A Selection of Saints of the British Isles and Western Europe and Africa
From left to right: St. Genevieve of Paris, St. Kentigern of Glasgow, St. Sebastian of Rome, and St. Anthony the Great of Egypt.
By Walt Garlington
♱ St. Genevieve of Paris, 3/16 January
As a child St. Geneviève met St. Germanus of Auxerre (31st July) who foretold her future sanctity, and at the age of fifteen, she received monastic tonsure. St. Geneviève had the gift of clairvoyance, which at times led many around her to persecute her until the Bishop of Paris came to her defense. When Paris was under attack by the Franks and later by Attila and the Huns, St. Geneviève encouraged those defending the city, and organised groups to pray for God’s protection. St. Geneviève reposed in 500, and ever since has been considered the special protectress and patroness of Paris.
Source
A fuller account of her life: here and here
♱ St. Benedict Biscop, 12/25 January
St. Benedict Biscop was born in Northumbria of a Christian family. He made numerous pilgrimages to Rome, later spending two years taking monastic instruction at Lerins, from 665 to 667, where he was tonsured with the name ‘Benedict’ (blessed). He accompanied St. Theodore of Tarsus, the Greek archbishop, back to Canterbury, where Benedict was appointed abbot of the community of Sts. Peter and Paul. He was invited by King Egfrith to build a monastery at Wearmouth in 674, and later erected a sister monastery at Jarrow. St. Benedict made his final trip to Rome in 679 to bring back holy books and relics, as well as masons and craftsmen for the completion of the monasteries, creating a dual community which was to serve as a model for monastic life in England. He died in 690, surrounded by his monastic brethren, and was succeeded as abbot by St. Ceolfrith (Geoffrey), who continued his spiritual work.
Source
A fuller account of his life
♱ St. Kentigern of Glasgow, 13/26 January
Our father among the Saints Kentigern of Glasgow (in Latin: Cantigernus and in Welsh: Cyndeyrn Garthwys or Kyndeyrn), also known as St. Mungo, was a late sixth century missionary to the Brythonic Kingdom of Strathclyde. St. Kentigern is venerated as the Apostle of what is now northwest England (including Cumbria and the Lake District) and southwest Scotland, and is a patron saint of Glasgow. … It seems he was a grandson of a British prince in Southern Scotland and raised by St. Serf (1st July) in a monastic school at Culross on the Firth of Forth. He was consecrated the first Bishop of the Britons of Strathclyde and founded the Church of Glasgow. Driven from Strathclyde by persecution, he went to Wales, where he is believed to have founded St. Asaph monastery, and then to Cumbria. He eventually returned to Strathclyde where he reposed in 612; his reputed tomb stands in the cathedral.
Source
A fuller account of his life
♱ St. Ita of Kileedy, 15/28 January
The gentle and motherly St. Ita was descended from the high kings of Tara. From her youth she loved God ardently and shone with the radiance of a soul that loves virtue. Because of her purity of heart she was able to hear the voice of God and communicate it to others. Despite her father’s opposition she embraced the monastic life in her youth. In obedience to the revelation of an angel she went to the people of Ui Conaill in the southwestern part of Ireland. While there, the foundation of a convent was laid. It soon grew into a monastic school for the education of boys, quickly becoming known for its high level of learning and moral purity. The most famous of her many students was St. Brendan of Clonfert (May 16, 577). She went to the other world in great holiness to dwell forever with the risen Lord in the year 570.
Source
A fuller account of her life
♱ St. Anthony the Great of Egypt, 17/30 January
Saint Anthony, the Father of monks, was born in Egypt in 251 of pious parents who departed this life while he was yet young. On hearing the words of the Gospel: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor” (Matt. 19:21), he immediately put it into action. Distributing to the poor all he had, and fleeing from all the turmoil of the world, he departed to the desert. The manifold temptations he endured continually for the span of twenty years are incredible. His ascetic struggles by day and by night, whereby he mortified the uprisings of the passions and attained to the height of dispassion, surpass the bounds of nature; and the report of his deeds of virtue drew such a multitude to follow him that the desert was transformed into a city, while he became, so to speak, the governor, lawgiver, and master-trainer of all the citizens of this newly-formed city.
The cities of the world also enjoyed the fruit of his virtue. When the Christians were being persecuted and put to death under Maximinus in 312, he hastened to their aid and consolation. When the Church was troubled by the Arians, he went with zeal to Alexandria in 335 and struggled against them in behalf of Orthodoxy. During this time, by the grace of his words, he also turned many unbelievers to Christ.
Saint Anthony began his ascetic life outside his village of Coma in Upper Egypt, studying the ways of the ascetics and holy men there, and perfecting himself in the virtues of each until he surpassed them all. Desiring to increase his labors, he departed into the desert, and finding an abandoned fortress in the mountain, he made his dwelling in it, training himself in extreme fasting, unceasing prayer, and fierce conflicts with the demons. Here he remained, as mentioned above, about twenty years. Saint Athanasius the Great, who knew him personally and wrote his life, says that he came forth from that fortress “initiated in the mysteries and filled with the Spirit of God.” Afterwards, because of the press of the faithful, who deprived him of his solitude, he was enlightened by God to journey with certain Bedouins, until he came to a mountain in the desert near the Red Sea, where he passed the remaining part of his life.
Saint Athanasius says of him that “his countenance had a great and wonderful grace. This gift also he had from the Saviour. For if he were present in a great company of monks, and any one who did not know him previously wished to see him, immediately coming forward he passed by the rest, and hurried to Anthony, as though attracted by his appearance. Yet neither in height nor breadth was he conspicuous above others, but in the serenity of his manner and the purity of his soul.” So Passing his life, and becoming an example of virtue and a rule for monastics, he reposed on January 17 in the year 356, having lived altogether some 105 years.
