www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Married Saints..Names and Information?

In Christ Our God,

Can Anyone help me with names of the various married saints ? perhaps some links on their history I'm looking both for male and female. Female Saints are especially intriguing to me. But please gender is not important, their having been married is important. I know there are married saints. Also if you might know of links for blesseds as well who, though not canonized yet, are in the process of being recognized , I 'd appreciate them as well.


Mike , poor sinner

Mike

There's an excellent book by Joan Carroll Cruz called "Secular Saints", which of course is about all those Saints who were not in Holy Orders, and naturally that includes quite a few Saints who were married and had children.

The book Lawrence mentions is published I believe by TAN Books.

Blessings of Christ Our God to You both,

thank you I will look forward to ordering and receiving a copy of the book. It will be a revelation to me for examples of married Sainthood and living the married state of grace as it is meant to be lived. Thank you again!


Mike, a poor sinner

I know of two books specifically on married saints, especially of the East. One is from St. Tikhon's Press and the other is from Light and Life, I believe. When I get a chance I will post the information.

Dave

Marriage As A Path To Holiness
Lives of Married Saints
by David and Mary Ford
Saint Tikhon's Seminary Press, South Canaan, PA

Married Saints Of The Church
by Monk Moses of the Holy Mountain
St. Xenia Skete, Wildwood, CA

Both editions have great sketches of many of the saints presented.

Dave

Please avoid the book by Monk Moses. It concentrates on only the married saints who 1) left their spouses and/or children to become monastics, 2) never consummated their marriages or became celibate, 3) emperors. In other words, people who became saints IN SPITE of being marriage.

Fr John Chrysavagis (sp) wrote a very good journal article where he ripped apart the editor's intentions for forming such a collection and the effect it might have on married people today (i.e. very negative).

anastasios

Thank you. Mike is looking for examples of how saints live their marriages, NOT escape them!

Tammy

Dear Tammy,

Recently, the Pope beatified a married couple (their veneration is formally limited to Rome, however).

I would imagine that their life would be a major source for what Michael would be interested in.

Would you let him know for me and wish him well?

Alex

For a married man, there's no better example than St Joseph. Then again he's the only father in history who can truly say that he has a perfect family.

Dear Lawrence,

However, the Eastern Church really underplays St Joseph's role in the life of the Mother of God.

St Joseph the Betrothed is seen more as a "Guardian" than a spouse, even though he legally was.

According to tradition, he took Maryam as his spouse in advanced age and when she was about 15 years of age. He had lived a full married life previously and had four children in his first marriage (the "brothers" of Jesus).

The East would normally censure any icon of St Joseph in which he is depicted holding the Christ-Child, although I've seen one.

And I don't believe he is ever referred to as a "foster-father" or anything like that liturgically.

This contrasts sharply to the Western and contemporary devotion to a very virile and chaste St Joseph, Joseph the energetic carpenter etc. such as is depicted in the religious art at St Joseph's Shrine in Montreal.

Alex

Alex

I understand that the belief that the brothers and sisters of Jesus, were St Joseph's children by a previous marriage, is widely held in the East. The West generally supports the belief that they were our Lord's cousins. Their have been some notable examples in the West though. that agree with the East, St Ambrose, St Hilary and St Gregory of Tours.

With all due respect - and I *do* venerate St. Joseph with much affection, I'm not so sure that the Holy Family pressents a good example of a complete, normal and human marriage.

Sexual intercourse is a normal part of most normal marriages, and the sexual aspect has a great deal to do with the dynamics of most marriages. This is not to say that I believe that marriage is simply a licence to have sex - I've always said that 99% of marriage is what goes on when you're NOT having sex, but holding up a celibate marriage as an example for us all to follow is incomplete at best.

Sharon

Dear Sharon,

But I think you are talking about the pre-Viagra generation of families . . .

Alex

Alex,

All kidding aside, a celibate marriage has a different dynamic. Not better, not worse, but different.

Yes?


Best from the "frozen wastes" of Ohio,

Sharon