The Synaxarium, the collection of the “lives of Saints,” consists of autobiographies of the lives of church saints and martyrs. The Saints are listed in order of the day they passed away rather than their birthdays to commemorate the day they started their lives in heaven. The Synaxarium includes the details of the lives of martyrs and Saints, visions, and famous events. It used to be a reference for biblical lessons in the early church, but now it is used to teach the history of the church elders. Its purpose is to be read in times of public worship, such as during the Divine Liturgy, in order to nurture the spiritual lives of the believers. The Synaxarium is a living collection which the Church continues to update with more and more Saint stories as each generation passes. Every Saint has a special and unique story to be told, in which a specific message is to be learned. The purpose of reading the Synaxarium is to learn from these Saints and to use their lives and strong faith as examples to follow and live by. As St. Paul the Apostle wrote,
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
