r/OrthodoxGreece

Saint Andrei Rublev, Russia’s greatest iconographer, was born near Moscow sometime between 1360 and 1370. While still very young, he went to the Holy Trinity Monastery, and was profoundly impressed by Saint Sergius of Radonezh (September 25).

After the death of Saint Sergius in 1392, Saint Nikon (November 17) succeeded him as igumen. Saint Andrei became a novice in the monastery under Saint Nikon. Sometime before 1405 he moved to the Spaso-Andronikov Monastery founded by Saint Andronicus (June 13), with the blessing of Saint Nikon.There Saint Andrei received monastic tonsure and was taught iconography by Theophanes the Greek and the monk Daniel, Saint Andrei's friend and fellow-ascetic.

Saint Andrei is first mentioned in the Chronicles in 1405, when he, Theophanes, and Prochorus painted the cathedral of the Annunciation. His next important project, which he undertook with the monk Daniel, was to paint the frescoes in the Dormition Cathedral in Vladimir in 1408.

Saint Nikon of Radonezh asked Saint Andrei and Daniel to paint the new church in the reconstructed monastery of the Holy Trinity, which had been destroyed by the Tatars in 1408. At this time Saint Andrei painted his most famous icon: the Holy Trinity (actually, the Hospitality of Abraham).

Saint Andrei fell asleep in the Lord between 1427-1430, and was buried in the Andronikov Monastery. He was over seventy years old at the time of his death. The monk Daniel, who died before Saint Andrei, appeared to his friend and urged him to join him in eternal blessedness.

SOURCE: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/0215/07/04/101893-venerable-andrew-rublev-the-iconographer

He was born near Vologda. In his youth, he labored as a water-bearer in the salt- works The saint combined strict fasting and prayer with his hard labor. Later, he moved to Rostov, where he took on the podvig of foolishness. He wore chains formed into heavy iron crosses, and on his head he wore a large iron cap, and thus acquired the name "John of the Large Cap." In Moscow, he walked barefoot and virtually naked even in the most bitter of frosts. He prophesied for Russia great sorrows, a time of troubles, the Polish invasion, and stated that "…in Moscow there will be many demons, visible and invisible…"

He fearlessly spoke the truth to everyone, regardless of rank. Even to the Tsar Boris Godounov himself, he often said: "O wise head, comprehend the works of God. God bides His time, but His blows are painful." Before his death, Saint John chose for himself a grave at the Church of the Protection, later known as the Cathedral of Saint Basil the Blessed. Preparing himself for burial, he removed the chains, and thrice poured water over himself. Shortly before his death (+1589), the blessed one received the gift of healing. In Moscow he was venerated as a great miracle-worker and clairvoyant. On June 12, 1872, his relics were discovered, hidden in one of the chapels in the Cathedral of Saint Basil the Blessed. His hagiography and the service to him are found in manuscripts dating to the 17th Century.

SOURCE: https://stjohndc.org/en/orthodoxy-foundation/saints/blessed-john-moscow-fool-christ

Saint Hyacinth, a native of Caesarea in Cappadocia, was raised in a Christian family. The emperor Trajan made the boy his “cubicularius” (chamberlain), unaware that he was a secret Christian.

One day, while the emperor and his entourage were offering sacrifice to idols, the young Hyacinth remained at the palace, shut himself up in a small room, and prayed fervently to the Lord Jesus Christ. One of the servants overheard him praying and denounced him to the emperor. He said that although Hyacinth was entrusted with an imperial position, he did not honor the Roman gods, and was secretly praying to Christ.

Hyacinth was brought to trial before Trajan, who tried to persuade him to deny Christ and sacrifice to the deaf and dumb idols, but the holy martyr remained steadfast and declared that he was a Christian. He was whipped and thrown into prison, where the only food given to him was what had already been offered to the idols. They hoped that he would be overcome with hunger and thirst and eat it. Saint Hyacinth did not eat the food, and he died after thirty-eight days. When they came to torture him again, they found his dead body.

The jailer saw two angels in the cell. One covered the saint’s body with his own garment, and the other placed a crown of glory on his head.

The twelve-year-old Hyacinth suffered for Christ in the year 108 in the city of Rome. Later, the saint’s relics were transferred to Caesarea.

Saints Diomedes, Eulampius, Asclepiodotus, and Golinduc also suffered with Saint Hyacinth.

SOURCE: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2029/07/03/101872-martyr-hyacinth-of-caesarea-in-cappadocia-and-those-with-him

"When I came to San Francisco to be close to the saintly Archbishop John Maximovitch, I heard a lot of fascinating accounts of his ascetic life. Frequently I visited St. Tikhon's Orphanage, founded by this Saint, and run then by his long-time assistant, Mrs. Maria Alexandrovna Shakhmatova (+1967). Archbishop John was a very busy man, and I did not dare to be often in his presence. ...

