Lives of the Saints

Bright Saturday

Bright Saturday

The Artos, which was blessed after the Liturgy of Pascha, is cut and distributed after Liturgy on Bright Saturday. The cutting and distribution of the Artos takes place after the Liturgy on Bright Saturday. In monasteries the cutting and distribution of the Artos is done in the trapeza. The…

Saint Basil of Poiana Marului

Saint Basil, the Elder of Saint Paisius Velichkovsky (November 15), was born toward the end of the seventeenth century. He received monastic tonsure at Dalhautsi-Focshani Skete in 1705 or 1706, laboring in asceticism with great fervor. Saint Basil was ordained to the holy priesthood, and became…

Apostle and Evangelist Mark

Apostle and Evangelist Mark

The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark, also known as John Mark (Acts 12:12), was one of the Seventy Apostles, and was also a nephew of Saint Barnabas (June 11). He was born at Jerusalem. The house of his mother Mary adjoined the Garden of Gethsemane. As Church Tradition relates, on the night that…

Venerable Sylvester, Abbot of Obnora

Venerable Sylvester, Abbot of Obnora

Venerable Sylvester of Obnora lived in the XIV century and was the contemporary of Saint Alexei, Metropolitan of Moscow, and one of the disciples of Saint Sergius of Radonezh. The long Life of Saint Sylvester has not survived. From his youth he had a great love of solitude. After receiving the…

Constantinople Icon of the Mother of God

The Constantinople Icon of the Theotokos is locally venerated at Moscow’s Dormition church on Malaya Dimitrovka. This image is different from the Constantinople Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos celebrated on September 17, although it appears to be a copy of it. The wonderworking…