodox Church as the compiler of a penitential nomokanon (i.e. rule for penances), which has
come down to us in several distinct versions, but their foundation is one and the same. These are instructions for priests
on how to hear the confession of secret sins, whether sins already committed, or merely sins of intent.
Ancient church
rules address the manner and duration of public penances, established for obvious and evident sinners. But it was necessary
to adapt these rules for the secret confession of undetected things. St John the Faster issued his penitential nomokanon (or
"Canonaria"), so that the confession of secret sins, unknown to the world, already testifies to the good disposition of the
sinner and his conscience in being reconciled to God, and so the saint reduced the penances of the ancient Fathers by half
or more.
On the other hand, he set more exactly the character of the penances: severe fasting, daily performance of
a set number of prostrations to the ground, the distribution of alms, etc. The length of penance is determined by the priest.
The main purpose of the nomocanon compiled by the holy Patriarch consists in assigning penances, not simply according to the
seriousness of the sins, but according to the degree of repentance and the spiritual state of the person who confesses.
Among
the Greeks, and later in the Russian Church, the rules of St John the Faster are honored on a level "with other saintly rules,"
and the nomocanons of his book are accounted "applicable for all the Orthodox Church." St Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain (July
14) included him in the Manual for Confession (Exomologitarion), first published in 1794, and in the Rudder (Pedalion), published
in 1800.
The first Slavonic translation was done quite possibly by the holy Equal of the Apostles Methodius, at the
same time as he produced the Nomocanon in 50 Titles of the holy Patriarch John Scholastikos, whose successor on the Constantinople
cathedra-seat was St John the Faster. This ancient translation was preserved in Rus in the "Ustiug Rudder" of the thirteenth
century, published in 1902.
From the sixteenth century in the Russian Church the nomocanon of St John the Faster was
circulated in another redaction, compiled by the monks and clergy of Mount Athos. In this form it was repeatedly published
at the Kiev Caves Lavra (in 1620, 1624, 1629).
In Moscow, the Penitential Nomokanon was published in the form of a
supplement to the Trebnik ("Book of Needs): under Patriarch Joasaph in 1639, under Patriarch Joseph in 1651, and under Patriarch
Nikon in 1658. The last edition since that time is that printed in the Great Book of Needs. A scholarly edition of the nomocanon
with parallel Greek and Slavonic texts and with detailed historical and canonical commentary was published by A. S. Pavlov
(Moscow, 1897).
St. Basil of Moscow, Fool-for-Christ
Commemorated on August 2
There have been "fool-for-Christ" down through the ages. As a form of asceticism and deep humility,
men and women pretend to be mentally ill or disable, enduring the insults of others without the sin of pride. Basil stepped
into this role when he was just sixteen years old. He tolerated hunger and cold, as he had no shelter. He was clothed in rags
without hat or shoes during the freezing winters. However, God rewards these "fools" with spiritual gifts. Basil had the gift
of discernment and would know things that were happening a great distance away. He would reprimand nobility for their hidden
sins; then he would correct them and many others. He lived this way for seventy-two years. When he died at the age of eighty-eight,
the tsar and the metropolitan attended the funeral.
Basil and Ivan: Even the Ivan ( "the Terrible" ), sought his blessing and counsel. Once when Ivan entered
a town during his reign of political terror to massacre its, Basil rebuked him for his sins. This occurred during Great Lent
and Basil offered Ivan a piece of raw meat. The czar expressed his surprise at this breach of the Great Fast and Basil replied,
"Ivasko, Ivasko (that is, "Jack, Jack" using a familiar term rather than the formal Ivan or John), do you think it unlawful
to eat a piece of beast's flesh and not unlawful to eat so much flesh by your massacres?" The czar accepted the rebuke and
spared that town.
Source: " A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley & "2006 Daily Lives, Miracles and Wisdom
of the Saints"
Commemorated June 29
The Apostles Peter and Paul had a confrontational relationship with each other over how to accomplish their common mission
of evangelizing the world. Their disputes centered on how Jewish the Church should remain. Their conflict helped to sort out
the difference between our natural ethnic identities and our unity as the people (ethnos) of God. They are portrayed
together as often as they are portrayed individually. This icon shows their unity of purpose and ultimate love for one another
as they are hidden in Christ. It is a beautiful icon of overcoming conflicts and living with sometimes difficult and hard
to understand people for the sake of the unity of the Church, the Body of Christ.
