Saints of the Eastern Churches?

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A big hi there and hello to my brothers of the eastern catholic churches! 👋

I have a question…who are the great saints of the east and where can I (a child of the west:D ) learn about their lives? Are there any particular saints that stand out to you?

Thanks!
 
To check out saints of Eastern Churches is no small feat, as there are many Churches, and many many lcoal saints. Of course info about saints from a wide cross-section is rare. For Byzantine saints www.goarch.org has a lot of info, and many are the same for Byzantine Catholic Churches (those that lived before 1600, that is). But even among the said Churches, there is much variation, as traditionally there is no one central authority that canonizes saints, but rather national Churches (Greece, Ukraine, Russia, Serbia, Georgia &c.) or even local Eparchies/dioceses canonize.

Some of my favorities are St Seraphim of Sarov (Russian Orthodox, from the 18th/19th cen.). He was a lot like St Francis of Assisi. He had a pet bear, Sasha, and was known for having a close relation with nature (he lived as a hermit for many years). It is said that the Mother of God brought him tea once (I’ll bet it was very good), and he had many mystical experiences, and was widely sought for spiritual advice. His most famous: “Keep interior peace, and a thousand around you will be saved.”

Another i like, and his ikon often found in the kitchen, is St Evphrosynos. He was a monk on the Holy Mountain and was a cook in a monastery. He personally did not do much, except live in utter humility and holiness in a cave by the sea (it was not far form the monastery), but the Hegumen (abbott) had a dream where Jesus chided him for allowing the monks to give Evphrosynos a hard time, and Evphrosynos appeared in the dream and gave the Hegumen an apple branch with golden apples. When the Hegumen awoke, the branch was in his hand, and it was discovered that if one ate an apple, that person was healed (first healing happened to the head cook, who had a crippled hand-this monk was one of the few that was kind to Evphrosynos from the outset. The monks attributed the power of the apples as a witness to Evphrosynos’ holiness and the power of his intercession. Soon folks from all over Greece came to the monastery, and Evphrosynos fled from the Holy Mountain.

There are many, and they tend to be different from each other, some living very shocking, even scandalous lives-there is a pattern to western saints-they are mostly religious, since religious orders have money to promote the cause of a saint, whereas canonization in the East is very simple and quick (sometimes too quick), and often by common assent of a local community. (this is not to say one is better than the other, both have strengths and weaknesses, mostly weaknesses for Eastern Catholics, since we have to have the Holy Father canonize, and we are not high priority to others in the curias and congregations that make the Vatican tick).

In Christ,
Adam
 
Thanks 🙂 ! But where are all the Byz Catholics??? I was expecting them to jump on this thread???😦
 
hi,
Im Maronite Catholic, and i am named after ST. Sarkees.
hes a lebanese martyr of the early church.
my three brothers also are named after
ST Baccus (spelled wrong i think)
ST Sharbel
ST Maron
all maronite catholic saints.
 
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Jadesfire20:
Thanks 🙂 ! But where are all the Byz Catholics??? I was expecting them to jump on this thread???😦
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Give it time, this thread is only two days old, just found it! :cool:

A lot of Saints of Eastern Catholics are also borrowed from the Orthodox Church. Since their traditions and liturgies are the same as ours (I’m Byzantine) my pastor has suggested to me many times to read the lives of those Saints in Russia and Ukraine.

A Saint that my Pastor told me would be my patron Saint is St. Andrew, Fool for Christ.
St. Andrew, was a Saint of the 10th Century living in Constantinople.
He purposly dressed like a poor begger to live a life for God. People treated him harshly and cruely and ‘offered the abuse up’ to our Lord. He was a very learned man and gave away his wealth. Even to the point when he was given food to eat, he gave it to the people who were more poor than he was. St. Andrew often was half naked and had no decent clothes. Even in the winter time, he offered up the abuses of the cold to the Lord.

He was rewarded by our Lord for his state in life. There was a time when praying at the Cathedral in Constantinople (Hagia Sophia), he was visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary and told him that the prayers of the people in the Cathdrel was being personally offered up to heaven.

St. Andrew had many followers and shared ‘everything’ he had with others’.

To be ‘a Fool For Christ’, is to be a radical for our Lord. My Pastor says that I am a radical in some way, but I haven’t figured out how. Father told me also that once I asked the question his response was instantaneous, and said the Holy Spirit gave him the answer to my question.

Here is a site that can be of use to you:catholic-forum.com/members/popestleo/dailyprayer.html
This site has a LOT MORE than just links for Saints. Have fun browsing!

