Who has a name day today, November 1, 2024. Congratulations!

On November 1, name day is celebrated by everyone who bears the name Cosma, Damian, Argir and their derivatives.

St. Cosma and Damian were brothers. They were born in Asia Minor. Their father was a pagan, and their mother Theodotia professed the Christian faith. Her husband died early, and the young widow lived a pious life, following the advice of St. Ap. Pavel:

"The true widow hopes in God and abides in supplications and prayers day and night".

Theodotia taught her children to lead a God-pleasing life, taught them to fear God, advised them to establish themselves in Christian virtues. Cosmas and Damian from an early age set out to fulfill God's law. When they grew up, they shone with their good deeds like two luminaries. In order to be useful to their fellow man, they undertook to study the art of medicine; studied the magical properties of various herbs and became famous as physicians. The Lord Jesus blessed the two doctors and granted them miraculous healing power. The brothers were very modest. They did not seek earthly fame and greatness, nor riches. They did not take money or gifts from the healed patients, strictly fulfilling the Savior's advice to the apostles:

"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers... You have received freely, give freely" (Matt. 10:8).

Because of their selflessness, the Holy Church calls them "silverless". A Christian woman named Palladia, who had been sick for many years and had spent a large part of her property on doctors, when she heard about these doctors, she sent people to call them to cure her. St. Kozma and Damian fulfilled her request. They visited her home, prayed over her and cured her of her severe illness. Delighted, she asked to reward them. They refused. However, she insisted that one of the two accept at least three eggs in honor of the Holy Trinity. The younger brother, St. Damian, because she swore to him in the name of the Holy Trinity, accepted the modest gift – the three eggs. When the elder brother later found out that St. Damian broke the vow given to God not to accept any gifts for healing, he ordered the Christians after their death not to bury them in the same grave. Damian, as a violator of the vow, to be buried separately.

St. Cosmas died first. When St. Damian also died, the Christians judged that the commission of St. Cosmas was too strict and did not fulfill it. As brothers who had performed the same feat and achieved equal sanctity, they were buried in the same grave. Later, a temple was built over this grave, in which many miracles were performed through their prayerful intercession.

© Lives of the Saints. Synodal Publishing House, Sofia, 1991, edited by Parthenius, Bishop of Levki and Archimandrite Dr. Athanasius (Bonchev), quoted by Actualno.com.