Lives of the Saints

Venerable Philotheus, Patriarch of Constantinople

Saint Philotheus was a native of Thessalonica, and received the monastic tonsure at an early age. After living for a time at Mt Sinai, he went to Mt Athos and became the igumen of the Great Lavra. In 1347 he became Metropolitan of Heraclea, Thrace. Later, he served as Patriarch of Constantinople…

Apostle Philip of the Seventy, One of the Seven Deacons

Apostle Philip of the Seventy, One of the Seven Deacons

Holy Apostle Philip of the Seventy, one of the 7 Deacons is not to be confused with Saint Philip one of the Twelve Apostles (November 14). This Philip was born in Palestine, was married and had children. After the Descent of the Holy Spirit, the Twelve Apostles made Philip a deacon in the Church…

Saint Theophanes the Confessor and Hymnographer, Bishop of Nicea

Saint Theophanes the Confessor and Hymnographer, Bishop of Nicea

Saint Theophanes, Confessor and Hymnographer, Bishop of Nicea was the younger brother of the Saint Theodore the Branded (December 27). The brothers received an excellent education and were particularly involved in philosophy. Striving towards the knowledge of God, they settled in the Lavra of Saint…

Venerable Theophanes the Faster of the Kiev Near Caves

The epithet "Faster," by which the Venerable Theophanes is known, indicates that he drew closer to the Lord by means of his strict fasting. The relics of Saint Theophanes lie in the Near Caves of Saint Anthony. He lived during the XII century, but the details of his Life are not described in the…

Venerable Leonid of Optina

Leo Nagolkin, the future Saint Leonid, was born in Karachev in the Orlov Province in 1768. As a young man he worked for a merchant, making long and frequent trips on his employer’s business. He met all sorts of people, and this experience helped him later in life when visitors of diverse…

Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of Optina

Synaxis of the Venerable Fathers of Optina

Today the Church honors the memory of the Holy Elders of Optina Monastery: Leonid (October 11, 1841) Makarios (September 7, 1860) Moses (June 16, 1862) Anthony (August 7, 1865) Hilarion (September 18, 1873) Ambrose (October 10, 1891) Anatole I (January 25, 1894) Isaac I (August…

Virgin Martyrs Zenaΐda and Philonίlla, of Tarsus in Cilicia

Virgin Martyrs Zenaΐda and Philonίlla, of Tarsus in Cilicia

The Martyrs Zenaida (Zenais) and Philonilla lived in Tarsus in Cilicia during the first century, and were related to the holy Apostle Paul. They were pious Christian women, and both of them shared a love of learning. By whatever means were available to them at that time, they acquired medical…

Commemoration of the Miracle of the Icon of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Beret

Commemoration of the Miracle of the Icon of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Beret: At the fourth session of the Seventh Ecumenical Council (in 787), Saint Peter, Bishop of Nicomedia, in defending the necessity of icon veneration, presented an account of Saint Athanasius about a miracle which occurred in…

Venerable Ethelburga

Saint Ethelburga (Aethelburh) was born into the royal family of East Anglia in the seventh century. She was the sister of Saint Erconwald (May 13), who founded the monastery of Barking (Berecingum) in Essex. Saint Ethelburga became the first abbess of this monastery. Saint Bede (May 27) says…