Saints R - S

Orthodox icon of Apostle Philemon of the Seventy. Contemporary icon.

Commemorated November 22.

The Holy Apostle of the Seventy Philemon lived in the city of Colossa in Phrygia. After they were baptized by the holy Apostle Paul, they converted their house into a house of prayer, where all those who believed in Christ gathered and attended services. They devoted themselves to serving the sick and downcast.

Saint Philemon became bishop of the city of Gaza, and he preached the Word of God throughout Phrygia. The holy Apostle Paul continued to be his guide, and addressed to him his Epistle filled with love, and in which he sends blessings “to Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow laborer, and to our beloved Apphia, and to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in thy house” (Phil 1:1-3).

Saint Philemon received the crown of martyrdom during the persecution of Nero (54-68). During a pagan festival an enraged crowd rushed into the Christian church when services were going on. All fled in terror, and only Saints Philemon, Archippus and Apphia remained. They seized them and led them off to the city prefect. The crowd beat and stabbed Saint Archippus with knives, and he died on the way to the court. Saints Philemon and Apphia were stoned to death by order of the prefect.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of Saint Procopius, Prokopios, the Great Martyr. Copy of an icon of 13th cent. Protato Karyes, Mount Athos.

Commemorated July 8th.

Orthodox icon of Saint Procopius, Prokopios, the Great Martyr (2). Copy of a contemporary icon.

Commemorated July 8th.

Orthodox icon of Saint Remigius, Bishop of Reims and Apostle of the Franks. Copy of a contemporary icon.

Commemorated October 1st

Saint Remigius was born in 438 in northern Gaul.

After devoting himself for awhile to secular and sacred learning, he withdrew to a small house near Laon, to live in reclusion and prayer. But when a bishop was needed in Rheims, the clergy and people carried him off from his hermitage and made him their bishop. He was only twenty-two years old at the time.

The holy bishop soon became renowned throughout northern Gaul. He converted heretics, brought Arian heretics back to the Orthodox Faith, cared for the many who suffered at the hands of barbarian marauders.

Wherever he went, miracles attended him. He healed the sick and demonized and once, when a town was on fire, threw himself into the flames and quenched them. Birds would come to his table whenever he ate, and he would share his meal with them.

In 482 the young warrior Clovis became leader of the Frankish tribes in that region. Though he was a pagan, he knew and admired St Remigius, and was married to a Christian, St Clotilde (June 3).

Once, when his army faced defeat by the Alemanii, Clovis prayed to 'the God of Clotilde and Remigius' and won a great victory. This answer to his prayers convinced him of the truth of the Christian Faith, and he asked St Remigius to instruct him. Two years later he gathered all his chieftains in Rheims to attend his baptism. The baptism was accompanied by many miracles, seen by all in attendance. Two of the king's sisters and three thousand of his lords and soldiers were baptized at the ceremony. This event is considered the birth of France as a Christian nation.

In great old age, St Remigius went blind, but miraculously recovered his sight. He reposed in peace at the age of 105, immediately after serving the Divine Liturgy.

Orthodox icon of Saint Romanus, Romanos the Melodist.

Commemorated November 1st.

Saint Romanus the Melodist was born in the fifth century in the Syrian city of Emesa of Jewish parents. After moving to Constantinople, he became a church sacristan in the temple of Hagia Sophia. The monk spent his nights alone at prayer in a field or in the Blachernae church beyond the city. St Romanus was not a talented reader or singer. Once, on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, he read the kathisma verses. He read so poorly that another reader had to take his place.

The clergy ridiculed Romanus, which devastated him. On the day of the Nativity, the Mother of God appeared to the grief-stricken youth in a vision while he was praying before her Kyriotissa icon. She gave him a scroll and commanded him to eat it. Thus was he given the gift of understanding, composition, and hymnography. That evening at the all-night Vigil St Romanus sang, in a wondrous voice, his first Kontakion: Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One...

