Saints Anargyroi: Cosmas and Damianos
Feast Day: July 1st
Born in the 3rd century in Rome, Cosmas and Damianos of Rome were brothers who sharing both a familial bond and similar talents, pursued the study of medical science. What truly united them however was their deep Christian faith, which inspired them to view the practice of medicine not as a profession for personal gain, but as a ministry rooted in love and service to those in need, heeding Christ’s call to care for the "weary and burdened" (Matthew 11:28).
Known not only for healing human ailments, but also for tending to sick animals (as noted in the Synaxarion for July 1), what set them apart was their refusal to accept payment. Instead, they asked only for a confession of faith in Christ from those they helped. For this reason, they are called "Anargyroi", meaning “the Unmercenaries”—physicians who offered their services freely out of love for God and neighbor.
Saints Cosmas and Damianos showed special care for the poor, often declining gifts from the wealthy and redirecting any offerings toward those who were sick and destitute. If a wealthy person insisted on giving them a reward, they would reply, “Give it to such-and-such a poor person, who is in need of medicine and good food.” God blessed their selflessness and faith with the gift of miracle-working. When medicine alone could not heal, divine grace worked through them. This, however, stirred jealousy—especially from their former teacher, a pagan, who became envious of both their skills and growing reputation. According to the Synaxarion, under the pretense of gathering medicinal herbs, he lured them to a mountain and killed them by stoning. Some sources add that Saints Cosmas and Damianos were later accused before the Emperor Carinus of practicing magic. However, when the emperor threatened them with harsh punishment, a miracle occurred: his face suddenly turned backwards. When the Saints healed him, he believed in Christ and released them with honor. Still, historian Michail Galanos in Lives of the Saints expresses doubt about this version, noting that Emperor Carinus—known for his cruelty and madness—was eventually killed by his own soldiers and died without repenting.
The liturgical service (hymnography) in honor of Saints Cosmas and Damianos was composed by the hymnographer Joseph. In iconography, the two brothers are often depicted holding medical instruments, symbolizing both their earthly vocation and their heavenly calling as unmercenary healers.
Taxiarchis
Feast Day: November 8th
On November 8, our Holy Church celebrates the Synaxis of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, together with all the angelic orders. The angels are incorporeal and immaterial beings who ceaselessly praise God. They surround His heavenly throne in reverent awe, covering their faces with their wings, as they are unable to gaze upon His divine glory directly.
This feast holds deep spiritual significance for the faithful. As we proclaim in the Creed, God—the Creator of all—made both the visible and invisible worlds. He formed the angelic hosts as part of the invisible creation. According to the Church’s tradition, there are ten orders of angels. Nine of these are named: Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominions, Virtues, Powers, Principalities, Archangels, and Angels. The leader of the tenth order, Lucifer, in his pride and arrogance, sought to place his throne above the heavens and become like the Most High. Because of this, he was cast out of heaven like lightning and fell into the depths, becoming Satan—the adversary of humanity’s salvation.
In response, God appointed the Archangel Michael as the leader of the heavenly hosts, recognizing his unwavering loyalty and guardianship of the human race. When Lucifer fell, Michael rallied the remaining angels with the cry, “Proschómen!” meaning, “Let us be attentive,” urging them not to fall into pride and darkness as Satan had. Those who remained steadfast in humility and obedience to God have since dwelt in unchanging light, united in reverence and devotion to their Creator.
For his fidelity and leadership, Michael holds the highest position among the Archangels. His presence is prominent throughout both the Old and New Testaments, and he continues to offer protection and divine aid to the faithful, as is evident in the life of the Church.
In Orthodox iconography, Archangel Michael is typically portrayed as a mighty defender of humanity against the devil. He is often shown wearing military armor, holding a sword, ready for battle. In church iconostases, he is customarily depicted on the left side of the Holy Altar, while Archangel Gabriel stands on the right. Together, they serve as the tireless guardians of the sacred space and of the whole world, protecting it from the assaults of the evil one.
One hymn of the feast beautifully proclaims:
“Where your grace overshadows, O Archangel, the power of the devil is cast out. For Lucifer, who dwells in darkness, cannot abide near your light. Therefore, O Michael the Archangel, extinguish the fiery arrows he hurls against us.”
