Name Day Celebrations: Who is Celebrating on June 21, 2025?

Today, Saturday (June 21, 2025), according to the church calendar, the feast day of Saint Aphrodision is celebrated. The names that are honored today include Aphrodision and Aphrodisia. Saint Aphrodision glorified the land of Cilicia with his martyrdom. Filled with divine zeal, he worked tirelessly for the enlightenment of unbelievers, exposing the falsehood of idolatry and teaching the truth of the Gospel. In 65 A.D., the ruler Dionysius, upon learning of Aphrodision’s activities, sentenced him to death. Initially, he was thrown as food to a lioness in the amphitheater. However, something miraculous happened; the lioness stopped just a few steps away from the Saint and passed by without harming him. Subsequently, they attempted to burn him with hot iron, but eventually, he found a martyr’s death between two large stones where he was crushed. His body was literally shattered, yet the strength of his soul and faith remained unbroken. Additionally, today marks European Music Day and World Hydrography Day.