Преподобният Антоний Велики бил родом от Египет[1]. Родителите му, хора благородни и известни с християнското си благочестие, възпитали сина си така, че знаел само тях и своя дом. Стигнал юношеска възраст, той не бързал да се занимава с наука, нито да се сприятелява с други деца, но прекарвал времето у дома си, пазел чистотата на сърцето и се стремял да преуспява в благочестието. Той не търсел забавления, както е характерно за младежката възраст, но обичал да ходи заедно с родителите си в Божия храм и да слуша четенето от божествените книги. Стараел се да извлече оттук цялата възможна полза и да живее точно според тяхното учение. Не искал от възрастните сладкиши, както е обичайно за децата, и изобщо не обръщал много внимание на храната, задоволявайки се винаги с това, което му давали. Родителите на преподобния починали, когато бил на двадесет години. Останал сам с мъничката си сестра, първоначално сам се грижел за дома и за възпитанието на девойката. Често, по обичая си, посещавал храма и там слушал да четат от божествените книги как апостолите, оставяйки всичко, последвали Спасителя и как, според свидетелството на книгата “Деяния на светите Апостоли”, мнозина от християните продавали своето имущество и слагали цената при нозете на

The island of Cyprus was the homeland of the wondrous Spyridon. The son of simple parents, Spyridon was himself simple-hearted, humble, and virtuous. From childhood he labored as a shepherd, and reaching manhood, he entered into lawful wedlock and begot children. Living in an honorable and God-pleasing manner, Spyridon emulated David’s meekness, Jacob’s purity of heart, and Abraham’s hospitality. After a few years his wife died, freeing him to toil even more diligently in the Lord’s service, doing good deeds and expending his means on the care of strangers and the poor. So greatly did he please God that while still a layman he was granted the gift of working miracles. Because he could heal every disease and expel demons by a word, he was consecrated Bishop of Tremithus. Saint Spyridon was shepherd of the flock of Christ in that city while Constantine the Great and his son, Constantius II, reigned, during which time he continued to work the most marvelous wonders. Once there was no rain on Cyprus for a long time, and this drought caused famine. A multitude of people perished from starvation, and a second Elijah was needed who could open the heavens by his entreaties. Such

St. Theodore was born in the year 1774 in the city of Neochorion of Byzantium. He had good Christian parents, who were careful in the Christian upbringing of their children, demonstrated by the fact that a brother of St. Theodore, Gregory, later became bishop Adrianoupolis.From a young age Theodoros wanted to become a painter, and he became a student of a renowned painter who worked in the palace of the sultan in Constantinople. But there he faced unknown pressures, and his spiritual strength at his age was tried, and he ended up converting to Islam. After a few years passed, however, he realized the heavy sin which he fell to. At that time there was a serious epidemic in the city of Constantiniple, and this made him consider death, God, the soul, the other life. Thus the lost sheep sought the road to return. He escaped from the palace with foreign clothing and so they wouldn’t recognize him, he wore a jug on his shoulder. He left from the palace and went to sea, where by the will of God, he found a boat heading to the island of Chios, which became for him a place of spiritual regeneration and