In modern times, the name Victoria, which means “victory” in Latin, has become widespread. Sometimes in notes submitted about health, the name Victoria given at baptism is replaced by Nika, which has the same meaning, but in the Greek version. Many Orthodox believers doubt whether such a name exists in the calendar and whether the icon “St. Victoria” is revered in Orthodoxy. If you named your daughter Victoria, rest assured that she has her own heavenly patroness, moreover, there are even several such saints.

Holy Martyr Victoria of Nicomedia

Almost nothing is known about this saint, like many others. It is assumed that her martyrdom dates back to the most severe persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire, which occurred during the reigns of the emperors Decius and Diocletian.

The icon “Victoria of Nicomedia” is revered by both the Catholic and Orthodox churches.

The times of the Roman emperor Diocletian, a fierce persecutor of Christians, remained a bloody page in the history of the first centuries of Christianity. She performed the feat of faith together with her brother Atsisklos, who was also canonized. The brother and sister lived peacefully and righteously in Corduba (modern Cordoba, Spain). After another imperial decree on tightening the persecution of Christians, they were taken to the official Dion so that they could testify to their renunciation of the true faith.

A place for mass torture was set up in the city’s amphitheater, but Victoria and Acisklus remained adamant. After brutal torture, the brother’s head was cut off, and Victoria was shot with a bow. After canonization, they began to be considered the main heavenly patrons of Cordoba. And they are revered not only in Spain, but also in southern regions France, and the icon “Victoria of Corduba” is found in many churches.

About the life of Saint Victoria of Culuz, who received this nickname after her hometown Kuluse, little more is known. She lived at the end of the 5th century in the kingdom of the Vandals, which was located in northern Africa, its capital was Carthage. The Vandals, whom the Goths converted to Arianism, persecuted those who professed the true Faith of Christ with the same cruelty as the Roman pagans. All of them were forced by painful torture to renounce their faith, and when their indomitable spirit could not be broken, they were executed, sent to hard labor in the mines, and expelled to the desert, where they died of hunger and thirst.

Victoria of Culuz is also listed in the Carthaginian Martyrology, whose icon is venerated along with images of other holy martyrs. Being a wife and mother, even during torture she refused to renounce her faith in the true Christ, no matter how hard her husband tried to persuade her. The executioners abandoned her, deciding that they had tortured her to death, but after some time she woke up and was healed of her wounds by the will of the Lord. Sometimes in the martyrology she is remembered by the Greek version of her name - Nika Kuluzskaya.

The names Victor and Victoria are paired, and if we talk about holy martyrs with that name, then we cannot help but remember the holy martyr Victor of Damascus. He was a Roman soldier in the 2nd century, that is, during the earliest period of the spread of Christianity. Victor not only did not hide his faith, but also preached it to others. When the next persecution of Christians began, Victor was summoned by the military leader Sebastian, under whom he served, and demanded that he make sacrifices to the pagan gods. Victor, knowing that severe torment awaited him, refused and declared that he would gladly accept suffering in the name of Christ.

They began to torture him, broke his fingers, twisted them out of their joints, and then threw them into the oven. However, three days later, when the oven was opened, Victor, by the will of God, came out of it alive and unharmed. Then they fed him twice with poisoned meat, but even here the martyr was saved by the care of the Lord. By order of Sebastian, Victor's eyes were gouged out and hung upside down on a tree, but three days later he was still alive. Then they cut off his head with a sword, but before that he managed to predict the death of his tormentors in 12 days, and the capture of the military commander Sebastian by enemies in 24 days. This is exactly how it all happened, and this prompted many pagans to accept the faith of Christ.

For Christians, Saint Victor is revered along with other passion-bearers for his faith and has become an example of unbending courage.

What do they pray for, what do these icons help with?

