Clockwise from top left: Saints Moses the Black; Ninian, Apostle of the Southern Picts of Scotland; Eulalia of Barcelona; Oswald, King of Northumbria and Martyr; and Aidan of Lindisfarne.
By Walt Garlington
♱ St. Ethelwold of Winchester, 1/14 August
Born in Winchester in England and already a monk and priest, in 955 he became Abbot of Abingdon and in 963 Bishop of Winchester. Together with St. Dunstan and St. Oswald of York, he led the monastic revival of the age, restoring the monasteries of Newminster, Milton Abbas, Chertsey, Peterborough, Thorney and Ely to monastic life after occupation by married clergy. For this reason, he was called “The Father of Monks.” The Winchester School of Illumination flourished under him, as did developments in music and liturgy.
Source
Many more details about the life of this exceptionally valuable contributor to English Christian culture are here.
♱ St. Oswald, King and Martyr, 5/18 August
The successor of St. Edwin on the throne of Northumbria in England, he was baptized in exile on Iona. In 635, he defeated the Welsh King Cadwalla and so his real reign began. One of his main aims was to enlighten his country and so he called on St. Aidan to help him. In 642, he fell in battle at Maserfield fighting against the champion of paganism, Penda of Mercia. He has always been venerated as a martyr and his head is still in St. Cuthbert’s coffin in Durham.
Source
For a fuller account of this English Christian hero – longer; shorter.
Hymns to the Saint
♱ St. Psoi (Pishoy, Bishoy) of Egypt (+417), 9/22 August
One of the great Desert Fathers of Egypt. He was blessed to see the Lord Jesus with his own eyes more than once during his life. His holy relics remain incorrupt to this day.
An account of his life
For more about Holy Psoi and the monastery where his precious relics rest – here and here.
A few more pictures of the monastery
♱ St. Laurence the Martyr and Archdeacon of Rome (+258), 10/23 August
St. Laurence was one of the deacons of Pope Sixtus II and was martyred three days after the Pope by being roasted on a gridiron. He has always been venerated as one of the most celebrated martyrs of Rome. His martyrdom, said Prudentius, was the death of idolatry in Rome. He was buried on the Via Tiburtina, where his basilica now stands.
Source
More details about his glorious witness for Christ are here.
Prudentius’s hymn in honor of St. Laurence may be read here.
“Troparion of Martyr and Archdeacon St. Laurence of Rome — Tone IV“
Victorious martyr of Christ our God,
by the sign of the Cross you gave sight to the blind;
you distributed the riches of the Church to the poor;
you were tried by fire and no evil was found in you.
As you endured the burning,
may your prayers extinguish the flames of our many sins,
blessed Archdeacon Laurence!
Source
♱ St. Attracta of Killaraght, 11/24 August
Holy Mother Attracta (Araght, Atty) is a greatly venerated Irish anchoress and foundress of monastic communities. She was born in the fifth century to a noble family and was a contemporary of St. Patrick, the enlightener of the Irish land, who according to tradition tonsured her. The future saint was born in what is now County Sligo in the west of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht. From childhood she dreamed of dedicating her life to the service of God. She prayed fervently, bestowed alms on the poor, and fasted continuously for the mortification of her flesh. On learning that her parents did not approve of her decision to lead the monastic life and wanted her to marry (the girl was beautiful and had several suitors), the young Attracta left her parents’ home, taking two companions with her.
The retelling of her life continues here.
♱ St. Macarius the Roman (+1550), 15/28 August
St. Macarius the Roman was born at the end of the fifteenth century into a wealthy family of Rome. His parents raised him in piety and gave him an excellent education. He might have expected a successful career in public service, but he did not desire honors or earthly glory. Instead, he focused on how to save his soul.
He lived in an age when the Christian West was shaken by the Protestant Reformation. While others around him were pursuing luxury and lascivious pleasures, he studied the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the Fathers. St. Macarius was grieved to see so many darkened by sin and worldly vanity, and was disturbed by the rebellions and conflicts within the Western Church. With tears, he asked God to show him the path of salvation and his prayer did not go unanswered. He came to realize that he would find the safe harbor of salvation in the Orthodox Church.
