Lives of the Saints

Monastic Martyr Anastasia of Rome

Monastic Martyr Anastasia of Rome

The Monastic Martyr Anastasia the Roman lost her parents when she was three years old, and was taken to be raised by the Igoumeness of a women’s monastery, whose name was Sophia, a nun who had attained a high degree of spiritual perfection. She raised Anastasia in fervent faith, in the fear of…

Venerable Abramius the Recluse, and his niece, Blessed Mary, of Mesopotamia

Saint Abramius the Hermit and Blessed Maria, his niece of Mesopotamia, lived the ascetic life in the village of Chidan, near the city of Edessa. They were contemporaries and fellow countrymen of Saint Ephraim the Syrian (January 28), who afterwards wrote about their life. Saint Abramius began his…

Venerable Abramius, Archimandrite of Rostov

Venerable Abramius, Archimandrite of Rostov

Saint Abramius, Archimandrite of Rostov, in the world Abercius, left his parents’ home in his youth and entered upon the path of Christian asceticism. Having assumed the monastic schema, Abramius settled at Rostov on the shore of Lake Nero. In the Rostov lands there were many pagans, and the…

Martyr Claudius, Asterius, Neon, and Theonilla of Aegæ in Cilicia

The Martyrs Claudius, Asterius, Neones, and Theonilla of Aegae in Cilicia suffered for Christ in the year 285 during the reign of the emperor Diocletian (284-311). After their father’s death, the stepmother, who did not want to give the children their inheritance, betrayed them to the…

Righteous Anna of Constantinople

Saint Anna and her son Saint John lived in the ninth century. Saint Anna was the daughter of a deacon of the Blachernae church in Constantinople. After the death of her husband, she dressed in men’s clothing and called herself Euthymianus. She and her son Saint John lived in asceticism in one…

Saint Serapion of Zarzma

Saint Serapion of Zarzma

Saint Serapion of Zarzma was the son of a Klarjeti aristocrat famed for his wealth and good deeds. Serapion had two brothers, who were still young when their mother died. Their father also reposed soon after. From childhood Saint Serapion longed to lead the life of a hermit. With his younger…

Saint Melitina

Saint Melitina (Melitēnḗ) was accused of being a Christian and taken to the local ruler, before whom she confessed her faith in Christ. The ruler was enraged and commanded that she be punched in the face. Then they stripped her naked and took her to the judgement seat, where she was questioned…