Icons

Orthodox icon of St. Melania of Rome.

Commemorated December 31.

Saint Melania was born in Rome into a devout Christian family. Reaching maturity, the younger Melania fervently desired to keep her virginity and repeatedly begged her parents not to force her to marry, but she was their only child, and they wished to have descendants to inherit their vast wealth. Therefore, when the maiden was fourteen years old, she was wed to a youth of seventeen named Apinianus, who was of consular rank.

Having agreed to marriage, Melania still yearned to live chastely, even if circumstances had forced her to surrender her virginity. Soon Melania gave birth to a daughter, whom the young parents dedicated to God. Continuing to live together in marriage, Melania secretly wore a hairshirt and spent her nights in prayer. The second child, a boy, was premature and had severe complications. They baptized him, and he departed to the Lord.

Seeing the suffering of his wife, Apinianus asked the Lord to preserve St Melania's life, and he vowed to spend the rest of their life together in chastity. Recovering, St Melania stopped wearing her beautiful clothing and jewelry. Soon their daughter also died. The parents of St Melania did not support the young couple's desire to devote themselves to God. It was only when St Melania's father became deathly ill, that he asked their forgiveness and permitted them to follow their chosen path, asking them to pray for him.

The saints then left the city of Rome, and began a new life completely dedicated to the service of God. Apinianus at this time was twenty-four years of age, and Melania twenty. They began to visit the sick, to take in wanderers, and to help the indigent. They visited those who were exiled, and mine-convicts, and the destitute, there in debtor's prison. After selling their estates in Italy and Spain, they generously helped monasteries, hospitals, widows and orphans in Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt, Phoenicia, and Palestine.

Many churches and hospitals were built with their assistance. Churches of both West and East benefited from them. Leaving their native land, they set sail for Africa, and a strong storm arose while they were at sea. The sailors said that this was because of the wrath of God, but St Melania said that it was not God's will that they should go directly to their destination. The waves carried the ship to an island on which barbarians had landed. The besiegers demanded a ransom from the inhabitants, or else they threatened to lay waste the city.

The saints supplied the necessary ransom, and thus saved the city and its people from destruction. Resuming their voyage, they landed in Africa and helped all the needy there. With the blessing of the local bishops, they made offerings to churches and monasteries. During this time St Melania continued to humble her flesh by strict fasting, and she fortified her soul by constantly reading the Word of God, making copies of the sacred books and distributing them to those who lacked them. She sewed a hairshirt for herself, put it on, and continued to wear it. The saints spent seven years in Carthage, and then decided to visit Jerusalem.

At Alexandria, they were welcomed by the bishop, St Cyril, and they met in church with the holy Elder Nestorius, who was possessed of the gift of prophecy and healing. The Elder turned to them and told them to have courage and patience in expectation of the Glory of Heaven. At Jerusalem, the saints distributed their remaining gold to the destitute and then spent their days in poverty and prayer. After a short visit to Egypt, where the saints visited many of the desert Fathers, St Melania secluded herself in a cell on the Mount of Olives.

Only occasionally did she see St Apinianus. Later, she founded a monastery, where eventually ninety virgins lived in obedience to St Melania. Out of humility, she would not consent to be abbess, and lived and prayed in solitude as before. In her instructions, St Melania urged the sisters to be vigilant and to pray, to disdain their own opinions and cultivate first of all love for God and for one another, to keep the holy Orthodox Faith, and to guard their purity of soul and of body. In particular, she exhorted them to be obedient to the will of God.

Calling to mind the words of the Apostle Paul, she counseled them to keep the fasts not with wailing, nor from compulsion, but in virtuous disposition with love for God By her efforts an oratory and altar were built in the monastery, where they enshrined the relics of saints: the Prophet Zachariah, the holy Protomartyr Stephen, and the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. About this time St Apinianus fell asleep in the Lord. St Melania buried his relics and there spent another four years in fasting and unceasing prayer. St Melania wanted to build a men's monastery on the Mount of the Ascension of the Lord.

The Lord blessed her intent by sending a benefactor who provided the means for the monastery. Joyfully accepting it, St Melania finished the great work in a single year. In this monastery, saintly men began to lift up unceasing prayer in the church of the Ascension of Christ. Having completed her tasks, the saint left Jerusalem for Constantinople, hoping to save the soul of her pagan uncle Volusianus who had traveled there from Rome.

