Orthodox saints and name days on March 31

Name days on March 31

Hypatios, Ypatios, Akakios, Acacius, Veniamin, Benjamin, Beniamin, Menandros, Menander

Saints and feasts of March 31

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  Hypatius, Bishop of Gangra

  Hierarch, Υπάτιος

  St. Hypatius was Bishop of Gangra in Paphlagonia in the fourth century and a father of the First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, where the divinity of Christ was confessed against Arius. A wonderworker famed for his prayers, he shepherded his flock with zeal against every heresy.

  Name days: Hypatios, Ypatios

• Akakios of Melitene

  Hierarch, Ακάκιος ο Ομολογητής

  St. Akakios was Bishop of Melitene in Armenia in the third century. During the persecution of Decius he was arrested and brought before the governor, whom he answered with such wisdom that the emperor, on reading the record of the trial, ordered his release.

  Name days: Akakios, Acacius

• Abdas and Benjamin

  Hierarch, Αυδάς και Βενιαμίν

  St. Abdas was a bishop in Persia in the fifth century who was put to death by King Yazdegerd after he destroyed a fire temple of the Zoroastrians and refused to rebuild it. His deacon Benjamin was imprisoned, released on condition that he stop preaching, and, continuing to preach Christ, was tortured and killed.

  Name days: Veniamin, Benjamin, Beniamin

• Theophilos of Crete

  Martyr, Θεόφιλος ο εν Κρήτη

  St. Theophilos and his companions were martyrs of Crete whose names the Greek synaxaria record for March 31. Tradition relates that they confessed Christ before the pagan authorities of the island and were put to death for the faith.

• Menandros the Martyr

  Martyr, Μένανδρος

  St. Menandros is a martyr whose name the Greek synaxaria record for March 31 with the note that he was put to death by being dragged over sharp stones for his confession of Christ. Nothing further of his life has been preserved.

  Name days: Menandros, Menander

• Blasios of Amorion

  Venerable, Βλάσιος ο εξ Αμορίου

  St. Blasios was born near Amorion in Phrygia in the ninth century and became a monk in Constantinople, later traveling to Rome, where he lived for many years in a Greek monastery. Returning to Constantinople, he lived at the Studion monastery and finally on Mount Athos, where he founded a monastery and reposed in peace.

• Innocent of Alaska

  Hierarch, Ιννοκέντιος Αλάσκας

  St. Innocent (Veniaminov) was born in Siberia in 1797 and as a young married priest volunteered for the mission in Alaska. He labored for decades among the Aleuts, Tlingit and other native peoples, learning their languages, translating the Scriptures and services, and building churches, and after the death of his wife was consecrated bishop for the Alaskan mission.