Apostles and Equal to the Apostles
Andrew the Apostle († 60) called first by Christ. Commemorated 30 November.
Constantine the Great († 337), proclaimed Emperor in York. He also legalised Christianity in the Roman Empire in the Edict of Milan. He called the First Œcumenical council in 325. Commemorated 21 May.
Eleni († 330), his mother and Empress, who discovered the True Cross in Jerusalem. Commemorated 21 May.
The Samaritan Woman, Photini († 62), who famously confronted Christ on matters of worship at Jacob’s well. Commemorated on March 20 (also commemorated on February 26 & the “Sunday of the Samaritan Woman”).
Thekla († 70) Companion of St Paul, first woman martyr and equal to the apostles who died in Syria. Commemorated on September 24.
Great Hierarchs and Ecumenical Teachers
Cuthbert († 687), enlightener of northern England and wonderworker who was called out of the life of a hermit by the king of Northemberland for archpastoral duties. He was consecrated by Theodore of Tarsus. He led his diocese by caring for the sick, distributing alms, working the many miracles that earned him the title of Wonder-worker of Britain. Commemorated on March 20.
Luke of Simferopol († 1961) in the Crimea a physician and Archbishop. An outstanding surgeon who suffered persecution under the Bolshevik regime and is now an amazing wonderworker. Commemorated on 11 June.
Chad of Lichfield († 672), the first bishop of Mercia whose great missionary work is immortalised in the place name in our own county of Shropshire. Commemorated on 2 March.
Martyrs
Katherine of Alexandria († 303), who defeated 50 of Emperor Maxentius’s philosophers in open debate on the truth of Christianity and was subsequently cruelly tortured and put to death. Commemorated on 25 November.
Marina († 303), of Antioch disowned by her father for accepting the Christian Faith, resisted the advances of the governor Olymbrios and then suffered horrific martyrdom for refusing to renounce Christ. Commemorated 17 July.
Alban († 254), soldier and first martyr of Britain, who gave himself up for martyrdom in place of a priest who he sheltered from persecution.
Elizabeth († 1919), princess of Russian and granddaughter of Queen Victoria who left the imperial court to become a nun, founding the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent dedicated to helping the downtrodden of Moscow and was later martyred by the Bolsheviks. Commemorated on 18 July.
Oswald of Northumbria († 642) who was killed by the Mercians at the Battle of Maserfield, in Oswestry in Shropshire named after Oswalds Tree where a raven dropped the arm of his dismembered body. Commemorated 5 August.
God-bearers
John of Damascus († 760) – Church Father, the most important systematic Theologian of the Orthodox. Commemorated 4 December.
Theodora († 856), the empress, who ended the the iconoclasm. The proclamation of 843 restoring veneration of icons initiated the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy that has since been celebrated by the Orthodox Church each year on the first Sunday of Lent. Commemorated 11 February.
Werburga († 700), of Chester, who devoted her life to overseeing many monastic communities in Mercia and founding new religious houses including those
at Trentham, Hanbury and Weedon. Commemorated 3 February
Kassiani (†9th Century) Nun, poetess and magnificent Hymnographer. Commemorated 7 September.
