Saints M - N

Orthodox icon of Saint Marina (2). Icon of 13th cent. Byzantine Museus of Athens.

Commemorated July 17th.

Orthodox icon of Saint Mark, Bishop of Ephesus.

Commemorated January 19.

The great teacher and invincible defender of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, Saint Mark, was the offspring and scion of the imperial city, Constantinople. Reared by most pious parents, and instructed in secular and spiritual wisdom, he became preeminent in both. In 1418, at the age of 26, Manuil left the capital and went to Antigone, an island then governed by Byzantium located at the mouth of the gulf of Nicomedia.

Abbot Simeon became the Saintu2019s spiritual father, and tonsured him into monasticism, with the name Mark.u00a0Saint Mark lived as an ascetic on the Prince's Islands and later in the monastery of Saint George Magana in Constantinople. He passed through all the degrees of the priesthood, and was finally advanced to the dignity of Archbishop and the lofty throne of the Metropolis of Ephesus in 1437.

At the insistence of Emperor John Paleologos, the Saint was sent to the council of the Latins in Florence, to unite the churches that had been divided for so many years over the following issues:1) the issue of the Procession of the Holy Spirit; 2) the issue of the use of azymes, unleavened bread, for the Eucharist in the Roman Catholic Church; 3) the teachings with respect to Purgatory; and 4) the primacy of the Pope of Rome - issues that till separate the churches.

By the final session the Orthodox Greeks found themselves in a difficult position: exhausted, suffering from privations, submitted to a variety of restrictions, lacking the resources to return to their homeland, and recognizing Byzantium's truly sorry state. In effect, they were invited to sell out the Orthodox Church in return for generous assistance both to the state and to the Greek delegates to the Council Saint Mark was the only one who did not sign the blasphemous decree of that false council. He returned to his see in Ephesus and continued to campaign against the compromises of this council in the name of unity.

The Saint was arrested on the island of Limnos, and was incarcerated for two years, during which he suffered from sickness, a severe climate, and deprivation of many of the essentials of life. Because of His defense of the Truth of Orthodoxy, the Holy Church of Christ has ever honored this great man as a benefactor, teacher, sole defender, and invincible champion of the Apostolic Confession. He is known along withSt. Photius the Great and St. Gregory Palamas, as a Pillar of Orthodoxy.

He reposed in 1443.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of Saint Mark the Evangelist and Apostle.

Commemorated April 25.

Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark was one of the Seventy Apostles, and a nephew of St Barnabas (June 11). He was born at Jerusalem. The house of his mother Mary adjoined the Garden of Gethsemane. As Church Tradition relates, on the night that Christ was betrayed he followed after Him, wrapped only in a linen cloth. He was seized by soldiers, and fled away naked, leaving the cloth behind (Mark 14:51-52).

After the Ascension of the Lord, the house of his mother Mary became a place where Christians gathered, and a place of lodging for some of the Apostles (Acts 12:12). St Mark was a very close companion of the Apostles Peter and Paul and Barnabas. St Mark was at Seleucia with Paul and Barnabas, and from there he set off to the island of Cyprus, and he traversed the whole of it from east to west. After working with the Apostle Paul, St Mark returned to Jerusalem, and then went to Rome with the Apostle Peter.

From there, he set out for Egypt, where he established a local Church. St Mark met St Paul in Antioch. From there he went with St Barnabas to Cyprus, and then he went to Egypt again, where he and St Peter founded many churches. Then he went to Babylon. From this city the Apostle Peter sent an Epistle to the Christians of Asia Minor, in which he calls St Mark his son (1 Pet 5:13). When the Apostle Paul came to Rome in chains, St Mark was at Ephesus, where St Timothy was bishop. St Mark went with him to Rome. There he also wrote his holy Gospel (ca. 62-63). From Rome St Mark traveled to Egypt.

In Alexandria he started a Christian school, which later produced such famous Fathers and teachers of the Church as Clement of Alexandria, St Dionysius of Alexandria, St Gregory Thaumatourgos, and others. Zealous for Church services, St Mark composed a Liturgy for the Christians of Alexandria. St Mark preached the Gospel in the inner regions of Africa, and he was in Libya at Nektopolis. During these journeys, St Mark was inspired by the Holy Spirit to go again to Alexandria and confront the pagans.

There he visited the home of Ananias, and healed his crippled hand. The dignitary happily took him in, listened to his words, and received Baptism. Following the example of Ananias, many of the inhabitants of that part of the city where he lived were also baptized. This roused the enmity of the pagans, and they wanted to kill St Mark. Having learned of this, St Mark made Ananias a bishop, and the three Christians Malchos, Sabinos, and Kerdinos were ordained presbyters to provide the church with leadership after his death.

