Dr. John (Ellsworth) Hutchison-Hall

Eastern Orthodox Christian theologian, historian, philosopher, and cultural commentator.

            

Home » Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism See of Rome 15th July (NS) — 2nd July (OS) 2023


Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism
See of Rome
15th July (NS) — 2nd July (OS) 2023

by | 15th July 2023 | Orthodox Western Saints

2nd July (OS)

ARISTON, CRESCENTIAN, EUTYCHIAN, URBAN, VITALIS, JUSTUS, FELICISSIMUS, FELIX, MARCIA, and SYMPHOROSA, Martyrs of Campania, ten Christians martyred circa 285 in the Campania (southern Italy) early in the reign of Emperor Diocletian (r. 284–305). Aside from their names, no further information on their lives is extant.

ACESTES, LONGINUS, and MEGISTUS, Martyred Soldiers of Rome, (First Century), according to long-established custom SS. Acestes, Longinus, and Megistus were the three soldiers who led St. Paul (29th June) to execution in Rome. Converted by St. Paul, they were beheaded shortly afterwards. Nothing further is known of these saints.

MONEGUNDIS, a young woman in Chartres (north-central France) who, following the repose of her two daughters in childhood, with her husband’s consent, became a hermitess. In his writings St. Gregory of Tours (17th November) called her a saint. St. Monegundis reposed in 570.

OUDACEUS (EDDOGWY), the son of Breton prince Budic, who during exile in Britain married the sister of St. Teio of Llandaff (9th February). Soon after his exile ended, St. Oudaceus was born, and Budic dedicated to God in thanksgiving for his repatriation. Budic sent him to be educated by his uncle, St. Teio, at his monastery at Llandeilo Fawr. Even as a youth, St. Oudaceus was renowned for his piety and virtue. As his repose neared, St. Teio selected his nephew to succeed him in the See of Llandaff; and upon the repose of St. Teio, St. Oudaceus became the third Bishop of Llandaff. His episcopate was distinguished by love towards those in need, encouragement of the penitent and a firm stance against all wickedness. The date of St. Oudaceus repose is variously dated from circa 564 to circa 615, however the majority of sources list 615.

PROCESSUS and MARTINIAN of ROME, (Date Unknown), two gaolers of SS. Peter (29th June) and Paul (29th June) in Rome. Converted by the Apostles during their imprisonment, SS. Processus and Martinian were later martyred during one of Emperor Nero's (r. 54–68) persecutions of Christians. Their relics are enshrined at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.


Troparion of St. Swithun — Tone IV

the grace of god manifestly revealed thee to thy flock as a teacher

of compunction, a model of meekness and a champion of piety;

for by thy surpassing humility thou didst attain the summit of holiness,

and for thy manifold virtues thou hast received a crown on high.

O holy bishop swithun our father, entreat christ god,

that he save those who honour thy memory with love.

Orthodox Icon of English Saint, St. Swithun 241x375px

Icon of St. Swithun of Winchester

SWITHUN (SWITHIN), Little is known of St. Swithun’s life, aside from the fact that he was consecrated Bishop of Winchester, Hampshire, England in 852. According to pious legend, St. Swithun was born in Wessex, England and spent his youth at the monastery in Winchester. As bishop, he was renowned for his meekness and humility; making pastoral visits barefoot, for example, and for his diligent work bringing sinners to Christ. St. Swithun’s legacy of humility carried on after his repose in 862, when, at his request, he was buried in the cemetery outside the minster. According to the distinguished twelfth century English historian, man of letters, and monk, William of Malmesbury (†c. 1142), St. Swithun chose this site so that it would be subject to the feet of passers-by and to the raindrops pouring from on high. In 971, when his relics were being translated to a shrine which St. Æthelwold (1st August) had had built for them, a torrential rainfall either delayed or hindered the ceremony, giving rise to the popular superstition regarding rain on St. Swithun’s Day.

‘St. Swithin’s day if thou dost rain

For forty days it will remain

St. Swithin’s day if thou be fair

For forty days ’twill rain nae mair.’

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15th July (NS)

ADALARD the YOUNGER, a monk at the the Royal Abbey of St. Peter of Corbie (abbaye royale Saint-Pierre de Corbie), in Picardy (northern France), known as "the younger" to distinguish him from St. Adalard of Corbie (2nd January). St. Adalard reposed circa 824.

