Alphabetic Saints Game

[Benedict]

Saint Cyril, Archbishop of Jerusalem. Feast Day March 18th
Saint Cyril was born in 315, and succeeded Maximus as Archbishop of Jerusalem in 350. He was zealous for the Orthodox Faith, and was a defender of the poor.
He was exiled three times by the Arian Emperors Constantius and Valens. But after their death, he was recalled to his throne; he reposed in peace in 386.
Of his writings, the most prominent are his catechetical lectures, which are considered the most ancient systematic summary of Christian teaching.
Before Saint Cyril, there had been two dioceses, one of Jerusalem, and one of Holy Sion; under Saint Cyril, they were united into one bishopric.

Troparion (Tone

You were seen in Zion clothed in a robe of godliness
As an illustrious pillar of the Apostles' faith.
You became an heir to their grace,
Setting forth their pious doctrines
And dispensing their talents of wisdom.
O Cyril, our Father and hierarch, pray for us.

Kontakion (Tone 1)

With your lips, O wise Cyril,
And through divine inspiration
You enlightened your people
To the worship of the one Trinity,
Undivided in essence, yet divided in Hypostases.
Wherefore rejoicing, we celebrate your all-holy memory,
Offering you as our intercessor before God.

[CyrilSebastian]

Saint Dagobert II   
Dagobert II (650-679) was the son of King Sigebert II of Austrasia.   
His feast day is December 23.

[Benedict]

Saint Elias, Prophet of God Most High, whose fiery faith defeated death and called down fire from heaven that God Most High might manifest His power and defeat the false prophets of Baal.
Saint Elias, Prophet of the One True God, you appeared in glory to Christ on Mount Tabor when His True Light shown as He revealed the fullness of His Godhead to the chosen Apostles.
Feast July 20th
Troparion (Tone 4)

An angel in the flesh and the cornerstone of the prophets,
the second forerunner of the coming of Christ,
Glorious Elijah sent grace from on high to Elisha,
to dispel diseases and to cleanse lepers.
Therefore, he pours forth healings on those who honor him.

Kontakion (Tone 2)

Prophet Elijah of great renown,
seer of the mighty mighty works of God,
by your command you held back the rain!
Pray for us to the only Lover of mankind!

Saint Elias, Prophet of God, pray for us!

[CyrilSebastian]

Saint Fechin founded the Abbot of Fobhar or Fore in Westmeath, Ireland. His feast day is January 20.

[Benedict]

The holy, glorious, all-laudable Apostle Gaius (also Gaios) is numbered among the Seventy Apostles. He was Bishop of Ephesus (Romans 16:23). The Third Epistle of John is addressed to the "well-beloved Gaius".

O Holy Apostles, intercede with the merciful God that He grant unto our souls forgiveness of offenses.

With Hymns let us praise the chorus of the Seventy disciples of Christ,
 ye faithful; and in godliness, let us keep a feast,
 for we learned through them to worship the Trinity,
Who is indivisibly One;
for they are the lamps of our most godly Faith.

O Holy Apostle Gaius, well-beloved disciple of Christ, pray for us. Amen

[CyrilSebastian]

Saint Hereswitha was a Benedictine princess of Northumbria, England. She died in 690.

[Benedict]

Our father among the saints Ignatius the God-bearer of Antioch (probably died AD 107) was the third bishop of Antioch, after the Apostle Peter and Euodios, whom Ignatius succeeded around AD 68. Ignatius, who also called himself Theophorus ("God-bearer"), was most likely a disciple of both Apostles Peter and John.

Quote "As a pilot calls on winds and a storm-tossed mariner looks homeward, so the times call on you to win your way to God. As God's athlete, be sober; the stake is immortality and eternal life."

Troparion (Tone 4)

By sharing in the ways of the Apostles,
you became a successor to their throne.
Through the practice of virtue, you found the way to divine contemplation,
O inspired one of God;
by teaching the word of truth without error, you defended the Faith,
even to the shedding of your blood.
Hieromartyr Ignatius, entreat Christ God to save our souls.
Kontakion (Tone 3)

The stirring celebration of your victorious fight
Is an announcement of the One who is to be born of the Virgin.
In your eagerness to possess Him forever,
You hastened to be devoured by the wild beasts.
Therefore, O glorious Ignatius, you were called the bearer of God!

Feast Day October 17th

Godbearing Saint Ignatius, pray for us!

[Shin]

S. Justina, ora pro nobis.

St. Justina, Martyr, her feast is on the 26th of September, celebrating her entry into Heaven.

'AT Nicomedia, the birthday of the holy martyrs Cyprian, and Justina, virgin. Under the emperor Diocletian and the governor Eutholmius. Justina suffered much for the faith of Christ and converted Cyprian, who, while a magician, endeavored to bring her under the influence of his magical practices. She afterwards suffered martyrdom with him. Their bodies being exposed to the beasts, were taken away in the night by some Christian sailors, and carried to Rome. They were subsequently taken into the Constantinian basilica, and deposited near the baptistery.'

- Roman Martyrology

[Benedict]

Saint Kilian, feast day died 8 July, was an Irish missionary bishop and the Apostle of Franconia

Kilian told the Duke that he was in violation of sacred scripture by being married to his brother's widow, Geilana. When Geilana, whom Kilian had failed to convert to Christianity, heard of Kilian's words against her marriage, she was so angry that, in the absence of the duke, she had her soldiers sent to the main square of Würzburg, where Kilian and his colleagues were preaching, and had him beheaded, along with two of his companions, Colmán and Totnan.

Saint Kilian, imitator of Saint John the Baptist, you rebuked the adultery of the Duke and received the Marytr's reward, pray for us
Saint Kilian, Apostle of Franconia, pray for us
Saint Kilian, pray for us

[CyrilSebastian]

Saint Louis IX was crowned King of France at the age of twelve and ruled from 1226 to 1270.

[Benedict]

O Glorious Saint Mary Magdalen, model of penitence, obtain for me the grace of perseverance in the practice of self denial according to the Spirit;
pray to God for me that I may appear before Jesus, Our Lord and Master, at the moment of my death with my lamp filled with the oil of faith and hope
and burning with the pure flame of charity and thus merit to be received with thee into His Eternal kingdom. Amen
(from a saint card I have)
Saint Mary Magdalen pray for us.

[CyrilSebastian]

Saint Notburga was a Benedictine nun in the Abbey of St. Mary in the Capitol in Cologne. Her feast day is October 31.

[Benedict]

The holy, glorious, all-laudable Apostle Onesimus of the Seventy, is commemorated by the Church on February 15

Troparion (Tone 3)

Holy Apostle Onesimus,
Entreat the merciful God,
To grant our souls forgiveness of transgressions.
Kontakion (Tone 4)

Like a beam of light you shone on the world,
Illumined by Paul, the all-radiant sun, whose rays enlighten the world.
Therefore we honor you, glorious Onesimus.

Saint Onesimus, pray for us!

[Shin]

S. Pacificus of San Severino, ora pro nobis.

Feast Day the 24th of September.

[CyrilSebastian]

Saint Quirinus was Bishop of Siscia (Sescia). His feast day is June 4.

[Benedict]

Saint Rachel the matriarch, wife of Jacob, pray for us