Top 10 Saints?

[Tallitot]

granted my definition of a 'saint" is probably different from most others here, but here are mine:

1.Abraham Joshua Heschel
2.Mary Travers
3. Andy Warhol
4. Mildred and Richard Loving
5.Estelle Griswold
6.Edith Eyde
7.Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson and Denise McNair
8.Harvey Bernard Milk
9. Susan B. Anthony
10. Cesar Chavez

[Alpo]

It does neither call him saint itself, nor mention any kind of veneration in the Finnish Church.

Correct. The reason is there isn't any.

Btw, do you understand Finnish language?

[witega]

No other act or decision of a local church is considered infallilble or unquestionable, so why would the synodal glorification of an individual as a saint be any different?

It was accepted by other Churches.

In what sense? Any synodal action that doesn't actually lead to a break in communion is technically 'accepted by other Churches', but that doesn't make it infallible or unquestionable. The Finnish Church's use of the Gregorian Paschalion is technically 'accepted' by the other Churches--it doesn't mean any of them actually agree with it.

(I, btw, am not arguing against anyone's sainthood including St. Nicholas the Passion-Bearer's. I'm just resistant to the notion that any action taken by a local synod, including glorifications, is above question)

[Michał Kalina]

The Finnish website only mentions the canonizations by ROCOR and MP. It does neither call him saint itself, nor mention any kind of veneration in the Finnish Church.

If they did not consider him as a Saint why would they have listed him on the website of Orthodox Saints? I couldn't find i.e. Bp. Kuncewicz in there.

[TITL]

1. Baba Shenouda III
2. Baba Shenouda III
3. Baba Shenouda III
4. Baba Shenouda III
I don't have a fifth favorite saint.
6. Baba Shenouda III
7. Baba Shenouda III
8. Baba Shenouda III
9. Baba Shenouda III
10. Baba Shenouda III

[TITL]

Oh! I just thought of my 5th favorite: Baba Shenouda III 


I don't why the OP limited us to only top 10; I could go on for 100.

[biro]

Oh! I just thought of my 5th favorite: Baba Shenouda III 


I don't why the OP limited us to only top 10; I could go on for 100.

I like all the saints. 

[JamesRottnek]

Oh! I just thought of my 5th favorite: Baba Shenouda III 


I don't why the OP limited us to only top 10; I could go on for 100.

I like all the saints. 

I don't; in fact, I find some to be rather detestable.

If only all the saints were like St. Isaac.

[TITL]

Oh! I just thought of my 5th favorite: Baba Shenouda III 


I don't why the OP limited us to only top 10; I could go on for 100.

I like all the saints. 

I don't; in fact, I find some to be rather detestable.

If only all the saints were like St. Isaac.

Sometimes when the standards are set so high, it's hard to imagine walking in their footsteps. I like the variety of saints. And although the majority are nearly perfect, others aren't, but in the end they're all in the same place.

I think if we only look up to the gigantic heros, jealousy is all we'll end up with. Sometimes it's easier to relate to people more like us with similar circumstances.

[dzheremi]

1. Baba Shenouda III
2. Baba Shenouda III
3. Baba Shenouda III
4. Baba Shenouda III
I don't have a fifth favorite saint.
6. Baba Shenouda III
7. Baba Shenouda III
8. Baba Shenouda III
9. Baba Shenouda III
10. Baba Shenouda III

Hehehe. TITL...is this appropriate? Nobody loves Baba Shenouda III more than me (that's right, and I'll fight for that title!), but is it okay to list them if they're not canonized yet? Because if that's so, I want to put HH in place of Mar Mattai.

[biro]

I think His Holiness will get there, sooner more than later. 

[Alpo]

The Finnish website only mentions the canonizations by ROCOR and MP. It does neither call him saint itself, nor mention any kind of veneration in the Finnish Church.

If they did not consider him as a Saint why would they have listed him on the website of Orthodox Saints?

