The Assembly of Diveyevo Saints

The fate of the clergy and sisters of the Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery is nothing short of astonishing. Their devotion to God and trust in Him amidst the most harrowing circumstances is both instructive and enlightening.

How One Visit to a Church Changed the Life of Schema-abbess Tamar

Tamara joined a convent, despite all persuasion and pleas from her relatives. Over her family's objections, Tamara joined a convent, tonsured as Juvenalia. Some sisters saw a white dove descend on her at her tonsure.

St. John, Metropolitan of Tobolsk

Saint John (Maximovitch) served as the Metropolitan of Tobolsk for a brief period of four years, from 1711 to 1715. Despite his short tenure, he emerged as one of the most venerated saints in Siberia.

Rich in Love: Holy Righteous Alexei Mechev

According to the memoirs of Priest Sergius Durylin, who served with him, Father Alexei Mechev was, "an endless wellhead of goodness, and love and help to others in the most unexpected, infinitely diverse forms..."

Martyr Valeria (Kaleria) of Caesarea in Palestine

Valeria, Kyriake, and Mary of Caesarea are early Christian saints venerated as martyrs. They lived in the 3rd century on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, in Caesarea of Palestine, during the persecutions under Emperor Diocletian.

Saint Igor, the Martyr who Blotted out the Sin of Internecine Strife

He died without resistance at the hands of a ferocious crowd, erasing the sin of arrogance, conceit, and ill will that had consumed the Kievan Rus.

Holy Martyr Dimitrius of Uglich, a patron saint of all children

As a child, he became a martyr at the hands of ambitious noblemen vying for the Russian throne. But he lives in eternity, working miracles and interceding for our children

Saint Agapetus, an Unmercenary Doctor of the Body and Soul

We celebrate his feast on 14 June, by magnifying him as a healer of both the body and soul, who guides the evil-hearted to righteousness.

Saint Philosophus Ornatsky: sharing in the ways of the Apostles

The beginning of his service to the church coincided with the tragic death of Tsar Alexander II at the hands of revolutionary assassins. To him, it was a symptom of a destructive social disorder: the decline of the faith, especially among the…

Saint John the Russian: projecting God’s love on his enemies

He was only 20 when he was drafted into the Russian army and went to war with Turkey during the reign of the Russian Tsar Peter the Great. He was taken prisoner in a battle with the Turks.

Defender of the Orthodox Faith and Holy Russia

The service of pious rulers seems to be the most arduous and rocky path to achieving holiness. Pious Demetrios Donskoy managed to unite his homeland on a truly solid spiritual foundation.

Saint John of Korma, a Village Priest and Miracle-Worker

The Venerable John of Korma, a Belarusian saint, built his entire life on the biblical teaching, "As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead."

Saint Pachomius, a Father of Cenobitic Monasticism

He stood at the origin of cenobitic monasticism, the receiver of the monastic rule from an angel, and set an example in resisting temptations and enemy attacks.

Hermit Nikita of Novgorod, the Saint Who Fell and Started Over

As we commemorate this saint on his feast day, we magnify him for his exceptional humility and obedience with which he overcame the enemy’s temptations and defeated his plans.

Alexander of Rome, Shatterer of False Gods, Enlightener of the Souls

The church hymns in his honour extol him for his spiritual strength, which rendered devils helpless, and for his brilliant faith, which illuminated the lives of those around him.

Fathers of the Slavic Language and literacyL

The Church Slavonic language - in which we worship today - is the fruit of their good works. They laid the groundwork for the Slavic peoples' cultural and spiritual life.

Saint Thais of Egypt, a Repentant Sinner

Saint Thais' change of heart occurred on the final day of her life, teaching us how significant repentance is and how precious it is in the eyes of the Lord.

Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, a Heart on Fire

In today's hymns, he is lauded as an example of faith and a teacher of humility. What do these qualities mean for us today, and what can we learn from Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker?

The Apostle of Divine Love, Saint John the Theologian

Underneath all his virtues was his undying love for God. "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God," he exhorts every Christian, and his entire life reflects this message.

Elder Nectarios, Disciple of the Great Elders of Optina

On the day of the Elder Nectarios' commemoration, we pray before this saint that the Lord will grant us His protection from the woeful influences of the world in its times of trouble, its temptations and deceptions, and false ideals of consumerism…