Lives of the Saints

Martyr Sebastian at Rome, and his companions

Martyr Sebastian at Rome, and his companions

The Holy Martyr Sebastian was born in the city of Narbonum in Gaul (modern France), and he received his education at Mediolanum (now Milan). Under the co-reigning emperors Diocletian and Maximian (284-305) he occupied the position of head of the imperial guards. Saint Sebastian was respected for…

Venerable Sebastian, Abbot of Pshekhonye Monastery, Vologda

Saint Sebastian of Sokhota, Pshekhonye, founded a monastery in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord, located at the River Sokhota, 90 versts from the city of Romanov (now Tutaev) in the Yaroslav district. The monks of the monastery themselves cultivated the soil and ate through the work of…

Righteous Simeon, Wonderworker of Verkhoturye

Righteous Simeon, Wonderworker of Verkhoturye

Saint Simeon of Verkhoturye was a nobleman, but he concealed his origin and led the life of a beggar. He walked through the villages and for free sewed half-coats and other clothes, primarily for the poor. While doing this he deliberately failed to sew something, either a glove, or a scarf, for…

Saint Modestos, Archbishop of Jerusalem

Saint Modestos, Archbishop of Jerusalem

Saint Modestos (Módestos) was born into a Christian family at Sebásteia in Cappadocia (Asia Minor). Inclined toward a strict monastic life from his youth, the Saint was tonsured on Mount Sinai. Later, he became the Superior of the Monastery of Saint Theodosios the Great in Palestine. In the year…

Saint Florus, Bishop of Amisus

Saint Florus, Bishop of Amisus, was the son of the Christians Florus and Euphemia, who provided him a fine education. He entered courtly service for the Byzantine Emperor and was elevated to the rank of patrician; he was also married and had children. After his wife and children died from smallpox,…

Saint Michael the Confessor at Constantinople

Saint Michael the Confessor was born at Jerusalem into a family of zealous Christians and at an early age devoted himself to monastic life. After the death of his father, his mother and sisters went to a monastery, and Saint Michael was ordained as a priest. He was famed as a strong preacher, and…

New Hieromartyr Archbishop Thaddeus of Tver

New Hieromartyr Archbishop Thaddeus of Tver

The New Hieromartyr Thaddeus (Uspensky) was the Archbishop of Tver. He was executed in 1937.

Venerable Daniel the Hesychast

Venerable Daniel the Hesychast

Saint Daniel the Hesychast, the great wonderworker and instructor of monastics, was born in Moldavia at the beginning of the fifteenth century. He was baptized with the name Dumitru. When he was sixteen, he became a monk of the monastery of Saint Nicholas at Radauti and received the name David. His…