The Synaxarium

The Lives of the Saints

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Today we celebrate the Virgin Martyr Theodosia of Tyre. Once, during a persecution against Christians, which had already lasted for five years, the seventeen year old Saint Theodosia visited condemned Christian prisoners in the Praetorium in Caesarea, Palestine. It was the day of Holy Pascha, and the martyrs spoke about the Kingdom of God. Saint Theodosia asked them to remember her before the Lord, when they should come to stand before Him. Soldiers seized her and led her before the governor Urban after seeing the maiden bow to the prisoners. The governor advised her to offer sacrifice to the idols but she refused, confessing her faith in Christ. Then they subjected the saint to cruel tortures, raking her body with iron claws until her bones were exposed. The martyr was silent and endured the sufferings with a happy face, and when the governor told her again to offer sacrifice to the idols she answered, “You fool, I have been granted to join the martyrs!” They threw the maiden with a stone about her neck into the sea, but angels rescued her. Then they threw the martyr to the wild beasts to be eaten by them. Seeing that the beasts would not touch her, they cut off her head. By night Saint Theodosia appeared to her parents, who had tried to talk their daughter out of her intention to suffer for Christ. She was in bright garb with a crown upon her head and a luminous gold cross in her hand, and she said, “Behold the great glory of which you wanted to deprive me!” The Holy Martyr Theodosia of Tyre suffered in the year 307. May she intercede for us always + Source: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2020/04/03/100976-virginmartyr-theodosia-of-tyre (at Caesarea Maritima) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqjSXUkjgqp/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we celebrate our father among the saints Joseph the Hymnographer. Saint Joseph was a monk during the 9th century who was a strong defender of the reverence of icons during the iconoclastic period. He is remembered for being a prolific writer of hymns, as noted throughout the Octoechos. May he intercede for us always + Source: https://orthodoxwiki.org/Joseph_the_Hymnographer# (at Thessalonikki, Greece) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqjSR7MDHVX/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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The Fifth and last Sunday of Great Lent is dedicated to our Venerable Mother Mary of Egypt. It is the start of the last week of Great Lent. This Sunday has three key themes * First, no amount of past sin and wickedness can keep a truly repentant person from God. * Second, Christ himself has come to call sinners to repentance and to save them from their sins (Luke 5:32). * Third, in Saint Mary we see that it is never too late in life, or in Lent, to repent. Christ will gladly receive all who come to him with sincere repentance, even at the eleventh hour. May she intercede for us always + Source: https://orthodoxwiki.org/Sunday_of_St._Mary_of_Egypt (at الاردن Jordan) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqgf9IcLxeY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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On the fifth Saturday of Great Lent, we celebrate the Akathist to the Most Holy Theotokos. For the first four Fridays of Great Lent, a service called the Salutations of the Theotokos is held. This set of hymns was composed in the early 300s describing the various life events of the Theotokos, but was officially chanted as a part of Great Lent in the early 600s when the the city of Byzantium (later known as Constantinople, and now Istanbul) was considered the Queen City and the heart of Christianity after the fall of the Roman Empire. Because of its ideal location, the city was often besieged by enemies. At one point in the early 600s, the city was surrounded by enemies who wanted to sack the city. This particular siege was different and it lasted a few months because all the fighting-aged men were away at war with the Persians. All that was left in the city were the priests, women, children, and the elderly. With no way of defending themselves, they all ran to the main church of Constantinople, in a place called “Blachernae” which is dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos. The people stayed up all night praying to God and the Theotokos, asking for deliverance from their enemies. The Patriarch Sergius of Constantinople gathered all the priests and they endlessly marched around the inside city walls for days on end, holding the Icon of the Theotokos of Blachernae and chanting the hymn below. Then a miracle occurred. Unexpectedly, a huge storm arose with tidal waves and cyclones, and all the enemy's’ fleet was destroyed or turned back. Thus the city was saved. That night, all those in the city (who were still in the church) began chanting the Salutations, while adding the new hymn “To Thee the Champion Leader” or in Greek, "Ti Ypermaho". They chanted this the whole night without sitting down, and thus on the fifth Friday of Lent, the whole service is changed and is called the Akathist (i.e. the not sitting hymn). May the Most Holy Theotokos intercede for us that we might complete the remainder of Great Lent in prayer and repentance + #akathist #theotokos #salutations #prayer #constantinople #orthodox (at Constantinople - Κωνσταντινούπολη) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqeGNqrjEId/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we