Orthodox saints and name days on September 30

Name days on September 30

Grigorios, Gregory, Rhipsime, Ripsime, Ripsimia, Gaiane, Gaiani

Saints and feasts of September 30

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  Gregory of Armenia

  Hierarch, Γρηγόριος Αρμενίας

  St. Gregory, the Illuminator of Armenia, brought the Gospel to the Armenian people at the turn of the fourth century. For his confession of Christ he endured long imprisonment in a deep pit, yet through his patience and prayer King Tiridates was converted, and Gregory, consecrated bishop, baptized the king and his people, making Armenia one of the first Christian nations.

  Name days: Grigorios, Gregory

• Rhipsime, Gaiane and the Virgin Martyrs of Armenia

  Holy Woman, Ριψιμία και Γαϊανή

  St. Rhipsime was a Roman virgin of great beauty who fled with her abbess Gaiane and their companions to Armenia to escape the emperor Diocletian. The Armenian king Tiridates sought her for himself and, refused, had her and her companions put to death with great cruelty around the year 300.

  Name days: Rhipsime, Ripsime, Ripsimia, Gaiane, Gaiani

• Stratonikos and Mardonios

  Martyr, Στρατόνικος και Μαρδόνιος

  The holy martyrs Stratonikos and Mardonios confessed Christ in the time of the persecutions; tradition relates that Stratonikos was beheaded and Mardonios burned.

• Gregory of Pelshma

  Venerable, Γρηγόριος του Πελσέμσκ

  St. Gregory was born of a noble family of Galich and, giving his inheritance to the poor, became a monk and later a disciple of St. Dionysius of Glushitsa. He founded a monastery on the river Pelshma in the Vologda forests and was known for rebuking princes who oppressed the people.

• Michael, First Metropolitan of Kiev

  Hierarch, Μιχαήλ Κιέβου

  St. Michael, according to tradition a Syrian or Bulgarian by birth, was sent from Constantinople as the first Metropolitan of Kiev after the baptism of Prince Vladimir in 988. He baptized the people of Kiev, overthrew the idols, and established the first churches and schools of the Russian land.