All the hymns of St Romanus became known as kontakia, in reference to the Virgin's scroll. St Romanus was also the first to write in the form of the Oikos, which he incorporated into the all-night Vigil at his places of residence (In Greek, oikos ). For his zealous service St Romanus was ordained as a deacon and became a teacher of song. Until his death, which occurred about the year 556, the hierodeacon Romanus the Melodist composed nearly a thousand hymns, many of which are still used by Christians to glorify the Lord. About eighty survive.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of Saint Romanus, Romanos the Melodist (2). Copy of a contemporary icon.

Commemorated November 1st.

Saint Romanus the Melodist was born in the fifth century in the Syrian city of Emesa of Jewish parents. After moving to Constantinople, he became a church sacristan in the temple of Hagia Sophia. The monk spent his nights alone at prayer in a field or in the Blachernae church beyond the city. St Romanus was not a talented reader or singer. Once, on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, he read the kathisma verses. He read so poorly that another reader had to take his place.

The clergy ridiculed Romanus, which devastated him. On the day of the Nativity, the Mother of God appeared to the grief-stricken youth in a vision while he was praying before her Kyriotissa icon. She gave him a scroll and commanded him to eat it. Thus was he given the gift of understanding, composition, and hymnography. That evening at the all-night Vigil St Romanus sang, in a wondrous voice, his first Kontakion: Today the Virgin gives birth to the Transcendent One...

All the hymns of St Romanus became known as kontakia, in reference to the Virgin's scroll. St Romanus was also the first to write in the form of the Oikos, which he incorporated into the all-night Vigil at his places of residence (In Greek, oikos ). For his zealous service St Romanus was ordained as a deacon and became a teacher of song. Until his death, which occurred about the year 556, the hierodeacon Romanus the Melodist composed nearly a thousand hymns, many of which are still used by Christians to glorify the Lord. About eighty survive.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of Saint. Salome the Myrrh bearer.

Commemorated August 3.

This is the Orthodox icon of Saint Salome who was the daughter of St. Joseph the Betrothed and his first wife (who was also named Salome). THe Theotokos would have been her stepmother. She married Zebedee who was a fisherman and became mother of the disciples James and John. She was probably a widow at the time of the Crucifixion of Christ as Zebedee is no longer mentioned.

She is the one who asked Jesus, "Command that these two sons of mine might sit, one on thy right hand and one on thy left, in thy kingdom" (Mt 20:20,21). She was also one of the witnesses of the Crucifixion (Mt 27:55,56). She also was one of the myrrh bearers who helped put Christ into the tomb and went to the tomb later to anoint Christ and witnessed His Resurrection.  

When she came with the other women they found the stone of the tomb rolled away. and when they entered they saw a young man sitting on the right clothed in a white robe. They saw Christ was missing and the angel told them that He was raised was not there and to go tell the disciples and Peter that He went before them to Galilee. (Mk 16:1-8) She is celebrated as one who first brought tidings of the Resurrection to the world, especially on the Sunday of Myrrh-bearing Women.

Orthodox icon of Saint Sampson the Hospitable of Constantinople. Copy of a contemporary icon.

Protector of people with restaurants or hotels

NOTE: the name of the web store on the icon is a watermark. The icon will not have it.

Saint Sampson the Hospitable was the son of rich and illustrious Roman parents. In his youth he received an excellent education, he studied the medical arts, and doctored the sick without charge. After the death of his parents Saint Sampson generously distributed alms and set his slaves free, preparing himself to go into the wilderness.

With this intent in mind he soon journeyed from Rome to the East. But the Lord directed him onto a different path, that of service to neighbor, and so Saint Sampson came to Constantinople. Settling into a small house, the saint began to take in homeless wanderers, the poor and the sick, and he attended to them. The Lord blessed the efforts of Saint Sampson and endowed him with the power of wonderworking. He healed the sick not only through being a skilled physician, but also as a bearer of the grace of God. News of Saint Sampson spread abroad. The patriarch heard of his great virtue and ordained him to the holy priesthood.

It was revealed to the grievously ill Emperor Justinian (527-565), that he could receive healing only through Saint Sampson. In praying, the saint put his hand on the afflicted area, and Justinian was healed. In gratitude the emperor wanted to reward his healer with silver and gold, but the saint refused and instead asked Justinian to build a home for the poor and the sick. The emperor readily fulfilled his request.

