Feasts and saints with names like “equal of the apostles”
Holy Great Prince Vladimir (Basil in Baptism), Equal of the Apostles, and Enlightener of Rus'
The Holy Equal of the Apostles and Great Prince Vladimir, the youngest son of Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev, was born in 963. He was only six years old when his grandmother, the Holy Princess Olga (July 11), who had raised him, reposed, and his father sent him to reign in Novgorod under the tutelage of…
Myrrhbearer and Equal of the Apostles Mary Magdalene
The Holy Myrrh-Bearer Equal of the Apostles Mary Magdalene. On the banks of Lake Genesareth (Galilee), between the cities of Capharnum and Tiberias, was the small city of Magdala, the remains of which have survived to our day. Now only the small village of Mejhdel stands on the site. A woman whose…
Saint Clement of Ochrid, Equal of the Apostles, Bishop of Greater Macedonia, and his companions Nahum, Savva, Gorazd and Angelar
Saints Clement, Bishop of Ochrid, Equal of the Apostles, Nahum, Savva, Gorazd and Angelar1 were Slavs, disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodios (May 11). At first they lived as ascetics in Moravia, where Saint Gorazd succeeded Saint Methodios as bishop. He was fluent in Slavonic, Greek and Latin.…
Saint Nino (Nina), Equal of the Apostles, Enlightener of Georgia
The virgin Nino of Cappadocia was a relative of Great-martyr George and the only daughter of a widely respected and honorable couple. Her father was a Roman army chief by the name of Zabulon, and her mother, Sosana, was the sister of Patriarch Juvenal of Jerusalem. When Nino reached the age of…
Repose of Saint Cyril, Equal of the Apostles and Teacher of the Slavs
Saint Cyril Equal of the Apostles, Teacher of the Slavs (Constantine in the schema), and his older brother Methodius (April 6), were Slavs, born in Macedonia in the city of Thessalonica. Saint Cyril received the finest of educations, and from the age of fourteen he was raised with the son of the…
Saint Methodius, Equal of the Apostles, Archbishop of Moravia, Enlightener of the Slavs
Saint Methodius, Archbishop of Moravia, died on April 6 in the year 885. His Life is found on May 11, when he is commemorated with Saint Cyril, Teacher of the Slavs.
Saint Boris (in Baptism Michael), Equal of the Apostles, Prince and Baptizer of Bulgaria
The Holy Equal of the Apostles Tsar Boris, in Holy Baptism Michael: His apostolic deeds were foretold by an uncle, Saint Boyan. The first years of the reign of Tsar Boris were marked by misfortune. The Bulgarians were frequently at war with surrounding nations, famine and plague beset the land, and…
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…
Saint Clement of Ochrid, Equal of the Apostles, Bishop of Greater Macedonia, and his companions Nahum, Savva, Gorazd and Angelar
Saints Clement, Bishop of Ochrid, Equal of the Apostles, Nahum, Savva, Gorazd and Angelar1 were Slavs, disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodios (May 11). At first they lived as ascetics in Moravia, where Saint Gorazd succeeded Saint Methodios as bishop. He was fluent in Slavonic, Greek and Latin.…
Repose of the New-Hieromartyr Cosmas of Aitolia, Equal of the Apostles
The New Hieromartyr Cosmas, Equal of the Apostles, in the world Constas, was a native of Aitolia. He studied at first under the guidance of the archdeacon Ananias Dervisanos, and afterwards continued his education on Mount Athos, at the Vatopedi school renowned for teachers such as Nicholas…
The Holy Protomartyr and Equal of the Apostles Thekla was born in the city of Iconium. She was the daughter of rich and illustrious parents, and she was distinguished by extraordinary beauty. At eighteen years of age they betrothed her to an eminent youth. But after she heard the preaching of the…
Hieromartyr Gregory, Bishop of Greater Armenia, Equal of the Apostles, Enlightener of Armenia
The Hieromartyr Gregory, Enlightener of Greater Armenia, was born in the year 257. He was descended from a line of Parthian Arsakid kings. Anak, the father of Saint Gregory, was a Parthian by birth. In his quest for the Armenian throne, Anak and his brother attacked their kinsman, King Kursar with…
Saint Averkios the Wonderworker, Bishop of Hieropolis, Equal of the Apostles
The Holy Hierarch Averkios of Hieropolis lived in Phrygia during the second century. The city of Hieropolis was inhabited by many pagans and very few Christians. The Saint prayed to the Lord for the salvation of their souls, and that they might be numbered among God’s chosen flock. An Angel…
Saint Nahum of Ochrid, disciple of Saints Cyril and Methodius, Equal of the Apostles
Saint Nahum was a disciple of Saints Cyril and Methodius (May 11), one of their coworkers known as the Five Followers. Saint Nahum was a man of great learning, and he spoke several languages. After a visit to Rome, he settled on the shores of Lake Ochrid. There he built a monastery at the time when…