Lives of the Saints

Martyr Justin the Philosopher and those with him at Rome

Martyr Justin the Philosopher and those with him at Rome

The Holy Martyr Justin the Philosopher was born around 114 at Sychem, an ancient city of Samaria. Justin’s parents were pagan Greeks. From his childhood the saint displayed intelligence, love for knowledge and a fervent devotion to the knowledge of Truth. When he came of age he studied the…

Venerable Dionysius, Abbot of Glushitsa, Vologda

Venerable Dionysius, Abbot of Glushitsa, Vologda

Our holy Father Dionysius, a native of Vologda, was one of the greatest ascetics of Russia’s Northern Thebaid (See A. Muraviev, The Russian Thebiad of the North, Saint Petersburg, 1855), and had links to some of the most important figures of Russian monasticism, including Saint Cyril of White…

Venerable Agapitus the Unmercenary Physician of the Kiev Near Caves

Venerable Agapitus the Unmercenary Physician of the Kiev Near Caves

Saint Agapitus of the Caves. This holy Unmercenary Physician was born at Kiev. He was a novice and disciple of Saint Anthony of the Caves, and lived during the eleventh century. If any of the monastic brethren fell ill, Saint Agapitus came to him and selflessly attended to the sick one. He fed his…

Martyrs Shio, David, Gabriel, and Paul of Akhalkalaki in Georgia

Martyrs Shio, David, Gabriel, and Paul of Akhalkalaki in Georgia

The holy monk-martyrs Shio the New, David, Gabriel and Paul labored in the David-Gareji Wilderness at the end of the 17th century. Saint Shio was from the village of Vedzisi in the Kartli region. His parents, Papuna and Tamar, were wealthy and highly influential people. They had eight children:…