In icons, Michael stands imposingly, often facing directly toward the viewer, signifying his vigilance and readiness. His broad shoulders and wings symbolize his immense spiritual power. He wears a red tunic with a dark himation, and his right arm is adorned with a ribbon—a symbol of his divine service. In his right hand he often holds a staff, signifying both his authority and his mission as a messenger of God's will. This staff also serves as a spiritual weapon against evil. In his left hand, Michael frequently holds a globe symbolizing the world, marked with the Greek letters Χ (Christos), Δ (Dikaios), and Κ (Kritis), meaning "Christ, the Righteous Judge." His flowing hair is bound with a ribbon, the ends fluttering to indicate movement—because, as Scripture says, the holy angels are “ministering spirits, sent to serve those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14). The ribbon also symbolizes purity and chastity, a kind of crown of divine glory. According to Saint Symeon of Thessaloniki, the binding of the angels’ hair represents their unwavering focus on heavenly things, as their minds remain fixed on God, the Lord of Hosts and Creator of all.
Saint Gerasimos
Feast Days: August 16th & October 20th
Saint Gerasimos was born in 1509 in Ano Trikala of Corinth, to pious and wealthy parents, Demetrios and Kali, descendants of the noble Notarades family. Gifted with a righteous nature, he received an exceptional education. Although he had every opportunity for worldly success—wealth, power, and prestige—he rejected all earthly glory. He also declined his parents’ wishes for him to marry, choosing instead the path of monasticism.
At the age of 20, Gerasimos left his home and traveled to Zakynthos to further his education. He later visited Constantinople, Chalcedon, and the monasteries around the Propontis. These pilgrimages deepened his spiritual yearning, and he eventually made his way to Mount Athos, where he was tonsured a monk and received the monastic name Gerasimos.
In 1538, after a demanding journey, Saint Gerasimos arrived in Jerusalem. There, he served at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and was ordained a priest by Patriarch Germanos I, who became his close spiritual mentor. The Patriarch encouraged him to withdraw to the monasteries near the Jordan River to engage in deeper ascetic practices.
After twelve years in the Holy Land, Saint Gerasimos received the Patriarch’s blessing to depart for Crete, where he likely remained for one to two years. He then returned to Zakynthos and found a remote, uninhabited location for solitude and asceticism. His holiness and spiritual wisdom soon drew crowds, though his desire for solitude led him to seek a quieter place to continue his monastic struggle.
Seeking greater seclusion, Saint Gerasimos traveled to Kefalonia. He first settled in a cave southwest of Argostoli—now revered as “the Cave of the Saint.” There he lived in strict asceticism, fasting and prayer, confronting demonic temptations through the grace of Christ. Despite his desire for quietude, God called him to minister to the Orthodox faithful of the island, who were facing pressure from Western influences.
After six years, he relocated to a more remote area called Omala.
In Omala, he was granted the Hermitage of the Theotokos by the priest George Balsamos, who gave him full permission to restore and revive the monastery “for the glory of God.” A document dated 1561 records this gift. Saint Gerasimos rebuilt the monastery from its foundations. With the blessing of Bishop Pachomios Makris of Kefallinia, he obtained a patriarchal charter designating it as a stavropegion (directly under the Patriarchate). He constructed cells, enclosed the monastery, and established a strict spiritual life for the nuns who came to follow him. He taught day and night, preaching “the spiritual gospel of citizenship,” and through prayer and asceticism, attained the spiritual heights of beholding God with the “eye of the soul.”
Nineteen years after arriving in Omala, Saint Gerasimos, now in his seventieth year, received divine revelation that his departure from this life was near. With humility and gratitude, he gave thanks to the Lord. Then, with fatherly love, he called his spiritual daughters to him and gently revealed the news. He urged them not to grieve but to rejoice, promising to intercede for them more effectively from heaven. He reminded them of their vows to Christ, encouraged detachment from worldly cares, and called them to love, humility, and unity. He exhorted them to attribute all good to God’s grace, for sins are of man, but virtue is a gift from the Lord. Having offered his final blessings, Saint Gerasimos peacefully surrendered his soul to the Creator he had loved and served faithfully since his youth. Of the more than seventy years he spent on earth, nineteen were lived at the Monastery of New Jerusalem, which he built and entrusted to his spiritual daughters. He fell asleep in the Lord on August 15, 1579, but because this is the feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, his memory is honored on August 16.
In 1581, two years after his repose, the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s exarch oversaw the exhumation of Saint Gerasimos’ body, which—miraculously—was found incorrupt. However, due to criticism from skeptics, his relics were reburied. Eight months later, they were uncovered again, and once more, they were found whole, fragrant, and imbued with divine grace. This wondrous event is commemorated on October 20, the feast of the Translation of the Holy Relics of Saint Gerasimos.
From the time of his earthly ministry to this day, Saint Gerasimos continues to work miracles for those who approach him with faith and reverence. The holiness he acquired through deep asceticism and selfless love could not remain hidden. The grace of God, which filled his life, remains active through his intercessions, bringing healing and comfort to the faithful.