That's not the official site of the Finnish church. Ortodoksi.net is made by individual Orthodox Christians and it doesn't have any official status. Of course there are Finnish EOs who consider tsar Nicholas II to be a Saint. I have an icon of him and his family. The fact is however that the Finnish church does not venerate him in any way. I wish she would but alas she doesn't.

The official site of the Finnish Orthodox Church can be found here.

[TITL]

1. Baba Shenouda III
2. Baba Shenouda III
3. Baba Shenouda III
4. Baba Shenouda III
I don't have a fifth favorite saint.
6. Baba Shenouda III
7. Baba Shenouda III
8. Baba Shenouda III
9. Baba Shenouda III
10. Baba Shenouda III

Hehehe. TITL...is this appropriate? Nobody loves Baba Shenouda III more than me (that's right, and I'll fight for that title!), but is it okay to list them if they're not canonized yet? Because if that's so, I want to put HH in place of Mar Mattai.

I think he's definitely the exception to that rule. I'm not waiting 50 years to call him a saint

PS its so obvious that you love him just as much as I do. He's number 9 on your list (as a filler), and number ALL on my list.

[dzheremi]

Ooo...low blow, my friend! Low blow. He's #9 on my list, but #1 on my baptismal certificate.* You can't edit that with a few clicks of a mouse, y'know.

* ok, fine, technically that's St. Shenouda the Archimandrite (nephew of St. Pigol and accompanier of St. Cyril to Ephesus), but I chose him after abouna asked me how much I love HH, so I think it still counts.

[TITL]

*I guess it all depends* on which one of us* HH loves more. *Whomever he hugs for* the longest time* when we get* to heaven* wins this game.*

*I made him a card*, so I'm* feeling pretty confident.*

*(I'm not going to mention {again} that you made him a filler on your list just to stop at #10, but didn't even add him until I posted. Your chances don't look so good, bud.)

How do these star things work?*********************
I'm not good at footnotes.

*

[dzheremi]

Hahaha. Oh you are just the worst kind of person. I would have made him a card, too, if my Arabic was better. I don't know how much English he knew. Also, quit rubbing it in.  I was already jealous enough that you got to meet him and I didn't, and that was when he was still among us, so you can imagine how I feel now. Jerk.

Well I don't know who will be chosen to follow Baba Shenouda III, but it's now my life's mission to track that person down and hug him before you get to. And maybe by then I can make him a card, too. Thank you, TITL. You have given me a new life goal today.* 

* beyond showing you how asterisks work, I mean.

[TITL]

Oh, yeah... asterisks, not stars! Duh.**

[Michał Kalina]

Because if that's so, I want to put HH in place of Mar Mattai.

I'm sure he'd like the idea.

[TITL]

Because if that's so, I want to put HH in place of Mar Mattai.

I'm sure he'd like the idea.

Who is Mar Mattai?

How does Jeremy know saints that I don't?? ************************

[dzheremi]

What is wrong with Mar Mattai, Michal?

Mar Mattai is, as far as I can tell, one of those "Pan-Syrian" kinds of saints who is beloved like Mar Isaac or Mar Ephrem, by everyone of that heritage. To probably belabor the point, I first read his story in a book by a Chaldean Catholic author, but the monastery that bears his name is one of the oldest Syriac Orthodox monasteries in Iraq, and maybe the world (founded 363 AD). The story of Mar Mattai is this: He fled the city of Amid (where he was born) during the persecutions of Julian the Apostate. He ended up in the mountains of Nineveh where he met Prince Behnam, who was the son of an Assyrian pagan king. During their time together Mar Mattai preached to Prince Behnam and also cured his sister Sarah of disease. Through his preaching, both were baptized, along with Behnam's companions. When their father (the pagan king) learned that they had accepted Christianity, he was enraged and killed his son and daughter. Later, he realized that he had made a mistake and in his grief over his loss and repentance for his sin, he had a monastery built bearing their names on the spot where Mar Mattai had healed Sarah. This monastery, like Mar Mattai monastery, still exists today, although according to Wikipedia it has been administered by the Syriac Catholics of the village of Bakhdida since they converted to Rome starting in the 18th century (before that it had been Syriac Orthodox, and before that it had been Nestorian).

