patron saints
SAINT MARY
Saint Mary is regarded as the highest saint in the Orthodox Church. She is called the Theotokos, which is a Greek word meaning “Mother of God.”
​
The Most Holy Virgin Mary serves as great example to all those who are striving for perfection. She was the first who decided to dedicate Her whole life to God and who showed that voluntary virginity is higher than wedded life. From the first centuries, in emulating Her and Her Son and other prophets and apostles, many Christians began to pass their life in virginity, prayer, fasting, meditation and contemplation.
​
It is essential to emphasize that, just as at the moment of Her greatest glory, when She was chosen to become the Mother of the Savior, as well as at the hour of Her greatest grief, by the prophecy of the righteous Simon, as She stood at the foot of the Cross when “a sword pierced Her soul,” She displayed complete self-control and faith in God. In all events, big or small, She invariably manifested the strength and beauty of Her virtues: humility, perseverance, patience, courage, hope in the Lord and unbounded love for Him. That is why we Christians hold Her in such high esteem and strive to emulate Her.
SAINT THOMAS
Saint Thomas is most known for doubting the Lord's Resurrection and appearance to the Apostles on Resurrection Sunday as he was not present when the Lord appeared. So the Lord appeared again the following Sunday and He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands, and reach your hand here and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing."
​
"Thomas because you have seen ME, you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 21:24-29).
Originally from Galilee and called the Twin (John 11:16 and 21:2), Saint Thomas loved the Lord greatly and so when the Lord intended to go to Bethany, Saint Thomas said to the disciples, "we should go also to die with him" (John 11:8-16).
During the Last Supper he asked the Lord, “Lord, we don’t know where you go so how we can know the way” and so the Lord answered him saying “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:1-6).
Saint Thomas preached in Judea, Iraq, Ethiopia, Arabia, India and China. He is the intercessor of the Indian Church. He attained the crown of martyrdom in Malabar of India by pagan priests.
