St. Cyrus was a noted physician in the city of Alexandria, where he had been born and raised. He was a Christian and he treated the sick without charge. Preaching the gospel, the holy physician converted many pagans to Christ. During the persecution of Diocletian (284-305), St. Cyrus withdrew into Arabia, where he became a […]
Tag Archives: byzantine
Jan 26. Our Venerable Father Xenophan and his wife Mary
Our venerable father Xenophan and his wife Mary: Xenophan was a senator in Constantinople, where he led a holy Christian life with his wife Mary and their two sons, Arcadius and John. On their way to Phoenicia to study, the young men were shipwrecked and barely managed to escape with their lives. The parents set […]
Jan. 25 Our Father among the saints Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople
Our holy father Gregory the Theologian, archbishop of Constantinople, the friend of St. Basil; bishop of Sebaste, and then Constantinople, and finally Nazianzus. He defended the divinity of the Word with great ardor, for which reason he is also named “the Theologian.” During his time as patriarch of Constantinople, he presided over the Second Ecumenical […]
Jan. 24 Our Venerable Mother Xenia of Rome
Our venerable mother Xenia was of a noble and famous Roman family. As her parents were planning her marriage, she escaped from her bridegroom and fled with two handmaidens to Alexandria for refuge. There she founded a convent for virgins, where she lived an ascetic life until her death in the year 450. At the […]
Jan. 23 The Holy Martyr Clement, Bishop of Ancyra; The Holy Martyr Agathangel
The holy martyr Clement, Priest-Martyr, Bishop of Ancrya, lived in exile for 28 years under several persecutors and died by the sword in the year 296. The holy martyr Agthangel suffered death also in the reign of emperors Maximian and Diocletian. Troparion O most holy Clement, you are a vineyard of holiness for the […]
Jan. 22 The Holy Apostle Timothy; The Venerable Martyr Anastasius the Persian
The Holy apostle Timothy who, disciple of St. Paul the Apostle and his assistant in his apostolate, was the leader of the church at Ephesus. Two epistles were written to him that offer wise counsels on the ordering of pastors and the faithful. The venerable martyr Anastasius the Persian from Bethsaloe in Persia, monk. After […]
Jan. 19 Our Venerable Father Macarius of Egypt
Our Venerable Father Macarius the Great of Egypt was born in the early fourth century in the village of Ptinapor in Egypt. At the wish of his parents he entered into marriage, but was soon widowed. After he buried his wife, he withdrew to the wilderness. He spent sixty years in labor and struggle, both […]
Jan. 18 Our Holy Fathers, Athanasius and Cyril, Archbishops of Alexandria
Our holy father Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, is one of the four great doctors of the Byzantine Church, called the Father of Orthodoxy. He opposed the Arians with admirable zeal and endured exile for 46 years. He died in 373. Our holy father Cyril, Archbishop of Alexandria, opposed the Nestorians and taught that the divine […]
Jan. 9 The Holy Martyr Polyeuctus
The holy martyr Polyeuctus: The Armenian city of Melitene was drenched with the blood of Christians, as was the entire country of Armenia. The first blood shed for Christ in this city was that of St. Polyeuctus in the year 259, during the reign of Valerian. In Melitene were two friends: Nearchus and Polyeuctus. Both […]
Jan. 8 Our Venerable Fathers George the Chozebite and Emilian the Confessor; Our Venerable Mother Dominica
Our venerable father George the Chozebite was a Cypriot monk at the Monastery of the Mother of God at Chozeba near Jericho (614) Our venerable father Emilian the Confessor was a native of Vannes, in what is now France. He was a recluse (767) Our venerable mother Dominica, born in Carthage in North Africa, lived […]