Saint Gennadius of Constantinople as a Model for our Lives
Saint Gennadius lived in the fifth century. He was a Presbyter of the Great Church of Christ and was elected Patriarch of Constantinople-New Rome in 458. He worked zealously to preserve the Orthodox Faith from heresies that threatened to alter it, and he even managed the return of many heretics back to Orthodoxy. Also, due to his office, he helped Patriarch Martyrius, who was evicted improperly and illegally by Peter the Fuller, to regain his throne.
Saint Nektarios, Archbishop of Pentapolis
The divine Nektarios of Aegina, is one of the most widely known of Greek Orthodox Saints. He was born on October 1st, 1846 in Silyvria, in Asia Minor. At Holy Baptism he was given the name Anastasios. His parents were simple pious Christians. They brought him up in a manner pleasing to God, and did what their very limited means allowed for his formal education. Having completed elementary school in his hometown, he left for the great city of Constantinople at the age of 14.
Saint Ioannikios the Great of Olympus as a Model for our Lives
The venerable Ioannikios was born in Bithynia in 740 AD by pious parents, Myritriki and Anastaso, who raised him “in the education and admonition of the Lord”. He was enlisted into the army during the struggle of the Iconoclasts against the sacred icons and drifted into the delusion of iconoclasm. When, however, he was dismissed from the ranks of the army he realized his error, repented sincerely, and even became a fervent preacher and confessor of the Orthodox Faith.
Saint George Karslides: An Elder with the Gift of Foresight
The blessed Elder George came from Pontus and was orphaned and left on his own very early in life. After being persecuted and imprisoned by the atheist regime in Georgia, he came to Greece where the humble man lived with such asceticism and zealous faith that he was granted the gifts of discernment, vision, foresight and prophecy. Father George was born in Argyroupolis (Gümüşhane) in the Black Sea region in 1901.
Saint Anastasia the Roman as a Model for our Lives
She was born and lived in Rome in the third century under Emperor Decius. After settling in a monastery as a nun she was arrested, courageously confessed her faith, and after terrible tortures she completed her life in a martyric way. While she was alive she was a benefactor to people with her holy life and her prayer was pleasing to God. After her death she became even more of a benefactor and consoler.
November 1st: Saints Cosmas and Damian from Asia Minor
Cosmas and Damian were unmercenaries physicians and miracle-workers. They were brothers both in the flesh and in the spirit, born somewhere in Asia Minor of a pagan father and a Christian mother. After their father’s death, their mother Theodote devoted all her time and effort to educating her sons and raising them as true Christians. God helped her, and her sons matured as sweet fruit and luminaries of the world.
The Great Martyr Demetrios the Wonderworker and Myrrh-streamer
There are actually conflicting accounts in the sources, but the overwhelming view is that he was born and bred in Thessaloniki. As a young man, he rose through the ranks of the Roman army because he was a very talented soldier. How he came to be introduced into the Christian faith we do not know, though it was not as usual as one might think for a high official. There were Christians even in the Roman imperial family: Theodora, the wife of Galerius, for example, who was beheaded in Thessaloniki on the orders of Emperor Licinius (ca. 315).
Saint Christodoulos of Patmos
The Blessed Christodoulos, or Ioannis as he was in the world [i.e. before he became a monk], was born in the year 1020 in Nicaea, Bithynia, of devout parents, Theodoros and Anna. From an early age he was brought up in a monastic environment and lived the ascetic life on Mount Olympus in Bithynia and in Palestine. He later went to Mount Latron in Caria, Asia Minor, to the Monastery of Stilos, where he founded a library and gathered many monks around him. From his sojourn on Mount Latron, the Blessed Christodoulos is also called “Latrinos”.
Saint Gerasimus of Cephalonia
Our holy Father Gerasimus came from Peloponnese. In his youth, his devout parents put him to the study of sacred literature, in which he showed outstanding ability. As a young man, he left home for the island of Zakynthos and travelled thence all over Greece.
The Most Holy Theotokos and Saint John Koukouzelis
Once, when John Koukouzelis was chanting during an all-night vigil, as soon as he completed the “Axion Esti”, he was stunned to see the Most Holy Theotokos in front of him, who thanked him as she put a gold coin in his hand, because he chanted the hymn devoutly and with humility.