From Holy Scripture :
On Friday, October 13th 2023, the famous Dutch actor and puppeteer, Jozef Van den Berg, turned Orthodox Christ hermit reposed in the Lord at the age of 74 at Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Sochos, where he went to live the last few months of his life on earth, due to his failing health. His funeral was held on Tue 17th at the same Monastery and he was buried there. It was a blessing to light a candle and pray at his grave.
Jozef, who was born in Beers of the Netherlands on the 22nd of August 1949, was a very well known actor in the 1970’s and 1980’s in the Netherlands. He was initially an atheist and married with four children. Later, he began a successful career as a wandering puppeteer for children. Then he made his own performances in the theater, for children and adults. Van den Berg travelled the world, from Australia to Canada. In the 1980’s, Jozef Van den Berg played in his last play “Enough Wait” for his brother who was seriously ill and was in a wheelchair. On September 14, 1989, he would bring that performance to the De Sing but then something very special happened.
“ᴄᴀɪɴ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴᴇ? ᴛʜᴇ ᴠᴏɪᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ’ꜱ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴄʀɪᴇꜱ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ” (ɢᴇɴᴇꜱɪꜱ 4:10).
Blessed Syncletica was born in Alexandria. Her family, originally from Macedonia, was respected and wealthy. Hearing of the Alexandrians' exceptional piety, the saint's ancestors left Macedonia and moved to Alexandria, where they discovered sincere faith and true love for God.
In her parents' home, the saint received everything that could be called excellent and useful in this world. But this burdened the blessed one, for her heart was already ablaze with a desire for heavenly things and love for God. She was also distressed by the excessive care for the body, so common in wealthy homes and so despised by her. She considered her beautiful young body her most dangerous enemy and afflicted it in every way, humbling it with fasting, labors, and vigil.
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Paul (Pavel) Sawabe was the first Japanese student and catechumen of St. Nicholas of Japan after he had arrived in Hakodate, Japan in 1861. Paul was the first Japanese to embrace Orthodox Christianity and was an ardent disciple of the future St. [Nicholas and was an active missionary. Through his efforts the Japanese mission drew many new Christians and in time he became the first Japanese to be ordained to the priesthood.