Religious commemorations on October 18 and 19

On October 18, the church commemorates Saint Luke the Evangelist, a physician and artist from Antioch, Syria. Tradition attributes to him the first icons of the Virgin Mary and the Apostles Peter and Paul. A student of the Apostle Paul, Luke traveled through Dalmatia, Italy, France, Achaia, and Boeotia, while authoring the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles. He is considered one of the earliest martyrs of the Christian faith, though details regarding his life after the martyrdom of Paul remain uncertain due to contemporary persecutions.

On October 19, the church honors Saint Cleopatra and the martyr Saint Philon. According to tradition, Saint Cleopatra was known for caring for Saint Varus during his torture. Following his death, she interred his remains in Palestine and constructed a magnificent church in his honor. After the premature death of her only son, a royal official, she sought solace at the site, where she experienced a spiritual vision of her son in paradise. Cleopatra subsequently donated her wealth to the poor and dedicated the remainder of her life to religious devotion near the church she built.