I love Mar Mattai because his story shows how simple preaching can bring even a murderer of his own children to the light, and I find the connection between these two monasteries very interesting for what it says about the richness of Syriac Christianity in Mesopotamia/Iraq (that they would pass through so many hands, and be equally beloved by all).

I do not believe that it is wrong to venerate Mar Mattai, even if he may have done his work among the Nestorians. He is recognized as a saint by our brothers and sisters in the Syriac Orthodox Church, and this is good enough for me. Plus, what an awesome story!

[celticfan1888]

1) St. Olav (my patron)
2) St. John Chrysostom
3) St. Athanasius of Alexandria
4) St. Gregory the Great
5) St. Maximus the Confessor
6) St. John Climacus
7) St. Gregory Palamas
St. Constantine the Great
9) St. Seraphim Rose
10) St. Seraphim of Sarov

[Severian]

It bothers me that no OO's here have mentioned Sts. Severus of Antioch and Dioscorus of Alexandria, and some of our other great Christologians and defenders of faith like Sts. Philoxenus of Mabbug and Jacob Baradeus.

[dzheremi]

For myself, I only didn't list them because I am much more familiar with the writings and lives of other saints, whereas those you are asking about I mainly know through the exposition of others. At least partially this must be because I'm new to the OO church, but I have also noticed that it is somewhat more difficult to find the writings of these great saints than those of others. Many are available only in very expensive or obscure academic works. Outside of Fr. Peter's very good work in the Oriental Orthodox Library (of which I own too few volumes, I'll admit), I am unaware of any economically-priced (and well translated/well written) English-language material on a great many OO saints or OO-specific topics. And since my church does not have a bookstore, I am pretty much stuck with used copies of Gorgia's Press books or similar from Amazon, e.g., HH Ignatius Aphram Barsoum's "History of the Syriac Dioceses, 1687-1774" for $6; my point is not to brag, but to point out that the book is only available in hardback, is only 123 pages, and sells from Amazon for $100.82, which is much less than from the publisher -- who could afford such a thing?! This is a problem for those who would like to learn but aren't millionaires.

[Severian]

^I understand. I wasn't trying to condemn anyone. I was simply making an observation.

[dzheremi]

Oh, I know. I was just explaining one possible reason why some OO might not be as well-educated on particular saints who are nonetheless very important to us.

[Hiwot]

It bothers me that no OO's here have mentioned Sts. Severus of Antioch and Dioscorus of Alexandria, and some of our other great Christologians and defenders of faith like Sts. Philoxenus of Mabbug and Jacob Baradeus.

Our Cyrill is there, as is Athanasius and those two have said what needed to be said about our Christology   but yeah I could continue..10 was a very limitting #

11.St. Abba Dioscorus of Alexandria  
12. St.Abba Severus of Antioch
13.St. Mor Yacob of Serug the flute of the Spirit
14.St. Fremnatius Abba Salama the Illuminator of Ethiopia
15.The Nine Saints that came to Ethiopia feeling persecution after Chalcedon
16. Sts.Abba Macarius the Great and Abba Pachomius
17.St.Abba Arsanius the Great
18.St.Abba Evagrius the Solitary
19.St. Ignatius of Antioch
20.St. Abba Tekelehaymanot
21.St.Amma Fikirte Kristos
22.St.Amma Kirstos Semra
23.St.Abba Georgis of Gatscha
24.St.Abba Samuel of Walddiba
 
these and quite a few more, through their writings and/or lives, in no particular order, had great influence on me.

[Gorazd]

It bothers me that no OO's here have mentioned Sts. Severus of Antioch and Dioscorus of Alexandria, and some of our other great Christologians and defenders of faith like Sts. Philoxenus of Mabbug and Jacob Baradeus.