The holy martyrs are our heavenly patrons, and prayer in front of their icons is like conveying our requests to the Lord himself. Most often people turn to them to strengthen their fortitude and help in difficult situations. life situations. Victor and all the holy martyrs of Victoria especially patronize those who bear these names, and the icon “Victoria” will become the guardian of the girl or woman bearing this name.

Prayer of St. Martyr Victoria

Pray to God for me, holy servant of God Victoria, as I diligently resort to you, an ambulance and prayer book for my soul.

Prayer of St. Martyr Victor of Damascus

O holy servant of God, glorious martyr Victor! Having fought a good fight on earth, you have received in heaven the crown of righteousness, which the Lord has prepared for all who love Him. In the same way, looking at your holy image, we rejoice at the glorious end of your life and honor your holy memory. You, standing before the throne of God, accept our prayers and bring them to the All-Merciful God, to forgive us every sin and help us against the wiles of the devil, so that, having been delivered from sorrows, illnesses, troubles, misfortunes, and all evil, we will live piously and righteously in now and through your intercession, even though we are unworthy, we will be worthy to see good on the land of the living, glorifying the one in His saints, glorifying God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. Amen.

These are individuals whom the church and believers especially honor for their steadfastness in faith, selflessness, desire to overcome sinfulness, ability to perform miracles, etc. It is believed that such people have achieved a “direct” union with God.

Saints are not worshiped (only God is worshiped), but they are asked to intercede for something before him. Saints are depicted with a shining circle around their heads - a symbol external sign holiness.

How many saints are there in Orthodoxy?

There is no exact figure here. According to Christians, God brings a person closer to himself and he becomes a saint, but people may never know about this. Among them are unknown martyrs for the faith who died in the arenas of Roman circuses, in Soviet prisons and camps.

- there were now forgotten Orthodox saints who were once revered in the East;

- in addition to the “general Orthodox”, there are numerous saints who are honored in different local churches;

- many Western saints who were canonized before the division of Christianity into and; however, there is no verified list of them.

Do the thousands of saints whose names are unknown still be venerated in any way in the church?

For this, the Orthodox have a special holiday - “All Saints Week”. Its name retains old name the seventh day of the week - Sunday.

This holiday is celebrated seven days after. In the Catholic calendar, this day is tied to a clear date - November 1st.

Who became the first Russian saint?

There were two of them - the prince brothers Boris and Gleb (these were their names at birth, after baptism they became Roman and David). Their father was Kyiv prince Vladimir the Baptist. According to the widespread version, Boris and Gleb died at the hands of assassins sent by their brother Svyatopolk. Christians see their feat in the renunciation of armed resistance and humility in the face of the threat of death.

And before the death of the brothers, saints lived in Rus', but the church canonized them later than Boris and Gleb. These were the baptized Varangian warrior Theodore and his son John, killed by a crowd of warriors under Prince Vladimir, when he was still a pagan.


Later, Vladimir himself was ranked among the saints - as the baptizer of Rus', as well as Princess Olga, who became a Christian even before Rus' was baptized.

Are saints always virtuous?

Saints are earthly people whose lives were not always blameless. The Church canonized one of the two villains crucified next to Christ: the criminal repented before his death and accepted Jesus.

In his youth, the Apostle Paul took part in the cruel persecution of Christians. In our minds, life was originally immoral. Mary Equal to the Apostles Egyptian. The famous Optina Pustyn monastery in the Kaluga region was founded by a repentant robber named Opt, who became a monk Macarius.

In general, the saints were deprived of ordinary human passions, but they learned to control, direct them, and follow higher spiritual needs.

Under what conditions can a person be declared a saint?

In the Russian Church, three conditions are accepted for this: his pious life, veneration by the people and miracles performed thanks to his remains or by invoking his name. The third condition is considered the most important; it is, as it were, an indication from God himself that this person is united with him. In addition, at least several decades must have passed since the death of the righteous.


The general procedure (it is called canonization) is as follows. A commission is created that collects and evaluates evidence of piety, veneration and miracles. If there is a lot of evidence and they are considered reliable, the highest church body, the Council, makes a decision on canonization.

