Lives of the Saints

Martyr Savva Stratelates “the General” of Rome,  and 70 soldiers with him

Martyr Savva Stratelates “the General” of Rome, and 70 soldiers with him

Saint Savva Stratelates came from a Gothic tribe. For his bravery he attained the high rank of military commander or “stratelates,” and he served under the Roman emperor Aurelian (270-275). From his youth, Savva was a Christian and he fervently followed the commands of Christ. He…

Venerable Savva the Recluse of the Kiev Far Caves

Venerable Savva the Recluse of the Kiev Far Caves

Saint Savva lived in the Near Caves of the Kiev Caves monastery during the thirteenth century. In the manuscripts, in the “Book of the Saints,” and in the Canon of the Services to the Fathers of the Kiev Caves, he is called a wonderworker. His memory is celebrated on April 24 because…

Venerable Alexius the Recluse of the Kiev Far Caves

Venerable Alexius the Recluse of the Kiev Far Caves

Saint Alexius lived a life of asceticism in the Near Caves of the Kiev Caves monastery during the thirteenth century. His relics were uncovered after 1675. The memory of Saint Alexius is celebrated on April 24, because his relics rest beside the relics of Saint Savva of Caves. His memory is also…

Martyrs Valentine and Pasikrates in Moesia, Bulgaria

Martyrs Valentine and Pasikrates in Moesia, Bulgaria

The Martyrs Valentine and Pasikrates came from the city of Durostorum, Silistria (now Bulgaria) and were soldiers under the governor Absolanus. Pasikrates was twenty-two years old, and Valentine was thirty. When a persecution against Christians began, Saints Pasikrates and Valentine openly…

Martyrs Eusebius, Neon, Leontius, Longinus, and others, at Nicomedia

Martyrs Eusebius, Neon, Leontius, Longinus, and others, at Nicomedia

The Martyrs Eusebius, Neon, Leontius, Longinus, and 40 Others were present at the sufferings of the Great Martyr George (April 23), through which they came to believe in Christ. They were then locked up in prison. After the execution of Saint George, the emperor Diocletian (284-305) issued an edict…

Venerable Thomas the Fool of Syria

Saint Thomas the Fool-for-Christ was a monk in one of the monasteries in Caesarea of Cappadocia (Asia Minor). His obedience was to collect alms for the monastery. When the Blessed Thomas arrived in the city of Antioch, Syria he began his exploit of foolishness for the sake of Christ. The steward…

Saint Elizabeth, Wonderworker of Constantinople

Saint Elizabeth, Wonderworker of Constantinople

Saint Elizabeth the Wonderworker was from Constantinople, and was chosen for the service of God at birth. It was revealed to her mother that the girl would become a chosen vessel of the Lord (Acts 9:15). The parents sent their daughter to a monastery as a child. She grew up in an atmosphere of…

Saint Iorest, Metropolitan of Ardeal, Confessor of Romania

Saint Iorest the Confessor was born into a family of Transylvanian peasants and received the name Elias at Holy Baptism. At a young age, he entered Puta Monastery and was tonsured with the name Iorest. Then, after completing the spiritual school at that Lavra, he made great progress in the…

Saint Savva Brancovici, Metropolitan of Ardeal, Confessor of Romania

Saint Savva was born into an old Serbian family from Hertzegovina who took refuge near Arad in Transylvania at the end of the sixteenth century. The future saint was born at Inau around 1620, and received the name Simeon in Baptism. His parents were named John and Maria. At first he was tutored at…

Icon of the Mother of God of Molcha

There are, in fact, two wonderworking Icons called Molcha. One of them is located in the Molcha Sophroniev Nativity of the Theotokos men's Monastery. The other is in the women's Monastery of the Nativity of the Theotokos at Molcha. Both monasteries are located in the Putivl Konotop Diocese, in…

Saint Joseph the Confessor of Maramures

Saint Joseph the Confessor of Maramures

Saint Joseph was born in the seventeenth century, and was consecrated as a bishop in Moldavia (northern Romania) in 1690 by Metropolitan Dositheus. This was a period of great trials and sufferings for the people of Maramures (in northern Romania) because the Roman Catholic authorities wanted to…