Great and Holy Friday On Great and Holy Friday, Christ died on the Cross. He gave up His spirit with the words: “It is finished” (John 19:30). These words are better understood when rendered: “It is consummated.” He had accomplished the work for which His heavenly Father had…

Saints Timothy and Maura suffered for the faith during the persecution under the emperor Diocletian (284-305). Saint Timothy came from the village of Perapa (Egyptian Thebaid), and was the son of a priest named Pikolpossos. He was made a reader among the church clergy, and also a keeper and copyist…

Saint Theodosius of the Caves, was the Father of monasticism in Russia. He was born at Vasilevo, not far from Kiev. From his youth he felt an irresistible attraction for the ascetic life, and led an ascetic lifestyle while still in his parental home. He disdained childish games and attractions, and…

Saint Peter the Wonderworker, Bishop of Argos in the Peloponnesos, lived during the ninth and early tenth centuries, and was raised by pious parents. Saint Peter’s parents, and later his brothers Paul, Dionysius, Platon and Saint Peter himself, all became monks. Saint Peter zealously devoted…

The Svena Caves Icon of the Mother of God was painted by Saint Alypios of the Caves (August 17). In the Icon the Mother of God is depicted sitting upon a throne, and with the Divine Infant on her lap. Saint Theodosios is on the right side of the throne, and Saint Anthony of the Caves on the left.…

The Kiev Caves Icon of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is one of the most ancient icons in the Russian Orthodox Church. The Mother of God entrusted it to four Byzantine architects, who in 1073 brought the icon to Saints Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves. The architects arrived at the…

Saint Mamai served as chief shepherd of the Georgian faithful from 731 to 744. The information we have about his life is scarce, but it is known that Saint Mamai was abbot of Zedazeni Monastery and died a martyr for Christ. Outstanding in his achievements and endowed with profound spiritual wisdom,…

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…

There is much disagreement about Saint Ekouménios (Οικουμένιος), concerning his identity and exactly when he lived. According to prevailing opinion, Saint Ekouménios lived in the late X century (ca. 995). He studied all the Fathers of the Church and became an excellent interpreter of…

The Holy Great Martyr Xenίa was born in Kalamata in 291 to devout and God-loving parents, Nicholas and Despina, who were from the eastern part of Italy. Because of the persecution of Christians at that time, they fled to Kalamata in the Peloponnesos, where they had a farm outside the city, because…