Of course, it is not she who makes a person a saint - the decision only means official recognition of his feat and permission to honor him, along with other saints, to turn to him with prayers.

The history of the Russian holy martyrs who shed their blood for Christ begins in apostolic times - in those times when our ancestors were baptized with a sermon about salvation. The first Russian holy martyrs are, whose memory is celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church on January 20 / February 2.

As St. Demetrius of Rostov, who compiled the famous Chetyi-Menaia, narrates, on the Kyiv hills Apostle Andrew, addressing his disciples, said: “Believe me that the grace of God will shine on these mountains; a great city will be here, and the Lord will erect many churches there and enlighten the whole Russian land» .

The first Russian holy martyrs Inna, Pinna and Rimma (1st century) were disciples of the holy Apostle Andrew. They were originally from the northern land of Great Scythia, that is, they are Ilmen Slavs-Russ.

In the book of Archbishop Sergius (Spassky) “The Complete Monthly Book of the East”, Scythia Minor is mistakenly named as their homeland. “The Roman and early Byzantine province of Scythia Minor (the region of modern Dobrudja, Romania) appeared only at the end of the 3rd - beginning of the 4th century AD under the emperor Diocletian,” therefore it is impossible to simultaneously be students of the Apostle Andrew and residents of Scythia Minor, which Archbishop Sergius did not pay attention to.

Inna, Pinna, Rimma were baptized by the Apostle Andrew, ordained priests and sent to strengthen faith and establish piety among the Greeks and foreigners living in the Bosphorus kingdom. On the way to Tavria they preached everywhere Christian faith and baptized the people.

By order of the pagan prince of Chersonesos, they were captured and given a terrible execution for preaching Christians. In the Western church hagiographical tradition, evidence of their martyrdom has been preserved in the “Asta Sanctorum” of James of Voragines:

Thus, the saints gave up their righteous souls to God, preserving the pledge of faith and love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, glorifying Him with their martyrdom. Christians secretly buried the bodies of God's saints. When a favorable time for Christians arrived in the city, Bishop Gedtsa, who ruled the local diocese, found the holy relics and placed them in the reliquary of the city’s cathedral church. Seven years later, the martyrs appeared to the bishop and ordered him to transfer their holy relics to a “dry harbor” - a place called Alix (now this place is called Alushta).

“The original text of the manuscript of the Martyrdom (probably the second half of the 4th century) has not survived; a manuscript of the 11th century (Paris. Gr. 1488) contains a brief extract from it (epithome); legends are also known in the Byzantine verse synaxarions of the late X - XIII centuries (see, for example: SynCP. Col. 407; Paris. Gr. 1617; Ambros. B. 104)<…>The title of the epitome states that Inna, Pinna, and Rimma suffered in Gothia (in the Minology of Emperor Basil II (late 10th - early 11th centuries), the archaic name is used - Scythia.<…>Prof. HER. Golubinsky suggested that Inna, Pinna and Rimma suffered in the Crimea, and their relics were transferred to the port of Alisk or Alix, which was located on the site of modern Alushta.”

It can be assumed that the holy martyrs Inna, Pinna, Rimma had the rank of bishops, since the kontakion (hymn) dedicated to them says: “... Christian intercessors, evangelists of the Kingdom of God,” and such a comparison is applicable only to bishops. “Rejoice, saints Inna, Pinna and Rimma, passion-bearers of Christ and the first Baptists (!) and Heavenly intercessors of the Russian Land...”

In the “Complete Monthly Book of the East,” Archbishop Sergius (Spassky) cites information from the Serbian prologue of the 13th century, where in the teaching for the day of remembrance of the holy Russian martyrs, their names are given in the Serbian vowel: Enen, Nirin and Pen.

