July 2018

July 1st

Unmercenaries Cosmas & Damian by Sparks

These brothers from Rome both became doctors. They grew up as Christians and their parents taught them to live piously so they didn't take money for healing people. They are called unmercenaries because mercenaries take money for fighting so these brothers are the opposite, they healed for free. It is said that God granted them with the gift of healing many illnesses as well as leading many people to Christianity with their examples of a strong spiritual path. 

July 8th

Saint Morwenna of Morwenstow by Sparks

Morwenna was an Irish princess who became a monk but decided to live in Wales atop a cliff in Cornwall. She carried stones from the bottom of the cliff to the top to build a church for the nearby village. A spring under the cliff marks the place she quarried her stones!

July 8th

Our lady of Sitka by Sparks for Orthodox Kids

This is a special icon of the Theotokos at a church in Alaska! It is said that the gaze of the Holy Mother in this icon can heal. It is a Russian style icon by Vladimir Lukich Borovikovsky in the Church of Archangel Michael. 

July 13

Archangel Gabriel by Sparks

Gabriel is one of God's special messengers. It was his job to talk to Mary about being Jesus' mother!

July 24th

St Christina of Tyre by Sparks

Christina was a pretty girl from a wealthy family. An angel visited her and taught her about the True God. She became a Christian but her father was not. He wanted her to be a priestess in a pagan temple. She would not and she even broke her father's idols. When he discovered that she had broken the statues he worshiped as gods he was furious. She was beaten, tied to a wheel and beaten more. The angel came back and healed her wounds and fed her. When her father saw she was healthy he said it must be witchcraft. He refused to believe that God had saved her. She was killed.