Along the way she prayed at the relics of St Laurence (August 10), at the place of his martyrdom, and received auspicious signs. Arriving in Constantinople, the saint found her uncle had fallen ill. Her demeanor and her inspired discourses had a profound influence on the sick man. He gave up pagan impiety and died a Christian. During this time many inhabitants of the capital were deceived by the heretical teaching of Nestorius. St Melania accepted anyone who turned to her for proper explanation, converting many of them to Orthodoxy.

Many miracles were worked through the prayers of the saint. Returning to her own monastery, the saint sensed the approach of death, and told this to the priest and the sisters. They listened to her final instructions with deep sorrow and with tears. Having asked their prayers and commanding them to preserve themselves in purity, she received the Holy Mysteries with joy.

St Melania peacefully gave up her soul to the Lord in the year 439.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of St. Melania of Rome (2).

Commemorated December 31.

Saint Melania was born in Rome into a devout Christian family. Reaching maturity, the younger Melania fervently desired to keep her virginity and repeatedly begged her parents not to force her to marry, but she was their only child, and they wished to have descendants to inherit their vast wealth. Therefore, when the maiden was fourteen years old, she was wed to a youth of seventeen named Apinianus, who was of consular rank.

Having agreed to marriage, Melania still yearned to live chastely, even if circumstances had forced her to surrender her virginity. Soon Melania gave birth to a daughter, whom the young parents dedicated to God. Continuing to live together in marriage, Melania secretly wore a hairshirt and spent her nights in prayer. The second child, a boy, was premature and had severe complications. They baptized him, and he departed to the Lord.

Seeing the suffering of his wife, Apinianus asked the Lord to preserve St Melania's life, and he vowed to spend the rest of their life together in chastity. Recovering, St Melania stopped wearing her beautiful clothing and jewelry. Soon their daughter also died. The parents of St Melania did not support the young couple's desire to devote themselves to God. It was only when St Melania's father became deathly ill, that he asked their forgiveness and permitted them to follow their chosen path, asking them to pray for him.

The saints then left the city of Rome, and began a new life completely dedicated to the service of God. Apinianus at this time was twenty-four years of age, and Melania twenty. They began to visit the sick, to take in wanderers, and to help the indigent. They visited those who were exiled, and mine-convicts, and the destitute, there in debtor's prison. After selling their estates in Italy and Spain, they generously helped monasteries, hospitals, widows and orphans in Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt, Phoenicia, and Palestine.

Many churches and hospitals were built with their assistance. Churches of both West and East benefited from them. Leaving their native land, they set sail for Africa, and a strong storm arose while they were at sea. The sailors said that this was because of the wrath of God, but St Melania said that it was not God's will that they should go directly to their destination. The waves carried the ship to an island on which barbarians had landed. The besiegers demanded a ransom from the inhabitants, or else they threatened to lay waste the city.

The saints supplied the necessary ransom, and thus saved the city and its people from destruction. Resuming their voyage, they landed in Africa and helped all the needy there. With the blessing of the local bishops, they made offerings to churches and monasteries. During this time St Melania continued to humble her flesh by strict fasting, and she fortified her soul by constantly reading the Word of God, making copies of the sacred books and distributing them to those who lacked them. She sewed a hairshirt for herself, put it on, and continued to wear it. The saints spent seven years in Carthage, and then decided to visit Jerusalem.

At Alexandria, they were welcomed by the bishop, St Cyril, and they met in church with the holy Elder Nestorius, who was possessed of the gift of prophecy and healing. The Elder turned to them and told them to have courage and patience in expectation of the Glory of Heaven. At Jerusalem, the saints distributed their remaining gold to the destitute and then spent their days in poverty and prayer. After a short visit to Egypt, where the saints visited many of the desert Fathers, St Melania secluded herself in a cell on the Mount of Olives.

Only occasionally did she see St Apinianus. Later, she founded a monastery, where eventually ninety virgins lived in obedience to St Melania. Out of humility, she would not consent to be abbess, and lived and prayed in solitude as before. In her instructions, St Melania urged the sisters to be vigilant and to pray, to disdain their own opinions and cultivate first of all love for God and for one another, to keep the holy Orthodox Faith, and to guard their purity of soul and of body. In particular, she exhorted them to be obedient to the will of God.

Calling to mind the words of the Apostle Paul, she counseled them to keep the fasts not with wailing, nor from compulsion, but in virtuous disposition with love for God By her efforts an oratory and altar were built in the monastery, where they enshrined the relics of saints: the Prophet Zachariah, the holy Protomartyr Stephen, and the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. About this time St Apinianus fell asleep in the Lord. St Melania buried his relics and there spent another four years in fasting and unceasing prayer. St Melania wanted to build a men's monastery on the Mount of the Ascension of the Lord.