St. Macarius left Rome secretly, and set out for Russia without money and wearing an old garment. After many sufferings on his journey, he arrived in Novgorod, where he rejoiced to see so many churches and monasteries. One of these monasteries had been founded three centuries before by his fellow countryman, St. Anthony the Roman (August 3). St. Macarius came to the banks of the River Svir, where St. Alexander of Svir (April 17 and August 30) had founded the monastery of the Holy Trinity.
The rest of the life of this Saint so crucial for the modern West is here.
♱ St. Sidonius of Clermont, 21 August/3 September
Caius Sollius Apollinaris Sidonius was born in Lyons. A soldier, he married the daughter of Avitus, Emperor of the West, after which he served the State (468-9). He then became Bishop of Clermont in France. As bishop he saved his people from Goths under Alaric. Sidonius was a writer, but he gave his wealth to the poor and to monasteries.
Source
More about St. Sidonius:
CAIUS SOLLIUS APOLLINARIS SIDONIUS was born at Lyons about the year 431 and was of one of the most noble families in Gaul, where his father and grandfather, both named Apollinaris, had commanded successively in quality of prefects of the prætorium. He was educated in arts and learning under the best masters and was one of the most celebrated orators and poets of the age in which he lived.
From his epistles, it is manifest that he was always religious, pious, humble, affable, extremely affectionate, beneficent, and compassionate, and no lover of the world, even whilst he lived in it; for some time he had a command in the imperial army; and he married Papianilla, by whom he had a son called Apollinaris, and two daughters. Papianilla was daughter of Avitus, who after having been thrice prefect of the prætorium in Gaul, was raised to the imperial throne at Rome in 455.
The rest of the life of this illustrious Saint is here.
♱ St. Eulalia of Barcelona (+303), 22 August/4 September
She was born of Christian parents in Barcelona and dedicated herself to a life of holiness, taking Christ as her bridegroom. When the persecutor Dacian came to Barcelona, Eulalia secretly left her parents’ house by night and came before Dacian, denouncing him in front of many witnesses as a murderer of the innocent and publicly confessing her faith in Christ. The wicked Dacian had her stripped and beaten, then tied to a tree in the form of a cross and ordered that her flesh be burned with torches. When her torturer mockingly asked “Where is your Christ to save you?” she answered “He is here with me; you cannot see Him because of your impurity.” When the holy Eulalia died at last under torture, the people saw a white dove fly from her mouth. An unseasonable snowstorm then covered her naked body like a white garment.
Source
A fuller account is here.
♱ Holy Martyrs of Utica, 24 August/6 September
In the persecution of Valerian, in the year 258, the proconsul of Africa went from Carthage to Utica and commanded all the Christians who were detained in the prisons of that city to be brought before him. St. Augustine says their number amounted to one hundred and fifty-three. The proconsul had ordered a great pit of burning lime to be prepared in a field, and by it an altar of idols with salt and hog’s liver placed on it ready for sacrifice. He caused his tribunal to be erected near this place in the open air and he gave the prisoners their choice either to be thrown into this pit of burning lime or to offer sacrifice to the idols which were set by it. They unanimously chose the first and were all consumed together in the furnace.
Source
♱ St. Ninian, Apostle of the Southern Picts of Scotland, 26 August/8 September
St. Ninian was a native Briton. According to St. Bede the Venerable (25th May), St. Ninian received his education and Episcopal consecration at Rome, and was then sent back to his native land as a missionary. St. Ninian founded the Episcopal See of Withern, or “Candida Casa” (so-called because St. Ninian’s Cathedral was built of white stone, the first to be so in Britain), at present-day Whithorn, Dumfries and Galloway. This church, dedicated to St. Martin of Tours (11th November), is the first recorded Christian church to have been built in Scotland. From his cathedral, and the monastery attached to it, St. Ninian and his monks enlightened the northern Britons and the Picts, and St. Ninian became known as the Apostle of Cumberland and of the Southern Picts of Scotland. It is generally believed that St. Ninian reposed circa 432 and was buried at his church. In the Middle Ages his tomb became a place of pilgrimage.
“Troparion of St. Ninian — Tone I“
O Ninian, thou faithful servant of Christ, equal of the apostles,
as a vessel overflowing with the love of Christ thou didst enlighten
the land of the Picts with the Faith; wherefore, we beseech thee most earnestly:
Entreat the life-creating Trinity, that the Scottish land
may regain its ancient piety, that peace be granted to the world,
and salvation to all who honour thy holy memory.
