Holy Unmercenaries () is an
epithet
An epithet (, ), also a byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) commonly accompanying or occurring in place of the name of a real or fictitious person, place, or thing. It is usually literally descriptive, as in Alfred the Great, Suleima ...
applied to a number of Christian
saint
In Christianity, Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of sanctification in Christianity, holiness, imitation of God, likeness, or closeness to God in Christianity, God. However, the use of the ...
s who did not accept payment for good deeds. These include Christian healers or physicians who, in conspicuous opposition to medical practice of the day, tended to the sick, free of charge.
List of Holy Unmercenaries
Saints bearing this title include:
*
Zenaida and Philonella
Saints Zenaida (Zenaida of Tarsus) and Philonella (d. ''circa'' 100) were traditionally the first Christian physicians after Luke the Evangelist, and the first " unmercenaries" (physicians who would not accept fees from their patients). They are pa ...
()
*
Saint Tryphon ()
* Saint Thalelaeus the Unmercenary, at
Anazarbus
Anazarbus, also known as Justinopolis (, medieval Ain Zarba; modern Anavarza; ), was an ancient Cilician city. Under the later Roman Empire, late Roman Empire, it was the capital of Cilicia Secunda. Roman emperor Justinian I rebuilt the city ...
in Cilicia (284)
*
Saints Cosmas and Damian of Mesopotamia ()
*
Saint Pantaleon
Saint Pantaleon (), counted in Western Christianity as among the Fourteen Holy Helpers of the Late Middle Ages, and in Eastern Christianity as one of the Holy Unmercenary Healers, was a martyr of Nicomedia in Bithynia during the Diocletianic P ...
(), also called Saint Panteleimon
* Saints
Cyrus and John
Saints Cyrus and John (; ; died or 311 AD) are venerated as martyrs. They are especially venerated by the Coptic Church and surnamed Wonderworking Unmercenaries (''thaumatourgoi anargyroi'') because they healed the sick free of charge.
Their ...
()
*
Saint Diomedes
Saint Diomedes of Tarsus (Diomede) (Ancient Greek, Greek: Διομήδης ὁ Ταρσεύς, d. between 298 and 311 AD) is venerated as a Greek people, Greek Christianity, Christian saint and martyr, one of the Holy Unmercenaries.
Life
Diomedes ...
of
Tarsus ()
*
Saint Blaise
Blaise of Sebaste (, ''Hágios Blásios''; martyred 316 AD) was a physician and bishop of Sivas, Sebastea in historical Lesser Armenia (modern Sivas, Turkey) who is venerated as a Christian saint and martyr. He is counted as one of the Fourteen ...
(316)
*
Saint Sampson the Hospitable
Sampson the Hospitable (, ; died 530 AD) was a citizen of Constantinople who devoted his time to serving the poor of the city.
He is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Churches as well in the Catholic Church.
Life
Sampson (or Samson) was ...
()
*
Saint Agapetus of the Kiev Caves (1095)
*
Saint Matrona Nikonova (1952)
*
Saint Luke the Surgeon of Crimea (1961)
*
Saint Hermione ()
See also
*
List of Eastern Orthodox saint titles
The saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church (and of the Eastern Catholic Churches of the Byzantine Rite) have various customary saint titles with which they are commemorated on the liturgical calendar and in Divine Services.
Many of the titles ca ...
*
List of Eastern Orthodox saints
This is a partial list of canonised saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
In Orthodoxy, a saint is defined as anyone who is in heaven, whether recognised here on earth, or not. By this definition, Adam and Eve, Moses, the various prophets, a ...
References
{{reflist
Types of saints
Lists of saints