About
Welcome to the little project we’re calling A Cloud of Witnesses.
s newly illumined Orthodox Christians, we’ve spent the past year searching for the Church, learning her history, and getting to know the saints who have walked this path before us. Along the way, we noticed something surprising: while there are many wonderful Orthodox resources available, it can still be difficult for English speakers to find information about the saints in one place.
Like many converts, we had more ideas than time, and a growing list of ways we hoped to serve the Church. This project became one of those simple “see a need, fill a need” moments.
Our parish has a wonderful bookstore. It’s cozy, welcoming, full of books, icons, prayer ropes, and all the little things that help make a house feel more like an Orthodox home. More importantly, it’s cared for by a woman who has made all the difference for countless newcomers to the Church.
We might be a little biased because she is now our godmother, but she truly has a gift for helping people find their footing in Orthodoxy.
A few weeks ago, our godmother asked us a simple question.
Where are you learning about the saints? How did you choose your patron saints? And why are you buying so many icons?
The last question was easy.
Because we love them. We’ve been alone for too long. Also, we watched a video about Saint Gabriel’s house and have apparently decided that icons belong on ceilings too.
The first part was harder. We listed everything — Trisagion Films, the film Man of God about Saint Nektarios, books, parish recommendations, conversations with Orthodox friends. None of it felt complete. Then one of us said…
“We should make a patron saint quiz.”
“Well, first we’d need a database for that.”
And that was the beginning of this journey.
What started as a simple idea quickly turned into collecting feast days, biographies, patronages, regions, traditions, names, and stories from across the Orthodox world. The more we worked, the more we realized how many saints there are — and how many people are searching for them.
This website is our attempt to make that search a little easier. It is not exhaustive. It is not perfect. It is very much a work in progress.
But it is built with love for the saints, gratitude for the Church, and the hope that someone else might discover a heavenly friend through it. If you notice anything that could be improved — or would like to contribute research, corrections, photographs, icons, or translations — we’d love to hear from you.
After all, this project is being maintained by a married couple surviving on the Jesus Prayer, far too much coffee, and the prayers of the saints. Thank you for visiting.
May these holy men, women, and children who have gone before us help guide us all toward Christ.
Say hello
For corrections, contributions, suggestions, or just to say hello, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
email us