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Saint Michael the Archangel, Horseman of the Apocalypse (November 8)

The Archangel Michael “Archistrategos” is shown as a crowned knight on a red (fiery) horse. He blows the trumpet and defeats the devil with a spear and plunges him into the abyss. In his left hand he holds the gospel and a censer. The Archangel Michael, whose name means “He is like God”, appears innumerable times in the Holy Scriptures, in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament. God sends him to the people to inform them of the counsels of his righteousness, and in the end times he will fight the last battle against the antichrist, the devil, and throw him into the lake of fire forever (Rev 12: 7). St. Michael the Archangel is considered the patron saint of the Catholic Church, the Germans, soldiers, merchants, bakers, pharmacists, paramedics, tailors, painters, bank clerks, poor souls, dying people and cemeteries; for a good death; against lightning and storms. Above: Christ Emmanuel.

Saint Simeon Stylites the Elder (September 1)

Simeon, son of Christian parents – his mother was Martha – became a monk in 403. He spent ten years in the monastery at Eusebona near Qal’at Sim’an in Syria, where he excelled at such extreme asceticism and superhuman penance that he was finally asked to leave the monastery. He went as a hermit on a hill at Qal’at Sim’an. In a lonely spot he descended into a dry well shaft to stand upright and praise God. At Lent he had himself walled up and went without food for forty days—a practice he continued for twenty-eight years. Then he climbed the mountain that is named after him today, the Qal’at Sim’an, and had himself chained to the rock there. The reputation of his holiness attracted crowds of pilgrims. Saint Xenia (January 24), baptismal name Eusebia, lived in the 5th century. She was the daughter of a respected Christian family of Rome. Above: Christ Emmanuel.

Saints Martyrs Florus and Laurus (August 18). According to a Greek legend, they were stonemasons who converted many people to Christianity in Illyria. On the day of her death, a severe horse sickness ended, so that Florus and Laurus were associated with horses. Saint Martyr Blasius (February 11), was bishop of Sebastea, today Sivas in Turkey, and lived in the 2-3. century. He was a doctor and later became Bishop of Sebastea, the then capital of the Roman province of Armenia. According to tradition, he suffered martyrdom under Emperor Diocletian. Legend has it that Saint Blaise hid in a cave because of the persecution of Christians, where he was guarded by wild lions, tigers and bears. He is considered the patron saint of Otorhinolaryngologists, brass musicians, tailors, shoe and hat makers, pets, against childhood diseases, against storm and wild animals. Saint Hieromartyr Modestus I, Archbishop of Jerusalem (December 18), was born in prison in 305, he became an orphan early and converted to Christianity. not only did he heal people’s mental and physical illnesses, but he also helped their pets. Above: Christ Emmanuel.

The Saint Great Martyr George the Victorious (April 23) is depicted as a soldier on horseback. A fearsome dragon demanded human sacrifices from a city, otherwise it would wipe it out with its poisonous breath. A lottery decided the choice of victims, and when this fell on the king’s daughter, the girl was brought to the lake where the dragon lived. Before he could kill the princess, Georg, the knight from Cappadocia, appeared and swung his lance with the sign of the cross and pierced the dragon. He ordered the king’s daughter to pull the dragon through the city with her belt. Terrified, all the residents wanted to flee. George promised them to kill the dragon if they were converted to Christianity. Then Georg killed the dragon and all residents, including the king, were baptized. Above: Christ Emmanuel.