This is not a place for big divisive. But if you like them, go on and mention them yourself.

[Michał Kalina]

What is wrong with Mar Mattai, Michal?

Mar Mattai is, as far as I can tell, one of those "Pan-Syrian" kinds of saints who is beloved like Mar Isaac or Mar Ephrem, by everyone of that heritage. To probably belabor the point, I first read his story in a book by a Chaldean Catholic author, but the monastery that bears his name is one of the oldest Syriac Orthodox monasteries in Iraq, and maybe the world (founded 363 AD). The story of Mar Mattai is this: He fled the city of Amid (where he was born) during the persecutions of Julian the Apostate. He ended up in the mountains of Nineveh where he met Prince Behnam, who was the son of an Assyrian pagan king. During their time together Mar Mattai preached to Prince Behnam and also cured his sister Sarah of disease. Through his preaching, both were baptized, along with Behnam's companions. When their father (the pagan king) learned that they had accepted Christianity, he was enraged and killed his son and daughter. Later, he realized that he had made a mistake and in his grief over his loss and repentance for his sin, he had a monastery built bearing their names on the spot where Mar Mattai had healed Sarah. This monastery, like Mar Mattai monastery, still exists today, although according to Wikipedia it has been administered by the Syriac Catholics of the village of Bakhdida since they converted to Rome starting in the 18th century (before that it had been Syriac Orthodox, and before that it had been Nestorian).

I love Mar Mattai because his story shows how simple preaching can bring even a murderer of his own children to the light, and I find the connection between these two monasteries very interesting for what it says about the richness of Syriac Christianity in Mesopotamia/Iraq (that they would pass through so many hands, and be equally beloved by all).

I do not believe that it is wrong to venerate Mar Mattai, even if he may have done his work among the Nestorians. He is recognized as a saint by our brothers and sisters in the Syriac Orthodox Church, and this is good enough for me. Plus, what an awesome story!

I'm not sure how such great reverence is suitable for your announcement that you cross him out of the list.

[dzheremi]

Because the thread is top ten saints, and with him and HH, I would have eleven (and HH would go there instead because HH had more of a direct role in bringing me into the Orthodox Church).

[katherine 2001]

My top 10 saints are:

1. St. Katherine (or Catherine) of Alexandria (my patron saint)
2. St. Nikolai Velimirovich of Zicha (my parish's patron saint)
3. St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco
4. St. Mary of Egypt
5. St. John of Kronstadt
6. St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
7. St Tikhon, Metropolitan of Moscow and Enlightener of North America
8. St. John Chysostom
9. St. Basil the Great
10.  St. Photini

[ReturnOrthodoxy]

--Bump--

I don't know why, but I wanted to throw my input out there. I cant put them in order, they are all in Christ:

1) St. Athanasius of Alexandria
2) St. Severus of Antioch
3) Met. Anthony Bloom
4) Fr. Matthew the Poor
5) Pope Kyrollos the 6th
6) St. Macarius the Great
7) St. Evagrius Ponticus
St. Moses the Strong
9) St. Elder Paisius of the Holy Mountain
10) St. Theophan the Recluse

I love all of these Holy People. A few of them not canonized, but no doubt, they are holy men of God in who's shadows we will be safe if we walk.

I am a fool,

RO

[JamesRottnek]

--Bump--

I don't know why, but I wanted to throw my input out there. I cant put them in order, they are all in Christ:

1) St. Athanasius of Alexandria
2) St. Severus of Antioch
3) Met. Anthony Bloom
4) Fr. Matthew the Poor
5) Pope Kyrollos the 6th
6) St. Macarius the Great
7) St. Evagrius Ponticus
St. Moses the Strong
9) St. Elder Paisius of the Holy Mountain
10) St. Theophan the Recluse

I love all of these Holy People. A few of them not canonized, but no doubt, they are holy men of God in who's shadows we will be safe if we walk.

I am a fool,

RO

You are wrong.  The correct answer is "St. Isaac of Nineveh, and the others beside him are all equal."

