our patron saints

Feast Day July 27th

This Saint, who had Nicomedia as his homeland, was the son of Eustorgius and Eubula. His father was an idolater, but his mother was a Christian from her ancestors. It was through her that he was instructed in piety, and still later, he was catechized in the Faith of Christ by Saint Hermolaus (see July 26) and baptized by him. Being proficient in the physician's vocation, he practiced it in a philanthropic manner, healing every illness more by the grace of Christ than by medicines. Thus, although his parents had named him Pantoleon ("in all things a lion"), because of the compassion he showed for the souls and bodies of all, he was worthily renamed Panteleimon, meaning "all-merciful." On one occasion, when he restored the sight of a certain blind man by calling on the Divine Name, he enlightened also the eyes of this man's soul to the knowledge of the truth. This also became the cause for the martyrdom of him who had been blind, since when he was asked by whom and in what manner his eyes had been opened, in imitation of that blind man of the Gospel he confessed with boldness both who the physician was and the manner of his healing. For this he was put to death immediately. Panteleimon was arrested also, and having endured many wounds, he was finally beheaded in the year 305, during the reign of Maximian. Saint Panteleimon is one of the Holy Unmercenaries, and is held in special honor among them, even as Saint George is among the Martyrs.

Απολυτίκιο του Αγίου Μεγαλομάρτυρος Παντελεήμωνος

Ἀθλοφόρε ἅγιε, καὶ ἰαματικὲ Παντελεῆμον,

Πρέσβευε τῷ ἐλεήμονι Θεῷ,

ἵναπταισμάτων ἄφεσιν,

παράσχῃ ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν.

O Holy Laurel-bearer and Physician Panteleimon,

intercede to our merciful God,

that He may grant our souls’

remission of offenses.

Feast Day – Dormition of St. Anna

July 25th

According to tradition, Anna, the ancestor of God, lived for sixty-nine years, and her spouse Joachim, for eighty; according to one account, Saint Joachim died two years before Saint Anna. The Theotokos had been orphaned of both her parents already when she was eleven years of age, when she was living in the Temple (see Sept. 8 and Nov. 21). Saint Anna is invoked for conceiving children, and for help in difficult childbirth.

Απολυτίκιον  - Κοίμηση της Αγίας Άννης

Ζωὴν τὴν κυήσασαν, ἐκυοφόρησας,

ἁγνὴν Θεομήτορα, θεόφρον Ἄννα·

διὸ πρὸς λῆξιν οὐράνιον,

ἔνθα εὐφραινομένων, κατοικία ἐν δόξῃ,

χαίρουσα νῦν μετέστης,  τοῖς τιμῶσί σε πόθῳ,

πταισμάτων αἰτουμένη, ἱλασμὸν ἀειμακάριστε.

You carried within your womb

her who was pregnant with Life,

the Mother of God, O godly-minded Anna,

and thus rejoicing you were today

translated unto heaven, where they live who rejoice now.

And you entreat forgiveness of offences for the

faithful who honor you

with longing, O ever-blessed one.

Feast Day – July 26th

Saint Paraskeve, who was from a certain village near Rome, was born to pious parents, Agatho and Politia. Since she was born on a Friday (in Greek, Paraskeve), she was given this name, which means "preparation" or "preparedness" (compare Matt. 27:62, Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, and John 19:31, where 'Friday' is called "the day of the preparation"). From childhood she was instructed in the sacred letters and devoted herself to the study of the divine Scriptures, while leading a monastic life and guiding many to the Faith of Christ. During the reign of the Emperor Antoninus Pius, she was apprehended because she was a Christian and was urged to worship the idols, but she answered with the words of Jeremias: "Let the gods that have not made heaven and the earth perish from off the earth" (Jer. 10:11). Because of this she endured exceedingly painful torments, and was beheaded in the year 140. The faithful pray to her for the healing of eye ailments.

Απολυτίκιο της Αγίας Παρασκευής

Τὴν σπουδήν σου τῇ κλήσει

κατάλληλον, ἐργασαμένη φερώνυμε,

τὴν ὁμώνυμόν σου πίστιν, εἰς κατοικίαν κεκλήρωσαι,

Παρασκευὴ ἀθληφόρε· ὅθεν προχέεις ἰάματα,

καὶ πρεσβεύεις ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν.

Your diligence corresponded to

your name, Paraskevi,

which denotes preparedness.

Through faith you inherited the promised

dwelling that was prepared for

you, O prize-winning Martyr.

Therefore you pour out cures

and healings, and you intercede

on behalf of our souls.