Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas

Joyous feast! St. Gregory Palamas is incredibly significant in the condensation and defense of the Church's teachings on grace and salvation, but every once in a while I find myself wishing that this was still the Sunday of St. Polycarp as it had originally been :-). Nevertheless, more on St. Gregory's life can be found here. May his blessing and prayers be with us!

Sts. Philip the Apostle, Justinian and Theodora, Gregory Palamas, Alexander of the Neva, and Alberic of Utrecht (!)

It's the second most feared feast day of the ecclesiastical year - St. Philip! Poor St. Philip not only ushers in the Prophets' Fast (which is called Philip's Fast in Rus'), but also has to share his feast day with the energetic St. Gregory Palamas ;-), the rather formidable Sts. Justinian (the peasant soldier-turned-emperor) and Theodora (the prostitute-turned-empress), and that greatest of Russian military saints, Alexander of the Neva. We Dutch also celebrate St. Alberic of Utrecht today :-). So, a full day! I hope it is one full of joy for you! May the Saints blessings and prayers be with us all!