Feasts and saints with names like “Michael”

Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers

Synaxis of the Archangel Michael and the Other Bodiless Powers

The Synaxis of the Chief of the Heavenly Hosts, Archangel Michael and the Other Heavenly Bodiless Powers: Archangels Gabriel, Raphael, Uriel, Selaphiel, Jehudiel, Barachiel, and Jeremiel was established at the beginning of the fourth century at the Council of Laodicea, which met several years…

Venerable Michael the Fool-for-Christ of the Klops Monastery, Novgorod

Venerable Michael the Fool-for-Christ of the Klops Monastery, Novgorod

Blessed Michael of Klops was of noble lineage, and he was a relative of Great Prince Demetrius of the Don (1363-1389). He took upon himself the exploit of foolishness for Christ to avoid the praise of men. Leaving Moscow dressed in rags, he arrived at the Klops monastery, near Novgorod. No one…

Translation of the Relics of Martyrs Michael and his councilor, Theodore, of Chernígov

Translation of the Relics of Martyrs Michael and his councilor, Theodore, of Chernígov

The Right-believing Prince Michael of Chernigov and his Boyar Theodore were put to death by Batu of the Golden Horde on September 20, 1244. At first, some devout Russian Christians secretly took their relics. Later, the relics of the holy wonderworkers were transferred to the city of Vladimir, then…

Right-believing Great Prince Rostislav-Michael, Prince of Kiev

Right-believing Great Prince Rostislav-Michael, Prince of Kiev

Saint Rostislav-Michael, Great Prince of Kiev, was the son of the Kievan Great Prince Saint Mstislav the Great (June 14), and the brother of holy Prince Vsevolod-Gabriel (February 11, April 22, and November 27). He was one of the great civil and churchly figures of the mid-twelfth century. His…

Saint Boris (in Baptism Michael), Equal of the Apostles, Prince and Baptizer of Bulgaria

Saint Boris (in Baptism Michael), Equal of the Apostles, Prince and Baptizer of Bulgaria

The Holy Equal of the Apostles Tsar Boris, in Holy Baptism Michael: His apostolic deeds were foretold by an uncle, Saint Boyan. The first years of the reign of Tsar Boris were marked by misfortune. The Bulgarians were frequently at war with surrounding nations, famine and plague beset the land, and…

Saints Michael and Arsenius of Ulompo, Georgia

Saints Michael and Arsenius of Ulompo, Georgia

The biographies of Saints Michael and Arsenius the Georgians have unfortunately not been preserved. It is believed that at some point Arsenius moved from Khandzta Monastery to Palestine and labored there with a certain Macarius of Leteti. Afterward, Saint Arsenius founded a Georgian monastery on…

Venerable Constantine, (in baptism Yaroslav), with his children Michael and Theodore, Wonderworkers of Murom

Venerable Constantine, (in baptism Yaroslav), with his children Michael and Theodore, Wonderworkers of Murom

The Holy Princes Constantine and his sons Michael and Theodore of Murom lived during the eleventh-twelfth centuries. Prince Constantine, a descendant of Saint Vladimir, asked his father, Prince Svyatoslav of Chernigov, to give him the city of Murom, which was inhabited by pagans, so he might…

Saint Michael the Confessor, Bishop of Synnada

Saint Michael the Confessor, Bishop of Synnada

Saint Michael the Confessor From his youth he longed for the monastic life and was sent by Patriarch Tarasius (784-806) to a monastery on the coast of the Black Sea. Saint Theophylactus (March 8), the future Bishop of Nicomedia also entered the monastery together with him. At the monastery both…

Martyr Michael “the Black-Robed” of Saint Savva Monastery

The Venerable Michael lived in the ninth century, and was from the city of Edessa in Mesopotamia, the son of Christian parents. After their death he distributed his inheritance to the poor, then went to Jerusalem to venerate the Holy Places. The Holy Land at that time was under Moslem rule.…

Venerable Michael of Parekhi

Venerable Michael of Parekhi

Saint Michael of Parekhi was a native of the village of Norgiali in the Shavsheti region of southern Georgia. He was tonsured a monk in the Midznadzori Wilderness. Fr. Michael journeyed to Khandzta Monastery, and with the blessing of the brotherhood, he built a small chapel and dwelling for the…

