In our Sunday prayers there is always a petition remembering the saints who have gone before us to rest with God; we give thanks for their lives as models of faith and hope and love.

Many times when we pray these prayers we gratefully remember friends and family members who have died. But it can also be good to remember the saints of the past who have shown us different ways of being a faithful disciple; who can encourage us in our own lives of following Jesus.

May these brief stories of the saints be an inspiration to you in your faith journey. If you are interested in learning more about any of the saints mentioned, a Wikipedia or Google search is only a few keystrokes away!

In May the Church Commemorates:

Philip and James, Apostles

Thursday, May 1, 2025

Philip was one of the first disciples of Jesus, and called Nathanael to “come and see.” Little is known

of James, the son of Alphaeus, called “the Less” to distinguish him from another apostle named

James.

Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, died 373

Friday, May 2, 2025

Best remembered for defending the teaching that Christ was fully God against those who taught

otherwise, Athanasius was an influential church leader around the time of the Council of Nicea. He

was banished from Alexandria five times for his forthright views.

Monica, mother of Augustine, died 387

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Monica was married to a pagan husband who was ill-tempered and unfaithful, but whom she helped

bring into the Christian faith. She repeated the influence on her son Augustine, who went on to

become one of the greatest church teachers.

Julian of Norwich, renewer of the church, died around 1416

Thursday, May 8, 2025

When she was about thirty years old, Julian (or Juliana) reported visions that she later compiled into

a book, Sixteen Revelations of Divine Love, now a classic of medieval mysticism. The visions declared

that love was the meaning of religious experience, provided by Christ who is love, for the purpose

of love.

Victor the Moor, martyr, died 303 (TFF)

Thursday, May 8, 2025

Also known as Victor Maurus, this native of the northwest African nation of Mauritania was a soldier

in the Roman Praetorian Guard. Under the persecution of Maximian, Victor died for his faith at Milan.

Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, renewer of the church, hymnwriter, died 1760

Friday, May 9, 2025

When he was 22, a group of Moravians asked permission to live on Zinzendorf's land. He agreed,

and eventually worldwide Moravian missions emanated from this community. Zinzendorf participated

in these missions, and is also remembered for writing hymns characteristic of his Pietistic faith.

Matthias, Apostle

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Matthias was the apostle added to the Twelve after Jesus' resurrection, as a replacement for the

dead Judas Iscariot. He had traveled among the followers of Jesus throughout the Lord's ministry.

Formerly commemorated on February 24, Matthias's celebration is moved to May 14 in agreement

with most Western calendars.

Erik, King of Sweden, martyr, died 1160

Sunday, May 18, 2025

Erik is considered the patron saint of Sweden. As king of that nation, he tried to bring peace in the

region, and to spread Christianity in Scandinavia. He was also known for his attempts to make fair

laws and to protect those who were poor or sick.

Helena, mother of Constantine, died around 330

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Influenced by her son to become Christian, Helena (or Helen) lived an exemplary life of faith. She is

also remembered for traveling through Palestine building churches on the sites she believed to be

associated with Christ's life.

Nicolaus Copernicus, died 1543; Leonhard Euler, died 1783; scientists

Saturday, May 24, 2025

These two men were both scientists who helped to explain the wonders of God's universe.

Copernicus is best known for promoting the idea that the sun, not the earth, is at the center of our

solar system. Euler was one of the founders of pure mathematics, and contributed to many other

fields.

John Calvin, renewer of the church, died 1564

Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Gifted both as a systematic theologian and as an interpreter of scriptures, Calvin embraced the

Reformation, and as a preacher in Geneva, Switzerland, brought a theocratic government to it. He

is regarded as the father of the Reformed churches.

Jiri Tranovský, hymnwriter, died 1637

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Tranovský is considered to be the father of Slovak hymnody as well as an important reformer of the

Slavic church. He translated the Augsburg Confession (the basis of Lutheran teachings) and

published a collection of Slovak hymns.

Visit of Mary to Elizabeth

Saturday, May 31, 2025

This festival marks the occasion when Mary, pregnant with Jesus, visited her cousin Elizabeth who

was herself pregnant with John. Elizabeth pronounced Mary "blessed among women," and Mary

responded with the song called the Magnificat.

Beginning in June 2025, the Church Commemorates:

Justin, martyr at Rome, died around 165

Sunday, June 1, 2025

Born of pagan parents, Justin was influenced by an elderly Christian in Ephesus. He became a

teacher of philosophy and the Christian faith. Jailed for practicing an unauthorized religion, he

refused to renounce his faith and was beheaded.

The Martyrs of Uganda, died 1886

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

On June 3, 1886, thirty-two young men were burned to death for refusing to renounce Christianity.

The confident manner in which these Christians went to their deaths contributed to a much stronger

Christian presence in Uganda.