Thekla was a girl from the city of Iconium (now Konya in Turkey) in Asia Minor. She listened to the preaching of St. Paul in the city during his first preaching journey (in the middle of the 1st century) and converted to Christianity.

Then she preached Christ's teaching herself until her martyrdom, becoming the first woman Christian martyr. That is why she was called the Equal to the Apostles and the First Martyr. It is honored in the East and in the West.

Saint Silouan is an Athenian ascetic, shining in holiness in the first half of the twentieth century. He was born in 1866 in Russia. From his youth he wanted to become a monk and in 1892 he went to the Russian monastery of St. Panteleimon in Mount Athos.

We celebrate the memory of St. John the Baptist and Saint Raisa

After four years of obedience he accepted monasticism in 1896. His life passed into prayer and fasting, and with great humility and patience he performed his duties, according to monastic obediences, because they are assigned by a spiritual elder or by the abbot of the monastery.

In moments of prayerful introspection in the temple of the Holy Prophet Elijah at the mill of the monastery, Silouan was honored to receive revelation from Christ Himself. Since then, his spiritual sense has sharpened. He felt unbearable pain for sin, BTA writes. He mourned and wept for souls far from the truth. He prayed incessantly for the whole world. He loved people and God without limit. He did not have a high education, but by studying the Holy Scriptures and the works of the Holy Fathers he gained rare wisdom and impressive spiritual experience. Communicating with him was for others a source of joy. His very presence gave peace and comfort. He prayed for the salvation of all the people of the world, "from Adam to himself." He used to say, "Whoever has no love for his enemy, the Spirit of God does not dwell in him."

He finished his earthly journey on September 11 (24 in the old style) 1938.

church holiday