The orphanage was no longer a place where children were sheltered....Within its walls was Archbishop John's tiny office, which was so small that even a bed would not fit, where he both lived and had his prayer-room and office...I would visit him there, and have long constructive talks that shaped my life.

One day I came to see Mrs. Shakhmatova, and she, as usual, insisted that I stay for tea, even though I never liked tea. She would get me into her kitchen, almost next to Archbishop John's office, and ask, almost in the form of an interrogation, about my whereabouts, what I had done that week, what I had read, etc. Usually she scolded me for not visiting her more often and not being closer to her "orphans," who by then were already leading their own married lives.

This particular day I noticed a white pigeon with a reddish pattern in its feathers, making pigeon noises outside the window on a specially built ledge. It was pacing back and forth, obviously not intending to fly away, but, as I assumed, waiting to be fed. As it seemed no stranger to her, I paid little attention then.

On that particular feast day of the Baptism of the Lord, I chanced to be in St. Tikhon's for the Blessing of Water. The service was performed in the little courtyard right under the kitchen window, which had a separate gate from the street through which I had entered. To my great surprise, as St. John was blessing the water, a dove flew right out into the courtyard. It flapped its wings and actually soared over the basin of holy water, while all of us vigorously sang: "When Thou, O Lord, west baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. For the voice of the Father bore witness unto Thee, calling Thee the beloved Son, and the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed His word as sure and steadfast ..." I was amazed, as I had never seen such a service with a live dove hovering over this holiness.

The sight was unforgettable. St. John stood there with lifted hands, holding a huge golden Cross high above his mitered head, and the bird flew high about the building next door, and then with a swift graceful glide descended upon the Saint and sat on his shoulder. Then, loudly flapping its wings, it flew way up into the air, only to descend again, to the utter joy of all there, and it did this several times. St. John, apparently oblivious to the bird's spectacular maneuvers, continued deep in prayer. It seemed so natural, as if it were all a standard part of the holy ceremony. A similar event occurred in the life of St. Basil the Great, when a dove was seen by St. Ephraim the Syrian to be whispering holy words into St. Basil's ear.

After the service I was invited to drink a lot of the water inside St. Tikhon's Orphanage, and to partake of tasty treats. Archbishop John was there, and the bird was outside the window on his ledge, apparently feeding. There I learned the following touching story of Archbishop John's "heavenly bird."

Once Archbishop John came home to discover that a pigeon was hurt, his wing was damaged, and was sitting outside the window. He opened the window and let it in. The bird could barely flutter, and Archbishop John bound its wing and fed it. That was enough to make it feel adopted. The bird stayed around, especially when the Saint would arrive and would feed it. Actually it remained a mystery how both of them conversed. But one thing we knew: the pigeon reacted to the words of St. John as if it understood what he said. I was told that both of them would sit facing each other, the man softly speaking and the bird making its pigeon sounds in agreement and peacefully walking to and fro, as if memorizing what it was taught. This company Archbishop John kept for a long time, until his death. The pigeon lived on that window ledge and would often fly around in the kitchen and the main visiting room, and in the little corner office of Mrs. Shakmatova in the northwestern corner of the house. I saw the bird fly around, and wondered why they had no cage for it, as for a canary. But I was told, "It is Archbishop John's friend and companion." It was a friendly bird, often eating from his hands.

Once I came and saw Archbishop John sitting silently next to the window, his head in his hand, thinking, watching the bird; and the bird was sick. I never learned what was the matter, but there was silent contact between the dove of the Baptism of the Lord and John its "Baptist." (The altar boys said that, by sprinkling the bird during the blessing of the water, Archbishop John had baptized the pigeon, and that it was a "baptized" bird.) Mrs. Shakmatova later told me that the bird was a sort of messenger of mysteries for Blessed John, but I never pried for an explanation. On the day Archbishop John died, the bird began to pace the window and flutter in agony, as if knowing about its master.

One frequenter of St. Tikhon's Orphanage wrote: "We all learned to love that little friendly bird, who became a close friend to man. It never flew too far from the house and never chased other birds, as if its little heart sought warmth from people; and it had no greater joy than to fly into the house and sit quietly on some corner of an armchair. Often when Archbishop John would drink coffee in the kitchen, the bird would knock at the window pane begging to be let in and then it would sit on the Saint's shoulder and watch his hands as he blessed the bird.

"When the death knell announced the earthly end of Archbishop John, the bird was frantic. It fluttered in agony, missing the Saint, and its little heart also stopped a few months afterwards, to our deep sorrow.

"I remember how someone said firmly that one should not cry over a bird, it is sinful. How harsh this resounded in my ears! Why is it a sin when a quiet sadness touches a heart over the loss of the little ones given to us by the Lord Himself to protect, who also are capable of giving us love. I remember Archbishop John's words to me when I used to complain that in some cities birds are removed from the streets: 'Yes, now throughout the whole world, attacks are carried out against all living beings that surround us."'