Among the Russian saints of the 1st century, V.N. Tatishchev names the unjustifiably forgotten prince martyr Oskold (Askold) and Gleb (Uleb), brother of Svyatoslav. He wrote: “He (Oskold) can be revered as the first martyr in Rus', like Uleb (Gleb), the brother of Svyatoslav, who are forgotten from ignorance of history and are not included in the calendar.”

Among the first Russian saints, the holy martyrs of Chersonesos are also known: bishops Basil, Ephraim, Eugene, Agathador, Elpidius, Epherius, Kapito, the holy martyr Emilian, the holy great martyr Nikita Stratelates of Scyphogoth († 305), the holy martyr Florian Stratilates († 300).

This is only a small part famous first Russian saints glorified by the Ecumenical Orthodox Church. And how much information has been lost about other Slavic-Russian saints! The chronicles, which contained so much valuable information about the lives of our distant ancestors, perished in the fire of invasions of foreigners: the Goths, Huns, Khazars and others.

The archives of Simferopol preserved a document entitled “To all priests of the Simferopol and Crimean diocese”: “I ask you, all-honorable fathers, to remember the holy martyrs Inna, Pinna, Rimma at the liberation liturgy, vespers and matins, for they should be considered Crimean saints. These are very ancient martyrs.” This document was signed on October 30, 1950 with the Archbishop of Simferopol and Crimea. Now, near the Alushta temple in the name of All Crimean Saints, a chapel of the holy martyrs Inna, Pinna, Rimma has been erected, where a rare icon with their holy images is placed on the wall.

Unfortunately, in liturgical practice the memory of the holy martyrs Inna, Pinna and Rimma is not expressed in a special service, therefore among church people the day of their memory is completely and unjustifiably forgotten. The glorification of the memory of the first Russian saints should become a stable liturgical tradition for our holy Church and should be elevated to the type of statutory service, at least to the polyeleos service.

Glorifying the first national saints and praying to them is our duty and honor. The holy martyrs Inna, Pinna and Rimma are the first sacred gift, the first fruit of the faith of our distant ancestors, which they brought as a sign of their faith and love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, opening with their first martyrdom the beginning of the collection of a precious spiritual treasury - the great host of all saints who shone in the Russian land.

The Most Holy Theotokos herself is considered the intercessor and patroness of Russia. It is not surprising, therefore, that among the nearly 300 Russian Orthodox saints there are women. And the first person to convert to Christianity in Rus' was Princess Olga.

1. Euphrosyne of Polotsk

In the world, Euphrosyne of Polotsk was called Predslava. She was the daughter of the Vitebsk prince Svyatoslav Vseslavich.
Predslava with early years showed interest in spiritual life, as soon as the girl turned 12 years old, she abandoned dynastic marriage and on February 15, 1116, she took secret tonsure in the Polotsk monastery.
A few years later, Euphrosyne began rewriting books, which was a very labor-intensive and lengthy process. Usually it was men who received such obedience, but Euphrosyne was firm in her faith.
The Venerable Euphrosyne is credited with acquiring the icon of the Mother of God of Ephesus from the Polotsk St. Sophia Cathedral. Euphrosyne also ordered a reliquary cross from the master Lazar Bogshe, which began to be called after her. Euphrosyne of Polotsk died during a pilgrimage in Jerusalem, May 23, 1167. They began to venerate her in Polotsk soon after her death, but Euphrosyne was canonized only in 1893.
Euphrosyne of Polotsk was a prominent church figure of her time. She initiated the construction of the Spassky Convent for women, took part in political life principality and became a kind of banner of the Polovtsian struggle for their independence.
It is interesting that in the life of St. Euphrosyne there is no story about posthumous miracles.

