Born in Cappadocia in the late third century, St. Nina (or Nino, the Georgian form) was the only daughter of a Roman general, Zabulon, and his wife, Susanna. On her father's side, she was related to St. George, and on her mother's, to the Patriarch of Jerusalem. When Nina was twelve, her family traveled to Jerusalem, where with the Patriarch's blessing, her father became a monk; her mother became a church worker; and Nina became the foster child of Nianfora, a pious elderly woman. Under the tutelage of her foster mother, Nina quickly learned the rules of faith and piety.

The eldest of ten children, St. Macrina was born into a family that has graced the church with many saints. Her grandmother, St. Macrina the Elder, moved with her husband to Pontus during Galerius’ persecution of the Church; the family had lost its property but were witnesses to the power of Christianity. The younger Macrina’s parents, Basil and Emiliana, were declared saints by the Church, as were three of her four brothers, Basil the Great, Gregory of Nyssa, and Peter of Sebaste. In his work, On the Soul and the Resurrection, Gregory calls Macrina the Teacher, and, from his Life of the Teacher, it is clear that she was the spiritual influence on and the spiritual center of her family.

The Myrrh-Bearers (or Ointment Bearers) were among the women disciples of Jesus, who were with him in Galilee and followed him to Jerusalem. They, unnamed, were present at his passion. With Joseph of Arimathea, they had the courage to bury the body of Christ. They prepared the balm and spices for the traditional anointing of the body. They rested on the Sabbath following the crucifixion and rose early the next day to tend to his body in death as they had ministered to him in life. Faithful, but not yet wholly believing, they approached the tomb. Mary Magdalene heard the joyful news. St. Mark says that the women were afraid and told no one what they had experienced. Saints Matthew and Luke, however, relate that the women went immediately to the eleven to share the wonder and the love.

St. Mary Magdalene, called by the Orthodox Church both Myrrh-bearer and Equal-to-the-Apostles, is commemorated on July 22, as well as with the other Myrrh-bearers on the second Sunday after Easter. Born in the seaport town of Magdala on the Sea of Galilee, she played an important role during Christ’s ministry, crucifixion, and resurrection.

Clearly the love of God and the love of neighbor are inseparable, intertwined. Loving God, we love our neighbor; loving our neighbor, we love God. It seems so beautiful and clear, but how do we manifest that love so that we are known as disciples of Christ?