Saint Sampson devoted the rest of his life to serving his neighbor. He survived into old age and after a short illness he departed peacefully to the Lord. The saint was buried at the church of the holy Martyr Mocius, and many healings were effected at his grave. His hospice remained open, and the saint did not cease to care for the suffering. He appeared twice to a negligent worker of the hospice and upbraided him for his laziness. At the request of an admirer of Saint Sampson the hospice was transformed into a church, and beside it a new edifice was built for the homeless. During the time of a powerful fire at Constantinople the flames did not touch the hospice of Saint Sampson. Through his intercession a heavy rain quenched the fire.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox icon of Saint Savvas the New, Σάββας  of Kalymnos.

Commemorated April 7.

Saint Savvas the New is the patron saint of the Greek Island of Kalymnos where he lived during the last twenty years of his life as the priest and spiritual father of the nuns of the Convent of All Saints. Saint Savvas was born in 1862 in Eastern Thrace. From his youth he had a calling for monastic life. He left for Mount Athos as a teen where he entered St. Anne's Skete. He learned iconography and Byzantine music.

After a few years, he traveled to Jerusalem for a pilgrimage to the holy sites, and there he entered the monastery of St. George Hozevitou. After a period of being a novice, he was tonsured a monk and given the name of Savvas.  In 1902, St. Savvas was ordained a deacon and a year later he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood. He spent almost 10 years in the desert by the Jordan where he led an austere life and occupied himself with prayer and iconography. His dwelling consisted of two cells which he reached by ascending up a rope ladder.

This isolation was necessary for successful inner concentration and noetic prayer and he made great spiritual progress there. Due to health reasons and the political situation in Palestine which made life unsafe, St. Savvas returned to Greece where he searched for a quiet place to continue his monastic life. He traveled throughout Greece for three years but could not find a suitable place. His prayers were answered when another saint, St. Nektarios of Aegina, had asked St. Savvas to come to the Holy Trinity Convent in Aegina and serve as a priest for nuns. St. Savvas stayed at the convent for six years, from 1919 until 1925. During his stay at the Convent St. Savvas had the opportunity to confess and receive counsel from St. Nektarios.

After St. Nektarios reposed, more and more pilgrims would come to the convent due to the growing reputation of St. Nektarios as a miracle-worker. This disrupted the quiet life that St. Savvas loved and so he departed the convent in 1925, again for a quieter life. St. Savvas spent the last years of his life as the priest and spiritual father at the Convent of All Saints on the island of Kalymnos. As a confessor, he combined leniency with severity. He was lenient on certain sins and severe to others.

He remained an ardent spiritual striver until the end of life and practiced extreme forms of self-restraint with regard to food, drink and sleep. Towards the end of his life, St. Savvas was in a state of intense concentration and holy contrition. For 3 days he did not receive anyone and he gave his last counsels: requested love and obedience in Christ. When he was on the point of death taking his last breath, suddenly he received strength, brought his blessed small hands together, and clapped them repeatedly saying his last holy words: "The Lord! The Lord! The Lord!".

He went to the Lord in 1948 on the eve of the feast of the Annunciation. After about 10 years when the saint's grave was opened in accordance to the Greek Orthodox custom, a heavenly fragrance emanated from the grave. This was a testament to the sanctity of the saint. Numerous miracles and healings have since been attributed to St. Savvas the New of Kalymnos.

Orthodox Icon of the Saint Savvas, Sabbas the Sanctified with others Saints of his Monastery. Copy of a 13 cent. icon.

Commemorated December 5th.

Saint Sava the Sanctified was born in the fifth century at Cappadocia of pious Christian parents, John and Sophia. His father was a military commander. Journeying to Alexandria on military matters, his wife went with him, but they left their five-year-old son in the care of an uncle. When the boy reached eight years of age, he entered the monastery of St Flavian located nearby. The gifted child quickly learned to read and became an expert on the Holy Scriptures. In vain did his parents urge St Sava to return to the world and enter into marriage.

