+) Holy Priest-Martyr Alexander of Bessarabia; St. Emilian the Confessor, Bishop of Cyzicus; St. Myron the Wonderworker and Bishop of Crete

Orthodox Calendar, August 8 Holy Priest-Martyr Alexander of Bessarabia Hieromartyr Alexander Baltaga was born in the blessed land of Bessarabia on April 14, 1861, in the village of Lozova, Lăpușna County. He was part of a devout family that provided many worthy servants to this land. His father, Priest Ștefan Baltaga, served at Saint Nicholas Church in Lozova, assisted by his wife Elena, a woman full of piety and fear of God, who instilled these virtues early on in her son.

As a child, Alexander attended the parish school in Lozova and then the Theological Seminary in Chișinău. After completing his studies, he was entrusted with being an educator at the Spiritual School for Boys in Chișinău.

He married Elena Bivol, a priest’s daughter, and they adopted and raised two children, Vsevolod and Margareta. Shortly after that, in 1886, he was ordained at the church of Saint Nicholas in Călărași-Sat, Lăpușna County, where he served as a priest until the end of his life.

Saint Alexander demonstrated a great work ethic, a penetrating mind, unwavering will, and exceptional pastoral tact. Due to his qualities, he was given several administrative responsibilities within the…