St. Tikhon Orthodox Christian Mission

05/29/2026

ST. ALEXANDER, POPE of ALEXANDRIA - May 29

When St. Alexander became pope (patriarch) of the See of Alexandria in 313, he faced several thorny issues, but none greater than A***nism. Alexander's predecessor had assigned Arius (a priest) to the oldest church in Alexandria. In this position Arius was able to exert great influence on the Christian community. His influence increased to the point that St. Alexander called several meetings of clergy, including a synod, in 320, to limit Arius’ actions, all to no avail.

When Alexander convened a dioscesan council in 321, Arius argued his position that the Son was not co-eternal with the Father, and that the Son was not similar to the Father in substance. The last statement was received in horror, and the council placed Arius under anathema until he recanted. Arius moved to Palestine, and continued spreading his heresy. Emperor Constantine was finally drawn into the fray. Since neither St. Alexander nor Arius would back down from his position, Constantine called the Council of Nicea in 325. At Nicea, the condemnation of Arius was confirmed. The council also gave St. Alexander the right to calculate the timing of Pascha, with the duty of communicating his decision to all of Christendom. St. Alexander reposed just five months after returning from Nicea, and was succeeded on the patriarchal throne by his deacon, St. Athanasius the Great.

Information and icon are from the Mystagogy Resource Center website.

05/29/2026

ST. THEODOSIA of CONSTANTINOPLE - May 29

The Virgin Martyr Theodosia of Constantinople lived during the eighth century. After her parents' death, she was raised at the women’s monastery of the holy Martyr Anastasia in Constantinople, and became a nun after she distributed to the poor of what remained of her parental inheritance. When Leo the Isaurian (717-741) ascended the imperial throne, he issued an edict to destroy holy icons everywhere. Above the Bronze Gates at Constantinople was a bronze icon of the Savior, which had been there for more than 400 years. In 730, the iconoclast Patriarch Anastasius ordered the icon removed.

St. Theodosia and other women rushed to protect the icon and toppled the ladder with the soldier who was carrying out the command. Then they stoned the impious Patriarch Anastasius, and Emperor Leo ordered soldiers to behead the women. St. Theodosia, an ardent defender of icons, was locked up in prison. For a week they gave her a hundred lashes each day. On the eighth day, they led her about the city, fiercely beating her along the way. One of the soldiers stabbed the nun in the throat with a ram’s horn, and she received the crown of martyrdom. Her body was reverently buried by Christians in the monastery of Saint Euphemia in Constantinople. The tomb of Saint Theodosia was glorified by numerous healings of the sick.

Information and icon are from the OCA website.

05/28/2026

Many years, Your Eminence!

May God grant His Eminence Archbishop Alejo of Mexico City and the Diócesis de México - Iglesia Ortodoxa en América many years on the occasion of the anniversary of his consecration to the episcopacy!
Eis polla eti despota!!

05/28/2026

ST. IGNATY of ROSTOV - May 28

During the Kievan Rus era St. Ignaty was a cleric in Rostov, who later went to Theophany Monastery to labor as a monk. After becoming archimandrite there, Grand Prince and saint Alexander Nevsky appointed St. Ignaty assistant to Bishop Kyril in Rostov. After the latter's death in 1262, St. Ignaty was consecrated Bishop of Rostov. The Russian Primary Chronicle indicates that he helped Metropolitan Kyril of Kiev eliminate unrest in the church and clergy. He also participated in the Christian enlightenment of the Beloozersk region. In 1282, and not for the first time, he traveled to the Horde to intercede for the clergy.

St. Ignaty guided the flock of Christ for 26 years with great love and compassion. He went to the Lord on May 28th, 1288. When he died and his body was placed in the church, some of those present saw him leave his coffin and rise up in the air above the church. He blessed the people and the city from on high, and then returned to his coffin. Those present, struck with horror, did not dare to betray his body to the earth. His relics rest, until now, openly in the Dormition Cathedral in Rostov, in a silver coffin (since 1795). Many other miracles have been wrought at his grave.

Icon and information come from the Mystagogy Resource Center website.

05/27/2026

ST. JOHN the RUSSIAN, and CONFESSOR - May 27

The Holy New Confessor John, a native of Russia (1690-1730) was captured during the Russian campaign against the Turks in 1711 and was thereafter sold into slavery in Asia Minor. In this condition he struggled to serve God in piety even while he served his earthly master in all that was needful. He remained steadfast in the Christian faith in the face of the many enticements the Muslims provided to lure him to their error, and was granted the grace to work miracles by his prayers. He reposed in peace in 1730, in Prokopion. Three and a half years later the priest was miraculously informed in a dream that St. John's relics had remained incorrupt.

Soon the relics of the saint were transferred to the church of the holy Great Martyr George and placed in a special reliquary. The new saint of God began to be glorified by countless miracles of grace, accounts of which spread to the remote cities and villages. Christian believers from various places came to Prokopion to venerate the holy relics of Saint John the Russian and they received healing through his prayers. The new saint came to be venerated not only by Orthodox Christians, but also by Armenians, and even Turks, who prayed to the Russian saint, “Servant of God, in your mercy, do not disdain us.” His relics remained incorrupt and are now at New Prokopion of Euboia in Greece. Thousands of pilgrims flocked here from all the corners of Greece, particularly on his feast day, May 27. St. John is widely venerated on Mount Athos, particularly in the Russian monastery of St. Panteleimon.

