In the Orthodox Church, Saints are considered “friends of God.” During their worldly lives, they pleased God, sanctified their body and soul, and were accepted into God’s bosom. Once they had passed into eternal life, they were granted the power to pray for those left behind in the world. They are the ultimate role models for Orthodox Christians.
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St Evodus
Saint Evodus was a Bishop of Antioch. The Gospel of Luke does not mention how this saint earned his Christian designation, but tradition gives him this name. His feast day is May 6. The Apostle Peter is said to have been the first bishop of Antioch and to have appointed his successor before leaving the city. Saint Evodius became the second bishop of Antioch.
The relics of St. Evodus are revered in the Orthodox Church. The oil from his relics is still used today. This oil has healed many faithful people.
St Onesiphorus
Onesiphorus is one of the key figures in the Early Church, but his life is often overlooked. Although he is mentioned only once in the Bible, his name appears twice in the Second Letter to Timothy, written by Paul from Rome and received by the apostle Timothy in Ephesus. The reference is in the past tense, and is meant to honor the family of Onesiphorus.
St Onesiphorus’ story is a moving one. He was born to an unmarried couple named Rufina and Theodotus. His parents were convicted of heresy and imprisoned. The child was eventually saved by his aunt Ammia, who obtained permission from the city governor to bury his parents. The child was mute until the age of five, and grew up in piety. During his childhood, his father openly proclaimed his Christian faith.
St Maxim
St Maxim is the heavenly patron of scholars, theologians, translators, students, and seminarians. He is also a prayer intercessor for missionaries, apologists, and catechists. His prayer intercessions for these groups can help you better understand Orthodox doctrine and Scripture. He also intercedes for the conversion of nonbelievers.
Orthodox people mark their name days with feasts and prayers to their patron saints. Name days are special days that commemorate the birth of the patron saint. They are important because they help the Orthodox community remember its saints. It is important to mark these days and ask God to keep Maxim in your prayers.
St Maxim is a very popular saint in Russia and Eastern Europe. His name means “prayer of God”. Those who remember him regularly on their birthdays will be blessed with more strength and vitality. Maxim’s name is also associated with hard work and perseverance.
St John
St John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus Christ. He was born in the Ukraine in 1896. During the Russian Revolution, he moved to Yugoslavia to study theology. In time, he was tonsured and ordained a priest. He was also revered for his asceticism. In his later years, he was consecrated a bishop. After his ordination, he founded churches, orphanages, and hospitals in China. However, when the Communist Party came to power in China, he fled. He then went to the Philippines, Brussels, and Paris.
The Gospel of St John is one of the most popular Christian texts. However, American culture has not embraced St. John’s Ladder of Divine Ascent, making it controversial and insigni cantankerous. In fact, Western theologians often comment on the paucity of research on St. John. In contrast, scholars of St. Augustine and St. Gregory the Great are more widely studied and cited. On the other hand, Climacan scholars are relatively few, for some reason.
St Anastasius
St Anastasius was a great theologian, ecclesiastical statesman, and Egyptian national leader. He is considered one of the most important orthodox saints and is venerated in numerous Christian denominations. His writings on Christology are considered to be masterpieces. He defended the teachings of the Church’s faith against Arianism, a philosophy that held that Christ did not have the same substance as the Father. He is also revered for his close relationship with Anthony the Great, one of the founders of the Christian monastic movement. His first letter to Anthony the Great was called a masterpiece by C. S. Lewis.
St Anastasius entered the monastery of Nea Moni when he was 30 years old. He longed to enter the monastic life, which would allow him to study the Scriptures more deeply. After completing his three-year novice’s term, he was ordained a monk. On November 7, 1875, he received the name Lazarus, and studied the Scriptures by day and night. In addition to studying the scriptures, he devoted himself to the church, teaching lower-class children.
Cyril
According to Orthodox teaching, St. Cyril is one of the most important orthodox saints, because he helped to define the role of Christ on the Cross and the nature of man. In particular, he challenged the idea that the Son of God was a man and that the Logos incarnated in the flesh was incapable of suffering. Moreover, he argued that Christ is both God and man, because he became human and took on a human nature.
Cyril was born in the late 4th century in Egypt. He lived a monastic life before succeeding as the Bishop of Alexandria in 412. Because of his zealous zeal for the orthodox faith, he is revered in both the Eastern and Western churches.
Polyeuctus
Polyeuctus is one of Greek Christianity’s most famous martyrs. His conversion to Christianity was spurred on by a vision he had during a period of persecution. He believed that if he became a Christian, he would be raised to heaven, and when he heard about the persecution of Christians, he openly professed his new faith. But he was soon captured and tortured by his tormentors. His persecutors tried to convince him to apostatize, but they could not. The tears of Polyeuctus were not enough to convince his tormentors.
Saint Polyeuctus’ martyrdom inspired poet Pierre Corneille to write the novel Polyeucte (1642). Gounod later adapted it to opera, working with librettist Jules Barbier. A ballet based on Polyeuctus was also written in 1679 by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. In addition to this, composers Giacomo Donizetti and Marc-Antoine Charpentier adapted the play Polyeucte (1642).
St. Brendan
Saint Brendan was born circa 484 in County Kerry, Ireland. He was the son of Finnlug and Cara, members of the old tribe known as the Altraige. His parents baptized him and taught him to pray. After learning the Christian faith, his parents fostered his interest in the Church, sending him to the monastery of Saint Bridget of Munster, where he received more education.
Saint Brendan is best known for his voyage to the “Land of Promise.” He heard of the land from another monk, and set sail with his small group, hoping to convert the people there. It took seven years for the group to reach their destination.
St. Peter
Listed as the first apostle in the gospels and the Book of Acts, St. Peter was a charismatic, courageous man. While other apostles failed to witness the Transfiguration of Jesus, Peter witnessed his healing of the sick, raised the daughter of Jairus, and endured the agony of the Garden of Gethsem. In the gospels, Peter frequently confesses his belief in the Messiah.
During the ministry of Jesus, Peter and his brothers lived in Capernaum, northwest of the Sea of Galilee. Andrew and James were partners with Peter as fishermen.