The pagans seized St Mark when he was serving the Liturgy. They beat him, dragged him through the streets and threw him in prison. There St Mark was granted a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who strengthened him before his sufferings. On the following day, the angry crowd again dragged the saint through the streets to the courtroom, but along the way St Mark died saying,  Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.The pagans wanted to burn the saint's body, but when they lit the fire, everything grew dark, thunder crashed, and there was an earthquake. The pagans fled in terror, and Christians took up the body of St Mark and buried it in a stone crypt. This was on April 4, 63.

The Church celebrates his memory on April 25. In the year 310, a church was built over the relics of St Mark. In 820, when the Moslem Arabs had established their rule in Egypt and oppressed the Christian Church, the relics of St Mark were transferred to Venice and placed in the church named for him. In the ancient iconographic tradition, which adopted symbols for the holy Evangelists borrowed from the vision of St John the Theologian (Rev 4:7) and the prophecy of Ezekiel (Ez. 1:10), the holy Evangelist Mark is represented by a lion, symbolizing the might and royal dignity of Christ (Rev 5:5). St Mark wrote his Gospel for Gentile Christians, emphasizing the words and deeds of the Savior which reveal His divine Power.

Many aspects of his account can be explained by his closeness to St Peter. The ancient writers say that the Gospel of Mark is a concise record of St Peteru2019s preaching. One of the central theological themes in the Gospel of St Mark is the power of God achieving what is humanly impossible. The Apostles performed remarkable miracles with Christ (Mark 16:20) and the Holy Spirit (Mark 13:11) working through them.

His disciples were told to go into the world and preach the Gospel to all creatures (Mark 13:10, 16:15), and that is what they did.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of Saint Mark the Apostle and Evangelist (2). Icon of 14 cent. Chilandari Monastery Mount Athos.

Commemorated March 25t

Orthodox icon of Saint Mark the Evangelist and Apostle (3). Copy of an icon of 16 cent. Kremlin Museum

Commemorated April 25.

Holy Apostle and Evangelist Mark was one of the Seventy Apostles, and a nephew of St Barnabas (June 11). He was born at Jerusalem. The house of his mother Mary adjoined the Garden of Gethsemane. As Church Tradition relates, on the night that Christ was betrayed he followed after Him, wrapped only in a linen cloth. He was seized by soldiers, and fled away naked, leaving the cloth behind (Mark 14:51-52).

After the Ascension of the Lord, the house of his mother Mary became a place where Christians gathered, and a place of lodging for some of the Apostles (Acts 12:12). St Mark was a very close companion of the Apostles Peter and Paul and Barnabas. St Mark was at Seleucia with Paul and Barnabas, and from there he set off to the island of Cyprus, and he traversed the whole of it from east to west. After working with the Apostle Paul, St Mark returned to Jerusalem, and then went to Rome with the Apostle Peter.

From there, he set out for Egypt, where he established a local Church. St Mark met St Paul in Antioch. From there he went with St Barnabas to Cyprus, and then he went to Egypt again, where he and St Peter founded many churches. Then he went to Babylon. From this city the Apostle Peter sent an Epistle to the Christians of Asia Minor, in which he calls St Mark his son (1 Pet 5:13). When the Apostle Paul came to Rome in chains, St Mark was at Ephesus, where St Timothy was bishop. St Mark went with him to Rome. There he also wrote his holy Gospel (ca. 62-63). From Rome St Mark traveled to Egypt.

In Alexandria he started a Christian school, which later produced such famous Fathers and teachers of the Church as Clement of Alexandria, St Dionysius of Alexandria, St Gregory Thaumatourgos, and others. Zealous for Church services, St Mark composed a Liturgy for the Christians of Alexandria. St Mark preached the Gospel in the inner regions of Africa, and he was in Libya at Nektopolis. During these journeys, St Mark was inspired by the Holy Spirit to go again to Alexandria and confront the pagans.

There he visited the home of Ananias, and healed his crippled hand. The dignitary happily took him in, listened to his words, and received Baptism. Following the example of Ananias, many of the inhabitants of that part of the city where he lived were also baptized. This roused the enmity of the pagans, and they wanted to kill St Mark. Having learned of this, St Mark made Ananias a bishop, and the three Christians Malchos, Sabinos, and Kerdinos were ordained presbyters to provide the church with leadership after his death.

