Lives of the Saints

Equal of the Apostles and Emperor Constantine with his Mother Helen

Equal of the Apostles and Emperor Constantine with his Mother Helen

The Church calls Saint Constantine (306-337) “the Equal of the Apostles,” and historians call him “the Great.” He was the son of the Caesar Constantius Chlorus (305-306), who governed the lands of Gaul and Britain. His mother was Saint Helen, a Christian of humble birth. At…

Venerable Constantine, (in baptism Yaroslav), with his children Michael and Theodore, Wonderworkers of Murom

Venerable Constantine, (in baptism Yaroslav), with his children Michael and Theodore, Wonderworkers of Murom

The Holy Princes Constantine and his sons Michael and Theodore of Murom lived during the eleventh-twelfth centuries. Prince Constantine, a descendant of Saint Vladimir, asked his father, Prince Svyatoslav of Chernigov, to give him the city of Murom, which was inhabited by pagans, so he might…

Venerable Cassian the Greek of Uglich

Today we commemorate the namesake of Saint Cassian (in the world Constantine). Today's commemoration of Saint Cassian is in honor of Emperor Constantine, his patron Saint at Baptism. When he became a monk, he was tonsured with the new name Cassian, in honor of St. John Cassian (Feb. 28), (Feb. 29…

Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

Meeting of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

The Celebration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God was established to commemorate the deliverance of Moscow from an invasion of Tatars led by Khan Makhmet-Girei in 1521. The Tatar hordes approached Moscow, burning and destroying Russian cities and villages, and exterminating their…

“Tenderness” Icon of the Mother of God from the Pskov Caves

“Tenderness” Icon of the Mother of God from the Pskov Caves

The sacred Tenderness Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was painted and brought to the Pskov Caves monastery through the efforts of the devout Pskov merchants Basil and Theodore. It was transferred it to the town of Pskov in the year 1521, and was glorified by miracles of healing in 1524. The…