Martyr Basilissa was born into nobility yet embraced a radically different path from the wealth and privilege that surrounded her. Drawn to the humility and purity of the Christian faith, she used her resources to alleviate suffering, shelter fugitives, and ransom prisoners during waves of persecution. Her conversion scandalized her peers, who accused her of dishonoring her social station by mixing with the poor and enslaved. Basilissa, unmoved by their scorn, chose Christ over comfort with a joyful determination. Her arrest came after she was discovered harboring Christians and distributing money to imprisoned believers. When confronted by the authorities, she demonstrated both courage and serenity. Threats of torture failed to intimidate her; promises of wealth and favor failed to seduce her. The tortures she endured were prolonged and brutal—scourging, branding, deprivation—but she prayed throughout, comforting fellow prisoners and astonishing guards with her peace. Her execution became a silent liturgy of faith. Believers watched from hidden places, unable to intervene, yet strengthened by her unwavering witness. After her death, numerous miracles occurred at her tomb, especially aiding women in childbirth and healing afflictions of the mind. Basilissa remains a symbol of noble humility—one who gave up earthly honor to receive the unfading crown of martyrdom.

Saint Ioannicius, Patriarch of Serbia, Wonder-worker:

Saint Ioannicius rose from simple monastic beginnings to become a shepherd of his nation’s soul. As a monk, he was known for intense asceticism, sleepless vigils, and profound humility. His fellow monks often found him weeping in prayer, interceding for the world. Even before his elevation, miracles occurred through his petitions: storms ceased, children were healed, and prophetic warnings preserved villages from disaster. As Patriarch of Serbia, Ioannicius guided his flock through political turbulence with remarkable wisdom and gentleness. He championed the translation of spiritual texts into the Slavic tongue, strengthened monasteries, and encouraged the people to cling to the faith amid external pressures. He mediated political disputes with such fairness that even secular leaders sought his counsel. Beneath the grandeur of his office was a heart still shaped by monastic quiet. Sensing his approaching repose, he withdrew into prayer and prepared himself in silence. After his passing, his relics became a fountain of miracles, and the Serbian faithful honored him as a father, protector, and wonder-worker whose sanctity had woven itself into the fabric of their nation’s life.

Blessed John “the Hairy,” Fool-for-Christ of Rostov:

Blessed John embraced the radical vocation of foolishness for Christ, choosing a path that concealed his virtues beneath the appearance of madness. His wild hair, ragged clothing, and unpredictable behavior confused onlookers, yet these were not signs of disorder but tools for spiritual healing. By disarming social expectations, he exposed hidden hypocrisy, confronted sin without provoking defensiveness, and protected himself from praise. He gave away every gift he received, lived among the poorest, and dwelt frequently in abandoned places where the rejected sought shelter. He rebuked the drunkards of taverns with riddles that struck the heart. Children mocked him, and adults dismissed him, but John bore insults with joy, offering them as a sacrifice for their salvation. Many stories reveal his prophetic insight: predicting fires, averting disasters through prayer, and offering mysterious yet healing counsel to the despairing. Only at his repose did the city of Rostov recognize the depth of his holiness, for miracles began at his tomb, and the people realized that the “madman” had been one of God’s hidden pillars sustaining the entire city.

Hieromartyr Bishop Aristion of Alexandria in Syria:

Bishop Aristion served the Church with apostolic fervor during a time of intense suffering. He traveled tirelessly across his diocese, preaching Christ with clarity and compassion, strengthening wavering believers, and restoring those who had fallen. He sold his possessions to feed the starving during famines and became a father to widows and orphans. When he was arrested for refusing to sacrifice to idols, the faithful gathered outside the prison in grief. Aristion endured torture with unwavering calm—scourging, fire, and the rack—using even these moments to preach repentance and forgiveness. In prison he comforted criminals, instructed catechumens, and baptized converts at the risk of further torment. At his execution he lifted his hands in blessing over the crowd and prayed for God to enlighten those who persecuted the Church. After his death, his tomb became a source of miracles, drawing pilgrims from near and far who sought healing of body and soul.

