[Readingsandsaints] Readings and saints

[Daily Orthodox Readings and Saints]

Scripture Readings and Saints for Fri Apr 13 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Acts 3:1-8
1 Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of
prayer, the ninth hour.
2 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they
laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask
alms from those who entered the temple;
3 who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for
alms.
4 And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, "Look at us."
5 So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from
them.
6 Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have
I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and
walk."
7 And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately
his feet and ankle bones received strength.
8 So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with
them-walking, leaping, and praising God.
Scripture Reading 1 of 4


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Philippians 2:5-11  (Theotokos)
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,
6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be
equal with God,
7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant,
and coming in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and
became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name
which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in
heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to
the glory of God the Father.
Scripture Reading 2 of 4


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John 2:12-22
12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers,
and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days.
13 Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem.
14 And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves,
and the money changers doing business.
15 When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the
temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers'
money and overturned the tables.
16 And He said to those who sold doves, "Take these things away! Do
not make My Father's house a house of merchandise!"
17 Then His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for Your
house has eaten Me up."
18 So the Jews answered and said to Him, "What sign do You show to us,
since You do these things?"
19 Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three
days I will raise it up."
20 Then the Jews said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this
temple, and will You raise it up in three days?"
21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.
22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples
remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the
Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.
Scripture Reading 3 of 4


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Luke 10:38-42; 11:27-28  (Theotokos)
38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and
a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and
heard His word.
40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him
and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve
alone? Therefore tell her to help me."
41 And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are
worried and troubled about many things.
42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which
will not be taken away from her.
27 And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman
from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, "Blessed is the womb
that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!"
28 But He said, "More than that, blessed are those who hear the word
of God and keep it!"
Scripture Reading 4 of 4