St. Athanasius
the Founder of the Great Lavra and Coenobitic Monasticism on Mt. Athos
Commemorated on July 5
Saint Athanasius had Trebizond for his homeland. He first entered the monastic life on the mountain called Kymaeos or Kyminas,
which is in Mysia of Bithynia, then he went to Mount Athos and founded a large monastery, which is known as the Great Lavra.
He became so renowned for his virtue that from Rome, Calabria, Georgia, and elsewhere, rulers, men of wealth and nobility,
abbots, and even bishops came to him and were subject to him. When the time for his departure was at hand, God revealed to
him how it would take place, so that he was able to instruct his spiritual children not to be troubled when it should come
to pass. A new church was being built for the sake of the many who came to him, and only the dome had not been finished. Together
with six of the brethren, the Saint went to the top of the church to help the workmen. The dome collapsed, and they fell.
Five were killed at once, and the Saint died three hours later. His holy body remained incorrupt and he worked many miracles
after his death. He reposed about the end of the tenth century. (Source: GOArch)
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| Volunteers of the Anderson Greek Festival at the Paracletos Monastery, January 2008 |
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| St. Nicholas' Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Nice, France |
St. Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles
Feastday: July 15
He knew of the Christian faith from his grandmother Olga, but continued to be a pagan. In 980, ne
became prince of Kievan Rus and had to decide how best to rule his people and guide them among the other nations and which
reigion would be best for them. His ambassadors went abroad to examine the religions of the other nations and those from Constantinople
brought back word that the worship there was so overwhelming that they "did not know whether they were on earth or in heaven."
"There," among the Christians, they said, "we know God dwells among men. We cannot forget that beauty." They also pointed
out the the Christian faith of his grandmother Olga. This counsel worked in his heart and he thus decided to convert in 988.
He proposed to the emperor of Constantinople that his sister Anna marry him and that Russia he allied with Byzantium.
Thus Vladimir traveled to Kherson to be baptized by the bishop there. When he returned home, he announced to his people that
all should join him as Christians. He destroyed their idols, including the dreaded idol Perun, which he threw into the Dneiper
River. This act greatly impressed the people and the hold of the old religion was broken. Many were then baptized in the Dneiper
River, after which Vladimir began the task of converting his entire country. He furthered literacy and sent clergy throughout
the country to preach to all. He himself changed from being a fierce warrior to a person who was also concerned for the poor
and needy. He died in peace in 1015, the enlightener of the land of the Rus.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
A Bulgarian boy kisses a cross during a festival marking the traditional holiday of Todorov Den, also known as Horse Easter,
in the village of Gorna Banja, near Sofia March 15, 2008. Orthodox Bulgarians organise horse races on Todorov Den as it is
believed to keep their farm animals in good health. REUTERS/Oleg Popov (BULGARIA)
St. Mark the Archbishop of Ephesus
Commemorated on January 19
Saint Mark Eugenikos, Archbishop of Ephesus, was a stalwart defender of Orthodoxy at the Council of Florence.
He would not agree to a union with Rome which was based on theological compromise and political expediency (the Byzantine
Emperor was seeking military assistance from the West against the Moslems who were drawing ever closer to Constantinople).
St. Mark countered the agruments of his opponents, drawing from well of pure theology, and the teachings of the Holy Fathers.
When the members of his own delegation tried to pressure him into accepting the Union he replied, "There can be no compromise
in matters of the Orthodox Faith."
Although the members of the Orthodox delegation signed the Tomos of Union. St. Mark was the only one who
refused to do so. When he returned from Florence, St. Mark urged the inhabitants of Constantinople to repudiate the dishonorable
document of union. He died in 1457 at the age of fifty-two, admired and honored by all.
Source: OCA website
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| Metropolitan Alexios, Fr. Vasili, Fr. Sava & George at the Paracletos Monastery, 9 Feb 08 |
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| Abbess Pavlina & Yiota at the Paracleos Monastery, 9 Feb 08 |
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| New Jerusalem Monastery, Russia |
Saint Anthony the Great
January 17
St. Anthony was born of wealthy parents in a village near Heracleopolis in middle Egypt
in 251. He was raised a Christian. His died when was about twenty and he was left with the care of his sister. At liturgy
one day he heard the Savior's words, "If you would be perfect, sell all you have and give it to the poor." Struck to the heart
by these words, he sold all his property, arranged for the care of his sister, and gave alll the rest to the poor. He then
moved to live in a tiny hut on the edge of his parents' estate, devoting himself to poverty, fasting, and prayer, according
to the custom of those days. There he bgan a struggle with the demonic enemy. He left his hut for a cave that was used as
a tomb, and was so beset by the spiritual enemy that he was found unconscious and had to be carried to a nearby church. He
insisted on returning too the cave to finish the struggle. When a t length he won and Christ's light chased the horrors away,
he asked, "Where were you Lord? Why didn't you come earlier to relieve me of my agony?"
