“Whoever fears God doesn’t fear anything else.” +Elder Epiphanios of Athens

“It would be a great lie to tell searching souls: ‘Go to church, because there you will find peace.’ The opposite is true. The Church tells those who are at peace and asleep: ‘Go to church, because there you will feel real anguish for your sins, for your perdition, for the world’s sins and perdition. There you will feel an unappeasable hunger for Christ’s truth. There, instead of becoming lukewarm, you will be set on fire; instead of pacified, you will become alarmed; instead of learning the wisdom of this world you will become fools for Christ.”

+St. Maria of Paris

Brethren, all the saints through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated - of whom the world was not worthy - wandering over deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though well attested by their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had foreseen something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfection of our faith.

Heb. 11:33-40; 12:1-2

[Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'” + Matthew 16:16-17

The Holy Glorious and All-Praised Leaders of the Apostles, Peter & Paul (June 29/ July 12) "share the same feast day, for these two were one; and even though they suffered on different days. ... Let us embrace what they believed, their life, their labours, their sufferings, their preaching, and their confession of faith.” + St Augustine

12th century icon

On the Synaxis (general commemoration) for all of the Holy Apostles (June 30/ July 13), let us also remember their martyrdoms. Peter was crucified upside-down. Andrew was crucified. James was beheaded. Philip was crucified. Bartholomew was crucified, then flayed and beheaded. Thomas was pierced with five spears. Matthew was burned by fire. James the Son of Alphaeus was crucified Thaddeus was crucified. Simon the Zealot was crucified. Matthias was stoned, then beheaded with an axe when dead. Paul was beheaded. Only John escaped martyrdom, but his miraculous life and blessed repose are worthy of honour. Sentenced to death under Emperor Nero, he escaped an attempt at poisoning. Later, he emerged unharmed after being thrown into a cauldron of boiling oil. St John reposed at more than a hundred years old.

On the day after the commemoration of the Glorious and First-Ranked among the Apostles Peter and Paul. the Church celebrates the ancient feast of the Synaxis of the Holy, Glorious, and All-Praised Twelve Apostles (June 30/ July 13). Each Apostle has his own feast day but the Synaxis is a general commemoration of all the apostles, "whose memory we celebrate with eagerness of faith, giving glory to the One Who gave glory to them."

"But the souls of the righteous are in God's hand, and death cannot lay hold of them." (Wisdom of Solomon 3:1) On the second Sunday after Pentecost, each local Orthodox Church commemorates all saints, known and unknown, in its jurisdiction.

All Saints of ________, you have shone for as the fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem fallen humanity. Pray for us!