The Lord blessed her intent by sending a benefactor who provided the means for the monastery. Joyfully accepting it, St Melania finished the great work in a single year. In this monastery, saintly men began to lift up unceasing prayer in the church of the Ascension of Christ. Having completed her tasks, the saint left Jerusalem for Constantinople, hoping to save the soul of her pagan uncle Volusianus who had traveled there from Rome.

Along the way she prayed at the relics of St Laurence (August 10), at the place of his martyrdom, and received auspicious signs. Arriving in Constantinople, the saint found her uncle had fallen ill. Her demeanor and her inspired discourses had a profound influence on the sick man. He gave up pagan impiety and died a Christian. During this time many inhabitants of the capital were deceived by the heretical teaching of Nestorius. St Melania accepted anyone who turned to her for proper explanation, converting many of them to Orthodoxy.

Many miracles were worked through the prayers of the saint. Returning to her own monastery, the saint sensed the approach of death, and told this to the priest and the sisters. They listened to her final instructions with deep sorrow and with tears. Having asked their prayers and commanding them to preserve themselves in purity, she received the Holy Mysteries with joy.

St Melania peacefully gave up her soul to the Lord in the year 439.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of St. Melania of Rome (3).

Commemorated December 31.

Saint Melania was born in Rome into a devout Christian family. Reaching maturity, the younger Melania fervently desired to keep her virginity and repeatedly begged her parents not to force her to marry, but she was their only child, and they wished to have descendants to inherit their vast wealth. Therefore, when the maiden was fourteen years old, she was wed to a youth of seventeen named Apinianus, who was of consular rank.

Having agreed to marriage, Melania still yearned to live chastely, even if circumstances had forced her to surrender her virginity. Soon Melania gave birth to a daughter, whom the young parents dedicated to God. Continuing to live together in marriage, Melania secretly wore a hairshirt and spent her nights in prayer. The second child, a boy, was premature and had severe complications. They baptized him, and he departed to the Lord.

Seeing the suffering of his wife, Apinianus asked the Lord to preserve St Melania's life, and he vowed to spend the rest of their life together in chastity. Recovering, St Melania stopped wearing her beautiful clothing and jewelry. Soon their daughter also died. The parents of St Melania did not support the young couple's desire to devote themselves to God. It was only when St Melania's father became deathly ill, that he asked their forgiveness and permitted them to follow their chosen path, asking them to pray for him.

The saints then left the city of Rome, and began a new life completely dedicated to the service of God. Apinianus at this time was twenty-four years of age, and Melania twenty. They began to visit the sick, to take in wanderers, and to help the indigent. They visited those who were exiled, and mine-convicts, and the destitute, there in debtor's prison. After selling their estates in Italy and Spain, they generously helped monasteries, hospitals, widows and orphans in Mesopotamia, Syria, Egypt, Phoenicia, and Palestine.

Many churches and hospitals were built with their assistance. Churches of both West and East benefited from them. Leaving their native land, they set sail for Africa, and a strong storm arose while they were at sea. The sailors said that this was because of the wrath of God, but St Melania said that it was not God's will that they should go directly to their destination. The waves carried the ship to an island on which barbarians had landed. The besiegers demanded a ransom from the inhabitants, or else they threatened to lay waste the city.

The saints supplied the necessary ransom, and thus saved the city and its people from destruction. Resuming their voyage, they landed in Africa and helped all the needy there. With the blessing of the local bishops, they made offerings to churches and monasteries. During this time St Melania continued to humble her flesh by strict fasting, and she fortified her soul by constantly reading the Word of God, making copies of the sacred books and distributing them to those who lacked them. She sewed a hairshirt for herself, put it on, and continued to wear it. The saints spent seven years in Carthage, and then decided to visit Jerusalem.

At Alexandria, they were welcomed by the bishop, St Cyril, and they met in church with the holy Elder Nestorius, who was possessed of the gift of prophecy and healing. The Elder turned to them and told them to have courage and patience in expectation of the Glory of Heaven. At Jerusalem, the saints distributed their remaining gold to the destitute and then spent their days in poverty and prayer. After a short visit to Egypt, where the saints visited many of the desert Fathers, St Melania secluded herself in a cell on the Mount of Olives.

Only occasionally did she see St Apinianus. Later, she founded a monastery, where eventually ninety virgins lived in obedience to St Melania. Out of humility, she would not consent to be abbess, and lived and prayed in solitude as before. In her instructions, St Melania urged the sisters to be vigilant and to pray, to disdain their own opinions and cultivate first of all love for God and for one another, to keep the holy Orthodox Faith, and to guard their purity of soul and of body. In particular, she exhorted them to be obedient to the will of God.

