Lives of the Saints

Saint Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria

Saint Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria

Saint Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria, a distinguished champion of Orthodoxy and a great teacher of the Church, came from an illustrious and pious Christian family. He studied the secular sciences, including philosophy, but most of all he strove to acquire knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and the…

Venerable Cyril, Igoumen of White Lake

Venerable Cyril, Igoumen of White Lake

Saint Cyril, Igoumen of White Lake, (in the world Cosmas) was born in Moscow of pious parents. In his youth he was left an orphan and lived with his kinsman, the boyar (nobleman) Timothy Vasil’evich Vel’yaminov, in the surroundings of the court of the Great Prince Demetrius Donskoy (1363-1389).…

Venerable Alexander, Abbot of Kushta, Vologda

Venerable Alexander, Abbot of Kushta, Vologda

Saint Alexander, Hegoumen of Kushta Monastery in Vologda, was born about the year 1371, and his name in the world was Alexei. He was tonsured at the Savior-Stone (Spaso-Kamen) monastery by Hegoumen Dionysios of the Holy Mountain, who brought the Athonite Rule to the monastery. Later, he became the…

Five Nuns beheaded in Persia: Martyrs Thecla, Mariamne, Martha, Mary, and Ennatha

Five Nuns beheaded in Persia: Martyrs Thecla, Mariamne, Martha, Mary, and Ennatha

During the time of the Persian king Saphor II (ca. 330 A.D.), a priest by the name of Paul was living near the village of Aza. He was wealthy and a lover of money, and he had with him five women who had consecrated their virginity to God. Saints Thekla, Mariamne, Martha, Maria, and Ennatha were…

Saint Columba of Iona, Enlightener of Scotland

Saint Columba of Iona, Enlightener of Scotland

Saint Columba (or Colum Cille, "the dove of the Church") was of noble birth, a member of the powerful Ui Néill clan, which traced its descent to Niall of the Nine Hostages, who died around the year 450. His parents were Fedelmid mac Ferguso and Eithne. Although it is difficult to determine the…

Saint John of Shavta-Gelati

The great Georgian hymnographer, philosopher, and orator Saint John of Shavta labored in the 12th and 13th centuries, during the reign of the holy queen Tamar. Few details of his life have been preserved, but we know that he received his education at Gelati Academy, where he studied theology,…

Saint David Gareji, and Venerable Lucian, spiritual son of Saint David

Saint David Gareji, and Venerable Lucian, spiritual son of Saint David

Saint David of Gareji was Syrian by birth. The future ascetic became a disciple of Saint John of Zedazeni and journeyed with him to Georgia. Saint David and his spiritual son Lucian settled on a mountain above Tbilisi, the capital of Kartli. At that time Kartli was constantly under threat of the…