The saints of our faith are truly the invaluable treasure of Orthodoxy and the crown of every local Church, both for their testimony of faith and for the radiance of divine grace in the world. For these very reasons, the Church established, from its foundation, the celebration of their memory on the day of their martyrdom, if they are martyrs, or on the day of their repose, if they are holy. And this for two main reasons: First, to serve as examples for the faithful through their spiritual achievements, by which they became faithful imitators of the model of our Lord Jesus Christ, the leader and perfecter of our faith, and second, for them to enjoy their grace and assistance. Therefore, devout believers have always gathered during the annual celebration of the martyrs and the saints of our faith. [...]

(from the introduction of the book)