102 ORTHODOX SAINTS
an illustrated guide
by Sarah Wright and Alexandra SchmalzbachCHESTERTON, INDIANA
illustrated by Nicholas MalaraText copyright © ���� Sarah Wright and Alexandra Schmalzbach
Illustrations copyright © ���� Nicholas Malara
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
To Kh. Carla Zell, whom we thought of each and every moment as we were working on this beautiful book. We miss your presence on our team and your dedication to every small but important detail. You deserve your days of rest! Thank you for continually inspiring us. –Jane, Amber, Matt, and Jeannine
Book design by Matthew Dorning and Amber Schley Iragui
To my husband, Fr. Daniel Wright, for your constant love and support. The only thing better than writing about the saints is living life with someone who encourages me to be like them.
—SW
An imprint of Ancient Faith Publishing ���� Broadway, Suite �, Chesterton, IN �����
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ISBN: 978-1-955890-48-9
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I dedicate this book to our children, Stella Virginia, Peter, Josiah, Sebastian, Raphael, and Natalia, and to our godchildren Beatrix, Elias, Sophia, Herman, Kevin, Elizabeth, Brigid, Habakkuk, and Hannah. May the lives of the Lord’s saints inspire courage and piety in their lives.
—AS
For my children, Luca and Nina, and the youth whom they represent. May the stories of the saints continue to inspire them to lead like beacons of light as they journey forward into the future. —NM
table of contents
INTRODUCTION
SWEAT POURED
down their foreheads as their muscles strained against the ropes. They were already tired from walking through the crowded streets and carrying their friend, who was stretched out on the mat. When the men had heard that the teacher Jesus was visiting, they longed to meet Him and see if the rumors of miracles were true. Could this man of Nazareth really heal their friend? Would he finally be able to walk?
The four men carried their paralyzed friend to meet this healer—only to find a crowd of people blocking the entrance to the house where the teacher sat. That was when they noticed the roof. Unwilling to give up, one of the friends pointed toward the top of the building. They all smiled and slowly climbed the steep stairwell at the back of the house to the rooftop. After removing several heavy tiles, inch by inch they used the ropes to lower their friend into the room, right next to Jesus.
The men on the roof could not hear over the shouts of the crowd below, but they could see the longing in their friend’s eyes as he looked into the face of the teacher. Then, there was quiet. A calm voice said, “But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, . . . I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” In the silence the once paralyzed friend sat up and slowly placed his feet on the floor. And then he walked!
This miracle only happened because the paralyzed man’s friends had said: We’re here. We can help. Together we can find salvation.
This miracle, in addition to proclaiming the authority and power of Christ, teaches another valuable truth: We are saved in community. We need each other.
The saints of the Church also relied upon others as they followed Christ in their various ways. St. Juvenaly, Protomartyr of America, traveled with a group of fellow missionaries on a long and dangerous journey to Alaska, where they shared the love of Christ with the Chugatchi people. St. Paula wrote to St. Jerome throughout most of her life because St. Jerome relied upon her wise advice to calm his fiery temper. Even the hermits—monks and nuns who lived alone in remote places—could not work out their salvation completely on their own. St. Daniel the Stylite lived on top of a tall pillar for �� years; however, he needed his disciples to bring him food and care for him in cold weather.
They said: We’re here. We can help. Together we can become holy.
St. Paul wrote, “Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight . . . and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” In other words, we are surrounded by all the saints who have come before us, and they are here to help us keep our eyes on Christ as we try to follow Him.
They are saying: We’re here. We can help.
TOGETHER WE CAN BECOME SAINTS.
How Did We Choose These ��� Saints?
Diversity. We wanted to show the amazing breadth and diversity of the saints of the Orthodox Christian Church. This means that we tried to find saints from various parts of the world: from Saint Violet in Persia to Saint Kevin in Ireland, from Saint Nicholas in Japan to Saints Perpetua and Felicity in North Africa.
We also looked for saints from different time periods, ranging from the Righteous Job and Prophet Isaiah, whom we read about in the Old Testament, to Saint Paisios of Mount Athos and Saint Gabriel the Fool for Christ who lived only decades ago.