The Lord replied, "Anthony, I was there, but I was wainting to see you in action. Now, because you have
triumphed, I will always help you and make your efforts known everywhere."
Anthony soon left the cave for the great solitude of the desert---a novelty in
those days. He lived in an adandoned fort for the next twenty years, being brought his supply of bread only twice a year.
Afterwards, friends broke down the door and Anthony came forth---"neither dried up nor fat through idleness but as God-borne
and standing in his natural condition." Word spread everywhere and crowds came to see him. The desert soon became populated
with those emulating the man of God and looking to him as their father. As his fame grew, he found it harder to find solitude.
In 313, he moved further into the desert---to the foot of a mountain near the Red Sea, his "Innner Mountain." He returned
to Alexandria only twice: once in 311 to strengthen the Christians arrested in the persecution and once in 338 to publicly
strive against Arianism, supporting St. Athanasius who invited him. In the desert he continued to pray and care for the monk.
So it was that he came at the age of ninety to meet St. Paul of Thebes, another hermit who lived in complete solitude. Anthony
was visited by many from the world as well. When challenged by some pagan philosophers on how he could claim wisdom though
he was not educated, he answered, "Which is older---the mind or the book? And which is the source of the other? So, to the
man whose mind sound, there is no need for books to attain wisdom." He was known as one who had frequent visions and revelations,
drove out demons, healed the sick by his prayer, and lived in cheerfulness and joy. Anthony died in peace after a full eighty-five
years in the desert.
Source: "A Daily Calendear of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
A cross is seen as Orthodox Christian pilgrims pray during Orthodox Christmas services at the Church of Nativity, traditionally
believed to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, early Monday, Jan. 7, 2008. Christmas falls
on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians in the Holy Land, Russia and other Orthodox churches that use the old Julian calendar instead
of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world.
(AP Photo/Muhammed Muheisen)
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| St. Catherine (icon: www.comeandseeicons.com) |
Saint Catherine
November 24
She was born of wealthy parents at Alexandria. The tyrant emperor Maximim was seducing great
numbers of women in Alexandria and to desired to seduce Catherine also. She, as a Christian, refused his advances, despite
all his urgings and threats on her life. She was preopared to suffer martyrdom and death rather than give in to him and so
he confiscated all her wealth. She was finally beheaded, though some say she was sent into exile. It is also said that Maximim
tried to have her killed by having her tortured on a wheeel but that God saved her. Her relics were later taken to the Monastery
of the Transfiguration on Mount Sinai which later was renamed "St. Catherine's" in her honor. Catherine endured her suffering
in about 307.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
St. Phanourius
Commemorated on August 27
We know nothing for certain about the background
of St Phanourius, nor exactly when he lived. Tradition says that when the island of Rhodes had been conquered by Moslems,
the new ruler of the island wished to rebuild the walls of the city, which had been damaged in previous wars. Several ruined
buildings were near the fortress, and stone from these buildings was used to repair the walls at the end of the fifteenth
century, or the beginning of the sixteenth.
While working on the fortress, the Moslems uncovered the ruins of a beautiful
church. Several icons, most of them badly damaged, were found on the floor. One icon, of St Phanourius, looked as if it had
been painted that very day. The local bishop, whose name was Nilus, was called to see the icon. It said, "Saint Phanourius."
The saint is depicted as a young soldier holding a cross in his right hand. On the upper part of the cross is a lighted
taper. Twelve scenes from his life are shown around the border of the icon. These scenes show him being questioned by an official,
being beaten with stones by soldiers, stretched out on the ground while soldiers whip him, then having his sides raked with
iron hooks. He is also shown locked up in prison, standing before the official again, being burned with candles, tied to a
rack, thrown to the wild animals, and being crushed by a large rock. The remaining scenes depict him standing before idols
holding burning coals in his hands, while a demon stands by lamenting his defeat by the saint, and finally, the saint stands
in the midst of a fire with his arms raised in prayer.
These scenes clearly revealed that the saint was a martyr.
Bishop Nilus sent representatives to the Moslem ruler, asking that he be permitted to restore the church. Permission was denied,
so the bishop went to Constantinople and there he obtained a decree allowing him to rebuild the church.
At that time,
there was no Orthodox bishop on the island of Crete. Since Crete was under the control of Venice, there was a Latin bishop.