Martyrs Zinon, Chariton, Achrontionus, and Vitalian:

These four martyrs were ordinary believers whose steadfastness in a moment of trial became a luminous testimony. Zinon was admired for his honesty in trade; Chariton for his open-handed charity; Achrontionus for his love of Scripture; and Vitalian for his kindness to strangers. When pressures arose to join pagan rites, the four refused with unanimous resolve. Their unity astonished the authorities, who attempted to break them through humiliation and torture. They endured public beatings, the tearing of flesh, and roasting over fire. Yet even in torment they prayed aloud, quoting psalms and encouraging one another. Their unshakeable brotherhood in suffering inspired even witnesses who feared to show sympathy. After their execution, the place of their martyrdom became sacred to Christians, who felt a divine peace lingering there. Generations later, their names were invoked as examples of the strength found in faithful friendship rooted in Christ.

Martyr Dasa:

Martyr Dasa lived a humble life marked by prayer, work, and charity. His faith was steady and unpretentious, and he was known for helping neighbors without seeking recognition. When ordered to perform pagan sacrifices, he responded with simple clarity: “I cannot deny the One who gave me life.” Enraged, the authorities subjected him to lashings, hunger, and cold confinement. Despite these torments, Dasa prayed continually, asking not for deliverance but for the conversion of his persecutors. Fellow prisoners were moved by his gentleness, and some secretly asked for instruction in the faith. He finally surrendered his soul to God while under torture, his final breath a prayer of thanksgiving. Drops of his blood, gathered by believers, were later used as instruments of healing.

New-Martyr Polydorus of Cyprus:

Polydorus was raised in a devout family and learned early the beauty of prayer, fasting, and charity. As a young man working among non-Christians, he became known for honesty and gentleness. When falsely accused of blaspheming Islam, he was arrested and pressured to renounce Christ. Promises of wealth and power could not sway him; neither could threats of execution. He replied, “My Christ is my life.” His imprisonment was harsh. Confined in darkness, deprived of food, and tormented by guards, he spent his nights repeating the Jesus Prayer, his face radiant despite his suffering. His execution was intended to instill fear, but instead it emboldened the Christians of the region. After his death, miracles occurred at the site of his martyrdom, and his memory became a wellspring of courage for the faithful of Cyprus.

Martyr Edward of England:

King Edward was a young ruler whose short reign was marked by justice, mercy, and a purity of heart rare among kings. He protected monasteries, aided the poor, and resisted corruption at court. His stepmother, fearing the loss of power, conspired to have him murdered. Edward arrived at her house in kindness, seeking peace, when he was treacherously struck down. The betrayal echoed the murder of righteous Abel by his envious brother. Edward’s death was politically motivated, yet spiritually it was a martyrdom, for he was killed for righteousness’ sake. Miracles soon occurred at the site of his death, and his relics brought healing to many. The English people came to venerate him as a saint whose innocence bore witness to the eternal kingdom of God.

Saint Constantine the New, Emperor:

Saint Constantine the New ruled with a heart steeped in Christian humility. Rejecting the lavish excesses of imperial life, he channeled resources into churches, hospitals, and shelters for the poor. He enacted just laws that protected the vulnerable and restrained the wealthy from exploiting the weak. Seeking reconciliation in times of political unrest, he counseled forgiveness and unity rather than vengeance. He approached his reign as a sacred stewardship, beginning each day in prayer and seeking wisdom from monks and ascetics. His personal modesty—rare among emperors—won the love of his subjects. After his peaceful repose, the faithful remembered him as a ruler who had mirrored Christ’s kingship through mercy, humility, and justice.