celebrate possibly the greatest example of repentance the church has ever seen. Saint Mary of Egypt gave herself over to fornication and debauchery from the age of 12 and lived this depraved life for 17 years. Having followed a group of pilgrims to Jerusalem with the intent of seducing the young men, she tried to enter into the church of the Holy Sepulchre to see the Venerable Cross but was stopped by an invisible force. She then realised her depravity and repented by crossing the Jordan and living in the desert for 47 years. A holy monk, Saint Zosimas, found her while travelling the desert and related her story to us. May we have her blessing and may she intercede always for our souls + #saint #mary #egypt #maryofegypt #sinner #repent #repentance #penitent #convert #cross #lent #greatlent #jordan #venerable #holy #desert #mother #father #zosimas #palestine #jerusalem #sepulchre #holysepulchre #holy #orthodox #saintoftheday (at الاردن Jordan) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqeGI3djhOo/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we celebrate the Holy Hieromartyr Benjamin of Persia. Saint Benjamin was executed during a period of persecution of Christians that lasted forty years and through the reign of two Persian kings: Isdegerd I, who died in 421, and his son and successor, Varanes V. King Varanes carried on the persecution with such great fury that Christians were submitted to the most cruel tortures. Benjamin was imprisoned for a year for his Christian faith, and later released with the condition that he abandon preaching or speaking of his religion. His release was obtained by the Eastern Roman Emperor Theodosius II through an ambassador. However, Benjamin declared that it was his duty to preach about Christ and that he could not be silent. As a consequence, Benjamin was tortured mercilessly until his death in the year 424, specifically, "sharpened reeds [were] stuck under the nails of his fingers and toes." According to his hagiography, when the king was apprised that Benjamin refused to stop preaching, he "... caused reeds to be run in between the nails and the flesh, both of his hands and feet, and to be thrust into other most tender parts, and drawn out again, and this to be frequently repeated with violence. Lastly, a knotty stake was thrust into his bowels, to rend and tear them, in which torment he expired...." May he intercede for us always + Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_the_Deacon_and_Martyr (at Tehran, Iran) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqbO8OHLoLY/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we also commemorate the Visitation of the Theotokos to Elizabeth. After the miraculous conception of Saint John the Baptist by Saint Elizabeth and the Annunciation to the Theotokos of the conception of the Lord Jesus, the two cousins met at Elizabeth's home. When the Theotokos entered Elizabeth's presence, John leapt in his mother's womb with joy to be near the Savior and His Mother. This important event is commemorated with a feast-day on March 30 in the Orthodox Church, and on July 2 and May 31 in Western Christianity. In our modern times, when human life is devalued especially among the unborn, we as Christians proclaim the truth that the unborn Saint John recognized the unborn Christ, and rejoiced in it. For this reason, the Lord is depicted as blessing Saint John in the womb—for, even as an unborn babe not yet fully formed, the Lord was one of the Holy Trinity: fully God and fully man + Source: https://legacyicons.com/the-visitation-of-the-theotokos-and-saint-elizabeth-icon-f324/ (at Judea) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqYt-FULa8E/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we celebrate the Venerable John, Abbot of Sinai and author of the Ladder of Divine Ascent (or the Climacus). This indispensable book stands as a witness to the great effort needed for entrance into God’s Kingdom (Mt.10: 12). The spiritual struggle of the Christian life is a real one, “not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the present darkness the hosts of wickedness in heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). Saint John encourages the faithful in their efforts for, according to the Lord, only “he who endures to the end will be saved” (Mt.24:13). May he intercede for us always + #saint #john #ladder #ladderofdivineascent #johnclimacus #climacus #book #lent #greatlent #kingdomofheaven #God #sinai #abbot #egypt #orthodox #saintoftheday (at Sinai, Egypt) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqYt1RJLW5A/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we celebrate the Holy Hieromartyr Mark of Arethusa. Saint Mark suffered for his faith in Christ under the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363). By order of the emperor Constantine (May 21), Saint Mark had once destroyed a pagan temple and built a Christian church. When Julian came to the throne, he persecuted Christians and tried to restore paganism. Some citizens of Arethusa renounced Christianity and became pagans. Then Saint Mark’s enemies decided to take revenge on him. The old bishop hid himself from the persecutors at first, but then gave himself up when he learned that the pagans had tortured many people in their search for him. The holy Elder was led through the city and given over to torture. They tore out his hair, slashed his body, dragged him along the street, dumped him in a swamp, tied him up, and cut him with knives. The pagans