The Venetians refused to allow a successor to be consecrated when an Orthodox bishop died, or for new priests to be ordained,
hoping that in time they would be able to convert the Orthodox population to Catholicism. Those seeking ordination were obliged
to go to the island of Kythera.
It so happened that three young deacons had traveled from Crete to Kythera to be ordained
to the holy priesthood. On their way back, they were captured at sea by Moslems who brought them to Rhodes to be sold as slaves.
Lamenting their fate, the three new priests wept day and night.
While in Rhodes the priests heard of the miracles
performed by the holy Great Martyr Phanourius. They began to pray to him with tears, asking to be freed from their captivity.
Each of the three had been sold to a different master, and so remained unaware of what the others were doing.
By the
mercy of God, each of the priests was allowed by his master to pray at the restored church of St Phanourius. All three arrived
at the same time and prostrated themselves before the icon of the saint, asking to be delivered from the hands of the Hagarenes
(Moslems, descendents of Hagar). Somewhat consoled, the priests left the church and returned to their masters.
That
night St Phanourius appeared to the three masters and ordered them to set the priests free so that they could serve the Church,
or he would punish them. The Moslems ignored the saint's warning, believing the vision to be the result of sorcery. The cruel
masters bound the priests with chains and treated them even worse than before.
Then St Phanourius went to the priests
and freed them from their shackles, promising that they would be freed the next day. Appearing once more to the Moslems, the
holy martyr told them severely, "If you do not release your slaves by tomorrow, you shall witness the power of God!"
The
next morning, all the inhabitants of the homes where the priests were held awoke to find themselves blind, paralyzed, and
in great pain. They considered what they were to do, and so decided to send for the priests. When the three priests arrived,
they asked them whether they could heal them. The priests replied, "We will pray to God. May His will be done!"
Once
more St Phanourius appeared to the Hagarenes, ordering them to send to the church a document granting the priests their freedom.
He told them that if they refused to do this, they would never recover their sight or health. All three masters wrote letters
releasing the priests, and sent the documents to the church, where they were placed before the icon of St Phanourius.
Before
the messengers returned from the church, all those who had been blind and paralyzed were healed. The priests joyfully returned
to Crete, carrying with them a copy of the icon of St Phanourius. Every year they celebrated the Feast of St Phanourius with
deep gratitude for their miraculous deliverance.
The saint's name sounds similar to the Greek verb "phanerono," which
means "to reveal" or "to disclose." For this reason, people pray to St Phanourius to help them find lost objects. When the
object is recovered, they bake a sweet bread and share it with the poor, offering prayers for the salvation of saint's mother.
Her name is not known, but according to tradition, she was a sinful woman during her life. St Phanourius has promised to help
those who pray for his mother in this way.
Source: OCA
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| Greece, Dodekanissa/Kasteloriso |
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| photo: BBC |
St. Sampson the Hospitable of Constantinople
Commemorated on June 27
Saint Sampson the Hospitable was the son of rich and
illustrious Roman parents. In his youth he received an excellent education, he studied the medical arts, and doctored the
sick without charge. After the death of his parents St Sampson generously distributed alms and set his slaves free, preparing
himself to go into the wilderness.
With this intent in mind he soon journeyed from Rome to the East. But the Lord
directed him onto a different path, that of service to neighbor, and so St Sampson came to Constantinople. Settling into a
small house, the saint began to take in homeless wanderers, the poor and the sick, and he attended to them. The Lord blessed
the efforts of St Sampson and endowed him with the power of wonderworking. He healed the sick not only through being a skilled
physician, but also as a bearer of the grace of God. News of St Sampson spread abroad. The patriarch heard of his great virtue
and ordained him to the holy priesthood.
It was revealed to the grievously ill Emperor Justinian (527-565), that he
could receive healing only through St Sampson. In praying, the saint put his hand on the afflicted area, and Justinian was
healed. In gratitude the emperor wanted to reward his healer with silver and gold, but the saint refused and instead asked
Justinian to build a home for the poor and the sick. The emperor readily fulfilled his request.
St Sampson devoted
the rest of his life to serving his neighbor. He survived into old age and after a short illness he departed peacefully to
the Lord. The saint was buried at the church of the holy Martyr Mocius, and many healings were effected at his grave. His
hospice remained open, and the saint did not cease to care for the suffering. He appeared twice to a negligent worker of the
hospice and upbraided him for his laziness. At the request of an admirer of St Sampson the hospice was transformed into a
church, and beside it a new edifice was built for the homeless. During the time of a powerful fire at Constantinople the flames
did not touch the hospice of St Sampson. Through his intercession a heavy rain quenched the fire.
