Orthodox Calendar, June 5 Venerable Elizabeth of Pasărea Venerable Elizabeth of Pasărea was born on July 16, 1970, in the commune of Moldova-Sulița, Suceava County, and received the name Rodica at Holy Baptism. Her parents, Vasile and Maria Lazăr, had eleven children, two of whom reposed in the Lord at a young age. While in…
Orthodox Calendar, June 4 Martyrs Attalos, Kamasis, Zotikos and Philippos of Niculitsel The graves of Saints Zoticus, Atallus, Camisius and Philippos were discovered in 1971. Lesser Scythia (modern Romania), between the Danube and the Black Sea in the northeastern territory of the Roman Empire, was a place of exile or death for Christians who refused…
Orthodox Calendar, June 3 Martyr Lucillian and those who suffered with him He was a pagan priest during the reign of the Roman emperor Aurelian (270-275). In his old age he became persuaded of the falseness of the pagan religion, and with all his heart he turned to the faith in Christ the Savior, and…
Orthodox Calendar, June 2 Great Martyr John the New of Suceava The Holy Great Martyr John the New of Suceava lived in the fourteenth century in the city of Trebizond. He was a merchant, devout and firm in his Orthodoxy, and generous to the poor. Once, he happened to be sailing on a ship while pursuing…
Orthodox Calendar – The Holy Trinty On the day after every Great Feast, the Orthodox Church honors the one through whom the Feast is made possible. On the day following the Nativity of the Lord, for example, we celebrate the Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos (December 26). On the day after Theophany, we commemorate…
Orthodox Calendar – Descent of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) In the Church’s annual liturgical cycle, Pentecost is “the last and great day.” It is the celebration by the Church of the coming of the Holy Spirit as the end—the achievement and fulfillment—of the entire history of salvation. For the same reason, however, it is also…
Orthodox Calendar, May 30 Saint Isaac lived during the fourth century, received monastic tonsure and pursued ascetic labors in the desert. During the reign of the emperor Valens (364-378), a zealous adherent of the Arian heresy, there was a persecution of the Orthodox, and churches were closed and destroyed. Hearing of the persecution, Saint Isaac…
Orthodox Calendar, May 29 Saint Theodosia of Tyre lived during the third and fourth centuries. Once, during a persecution against Christians, which had already lasted for five years, the seventeen-year-old Theodosia went up to condemned Christian prisoners in the Praetorium in Caesarea, Palestine. It was the day of Holy Pascha, and the martyrs spoke about…
Orthodox Calendar, May 28 St. Eutychius, Bishop of Melitene The Hieromartyr Eutychius, Bishop of Melitene, was a co-worker with the Holy Apostles, and he suffered for Christ in the city of Melitene during the first century. Troparion — Tone 4 By sharing in the ways of the Apostles, / you became a successor to their…
Orthodox Calendar, May 27 Martyr Julius the Veteran He lived in the 3rd-4th centuries, being a contemporary of Saints Pasicratus and Valentine. He received martyrdom at the time of the Great Persecution under Emperors Diocletian and Maximian. In year 304, he was brought to trial before the local prefect, named Maximus. The prefect Maximus was…
Orthodox Calendar, May 26 Sts. Carpus and Alphaeus Saint Carpus was one of the Seventy Apostles chosen and sent forth to preach by Christ (Luke 10:1). He was bishop of Verria in Macedonia. The Holy Apostle Alphaeus of the Seventy came from the Galilean city of Capernaum and was the father of the Apostles James…