demanded that the holy bishop pay them a large sum of money to rebuild the pagan temple, and he refused to do so. The persecutors invented several new torments: they squeezed the Elder in a foot-press, and they cut off his ears with linen cords. Finally, they smeared the holy martyr’s body with honey and grease, then hung him up in a basket in the hot mid-day sun to be eaten by bees, wasps, and hornets. Saint Mark did not seem to notice the pain, and this irritated the tormentor all the more. The pagans kept lowering the price he had to pay for their temple, but Saint Mark refused to give them a single coin. Admiring him for his courage and endurance, the pagans stopped asking him for money and set him free. Many of them returned to Christ after hearing his talks. Saint Gregory the Theologian (January 25) describes the sufferings of Saint Mark in his First Oration against Julian. Theodoritus of Cyrrhus also mentions him in his Church History (Book 3, Ch. 6). May he intercede for us always + Source: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2023/03/29/100936-hieromartyr-mark-bishop-of-arethusa-who-suffered-under-julian-th (at Rentina) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqWFEBMLYk5/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today marks the repose of the Righteous Gavrilia the Ascetic of Love. As a trained physiotherapist and travelling from Greece to Britain, Jerusalem to India, Mother Gavrilia spread unconditional love to all without requesting anything in return. Below is a story from her life: . Once when I was there where I was, some foreign missionary came and said to me, "You may be a good woman, but you’re not a good Christian." I said, "Why?" "Because you have been here so long and you only go about speaking English. What local languages have you learned?" . I said to him, "I haven’t managed to learn any of the local languages, because I travel a great deal from place to place. As soon as I learn one dialect, they start speaking another. I've only learned 'Good morning' and 'Good evening.' Nothing else." "Bah, you're no Christian. How can you evangelize? All the Catholics and Protestants learn all the local dialects in order to . . ." . Then I said, "Lord, give me an answer for him." I asked it with all my heart, and then I said, "Ah. I forgot to tell you. I know five languages." "Really? What are these five?" "The first is the smile; the second is tears. The third is to touch. The fourth is prayer, and the fifth is love. . With these five languages I go all around the world." Then he stopped and said, "Just a minute. Say that again so I can write it down." With these five languages you can travel the whole earth, and all the world is yours. Love everyone as your own--without concern for religion or race, without concern for anything. . May she intercede for us always + (at Leros Island Greece) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqTf9y5rJPQ/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we celebrate the Holy Martyr Matrona of Thessalonica. Saint Matrona suffered in the third or fourth century. She was a slave of the Jewish woman Pautila, wife of one of the military commanders of Thessalonica. Pautila constantly mocked her slave for her faith in Christ, and tried to convert her to Judaism. Saint Matrona, who believed in Christ from her youth, still prayed to the Savior Christ, and secretly went to church unbeknownst to her vengeful mistress. Pautila, learning that Saint Matrona had been to church, asked, “Why won’t you come to our synagogue, instead of attending the Christian church?” Saint Matrona boldly answered, “Because God is present in the Christian church, but He has departed from the Jewish synagogue.” Pautila went into a rage and mercilessly beat Saint Matrona, tied her up, and shut her in a dark closet. In the morning, Pautila discovered that Saint Matrona had been freed of her bonds by an unknown Power. In a rage Pautila beat the martyr almost to death, then bound her even more tightly and locked her in the closet. The door was sealed so that no one could help the sufferer. The holy martyr remained there for four days without food or water, and when Pautila opened the door, she again found Saint Matrona free of her bonds, and standing at prayer. Pautila flogged the holy martyr and left the skin hanging in strips from her body. The fierce woman locked her in the closet again, where Saint Matrona gave up her spirit to God. Pautila had the holy martyr’s body thrown from the roof of her house. Christians took up the much-suffered body of the holy martyr and buried it. Later, Bishop Alexander of Thessalonica built a church dedicated to the holy martyr. Her holy relics, glorified by many miracles, were placed in this church. The judgment of God soon overtook the evil Pautila. Standing on the roof at that very place where the body of Saint Matrona had been thrown, she stumbled and fell to the pavement. Her body was smashed, and so she received her just reward for her sin. May she intercede for us always + Source: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2021/03/27/100913-martyr-matrona-of-thessalonica (at Thessalonikki, Greece) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqQ3aS_LDbp/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we also celebrate the Holy New Martyr George of Sofia. Saint George came from Sofia, Bulgaria, and was a soldier who served in the Ottoman army along with some other Christians. In March of 1437, he was stationed in Adrianople, in Thrace. One day, when he took his bow to be