Source: OCA
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| Galaxidi, Greece |
St. Theodore Stratelates ("the general) and Great
Martyr
February 8
There are few martyrdoms that are more than costly. The costliness of a
martyrdom depends on the greatness of the good things of this world that a Christian gives up, receiving suffering in its
place; and it depends also on the greatness of the suffering which he endures for the sake of Christ. St. Theodore, a Roman
commander in the army of the Emperor Hicinius and governor of the city of Heraclea, scorned his youth, his good looks, his
military status and the goodwill of the Emperor, and in place of all this received terrible tortures for the sake of Christ.
Firstly Theodore was flogged, receiving 600 lashes on the back and 500 lashes on the stomach; then he was crucified and pierced
through with arrows. Finally he was slain with the sword. Why all this? because St. Theodore loved Christ more than anything
else in the world. He scorned the foolish idol -worship of the superstitious Emperor, shattered the silver and gold idols,
giving the pieces to the poor, brought many to the Christian faith and urged the Emperor himself to reject idolatry and believe
in the one God. During the whole of this torture, Theodore repeated unceasingly: 'Glory to Thee, my God, glory to Thee!" He
suffered on February 8th, 319, at the three o'clock in the afternoon, and entered into the Kingdom of Christ. He is regarded
as the protector of soldiers, who turn to him for help. His wonderworking relics were taken from Euchaita to Constantinople
and buried in the Church At Blachernae.
Source: pomog.org
An Orthodox Christian boy holds a crucifix during an Epaphany rite at the Jordan
River, near the West Bank city of Jericho, January 19, 2007. (Reuters/Yonathan Weitzman)
Orthodox priests offer prayers during an Epiphany ceremony at the Ishim
river in Astana January 19, 2007. Orthodox Christians abiding by the Julian calendar celebrate Epiphany thirteen days later
than most Western churches (or Orthodox under the modified calendar). Reuters/Shamil Zhumatov
Saint Tryphon the Martyr
Commemorated on February 1
The Martyr Tryphon was born in Phrygia,
one of the districts of Asia Minor, in the village of Lampsacus. From his early years the Lord granted him the power to cast
out demons and to heal various maladies. He once saved the inhabitants of his native city from starvation. St Tryphon, by
the power of his prayer, turned back a plague of locusts that were devouring the grain and devastating the fields.
St
Tryphon gained particular fame by casting out an evil spirit from the daughter of the Roman emperor Gordian (238-244). Helping
everyone in distress, he asked only one thing from them: faith in Jesus Christ, by Whose grace he healed them.
When
the emperor Decius (249-251) assumed the imperial throne, he began a fierce persecution of Christians. Someone reported to
the commander Aquilinus that St Tryphon was boldly preaching faith in Christ, and that he led many to Baptism. The saint was
arrested and subjected to interrogation, during which he fearlessly confessed his faith.
He was subjected to harsh
tortures: they beat him with clubs, raked his body with iron hooks, they scorched his flesh with fire, and led him through
the city, after iron nails were hammered into his feet. St Tryphon bravely endured all the torments without complaint.
Finally,
he was condemned to beheading with a sword. The holy martyr prayed before his execution, thanking God for strengthening him
in his sufferings. He also asked the Lord to bless those who should call upon his name for help. Just as the soldiers raised
the sword over the head of the holy martyr, he surrendered his soul into the hands of God. This event occurred in the city
of Nicea in the year 250.
Christians wrapped the holy body of the martyr in a clean shroud and wanted to bury him
in the city of Nicea, where he suffered, but St Tryphon in a vision commanded them to take his body to his native land to
the village of Lampsada. Later on, the relics of St Tryphon were transferred to Constantinople, and then to Rome.
In
Russia, St Tryphon is regarded as the patron saint of birds. There is a story that when Tsar Ivan the Terrible was out hunting,
his falconer carelessly allowed the Tsar's favorite falcon to fly away. The Tsar ordered the falconer Tryphon Patrikeiev to
find the bird within three days, or else he would be put to death. Tryphon searched all through the forest, but without luck.
On the third day, exhausted by long searching, he returned to Moscow to the place called Marinaya Grove. Overcome
with weariness, he lay down to rest, fervently praying to his patron saint, the Martyr Tryphon, for help.