Calling to mind the words of the Apostle Paul, she counseled them to keep the fasts not with wailing, nor from compulsion, but in virtuous disposition with love for God By her efforts an oratory and altar were built in the monastery, where they enshrined the relics of saints: the Prophet Zachariah, the holy Protomartyr Stephen, and the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. About this time St Apinianus fell asleep in the Lord. St Melania buried his relics and there spent another four years in fasting and unceasing prayer. St Melania wanted to build a men's monastery on the Mount of the Ascension of the Lord.

The Lord blessed her intent by sending a benefactor who provided the means for the monastery. Joyfully accepting it, St Melania finished the great work in a single year. In this monastery, saintly men began to lift up unceasing prayer in the church of the Ascension of Christ. Having completed her tasks, the saint left Jerusalem for Constantinople, hoping to save the soul of her pagan uncle Volusianus who had traveled there from Rome.

Along the way she prayed at the relics of St Laurence (August 10), at the place of his martyrdom, and received auspicious signs. Arriving in Constantinople, the saint found her uncle had fallen ill. Her demeanor and her inspired discourses had a profound influence on the sick man. He gave up pagan impiety and died a Christian. During this time many inhabitants of the capital were deceived by the heretical teaching of Nestorius. St Melania accepted anyone who turned to her for proper explanation, converting many of them to Orthodoxy.

Many miracles were worked through the prayers of the saint. Returning to her own monastery, the saint sensed the approach of death, and told this to the priest and the sisters. They listened to her final instructions with deep sorrow and with tears. Having asked their prayers and commanding them to preserve themselves in purity, she received the Holy Mysteries with joy.

St Melania peacefully gave up her soul to the Lord in the year 439.

Reference: O.C.A.

 Orthodox icon of Saint Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch.

Commemorated  February 12.

Saint Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch, was Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia (ca. 357), and afterwards he was summoned to Antioch by the emperor Constantius to help combat the Arian heresy, and was appointed to that See.

St Meletius struggled zealously against the Arian error, but through the intrigues of the heretics he was thrice deposed from his cathedra. Constantius had become surrounded by the Arians and had accepted their position. In all this St Meletius was distinguished by an extraordinary gentleness, and he constantly led his flock by the example of his own virtue and kindly disposition, supposing that the seeds of the true teaching sprout more readily on such soil.

St Meletius was the one who ordained the future hierarch St Basil the Great as deacon. St Meletius also baptized and encouraged another of the greatest luminaries of Orthodoxy, St John Chrysostom, who later eulogized his former archpastor.

After Constantius, the throne was occupied by Julian the Apostate, and the saint again was expelled, having to hide himself in secret places for his safety. Returning under the emperor Jovian in the year 363, St Meletius wrote his theological treatise, “Exposition of the Faith,” which facilitated the conversion of many of the Arians to Orthodoxy.

In the year 381, under the emperor Theodosius the Great (379-395), the Second Ecumenical Council was convened. In the year 380 the saint had set off on his way to the Second Ecumenical Council at Constantinople, and came to preside over it.

Before the start of the Council, St Meletius raised his hand displaying three fingers, and then withdrawing two fingers and leaving one extended he blessed the people, proclaiming: “We understand three hypostases, and we speak about a single nature.” With this declaration, a fire surrounded the saint like lightning. During the Council St Meletius fell asleep in the Lord. St Gregory of Nyssa honored the memory of the deceased with a eulogy.

St Meletius has left treatises on the consubstantiality of the Son of God with the Father, and a letter to the emperor Jovian concerning the Holy Trinity. The relics of St Meletius were transferred from Constantinople to Antioch.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of Saint Melitina, Melitine, Μελιτινή of Marcianopolis. Copy of a contemporary icon.

Commemorated September 16.

The Holy Martyr Melitina lived in the city of Marcianopolis in Thrace during the rule of the emperor Antoninus Pius ((138-161). She was a fervent Christian, and the Lord blessed her with the gift of wonderworking. By the power of her prayers she shattered the idols of Apollo and Herakles.

Her fiery preaching converted many pagans to Christ. Antiochus, the governor of the city of Marcianopolis, ordered that she be tortured, since this holy woman could not be persuaded to deny Christ. She was handed over to the governor’s women who tried to convert her by flattery and kindness. Not only was Saint Melitina not deceived or softened by their efforts, but she made Christians of the governor’s women. When the governor learned of this, he had Saint Melitina brought to trial, and sentenced her to be beheaded.

