Saint Jonah, Bishop of Manchuria The path of Bishop Jonah’s earthly life was short. Born in 1888, the boy Volodya Pokrovsky was only eight years old when he became an orphan. A kind village deacon took him in and helped him to acquire an education, first at a seminary in his native Kaluga and then…

Holy Martyr Varus and companions Martyr Varus lived in Egypt during the period of several persecutions against Christians (late third to early fourth century). Varus (Ouaros) was a military commander and secretly a Christian. He gave assistance to many of the persecuted and imprisoned Christians, and he visited the prisoners at night. He also brought…

Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, was a native of Syrian Antioch, a companion of the holy Apostle Paul (Phil.1:24, 2 Tim. 4:10-11), and a physician enlightened in the Greek medical arts. Hearing about Christ, Luke arrived in Palestine and fervently accepted the preaching of salvation from the Lord Himself.…

Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, and of their brothers: Leonitus, Anthems and Euprepius The Martyrs and Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian in Cilicia (Arabia), and the Martyrs Leontius, Anthimus and Eutropius. The holy brothers Cosmas and Damian were physicians in Arabia, who believed in Christ. They traveled through the cities and the villages, preaching Christ and…

Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion The Holy Martyr Longinus the Centurion, a Roman soldier, served in Judea under the command of the Governor, Pontius Pilate. When our Savior Jesus Christ was crucified, it was the detachment of soldiers under the command of Longinus which stood watch on Golgotha, at the very foot of the holy…

Venerable Father Euthymius the New, who died in peace Saint Euthymius the New of Thessalonica and Mt Athos, in the world was named Nicetas, and he was a native of the city of Ancyra in Galatia. His parents, Epiphanius and Anna, led virtuous Christian lives, and from childhood their son was meek, pious and obedient.…

Holy Father Cosmas Bishop of Maiuma, the Hymnographer Saint Cosmas the Hymnographer, Bishop of Maiuma, was a native of Jerusalem. He was raised by the parents of Saint John of Damascus(December 4) together with their son, and he received a fine education. When Saint Cosmas came of age, he set out to one of the monasteries…

Holy New Martyr Chryse (Zlata), who was cut in pieces at Slatina in 1795 The Holy Virgin Martyr Zlata (Chrysḗ), that “golden vessel of virginity, and undefiled bride of Christ,” was born in the village of Slatena, in the Meglena diocese, on the border of Bulgaria and Serbia, when Bulgaria was under the Turkish Yoke.…

Holy Virgin Martyr Anastasia, who was slain by the sword The Monastic Martyr Anastasia the Roman lost her parents when she was three years old, and was taken to be raised by the Igoumeness of a women’s monastery, whose name was Sophia, a nun who had attained a high degree of spiritual perfection. She raised…

Synaxis of the Venerable Startsi of the Monastery of Optina Today the Church honors the memory of the Holy Elders of Optina Monastery: Leonid (October 11, 1841) Makarios (September 7, 1860) Moses (June 16, 1862) Anthony (August 7, 1865) Hilarion (September 18, 1873) Ambrose (October 10, 1891) Anatole I (January 25, 1894) Isaac I (August…