The pagans seized St Mark when he was serving the Liturgy. They beat him, dragged him through the streets and threw him in prison. There St Mark was granted a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who strengthened him before his sufferings. On the following day, the angry crowd again dragged the saint through the streets to the courtroom, but along the way St Mark died saying,  Into Your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit.The pagans wanted to burn the saint's body, but when they lit the fire, everything grew dark, thunder crashed, and there was an earthquake. The pagans fled in terror, and Christians took up the body of St Mark and buried it in a stone crypt. This was on April 4, 63.

The Church celebrates his memory on April 25. In the year 310, a church was built over the relics of St Mark. In 820, when the Moslem Arabs had established their rule in Egypt and oppressed the Christian Church, the relics of St Mark were transferred to Venice and placed in the church named for him. In the ancient iconographic tradition, which adopted symbols for the holy Evangelists borrowed from the vision of St John the Theologian (Rev 4:7) and the prophecy of Ezekiel (Ez. 1:10), the holy Evangelist Mark is represented by a lion, symbolizing the might and royal dignity of Christ (Rev 5:5). St Mark wrote his Gospel for Gentile Christians, emphasizing the words and deeds of the Savior which reveal His divine Power.

Many aspects of his account can be explained by his closeness to St Peter. The ancient writers say that the Gospel of Mark is a concise record of St Peteru2019s preaching. One of the central theological themes in the Gospel of St Mark is the power of God achieving what is humanly impossible. The Apostles performed remarkable miracles with Christ (Mark 16:20) and the Holy Spirit (Mark 13:11) working through them.

His disciples were told to go into the world and preach the Gospel to all creatures (Mark 13:10, 16:15), and that is what they did.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of Saint Markella of Chios.

Commemorated July 22.

Saint Markella lived in the village of Volissos, Chios sometime after the middle of the fourteenth century. Her parents were Christians, and among the wealthiest citizens of Volissos. The saint's mother died when she was young, and so her father, the mayor of the village, saw to her upbringing. He was a difficult man who was cynical about the Church. Markella had been taught by her pious mother to be respectful and devout, and to guard her purity.

She avoided associations with other girls who were more outgoing than she was so that she would not come to spiritual harm through such company. Her goal was to attain the Kingdom of Heaven, and to become a bride of Christ. St Markella increased in virtue as she grew older, fasting, praying, and attending church services, aiding the poor and always trying to being others to the way of God.

She loved and respected her father, and comforted him in his sorrow. She told him she would take care of him in his old age, and would not abandon him. As an adult, Staint Markella was loved by everyone for her beauty and for her spiritual gifts. The Enemy of our salvation incited her father with an unnatural desire for his daughter. The unfortunate man spent a long time struggling against his lust, but, finally, he gave in to it. At times he would speak to his daughter roughly, then later he would appear to be gentle.

He no longer looked at Markella as his daughter but as a woman lustfully. He wanted to be near her, and to stroke her hair. Eventually Markella understood her fathers intentions. Horrified, the saint prayed to the Panagia for protection and tried to avoid him as much as she could. One morning she decided to leave her father's house. She ran away to the mountains. He father saw her leaving and began to chase her. But he could not keep up with her due to his old age. He yelled to her that he would find her and tear her apart.

Markella made it to the mountain top and hid in some bushes. Fearing her death she asked God to give her strength enabling her to overcome this evil. She remained there until nightfall awaiting her fathers arrival. It was a night with a full moon that lit up the countryside. She heard bells of a flock of sheep and a shepherdess appeared and she called out to her. Markella told her she was fleeing evil but did not tell her the details. Markella was well loved throughout the community. Marouso, the shepherdess volunteered to stay and be watchful.

They took turns while one slept the other stood watch.The people in her village Volissos noticed her absence and sought to find out where she was from her father. He told then sarcastically that she went to become a saint. Rage built up in her father and he took a knife and his bow and arrow and sought out after her. Markella and her friend saw him coming and she went into a nearby cave to hide. Her father encountered the shepherdess who told him nothing about her hiding place. He passed by and Marouso went to the cave where Makella was hiding and told her where her father had headed.

