Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew
The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew, was also named Levi (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27); he was one of the Twelve Apostles (Mark 3:18; Luke 6:45; Acts 1:13), and was brother of the Apostle James Alphaeus…
Feasts and Saints
†) St. Paisius (Velichkovsky) of Moldavia and Mt. Athos; Holy Martyrs and Confessors Gurias, Samonas and Abibus (Beginning of Nativity Fast)
Venerable Paisius (Velichkovsky) of Moldavia and Mt. Athos Saint Paisius Velichkovsky was born in Poltava in Little Russia on December 21, 1722, and was the eleventh of twelve children. His father John was a priest,…
Holy and All-Praised Apostle Philip; St. Gregory Palamas, archbishop of Thessalonica; Holy Palamas family (Nativity of the Lord’s Fast begins tomorrow)
Holy Apostle Philip He was a native of the city of Bethsaida in Galilee. He had a profound depth of knowledge of the Holy Scripture, and rightly discerning the meaning of the Old Testament prophecies,…
†) St. John Chrysostom, archbishop of Constantinople, and his mother, St. Anthusa; 25th Sunday after Pentecost
Saint John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, one of the Three Hierarchs [January 30], was born at Antioch in about the year 347 into the family of a military commander. His father, Secundus, died soon after…
St. John the Merciful, patriarch of Alexandria; +) Martyrs and Confessors of Nasaud: Athanasius, Basil, Gregory and Basil; St. Nilus the Faster of Sinai
1. Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria, was born on Cyprus in the seventh century into the family of the illustrious dignitary Epiphanius. At the wish of his parents he entered into marriage and had…
† Martyrs Menas of Egypt and Vincent of Spain; Martyrs Victor at Damascus and Stephanida of Spain; Saint Theodore the Confessor, Abbot of the Studion
Holy Great Martyr Menas of Egypt An Egyptian by birth, was a military officer and served in the Kotyaeion region of Phrygia under the centurion Firmilian during the reign of the emperors Diocletian (284-305) and…
†) Apostles Erastus, Olympas, Herodion, Sosipater, Quartus, and Tertius of the Seventy; Martyr Orestes of Cappadocia
1. The Holy Apostles of the Seventy: Olympas, Erastus, Rodion, Sosipater, Quartus and Tertius lived during the first century. Saint Rodion, or Herodion (April 8), was a kinsman of the Apostle Paul (Romans 16:11), and left…
†) St. Nektarios (Kephalas), metropolitan of Pentapolis; Martyrs Claudius, Castor, Sempronian and Nicostrat; Martyrs Onesiphorus and Porphyrius of Ephesus; St. Matrona, abbess of Constantinople
Saint Nektarios The great wonderworker of modern times, was born Anastasius Kephalas in Selebria, Thrace on October 1, 1846. Since his family was poor, Anastasius went to Constantinople when he was fourteen in order to…
†) Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the other Bodiless Powers
The Synaxis of the Chief of the Heavenly Hosts, Archangel Michael and the Other Heavenly Bodiless Powers: Archangels Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jehudiel, Barachiel, and Jeremiel was established at the beginning of the fourth century…
Holy 33 Martyrs of Melitene; St. Lazarus the Wonderworker of Mt. Galesion near Ephesus
1. The holy martyr Hieron was born in the city of Tiana in great Cappadocia. Raised by a pious mother, he was a kindly and good Christian. The co-ruling emperors Diocletian (284-305) and Maximian (284-305) sent…