In a dream
he saw a youth on a white horse, holding the Tsar's falcon on his hand. The youth said, "Take the lost bird, go to the Tsar
and do not grieve." When he awakened, the falconer actually spotted the falcon on a pine tree. He took it to the Tsar and
told him about the miraculous help he received from the holy Martyr Tryphon. Grateful to St Tryphon for saving his life, Tryphon
Patrikeiev built a chapel on the spot where the saint appeared. Later on, he also built a church dedicated to the holy Martyr
Tryphon in Moscow.
The holy martyr is greatly venerated in the Russian Orthodox Church as the heavenly protector of
Moscow. Many Russian icons depict the saint holding a falcon on his arm.
Source: OCA
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Medan, the capital city of Sumatra, Indonesia, is the home of St. Sophia Orthodox Church. Father Chrysostomos P. Manalu, an Indonesian serves as senior pastor under
the Orthodox Metropolitanate of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Photo by Dirk Van Gorp |
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| The Monastery of Zographou (Bulgarian), Mount Athos |
St. Marina, Greatmartyr of Antioch in Pisidia
Commemorated on July 17
The Holy Great Martyr Marina was born
in Asia Minor, in the city of Antioch of Pisidia (southern Asia Minor), into the family of a pagan priest. In infancy she
lost her mother, and her father gave her into the care of a nursemaid, who raised Marina in the Orthodox Faith. Upon learning
that his daughter had become a Christian, the father angrily disowned her. During the time of the persecution against Christians
under the emperor Diocletian (284-305), when she was fifteen years old, St Marina was arrested and locked up in prison. With
firm trust in the will of God and His help, the young prisoner prepared for her impending fate.
The governor Olymbrios,
charmed with the beautiful girl, tried to persuade her to renounce the Christian Faith and become his wife. But the saint,
unswayed, refused his offers. The vexed governor gave the holy martyr over to torture. Having beaten her fiercely, they fastened
the saint with nails to a board and tore at her body with tridents. The governor himself, unable to bear the horror of these
tortures, hid his face in his hands. But the holy martyr remained unyielding. Thrown for the night into prison, she was granted
heavenly aid and healed of her wounds. They stripped her and tied her to a tree, then burned the martyr with fire. Barely
alive, the martyr prayed: "Lord, You have granted me to go through fire for Your Name, grant me also to go through the water
of holy Baptism."
Hearing the word "water", the governor gave orders to drown the saint in a large cauldron. The martyr
besought the Lord that this manner of execution should become for her holy Baptism. When they plunged her into the water,
there suddenly shone a light, and a snow-white dove came down from Heaven, bearing in its beak a golden crown. The fetters
put upon St Marina came apart by themselves. The martyr stood up in the fount of Baptism glorifying the Holy Trinity, Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit. St Marina emerged from the fount completely healed, without any trace of burns. Amazed at this miracle,
the people glorified the True God, and many came to believe. This brought the governor into a rage, and he gave orders to
kill anyone who might confess the Name of Christ. 15,000 Christians perished there, and the holy Martyr Marina was beheaded.
The sufferings of the Great Martyr Marina were described by an eyewitness of the event, named Theotimos.
Up until
the taking of Constantinople by Western crusaders in the year 1204, the relics of the Great Martyr Marina were in the Panteponteia
monastery. According to other sources, they were located in Antioch until the year 908 and from there transferred to Italy.
Now they are in Athens, in a church dedicated to the holy Virgin Martyr. Her venerable hand was transferred to Mount Athos,
to the Batopedi monastery.
Source: OCA
Saint Macrina
Commemorated on July 19
St. Macrina came from a family of five other saints. Her brothers were Saint Basil the Great, Saint
Gregory of Nyssa, and Saint Peter, bishop of Sebasteia. Her parents were Saint Basil the Elder and Saint Emmilia. When her
betrothed died, she committed her life to Jesus Christ and encourage her mother towards monasticism. Because of the resurrection
of the dead, she believed it iportant to remain faithful to one's departed spouse. She helped to direct the thoughts of her
brothers towards God and away from secular life. Once, she received a wound on her breast, and our of modesty, she would not
show her doctor or even her mother. Instead, she prayed to God with tears, and bending down she mixed dust with her tears
and with that mixture, she healed herself. With her brothers, she created an orphanage and a hospital. She also created a
convent that attracted many and became a spiritual haven.