repaired, he overheard some Muslim soldiers mocking Christ. George became angry and declared, “Only One is holy, One is Lord, only One is worshiped - Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. ” He also said some rather unflattering things about their beliefs. Of course, this enraged the Muslims, who attacked George and punched him in the face. The saint did not keep quiet, but repeated his previous statement in an even louder voice. He was seized by the Muslims, who tied a bow string around his neck. His hands were bound and then he was brought before the ruler. When the ruler asked if he had said the things which his accusers had reported to him, George admitted that this was true, and then he said similar things to the ruler. After receiving a beating, George was sent to another official. Once again, he was asked the same questions and he gave the same responses. The crowd became angry and demanded that George be punished. The martyr became somewhat apprehensive, but replied, “What good would it do to deny the truth? Yes, I did say all the things you heard. ” One of the officials ordered him to take back what he said, and to become a Muslim, promising him honors and many gifts if he did. Courageously, George reiterated his faith in Christ and refused to convert. The crowd began to call for his death, but the ruler said that he would decide what to do with him. As George was led to the prison, he was beaten and spat upon, but he remained calm. When he arrived at the prison he was mocked and tortured, but he bore these things with great patience. (Cont.) (at Sofia, Bulgaria) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqOiLUGjf4r/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we celebrate the Synaxis of the Holy Archangel Gabriel. The Archangel Gabriel was chosen by the Lord to announce to the Virgin Mary about the Incarnation of the Son of God from Her, to the great rejoicing of all mankind. Therefore, on the day after the Feast of the Annunciation, the day on which the All-Pure Virgin is glorified, we give thanks to the Lord and we venerate His messenger Gabriel, who contributed to the mystery of our salvation. Gabriel, the holy Leader of the Heavenly Hosts, is a faithful servant of the Almighty God. He announced the future Incarnation of the Son of God to those of the Old Testament; he inspired the Prophet Moses to write the Pentateuch (first five books of the Old Testament), he announced the coming tribulations of the Chosen People to the Prophet Daniel (Dan. 8:16, 9:21-24); he appeared to Saint Anna with the news that she would give birth to the Virgin Mary. The holy Archangel Gabriel remained with the Holy Virgin Mary when She was a child in the Temple of Jerusalem, and watched over Her throughout Her earthly life. He appeared to the Priest Zachariah, foretelling the birth of the Forerunner of the Lord, Saint John the Baptist. The Lord sent him to Saint Joseph the Betrothed in a dream, to reveal to him the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God from the All-Pure Virgin Mary, and warned him of the wicked intentions of Herod, ordering him to flee into Egypt with the divine Infant and His Mother. When the Lord prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before His Passion, the Archangel Gabriel, whose very name signifies “Man of God” (Luke. 22:43), was sent from Heaven to strengthen Him. The Myrrh-Bearing Women heard from the Archangel the joyous news of Christ’s Resurrection (Mt.28:1-7, Mark 16:1-8). Mindful of the manifold appearances of the holy Archangel Gabriel and of his zealous fulfilling of God’s will, and confessing his intercession for Christians before the Lord, the Orthodox Church calls upon its children to pray to the great Archangel with faith and love. May he intercede for us always + Source: https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2021/03/26/100886-synaxis-of-the-archangel-gabriel https://www.instagram.com/p/CqOiJDIjEfh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today, on the fourth Sunday of Lent we celebrate the Venerable John, Abbot of Sinai and author of the Ladder of Divine Ascent (or the Climacus). This indispensable book stands as a witness to the great effort needed for entrance into God’s Kingdom (Mt.10: 12). The spiritual struggle of the Christian life is a real one, “not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers of the present darkness the hosts of wickedness in heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). Saint John encourages the faithful in their efforts for, according to the Lord, only “he who endures to the end will be saved” (Mt.24:13). The troparion of Saint John is chanted by St. Kassiani Antiochian Archdiocese Choir of Australia. May he intercede for us always + #saint #john #ladder #ladderofdivineascent #johnclimacus #climacus #book #lent #greatlent #kingdomofheaven #God #easter #pascha #journeytotheresurrection #resurrection #sinai #abbot #egypt #orthodox (at Sinai, Egypt) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqOiHccjGm9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we celebrate the Holy New Martyr Luke of Mytilene. Saint Luke was born in Adrianople. At six years of age he lost his father, and his mother, unable to handle the difficulties in raising the small Luke, entrusted him to a merchant from Zagora of Peliou, who traveled with him to Russia and Constantinople. Thus Luke was able to visit far awat lands. At a young age, he fought with a Turkish boy, and because of this he was seized by the Turks and forced him to become a