Go with God!
Edwin
P.S. My pastor has a radio program on the local radio station here. You can streamlink it on the Internet and listen to it.
www.welw.com
The program is Joyful Light and airs only on Sunday @ 6:30AM and repeats at 11:00PM. Sorry,there are no programs archived 😦 .
Every show, my pastor talks about the feasts of the Church for that week and the Saints for the coming week as well.

I hope all will enjoy listening to the program and let my pastor know that you have listened to it.

Besides, they have great oldies
music on that station too!
 
I wanted to mention a Holy Fool, one of the most famous-St Symeon Salos. He lived in the 6th century and was a grass-eater for 30 years (this is not why he was a fool-this is a rare and severe form of ascetism), and, havin gattained apatheia, he returned and did all sorts of wierd things. I will just leave it at that.

A good source on Byzantine saints is a volume entitled: The Byzantine Saint, St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, Crestwood NY. 2001. (St Symeon’s life is in there, in the paper “The Holy Fool” by Lynnart Ryden). This is a collection of papers on the Byzantine Saint, and various aspects and categories, individuals, institutions, and cults that surround our saints (BTW, i am Byzantine Catholic, though not born so, and not ethnically tied either).

In Christ,
Adam
 
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akemner:
I wanted to mention a Holy Fool, one of the most famous-St Symeon Salos. He lived in the 6th century and was a grass-eater for 30 years (this is not why he was a fool-this is a rare and severe form of ascetism), and, havin gattained apatheia, he returned and did all sorts of wierd things. I will just leave it at that.

A good source on Byzantine saints is a volume entitled: The Byzantine Saint, St Vladimir’s Seminary Press, Crestwood NY. 2001. (St Symeon’s life is in there, in the paper “The Holy Fool” by Lynnart Ryden). This is a collection of papers on the Byzantine Saint, and various aspects and categories, individuals, institutions, and cults that surround our saints (BTW, i am Byzantine Catholic, though not born so, and not ethnically tied either).

In Christ,
Adam
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Adam, nice to see you on this thread!
No one needs to be of a certain ethnic background to by Byzantine. If you have a love for the Lord and have a desire to be more spiritual, you’re in the right place!

Go with God!
Edwin
P.S. Have you been to the ‘Ohio Catholics’ thread in the Meet and Greet Forum?
 
Dear Edwin,

I know that i don’t have to be of a certain ethnic persuaion to be Byzcath. However, i get asked that, especially by others in our Church (and this attitude is more prevalent in Ukrainian parishes-this is the first Q out of their mouth ofttimes). Some folks in our Church do not think we have anything to offer anyone else, so it is a strange thing to have a visitor or someone who is not “nash” actually become a part of the parish, or the Church through us. Of course why anyone would travel hours to go to DL is completely lost, though this is very frequently the case where i am from.

BTW, you have a good pastor-he once sent me some stuff because he felt that a cantor ought to have the proper books.

And I have been to the Ohio Catholic thread, but not in a while.

Christ saves,
Adam
 
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akemner:
Dear Edwin,

I know that i don’t have to be of a certain ethnic persuaion to be Byzcath. However, i get asked that, especially by others in our Church (and this attitude is more prevalent in Ukrainian parishes-this is the first Q out of their mouth ofttimes). Some folks in our Church do not think we have anything to offer anyone else, so it is a strange thing to have a visitor or someone who is not “nash” actually become a part of the parish, or the Church through us. Of course why anyone would travel hours to go to DL is completely lost, though this is very frequently the case where i am from.

BTW, you have a good pastor-he once sent me some stuff because he felt that a cantor ought to have the proper books.

And I have been to the Ohio Catholic thread, but not in a while.

Christ saves,
Adam
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Adam,
I hope you get a chance to listen to my pastors radio show via the Internet?

Go with God!
Edwin
 
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delorean_boy:
hi,
Im Maronite Catholic, and i am named after ST. Sarkees.
hes a lebanese martyr of the early church.
my three brothers also are named after
ST Baccus (spelled wrong i think)
ST Sharbel
ST Maron
all maronite catholic saints.
Click to expand...
Delorean,

Saints Maron and Sharbel are both Maronite saints. Saints Sarkees (Sergius) and Bacchus aren’t Maronites. They were officers in the Roman army and friends of Emperor Maximian. They refused to enter Jupiter’s temple with the Emperor and refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, Ultimately, they were scourged so terribly that Bacchus died; Sergius was then tortured further and beheaded. That was in 307. Their feast day is October 7th. They are in high regard by all the Churches of the Mid-East, but are also honored in the Roman martyrology. They don’t have a direct tie to the Maronite community or Church.