Information is from the OCA website. Icon is from Basilica News (Romanian patriarchate).

05/27/2026

VENERABLE BEDE the CHURCH HISTORIAN and HIEROMONK - May 27

St. Bede was a church historian who recorded the history of Christianity in England up to his own time ("Ecclesiastical History of the English Peoples"). He was born around 673 in Northumbria, ordained a deacon at age 19, and a priest at age 30. Bede had a great love for church services, and believed that since the angels were present with the monks during the services, he should also be there. He was initially a pupil of St. Benedict (Biscop), who had been a monk of the famous Monastery of Lerins, and had founded other monasteries himself.

St. Benedict had brought many books with him to England from Lerins and other monasteries. This library enabled Bede to write his own books, which include biblical commentary, ecclesiastical history, and hagiography. He was squarely on the Roman side in the debate with Celtic Christianity, but was fair and thorough. His book "Ecclesiastical History of the English Peoples," gives us great insight into the religious and secular life of early Britain. To read him is to enter a world shaped by spiritual traditions very similar to those cherished by Orthodox Christians: the same heroic asceticism shown by saints in the East, and a holiness that fills us with love and admiration. Bede's last work, completed on his death-bed, was a translation into Anglo-Saxon of the Gospel of John. Today his holy relics lie in Durham Cathedral. St. Bede is the only Englishman mentioned by Dante in "The Divine Comedy" (Paradiso).

Information and icon are from the OCA website.

05/26/2026

Thought for today...

05/26/2026

ST. AUGUSTINE, ARCHBISHOP of CANTERBURY, APOSTLE to the ENGLISH - May 26

St. Augustine was from Italy, a disciple of St. Felix, Bishop of Messina. St. Gregory the Dialogist (Pope Gregory the Great) chose him to lead a mission of 40 monks to evangelize the people of Britain. They arrived at Ebbsfleet (on the isle of Thanet) in Kent in 597, and were allowed by King Ethelbert to base their mission at the ancient church of St. Martin in Canterbury. St. Augustine later converted the king to Christianity, along with thousands of his subjects.

As bishop, St. Augustine threw himself into the work of evangelizing the country with zeal. He built Christ Church, predecessor of the present cathedral at Canterbury, and consecrated it in 603. He also founded the monastery of Sts. Peter and Paul east of the city. Here St. Augustine, the Archbishops of Canterbury, and the kings of Kent were buried. The saint was also instrumental in founding the dioceses of Rochester and London. In 604 he consecrated Sts. Justus and Mellitus as bishops for those sees. St. Augustine also helped the king draft the earliest Anglo-Saxon laws, and founded a school in Canterbury. Known in his lifetime as a wonderworker, St. Augustine fell asleep in the Lord on May 26, 604. (Icon shows Pope St. Gregory and St Augustine.)

Information comes from the OCA website. Icon is from the Mystagogy Resource Center website.

05/25/2026

THE THIRD FINDING of the HEAD of HOLY PROPHET, FORERUNNER and BAPTIST JOHN - May 25

The Third Discovery of the Venerable Head of the Holy Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John occurred in about the year 850 (see the account of the First and Second Discoveries on February 24). The head of St. John the Forerunner was first found on the Mount of Olives, where it had been hidden by St. Joanna, wife of Chusa, after St John's beheading; and found the second time in the city of Emesia during a time of unrest at Constantinople connected with the exile of Saint John Chrysostom (November 13).

It was transferred to Komana during the Saracen raids (about 810-820) and it was hidden in the ground during a period of iconoclastic persecution. When the veneration of icons was restored, Patriarch Ignatius (847-857) saw in a vision the place where the head of St. John was hidden. He communicated this to the emperor, who sent a delegation to Komana. There the head was found a third time around the year 850. Afterwards the head was again transferred to Constantinople, and on May 25 it was placed in a church at the court. Part of the head is on Mt. Athos.

Icon and information are from the OCA website.

05/24/2026

Our celebration of the Afterfeast of the Ascension on Sunday, May 24 - Divine Liturgy followed by lunch ( fellowship hour) - drew a lot of people, especially for a holiday weekend (in the U.S.)...including a lot of young women! 😁

05/24/2026

SUNDAY of the HOLY FATHERS of the FIRST ECUMENICAL COUNCIL - May 24

On the seventh Sunday of Pascha, during the Afterfeast of the Ascension, we commemorate the Orthodox participants of the 1st Ecumenical Council, called by the emperor, St. Constantine, in 325, in Nicaea, to deal with the A***n heresy, among other things. What resulted was the Nicene creed. (The creed as we have it today was completed at the 2nd Ecumenical Council.)

In the Nicene Creed, the Holy Fathers set forth and confirmed the Apostolic teachings about Christ’s divine nature. The heresy of Arius was exposed and repudiated as an error of haughty reason. After resolving this chief dogmatic question, the Synod also issued 12 canons on questions of ecclesiastical administration and discipline. Also decided was the date for the celebration of Holy Pascha. By decision of the Synod, Holy Pascha should be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the vernal equinox (which occurred on March 22 that year).

Information is from the OCA website. Icon is from the Mystagogy Resource Center website.