Source: "2006 Daily Lives, Miracles, and Wisdom of the Saints and Fasting Calendar"
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| Novodevichy Convent in winter, Russia |
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| Kiev-Pecherski Lavra (Monastery) |
Photos from the Groundbreaking (Laying of the Foundation
Stone) of the Chapel of Panagia Soumela, Paracletos Greek Orthodox Monastery; 21 Feb. 2006
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| Metropolitan Alexios, Father Ioannis, Abbess Pavlina, Sr. Miriam & Sr. Alexia (photo:Charlie Joiner) |
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| Metropolitan Alexios greeting two little girls... Abbess Pavlina, Jimmy Stathakis & George Rozakos |
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| Jimmy Stathakis (L) & Metropolitan Alexios (photo: Charlie Joiner) |
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| Metropolitan Alexios and Abbess Pavlina with members of the Chapel Support Committee |
Right-believing Prince Daniel of Moscow
Commemorated on March 4
St. Daniel's Monastery was the first monastery built in Moscow. It was founded by St. Danill (St. Daniel), the Orthodox
Prince of Moscow, the youngest son of St. Aleksandr Nevsky, a figure famous in the history of the Church and State, and his
wife, the righteous Princess Vassa. St. Danill was born in 1261 in Vladimir-on-Klyazma, the capital of the grand duchy of
Vladimir. At Baptism he was named in honour of St. Daniel Stylite.
The piety, fairness and mercy of Prince Daniil won him universal respect. In 1296, he was vested with power and conferred
the title of "grand prince of all Russia."
Prince Daniil tirelessly showed concern for the people of his principility and for capital city of Moscow. On the right
bank of the Moscow River, Prince St. Danill founded in 1282 the first monastery in Moscow. It had a wooden church named in
honour of St. Daniel Stylite, his heavenly patron.
Now St. Daniil's Monastery is the center of Moscow Church events and festivties. The Monastery brought out religious
literature and lithographs devoted to the cloister's memorable and jubilee dates. Restoration work on the icons was carried
out of the restoration workshop of St. Danill's Monastery. The painters save the ancient Russian iconographical traditions.
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| St. Basil, Assumption and Christ the Savior Cathedrals, Moscow |
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| The Cathedral of the Great Martyr St. Panteleimon, Rep. of Georgia |
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| Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Nazareth, Israel |
St. Anastasia the Great Martyr
December 22
She was born in Rome to a wealthy and prominent family. Her father was pagan, Roman senator and her mother was a Christian.
She chose to follow Christ, but was forced by her father to marry a wealthy pagan, Publius. She refused physical relations
with her husband under a guise of feminine weakness. This and the fact that she was secretly using his wealth to minister
to Christians in prison engaged Publius, so that he imprisoned her and tortured her. Publius was sent by the emperor to Persia
and drowned on the voyage. Anastasia then used her great inheritance to openly minister to the Christians who were suffering.
Emperor Diocletian went to Aquileia and summoned Chrysogonus (the holy man who had discipled Anastasia as a girl) and beheaded
him. He also killed 3 sisters, Agapia, Chionia and Irene. Anastasia had followed her teacher to the town and witnessed these
martyrdoms. She took their bodies, wrapped them in white linen and aromatic spices and buried them. She went to Macedonia
and continued ministering to those who were suffering for Christ. She was arrested and repeatedly interrogated. Ulphian, a
pagan priest, reached out in lust toward Anastasia and was suddenly blinded, then fell dead. They tried to starve her for
thirty days in prison. Then they put her in a boat with other Christians to drown her, but she survived. Finally they put
her to four wheels over a fire. She endured martyrdom in the year 304.
Source: www.comeandseeicons.com
St. Luke the Righteous of Greece
February 7
Saint Luke was the descendant of a family from Aegina which, because of the frequent invasions of the Saracens,
left Aegina and dwelt in Phocis, where the Saint was born in 896, From his earliest childhood Luke ate neither flesh, nor
cheese, nor eggs, but gave himself over with his whole soul to hardship and fasting for the love of heavenly blessings, often
away clothing to the poor. for which his father punished him. After his father's death he secretly left home to become a monk,
but the Lord, inclining to the fervent prayers of his mother, made him known, and he returned to her for a time to care for
her. For many years he lived as a hermit, moving from place to place; he spent the last part of his life on Mount Stirion
at Phocis, where there is a city named Stiris. The grace of God that was in him made a wonder-worker, and his tomb in the
monastery of Hosios Loukas, famous for its mosaics, became a source of healings and place of pilgrimage for the faithful.
According to some he reposed in the year 946; according to others, in 953.
 St. John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria
Commemorated on November 12
He was born of wealthy parents in Cyprus and became a widower.
