Orthodox Calendar: Commemorating Saints Dios and Macrina on July 19

On Sunday, July 19, the Orthodox Christian calendar commemorates the memory of Saint Dios and Saint Macrina, the sister of Basil the Great.

Saint Dios, originally from Antioch in Syria, lived during the era of Emperor Theodosius. He was renowned for his profound theological knowledge, unwavering piety, and asceticism. His reputation for virtue grew so widespread that people traveled from afar to seek his counsel. He was later ordained a priest in Constantinople and founded a monastery there. Despite a severe illness that nearly claimed his life, he miraculously recovered and lived peacefully, maintaining his devotion to his flock.

Saint Macrina, blessed with numerous spiritual and physical gifts, was the eldest sister of prominent figures Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyssa. Raised by their devout mother, Emmelia, Macrina dedicated her life to good works and the upbringing of her siblings, significantly influencing their spiritual paths. Though once betrothed, her fiancé died, leading her and her mother to withdraw to a women's monastery near the Iris River in Pontus, where her brother Basil also lived as a hermit.

In the monastery, Macrina devoted herself to studying the scriptures, prayer, and acts of charity. She lived by the principle of "doing good, being rich in good works, ready to share, and so laying up for themselves a good foundation for the future, that they may lay hold of that which is truly life," as advised in 1 Timothy 6:18-19. She lived and died according to these teachings, leaving a legacy of spiritual dedication and charitable deeds.