Lives of the Saints

Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite, Bishop of Athens

Hieromartyr Dionysius the Areopagite, Bishop of Athens

Saint Dionysius lived originally in the city of Athens. He was raised there and received a classical Greek education. He then went to Egypt, where he studied astronomy at the city of Heliopolis. It was in Heliopolis, along with his friend Apollophonos where he witnessed the solar eclipse that…

Martyrs Rusticus the Presbyter and Eleutherius the Deacon

Saints Rusticus and Eleutherius were disciples of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite. They suffered martyrdom in Athens during the persecution of the emperor Domitian (81-96).

Venerable Dionysius the Recluse of the Kiev Caves

Venerable Dionysius the Recluse of the Kiev Caves

Saint Dionysius, Hermit of the Kiev Caves, Far Caves, called Schepa, is mentioned briefly in the Kiev Caves Paterikon. In the year 1463 during Paschal Matins, Dionysius went around censing the relics of the God-pleasers buried in the Kiev Caves. When the monk cried out: “Holy Fathers and…

Saint John the Chozebite, Bishop of Caesarea, Palestine

Saint John the Chozebite, Bishop of Caesarea, Palestine

Saint John the Chozebite, Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine (587-596), was famed for his struggle against the Eutychian heresy, and also for his grace-filled gifts of discernment and wonderworking. He was born in the Egyptian city of Thebes and while still a youth he spent a long time in the Thebaid…

Venerable Hesychius of Mount Horeb

Saint Hesychius the Silent of Mt. Horeb, lived during the sixth century at one of the monasteries on Mt. Horeb, and at first he was not a very fervent monk. Hesychius died after a serious illness, but through a wondrous act of Divine Providence, he came back to life an hour later. After this, the…

Saint Damaris of Athens

Saint Damaris was the first Athenian woman to believe in Christ, through the preaching of the Apostle Paul. She is mentioned in Acts 17:34: “Some men joined him and believed; among whom were both Dionysios the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.” The name Damaris…