As all his children died, he used his wealth to help the poor. When he was elected patriarch of Alexandria he immediately
asked to see a list of his masters. When asked, "What masters?" he said he wanted to see a list of the poor who needed his
help. He built hospitals and visited the sick himself. He was a man of peace and humility. One day he had to excommunicate
two clergy who had a fist fight with each other. One bore it humbly but the other resented John. The next Sunday, as the patriarch
was serving liturgy, the deacon began the offertory prayer for the gifts and John remembered the lord's words, "If you bring
your gift to the altar and there remember your brother has something against you, leave your gift before the altar and go
your way. First be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift." He told his deacon to keep on saying the
offertory prayer until he returned and then he left the altar. He sent to have the resentful cleric brought to meet him in
the vestry. There, in full vestments, the aged patriarch fell on his knees before the cleric, bowed down, and said, "Forgive
me, my brother!" The man, ashamed of himself, flung himself at the patriarch's feet and, weeping, asked hims pardon. They
embraced in peace and the patriarch returned to the altar to continue with the liturgy.
When the Persians invaded Egypt, John fled home to his native Cyprus. He fell ill
on the way and died in his native town in 620 at the age of sixty-four. He ruled his patriarchal see for ten years.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
St. Andrew of Crete
Feastday: July 4
He was born in Damascus about 600. At a young age he went to Jerusalem
where he was was tonsured a monk at the Monastery of St. Sava. He stayed there for then years, serving as secretary to the
patriarch. The patriarch sent Andrew to Constantinople as his representative to the Sixth Ecumenical Council. In about 700
he was chosen to be archbishop of Gortyna in Crete. Andrew was not distinguished for his theological ability or dogmatic steadfastness.
Rather, his gifts were devotional and mystical. He composed many hymns for the Church, including his "Great Canon
of Repentance" which has 250 verses and is sung by the Church during Great Lent. Andrew wrote many other hymns, each with
its own melody (called ideomela) and he was a great preacher. He died in peace about 740.
Source: "A Daily Calendar of Saints" by Rev. Lawrence R. Farley
St. Photios the Great, Patriarch of Constantinople
Commemorated on February 6
St. Photios was born around 820 AD to holy parents, who were confessors of the Faith. His parents were persecuted
for defending icons against the iconoclasts and were exiled from Constantinople. His greatness was not only due to his defence
of Orthodoxy against heretical papal practices, but also connected to his love and meekness. He vigorously opposed the addition
of the filioque clause to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, and wrote On the Mystagogy of the Holy Spirit to preserve "the
purity of our religion" and to hinder "those who chose to promote any other definition of dogma than the unanimous and common
faith of the pious." This treatise became the pattern for all subsequent Byzantine anti-Latin polemics.
The filioque doctrine, espoused by Western Christian, has its source from Augustine of Hippo (359 - 432
AD). Augustine had a fertile imagination, who could not shake off the Platonic influence of his youth. The doctrine of a 'double
procession of the Holy Spirit' was first adopted in the West at the Synod of Toledo (447 AD), which appears to have
followed Augustine's teachings. This addition was forbidden by the Fourth Ecumenical Council (451 AD). Here is the origin
of the problem that was to agitate the Church for a thousand years. Contentions that the filioque has Biblical foundations
have yet to be demonstrated.
St. Photios was forced to become Patriarch of Constatinople, however he took his calling seriously and at
once set to work as a man of God. One of his activities was to correct the error of pope Nicholas of Rome who enslaved the
people of the West with threats of condemnation to hell for disobedience to the pope. Holy Photios wrote Nicholas "Nothing
is dearer that the Truth." In the same letter he noted "It is truly necessary that we observe all things, but above all, that
which pertains to matters of Faith, in which but a small deviation represents a deadly sin."
As a Father of the Church, St. Photios was also known for his brillance and for his missionary zeal. He
blessed St. Cyril in his work of developing an alphabet for the Slavonic people, and for the later work of St. Cyril and his
brother St. Methodios as missionaries to the Slavonic people.
Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
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| Ta Platania at the Chapel of Panagia in Karyes, Greece (by Mr. Zografos) |
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| The Monastery of Saints Anargiri, Kastoria, Greece |
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| Holy Monastery of St. Panteleimon, Mount Athos (photo by Peter Serko) |
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| Decani Monastery, Kosovo |
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| The Monastery of Saints Anargiri, Kastoria, Greece |
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| St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Greenville, SC |
_________________________________________
Contact Information:
Bill Stathakis, Chair
The Shepherd's Guild
P.O. Box 1284
Anderson, SC 29622
Phone: 864-221-0170
Email: bill29621@lycos.com
Our Website Visitors (since 21 Sept 08)
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