Finally, we wanted to explore the variety of vocations that the saints demonstrate. It is possible to become a saint whether you are a monastic (such as St. Paula of Rome) or a mother (such as St. Emilia), a bishop (such as St. Ambrose) or a soldier (such as St. Mercurius the Great Martyr), a queen (such as St. Bathilde of France) or a martyr (such as St. Abd al-Masih). God can use people from all walks of life!
Why Did You Use New Calendar Dates?
For each saint, we have created a “Fast Facts” section on the sidebar of each page to give a brief overview. This includes such information as the date, location, and feast day of that saint. To simplify this section, we have included only the New Calendar (Gregorian calendar) feast day. This is not intended as a slight to our Old Calendar (Julian calendar) brothers and sisters! Instead, it is to help make this section easier to read. In order to know the Old Calendar feast day, simply add �� days to the New Calendar date.
How Does Someone Become a Saint?
First off, the word saint means “holy.” Only God is one hundred percent truly holy! But because God gave us the gift of the Holy Spirit, we can be like Him. We know that saints are people who weren’t perfect, but they were friends of God who tried to live holy lives. So, how does a person officially become a saint? Is there some
kind of process? A committee that decides? A number of miracles that the saint has to perform?
The common saying is that the Church does not make saints, but instead the Church recognizes them. This may seem like a technicality, but it’s actually very important. When a person has shown visibly the image of God in the way that he or she has lived when that person was like a living icon of Christ then that person might be considered for canonization (also called “glorification”). Canonization is the official process of recognizing that somebody already was, during his or her lifetime, a saint. We understand that there have been thousands of saints who have lived before us. Some became well known very quickly, and others lived quiet, obscure lives and may be known only to God.
In the early Church, no special canonization process existed. Instead, Christians kept the bones and relics of early apostles, bishops, and martyrs and began to remember and celebrate the dates of their death (often called their “repose”) or martyrdom. Later this same practice occurred with famous ascetics— monks and nuns—who rejected a worldly life and sought to live a holy life, often away from other people.
What is required for people to become saints today? Saints today will have lived holy lives, and through their speech, teaching, or writing upheld the Orthodox Faith as given to the apostles. After a saint dies, the local community generally begins to hold him or her in high regard by visiting the grave, keeping relics, asking for prayers, and even painting icons of the person.
Then, someone makes a request for that holy person to be officially recognized as a saint. A committee may be formed to investigate the person’s life and to make a recommendation that the person should be acknowledged as a saint in the Church. Next, the Rite of Glorification begins, and the new saint’s feast day, hymns, and icons are created. Finally, other Orthodox churches of different jurisdictions are informed so that they can also add the new saint’s feast to their calendars to be commemorated.
Venerating the Saints
Scripture and Church
Tradition are clear that we worship God alone. Worship is most fully expressed when we take the Eucharist at the Divine Liturgy, intermingling Christ’s very Body and Blood with our own. We never worship a saint. Instead, we give them honor and respect—we “venerate” them as holy people who lived a life pleasing to God.
We venerate the saints by:
• bowing before and kissing their icons
• singing specials hymns to them on their feast days
• celebrating their feast days
• kissing their relics (parts of their holy bodies or, sometimes, clothing)
• asking for their prayers (also called “intercessions”)
• following their examples of holy living
The Church has venerated the saints from its earliest days because it recognized the power of God at work in them. Respect and honor shown to saints is ultimately respect and honor shown to the God who made them holy.
Asking the Saints to Pray for Us
Why do we ask the saints to pray for us?
Aren’t they, well, dead?
Orthodox Christians believe that the saints are alive in Christ. They are part of our family in Christ—but we can’t see them on earth with us right now. And, just as we would ask our parents or friends to pray for us, we can ask the saints to pray for us.
name at your baptism. This is your patron saint. Sometimes this is the name that your parents gave you when you were born, the name that everyone calls you. Other times it is a different name that was chosen specifically for you by your parents, godparents, or priest.
If your name is George, for example, you may have a special relationship with Saint George the Trophy-Bearer. You can ask the saint to pray for you, to comfort you when you are afraid or sad, and to help you learn more about Jesus. Saint George can help you live in a way that pleases God as you follow his holy example.
