African Saints (from the Prologue of Ohrid)
June 15th: Dulas of Cilicia (305-313) Dulas lived in an Egyptian monastery and was accused of stealing items of Church worship. After being tortured, another monk admitted to the crime. Dulas spent 20 years in exile before he was restored to the monastery where he died three days later and his body mysteriously vanished.
Augustine of Hippo (430) A former pagan who was led in the Church by St. Ambrose. One of the great writers who’s works include Confessions and City of God. Hippo was located in northern Algeria
Monica of Tagaste (387) Also known as Monica of Africa. She is the mother of St. Augustine. Tagaste was located in northern Algeria and known today as Souk Ahras.
Cedronus (Kedron*) (107) Patriarch of Alexandria and Africa 96-106 (*from Orthodoxy in Africa, Archimandrite Chrysostom Onyekakeyah)
Orsiesius of Tabennisi (ca. 380) A disciple of Pachomius the Great
Dulas (5th century) Egyptian passion bearer
June 17th: Joseph and Pior of Sketis (4th century) Disciples of Anthony the Great. Pior was known to eat while standing up and working rather than to sit at a table. He, like Moses the Black, carried a leaking bag of sand to represent the sins he left behind and no longer sees rather than to judge a brother.
Djan Darada (1st century) the Ethiopian Eunuch baptized by Philipp in Acts 8:26-40. He is also honored on January 4th.
June 19th: Paisius the Great (400) A native Egyptian who was dedicated to the Lord by his mother. Paisius was a disciple of Abba Pambo and fellow of John the Dwarf. He was known as a clairvoyant healer and to have seen many visions of the Prophet Jeremiah.
Zeno (late 4th century) Lived as a hermit in Egypt. (uncertain if this is the same Zeno in the Sayings of the Desert Fathers)
A Word from the Fathers & Mothers
“Just as a lamp lights up a dark room, so the fear of God, when it penetrates the heart of a man illuminates him, teaching him all the virtues and commandments of God” Abba James, from the Sayings of the Desert Fathers
Abbes Melania asked Abbes Matrona; “I want to guard my heart but I cannot.” The elder said to her; ” I am amazed at your words; ‘I want to and I cannot.’ Do you not know that for one who does not remain in stillness it is impossible to acquire even one virtue? How can we guard the heart when the door of the tongue is open, as well as of the ears and eyes?If you want to guard your heard and become perfected in virtues, sit remain in silence in your cell and your cell will teach you everything.” from the Matericon
Desert Fathers Dispatch 