Synaxarion

Holy Martyr Stephen the New Saint Stephen became a monk at 16 on Mount Auxentius during the iconoclast persecution. Heretics controlled both Church and state and only isolated monasteries remained Orthodox. Stephen led a life of strict asceticism and his holiness and wonderworking attracted many disciples. He was a zealous defender of the veneration of holy icons, and when word of the saint reached the capital, the emperor plotted to break him. After flattery, bribery, and slander all failed, Stephen's monastery was destroyed and he was exiled to a remote island. He was then taken to Constantinople and jailed, where he joined 342 monks imprisoned for veneration of icons. Every day for a year, the holy prisoners served the entire church typicon as if in a monastery. Condemned to death, imperial guards hauled Stephen from prison and dragged him through the streets, calling on the crowd to stone him. A heretic struck the saint on the head with a piece of wood and the holy martyr Stephen went to the Lord in 767.

Holy Martyr James the Persian Saint James was born in fourth century Persia to a pious Christian family. He was wealthy and gifted, with a devout wife. James was favored by the Persian king, who showered him with honors in the royal court. Seduced by worldly vanity, James fell away from Christ and joined the king in the worship of idols. Hearing of this, his mother and wife wrote a letter rebuking him and begging him to return to Christ. Pierced in his heart by their letter, James repented bitterly, crying to God with many tears. He boldly confessed his faith in Christ before the king. Furious, the king condemned him to a gruesome public execution where the martyr's body was slowly cut to pieces, little by little, until he died. In a crowded stadium, the executioners cut off James' fingers, then his toes, his arms and legs, until finally his torso was beheaded. Throughout his martyrdom, Saint James joyously praised God and gave thanks, and a powerful fragrance, like that of cypress, wafted from his wounds.

Holy Hieromartyr Clement Saint Clement was born in first century Rome to a wealthy family. Well-educated and surrounded by luxury, the comforts of his life held no interest for him. Hearing the news of Christ and His teachings, Clement sought out the apostles. He met Barnabas in Alexandria, and then in Palestine he was baptized by the Holy Apostle Peter and became his devoted disciple. Before Peter's martyrdom, he consecrated Clement Bishop of Rome. Serving after Linus and Anacletus, Clement governed the Church with zeal, bringing great numbers of pagans to Christ and ordering scribes to document the lives of the Christian martyrs. Emperor Trajan banished Clement to a quarry in Kherson where he joined thousands of exiled Christians hewing stone in a waterless land. By his prayer, he brought forth water from the ground and converted so many of the natives that 75 churches were built in one year. Trajan condemned Clement to death, and he was drowned in the sea with an anchor around his neck in the year 101.

Holy Martyr Mercurius Mercurius was commander of a regiment in the Roman army under Emperor Decius, esteemed as a great swordsman and tactician. In a battle against the barbarians, an angel of God appeared and gave Mercurius a shining sword, assuring him of victory. Taking the sword, Mercurius cut through the barbarian ranks and killed their king. After his glorious victory, Decius made him chief commander of the army. But the emperor soon began his persecution of Christians and envious men reported Mercurius, who refused to renounce his faith or worship idols. Sentenced to torture and death, he was cut into strips above a fire that was extinguished by the blood pouring from his wounds. Nearly dead in prison, an angel consoled Mercurius and healed him, showing the pagans the power of God. Because of his popularity among the people, he was transported to a far away city for execution. When Saint Mercurius was beheaded, his body became as white as snow and exuded a most wonderful fragrance like myrrh.

Saint Alexander Nevsky Alexander was born in 1220, the son of Prince Yaroslav. His heart was drawn to God from his youth. Tonsured into military service by Saint Simon, Alexander vowed in the Name of God to protect the Holy Church and the Russian land. He joined many of his father's campaigns, becoming a great warrior. Alexander defeated the Swedes on the river Neva after Saints Boris and Gleb appeared and promised to aid the great prince, their kinsman. His marriage was blessed by the holy wonderworking icon of the Theodore Mother of God. Alexander victoriously repelled Crusaders from the West and Mongols from the East. Among the Golden Horde of the Tatars, he refused to sacrifice to idols and eventually established a church in their capital. Saint Alexander was a heroic ruler, a man of prayer, an ascetic, and performed innumerable acts of mercy. Returning home from a diplomatic mission in 1263, Alexander fell ill. He sought rest at a monastery and was tonsured into the Great Schema on his deathbed.