Celebrating the Feast Days of the Saints
As you read this book, you will notice that each saint has a feast day.
What is a feast day? A feast day is a day when we celebrate and remember a certain saint. Each day of the year we celebrate (also called “commemorate”) different saints. Often we remember them on the day when the saint died (reposed) or on another special day associated with the saint.
How do we celebrate a feast day? On that day there may be a special liturgy, and the chanters or church choir may sing special hymns for that saint. The priest will ask that saint to pray for us and may talk about the saint during the homily. If your church has an icon of that saint, you will be able to venerate it when you come to church. And, if your church has a relic of the saint, you may bow before it and venerate the relic as well.
You can ask any saint to pray for you. However, you also have a very special relationship with one particular saint—the saint that you were named after.
If you are an Orthodox Christian, you were given a saint’s
What is a name day? The feast day of your patron saint is a very special day called your “name day.” On this day you celebrate the feast of the saint you were named after! Your family might celebrate by going to church, having a special meal, or inviting guests to your home. Do you know when your name day is?
We Are All Called to Be Saints
Did you know that you, as a Christian, are also a saint? Saint Paul, in his letters, calls the people he was writing to “saints.” These people were ordinary Christians who believed in God and tried to serve Him, though they often made mistakes. That means that you, too, are a saint! You are made in the image of God, and the Holy Spirit dwells in you. You are a “holy one” because the holy presence of God lives inside of you.
However, it is not enough just to sit back and say, “I’m a saint!” Instead, we need to follow Christ’s teachings. As He told His disciples, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” So, our love for Christ causes us to live in a way that will please Him: by loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and by loving our neighbors as ourselves.
How to Use This Book
Here are a few things to know about this book.
• The saints are arranged alphabetically.
• Some saints’ lives were recorded in history with remarkable detail. Some stories of saints were handed down orally from one generation to the next, and various versions of their lives abound. You may stumble across details of these saints that are different than what is in this book. That’s okay! We used all the resources at our disposal to write about these beloved saints as truthfully as possible, but only God knows the full and true story of their lives, just as He knows all about you down to the tiniest detail. These stories are meant to bring glory to God and to inspire you in your faith.
• You will find a color-coded timeline on pages �� and ��. The colors refer to different time periods in which the saints lived. Also, the sidebar on each saint’s page will reflect the corresponding color of the time period in which he or she lived.
• We’ve also created a list of symbols. These symbols correspond with the saints’ vocations. (For example, a sword represents a soldier.) You can quickly search for all of the saints with that vocation by looking for these symbols on the page sidebars.
• ICON VERSUS ILLUSTRATION : In the sidebar on each saint’s page, you will find a section of “Fast Facts” and a small icon of that saint. This will help you identify saints when you see them depicted iconographically in your church. The illustration in the center of the page is an artist’s interpretation of the saint based on information from his or her life.
• SEE ALSO : On the sidebar section of many saints, you will notice a “SEE ALSO” line. This means that the saint is associated with another saint also included in this book or in the previous volume. For example, Saint Ruth’s page says, “SEE ALSO: David the King.” This is because David was a descentant of Ruth.
• REFERENCE : This book is meant to be a reference. You don’t have to read it from cover to cover, although you certainly can! Instead, you are welcome to flip through it, to use it for research, and to learn more about a saint on their feast day.
• MAPS : We have included a world map on each page as a reference. Since the names and borders of cities and countries change over time, we’ve done our best to show you, using a modern-day map, the lands where the saints once lived.
No matter how you use this book, we pray that the lives of the saints will inspire you to live your own life as a holy offering to God.
we are all called to be saints
In this book you will realize the Church has recognized monks and mothers, soldiers and surgeons, and even children as saints.
OLD TESTAMENT
One of the many saints who lived during the time before Jesus. Some well-known Old Testament saints are Moses, Abraham, Ruth, and King David.
PROPHET
A person who is filled with the Holy Spirit to bring warnings and messages from God. The words of a prophet can shed wisdom and light when people begin to stray from God.