Markella then decided to leave this place and headed south towards the beach when she saw a shepherd. She approached near him and hid in a huge bush disregarding its thorns. The shepherd came over to see who this was and was surprised to find out it was Markella. The shepherd heard the approach of a horse and immediately her father was in front of him. With fiery eyes and foaming in the mouth he asked if he had seen Markella. Her father drew his knife as to threaten him so as he would tell him her location

. Frightened the shepherd pointed to the bush where Markella was hiding. Markella continued to pray as he approached her hiding place. He set the bush on fire to drive her out. Markella ran out the other side and ran toward the jagged rocks along the shoreline. She screamed for Christ and the Panagia to help her. She was bleeding from the thorns and ran frantically. Then she felt a pain in her thigh. She stopped and pulled out an arrow that her father had shot at her. It bled profusely. Meanwhile her father was getting closer Suddenly she was filled with the Holy Spirit. He countenance was filled with light. She was ready to fulfill a martyrs death. She continued to run along the rocky shoreline calling on the Panagia as she ran.

Exhausted she fell to her knees and miraculously the rock on which she stood gave way and split open and received her body up to the waist. Her father was viscously joyful that he had now captured her. He took out his knife and he cut off her breasts. Her blood spayed in all directions covering him with her blood. Markella again prayed to Christ and the Panagia. u00a0He then cut off her head and cast it into the sea. The sea crashed on the rocks and her father was fearful that he would be taken into the sea punishing him for his horrible crime.

So he ran to escape the scene of his crime. In later years, pious Christians built a church on the spot where St Markella hid in the bush. The spot where she was killed became known as The Martyrdom of St Markella, and the rock that opened to receive her is still there. The rock appears to be a large stone that broke off from a mountain and rolled into the sea. Soil from the mountain covers the spot on the side facing the land.

On the side facing the ocean is a small hole, about the size of a finger. A healing water flows from the opening, which cures every illness. The flow of water is not due to the movements of the tide, because when the tide is out, there would be no water. This, however, is not the case. The water is clear, but some of the nearby rocks have been stained with a reddish-yellow color. According to tradition, the lower extremities of St Markella's body are concealed in the rock. The most astonishing thing about the rock is not the warmth of the water, nor the discoloration of the other rocks, but what happens when a priest performs the Blessing of Water.

A sort of steam rises up from the water near the rock, and the entire area is covered with a mist. The sea returns to normal as soon as the service is over. Many miracles have occurred at the spot, and pilgrims flock there from all over the world.

Reference: G.O.A.A.

Orthodox Icon of Righteous Martha of Bethany, the sister of Lazarus, The Myrrh-bearer.

Commemorated June 4.

The righteous sisters Martha and Mary were believers in Christ even before He raised their brother St Lazarus (October 17) from the dead. After the murder of the holy Archdeacon Stephen a persecution against the Jerusalem Church broke out, and Righteous Lazarus was cast out of Jerusalem.

The holy sisters then assisted their brother in the proclaiming of the Gospel in various lands. Saints Martha and Mary are also commemorated on the Sunday of the Myrrh-bearing Women.

Orthodox icon of Saint Mary of Bethany, the sister of Saint Lazarus and Martha. Copy of a contemporary icon

Commemorated June 4.

Orthodox contemporary icon of Saint Mary of Clopas- Cleopas, the Myrrh-bearer.

Commemorated April 23.

The name of the store in the icon is a watermark. Your icon will NOT have it

St. Mary was one of the “three Marys” who followed our Lord, stood at the foot of the Cross when he died, and were the first to hear the good news of His Resurrection at the side of His tomb. She was the wife of St. Cleophas, and mother of St. Simon, St. James the Less, St. Jude, and St. Salome (the mother of St. James and St. John).

In 47, St. Mary, along with others, was placed on a boat without sails or oars and pushed out into the open sea. The boat miraculously landed in France, and a church was established there known as “Holy Mary of the Sea.”

She also traveled to Spain as a missionary, and died at Ciudad Rodrigo.

Reference: www.orthodoxwiki.org

Orthodox icon of Saint Mary of Egypt and Saint Zosimas. Icon of 16th cent. Monastery of Rousanno Meteora Greece.

Commemorated April 1st.

Orthodox icon of Saint Mary of Egypt (2). Contemporary icon.

 Commemorated April 1st.

Saint Mary started life as a prostitute. Miraculously she was called into a Church by the Theotokos and was transformed. She spent the rest of her life, around fifty years, alone in the desert. She is honored for her extreme asceticism.

The fifth Sunday of Great Lent is also dedicated to her to remind us about the power of true repentance. The Life of St. Mary of Egypts read during Great Lent along with the Great Canon St.Andrew.

Her life shows us that God's great mercy is available to all of us if we only humble ourselves and seek His mercy.

Orthodox icon of Saint Matrona of Moscow.

Commemorated April 19th.

Orthodox icon of Saint Matthew the Evangelist (1).

Commemorated November 16.