Clockwise from top left: St. Alfred the Great, Eternal King of England & Chief Patron Saint of the South; St. Ammon of Egypt; St. Kenneth of Aghaboe; Holy Martyrs Nazarius, Gervasius, Protasius, & Celsus of Milan; and St. Frideswide of Oxford.
By Walt Garlington
♱ St. Remigius of Rheims, the Apostle of the Franks, 1/14 October
A Gallo-Roman by birth, in 459 he was chosen to be Bishop of Rheims in France when he was still a layman. During the seventy-four years he was bishop he was the most influential prelate in Gaul, the culminating event of his life being the baptism of Clovis, King of the Franks, in 496.
Source
A fuller account of the life of this glorious Saint of the West
Another account
Hymns in his honor
♱ Holy Martyr and Bishop Leodegarius (Leger) of Autun, 2/15 October
He was a son of St. Sigrada (8th August) and brother of St. Gerinus (25th August). Shortly after being ordained to the priesthood, St. Leodegarius received monastic tonsure at the Abbey of St. Maxentius (abbaye de Saint-Maixent) near Poitiers (west-central France), and was soon made Abbot. Elevated circa 663 to the Episcopacy as Bishop of Autun, St. Leodegarius worked on reforming his diocese and led the first Council of Autun (circa 670). His opposition to the tyrannical Mayor of the Palace of Neustria, Ebroin’s (†680/1) struggles for control over succession in the Merovingian dynasty, led Ebroin in 678 to arrest St. Leodegarius, have him subjected to severe torture, and finally murdered.
Source
“Few saints are more reverenced in many parts of France than this martyr.” The reasons for this are described here.
♱ St. Ammon of Egypt (+4th century), 4/17 October
Our holy Father Ammon’s parents died in his childhood. He was brought up by an uncle, who made him marry when he was still very young. On the night of his wedding, as soon as he and his wife retired to the bridal chamber, Ammon took up the holy Scriptures and read the passage in the Epistle to the Corinthians where the Apostle speaks of the disadvantages of marriage because of all the troubles and cares that come with it, while virgins consecrated to the Lord can devote themselves without distraction to prayer and to spiritual labour. Both spouses took the following words literally: From now on, let those who have wives be as though they had none … and those who deal with the world, as though they had no dealings with it (1 Cor. 7:29, 31).
They decided to remain in their virginity and to retire together to a desert place where they could give themselves over to prayer and fasting. They set out for the mountain of Nitria, some way from Alexandria, and settled in a little hut there. But, living together as man and woman, they soon realized the inexpedience of tempting nature head-on and of provoking the attacks of demons. They parted company, therefore, each to live separately in ascesis. Ammon never used wine or oil but lived only on dry bread that he ate every two or three days.
His manner of life was pleasing to the Lord, and a great many brethren who wanted to embrace the monastic life soon came to join him. When a new aspirant arrived, Ammon would immediately let him have his own cell with everything in it, and the other brethren would secretly bring provisions to the newcomer or whatever else might be useful. This showed that fraternal love was first among the laws observed in this ever-growing brotherhood. In a few years, under the direction of Ammon, the desert of Nitria was transformed into a veritable city.
The story of this remarkable Desert Father continues here.
More about his life is here and here.
♱ St. Faith (Foi, Foy), 6/19 October
St. Foy was a young maiden from Agen in Aquitaine (south-western France), known for her extreme beauty and even greater holiness of life. St. Foy was tortured to death with a red-hot brazier, during the reign of the Emperor Maximian (r. 286–305), for refusing to make pagan sacrifices. Her shrine at the Abbey Church of St. Foy (abbatiale Sainte-Foy de Conques) in Conques (southern France) was a popular stop for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.
Source
The church and shrine of St. Foy as they are today, including her pre-Schism reliquary
Her interrogation by Dacian is given here.
St. Foy is honored in parts of Spain and England as well.
♱ St. Thais of Egypt (+4th century), 8/21 October
A great story of deep, sincere repentance, a re-telling of which is here.
“Kontakion of Venerable St. Thais – Tone 2”
Let us praise the blessed Thais,
the truly fruitful branch from a corrupt root,
the sweet stream from a salty source,
the image of repentance and rule of patience!
Once a vessel of sin, she is now the chosen vessel of grace!
Let us cry aloud to her:
O Venerable Thais, entreat Christ God that our souls may be saved!
Source
So too the life of St. Pelagia.
An account of her life
♱ St. Triduana of Scotland, 8/21 October
Saint Triduana is connected with the mission of Saint Regulus (March 30) to carry the relics of Saint Andrew (November 30) to Scotland. She is said to have been an abbess and to have lived with two companions at Roscoby (Forfarshire). Her shrine at Restalrig near Edinburgh was an important pilgrimage centre until it was completely destroyed on December 21, 1560, by Scottish Deformers. The site of her well here has been excavated. It reveals the former positions of a two-story building, a chapel, and piscina built over the well itself. A portion of the 1487 collegiate church, which was endowed by at least three kings, remains. There is a second shrine beside Saint Tredwell’s Loch at Papa Westray in the Orkneys. She is invoked for cures of eye diseases because of a belief that she plucked out her beautiful eyes and gave them to a local prince who was attracted to her because of them. Triduana is the patroness of Caithness (Kintradwell). Aberdeen claims some of Triduana’s relics.
Source
She is “one of the most venerated female saints of Scotland.”
More about her may be read here and here.