When he was seventeen years old he received monastic tonsure, and attained such perfection in fasting and prayer that he was given the gift of wonderworking. After spending ten years at the monastery of St Flavian, he went to Jerusalem, and from there to the monastery of St Euthymius the Great (January 20). But St Euthymius sent St Sava to Abba Theoctistus, the head of a nearby monastery with a strict cenobitic rule. St Sava lived in obedience at this monastery until the age of thirty. After the death of the Elder Theoctistus, his successor blessed St Sava to seclude himself in a cave.

On Saturdays, however, he left his hermitage and came to the monastery, where he participated in divine services and ate with the brethren. After a certain time St Sava received permission not to leave his hermitage at all, and he struggled in the cave for five years. St Euthymius attentively directed the life of the young monk, and seeing his spiritual maturity, he began to take him to the Rouba wilderness with him. They set out on January 14, and remained there until Palm Sunday. St Euthymius called St Sava a child-elder, and encouraged him to grow in the monastic virtues.

When St Euthymius fell asleep in the Lord (+ 473), St Sava withdrew from the Lavra and moved to a cave near the monastery of St Gerasimus of Jordan (March 4). After several years, disciples began to gather around St Sava, seeking the monastic life. As the number of monks increased, a lavra sprang up. When a pillar of fire appeared before St Sava as he was walking, he found a spacious cave in the form of a church. St Sava founded several more monasteries.

Many miracles took place through the prayers of St Sava: at the Lavra a spring of water welled up, during a time of drought there was abundant rain, and there were also healings of the sick and the demoniacs. St Sava composed the first monastic Rule of church services, the so-called Jerusalem Typikon , accepted by all the Palestine monasteries. The saint surrendered his soul to God in the year 532.

Reference: O.C.A.

Orthodox Icon of Saint Savvas, Sabbas the Sanctified (2). Copy of 13 cent. icon

Commemorated December 5th.

Saint Savvas was born in the village of Mutalaska, in the province of Cappadocia. When he was seventeen years old he received monastic tonsure. After spending ten years at the monastery of St Flavian, he went to Jerusalem, and then to the monastery of St Euthymius the Great (January 20). But St Euthymius sent St Savas to Abba Theoctistus, the head of a nearby monastery with a strict cenobitic rule. St Savas lived in obedience at this monastery until the age of thirty. After the death of the Elder Theoctistus, he was blessed to seclude himself in a cave.

On Saturdays, however, Saint Savvas left his hermitage and came to the monastery, where he participated in divine services and ate with the brethren. He struggled in the cave for five years. When St Euthymius fell asleep in the Lord (+ 473), St Sava withdrew from the Lavra and moved to a cave near the monastery of St Gerasimus of Jordan (March 4). After several years, disciples began to gather around St Savas, seeking the monastic life. A lavra sprang up. When a pillar of fire appeared before St Savas as he was walking, he found a spacious cave in the form of a church.

St Savas founded several more monasteries. Many miracles took place through the prayers of St Savas: at the Lavra a spring of water welled up, during a time of drought there was abundant rain, and there were also healings of the sick and the demoniacs. St Savas composed the first monastic Rule of church services, the so-called u201cJerusalem Typikon, accepted by all the Palestine monasteries. The saint surrendered his soul to God in the year 532. His Great Lavra long continued to be the most influential monastery in those parts, and produced several distinguished monks, among them St John of Damascus. It is now known as the monastery of Mar Saba

Orthodox Icon of Saint Savvas, Sabbas the Sanctified (3). 

Commemorated December 5th.

Saint Savvas was born in the village of Mutalaska, in the province of Cappadocia. When he was seventeen years old he received monastic tonsure. After spending ten years at the monastery of St Flavian, he went to Jerusalem, and then to the monastery of St Euthymius the Great (January 20). But St Euthymius sent St Savas to Abba Theoctistus, the head of a nearby monastery with a strict cenobitic rule. St Savas lived in obedience at this monastery until the age of thirty. After the death of the Elder Theoctistus, he was blessed to seclude himself in a cave.