Martyr Archontinus:

Martyr Archontinus was a man of deep faith and pastoral compassion. A gifted teacher and spiritual guide, he nurtured his community with wisdom and tenderness. When commanded to sacrifice to idols, he refused with quiet firmness, professing Christ as the true God. The authorities, frustrated by his calm resolve, subjected him to cruel tortures—scourging, burning, and prolonged confinement. Throughout his suffering, Archontinus prayed for his persecutors, asking God to enlighten them. His endurance moved even his tormentors to awe. At last he was executed, and his martyrdom became a beacon of faith for those who witnessed it. His name remains honored among those who held fast to Christ with unwavering integrity.

Repose of Priest Peter of Uglich, Fool-for-Christ of Uglich:

Priest Peter served faithfully at the altar for many years before embracing the path of foolishness for Christ. He relinquished worldly dignity to adopt a life of extreme humility, hiding his virtues beneath unpredictable behavior and poverty. Wandering barefoot even in winter, he blessed children, visited the imprisoned, and offered veiled rebukes to the proud. Though ridiculed by many, he bore insults with compassion, interceding nightly for the salvation of his city. At his death, the people suddenly understood his holiness, for miracles began at his grave and healings multiplied. He remains a reminder that God often hides His greatest servants under garments of humility and apparent madness.

Translation of the relics of Saint Nektarios of Pentapolis:

The translation of Saint Nektarios’ relics revealed the full splendor of a saint who had embraced humiliation on earth with patience and love. During his lifetime he suffered slander, unjust exile, and mistreatment, yet he never defended himself; instead, he blessed those who wronged him and continued to serve with serenity. After his repose, his body became a vessel of miracles: paralytics walked, the sick were cured, and countless souls found peace. At the translation of his relics, a fragrance filled the air, and the faithful experienced profound consolation. His relics, radiant with grace, continue to be a source of healing and hope. Through them God glorifies a saint who lived in meekness and now intercedes powerfully for the world.

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Lives of the Saints Celebrated on September 4

Hieromartyr Babylas, Bishop of Antioch, and with him Martyrs Urban, Prilidian, and Epolonius, and their mother Christodula (3rd century, ca. 250):

Hieromartyr Babylas of Antioch stands as one of the earliest and most radiant examples of episcopal courage in the face of imperial tyranny. Renowned for both his gentleness and his uncompromising orthodoxy, he shepherded the Christians of Antioch during a time when pagan rulers sought to coerce the Church into silence. When Emperor Numerian attempted to enter the church during a corrupt and violent reign—seeking the blessing and honor due only to the righteous—Babylas boldly barred him at the doors, declaring that one stained with blood and injustice could not stand before the Holy God. For this act alone he drew the emperor’s wrath, yet he refused to apologize or compromise. Arrested alongside three devout youths—Urban, Prilidian, and Epolonius—and their noble mother Christodula, Babylas continued to strengthen the faithful even in chains. Tortures followed: scourging, imprisonment, deprivation, and threats designed to break their spirits. But Babylas and the young martyrs remained steadfast, Christodula herself encouraging her sons to be courageous unto the end. They accepted death with dignity, their witness leaving an indelible mark upon Antioch and the entire Church. To this day, the relics of St. Babylas are known to have driven out demons and purified places defiled by idolatry, a testimony to his enduring spiritual authority.

Holy Prophet and God-seer Moses (ca. 14th–13th century BC):

The Holy Prophet Moses, the great Lawgiver and God-seer, is one of the towering figures of all sacred history—revered by Jews, Christians, and all who treasure the revelation of the One True God. Born under the shadow of persecution, saved from death by divine providence, adopted into the royal courts of Egypt yet never forgetting the suffering of his people, Moses became the vessel through which God delivered Israel from bondage. His forty years in Midian prepared him through humility and contemplation, until the Lord appeared to him in the burning bush, revealing both His divine name and His compassionate will to save. Through Moses, the Red Sea was parted, manna appeared in the wilderness, water flowed from the rock, and the commandments of God were inscribed on tablets of stone, forming the foundation of moral life for generations to come. Yet his greatest glory was the intimacy he shared with God: he spoke with the Lord “face to face, as a man speaks with his friend,” and received visions so profound that his face shone with uncreated light. Though he did not enter the earthly Promised Land, he entered an even greater glory, appearing centuries later beside Christ on Mount Tabor at the Transfiguration, bearing witness to the fulfillment of all his prophetic labor.

