Lives of the Saints

Prophet Zephaniah

Prophet Zephaniah

The Prophet Zephaniah (Sophonias) was a contemporary of the Prophet Jeremiah and the Prophetess Oldama. He was from the tribe of Simeon, and was the ninth of the Twelve Minor Prophets of the Old Testament. The prophet lived at the royal court, where he preached repentance and helped King Josiah…

Venerable Savva, Igoumen of Zvenigorod, Disciple of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh

Venerable Savva, Igoumen of Zvenigorod, Disciple of Venerable Sergius of Radonezh

Saint Savva of Zvenigorod forsook the world in his early youth, and received the monastic tonsure from Saint Sergius of Radonezh (September 25 and July 5), and was his disciple and fellow-ascetic. Saint Savva loved solitude, and avoided conversing with people. He lived in constant toil, lamenting…

Saint Theodoulus, Eparch of Constantinople

Saint Theodoulus was an eparch during the reign of Theodosius the Great. He resigned his position because he did not want to be distracted by vain worldly cares. After his wife’s death, Saint Theodoulus gave his wealth away to the poor and became a monk. He traveled to Edessa and lived on…

Venerable John the Silent of Saint Sabbas Monastery

Saint John the Silent was born around 454 in the city of Nicopolis, Armenia into the family of a military commander named Enkratius and his wife Euphemia. The boy began to study Holy Scripture, and he loved solitude and prayer with all his heart. With the inheritance his parents left him, John…

Hieromartyr Theodore, Archbishop of Alexandria

The Hieromartyr Theodore, Bishop of Alexandria, was born in Egypt in the city of Alexandria. This city was famous for its many martyrs and confessors: from the holy Evangelist Mark, Protomartyr of Alexandria (April 25), to Saint Athanasius the Great (January 18 and May 2), a pillar and confessor of…

Monastic Martyr Cosmas of Saint Anne Skete, Mount Athos

Saint Cosmas was a monk of Saint Anne’s Skete on Mount Athos. He was executed in Constantinople on December 3, 1760 when he refused to convert to Islam. The specific details of his martyrdom are not known.

Venerable George of Cernica

Venerable George was born in 1730 to pious Orthodox parents in the town of Sălişte, near Sibiu in Romania. From his youth he was inclined toward the monastic life. However, at that time the Roman Catholic Austrian rulers of Transylvania tried to suppress Orthodoxy, especially Orthodox…