Hierarch

Saint Paphnutius the Confessor

September 11 Old CalendarSeptember 24 New Calendar

Life

Bishop of Tais in the Thebaid of Egypt. He suffered much for the Orthodox faith; the heretics had put out one of his eyes and broken his left leg. He participated in the First Ecumenical Council, refuting the Arian heresy with great power. Emperor Constantine greatly esteemed him and often kissed that gouged-out eye, gouged out for the sake of Orthodox truth. He rose up decisively at the Council against the Western delegates, who proposed that married parish clergy be entirely forbidden from marriage. He was a virgin his entire life.

From the Prologue from Ochrid by St. Nikolai Velimirovich, September 11. Translated by Marcian Sakarya, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Also commemorated on September 11

Venerable Theodora of Alexandria Venerable Venerable Euphrosynus the Cook Venerable Holy Martyr Ia Martyr Holy Martyrs Diodorus, Didymus, and Diomedes Martyr

The full reading for September 11 includes the hymn of praise, a reflection, a contemplation and a homily.

Open September 11 in the reader