The holy apostles Erastus, Sosipater, Olympas, Rodion, Quartus, and Tertius were disciples of St. Paul. They all lived during the first century. The Apostle to the Gentiles speaks of them in the Epistle to the Romans, “And Erastus, the city treasurer, greets you, and Quartus, a brother” (Rom 16:23). St. Sosipater, a native of Achaia, […]
Tag Archives: catholic
Nov. 9 The Holy Martyrs Onesiphorus and Porphyrius; Our Venerable Mother Matrona; The Venerable Theoctista of Lesbos
The holy martyrs Onesiphorus and Porphyrius of Ephesus suffered during the persecution of Christians by emperor Diocletian (284-305). They beat them and burned them. After this, they tied the saints to wild horses, which dragged them over stones, after which the martyrs died. Believers gathered the remains of the saints and reverently buried them. Our […]
Nov. 8 The Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and all Angelic Powers
The Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and all the Angelic Powers: In the time of Pope Sylvester of Rome and Patriarch Alexander of Alexandria, this feast was established to honor Michael and Gabriel the Archangels, and all the holy bodiless powers in heaven in their nine choirs: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, […]
Nov. 7 The Holy 33 Martyrs at Melitene; Our Venerable Father Lazarus the Wonderworker
The holy thirty-three martyrs at Melitene: Heiron was a devout Christian who cared diligently for his blind mother, Stratonica. He was forcibly impressed into the army, where he refused to worship idols. He was brought before the local governor with thirty-two other Christians in the year 298. They went to their death singing the psalm, […]
Nov. 6 Our Father among the saints, Paul the Confessor, Archbishop of Constantinople
Our father Paul the Confessor, archbishop of Constantinople, was frequently exiled by the Arians because of his adherence to the Nicene faith, and was as often restored to dignity. Finally, he was sent by Constantius the emperor to Cucusum, a small village in Cappadocia. There, it is said, he was strangled in a conspiracy of […]
Nov. 5 The Holy Martyrs Galaction and Episteme
The holy martyrs Galaction and Episteme were husband and wife who joined nearby monasteries immediately after their marriage. They did not see each other for many years, until the persecution of Christians which brought them both to court and saw them die on the same day in the year 253. Troparion Your martyrs, O […]
Nov. 4 Our Venerable Father Joannicus the Great; The Holy Martyr Nicander, Bishop of Myra; The Priest Hermas
Our venerable father Joannicus the Great left the military after more than twenty years in arms to live as a monk and pursue solitary life in different forests of Mt. Olympus. He was accustomed to end his prayer with these words: “God my hope, Christ my refuge, Holy Spirit my protector. He fell asleep in […]
Apr. 2 Our Venerable Father Titus the Wonder-worker
From his youth, our venerable father Titus loved Christ the Lord and detested the vanities of the world. Because of this, he retreated from the world, entered a monastery and received the angelic habit. Without regret, he dedicated himself to the somber and narrow path of monasticism. Through great patience, he attained two basic virtues: […]
Mar. 31 Our Venerable Father Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra
Our venerable father Hypatius was born in Cilicia and was the bishop of Gangra. He was present at the First Ecumenical Council (Nicea, 325) and was renowned by all for his pious life and miracle-working. The Emperor Constantius ordered that a likeness of Hypatius be made during the saint’s lifetime. The emperor kept the likeness […]
Mar. 30 Our Venerable Father John Climacus, Author of “The Ladder”
Our venerable father John Climacus is the author of The Ladder of Divine Ascent. John came to Mount Sinai as a sixteen year old youth and remained there, first as a novice, later as a recluse, and finally as abbott of Sinai until his eightieth year, when he reposed, in about the year 649. After […]