Dr. John (Ellsworth) Hutchison-Hall

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

            

Home » Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism See of Rome 25th July (NS) — 12th July (OS) 2023


Orthodox Saints of the Pre-Schism
See of Rome
25th July (NS) — 12th July (OS) 2023

by | 25th July 2023 | Orthodox Western Saints

12th July (OS)

ANSBALD of PRÜM, a native of what today is Luxembourg, St. Ansbald received monastic tonsure at Prüm Abbey near the present-day German/Belgian border. He was chosen Abbot of Prüm in 860. Prüm Abbey was sacked by the Normans in 882, but St. Ansbald was able to have it restored before his repose in 886.

HERMAGORAS and FORTUNATUS of AQUILEIA, St. Hermagoras was a disciple of St. Mark the Apostle, who appointed him to be the first Bishop of Aquileia in north-eastern Italy. St. Fortunatus was his deacon. Both were beheaded, circa 66, during the reign of Emperor Nero (r. 54–68).

MARCIANA, whilst the Roman Martyrology lists the martyrdom of St. Marciana at Toledo in Spain on the 12th of July, there has never been any evidence of her existence nor any sort of cultus in Toledo. The pre-eminent hagiographic scholars of the Société des Bollandistes are of the opinion that today's St. Marciana is the same saint as the St. Marciana commemorated on 9th January.

MENULPHUS (MENOU) of QUIMPER, an Irishman who served as Bishop of Quimper in Brittany (north-western France) at some point in the seventh century.

NABOR and FELIX of MILAN, two martyrs of the Diocletianic Persecution, circa 304. Nearly a century after their martyrdom, St. Ambrose of Milan (7th December) had their relics solemnly translated and enshrined in the Metropolitan Cathedral-Basilica of the Nativity of Saint Mary (Basilica cattedrale metropolitana di Santa Maria Nascente) in Milan. This gave the saints a certain stature and led to many Acts being written. Alas, these Acts have no basis in fact and are for the most part simple re-workings of the Acts of other martyrs of the time.

PATERNIAN of BOLOGNA, the Bishop of Bologna from circa 450 until his repose in 470. There is no other information on his life extant, and the sole basis for his listing in various martyrologies and menologies, is that he has enjoyed a Cultus in Bologna since not long after his repose.

PAULINUS of ANTIOCH and COMPANIONS, according to tradition, St. Paulinus was a native of Antioch, and appointed first Bishop of Lucca in Tuscany by the Apostle Peter (29th June). There he, and others whose names are unknown to us, were martyred circa 67.

PROCULUS of BOLOGNA, the Bishop of Bologna (northern Italy) from 540, until he was martyred by Ostrogoths in 542. St. Proculus is also commemorated on 1st June.

VIVENTIOLUS of LYONS, Archbishop of Lyons from 514 until his repose in 524. St. Viventiolus was renown for his erudition, and even more so for his holiness of life.

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25th July (NS)

Orthodox Christian Icon of the Holy, Glorious, All-Laudable Apostle James, son of Zebedee

Icon of The Holy, Glorious, All-Laudable Apostle James, son of Zebedee

APOSTLE JAMES, (on Eastern calendars 30th April and 30th June as one of the Twelve.) The Holy, Glorious, All-Laudable Apostle James, also known as James the Great(er) to distinguish him from the Apostle James Brother of Our Lord, or the Lesser (23rd October). The son of Zebedee, the brother of the Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian (8th May), the Apostle is counted amongst the Twelve, and is the only apostle whose martyrdom, in 44, is recorded in the New Testament (Acts 12:1-2), and therefore is traditionally said to be the first of the twelve apostles martyred for his faith. According to legend St. James travelled as far as Spain, where he is the patron saint, and his relics are said to be enshrined Santiago de Compostela in Galicia. The Camino de Santiago has been a significant pilgrimage route since the Early Middle Ages. The Apostle James is also commemorated on 30th December in the Mozarabic Rite.

Troparion of The Holy, Glorious, All-Laudable Apostle James
Tone VIII

As a soldier of the Lord you were ranked among the choir of apostles

Together with your brother, O James, you clung wholeheartedly to the Saviour.

Armed with the power of the Spirit you preached him to all and were slain by the sword.

Therefore we sing your praises!

Troparion of The Holy, Glorious, All-Laudable Apostle James
Tone III

You were a chosen apostle of Christ

And the only brother of the beloved Theologian.

Most praised James, ask remission of sins and great mercy

For those who sing hymns to you.

Kontakion of The Holy, Glorious, All-Laudable Apostle James
Tone II

You heard the voice of God calling you

And turned away from the love of your father.

With your brother you hastened after Christ, O glorious James.

With him, you were counted worthy to behold the Lord's divine Transfiguration!

CUCUPHAS (CUCUFATE, CUGAT, GUINEFORT, QOQOFAS) del VALLES, a North African who was martyred circa 304 near Barcelona (north-eastern Spain). St. Cucuphas' relics were translated in 777 to France, and in 835 were enshrined at the Abbey of St. Denis (abbaye Saint-Denis) near Paris. The Monastery of St. Cugat de Valles, north of Barcelona is believed to be situated on the site of his martyrdom.

FLORENTIUS (FLORENCE) and FELIX of FURCONA, two soldiers who were martyred in 235 at the begining of the reign of Emperor Maximinus I (r. 235–238) at Furcona near Aquila (southern Italy) 235.

GLODESIND of METZ, betrothed to a nobleman who was arrested on their wedding day, and soon after executed. An aunt of St. Glodesind, a monastic at Trier in the present-day German state of Rhineland-Palatinate, advised her to enter monastic life. St. Glodesind then received monastic tonsure. She later founded a monastery at Metz (north-eastern France) where she served as the first Abbess. St. Glodesind reposed circa 608.

MAGNERICUS of TRIER, the Bishop of Trier in the present-day German state of Rhineland-Palatinate from circa 566 until his repose in 596. A close friend of St. Gregory of Tours (17th November), St. Magnericus was one of the most well-known and highly respected bishops of his era.

NISSEN of WEXFORD, (Fifth Century), converted by St. Patrick of Ireland (17th March) who then made him Abbot of Montgarth, in present-day Co. Wexford, Ireland.

THEODEMIR of CÓRDOBA, a monk martyred in 851 at Córdoba (southern Spain) for refusing to renounce Christianity, during the reign of Emir Abd ar-Rahman II (r. 822–852). St. Theodemir is buried in the choir of the church of Saint Zoilo in Córdoba.

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.