2. Princess Olga

Princess Olga is the only Russian woman who has been canonized as an Equal-to-the-Apostles saint. Olga was the first in Rus' to convert to Christianity, even before Baptism.
Very little is known about Olga’s youth; the most accurate information about her appears in the chronicles of 945, when her husband Igor died. At the same time, Nestor describes in the chronicles Olga’s revenge on the Drevlyans, who were guilty of the death of the prince.
Since 947, Olga begins to rule herself. It establishes a system of graveyards, opens several land routes, and sets the size of the polyudye. It was Olga who laid the foundation for stone construction in Rus'.
In 955, Olga was baptized in Constantinople under the name Helen. The princess tried to introduce her son Svyatoslav to Christianity, but he remained a pagan until the end of his life.
Saint Olga was recognized already during the reign of Yaropolk, her grandson, and in 1547 Princess Olga was canonized as an Equal-to-the-Apostles saint.

3. Matrona of Moscow

Matrona of Moscow is one of the most popular Russian saints. She was canonized relatively recently - in 1999.
Matrona was born blind. The parents wanted to leave the child in the orphanage, but the girl’s mother had a prophetic dream about a blind dove, and they left Matrona. Already at the age of 8, the girl was a deeply religious person, she had the gift of predicting the future and healing the sick. By the age of 18, Matrona of Moscow lost her legs.
Matrona lived most of her life with her fellow villager Evdokia Mikhailovna Zhdanova and her daughter Zinaida, and hosted the suffering and sick. Matrona of Moscow died in 1952.
In 1999, Matrona was canonized as a locally revered saint, but people from all over Russia come to venerate her.

4. Ksenia Petersburgskaya

Ksenia Petersburgskaya chose the path of foolishness at the age of 26. Many legends and memories of the prophetic gift of the saint have been preserved.
Ksenia was born in the first half of the 18th century. Having reached adulthood, Ksenia married the court singer Andrei Fedorovich Petrov. The young couple lived in St. Petersburg. Andrei Fedorovich did not die when Ksenia was 26 years old.
The young widow took the path of foolishness, began to respond only to her husband’s name, distributed all their property to the poor, and gave the house to one of her friends, on the condition that she would let the poor spend the night.
The exact date of death of Ksenia of Petersburg is unknown. In 1988 Russian Orthodox Church ranked her among the holy fools.

5. Fevronia

The life of the saint became widely known after the publication of “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia,” which rather resembled fairy tale than a historical document. Fevronia was the daughter of a beekeeper. One day, Prince Peter turned to her for help, who promised to make her his bride if she healed him of his wounds. The girl cured Peter, but he did not keep his promise, and the disease returned. Then Peter took Fevronia as his wife. The boyars did not accept the prince's common wife. Peter took his wife and left the city, where unrest almost immediately broke out, and the prince was asked to return.
Peter and Fevronia ruled for many years, and in their old age they took monastic vows in different monasteries. They prayed to die on the same day and bequeathed to be buried together. When Peter and Fevronia’s request was not fulfilled, they miraculously ended up in the same coffin. The couple were buried in 1228, and in 1547 they were canonized. Peter and Fevronia are considered the patrons of the family.

6. Anna Kashinskaya
Anna (in her monastic vows - Sofia) was born in the 13th century into the family of the Rostov prince Dmitry Borisovich. In 1299, she married Prince Mikhail Yaroslavich of Tver, and 20 years later he was killed in the Horde. Years later, her sons and grandson were executed in the Horde.
The year of Anna's tonsure is unknown, but in 1358 she is mentioned as the 80-year-old abbess of the Tver Convent in the name of St. Afanasia. Just before her death, Anna accepted the schema.
The veneration of Anna Kashinskaya began in 1611, when her remains were discovered in the Kashin church in the name of Holy Mother of God. In 1650, she was canonized, but already in 1677, as part of the fight against double-fingered baptism, decanonization was carried out, and the life of St. Anne was anathematized. Only in 1909 did Emperor Nicholas II give permission for re-canonization.