♱ Sts. Denis, Rusticus, and Eleutherius, 9/22 October
St. Denis has for many years been regarded as the patron saint of France. According to St. Gregory of Tours (17th November), St. Denis was sent circa 250 to preach the Gospel at Lutetia Parisiorum (present-day Paris), and served as the first Bishop of Paris. He was beheaded with the priest Rusticus and the deacon Eleutherius at Montmartre (Hill of the Martyrs) circa 258. The Abbey of Saint-Denis, where French kings were interred, was built on the site of their martyrdom. According to a later legend, St. Denis carried his severed head from Montmartre to his burial place at Vicus Catulliacus, the present-day Parisian suburb of St. Denis.
Source
For longer accounts: here and here.
♱ St. Kenneth of Aghaboe (+ c 599), 11/24 October
Born in the north of Ireland, he was a disciple of St. Finian of Clonard and St. Cadoc in Wales. He founded the monastery of Aghaboe and perhaps of Kilkenny, which is named after him. He later preached in Scotland where he was the first to build a church in the place now known as St. Andrews. He is one of the greatest Irish ascetics and most venerated saints in Ireland after St. Patrick and St. Brigid. He is also among the 12 Apostles of Ireland.
Source
A much fuller account of his life
♱ St. Edwin, First Christian King of Northumbria and Martyr, 12/25 October
In 616 he became King of Northumbria in England, married Ethelburgh of Kent and was baptised by St. Paulinus. He fell in battle at Hatfield Chase fighting against pagan Mercians and Welsh and was venerated as a martyr.
Source
A much fuller account of this important King – longer; shorter.
Hymns to the Saint
♱ Martyrs Faustus, Januarius, and Martial of Cordova (Cordoba), Spain (+304), 13/26 October
These saints are called by Prudentius The Three Crowns of Cordova [Hymn 4 in his book Crown of Martyrs], in which city they, with undaunted constancy, confessed Jesus Christ before a judge named Eugenius, in the year 304. First Faustus, then Januarius, and lastly Martialis, who was the youngest, was hoisted on the rack. Whilst they were tormented together, Faustus said: “How happy is this union in our sufferings, which will unite us in our crowns!”
Eugenius charged the executioners to torment them without intermission, till they should adore the gods. Faustus hearing these orders, cried out: “There is one only God, who created us all.” The judge commanded his nose, ears, eye-lids, and under lip to be cut off, and the teeth of his upper jaw to be beaten out. At the cutting off each part, the martyr returned thanks to God, and fresh joy sparkled in his countenance.
Januarius was then treated in the same manner. All this while Martialis prayed earnestly for constancy whilst he lay on the rack. The judge pressed him to comply with the imperial edicts; but he resolutely answered: “Jesus Christ is my comfort. Him I will always praise with the same joy with which my companions have confessed his name in their torments. There is one only God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to whom our homages and praises are due.” The three martyrs being taken from their racks, were condemned to be burnt alive, and cheerfully finished their martyrdom by fire at Cordova in Spain, in the reign of Diocletian.
Source
♱ St. Gerald of Aurillac (+909), 13/26 October
Gerald, Count of Aurillac in France, led a virtuous life as a layman. He founded a monastery on his estate and endowed it. He is the patron-saint of Upper Auvergne.
Source
Much more about this wonderful ensample of a Christian gentleman
♱ Holy Martyrs Nazarius, Gervasius, Protasius, and Celsus of Milan (+ 1st c.), 14/27 October
These martyrs contested for the faith in Milan, and were beheaded under the Emperor Nero. Many years later, their relics were discovered by St. Ambrose through a vision, and were given honorable burial, during which time numerous miracles occurred.
Source
A fuller account of their lives and glorious deaths
♱ St. Gall, Enlightener of the Swiss (+645), 16/29 October
A monk at Bangor in Ireland, he accompanied St. Columbanus to France where he helped found Luxeuil. He was exiled and settled in Switzerland where the monastery and town of Saint Gall later grew up. He is venerated as one of the Apostles of Switzerland.
Source
A fuller account of his life
♱ St. Lull, Archbishop of Mainz, 16/29 October
A monk at Malmesbury in England and a relative of St. Boniface, he went to Germany and in 751 St. Boniface consecrated him bishop. After his master’s martyrdom he took his place, founding several monasteries.
Source
For more details of his life
♱ St. Frideswide (+735), 19 October/1 November
Daughter of a prince of the Upper Thames, she founded a convent dedicated to the Virgin on the site of what is now Christchurch in Oxford. From childhood she took as her maxim “Whatever is not God is nothing.” She is the patron-saint of Oxford.
Source
A much more detailed account of St. Frideswide’s life and legacy is here.
♱ ST. ALFRED THE GREAT, Eternal King of England and Chief Patron Saint of the South (+899), 26 October/8 November
King of Wessex and all Orthodox England who defeated the Danish invaders and ensured the growth of the Church in England. A patron of sacred learning, Alfred the Great himself translated into English such works as the Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great. His memory is held by many in great veneration as a patriot and model of Orthodox kingship.
Source
A much longer account of his life
More about St. Alfred
A church service and hymns for the Saint
On what makes St. Alfred such a good fit as Patron Saint of the South
How one Orthodox parish in the South is celebrating his Feast Day
♱ St. Colman of Kilmacduagh (+ c 632), 29 October/11 November
A hermit in Arranmore and Burren in Co. Clare in Ireland. He then founded the monastery of Kilmacduagh, i.e. the church of the son of Duac, where he was abbot, and where also the wild animals became his close friends.
Source
More about this much-venerated Saint of Ireland is here.
“Troparion of St. Colmán of Kilmacduagh”
Rejecting the nobility of thy birth, O Father Colmán,
thou didst seek God in the solitude of desert places.
Thy virtue like a beacon, drew men unto thee
and thou didst guide them into the way of salvation.
Guide us also by thy prayers, that our souls may be saved.
Source
For complete lists of Orthodox saints of our Southern forefathers of Africa and Western Europe for October, 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.