Source
Troparion of St. Anthony
Tone IV
By emulating the ways of Elias the zealot, / and following the straight paths of the Baptist, / O Father Anthony, you made the desert a city, / and upheld the world by your prayers. / Therefore, entreat Christ God that our souls be saved.
Source
♱ St. Athanasius the Great of Alexandria, Egypt, 18/31 January
Athanasius was born in Alexandria in the year 296 A.D. and from his early childhood had an inclination to the spiritual life. He was a deacon to Archbishop Alexander and accompanied him to the First Ecumenical Council [Nicaea, 325 A.D.]. It was at this Council that Athanasius became renowned for his learning, devotion to and zeal for Orthodoxy. He contributed greatly to destroy the heresy of Arius and to strengthen Orthodoxy. He wrote the Symbol of Faith [The Creed] which was adopted at the Council.
Following the death of Alexander, Athanasius was elected Archbishop of Alexandria. In his calling as Archbishop of Alexandria, he remained for forty years, although not for the entire time on the archepiscopal throne of the archbishopric.
With few exceptions, throughout his life he was persecuted by heretics. Of the emperors, he was persecuted mostly by Constantius, Julian and Valens; of the bishops, by Eusebius of Nicomedia and many others; and by the heretic Arius and his followers. Athanasius was forced to hide from his persecutors, even in a well, in a grave, in private homes and in the deserts. Twice he was forced to flee to Rome.
Only before his death, did he live peacefully for a while as the good shepherd among his good flock who truly loved him. Few are the saints who were so mercilessly slandered and so criminally persecuted as St. Athanasius. His great soul patiently endured all for the love of Christ and, in the end, emerged victorious from this entire, terrible and long-lasting struggle.
For counsel, for comfort and for moral support, Athanasius often visited St. Anthony, whom he respected as his spiritual father. For a man who formulated the greatest truth, Athanasius had much to suffer for that truth until in the year 373 A.D., the Lord gave him repose in His kingdom as His faithful servant.
Source
A fuller account of his life and teachings
♱ St. Sebastian of Rome, 20 January/2 February
An officer in the imperial army, captain of the Praetorian guard, a favourite of the Emperor Diocletian (r. 284–304), and a secret Christian. During the Diocletianic Persecution, St. Sebastian visited imprisoned Christians, and is reputed to have converted soldiers, a governor, and healed the wife of a fellow guard by making the sign of the Cross over her. Soon his identity as a Christian was no longer secret, and his status and favour with Diocletian proved no help. St. Sebastian was arrested, tied to a tree, and shot full of arrows by soldiers who used him for target practice. He miraculously survived, but was ordered beaten to death by Diocletian, circa 288. One of the most renowned of all the martyrs of Rome.
Source 1
Source 2
A fuller account of his life
♱ St. Vincent the Deacon of Saragossa, Spain, 22 January/4 February
The Holy Hieromartyr Vincent was born at Osca (Huesca), near Saragossa in Spain sometime during the latter part of the third century; it is believed his father was Eutricius (Euthicius), and his mother was Enola, a native of Osca.
Vincent spent most of his life in the city of Saragossa, where he was educated and ordained to the diaconate by Bishop Valerius of Saragossa (Jan. 22), who commissioned Vincent to preach throughout the diocese. Because Valerius suffered from a speech impediment, Vincent acted as his spokesman.
When the Roman Emperor Diocletian began persecuting Christians in Spain, both were brought before the Roman governor, Dacian in Valencia. Vincent and his bishop Valerius were confined to the prison of Valencia, which was especially dark and dirty. Though he was finally offered release if he would consign Scripture to the fire, Vincent refused. Speaking on behalf of his bishop, he informed the judge that they were ready to suffer everything for their faith, and that they could pay no heed either to threats or promises.
His outspoken manner so angered the governor that Vincent was inflicted with every sort of torture on him. He was crucified on a cross and his flesh torn with iron hooks. Then his wounds were burned with a torch and rubbed with salt, his limbs dismembered, and he was burned alive upon a red-hot gridiron. Emerging unharmed, finally he was cast into prison and laid on a floor scattered with broken pottery, where he had a divine visitation and then delivered his soul into the hands of God after praying to God, thus receiving the crown of martyrdom. During his martyrdom he preserved such peace and tranquility that it astonished his jailer, who repented from his sins and was converted. Vincent’s dead body was thrown into the sea in a sack, but was later recovered by the Christians and his veneration immediately spread throughout the Church. The aged bishop Valerius was exiled.
Source
A fuller account of his life
Prudentius’s hymn in honor of St. Vincent
♱ St. Cadoc of Llancarfan, Wales, 24 January/6 February
St. Cadog was a son of St. Gwynllyw (29th March), King of Gwynllwg in South Wales, and Gwladys, the daughter of King St. Brychan of Brycheiniog (6th April), and a nephew of St. Petroc (4th June). He founded the famous monastery of Llancarfan in Glamorgan, which grew to be an illustrious nursery of holy men. Accompanied by St. Gildas (29th January), he assumed an hermetic life on an island off the coast of Vannes in Brittany. After several years, he returned to Britain, settling in the settled in the Eastern counties, and, it is believed, taking spiritual charge of the Britons. St. Cadog was martyred by the conquering Saxons circa 580, near Weedon in Northamptonshire.
Source
A fuller account of his life
For complete lists of Orthodox Saints of our Southern forefathers of Africa and Western Europe for January, 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.
