Western orthodox saints include a number of different people who have been influential throughout the history of Christianity. These include people such as Gregory the Great, John Chrysostom, Cyril and Tikhon. Some of them have been revered in particular because of the way they lived their lives.
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St. Job
Saint Job of Pochaev is a saint and the patron of a Russian Orthodox publishing center. He was a monk in the Eastern Orthodox Church. His relics are preserved in a monastery in Ukraine.
The monastery at Pochayev was built 400 years ago. It belonged to the duke of Rivne. The foundation stone was laid by Varnava, Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church.
In 1604 Job joined the monastery. Eventually he became hegumen and raised the Novgorod bishop to metropolitan status. After Tsar Fyodor’s death in 1598, Job chose Boris Godunov as tsar.
When Job became abbot of the monastery, he introduced some reforms in the monastic life. This included a strict discipline of the monks.
He was known for his defence of the Orthodox faith against Protestant missionaries. He wrote a book containing 80 sermons. Among his most important articles are those about the Trinity, baptism, and the Mother of God. These are written in Slavonic. However, some of the articles are copied from other sources.
St. Gregory
The Western Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of St. Gregory of Tours on January 25, a very important event for the whole region.
As a bishop, Gregory presided over the major see of Tours. He helped at the council of Paris in 577. In addition, he wrote a number of letters disavowing the ambition of the Throne of Peter.
He is also credited with re-energizing missionary work in northern Europe. His writings emphasized the importance of highly organized devotion. Despite the fact that he lived on the cusp of the dying Antiquity, he was very Orthodox and did not hesitate to take up challenging tasks.
He became Bishop of Tours at age eighty. A great many people were converted through his preaching. One of the most notable miracles was when he cured a large number of patients.
St. Cyril
St Cyril of Alexandria, was a bishop, priest, and theologian who was renowned for his campaign against the heresy of Nestorius. He was a zealous servant of the flock who, by admonishing and refuting the heresies of his time, saved many from false doctrines.
When Cyril was a boy, he lived in Thessaloniki, Macedonia. His uncle, Bishop Theophilus, became the bishop of Alexandria when he died. In this position, Cyril learned all the profane sciences.
After a time, he went to Constantinople. There, he studied under Photius and Leo the Grammarian. This led to his ordination as a priest. However, Cyril was deposed by the Acacius council in 358.
At that time, the Church of Alexandria had a great role to play in the early Christian church. It was even as important as Rome. Nevertheless, Cyril’s zeal for orthodoxy caused him to clash with civil authorities.
St. Tikhon
The Western Rite of the Russian Orthodox Church has a long history in North America. It was a continuation of the tradition begun by the Apostle Peter, Cyril and Methodius. In addition, it continues the vision of reuniting separated Western Christians.
Archbishop Tikhon and Father Raphael of Brooklyn were among the early Orthodox bishops of America. During their extensive travels, they founded churches in North America. They also ministered to different nationalities.
While in the United States, St. Tikhon was the ruling bishop of the American diocese of the Church of Russia. He also served as priest-in-charge at the Russian Saint Nicholas Cathedral in New York.
The diocese grew from 15 to 70 parishes. Many of these parishes became self-supporting. A number of parishes were established with the missionary fervor that characterized the Orthodox Church in the late 19th century.
St. John Chrysostom
Saint John Chrysostom is a Christian saint who was a prominent preacher and theologian. He was born in the second city of the Eastern Roman Empire, Antioch. His father was an officer in the Syrian army. He studied under the Greek scholar Libanius and studied Greek language and literature.
John Chrysostom was the Archbishop of Constantinople in the 386s and he was the spiritual successor of Saint Gregory the Theologian. He worked to harmonize the liturgical life of the Church and he also revised the rubrics of the Divine Liturgy.
His liturgy is an outstanding example of spiritual perfection. It is celebrated almost every day in churches. In fact, he is so revered by the Eastern Orthodox that the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is typically celebrated on the evening of the Holy Cross.