APOSTLE
Someone sent by Jesus to share the good news with others. Like St. Matthew, all of the apostles were called to become “fishers of men.”
MONASTIC
A monk or nun who makes a vow to practice the Christian virtues, focusing on prayer, fasting, and spiritual discipline. Some monastics live in communities, and some live alone— in the wilderness or even on a pillar like St. Daniel the Stylite.
WONDERWORKER
A saint who, through God’s power, is known for performing miracles before or after his or her death. People travel all over the world to visit healing springs or saints’ relics.
ROYALTY
Several saints started their lives born into royal families, like St. Boris-Michael of Bulgaria. Being royal does not make them saintly; it’s how they chose to live their lives that brought them into the circle of saints.
BISHOP
A bishop not only dedicates himself to the Church, but he also takes on a role of leadership. After years of selflessly serving Christ, some bishops like St. Ambrose of Milan are eventually recognized as saints.
PRIEST
A priest’s main job is to be a shepherd to his community, serving the Divine Liturgy and tending to his people. Priests like St. Alexis of Wilkes-Barre did everything in their power so that the people they served would know and love God.
MISSIONARY
Someone who travels to other lands to tell people about Christ. Like St. Nicholas of Japan a missionary leaves behind people and places that are familiar in order to live among new people and start churches and monasteries in new places.
MARTYR
From the Greek word “witness,” martyrs are people who bore witness to Jesus through their deaths. Martyrs like Julia of Carthage refused to give up their faith even when it meant that they would lose their lives.
SOLDIER
Soldiers at their best embody bravery, loyalty, and strength. Christian soldier saints go a step beyond, even when it clashes with earthly authority—above all they show an unending commitment to Jesus Christ.
WRITER
God gives some people the gift of expressing ideas clearly through their writings. Saints like St. Nicodemus have written books that help Christians understand important teachings of the Faith, such as the doctrine of the Trinity or the Incarnation.
HYMNOGRAPHER
Some saints, like St. Theophanes, use their gift of language to compose hymns for the Church. Through their beautiful words, Christians are able to praise God and worship together.
FOOL FOR CHRIST
Someone who looks foolish in the eyes of the world in order to show people the mysteries of Christ’s love. Like St. Isidora, they live differently than the people around them but love God and their neighbors with all their hearts.
MOTHER
God blesses some saints with the gift of children. Mothers like St. Emilia learn compassion, service, and obedience, and they become holy through their sacrificial role as parents.
feast days by month
feast days by month
—— August ——
JobtheRighteous Mosesthe God-seer
Joshuathe Righteous
Ruththe Righteous
SamueltheProphetIsaiahtheProphet
JoeltheProphet
Susannathe Righteous
Estherthe Righteous
Josephthe Betrothed
James,BrotheroftheLordZacchaeusthePublican MarthaandMary
Irenaeus,BishopofLyonsPerpetuaandFelicityMercuriustheGreatMartyrSevenSleepersofEphesusAgathatheMartyr Quintusthe WonderworkerSebastiantheMartyrAquilinaofByblosClement,BishopofAncyraMauriceandPhotinusEuphemiatheGreatMartyrFortyMartyrsofSebasteDorotheaofCaesarea 2000 BC–1 BC •
Sophiathe VenerablePulcheriatheEmpress
Oliviaof Palermo Gerasimusthe Venerable
DanieltheStylite Sabasthe Sanctified Elizabeththe Dragonslayer
Justinian Gildasthe Wise Davidof Wales
SimeonoftheWonderfulMountainEthelbertofKent
AlexanderNevsky
Tamara,QueenofGeorgia AD 450–1500
Mikhailand Anna Lazarof Serbia
Philotheaof Athens
Athanasiusof Brest
Christosthe Gardener
JohnofMonemvasiaJuvenalyofAmericaNicodemusofthe
HolyMountain
JoachimofIthaca
rth o f chri
Stephenthe Protomartyr
Violetof Persia
Isidora,Foolfor Christ
IsaactheSyrian
Isidoreof Seville
Alexisof Wilkes-Barre
Matthewthe EvangelistPriscillaandAquila Markthe Evangelist PhiliptheDeacon MaryMagdalene TimothytheApostle Zenaidaand Philonella Eudociathe SamaritanHermioneofEphesus
