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[Christ Pantocrator Mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul, Turkey—© Doug Johnson, used by permission]

I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.—Paul (died c. 64–65) TURKEY

But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Savior on the same day rose from the dead.—Justin Martyr (c. 100–c. 165) PALESTINE

Now it is I that suffer what I suffer; but then there will be another in me, who will suffer for me, because I also am about to suffer for Him.—Felicity (3rd c.) TUNISIA

Thou, O Lord, hast freed us from the fear of death. Thou hast made the end of this life the beginning to us of true life.—Macrina the Younger (c. 327–379) TURKEY

He became what we are that we might become what he is.—Athanasius (c. 296–373) EGYPT

You move us to delight in praising You; for You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.—Augustine (354–430) ALGERIA

In the beginning there are a great many battles and a good deal of suffering for those who are advancing towards God and afterwards, ineffable joy.—Syncletica of Alexandria (4th c.) EGYPT

 Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me, Christ within me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ at my right, Christ at my left, Christ in the fort, Christ in the chariot-seat, Christ in the mighty stern.—Attributed to Patrick (5th c.) IRELAND

For Thou art our good tidings, the Savior and keeper of our souls and bodies, O Lord God, and to Thee do we send up glory, and thanksgiving, and the thrice-holy hymn: to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto ages of ages.—Liturgy of St. Mark (used in Coptic and Russian Orthodoxy; portions date back to the 5th c.) EGYPT, RUSSIA

Music that I heard the angels sing in Heaven uttering Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord! The Heavens and the Earth are filled with Your holy praise.—Yared (505–571) ETHIOPIA

Christ is the Word-God, who appeared in the flesh for the salvation of the world.. . . The very same Christ is the Word born of the Father, and a

man born of Mary.—Timothy I of Baghdad (c. 740–823) IRAQ

Right action is better than knowledge; but in order to do what is right, we must know what is right.—Charlemagne (747–814) GERMANY

The true Lord is without origin, profound, invisible, and unchangeable; with power and capacity to perfect and transform, he raised up the earth and established the heavens.— Xi’an/Nestorian Stele (781) CHINA

Jesus took upon Himself the scourging that would have been our due in order to save the creature he formed and loves.—Odo of Cluny (c. 878–942) FRANCE

Could anyone ever count all the innumerable wonders which God brings about through his power and might?—Hildegard of Bingen (1098–1179) GERMANY

Let us all, brothers, consider the Good Shepherd who to save His sheep bore the suffering of the Cross.—Francis of Assisi (c. 1181–1226) ITALY

As in heaven Thy will is punctually performed, so may it be done on earth by all creatures, particularly in me and by me. —Elizabeth of Hungary (1207–1231) HUNGARY

Now to unite men to God perfectively belongs to Christ, through whom men are reconciled to God.—Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) ITALY

Jesus. . .answered by this word and said: It behoved that there should be sin; but all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.——Julian of Norwich (c. 1342–c. 1416) ENGLAND

Even so was Christ powerless on the cross, and yet he was most mighty there and overcame sin, death, world, hell, devil, and all ill.—Martin Luther (1483–1546) GERMANY

This is the gospel, that sins are remitted in the name of Christ; and no heart ever received tidings more glad.— Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) SWITZERLAND

True Christian believers are sheep among wolves, sheep for the slaughter.—Conrad Grebel (c. 1498–1526) SWITZERLAND

Wherever we see the word of God purely preached and heard, and the sacraments administered according to Christ’s institution, there, it is not to

be doubted, a church of God exists.—John Calvin (1509–1564) FRANCE, SWITZERLAND

O my God and Lord, deliver me from all evil and be pleased to lead me to that place where all good things are to be found.—Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) SPAIN

After Christ’s example I forgive my persecutors. I do not hate them. I ask God to have pity on all, and I hope my blood will fall on my fellow men as a fruitful rain.—Paul Miki (c. 1562–1597) JAPAN

When we serve the poor and the sick, we serve Jesus. —Rose of Lima (1586–1617) PERU

Indeed it is in God we live, and move, and have our being. We cannot draw a breath without his help.—Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758) UNITED STATES

I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.—John Wesley (1703–1791) ENGLAND

It is necessary that the Holy Spirit enter our heart. Everything good that we do, that we do for Christ, is given to us by the Holy Spirit, but prayer most of all, which is always available to us.—Seraphim of Sarov (1754–1833) RUSSIA

The gate of Heaven is very low; only the humble can enter it.—Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774–1821) UNITED STATES

The question is not, What have I been? or What do I expect to be? But, Am I now trusting in Jesus to save to the uttermost? If so, I am now saved from all sin.—Phoebe Palmer (1807–1874) UNITED STATES

A life totally committed to God has nothing to fear, nothing to lose, nothing to regret.—Pandita Ramabai (1858–1922) INDIA

There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still. —Corrie Ten Boom (1892–1983) THE NETHERLANDS

Without poverty of spirit there can be no abundance of God.—Óscar Romero (1917–1980) EL SALVADOR

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