Saint Gregory of Decapolis Saint Gregory was born to pious parents in the city of Decapolis in the eighth century. From an early age he loved the House of God, the services, prayer, and reading Scripture. Avoiding the marriage that his parents intended for him, Gregory secretly left home and became a monk. He spent his life traveling: to Constantinople, Rome, Corinth, and Olympus. Gregory preached the Word of God everywhere. He denounced the iconoclast heresy and strengthened the fortitude of the faithful, who were violently persecuted by the heretics. Through his ascetic devotion, Saint Gregory reached the height of virtue and attained gifts of prophecy and wonderworking and was permitted to hear the angelic praise of the Holy Trinity. Returning to Constantinople to combat the iconoclasts, a grievous illness undermined his strength. Saint Gregory reposed in the Lord in 816 and was buried at a monastery. Many miracles took place at his tomb and his relics were moved into the church for veneration.

Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia Saint Porphyrios was born on the island of Evia in 1906, named Evangelos. Due to his family's poverty, he began working at age 7 and at age 12 he secretly left for the Holy Mountain. He lived in obedience to two great elders, devoting himself in labor and prayer, and memorizing the Gospel. He was tonsured a monk at 14 and into the Great Schema two years later. God gave him the gifts of clear sight, clairvoyance, and healing, powers he never used for his own gain. Forced to leave Mount Athos due to severe illness, he returned to Evia, where he was ordained a priest. For 30 years he served as chaplain in an Athens hospital, working many wonders. Though blinded by a doctor's mistake, he continued his work founding a convent and building a church dedicated to the Transfiguration. In his final years, Saint Porphyrios returned to his beloved Athos, dwelling in the hut where he first took his vows. Preparing his own grave, he reposed in 1991 with his last words "that we may be one."

Saint Odo of Cluny Saint Odo was the great abbot of the monastery at Cluny, who began a movement of monastic reform that ultimately renewed more than a thousand monasteries. He started his spiritual quest at nineteen, inspired by Saint Martin the Merciful, to whom he had a deep devotion. Reading the rule of Saint Benedict, he was stunned at how far his life was from the monastic standard and he determined to become a monk. In 909, Odo was received into a monastery where, unlike many, the rule was strictly observed. The same year, a new brotherhood at Cluny was founded, insisting on a rigorous application of the rule. Odo became Cluny’s abbot in 927 and spread its influence to monasteries all over Europe, encouraging lax monasteries to return to the original rule of prayer, manual labor, and cenobitic life under the direction of a spiritual father. Saint Odo was known for balancing his strong counsel with humor and he warned not to turn away the blind and lame, as they might be the gatekeepers in heaven.

Saint Sebastian of Jackson Saint Sebastian was born in San Francisco in 1863, the son of the first Serbian immigrants to the West Coast. He became the first American to be ordained an Orthodox priest and the first to be tonsured a monk. His greatest distinction lies in the tremendous apostolic, pastoral, and literary work accomplished during the 48 years of his ministry. He zealously sought to spread the Faith to all people, founding churches and organizing parishes. Without funding or support, he carried the Gospel from Alaska, to Russia and Japan, to small towns in the Balkans. On his mission in the United States, he traveled back and forth across the continent by stagecoach, by railroad, and by foot. He denied himself all worldly comforts so that he could provide for the spiritual needs of all who required his aid. He compiled the first English translation of the Divine Liturgy and published the first English language catechisms. Saint Sebastian reposed in Žiča, Serbia in 1940 and was glorified in 2007.

Holy Apostle Matthew the Evangelist Saint Matthew was a tax collector when the Lord saw him and said: Follow Me. Matthew repented of his sins, recompensed fourfold those he had overcharged, gave his remaining possessions to the poor, and followed the Savior. Matthew witnessed Christ's innumerable miracles and His suffering, death, and Resurrection and beheld His glorious Ascension into Heaven. Having received the grace of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, he spent eight years preaching the Gospel in Palestine. At the request of the faithful in Jerusalem, Matthew wrote his account of the earthly life and teachings of the God-man Jesus Christ. Matthew brought the Good News to Syria, Media, Persia, Parthia and finally Ethiopia, where he built a church and appointed his follower Plato as bishop. When Matthew baptized the wife and son of the prince of Ethiopia, the enraged ruler put him to death. But after witnessing the miracles surrounding the Apostle's martyrdom, the prince was baptized and took the name Matthew.