muslim. He fled from the house of the Turk where he was staying, and met with his adopted father, who sent him to Smyrna. There near a spiritual father he confessed his passion and with tears in his eyes, he was told to go to the Holy Mountain to flee from further dangers. In the Garden of the Panagia, he met righteous elders, such as Fr. Ananias of St. Anna and Elder Bessarion, who strengthened him in faith and love towards Christ, His desire to cleanse the weight of his sin of denying Christ, caused him to seek a way to leave the Holy Mountain [with the blessing and spiritual preparation of his spiritual father for martyrdom], which occurred when a friend of Elder Bessarion was preparing to leave Mount Athos and head to Tenedo and Mytilene. In Pamphila where the righteous Luke arrived, he came to know the priests at the church of St. Barbara, Frs. Gregory and Parthenios. After fervent supplications and meditation on the martyrdom of St. Theodore, who had been martyred seven years before in Mytilene, St. Luke appeared before Nazer the Aga of Mytilene, and with bravery of soul sought to bear witness as a Christian. He was imprisoned and martyred by hanging on March 23rd 1802. May he intercede for us always + Source: http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2010/03/st-luke-new-righteous-martyr-of.html?m=1 (at Mitilini, Lesbos Greece) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqGzGdUjly7/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we celebrate the Holy Martyr Drosis. Saint Drosis was daughter of the emperor Trajan, a fierce persecutor of Christians. In the year 104 he issued a special law against Christians. Beginning in that year, the persecutions continued until the end of his reign. During this time the bodies of martyred Christians often remained unburied in order to intimidate others. Five Christian virgins: Aglaida, Apolliniaria, Daria, Mamthusa and Thais, took upon themselves the task of burying such Christians. They secretly gathered up the bodies of martyrs, anointed them with spices, wrapped them in shrouds and buried them. When she learned of this, Drosis, a secret Christian but not yet baptized, asked the holy virgins to take her with them when they went to bury Christians. On the advice of the court dignitary Adrian, a guard was set over those who had been killed, to arrest anyone who tried to bury them. On the very first night, Saint Drosis and the five virgins were caught. Learning that one of the captives was his own daughter, Trajan gave orders to hold her separately, in the hope that she would change her mind. The remaining holy virgins were sentenced to burning in a furnace for melting copper. They bravely accepted execution and were granted crowns of martyrdom. The copper, mingled with the ashes of the martyrs, was used to make tripods for a new bath of Trajan. But as long as these tripods stood in the bath-house, no man was able to enter it. Anyone crossing the threshold fell down dead. When the pagan priests realized why this happened, they advised that the tripods be removed. Adrian told the emperor to melt the tripods and to make five statues of naked virgins, in the likeness of the Martyrs. Then he said that these statues should be placed before the entrance to the imperial bath. Trajan agreed. When the statues were set up, the emperor saw in a dream five pure lambs pastured in Paradise, and the Shepherd who said to him, “O most wanton and wicked Caesar! Those whose images you placed there to be mocked have been taken away from you and brought here by the Good and Merciful Pastor. In time your daughter, the pure lamb Drosis, shall also be here.” (Cont.) (at Antioch, Turkey) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqEAmX1r86X/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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Today we celebrate our Venerable Father Seraphim of Vyritsa. Saint Seraphim is most well known known for a letter that he sent to his spiritual child, a bishop who was in a Soviet prison at that time; this homily "This was from me" is written as a consolation and counsel to the bishop to let him know that God the Creator addresses to the soul of man. Seraphim was born Basil Mouraviov in 1866; he married and had three children. Before agreeing with his wife to separate and enter into the monastic life, he once saw a dream where he was on a pilgrimage to visit a monastery of St. Nicholas and on the way there he lost his way and ventured into a forest. In the forest, an old man asked him for directions to that same monastery; the old man had a satchel on his back and an axe in his hand. He realised that this man was St. Seraphim of Sarov. At the age of 54, in 1920, he and his wife quietly separated and entered the monastic life. He entered the Lavra of St. Alexander Nevsky, taking on the name of "Barnabas." He was renamed "Seraphim" in 1927, in honour of St. Seraphim of Sarov, when he entered the Great Habit. He eventually became the spiritual father of the St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg, where, as a clairvoyant staretz, he also confessed thousands of laity. He said, "I am the storage room where people's afflictions gather." In imitation of his patron saint, he prayed for a thousand nights on a rock before an icon of St. Seraphim of Sarov. He reposed in the Lord in 1949. Source: https://orthodoxwiki.org/Seraphim_of_Vyritsa (at Vyritsa, Leningradskaya Oblast', Russia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqBonn0rz2o/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=