Holy Martyr Sabas the Soldier (Stratelates)
This glorious Sabas lived in Rome during the reign of Emperor Aurelian and held the rank of commander. By ancestry, he was of a Gothic tribe. He often visited Christians in prison and assisted them from his own estate. Because of his extreme chastity and fasting, God had given him authority over unclean spirits. When Sabas was accused of being a Christian, he courageously stood before the emperor, threw down his military belt and openly confessed Christ the Lord. Sabas was tortured in various ways: flogged, scrapped with irons and burned with candles. He did not succumb to these deadly tortures but appeared alive and healthy. His military companions, seeing that God was obviously helping him, embraced the Faith of Christ. Those seventy in number were immediately beheaded by order of the emperor. Christ the Lord Himself appeared in a great light to St. Sabas in prison and encouraged His martyr. After that, he was condemned to death by drowning. Sabas was thrown into a deep river where he gave up his soul to God in the year 272 A.D. His soul went to the Lord to Whom he remained faithful through many tortures.
Venerable Elizabeth
In her early years, Elizabeth entered the monastic state in the Monastery of St. Cosmas and St. Damian in Constantinople and took upon herself the heavy burden of self-mortification for the sake of Christ the God and for the sake of her soul. She considered herself a bride of Christ and considered this world as though it did not exist. Out of her great love for God, emanated her great compassion toward people, especially toward the sick and the suffering. With the gift that God had bestowed upon her, she cured various diseases and afflictions of the people. During her nightly prayers, she was seen totally encompassed by a heavenly light. Following her death, her relics possessed the power of healing and a great number of the sick and suffering gathered at her grave throughout the ages. She died peacefully and entered into the eternal joy of her Lord in the year 540 A.D.
Holy Martyrs Eusebius, Neon, Leontius and Longinus
These four were military companions of St. George. Witnessing the courageous endurance and miracles of St. George, these wonderful soldiers became Christians for which they were beheaded.
Holy Martyr Pasicrates and Valentine
When the judge urged Pasicrates and the martyr's brother Papianus, who had fallen away from Christ because of the fear of torture, to offer sacrifice to the idols, Pasicrates placed his hand in the fire and cried out: "The body is mortal and is consumed by fire but the soul is immortal and does not feel the visible sufferings!" However, his mother sustained and encouraged him to endure to the end. He was beheaded with Valentine and both took up habitation in the kingdom of Christ about the year 288 A.D.
Venerable Thomas, "Fool For Christ"
Whenever he was in the city of Antioch on business for the monastery, Thomas always pretended insanity for the sake of Christ. A certain Anastasius did not want to give him alms that Thomas sought for the monastery but struck him with his fist. Thomas then prophesied: "From now on neither will I receive anything from Anastasius, neither will Anastasius be able to give me anything." After a day, Anastasius died and Thomas, prior to his return to the monastery, also died. Thus the prophecy of this holy man was fulfilled. St. Thomas died in Daphni near Antioch at the time of Patriarch Domnus (546 - 560 A.D.).
Neo-Martyrs Luke and Nicholas
This wonderful young man Luke, a tailor by trade, suffered martyrdom for Christ in 1564 A.D. Nicholas suffered martyrdom in the year 1776 A.D.
Saint Sava Brankovi}, metropolitan of Erdelj
His baptismal name is Simeon. He was the high priest of Jenopolje. At the end of 1656 he was elected metropolitan of Erdelj with the seat at \ula. He entered monastic order and was given the name Sava. Carrying a letter from the Polish king John Casimir, he went to see the Russian tsar Alexis and was received by him on May 31, 1668. On June 3rd he presented an official petition to the Russian court, describing the political situation in Eastern Europe and expressing the desire of the Serbian people to have closer relations with orthodox Russia. At that time the patriarchs of Antioch and Alexandria were staying in Moscow being invited by the Russian tsar to resolve the conflict between tsar Alexis and patriarch Nikon. Sava had to grapple with troubles caused not only by the Turks but by Kalvinists as well. He died in 1681. His care for orthodox Serbs, Greeks, Ruthenians and Vlachs was undivided. \or|e Brankovi} (1645-1711) nobleman from Erdelj, historian and diplomat is Sava's full brother. He was kept in prison by the Austrians from 1689 till his death in 1711. While in prison he completed his historical treatise in five volumes entitled "Slavnoc - Serbian Chronicles".