Nonnaof Nazianzus Emilia& Macrina
Macariusthe Great Ambroseof Milan Martinthe Merciful AugustineandMonicaPaulaofRome JamesthePersian Johnthe Hut-DwellerSevenSleepersofEphesusJuliaofCarthage
Maximusthe ConfessorBathilde,QueenofFranceTheodosiaofConstantinople AD 450–1500
Abdal-MasihtheMartyr
MichaeltheConfessorEuphrosynostheCookTheodoreandTheophanesBoris-MichaelofBulgaria
Annaof Leucadia
Andrew,Foolfor ChristLuketheYoungerOlafofNorwayProchorustheSpinach-Eater
NicholasofJapan
JohnKochurov Benjaminof Petrograd
JonahofManchuria
Alexanderof Munich
VasilyMartysz Matronaof MoscowPorphyriostheKavsokalyvite Paisiosof Mount Athos
Gabriel,Foolfor Christ
ABD AL-MASIH
, named Qays
al-Ghassani at birth, was born into a family of noble Christian Arabs. As a young man, he traveled from Najran to Jerusalem on pilgrimage but left to become a Muslim, joining a band of warriors. For �� years al-Ghassani violently raided and killed. One day he entered the city of Baalbek and heard a priest reading the Gospel on the steps of a church. He wept, told the priest about his sinful life, and was invited to repent. Al-Ghassani threw down
his weapons before the altar and received confession and Communion. He became a monk at Mount Sinai with the name Abd al-Masih. After a few years, he was sent to pay the tax on Christians to the authorities in Ramla. In the city, knowing it was illegal to convert from Islam to Christianity, he made himself known but avoided capture. Years later, after being made abbot, Saint Abd al-Masih again traveled to Ramla to pay the tax and was recognized by a member of his former gang. A mob took him to the governor, and he was beheaded. The saint’s body was thrown into a well with fire to prevent his relics from being recovered.
Nine months after his martyrdom, a group of monks went by night to recover St. Abd al-Masih’s relics. They lowered a large basket into the well and discovered his body unharmed by the fire and shining with a white light.
FASCINATING FACTS
On the road, his old companion saw St. Abd al-Masih and asked him if he was Qays al-Ghassani. The monk replied, “I do not know what you are saying,” echoing the words of St. Peter denying Christ. The raider insisted and identified him by an old battle wound on his shoulder. He shouted to his companions that this man was a Muslim and should be put to death for conversion to Christianity.
Abd al-Masih means “servant of /one devoted to the Messiah,” Jesus Christ.
The saint thought his sins were too great for God to forgive. The priest reminded him that God is quicker to come to us than we are to Him, and that Christ treasures those who truly repent like the prodigal son and the thief on the cross.
AGATHA THE MARTYR was born into a pious and wealthy Christian family. She assisted her parents in using their wealth for charitable works all over the island of Sicily during the short reign of Emperor Philip. When Emperor Decius succeeded the throne, he began a persecution of Christians, and young Agatha’s very visible almsgiving put her in danger.
St. Agatha was arrested by the judge Quintian, who was impressed by her beauty, rank, and wealth and desired to marry her. She refused, saying that she was a bride of Christ and could not be unfaithful to her Betrothed. This infuriated Quintian. He ordered the saint to be bound, whipped, and
After St. Agatha’s martyrdom, Quintian left for Palermo to steal from her estate, but on the way his horses went mad and bit him in the face. He was thrown into a river, where he drowned.
St. Peter appeared to her in prison and healed her wounds.
ridiculed. Quintian was not satisfied with these tortures, however, and ordered her to endure more the next day. As he spoke, an earthquake shook the ground, and part of the palace itself was destroyed. At this sign, the people were terrified and stormed the palace, demanding that the saint be released before her God should bring about further disasters. Agatha was returned to her cell, where she gave up her soul and died a martyr.
While on her way to martyrdom, St. Agatha stopped to tie her sandal, and an olive tree sprang up in her path.