Many years,

Neil
 
Adam, thank you for your post. There as so many Eastern saints, no different than the Western ones. At this point my favourite is Saint Mat’ Maria Skobtsova. I did a research on her and ‘compared’ her to the Servant of God Catherine de Hueck Doherty. Both were Russian Orthodox, but Catherine entered into the Latin. Both were born in Russia and emigrated to Europe. Both came from aristocratic familes. Both tried to re-unite these great faiths: Rusian Orthodox and Roman Catholicism. Both are considered ‘fools for Christ’. Both were married twice. Both had a husband who became a priest. Both sold everything to become poor with the poor. Anyway, there are so many similarities, I could go on and on. It is striking that maybe God produces spiritual twins. Maria remained in Europe and gave up her life in the Holocaust and Catherine emigrated to Canada, then the US, then back to canada. She instituted a lay apostolate which is still striving. Althoug Mat’ Maria did the same thing, she became a Russian nun on demand from her Eparch. There is a little similarity also with Dorothy Day from the US. Catherine and Dorothy were great friends.

Maybe you could look into **Philokalia,as many Saints are mentioned there also. **The Catholic faith is so rich and runs so deep. I am partial to Eastern as I attend these once in a while. I find there is a mystery in the Eastern that we lack in the Roman.

Fr. Alexander Men is also considered a contemporary Russian Orthodox saint. I do not think he is beatified yet. if I am wrong, please correct me. He was martyred for his faith.

Enjoy their rich spirituality and God bless you on your journey…👍

Shoshana
 
Jadesfire,

As folks have said, there are a vast number of Saints who are of particular importance to we of the Eastern Churches, both Catholic and Orthodox. Posters have focused on those who are personal favorites and no one has mentioned the many to whom we are indebted for our Liturgies, those whose names regularly recur in the titles of our Churches, the names of our children, etc., and the New-Martyrs, so-called, victims of the Nazis and Communists.

Here’s a sampling, in no special order:

Saint Basil the Great
Saint Gregory the Theologian
Saint John the Chrysostom
Saint Athanasius the Father of Orthodoxy
Saint John Climacus, Hegumen-Abbott
Saint Andrew the First-Called Apostle
Saint Mark, Apostle and Evangelist
Saint John the Precursor and Baptist
Saint George the Great-Martyr
Ss Cosmas & Damien, Wonderworkers & Unmercenary Physicians
Ss Cyril and Methodius, Apostles to the Slavs
Saint Thomas the Apostle
Saint Ignatios of Antioch
Saint Barbara the Great-Martyr
Saint John of Damascus
Saint Nicholas of Myra the Wonder-Worker
Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist, Beloved of Jesus
Saint Vladimir the Great, Equal to the Apostles
Saint Jude the Apostle
Saint Constantine the Great
Saint Paul the Apostle
Saint Paul the First Hermit
Saint Stephen, Deacon and Proto-Martyr
Saints Caspar, Melchior & Balthazar, the Magi
Saint Peter the Apostle
Saint Anthony the Great
Saint Sharbel
Saint Rafka
Saint Anna the Prophetess
Saint Simeon the God-Bearer
Saint Leo the Great, Pope of Rome
Ss Joachim & Anna
Ss Elizabeth & Zachary
Saint Joseph
Saint Macarius of Alexandria
Saint Macarius of Egypt
Saint Leonid Federov
Blessed Vasil Hopko, Bishop & Martyr
Blessed Ignatios Shukrallah Maloyan, Bishop & Martyr
Blessed Exarch Leonid Feodorov, Martyr
Blessed Exarch Kliment Sheptytskyi, Martyr
Blessed Exarch Mykolai Charnetskyi, Martyr

Some of these are particularly important to specific Churches (e.g. Saint Thomas the Apostle to the Syro-Malabarese and Syro-Malankarese Catholic Churches, often termed “Saint Thomas Christians”, as they trace their conversion to Christianity to him), many to all of our Churches.

You might also want to see the thread on Old Testament Saints , as the Eastern Churches particularly venerate Saints of the OT, a few of which I’ve named above.

I haven’t got a good reference at hand right this second to direct you to, but I’ll try to locate and post a couple over the weekend.

Many years,

Neil
 
We have an OT Saint’s feast day coming up this month. St. Elias (Elijah) on Tuesday July 20. AND the 7 Maccabbean Brothers and their mother Solomonia and priest Eleazar on August 1st.

go with God!
Edwin
 
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Edwin1961:
We have an OT Saint’s feast day coming up this month. St. Elias (Elijah) on Tuesday July 20. AND the 7 Maccabbean Brothers and their mother Solomonia and priest Eleazar on August 1st.
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Yes! :clapping:

And the Sunday before St. Elias’ day we will be doing the annual procession and blessings of cars.

