Lives of the Saints

Martyr Arethas and 4,299 Martyrs with him

Martyr Arethas and 4,299 Martyrs with him

The Martyr Arethas and with him 4299 Martyrs suffered for the Lord Jesus Christ in the sixth century. Arethas was prefect of the Christian city of Negran in Arabia. The Arabian (or Omirite) king, Dunaan, who was Jewish, decided to eliminate Christianity from the land. He issued an edict that all…

Venerable Arethus the Recluse of the Kiev Near Caves

Saint Arethas (12th century) was a hermit of the Near Caves in Kiev. He struggled at the Kiev Caves monastery and was buried in the Near Caves. Saint Arethas was from Polotsk. While living at the monastery, he kept many possessions in his cell. One day robbers made off with it. Grieving over his…

Venerable Sisoes the Recluse of the Kiev Near Caves

Saint Sisoes (13th century) was a hermit of the Near Caves in Kiev. He struggled at the Kiev Caves monastery and was buried in the Near Caves. In the general service for the Fathers of the Kiev Caves, Saint Sisoes is called “radiant in fasting.” The general commemoration of all the…

Venerable Theophilus the Recluse of the Kiev Near Caves

Saint Theophilus (12th-13th century) was a hermit of the Near Caves in Kiev. He struggled at the Kiev Caves monastery and was buried in the Near Caves. Saint Theophilus, in the general service to the Fathers of the Kiev Caves, is called “resplendent in miracles.” The general…

Blessed Elesbaan, King of Ethiopia

Blessed Elesbaan, King of Ethiopia

Blessed Elesbaan1 was the Emperor of what is now Ethiopia, and lived when Arabia was ruled by Dunaan, an oppressor of Christians. The pious Elesbaan was unable to stand by while those who believed in Christ were being massacred. He declared war on Dunaan, but his first military campaign was not…

Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters

The Martyr Syncletica and her two daughters suffered under the Arabian king Dunaan. Saint Syncletica was a descendant of an illustrious family. Left widowed while still quite young, she devoted herself to the Christian upbringing of her daughters, and she herself led a life both chaste and…

Saint Athanasius, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Athanasius I, Patriarch of Constantinople (1289-1293; 1303-1311), in the world Alexius, was from Adrianopolis. While still in his youth, thriving upon the knowledge of the wisdom of Christ, he left his home and went to Thessalonica, where he was tonsured in one of the monasteries with the…

“Joy of All Who Sorrow” Icon of the Mother of God

“Joy of All Who Sorrow” Icon of the Mother of God

How much consolation is contained in just the name of this Icon - awakening, strengthening the people's faith in the Mother of God, as a wondrous helper, who hastens everywhere where the groan of human suffering is heard, who wipes away the tears of those who mourn, and in sorrow itself, bestows…

Saint John, Hermit of Pskov

Saint John, Hermit of Pskov (+1616) lived an ascetic life during a terrible time of military troubles. In 1592 the Swedes besieged the city of Pskov. From 1608, for seven years, Polish forces attacked under the leadership of Lisovski. It was only in the week before the death of the monk, through…