On Saturdays, however, Saint Savvas left his hermitage and came to the monastery, where he participated in divine services and ate with the brethren. He struggled in the cave for five years. When St Euthymius fell asleep in the Lord (+ 473), St Sava withdrew from the Lavra and moved to a cave near the monastery of St Gerasimus of Jordan (March 4). After several years, disciples began to gather around St Savas, seeking the monastic life. A lavra sprang up. When a pillar of fire appeared before St Savas as he was walking, he found a spacious cave in the form of a church.

St Savas founded several more monasteries. Many miracles took place through the prayers of St Savas: at the Lavra a spring of water welled up, during a time of drought there was abundant rain, and there were also healings of the sick and the demoniacs. St Savas composed the first monastic Rule of church services, the so-called u201cJerusalem Typikon, accepted by all the Palestine monasteries. The saint surrendered his soul to God in the year 532. His Great Lavra long continued to be the most influential monastery in those parts, and produced several distinguished monks, among them St John of Damascus. It is now known as the monastery of Mar Saba

Orthodox icon of Virgin martyr Sepaphima of Antioch.

Commemorated July 29th.

The Holy martyr Seraphima the Virgin, a native of Antioch, lived at Rome during the reign of the emperor Hadrian (117-138) with the illustrious Roman Sabina, whom the saint converted to Christianity. During the persecution against Christians begun by order of the emperor, the governor Virilus gave orders to bring St Seraphima to trial.

Desiring a crown of martyrdom from the Lord, she fearlessly went to the executioner at the first summons. The devoted Sabina accompanied her. Seeing that illustrious lady, Virilus at first set the maiden free, but after several days he again summoned St Seraphima and began the trial. 

Icon of Seraphim the Wonderworker of Sarov with scenes of his life.

Commemorated January 2nd.

Saint Seraphim of Sarov, born on July 19, 1754 in Kursk. From his childhood he loved to attend church services and to read both the Holy Scripture and the Lives of the Saints. At one point he fell critically ill. In a dream he saw the Mother of God promising to visit and heal him. Soon there came by his home a church procession with the Kursk Root Icon of the Sign. His mother carried him in her arms and he venerated the holy icon. Soon afterwards he recovered. Early on he desired to devote his life entirely to God and to go to a monastery.

One day he set off on foot with pilgrims going from Kursk to Kiev to venerate the Saints of the Caves. He went to the Sarov wilderness monastery, was accepted and put under the spiritual guidance of the Elder Joseph. He fulfilled all his obediences with zeal. He went into the forest, where in complete isolation he practiced the Jesus Prayer. Soon he became very ill. He asked that a prayer service be offered for his health. While the others were praying in church, Saint Seraphim had another vision of the Mother of God.

She appeared to him accompanied by the holy Apostles Peter and John the Theologian. The Most Holy Virgin said to St John, He is one of our kind. Then She touched the side of the sick man with Her staff, and immediately the fluid that had swelled up his body began to flow through the incision that She made. After the service, the brethren found that he had been healed, and only a scar remained as evidence of the miracle. After eight years as a novice at the Sarov monastery, He was tonsured and a year later Seraphim was ordained as hierodeacon. He served in the church each day.

He often saw holy angels serving with the priests. During the Divine Liturgy on Great and Holy Thursday, which was celebrated by the igumen Father Pachomius and by Father Joseph, St Seraphim had another vision. After the Little Entrance with the Gospel, the hierodeacon Seraphim pronounced the words Lord, save the God-fearing, and hear us. Then, he lifted his orarion saying, u And unto ages of ages. Suddenly, he was blinded by a bright ray of light. Looking up, St Seraphim saw the Lord Jesus Christ, coming through the western doors of the church. Reaching the ambo, the Lord blessed all those praying and entered into His Icon to the right of the royal doors.