Source
More about this Saint who should be treasured in every Southern heart is here.
A service for St. Ninian
♱ St. Moses the Black (+400), 28 August/10 September
A greatly venerated Desert Father of Africa. A slave, a robber, and a murderer early in his life, his repentance was such that he acquired many gifts from the Holy Ghost.
An account of his memorable life
More of St. Moses the Black’s biography here and source for the hymns below
“Troparion — Tone I”
A desert-dweller, an angel in the flesh
and a wonderworker wast thou shown to be,
O our God-bearing father Moses.
For, having acquired heavenly gifts through fasting, vigilance and prayer,
thou dost heal the infirm
and the souls of those who have recourse to thee with faith.
Glory to Him Who gaveth thee strength!
Glory to Him Who crowned thee!
Glory to Him Who worketh healings for all through thee!
“Kontakion — Tone IV”
Having beaten the Moors and spat in the faces of the demons,
thou didst shine forth noetically like the radiant sun,
directing our lives by the light of thy life and thy teaching.
♱ St. Aidan of Lindisfarne, 31 August/13 September
An Irish monk at Iona who, at the request of St. Oswald, King of Northumbria, went to enlighten the north of England. He fixed his see at Lindisfarne (Holy Island) where he ruled as abbot and bishop, his diocese reaching from the Forth to the Humber. His life was illustrated by numberless miracles and was most fruitful, as is witnessed to by the writings of St. Bede. He reposed at Bamburgh in 651.
It is said that at the moment of the saint’s repose, a young shepherd boy named Cuthbert had a vision of the St. Aidan’s soul being carried up to Heaven by angels. This inspired the future St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (20th March) to dedicate his life to God and prepare to receive monastic tonsure.
Source 1
Source 2
More details:
St. Aidan was born in Ireland in the late sixth century, probably in the province of Connacht. Nothing is known about his early years, though he must have been one of the spiritual children of St. Columba of Iona, the enlightener of Scotland and founder of the famous monastery of Iona. Aidan became a monk on this island and was trained in the Irish tradition. He led a strict ascetic life and became famous as a holy and virtuous man. As we said, in about 635 at the request of King Oswald, St Aidan, with some of his brethren, left for Northumbria to enlighten northern England and become the bishop of the Northumbrians who had been converted to Orthodoxy before the pagan invasion.
In the same year Aidan was consecrated bishop; he made Lindisfarne the center of his see and the main base of his missionary labors, building on this island a church and establishing a monastery. Thus the new Diocese of Lindisfarne was formed; Aidan ruled it as a bishop from Lindisfarne and simultaneously was abbot of the newly-founded monastery. The new diocese stretched from the River Forth in Scotland to the River Humber in northern England. Lindisfarne resembled Iona; its location was near the palace of the kings of Northumbria in Bamburgh and was an ideal place as the center of the new mission. It was from here that the evangelization of the North of England began.
Much more about this luminous Saint is here.
“Troparion of St. Aidan of Lindisfarne — Tone V“
O holy Bishop Aidan, Apostle of the North and light of the Celtic Church,
glorious in humility, noble in poverty, zealous monk, and loving missionary,
intercede for us sinners that Christ our God may have mercy on our souls.
Source
♱ St. Cyprian of Carthage, 31 August/13 September
Thascius Cecilianus Cyprianus was born in North Africa. He became a lawyer, was converted to Orthodoxy and consecrated Bishop of Carthage in 248. He wrote numerous treatises on theological subjects, one of the most important being De Unitate Catholicae Ecclesiae, and wrote numerous letters. He is one of the greatest Fathers of the Church and was a model of compassion, discretion, and pastoral zeal. Cyprian went into hiding during the persecution of Decius but was arrested and beheaded under Valerian.
Source
A fuller account of his noble life
For complete lists of Orthodox saints of our Southern forefathers of Africa and Western Europe for August, visit Dr. John Hutchison-Hall and Fr. Andrew Phillips’ Orthodox England.
Walt Garlington is a chemical engineer turned writer and editor of the website Confiteri: A Southern Perspective. This longtime Southern Baptist, then Anglican, was united to the Orthodox Church in 2012 and makes his home in Louisiana where he attends a GOA parish.