FASCINATING FACTS
St. Agatha is the patroness of Catania. On the first anniversary of her death, Mount Etna was threatening to erupt, and the people used the veil from her tomb to shield the city. The lava stopped, and many became Christians because of this miracle.
After the saint’s death, an angel led a group of young men who carried her body to the gravesite. The angel laid a stone on her grave inscribed with words honoring her death and assuring protection for the island of Sicily.
Each year the people of Catania remember St. Agatha’s feast day with a threeday celebration. They process with her relics down the ancient city streets, sometimes for as long as �� hours.
ALEXANDER SCHMORELL
was born in Russia, the son of a Germanborn father and a Russian mother who died from an infection when he was only two. His family moved to Germany when he was four to escape the unrest in Russia. St. Alexander had an Orthodox Christian nanny and was raised in the Faith. As a German citizen, while studying to be a doctor, Alexander was drafted to serve in the Nazi military as a medic. He traveled to Austria, France, and Russia with the army
and witnessed the violent effects of war. He also saw the way the Nazis treated other people and became convinced that Hitler, the leader of Nazi Germany, needed to be removed from power. St. Alexander and some friends and fellow students formed a secret society called the White Rose. They wrote pamphlets that revealed the horrible crimes committed by the Nazis and urged their fellow citizens to stand up to Hitler. The group was arrested in February ���� and sentenced to death. St. Alexander was beheaded by the guillotine on July ��, ����, and glorified in ���� by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
St. Alexander received Holy Communion and made his final confession shortly before he died. He told the priest, “I’m convinced that my life has to end now, early as it seems, because I have fulfilled my life’s mission.”
Icons show St. Alexander wearing a white armband with a red cross, used by medics during wars.
FASCINATING FACTS
The White Rose society spread their pamphlets across Munich—on bulletin boards, grocery store shelves, and in phone booths. They were eventually spotted, which led to their arrest.
The members of the White Rose are now recognized by Germany for their resistance to the Nazis. Today plaques and memorials have been placed in Munich to honor them.
St. Alexander’s stepmother, Elisabeth Hoffmann, was supportive of Alexander’s Orthodox faith because she had met St. Elizabeth the New Martyr, who had made a lasting impression on her.
Alexander and his friend Willi used graffiti to spread their message. They painted the slogans “Freedom” and “Down with Hitler” on buildings in Munich.
AS A YOUNG RUSSIAN prince,
Alexander was trained from childhood in warfare, government, and Christianity. During an extremely tumultuous time, he became the prince of Novgorod, a large region in western Russia. The cities of Russia were under attack from the Tatars in the East and various forces in the West. Prince Alexander defended his people on all sides while also building churches and preserving his land’s Orthodox identity. St. Alexander’s title “Nevsky” comes from his famous ���� victory over the Swedes on the river Neva—a seemingly unwinnable battle. In ���� he and other Russian princes were called to the Golden Horde, where the Tatar khans ruled over the vast Mongolian Empire. The Great Khan
insisted that the princes should pass through fire to prove their allegiance—a pagan ritual. St. Alexander declared that as a Christian he would not submit to such a rite. Because his military fame preceded him, the khan was impressed by the saint’s bravery and relented. In ����, while returning home from another trip to pay tribute and negotiate with the khan, Prince Alexander
fell ill and reposed. In ���� it was discovered that St. Alexander Nevsky’s relics were incorrupt, and he was named Protector of the Russian people by Peter the Great.
Pereslavl-Zalessky and Vladimir, Russia. The distance between the two cities is only 132 km.
Prince Alexander directly ministered to his suffering people during the harsh winter and famine of 1231.
On his deathbed, St. Alexander took monastic vows and was tonsured with the name Alexis.
The night before the 1240 battle, Sts. Boris and Gleb—known as Passion-bearers because they did not resist evil with violence—appeared on a boat to encourage St. Alexander and his army. Nevsky means “of the Neva,” referring to the river where they fought.
FASCINATING FACTS
During the era of the Soviet Union, St. Alexander’s relics were placed in a museum. Today, you can visit Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg, where his relics are kept and venerated.
Sergei Prokofiev, the composer of Peter and the Wolf, composed a choral and orchestral score called Alexander Nevsky, which was used in a ���� film by the same name.