7. Juliania Lazarevskaya

The real name of Juliania Lazarevskaya is Ulyana Ustinovna Osoryina. She was born in 1530 into a family of nobles, the Nedyurevs. Since childhood, the girl was very pious and diligent. At the age of 16, she married Yuri Osorin, and with him she gave birth to 13 children. After the death of two sons in the royal service, Ulyana began to beg her husband to let her go to the monastery. He agreed on the condition that before that she would raise the remaining children.
When famine broke out during the reign of Boris Godunov, Juliania sold all her property to feed the poor.
Juliania died in 1604 and was buried in Murom. In 1614, when a grave was being dug nearby, the relics of Juliana, which exuded myrrh, were discovered. Several people were then healed. In the same 1614, Juliania Lazarevskaya was canonized as a righteous woman.

8. Holy Princess Elizaveta Feodorovna

Elizaveta Fedorovna was older sister Alexandra Feodorovna, the last Russian empress. In 1884, Elizaveta Feodorovna married Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, brother of the emperor Alexandra III.
Throughout her life, Elizaveta Fedorovna was involved in charity work. She organized the Elizabethan Benevolent Society, and during the war she worked medical care to the warriors. In 1905, her husband died as a result of an assassination attempt.
Having been widowed, Elizaveta Feodorovna founded the Martha and Mary Convent of Mercy, which was engaged in medical and charitable work. Since 1909, the princess devoted her entire life to work at the monastery.
Elizaveta Feodorovna was killed and thrown into a mine in 1918 in the city of Alapaevsk along with other members of the Romanov family. There is evidence that Elizabeth died later than the others, since chants could be heard from the mine for some time.
In 1992, Elizaveta Feodorovna was canonized and included in the Council of New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia.

9. Varvara Skvorchikhinskaya

Blessed Barbara was born into the family of a priest. Having trained as a home teacher, the girl began teaching. She was a devout believer and often brought a priest to classes, but when atheism began to be preached in schools, Varvara stopped working and chose the path of a recluse for herself.
She lived for more than 35 years in an old barn, constantly praying and fasting. All these years, Varvara did not attend church, but received priests and believers.
Varvara died in 1966, and in 2001, Patriarch Alexy II gave his blessing to glorify the ascetic among the locally revered saints of the Ufa diocese.

10. Evdokia Dmitrievna

Evdokia Dmitrievna is also known as the Venerable Evdokia of Moscow; during her lifetime she became famous for her charitable activities. At the age of 15 she was married to the Moscow prince Dmitry Donskoy. She spent 22 years with him happy marriage, and after the death of her husband she ruled for some time, being the guardian of succession to the throne among her sons.
During her lifetime, Evdokia Dmitrievna initiated the construction of many churches and monasteries, including the Ascension Convent. Under the leadership of Evdokia Dmitrievna, the Moscow militia was assembled to protect the city from Tamerlane. In 1407, the princess retired to the Ascension Monastery, where she was tonsured with the name Euphrosyne. Euphrosyne lived in monasticism for only a few months and died in the same year. In 1988 she was canonized along with her husband.
In 2007, a church award was established - the Order and Medal of St. Euphrosyne of Moscow.

11. Euphrosyne Kolyupanovskaya

Princess Evdokia Grigorievna Vyazemskaya was Catherine II's maid of honor, but her desire to devote herself to serving God was so great that she faked her own death and secretly left the court. She wandered for more than 10 years, until in 1806 she met Metropolitan Plato, who gave her his blessing to perform the feat of foolishness. From that moment on, the former princess settled in the Serpukhov Vladychny Vvedensky Convent under the name “fool Euphrosyne.”
It is known that Euphrosyne secretly wore chains and even went barefoot in winter.
When the abbess changed in the monastery, Euphrosyne began to be oppressed, which ultimately forced the woman to leave the walls of the monastery. The last 10 years of my life former princess spent in the village of Kolyupanovo in the house of landowner Natalya Alekseevna Protopopova. Even during her lifetime, Efvrosinia Kolyupanovskaya was credited with the gift of healing and foresight. Blessed Euphrosyne reposed in 1855, but the veneration that began during her lifetime continued after her death.
In 1988, Euphrosyne Kolyupanovskaya was canonized as one of the Tula saints.