[Cyrillic]

1. St. Gregory of Nyssa
2. St. Cyril of Alexandria
3. St. Anthony the Great
4. St. Athanasius
5. St. Symeon the Stylite
6. St. Ignatius of Antioch
7. St. Photius the Great
8. St. Cyprian
9. Thirty Martyrs of Sebaste
10. St. Gregory Palamas

[Dominika]

It's difficult to choose only 10...
Certainly, after the Theotokos first is my Slava - st. Luke, but they're from the Scriptures. So, in not particular order:

1. St. Sava
2. St. John Damascene
3. St. Anthony the Great
4. St. Mary of Egypt
5. St. John Climacus
6. St. Ephrem the Syrian
7. St. Nicholas of Myra
8. St. John Chysostom
9. St. Cyril and st. Methodius (it’s difficult to separate them)
10. St. Nicholas Velimirovic

And I'm waiting for the canonization of Serbian Patriarch Pavle

[Levsky]

St. Boris-Michael of Bulgaria, Equal to the Apostles
Sts. Cyril and Methodius
St. Nicholas of Myra
St. Panteleimon
St. Anthony the Great
Sts. Anthony and Theodosius of the Kiev Caves
St. John of Rila
St. Elizabeth the New Martyr

[Arachne]

In no particular order:

St Basil the Great
St Gregory of Nazianzus
St John Chrysostom
St Athanasius (my father's patron)
St Katherine of Alexandria (my mother's patron)
St Philothea of Athens
St Mary of Egypt
St Helena, Equal to the Apostles
St Cosmas of Aetolia
St Nectarius of Aegina

[Eastern Mind]

Ooh, fun!

Here are mine, in no particular order:

1. St. Moses the Strong
2. St. Gregory Palamas
3. St. Ignatius of Antioch
4. St. Seraphim of Sarov
5. St. Melania the Younger
6. St. Theodora the Iconodule
7. St. Mary of Egypt
8. St. Arsenius the Great
9. St. Anthony the Great
10. St. Abo of Tiflis

[Sleeper]

In no particular order:

1. St. Seraphim of Sarov
2. St. Ambrose of Milan
3. St. Cuthbert of Lindisfarne
4. St. Benedict of Nursia
5. St. Theophan the Recluse
6. St. Gregory Palamas
7. St. Patrick of Ireland
8. St. Maximus the Confessor
9. St. Brendan the Navigator
10. St. Columba of Iona

[Antonis]

St. Anthony the Great
St. Juliana of Lazarevo
St. Seraphim of Sarov
St. Mary of Egypt
St. John Chrysostom
St. John Climacus
The Fools for Christ
St. Cosmas of Aetolia
The Uncondemning Monk
St. Gregory Palamas

No particular order.

[Nathanael]

Why nobodoy has one of the twelve Apostles in his list!!!?? That's awful!

[Dominika]

Why nobodoy has one of the twelve Apostles in his list!!!?? That's awful!

Because of this:

In your opinion, who are the top ten greatest Saints in the Church NOT mentioned in the Scriptures?

[Nathanael]

Why nobodoy has one of the twelve Apostles in his list!!!?? That's awful!

Because of this:

In your opinion, who are the top ten greatest Saints in the Church NOT mentioned in the Scriptures?

I'm an idiot. -.-'. izvini

[Asteriktos]

At least your zeal is a good thing

[Nathanael]

At least your zeal is a good thing

 

[Gunnarr]

1. The Saintly All-HOLINESS Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I
2. The Saintly Eminence, Emmanuel of France
3. Saint John Paul II
4. The Saintly All-HOLINESS Ecumenical Patriarch Dionysius IV Muselimes (the Muslim)
5. The Holy Fathers of the 3rd Meeting of the Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches
6. The Holy Fathers of the Joint International Commission for the Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church VIIth Plenary Session
7. The Saintly Titular Reverend, Killistos Ware
8. The Saintly Titular Reverend, John of Pergamon


i cannot count past 8

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