Saint Paisius Velichkovsky Saint Paisius led a life of love and toil for God that brought the renewal of monasticism in Russia and the Balkans, a returning to noetic prayer and the teachings of the Holy Fathers. Born to a large pious family in 1722, at 17 he went to several monasteries and though he could not find the right spiritual father he acquired such wisdom and grace that he was called “young elder”. Refusing pleas that he be ordained, he went to Mount Athos, which was suffering under Turkish occupation. For four years he lived in isolation, alone with Scripture and the Fathers, eating only every other day. Guided away from eremitic life, Paisius accepted his first disciple and they were joined by 10 others. He received ordination and led the brothers in translating the works of the Holy Fathers. When they left Athos for Romania there were 64 brothers and before he died the brotherhood had grown into a monastic army of 1000. The fruits of Saint Paisius’ labors were published as the Russian Philokalia.

Saint Gregory Palamas Saint Gregory's father was an eminent official of the court of Emperor Andronicus II Paleologos. Gifted Gregory completed his studies but did not want to join the imperial court. He withdrew to the Holy Mountain and was tonsured a monk. He lived a life of asceticism at Vatopedi and the Great Lavra. Saint Gregory led the struggle against the heretic Barlaam and finally defeated him, composing the Triads in Defense of the Holy Hesychasts. He is glorified as an ascetic, a theologian, a hierarch and a wonderworker. The Most Holy Theotokos, Saint John the Theologian, Saint Demetrios, Saint Anthony the Great, Saint John Chrysostom and angels of God all appeared to him at different times. He was consecrated as Metropolitan of Thessalonica and governed the Church for thirteen years, one year of which he spent in slavery under the Saracens. Saint Gregory peacefully reposed in 1360 and went to the Kingdom of Christ. His relics remain in Thessaloniki, where a beautiful church is dedicated to him.

Saint John Chrysostom John was born in Antioch in 354. His father was an imperial commander. Studying philosophy, John became disgusted with paganism and adopted the Christian Faith as the one and all-embracing truth. He was baptized and his parents soon followed him in the faith. He was tonsured a monk and lived a life of asceticism. The Apostles John and Peter appeared to him, foretelling his life of great service and suffering. He was ordained and a shining dove was seen over his head. He was chosen as Patriarch of Constantinople by Emperor Arcadius and governed for six years with unequalled zeal and wisdom. He sent missionaries to the pagans, eradicated simony, shamed heretics, increased charitable works, wrote a Divine Liturgy and gave us many precious books of homilies. The people glorified him, the envious hated him, and the Empress exiled him. John spent three years in exile, reposing on the Feast of the Elevation of the Cross in Georgia in 407. His last words were "Glory be to God for all things.''

Venerable Nilus of Sinai Saint Nilus was a native of Constantinople in the fifth century. A disciple of Saint John Chrysostom, he was appointed governor while still a young man. Nilus was married and had children, but the sinful life of the city troubled the couple, and he and his wife agreed to withdraw from the world. His wife and daughter went to a convent and Nilus and his son Theodulus went to Mount Sinai, where they settled in a cave dug by their own hands. For forty years this cave served as his dwelling. By fasting and prayer, the monk attained spiritual perfection. People from every social rank, from emperor to farmer, came to him for counsel. Nilus wrote many great works to guide Christians on the path of salvation. Once, Saracens captured Theodulus and intended to sacrifice him to their gods. With the Bishop of Emessa, Nilus found his son and freed him, and the bishop ordained both father and son. They returned to Sinai, living together as ascetics until the peaceful repose of Saint Nilus in 450.

Holy Martyr Menas Saint Menas was an Egyptian soldier and a Christian during the fiercest persecution in history. Unable to bear sacrifices to idols, he left the army and withdrew to a deserted mountain and a life of fasting and prayer, finding it easier to live among wild beasts than pagans. He clairvoyantly discerned a pagan festival in a nearby town and traveled there and, at the peak of the games, openly and loudly denounced idolatry and declared his faith in Christ. Menas was arrested and brought before the eparch, who offered to restore his former rank if only he would deny Christ. Menas remained faithful and was subjected to severe tortures. He was flogged, scraped him with iron claws, burned with torches, and finally beheaded. His body was thrown into a fire but Christians recovered it and reverently buried the saint's remains. His relics were later transferred to Alexandria and a church was built over them. Saint Menas suffered for Christ in the year 304 and went to the Heavenly Kingdom.

