Dear Chris,
The OCA website is a good one for Eastern saints
www.oca.org [
oca.org] and then there is Catholic Saints Online etc.
It is traditional to take the name of the saint whose feast is celebrated closest to one's baptism/chrismation date. Indeed, I understand that the patrons of new Churches were declared on the basis of the particular saint commemorated on the day that the Church was consecrated.
It was actually forbidden by the early Church to celebrate birthdays. Instead, one celebrate one's patron saint's day as the anniversary of one's baptism and "birthday" into the Church. Saints are also celebrated on their "birthday" into heaven.
Perhaps you would like to review the list of Saints commemorated on the day of your chrismation, review their lives and choose one of them? Or someone close to that date?
One may choose anyone, but I do believe that saints often "choose us."
Even more importantly is to have a very close spiritual relationship with our saint, meditating on his or her life, invoking and praising them as Temples of the Holy Spirit and our special intercessors that they are.
Then when we really need a friend in times of crisis, such a saint will help us directly, even, as some have written, to the point of appearing to us physically to reassure us.
I know that that can happen - that's all I'll say about it.
And St Lazarus would be a great patron for you!
In fact, just as he was brought to life by Christ, so you too, on the day of your Chrismation, experienced a similar thing spiritually!
On that day, Christ Himself called to you, "Chris, come forth!"
Alex