APRONIA (EVRONIE), the sister of St. Aprus (15th September), Bishop of Toul, from whom she received monastic tonsure. St. Apronia reposed in Troyes (north-central France) circa 420 following a life of holiness.

ATHANASIUS of NAPLES, Bishop of Naples (southern Italy) from circa 850 until his repose in 872. St. Athanasius was an exemplary pastor to his flock, though after 20 years as bishop, St. Athanasius fell victim to the machinations of his depraved nephew, Sergius II, Duke of Naples, who first imprisoned him, then exiled him. St. Athanasius reposed in exile at Veroli (central Italy) in 872 and was buried at Monte Cassino, his relics were later translated to Naples.

BENEDICT, a ninth century Bishop of Angers in Anjou (western France). St. Benedict reposed circa 820.

Orthodox Icon of Scottish Saint, Donald of Ogilvy 217x400px

Icon of St. Donald of Ogilvy

DONALD (DONIVALD) of OGILVY, (Eighth Century), Confessor of Scotland. Our venerable and God-bearing Father Donald of Ogilvy was a widower who lived a monastic life with his nine daughters in Ogilvy, Forfarshire (present-day Angus), Scotland. Upon the death of his wife, St. Donald converted his house into a hermitage where he and his daughters began to live a monastic life under his direction. They cultivated the land, surviving on a single meal of barley bread and water each day. Following St. Donald’s repose (circa 716), his daughters entered a monastery in Abernethy (Perth and Kinross) that had been founded by SS. Darlaugdach of Kildare and Brigid of Ireland (both 1st February). There they came to be known as the Nine Maidens or the Nine Holy Virgins. Churches throughout Scotland were dedicated to the Nine Maidens. According to tradition, one of the churches, in Strathmartine, near Dundee, along with its Nine Maiden Well, is the location where the Nine Maidens were devoured by a serpent. To this day, the well is an object of great awe and reverence.

EDITH (EADGYTH) of POLESWORTH, (Ninth Century), this St. Edith, was most likely a daughter of Ecgberht, King of the West Saxons (r. 802–839). She should not be confused with St. Edith of Wilton (16th September). Both were connected to the Royal House of Wessex. The historical record is unreliable, but it seems St. Edith succeeded St. Modwenna (5th July) as Abbess of Polesworth Abbey (North Warwickshire, England) towards the end of the ninth century.

ETERNUS (ÆTERNUS), a seventh century Bishop of Evreux, Normandy (northern France). St. Eternus reposed circa 660, no further information is extant.

EUTROPIUS, ZOSIMA (ZOZIMA), and BONOSA, Martyrs of Porto Romano, St. Eutropius and his two sisters were martyred at Porto Romano most likely circa 207, though circa 273 has been given by some sources.

FELIX of PAVIA, (Date Unknown), a bishop and martyr in Pavia (northern Italy). No further extant details of St. Felix’s life are reliable.

HARUCH, an early ninth century bishop and/or abbot of Werden Abbey (Kloster Werden) in present-day Essen, Germany. St. Haruch reposed circa 830.

MARTYRS of CARTHAGE, (Date Unknown), a group of nine martyrs at Carthage in Africa Proconsularis (a present-day suburb of Tunis, Tunisia).

Adautto, Catulinus, Felice, Florentius, Fortunanziano, Januarius, Julia, Justa, and Settimino.

Aside from their names, and that their relics were enshrined at the Basilica of Fausta in Carthage no further details are extant.

SECUNDINUS, AGRIPPINUS, MAXIMUS, FORTUNATUS, and MARTIALIS, Martyrs of Pannonia, fourth century martyrs in Pannonia of whom nothing more than their names is known.

Prior to the Schism the Patriarchate of Rome was Orthodox, and fully in communion with the Orthodox Church. As Saint John of Shanghai and San Francisco +1966 said “The West was Orthodox for a thousand years, and her venerable Liturgy is far older than any of her heresies”.

Details of British Saints excerpted from Orthodox Saints of the British Isles.
Details of continental saints from these sources.

In many cases there are several spelling versions of the names of saints from the British Isles. I use the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography version as the primary version with the more prevalent version in parenthesis e.g. Ceadda (Chad) of Lichfield.