Holy Martyr Orestes Saint Orestes was born Christian in Cappadocia during the reign of Diocletian. A doctor by profession, Orestes was arrested and interrogated by the governor, who urged him to deny Christ and worship idols. Orestes replied: "If you knew the power of the Crucified, you would reject idolatrous lies and worship the true God." For this he was savagely beaten and flayed and burned with a red-hot iron, then thrown into prison to die of starvation. Orestes spent seven days without bread or water. On the eighth day, the governor threatened him with even worse tortures. Orestes replied: "I am ready to undergo every torture, having the sign of my Lord Jesus Christ inscribed on my heart." The governor ordered that twenty nails be hammered into Orestes' legs and that he be bound behind a horse and dragged over thorns and rocks until the martyr died. In the place where Orestes' body was discarded, a man radiant as the sun appeared and gathered the saint's relics, took them to a hill, and buried them.

Saint John the Dwarf Saint John is among the greatest of the Egyptian ascetics. He came to Scetis with his brother Daniel and devoted himself to such asceticism that Daniel had to urge him to moderation. John was a disciple of Saint Pambo, and was later the teacher of Saint Arsenios the Great. His fellow disciple under Pambo was Saint Paisios the Great. In order to test John's obedience, Saint Pambo ordered him to water a dry stick planted in the ground until it turned green. Without hesitation or doubt, John watered this stick daily for three years, walking 12 miles to the water source and back, until by the power of God, it grew green sprouts and brought forth fruit. Pambo then gathered the fruit from this tree, brought it to church and distributed it among the brethren saying: "Draw near and taste of the fruit of obedience!'' Saint John the Dwarf had many disciples and some of his wise sayings have been preserved. He entered into rest peacefully in 422 and took up his habitation in the joy of his Lord.

Synaxis of Archangel Michael and All the Bodiless Powers of Heaven The celebration of the Synaxis of Archangel Michael and All the Heavenly Hosts was established at the beginning of the fourth century at the council of Laodicea. The council condemned the worship of angels as heretical and affirmed their proper veneration. Dionysius the Areopagite described the nine orders of angels in his book, On the Celestial Hierarchies, as follows: six-winged Seraphim, many-eyed Cherubim, God-bearing Thrones, Dominions, Powers, Virtues, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. Among the angels there reigns perfect oneness of mind, oneness of soul, and love. The lower orders show complete obedience to the higher orders and all of them together perfectly obey the Holy Will of God. The leader of all the angelic hosts is the Archangel Michael. On the Day of Judgment, all the hosts of the holy angels will gather around the throne of Christ and the deeds, words, and thoughts of every man will be revealed before all.

Holy 33 Martyrs of Melitene Hieron was a zealous Christian of Cappadocia who served his blind mother with devotion. He refused to join the army because he wouldn't help persecute Christians and the thought of mandatory sacrifices to idols grieved him. He was captured and thrown in prison. In a vision, an angel foretold of Hieron's martyrdom and he was filled with inexpressible joy. Hieron strengthened his fellow prisoners in the Faith, urging them to offer their bodies to death for Christ. All 33 saints confessed Jesus Christ and then were flogged and severely tortured. Hieron's hand was cut off and the next morning the martyrs Hieron and Hesychius, Nicander, Athanasius, Mamas, Barachius, Callinicus, Theogenes, Nikon, Longinus, Theodore, Valerius, Xanthius, Theodulus, Callimachus, Eugenius, Theodochus, Ostrichius, Epiphanius, Maximian, Ducitius, Claudian, Theophilus, Gigantius, Dorotheus, Theodotus, Castrichius, Anicletus, Themilius, Eutychius, Hilarion, Diodotus and Amonitus were beheaded in the year 298.

Venerable Varlaam of Khutyn Saint Varlaam lived in the 12th century in Novgorod, born to wealthy parents and named Alexei. At an early age he went to a monastery and was tonsured. Seeking isolation, he later settled on a solitary hill at Khutyn and erected a cross and a small cell. He led a strict life of unceasing prayer and fasting. A zealous ascetic in his labors, he felled timber in the forest and tilled the soil. Men gathered around him, wanting to share in the monastic life. One night, Varlaam witnessed a heavenly light illuminating the forest and on that spot he built a church in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord and then founded a monastery. God granted Varlaam gifts of wonderworking: the ability to penetrate human secrets, to drive out unclean spirits and to heal all sickness. In 1192, after commanding his brethren to preserve the Orthodox Faith and to dwell constantly in humility, Saint Varlaam reposed in the Lord. Many miracles have occurred through his holy relics and continue to this day.