Feasts and Saints

The Ascension of our Lord (Heroes Day). Third Finding of the Honorable Head of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John

The Ascension of our Lord I ascend unto My Father and your Father, and to My God, and Your God (John 20:17). In these words the Risen Christ described to Mary Magdalene the mystery of His Resurrection. She had to carry this mysterious message to His disciples, “as they mourned and wept” (Mark 16:10). The…

May 25, 2017Andrei Pau

Venerable Mary of Egypt

Saint Zosimas (April 4) was a monk at a certain Palestinian monastery on the outskirts of Caesarea. Having dwelt at the monastery since his childhood, he lived there in asceticism until he reached the age of fifty-three. Then he was disturbed by the thought that he had attained perfection, and needed no one to instruct…

Apr 1, 2017Andrei Pau

Venerable John Climacus of Sinai; St. Euboula the Mother of St. Panteleimon

Saint John of the Ladder is honored by Holy Church as a great ascetic and author of the renowned spiritual book called THE LADDER, from which he is also called “of the Ladder” (Climacus). There is almost no information about Saint John’s origins. One tradition suggests that he was born in Constantinople around the year…

Mar 30, 2017Gheorghe Anghel

Hieromartyr Mark the Bishop of Arethusa; Martyr Cyril the Deacon of Heliopolis

Hieromartyr Mark, Bishop of Arethusa, suffered for his faith in Christ under the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363). By order of the emperor Constantine (May 21), Saint Mark had once destroyed a pagan temple and built a Christian church. When Julian came to the throne, he persecuted Christians and tried to restore paganism. Some citizens…

Mar 29, 2017Gheorghe Anghel

Venerable Hilarion the New the Abbot of Pelecete; Venerable Stephen the Wonderworker the Abbot of Triglia

Saint Hilarion the New, Igumen of Peleke Monastery, from his youth, he devoted himself to the service of God and spent many years as a hermit. Because of his holy and blameless life he was ordained to the holy priesthood, and later he was made igumen of the Pelekete monastery (near the Dardanelles). Saint Hilarion…

Mar 28, 2017Gheorghe Anghel

The Annunciation (fish allowed); 5th Sunday of Great Lent

The Feast of the Annunciation is one of the earliest Christian feasts, and was already being celebrated in the fourth century. There is a painting of the Annunciation in the catacomb of Priscilla in Rome dating from the second century. The Council of Toledo in 656 mentions the Feast, and the Council in Trullo in…

Mar 25, 2017Sorin Ioniţe

Saint Bucolus the Bishop of Smyrna. Saint Photius the Patriarch of Constantinople. Venerable Barsanuphius the Great

1. Saint Bucolus, Bishop of Smyrna, was a disciple of the holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, and became the first Bishop of Smyrna (Asia Minor). By the grace of God, Saint Bucolus converted many of the pagans to Christ and baptized them. As a wise and experienced guide, he defended his flock from…

Feb 6, 2017Sorin Ioniţe