St Seraphim, was in spiritual rapture and unable move or utter a word. He was led by the hand into the altar, where he stood for another three hours. In 1793, Hierodeacon Seraphim was ordained to the priesthood and served the Divine Liturgy daily. He was given permission to live alone in a remote part of the forest three and a half miles from the monastery where he devoted himself to solitary prayer. He came to the monastery only on Saturday before the all-night Vigil, and returned to his forest cell after Sunday's Liturgy. His solitude was often disturbed by visitors who sought his advice and blessing.

Through the prayers of the saint, the pathway to his wilderness cell was blocked by huge branches blown down from ancient pine trees so only the birds and the wild beasts could visit him. He would feed bears, lynxes, foxes, rabbits, and even wolves with bread from his hand. St Seraphim also had a bear which would obey him and run errands for him. One day some robbers attacked him in search of money. The robbers beat him severely and left him for dead. They tore the place apart, but found nothing but icons and a few potatoes, so they left. Regaining consciousness, he crawled to his cell and laid there all night. In the morning he reached the monastery with great difficulty.

For eight days he lay in bed suffering from his wounds. Again the Queen of Heaven appeared to him in a vision with the Apostles Peter and John. Touching the saint's head, the Most Holy Virgin healed him. However, he was unable to straighten up, and for the rest of his life he had to walk bent over with the aid of a stick or a small axe. St Seraphim spent about five months at the monastery and then returned to the forest. He forgave his abusers and asked that they not be punished. In 1807 the abbot, Father Isaiah, fell asleep in the Lord. St Seraphim was asked to take his place, but he refused. Seraphim lived in silence for three years, completely cut off from the world except for the monk who came once a week to bring him food. If the saint encountered a man in the forest, he fell face down and did not get up until the passerby had moved on.

He acquired peace of soul and joy in the Holy Spirit. The great ascetic once said, Acquire the spirit of peace, and a thousand souls will be saved around you. In the spring of 1810, he returned to the monastery after fifteen years of living in the wilderness where he continued to live in silence. After five years of solitude, he opened his door and allowed the monks to enter. He continued his silence, however, teaching them only by example. On November 25, 1825 the Mother of God, accompanied by the two holy hierarchs commemorated on that day (Hieromartyr Clement of Rome, and St Peter, Archbishop of Alexandria), appeared to the Elder in a vision and told him to end his seclusion and to devote himself to others.

He received the igumen's blessing to divide his time between life in the forest, and at the monastery. he created a new place nearer to the monastery and opened the doors of his cell to pilgrims as well as his fellow-monks. Saint Seraphim with such a pure heart could see into the hearts of others and was able to heal their infirmities of soul and body through prayer. In the final period of his earthly life St Seraphim devoted much effort to the women's monastic community at Diveyevo. He himself said that he gave them no instructions of his own, but it was the Queen of Heaven who guided him in matters pertaining to the monastery. Nicholas Alexandrovich Motovilov, was also healed by the monk and wrote about the conversation he had with the saint.

This conversation is a very important contribution to the spiritual literature of the Orthodox Church. It grew out of Nicholas Motovilov's desire to know the aim of the Christian life. The holy Elder told him that the aim of the Christian life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit, and went on to explain the great benefits of prayer and the acquisition of the Holy Spirit. In the last year of St Seraphim's life St Seraphim became noticeably weaker and he spoke much about his approaching end. During this time the was frequently seen sitting by his coffin, which he had placed in the ante-room of his cell, and which he had prepared for himself.

The saint himself had marked the place where finally they would bury him, near the altar of the Dormition cathedral. On January 1, 1833 Father Seraphim came to the church of Sts Zosimas and Sabbatius for his last Liturgy and he received the Holy Mysteries, after which he blessed the brethren and bid them farewell, saying: Save your souls. Do not be despondent, but watchful. Today crowns are being prepared for us.

The next day he fell asleep in the Lord. St Seraphim was found kneeling before an icon of the Mother of God with his arms crossed on his chest. His pure soul was taken by the angels at the time of prayer, and had flown off to the Throne of the Almighty God, Whose faithful servant St Seraphim had been all his life. St Seraphim has promised to intercede for those who remember his parents, Isidore and Agathia.

Reference: O.C.A.