The Holy Prophet Zachariah and the Righteous Elizabeth were the parents of the holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, John. They were descended from the lineage of Aaron: Saint Zachariah, son of Barach, was a priest in the Jerusalem Temple, and Saint Elizabeth was the sister of Saint…
The Hieromartyr Athansius of Bretsk was Belorussian and was born in about the year 1597 into a pious Christian family named Philippovich. He received a serious upbringing, and he knew the theological and historical literature, as is evidenced in the diary of the saint, which has been preserved. In…
The Holy Prince Gleb, in Holy Baptism David, was one of the first Russian martyrs called “Passion-Bearers.” He suffered together with his brother Prince Boris (Roman in Holy Baptism). After the murder of Saint Boris, Svyatopolk the Accursed sent to his younger brother Prince Gleb a…
The Martyrs Tathuil (Thiphael) and his sister Bebaia (or Thivea) suffered for their bold and effective preaching of Christianity among the pagans. After long and intense torture, the pagans suspended the holy Martyr Thiphael on a tree and cut him with a saw. His sister Saint Bebaia was killed with…
The Holy Martyr Sarbelus was a pagan priest who lived during the reign of the emperor Trajan (98-117) He and his sister Bebaia were converted by Saint Barsimaius, the Bishop of Edessa (January 29). They both received the crown of martyrdom. This Saint Sarbelus appears to be the same one who is…
The martyred soldiers Juventinus and Maximus suffered during the reign of the emperor Julian the Apostate, whom they served as bodyguards. Once, while he was at Antioch, Julian decided to defile the food of the Christians by sprinkling all the food in the marketplaces with blood offered to idols.…
The Martyrs Urban, Theodore, Medimnus and seventy-seven companions suffered at Nicomedia during the reign of the Arian emperor Valentus (Valens) (364-378 or 379). The Orthodox bishop Evagrius was banished from the Church of Constantinople, and Christians not wishing to accept the Arian heresy were…
The Martyr Abdias [or Abidas] suffered in Persia during the reign of the emperor Izdegerd I for his refusal to renounce Christ and instead worship the sun and fire. He died after many tortures, and until his final breath, he gave thanks to God for permitting His chosen one to die for His Holy Name.