Our venerable father Simeon, fool for Christ, and his fellow ascetic John: Simeon, called Salus [i.e., of the sea; he lived for 29 years next to the Dead Sea], at Emesa in Syria. Moved by the divine Spirit, Simeon desired to be considered a Fool for Christ and ignoble among people. Likewise the commemoration of […]
Category Archives: Daily Devotionals
July 20 Feast of the Holy and Glorious Prophet Elijah
The holy and glorious prophet Elijah the Tishbite was a prophet of the Lord in the days of Ahab, the king of Israel and defended the rights of the one God against the unfaithful people with such a strength of spirit that he prefigured not only John the Baptist but even Christ himself. Written prophecies […]
July 19 Our Venerable Mother Macrina, Sister of Basil the Great; Our Venerable Father Dios
Our venerable mother Macrina was sister of St. Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, and Peter of Sebaste. She was learned in Sacred Scripture and led a solitary life. She provided a wonderful example of those possessing the desire for God, who had forsaken the vanity of the world. Our venerable father Dios was called […]
July 18 The Holy Martyr Hyacinth of Amastris; The Holy Martyr Emilian; The Passing of the Venerable Martyr Tarsykia Matskiv
The holy martyr Hyacinth was born into a pious Christian family in the city of Amastridea (now Amastra in Anatolia). An angel that appeared gave him his name. As a three-year-old boy, St. Hyacinth asked God that a dead infant might be resurrected. The Lord hearkened to his childish prayer, and the dead one arose. […]
July 17 The Holy Great Martyr Marina
The holy great martyr Marina was born in Antioch of Pisidia in southern Asia Minor into the family of a pagan priest. In her infancy, St. Marina lost her mother, and her father gave her into the care of a nursemaid. The nursemaid raised Marina in the Orthodox Faith. Upon learning that his daughter had […]
July 16 The Holy Martyrs Athenogenes, Bishop of Sebaste, and His Ten Disciples
The holy martyr Athenogenes was the bishop of Sebaste in Cappadocia. Christianity was spreading in Sebaste because of the grace-filled preaching of Bishop Athenogenes. When the governor heard that the citizens of Sebaste refused to participate in a festival for idols, he sent soldiers to arrest St. Athenogenes and his disciples. While in prison, St. […]
July 15 The Holy Martyrs Cyricus and Julietta; The Holy Great Prince Vladimir, Equal to the Apostles
The holy martyrs Cyricus and Julietta, his mother, were martyred at Caesarea in Cappadocia in the year 304. When they had firmly refused the order of the judge to offer incense to idols, they were cast into the fire. The holy great martyr Prince Vladimir, equal to the apostles was baptized Basil at Kiev in […]
July 14 The Holy Apostle Aquila
The holy apostle Aquila and his wife Prisca or Priscilla, a married couple who were helpers of St. Paul the Apostle. They received the church into their home with hospitality and endangered themselves on St. Paul’s behalf. They are mentioned in 1 Cor. 16:19, in Romans 16: 3-5, and in 2 Tim. 4:19 Troparion […]
July 13 Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel; Our Venerable Father Stephen the Sabbaite; Our Holy Father Julian, Bishop of Kenoman
The synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel: the primary feast of the Archangel is March 26. On this day is commemorated all his appearances and marvels throughout the history of salvation. This feast was instituted on Mt. Athos in 982. Our venerable father Stephen of the Monastery of St. Sabbas, who suffered death in 784 during […]
July 12 The Holy Martyrs Proclus and Hilary; Our Venerable Father Michael of Malein
The holy martyrs Proclus and Hilary (Hilarion) were arrested for being Christians during the reign of the emperor Trajan (98-117). Proclus was the uncle of Hilary. Proclus said to the tortures, “When you are afraid to transgress the Emperor’s commands and risk falling into temporal punishment, how much more do we Christians fear to transgress […]