- THE HOLY APOSTLE CARPUS
Carpus was one of the Seventy Apostles. He was a follower and companion of the Apostle Paul by whom he was appointed as bishop of Varna in Thrace. He also preached the Gospel on Crete where he received St. Dionysius the Areopagite in his home. St. Dionysius testifies that Carpus was a man with an exceptionally pure mind, meekness and innocence and that the Lord Jesus, with His angels, appeared to him in a vision and that he never began the Divine Liturgy that he did not have a heavenly vision beforehand. Enduring many assaults for the Name of Christ, he finally suffered at the hands of the unbelieving Jews and was killed and, with his soul, took up habitation in the kingdom of God to delight eternally gazing upon the Lord in glory.
- THE HOLY APOSTLE ALPHAEUS
Alphaeus was the father of two apostles from among the Twelve: James, the son of Alphaeus and Matthew, the Evangelist. He ended his earthly life peacefully.
- THE VENERABLE JOHN OF PSYCHAITA
At an early age, he withdrew from the world to the Lavra [monastery] of Psychaita in Constantinople. Here he lived a life of asceticism for many years for the sake of the love of Christ. Because of the veneration of icons, he endured banishment in the eighth century.
- THE NEO-MARTYR ALEXANDER OF THESSALONICA
This martyr of Christ was born in Thessalonica at the time of the great tyranny of the Turks over this city. As a young man, he was deceived by the Turks and became a Muslim. In the beginning, he did not have any pangs of conscience for such an act and he departed on a pilgrimage with other Muslims and became a dervish. But, as a dervish in Thessalonica, he began to repent bitterly. During his repentance, the thought came to him that he, in no way, can wash away the horrible sin of apostasy from Christ except through his own blood. Therefore, when he repented and decided in favor of martyrdom, he declared himself a Christian before the Turks. The Turks cast him into prison and subjected him to various tortures. But, Alexander only cried out: “I was born a Christian and as a Christian I want to die.” Finally, the Turks condemned him to death for which the repentant Alexander greatly rejoiced, recognizing from this condemnation that his sins were forgiven and that God accepted his sacrifice. Alexander was beheaded in Smyrna in the year 1794 A.D., and was glorified in both the heavenly and the earthly Church.