12. Juliania Vyazemskaya

The fate of Juliana Vyazemskaya bears little resemblance to the fates of other Russian saints. She was the wife of Prince Simeon Mstislavich Vyazemsky, until the Smolensk prince Yuri Svyatoslavovich tried to forcibly bring Juliana to himself “even if he wanted to live with her.” Unable to tolerate the abuse, the princess stabbed the offender, and he, in a fit of rage, killed her husband, cut off her own arms and legs, and ordered her body to be thrown into the Tvertsa River.
In the spring of 1407, the body of the martyr Juliana was found floating against the current of the Tverets River. The found body of the saint was buried at the southern doors of the Transfiguration Cathedral in the city of Torzhok, and soon after this miraculous healings began to occur at the burial site.
The exact date of the canonization of Juliana Vyazemskaya as a locally revered saint is unknown, but many historians believe that this happened in 1815, the year of the rediscovery of the saint’s relics.

C exists in Orthodox world the tradition of naming the name of a person receiving Baptism in honor of one or another saint. The tradition itself is beautiful and bright, but, alas, it often obscures the meaning of the Sacrament of Baptism.

There is a widespread superstition among the people that people are baptized supposedly so that “a person would be given a saint whose name he would bear.” The choice of the name of a saint turns out to be more important (from the point of view of the average person) than the very revival of a person’s personality in the font in the Name of the Life-Giving Trinity.

This superstition is supported by many priests, declaring that certain names are “unChristian”, and demanding that the recipient of baptism choose “another name for Christmastide”. Let us note that this tradition not only has no canonical basis, but also no hints in the Sacrament of Baptism itself, where the central thing is the rebirth of man in Christ and the rooting of the baptized in the Body of the Church, “so that he may no longer be a child of the flesh, but a child of Thy eternal Kingdoms."

Initially, the tradition of naming a name in honor of a saint arose in the Byzantine imperial palace. When the law on dynastic succession to the throne was adopted in the 12th century (and until then, any citizen of Byzantium could be “proclaimed” emperor), the dynasty of the Porphyrogeneses (“Porphyrogenitus”), in order to strengthen its dynastic power, began to give in the Baptism of the heir to the throne the name of one of emperors of Byzantium, glorified as saints. From the palace this tradition spread to the people. But this was and remains “purely tradition”, which has no (even indirect) relation to the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.

Did the martyr with the “non-Christian” name Mercury have a patron saint?

If we look at our Christmastide, we will see that there are many names that are simply “unacceptable” by our modern standards. For example, on June 6 (May 24 - according to the Julian calendar) the memory of the martyr is celebrated Mercury, suffered in 218. This was the first saint with this name.

But let's remember that given name taken from pagan mythology - that was the name of one of the “gods”. Thus, the martyr Mercury was a pagan by birth, and accepted Christ already at a conscious age. But for some reason, the Church not only did not disdain this name (there is not the slightest hint anywhere that in ancient times the names of those baptized changed), but even glorified him among the saints with such a pagan name.

The situation is exactly the same with other “non-Christian” names: Apollonius(translated from Greek “dedicated to Apollo” - one of the pagan “gods”), whose memory is July 23/10; Olympics(August 7 / July 25); Saturninus(16/3 July); Achilles And Achilles(in honor of Achilles, Achilles - Homeric hero, memory 16 / 3 July, 2 September / 20 August); Athenodorus(from Greek “gift of Athena”, pagan “goddess” - memory of March 15/2); Dionysius- in honor of the “god” Dionysus (Bacchus), whose memory is October 16/3. These are just a few of full list"non-Christian" names.

But if the Church did not disdain the name of even the pagan “god” given to a person before the Sacrament of Baptism, and did not insist on replacing this name at Baptism, then why do our modern priests demand that such names as Rosa, Albina, Alice, Edmund, be changed? Lily, Martha, Karl or Clara? What was wrong with the above names?

