True spiritual life begins when we live in Christ and Christ lives in us, right here on this earth. And the Lives of the Saints bear witness to us that the Life of Christ on earth did not end with His Ascension into Heaven, nor with the martyrdom of His Apostles. His Life continues to this day in His Church, and is seen most brilliantly in His Saints. And we, too, in our own spiritual lives, are to enter into that continuing, never-ending Life.
Hieromonk Damascene
Below are some short lives of the saints and righteous that are specially loved and venerated in our church. As St John of Kronstadt reminds us ‘All the saints are our older brothers in the one House of the Heavenly Father. Having departed from earth to heaven, they are always with us in God…. They serve together with us, they sing, they speak, they instruct, they help us in various temptations and sorrows. Call upon them as living with you under a single roof; glorify them, thank them, converse with them as with living people; and you will believe in the Church’.
Universal Saints
Saints who are known and venerated by Orthodox Christians around the world.
St Barbara, the New Martyr
The Life of the Holy New Martyr Barbara
St Elizabeth, the New Martyr
The Life of the Holy New Martyr Elizabeth
St George, the Great Martyr
The Life of the Holy Great Martyr George
St John (Maximovitch) the Wonderworker
The Life of the Holy Hierarch John the Wonderworker
St John of Kronstadt
The Life of the Holy Archpriest John of Kronstadt
St Seraphim of Sarov
The Life of St Seraphim of Sarov
Local Saints
Saints who may not be known universally but laboured for Christ when the West was in full communion with the Orthodox Church.
St Alban the Protomartyr
The Life of the Holy Protomartyr Alban
St Botolph of Iken
A Timeline of the Life of St Botolph.
St David of Wales
The Life of the Holy Hierarch David, Patron Saint of Wales
St Edmund
The Life of St Edmund by Aelfric
St Walstan of Taverham
Life of St Walstan of Taverham
St Wandregesilius
The Life of St Wandregesilius
Righteous Ones
Orthodox men and women who lived lives of great holiness who have not yet been formally canonised as saints
Fr Seraphim Rose
Life of Blessed Hieromonk Seraphim (Rose)