Saint Michael, first Metropolitan of Kiev

Saint Michael, first Metropolitan of Kiev

Based on certain Russian sources, Saint Michael is remembered as the first Metropolitan of Kiev and all Russia (988-992). He began his missionary work in Kiev, Suzdal, Novgorod, and Rostov, as well as in other cities. He built the first wooden church of the Dormition of the Theotokos at Rostov, and…

Venerable Michael Maleinos

Venerable Michael Maleinos

Saint Michael lived during the reign of Emperor Constantine VI (913-959) until the reign of Basil II, the Bulgar-slayer (976 - 1025). He was born in Cappadocia to devout and wealthy parents, Eudókimos and Anastasó (Ἀναστασῶ). Eustáthios, his paternal grandfather, was a patrician; and…

Martyr Michael

The Hosiomartyr Michael, a disciple of Saint Theodore of Edessa (July 9), was beheaded during the ninth century for his confession of faith in Christ. His memory is celebrated also on May 23.

Martyr Michael “the Black-Robed” of Saint Savva Monastery

The Venerable Michael lived in the ninth century, and was from the city of Edessa in Mesopotamia, the son of Christian parents. After their death he distributed his inheritance to the poor, then went to Jerusalem to venerate the Holy Places. The Holy Land at that time was under Moslem rule.…

Commemoration of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Colossae

Commemoration of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael at Colossae

In Phrygia, not far from the city of Hieropolis, in a place called Cheretopos, there was a church named for the Archangel Michael, built over a miraculous spring. This church was built by a certain inhabitant of the city of Laodicia in gratitude to God for healing his mute daughter. The holy Chief…

Holy Martyr and Confessor Michael and his councilor, Theodore, Wonderworkers of Chernigov

Holy Martyr and Confessor Michael and his councilor, Theodore, Wonderworkers of Chernigov

The Holy Right-believing Prince Michael of Chernigov, the son of Vsevolod Olgovich Chermny (+ 1212), was born in 1179 (or 1195). From his childhood Prince Michael was known for his piety and meekness. His health was very poor, but in 1186, trusting in God's mercy, he asked for the holy prayers of…

Saint Michael, first Metropolitan of Kiev

Saint Michael, first Metropolitan of Kiev

Saint Michael the first Metropolitan of Kiev, according to the Joakimov chronicle, was a Syrian by birth, but according to other chronicles, he was a Bulgarian or Serb. In the year 989, he arrived at Korsun with other clergy for holy Prince Vladimir (July 15), not long after Vladimir’s…

Martyr Michael, Abbot in Armenia, and 36 Fathers with him

Martyr Michael, Abbot in Armenia, and 36 Fathers with him

The Monastic Martyr Michael was the Igoumen of Zobē Monastery (Μονή Ζώβη), near Sebastopol in Armenia. There he labored in asceticism with thirty-six other monks at the end of the VIII century, during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VI and his mother Empress Irene. When the…

Martyr Gobron (Michael) and 133 soldiers, of Georgia

Martyr Gobron (Michael) and 133 soldiers, of Georgia

In the year 914 a certain prince by the name of Michael-Gobron distinguished himself in a battle against the Arab Muslim invaders. After they had captured the fortress of Kvelistsikhe in southern Georgia, the Muslims took captive those who remained alive, and Prince Gobron was among them. Deeply…

Martyr Michael, Prince of Tver

Martyr Michael, Prince of Tver

The Holy Right-Believing Prince Michael of Tver was born in the year 1272, after the death of his father Great Prince Yaroslav Yaroslavich, the brother of Saint Alexander Nevsky (November 23). On his journey to the Horde, Prince Yaroslav fell ill, and was tonsured as a monk with the name…

Righteous Michael the soldier of Potouka, Bulgaria

Saint Michael the Soldier of Bulgaria, was among the first of the Bulgarians to become Christian, and lived in the city of Potuka during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Michael III (855-867). While still an infant, he was known as a “saintly child.” From his youth he led a blameless…

Saint Michael the Confessor at Constantinople

Saint Michael the Confessor was born at Jerusalem into a family of zealous Christians and at an early age devoted himself to monastic life. After the death of his father, his mother and sisters went to a monastery, and Saint Michael was ordained as a priest. He was famed as a strong preacher, and…