Saint Daniel the Stylite
Stylites (the Greek word style means pillar) In the early days of the Byzantine Empire, the love for God made many monks to choose strict and strange types of asceticism. So, some ascetics-saints were standing on a small platform on top of a pillaron for years in an amazing display of endurance and belief in God under any climatic […]
Miracle of St. Basil the Great Against the Arians
Commemoration of the Miracle Wrought by Saint Basil the Great at Nicaea, when by his prayer he opened the gates of the church of the Orthodox (Feast Day – January 19) While the wicked Emperor Valens was in Nicaea, prominent Arians approached him requesting that he drive the Orthodox from the cathedral and give it […]
Basil the Great and Disfigured Christianity
I want to speak on Saint Basil, but I don’t want to say what is commonly told by those who write about this truly “Great” saint. Especially some theologians who are educated by the Franks, who don’t care at all about his holiness or his wisdom according to God, but rather his “classical” wisdom, his […]
Saint Nikephoros the Leper is Canonized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate
Nikephoros the Leper, who reposed on 4 January 1964, was officially numbered among the canonized Saints of the Orthodox Church by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Saturday, December 1, 2012. Below is a brief life of the newly-glorified Saint Nikephoros written by Monk Simon in the book Nikephoros the Leper: The Radiant Athlete […]
Saint Leontios of Monemvasia (+ 1452)
St. Leontios was born around 1377 in Monemvasia of Peloponnesos to an aristocratic family, a descendent of the Paleologos emperors of Byzantium. His mother was Theodora, daughter of Emperor Andronikos (1283 – 1328), and his father was Andrew, the Governor of the Peoponnese. Both his parents were God-loving people and named their son Leo. Leo […]
The Holy Apostle Philip of the 70, one of the 7 Deacons
Philip was born in Palestinian Caesarea. He was married and had four daughters. All four were endowed by God with the gift of prophecy, and all four were vowed virgins for the sake of Christ. When the holy apostles chose deacons, Philip was chosen with Stephen and the others. He served the needy and widows […]
Was Saint Katherine Really Hypatia of Alexandria?
Despite the great popularity of Saint Katherine among all Christians, the oldest reference to this fourth century martyr comes from a seventh century Syrian liturgical text. The oldest life we have comes from the Menologion of Emperor Basil II who died in 886. In this she is called Aikaterine, and the report runs as follows: […]
Saint Stylianos of Paphlagonia
On this day we commemorate our Venerable Father Stylianos of Paphlagonia The firm pillar of asceticism has fallen, For Stylianos has left this life. Stylianos joyfully stands by God on the twenty-sixth. From the time he was in the stomach of his mother, he was sanctified, and became a dwelling-place of the Holy Spirit. For […]
The Holy Great Martyr Artemius
This glorious saint was an Egyptian by birth and the chief commander under Emperor Constantine the Great. When the victorious Cross, surrounded by stars, appeared to Emperor Constantine, Artemius also saw that Cross, believed in the Lord Christ and was baptized. Later, during the reign of Emperor Constantius, this emperor sent him to Greece to […]
Homily on the Holy Apostle Andrew
Strong is the net used by the apostles to fish, wondrous the memory of Andrew, and marvelous the commemoration of the net he employed to catch the nations and to lead them to faith in Christ! The seine of those deathless mortals, the apostles, can never be torn by forgetfulness, nor can time destroy their […]