St. Cuv. Confessor Heraclius from Bessarabia; St. Cuv. Isaachius, Dalmatus and Faustus; St. Myronosita Salomea; St. Cuv. Theodora of Thessalonicatranslated

Orthodox calendar, August 3 St. Cuv. Confessor Heraclius from Bessarabia Saint Iraclie of Bessarabia was born in Pojorâta, Câmpulung Moldovenesc county, on May 11, 1893, receiving the name of John at baptism. His parents, Ignat and Elisabeta Flocea, peasant farmers, gave him a choice education, growing up in love and love of God alongside his seven younger brothers.

From childhood he felt the call to the monastic life. Once, he ran away from home to the nearest monastery with the intention of staying there forever. The abbot, seeing his purity and sincerity, comforted him and sent him to his parents, but this thought never left him. John had from infancy a burning thirst for knowledge and an enlightened mind. He was attracted to the spiritual life and wanted to perfect himself.

In the summer of 1914, during the First World War, Ioan is drafted into the army and sent to fight at the front. On the battlefield, he is seriously wounded in his left hand, but God covers him and he escapes alive from the rain of bullets that mowed down everything in his path. John is operated on and, by God's mercy, his hand is miraculously healed.

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