At that time there was a veritable persecution of pigeons in San Francisco, due to the assumption that they carried some disease, and hundreds of them were poisoned or shot. I do not know these details. But I do remember vividly the beautiful white-feathered creature flying about the little bentdown figure of the precious Saint, who not only loved this God-sent bird, but had some mystical contact with it. The bird appeared in his life when he endured the greatest of his earthly trials; it forbade his ascent to the other world, and some other mysteries I was told about. That feathered little creature of God was sent as a consolation to the sorrowing man of God, rendering him greater solace than men could do, who at that time were inflicting upon him his greatest pain. Men who hate men cannot understand how animals could be truly God-sent consolers.

A spiritual daughter of Archbishop John, Olga Skopichenko, recalling this dove, even wrote a lovely poem, in which she hinted that the appearance of the bird, damaged by cruel men, was for our Saint a little window through which he gazed into heaven."

[from THE ORTHODOX WORD, #191, 1996]

SOURCE: https://www.urbanwildlifesociety.org/pigeons/SaintJohnsPij.htm

He was born in Rădăuți, Moldavia in the fourteenth century.

He was named Laurence when he received the monastic tonsure. In time he was found worthy of ordination to the holy priesthod, and founded a monastery near Rădăuți, which later became known as Saint Laurence’s Monastery. Among his many disciples was Saint Daniel the Hesychast (December 18).

Because of his holy life, he received from God the grace of working miracles. Many sick people were healed by his prayers, and he became a father, teacher, and protector to all.

Prince Alexander the Good recommended that he be made Bishop of Rădăuți. Saint Leontius led his flock with wisdom for many years, then retired to live alone in the wilderness. He received the Great Schema with the name of Leontius, and departed to the Lord soon afterward. His holy relics were found incorrupt, and many people received healing at his tomb.

Saint Leontius was glorified by the Orthodox Church of Romania in 1992.

SOURCE: https://basilica.ro/en/orthodox-calendar-july-1/

Saint Paul the Physician, from the city of Corinth, in his youth took monastic tonsure at one of the monasteries. Here the saint toiled much and became an experienced ascetic.

Once Paul, through demonic malice, was slandered by a woman. She came to the monastery with a newborn infant and said, that Saint Paul was the father. The Elder with humility and joy endured the slander, he did not deny it and he took the infant, as though it were his own son. When they began to reproach the saint for breaking his monastic vows, Saint Paul said, “Brethren, let us ask the infant who his father is!” The newborn, pointing his hand at the blacksmith, said, “Here is my father and not the monk Paul.” Seeing this miracle, people bowed down to the Elder, asking forgiveness. From this time Saint Paul received from God the gift of healing the sick, whereby he received the name physician. Saint Paul died at age 70.

SOURCE: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2016/06/28/101838-saint-paul-physician-of-corinth

The Holy Monastic Martyr David was descended from the Kydonians of the town of Aivali (Αϊβαλί) in Asia Minor. The inhabitants of the town had a special relationship with Mount Athos, because there were two Athonite embassy churches in their city, one belonging to Ivḗron Monastery, and the other to Pantokrator Monastery. When Saint David left his hometown, he went to Mount Athos and lived near a fellow countryman, a brother of Saint Anne’s Skete, who later became a monk.

During his monastic life, Saint David was moved by divine zeal. He took the initiative, after receiving the blessing of his Elder, and visited Smyrna in order to collect money for the reconstruction of the ruined churches of the Transfiguration of the Savior and that of the Theotokos on Mount Athos. After completing the work on the two temples, he built two water tanks as well as a number of cells for the worshipers. He did not remain on Mount Athos, for he burned with the desire for martyrdom. He went to Magnesia in Asia Minor, where he bore witness to Christ, and mocked the Turks for their religion. They arrested him and beat him severely, and then he was expelled from their city.

Thus, without fulfilling his desire, he returned to the Holy Skete of Saint Anne, where he confessed to his Elder his earnest desire for martyrdom. His Spiritual Father, fearing the outcome of such an act, tried to dissuade him, but he did not succeed. Saint David went to Karyes and saw Metropolitan Pankratios, the former Bishop of Christopoulos, from whom he received a blessing to seek martyrdom.

Saint David traveled to Thessaloniki, where he was told of a monk from the Vatopaidi embassy church of Saint Demetrios, who had converted to Islam. Saint David attempted to confront this monk, but somehow the Turks had learned of his intention. The Turks arrested the Saint, and after they had beaten him, they handed him over to the judge for trial. The judge, fearing that Saint David might persuade the monk to abandon Islam and to confess Christ, ordered the Saint to be executed at once. That same night, June 26, 1813, Saint David suffered a martyric death by hanging.

The Monastic Martyr David is particularly honored at the Skete of Saint Anne on the Holy Mountain.

SOURCE: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2025/06/26/100473-new-martyr-david-of-saint-annes-skete