Martyr Babylas of Nicomedia, and with him 84 children (early 4th century, ca. 303):

Martyr Babylas of Nicomedia is remembered for one of the most extraordinary and heartbreaking acts of collective martyrdom in Christian antiquity. A devout and courageous man, he ministered to a community of children who had grown up in the faith during a time when pagan officials sought to root out Christianity with special severity. When Babylas and the children under his care were discovered praying and singing hymns, the authorities sought to intimidate them into offering sacrifice to the idols. But Babylas refused, declaring that neither he nor the children would betray Christ. Astonished by such boldness, the persecutors intensified their threats—yet the children, inspired by their teacher’s calm courage, clung to their confession with a purity stronger than any earthly fear. Unable to bend them, the officials condemned Babylas and all eighty-four children to death. Each child’s final moments became a quiet testimony of innocence offered to God, and Babylas encouraged them to meet death with the joy of entering the Kingdom. Their martyrdom remains one of the most poignant reminders that the strength of Christian faith does not depend on age, but on the grace of God working in willing hearts.

Martyrs Theodore, Mianus (Ammianus), Julian, Kion (Oceanus), and Centurionus of Nicomedia (early 4th century, ca. 303):

These five martyrs—Theodore, Mianus (also known as Ammianus), Julian, Kion (Oceanus), and Centurionus—were bound together not by earthly ties but by their burning confession of Christ in the pagan stronghold of Nicomedia. During a wave of persecutions in the early fourth century, Christians were accused of undermining the stability of the empire simply because they refused to worship the idols. These men, each from a different walk of life, refused to renounce Christ, even when promised honors, wealth, and imperial favor. Their interrogators subjected them to every form of torment: scourging, dislocation of limbs, burning coals, and cruel imprisonment in darkness. Yet their unity only grew deeper as they strengthened one another through prayer and psalms. Their final execution became a single, harmonious offering of faith, demonstrating that the love of Christ unites believers more powerfully than any earthly bond. Their martyrdom helped to seed the Church in Nicomedia with renewed courage.

Martyr Hermione, daughter of St. Philip the Deacon and Apostle (late 1st century, ca. 1st century AD):

Hermione, the daughter of St. Philip the Deacon—one of the Seven appointed in the Book of Acts—grew up nourished on apostolic teaching and the living example of holy service. Filled from youth with compassion and a desire to heal, she dedicated her life to ministering to the poor, the sick, and the abandoned. By God’s grace she received the gift of healing, and many flocked to her for help. When the persecutions under Trajan intensified, Hermione was arrested and interrogated with unusual cruelty, as the authorities sought to break her spirit and discredit her influence. Yet she remained composed, filled with the peace of one who trusted entirely in Christ. She endured racks, beatings, burning furnaces, and other torments that miraculously failed to harm her. Her calm endurance converted many witnesses, and even some of her tormentors were struck by her spiritual radiance. At last she surrendered her soul to God in peace after a final round of tortures, leaving behind a legacy of mercy, courage, and apostolic fidelity.

Saint Petronius of Egypt, disciple of St. Pachomius the Great (4th century, ca. 4th century AD):

Saint Petronius was one of the most devoted disciples of St. Pachomius, the founder of communal monasticism. Raised in Egypt’s spiritual deserts, he learned from the great master the virtues of obedience, humility, and communal charity. Petronius became known for his unwavering gentleness—so profound that even wild animals sensed his peace—and for his ascetic discipline, which he carried out without ostentation. As he matured spiritually, he became a pillar within the Pachomian communities, guiding novices, encouraging the weary, and resolving conflicts with patient wisdom. His prayers brought comfort to the sick, and his tears for the sins of the world were known to soften even the hardest hearts. He passed into eternal rest with the tranquility of a soul already united to God in love.

Martyrs Theotimus and Theodulus the executioners (4th century, ca. 4th century AD):