:dancing:
 
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ByzCath:
Yes! :clapping:

And the Sunday before St. Elias’ day we will be doing the annual procession and blessings of cars.

:dancing:
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And so are we David. Too bad I cannot drive anymore. Don’t even have a 10speed bike (Just enjoy walking).

go with God!
Edwin
 
I don’t see any mention of St. Nicholas, one of the premier eastern saints. Took on the Arian bishops almost single-handedly and gave them what for. Also St. Spiridon whose character may have been secularized as Prospero in the Tempest. Can anyone tell me about St. Sava, for whom many Serbian Orthodox churches are named? Blessed Abbot Marmion is patron of Benedictine Oblates.
 
Please don’t forget Ss Cosmos and Damian - the Unmercenary Healers

Not only are they Eastern - my Icon is in front of my eyes right now - but they do have a Chapel dedicated to them in the Domaine in Lourdes 😃
 
I like the The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.

An awesome witness to how our love of God can affect people by showing us what happend through their love of God. It is a complete call to conversion just by gazing at the icon alone (not that they all aren’t)…

Troparion (Tone 1)
Together let us honour that holy company united by faith, those noble warriors of the Master of all; they were divinely enlisted for Christ and passed through fire and water. Then they entered into refreshment and pray for those who cry: Glory to Him Who has strengthened you; glory to Him Who has crowned you; glory to Him Who has made you wonderful O holy Forty Martyrs.

These Forty were all Roman soldiers, but devoted to Christ. A persecution arose under Licinius, and they were accused before their commander. He threatened to strip them of their military status. One of them said that even if he were to take from them their bodies, they would still serve Christ, as He was more dear to them than life itself. The commander ordered them to be stoned. But the stones turned around in mid-air to fall on those who had thrown them. One smashed the teeth of the commander. Then they drove the 40 into a freezing lake with guards all around it. They also set up hot baths on the shore to tempt any of the soldiers to desert Christ and save their skin. One did. Forty crowns descended from Heaven and hovered over the lake. 39 landed on the heads of those who were steadfast. Another soldier who had been guarding them saw this and grabbed the 40th crown from the air, professed Christ and joined the others in the lake. The lake miraculously warmed, so they remained alive until the next day. So the commander had their legs broken and threw them into the lake to drown. They suffered in the year 320.

This Icon is by the hand of Nemeh Aleppo, 1701. It is from the Museum of Lebanon at Balamand.

Here is the icon, I just posted the story in case someone could not get to the site comeandseeicons.com/pdl01.htm

Pani Rose
 
Pani Rose:
I like the The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.

An awesome witness to how our love of God can affect people by showing us what happend through their love of God. It is a complete call to conversion just by gazing at the icon alone (not that they all aren’t)…

Troparion (Tone 1)
Together let us honour that holy company united by faith, those noble warriors of the Master of all; they were divinely enlisted for Christ and passed through fire and water. Then they entered into refreshment and pray for those who cry: Glory to Him Who has strengthened you; glory to Him Who has crowned you; glory to Him Who has made you wonderful O holy Forty Martyrs.

These Forty were all Roman soldiers, but devoted to Christ. A persecution arose under Licinius, and they were accused before their commander. He threatened to strip them of their military status. One of them said that even if he were to take from them their bodies, they would still serve Christ, as He was more dear to them than life itself. The commander ordered them to be stoned. But the stones turned around in mid-air to fall on those who had thrown them. One smashed the teeth of the commander. Then they drove the 40 into a freezing lake with guards all around it. They also set up hot baths on the shore to tempt any of the soldiers to desert Christ and save their skin. One did. Forty crowns descended from Heaven and hovered over the lake. 39 landed on the heads of those who were steadfast. Another soldier who had been guarding them saw this and grabbed the 40th crown from the air, professed Christ and joined the others in the lake. The lake miraculously warmed, so they remained alive until the next day. So the commander had their legs broken and threw them into the lake to drown. They suffered in the year 320.

This Icon is by the hand of Nemeh Aleppo, 1701. It is from the Museum of Lebanon at Balamand.

Here is the icon, I just posted the story in case someone could not get to the site comeandseeicons.com/pdl01.htm

Pani Rose
Click to expand...
Code:
Thank you so much Pani Rose for sharing this…
Blessings,
Shoshana
 
St Basil, St John Chrysostom and St Gregory Nazianzen.

Doctors of the Church, Great teachers of the world.

Flawed human beings, but great lovers of God and seekers of the truth.

I just can’t put my finger on why, but I have an icon of them in a book which I keep going back to. I find reflecting on it spiritually uplifting and a source of peace every time.
 
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