Usually, in response, they refer to the absence of “holy namesakes” in these names. But who was the saint heavenly patron martyrs Mercury and Apollonius? In honor of which “saint” did Dionysius the Areopagite or Olympias take their name?

Are Orthodox Christians everywhere given names in honor of saints?

Here's some help this issue gives by A.G. Kravetsky is a participant in the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church in 1917–1918: “As for the fact that some Orthodox Christians bear names that are not in church calendars and calendars, then in explaining this bewilderment it should be borne in mind that... pious custom naming names only in honor of definitely canonized saints is primarily our Russian custom. ...Although we do not have a corresponding church act or decree approving this custom, and in others Local Churches such an order is not only not observed, but is not even taken into account... Thus, among the Greeks, along with ordinary names that have analogies in Christmastide, there are also the names of Stavr, Merkul, Panagiota, etc., among the Bulgarians - Dragutin, Milyutin, Milosh and others. Even in Russia, some women, having visited Palestine, took monastic vows with the name Nazareth in honor of the city of Nazareth, and no one was embarrassed by the fact that such a name is not in any Orthodox Monthly Book.”

From all of the above, we see that there is not the slightest reason to deny a person the consecration by Holy Baptism of the name that was given to him at birth (with the possible exception of some openly atheistic ones). This should be especially emphasized, since there are people who simply go to the point of blasphemy, repeatedly accepting Baptism with a different name, although in the Symbol Orthodox Faith we clearly testify: “I confess united Baptism". The 47th rule of the Holy Apostles anathematizes the person who dared to commit such blasphemy.

How can someone who does not remember his baptismal name receive communion?

I would also like to draw attention to the inappropriateness of “renaming” a name (through reading the prayer “on the 8th day from birth”) in cases where a person knows for sure that he was baptized and remembers visiting church with his grandmother as a child and receiving communion, however, he did not remember his baptismal name.

Usually in such cases the priest reads “a prayer for naming on the eighth day from birth.” But the prayer for naming a name refers, nevertheless, not to the name Demetrius or Vasily, but to the name of Christ, which is said in this prayer itself: “Grant, Lord, that it may remain indelibly Your name The Holy One is upon him,” rather than the name “Demetrius” or “John.” In the event that a person does not know with what name he was baptized, he can calmly take communion with the name with which he is known in society.

In this regard, the example of the Apostle Paul is indicative. There is a myth that the Jew Saul became Paul in baptism. However, nothing like this Holy Scripture we don't meet.

The book of the Acts of the Apostles describes the baptism of the converted Saul ( Acts 9:17–126), and then he appears everywhere with this name ( see Acts. 11:25.30). And he even accepted consecration with the name of Saul (Acts 13:1-3).

The name Paul first appears on a missionary journey, when Saul left the Semitic environment and went to Europe. During a sermon in Cyprus, he was first called Paul ( Acts 13:9). By the way, biblical characters often changed their name (or received a different name from someone) on the occasion of certain events. important events that have happened in their lives. However, such “renamings” did not require any special ritual, rite or dedication.

Scripture, on the contrary, gives us an example of a more free attitude towards our own name. There is one name that we must cherish, and which is given to us in Baptism: “We have one great work and name - to be and be called Christians.” And we, having received sanctification in Baptism in the Name of the Trinity, bear this name on ourselves, regardless of what “personal name" is given to us - Vasily or Hermes, Alice or Mary. But the priest at the parish still should not be forced already baptized Christians with “non-Yuletide names” to the inevitable renaming “in honor of some saint.”

Kravetsky A.G. Calendar and Liturgical Commission // Educational Notes of the Russian Pedagogical University named after. ap. John the Theologian. M. 1996, p. 187-188.
St. Gregory the Theologian. Funeral sermon for Basil the Great.