Hieromonk Philofei (Makharramov)
His life was very hard and even brutal. He wore clothing woven from camel’s hair, which was very rough and uncomfortable, ate locusts and wild honey, lived in the wilderness, and died a martyr’s death, suffering for the truth—the holy Forerunner was beheaded.
Archpriest Valery Lukianov
There he stands—a righteous man of our own times, a true non-possessor, seeking no glory in the dignity of the episcopate, aspiring neither to honors nor to splendid vestments; a good shepherd, ever the first to set an example of loving care for his neighbor; an intercessor before God for mankind, through whom many received healing and the fulfillment of their hopes.
Tatiana Kennedy (Urusova)
Although he could be strict with us, we were drawn to Vladyka, and whenever we saw him walking through the city, we ran to him to receive his blessing.
Alexandra Kalinovskaya
St. Methodius carried logs for the monastery on foot across the river—hence the name, St. Nicholas-Peshnosha Monastery, which he founded. St. Methodius built the monastery on his own, “performing great labors”, as the prayer to the saint says.
Elena Butarova
He baptized Prince Vladimir in Chersonesos, instructed him in the faith. It was he who headed the Baptism of the Kievan people in the waters of the Dnieper River.
Elena Detinina
The monastic community on Konevets Island, which St. Arseny had built, gradually grew, and in 1398 Archbishop John of Novgorod blessed the establishment of a cenobitic monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos there. Pilgrims flocked to it from everywhere. St. Arseny welcomed everyone with a meal and comforting conversation.
The people had prepared a boat for him. But St. Basil removed his episcopal mantle, spread it upon the water, stepped onto it with the icon of the Mother of God in his hands, and, borne miraculously by the power of God as though by a mighty wind, swiftly sailed upstream against the current of the river.
Since time immemorial, the teachings of Abba Dorotheos have been an ABC on spiritual life for monastics and pious laypeople alike.
In the history of Orthodoxy, there have been many cases when children became holy martyrs for Christ and the Orthodox faith, suffering severe torments.
Bishop Veniamin (Milov)
The saints of Russia shine like bright stars in the Church’s firmament. They shine upon us with the light of their spiritual feats, their moods, their holy words and deeds, inspiring us to imitate them.
Rev. Dr. Oliver Subotic
The triad of faith–prayer–virtue was the hallmark of Patriarch Ilia, accompanying him throughout his patriarchal ministry.
We always ask the saint to remain prayerfully in our church and help us comfort the sick.
Natalia Vashchina
As always, the testimony given during the interrogation was twisted around and presented in an absolutely different light. It sounded as if it was not the Bolsheviks who had robbed the Valaam Monastery, but the monks, who “conducted anti-Soviet activities in an illegal apartment monastery and spread various provocative rumors.”
Fr. James Guirguis
The beauty of our faith is that God gives each one of us exactly what we need to grow and become saintly.
Hieromonk Nikon
Saints are people who lived and still live close to us, but unlike many of us, they are guided neither by the spirit of the modern world, nor by changing public opinion, nor by popular views or customs, but solely by the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of the Gospel, and the Word of God.
I believed in God in my own way, but I didn’t understand why I should be baptized. “Well, I’ll get baptized and have to follow all the rules; but why should I do that?” I thought then. Nevertheless, I often prayed in front of a small icon of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg—the only saint whose Life I knew and whose help I had clearly felt.
Zhanna Kurbatova
The intercession of the Most Pure Virgin and the saints is the central theme of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God with saints in the borders.
Hieromonk Athanasius (Deryugin)
Through the Holy Eucharist, through Communion, we affirm our unity with Christ, we affirm that we, the Church, are the Body of Christ.
Hieromonk Seraphim (Panich)
If you want to understand what the love of God is, then you cannot do without the Trinity. And the mystery of the Holy Trinity is comprehended—only partially—in the experience of spiritual life with ascetic labors.
St. Cleopa (Ilie)
He who fears God is above all the sages of this age. Blessed and thrice blessed is he who prepares for the heavenly journey.
