This Saint was from Athens, a learned man, and a member of the famous judicial court of Mars Hill (in Greek Aeros Pagos, hence the name Areopagite (see Acts 17:19-34). When Saint Paul preached in Athens, he was one of the first there to believe in Christ, and, according to some, became the first bishop of that city. Others say -- and this may be more probable--that he was the second Bishop of Athens, after Saint Hierotheus, whom Dionysios calls his friend and teacher "after Paul" (On the Divine Names, 3:2). With Saint Hierotheus he was also present at the Dormition of the most holy Theotokos; the Doxasticon of the Aposticha for the service of the Dormition is partly taken from a passage in Chapter III of On the Divine Names. According to ancient tradition, he received a martyr's end (according to some, in Athens itself) about the year 96.

Saints Rusticus and Eleutherius were disciples of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite. They suffered martyrdom in Athens during the persecution of the emperor Domitian (81-96).

Saint Damaris was the first Athenian woman to believe in Christ, through the preaching of the Apostle Paul. She is mentioned in Acts 17:34: “Some men joined him and believed; among whom were both Dionysios the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.”

The name Damaris (“heifer”) is not Greek, but may be a Hellenized form of the Hebrew name Thamar (“palm tree”). The name Thamar appears in both the Old and New Testaments (Genesis 38:6, and Matthew 1:3). From her name, it may be inferred that Saint Damaris was not a Greek by nationality, but she may have been a Jewish woman who moved to Athens.

After Saint Paul left Beroia and visited Athens in the year 52 AD, Saint Damaris had the opportunity to hear him preach Christianity to the Athenians on the Areopagus. Only a few people accepted Saint Paul’s message, but Saint Damaris was one of them. We do not know anything for certain concerning her life beyond that. Some have speculated that she came from a wealthy Jewish family of social prominence, but there is no documentation of this. Neither is there any concrete evidence for the opinion of some patristic writers, and of Saint Dimitry of Rostov, that she was married to Saint Dionysios the Areopagite, or that they were baptized by Saint Paul, together with their two sons, and their entire household.

Saint John the Chozebite, Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine (587-596), was famed for his struggle against the Eutychian heresy, and also for his grace-filled gifts of discernment and wonderworking. He was born in the Egyptian city of Thebes and while still a youth he spent a long time in the Thebaid desert with his uncle, who was an ascetic.

The emperor, who learned of John’s holy life, decided to make him bishop of the city of Caesarea. But the saint, yearning for solitude, left his cathedra and withdrew into the Chozeba wilderness (between Jerusalem and Jericho) where he struggled in asceticism until the end of his life.

Once, while on his way to visit some of the brethren, he met a woman on the road. She entreated him to follow her to her home so that he might bless it and sanctify it by his prayers. Once they entered the house, however, the vile woman locked the door and removed all her clothing, and tried to tempt the saint into sinning with her. He opened the door and fled from the place.

After this, he performed many miracles until he fell asleep in the Lord. It is said that whenever he served the Divine Liturgy, he would see a heavenly light in the altar.