The Life of the Saints Orthodox book contains a variety of information about the Saints of the Church. Amongst other things, it focuses on the lives of 101 saints.
Table of Contents
Synaxarion
If you are looking for Orthodox books to help you with your daily prayers, you will be happy to know that Synaxarion is a book that aims to provide you with a wealth of information on the lives of the saints. This book is also available in English. It is a large format book with over 550 pages.
During the ninth to eleventh centuries, a number of ecclesiastic historians contributed to the compilation of this book. The Synaxarion was intended to be a guide for public worship as well as to nourish the prayer life of individual Christians.
St. Gregory the Dialogist
Saint Gregory the Dialogist is considered to be one of the most prominent and influential Orthodox Christians of the Middle Ages. He was born around 540 in Rome. His father, Gordianus, was a senator and the prefect of the city. The family owned vast agricultural tracts in Sicily.
He was a scholar and a politician, but he became a monk at Andrew’s monastery. After a while, he was tonsured. When he was sent to Constantinople as a Papal legate, he did not abandon his spiritual exercises.
St. Antony
One of the great saints of the Coptic Church was St. Antony. He was a man of many virtues. His contribution to the faith was significant.
In his lifetime, the Egyptians embalmed the bodies of righteous men. They thought that this was a form of reverence for them.
The Saviour worked a miracle in Antony. Not only did he save him, but he also healed him. It’s not known whether he died in the Egyptian desert, or was miraculously transported to Alexandria.
St. Basil
Basil the Great was one of the first Church Fathers. He was a Greek Orthodox Christian who lived from 330-379. He was a prolific writer on theology and monasticism. His writings have survived in more than 300 letters. Many of his letters deal with daily activities and the moral and ethical issues that he faced as a monk.
Saint Basil was a teacher who defended orthodoxy against Arian heresy. While in Caesarea, he taught people about the nature of God and the beauty of creation.
St. John the Baptist
John the Baptist, also known as the Forerunner, is a biblical figure and a Christian saint. He was a son of Zachariah, a Jewish priest.
His name is mentioned in the Qur’an as well as in the Aramaic and Hebrew gospels. He lived in the desert.
One of the first disciples Jesus called, he preached for six months. Then he traveled to Samaria to lay hands on new converts. After the Resurrection, he had an important role in the early church.
St. Sylvester of the Caves
Saint Sylvester of the Caves was a saint that lived in the twelfth century. He is considered to be one of the foremost shepherds of the Roman Catholic Church. His death in year 335 was peaceful.
St Sylvester was a member of the Mikhailovsk Vydubitsk monastery at Kiev. The monks of the monastery were austere and believed in God. They sewed their own garments and lived on rye bread. However, they were unable to find a cure for their ailments.
St. John Chrysostom
The lives of the saints can often be the inspiration for our faith and spiritual lives. Saint John Chrysostom is one of these saints. He was a Christian preacher, a monk, and an orthodox priest. His homilies are still very relevant today.
Although his homilies were often ignored, St. John preached for 12 years. During his life, he wrote over a thousand pastoral teachings. In addition, he exegeted Scriptures.
Chrysostom was born in Antioch, a city in the Eastern Roman Empire. His father was an officer in the Syrian army. While he was still a child, he studied under some of the finest philosophers.