A Christian named Acacius reverently took the martyr’s body with the intention of burying her in his homeland of Macedonia. During the voyage, however, Acacius fell sick and died. The ship stopped at the island of Limnos, where the body of Saint Melitina was buried. The martyr-loving Acacius was laid to rest beside her grave.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of Saint Melpomene, Melpomeni.

Commemorated September 1st.

Saint Melpomene was one of the 40 Virgin Women Martyrs of Herakleia.

Orthodox icon of Saint Martyr Menas, Minas, Mina, Mena, Mennas.

Commemorated November 11. 

This Orthodox icon depicts the Holy Great Martyr Menas of Egypt, an Egyptian by birth, born in 285 A.D., in the city of Niceous (Nakiyos or Nikiu), which lies in the vicinity of Memphis. His parents were real ascetic Christians; his father's name was Audexios (or Eudoxius) and his mother's name was Aufimia (or Euphemia). On the feast of St. Mary, the mother who did not have any children was praying in front of the icon of the Virgin with tears that God would give her a blessed son.

A sound came to her ears saying "Amen," and thus she called her son Menas. Sain Menas became a military officer who served in the Kotyaeion region of Phrygia under the centurion Firmilian during the reign of the emperors Diocletian (284-305) and Maximian (305-311). When the emperors began the fiercest persecution against Christians in history, the saint refused to serve these persecutors. He removed his soldier's belt (a sign of military rank) and withdrew to a mountain, where he lived an ascetic life of fasting and prayer.

Once he happened to arrive in the city during a pagan festival. At the climax of the games the saint's accusing voice rang out, preaching faith in Christ, the Savior of the world. At his trial before the prefect Pyrrhus, the saint bravely confessed his faith, saying that he had come to denounce the impious. The prefect was angered, and had Menas arrested.

Pyrrhus offered to restore the saint's former rank if he would offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. When he refused, he was put to cruel tortures, then he was beheaded. This occurred in the year 304. Christians gathered up the martyr's relics by night and hid them until the end of the persecution. Later, they were brought to Egypt and placed in a church dedicated to St Menas southwest of Alexandria. The saint received grace from God to work miracles, and to help those in need. St Menas is noted for healing various illnesses, delivering people from possession by demons, and as a protector, especially during times of war.

We also ask his help in finding lost objects.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of Saint Menelaos. Contemporary icon.

Commemorated July 22.

Contemporary icon os Saint Mercurius (Merkourios, Merkurios).

Commemorated November 25th.

Orthodox icon of Saint Mercurius, Merkourios, Merkurios, Mercourio (2), by Theophanis the Cretan (1530), Church of Protaton Karyes Mount Athos.

Commemorated November 25th.

Orthodox icon of Saint Merope.

Commemorated December 2nd.

Orthodox icon of Saint Methodius the Hieromartyr Bishop of Patara.

Commemorated June 20.

The Hieromartyr Methodius, Bishop of Patara (Lycia in Asia Minor), was distinguished for his genuine monastic humility. Calmly and with mildness he instructed his flock, but he firmly defended the purity of Orthodoxy and he energetically contended against heresies, especially the widespread heresy of the Origenists.

He left behind him a rich literary legacy: works in defense of Christianity against paganism, explications of Orthodox dogmas against the heresy of Origen, moral discourses, and explanations of Holy Scripture. St Methodius was arrested by the pagans, steadfastly confessed before them his faith in Christ, and he was sentenced to death by beheading in the year 312.

Orthodox icon of Saint Miltiades the Martyr.

Commemorated April 10.

Orthodox Icon of Saint Modestos, Parthriarch of Jerusalem.

Protector of animals.

Commemorated December 18.

Saint Modestus was born into a Christian family in Cappadocian Sebasteia (Asia Minor). He had a strong attraction towards strict monastic life and accepted monastic tonsure. He became head of the monastery of St Theodosius the Great in Palestine. At this time (the year 614), military forces of the Persian ruler Chosroes fell upon Syria and Palestine, killing ninety thousand Christians and destroying Christian churches.

Patriarch Zacharias of Jerusalem and a multitude of Christians were taken into captivity, along with the Cross of the Lord. St Modestus was entrusted to govern the Jerusalem Church temporarily as locum tenens of the patriarchal cathedra. With the help of Patriarch John the Merciful of Alexandria, St Modestus set about restoring devastated Christian shrines, among which was the Sepulchre of the Lord. He reverently buried the murdered monks from the monastery of St Sava the Sanctified.

After fourteen years, Patriarch Zacharias returned from captivity with the Cross of the Lord, and after his death St Modestus became Patriarch of Jerusalem. St Modestus died at age 97 in the year 634.