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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Bright Friday The Life Giving Spring of the Mother of God
Today we commemorate the Life-Giving Spring of the Most Holy
Theotokos.
There once was a beautiful church in Constantinople dedicated to the
Mother of God, which had been built in the fifth century by the holy
Emperor Leo the Great (January 20) in the Seven Towers district.
Before becoming emperor, Leo was walking in a wooded area where he met
a blind man who was thirsty and asked Leo to help him find water.
Though he agreed to search for water, he was unable to find any.
Suddenly, he heard a voice telling him that there was water nearby. He
looked again, but still could not find the water. Then he heard the
voice saying "Emperor Leo, go into the deepest part of the woods, and
you will find water there. Take some of the cloudy water in your hands
and give it to the blind man to drink.Then take the clay and put it on
his eyes. Then you shall know who I am." Leo obeyed these
instructions, and the blind man regained his sight. Later, St Leo
became emperor, just as the Theotokos had prophesied.
Leo built a church over the site at his own expense, and the water
continued to work miraculous cures. Therefore, it was called "The
Life-Giving Spring."
After the Fall of Constantinople in 1453, the church was torn down by
the Moslems, and the stones were used to build a mosque. Only a small
chapel remained at the site of the church. Twenty-five steps led down
into the chapel, which had a window in the roof to let the light in.
The holy Spring was still there, surrounded by a railing.
After the Greek Revolution in 1821, even this little chapel was
destroyed and the Spring was buried under the rubble. Christians later
obtained permission to rebuild the chapel, and work began in July of
1833. While workmen were clearing the ground, they uncovered the
foundations of the earlier church. The Sultan allowed them to build
not just a chapel, but a new and beautiful church on the foundations
of the old one.
Construction began on September 14, 1833, and was completed on
December 30, 1834. Patriarch Constantine II consecrated the church on
February 2, 1835, dedicating it to the Most Holy Theotokos.
The Turks desecrated and destroyed the church again on September 6,
1955. A smaller church now stands on the site, and the waters of the
Life-Giving Spring continue to work miracles.
There is also a Life-Giving Spring Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos
which is commemorated on April 4.
KONTAKION Tone 8
O most favored by God, you confer on me the healing of your grace from
your inexhaustible Spring. Therefore, since you gave birth
incomprehensibly to the Word, I implore you to refresh me with the dew
of your grace that I might cry to you: Hail, O Water of salvation.
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Hieromartyr Artemon the Presbyter of Laodicea in Syria
The Hieromartyr Artemon was born of Christian parents in Laodicea,
Syria in the first half of the third century. From his youth, he
dedicated himself to the service of the Church. The saint served the
Church as a a Reader for sixteen years.
For his zeal in Church services, Bishop Sisinius ordained him deacon.
St Artemon also fulfilled this service with fervor and diligence for
twenty-eight years, then he was ordained to the priesthood. In this
position, St Artemon served the Church of God for thirty-three years,
preaching Christianity among pagans. When the emperor Diocletian
(284-305) began his fierce persecution against Christians, St Artemon
was already old. The emperor issued an edict ordering Christians to
offer sacrifice to idols.
Saint Sisinius, knowing of the impending arrival of the military
commander Patricius in Laodicea, went with the priest Artemon and
other Christians into the temple of the goddess Artemis. There they
smashed and burned the idols, reducing them all to dust.
Afterwards, St Sisinius and St Artemon gathered the flock into the
church and fervently exhorted the Christians to remain firm in the
Faith and not to fear the threats of torturers.
When he arrived in Laodicea, Patricius celebrated a five-day festival
in honor of the pagan gods, and then went to the temple of Artemis to
offer sacrifice. He learned who had destroyed the temple, and went
with a detachment of soldiers to the church where the Christians were
praying.
As he approached the church, Patricius suddenly felt a chill, and then
developed a fever, which left him barely alive. They carried him home
and put him to bed. "The Christians have put a curse on me, and their
God torments me," he said to those about him. Although Patricius
prayed to the idols, they did not relieve his sufferings. He sent a
messenger to St Sisinius and asked for his help, promising to set up a
gold statue of the bishop in the middle of the city. The saint
replied, "Keep your gold, but if you believe in Christ, He will heal
you."
Patricius was afraid of dying, so he declared that he believed in
Christ, and the affliction left him. But even this miracle did not
affect the obdurate soul of the pagan. Although he did not touch St
Sisinius, he did enforce the imperial edict against other Christians
in the city of Caesarea. Along the way he encountered St Artemon, who
was followed by six wild donkeys and two deer.
When Patricius asked how he was able to control these wild beasts, St
Artemon replied that he held them with the Word of Christ.
Patricius learned from the pagans that the old man was the same
Artemon who had destroyed the pagan temple of Artemis. He ordered that
Artemon be arrested and taken to the city of Caesarea. St Artemon went
with the soldiers without fear, but he ordered the animals to go to St
Sisinius.
Seeing the animals Bishop Sisinius asked, "Why have these animals come
here?" A doe received the gift of speech from God and said, "The
servant of God Artemon is being held by the impious Patricius, and is
being brought to Caesarea in chains. He commanded us to come here to
give you this news." Do not be astonished that the Lord, Who opened
the mouth of Balaam's ass (Num. 22:28), also permits the doe to speak.
The bishop sent Deacon Phileas to Caesarea to verify this information.
In Caesarea Patricius brought St Artemon to trial and tried to force
him to offer sacrifice in the temple of Asclepius. In this pagan
temple there lived many poisonous vipers. The pagan priest never
opened the doors, nor did he place the sacrifice before the idol. But
St Artemon, calling on the Name of Jesus Christ, went into the temple
and released the snakes. The pagans fled, but the saint stopped them
and killed the snakes by his breath. One of the pagan priests,
Vitalius, believed in Christ and asked St Artemon to baptize him.
Patricius thought that St Artemon killed the snakes by sorcery, and
again he interrogated and tortured him. Then the doe which had spoken
arrived in Caesarea. The doe lay down at the feet of the martyr,
licking his wounds. By God's command the doe spoke again, denouncing
the impious pagans. Addressing Patricius, the doe predicted that he
would be seized by two birds of prey, and dropped into a cauldron of
burning pitch. Patricius was enraged because he had been censured by a
wild beast. He commanded his soldiers to shoot the doe with arrows,
but she escaped. Afraid that the miracles performed by St Artemon
would draw more people to him, Patricius gave orders to execute him.
They filled an enormous cauldron with boiling pitch, intending to
throw the saint into it. Patricius rode up to the cauldron on
horseback to see if the pitch was indeed boiling. Then two angels in
the form of eagles seized Patricius and threw him into the cauldron.
His body was consumed so that not a single bone remained.
Seeing the miracle, everyone ran away except St Artemon, who blessed
and glorified God. When the saint finished his prayer, a spring of
water issued from the ground. St Artemon baptized the pagan priest
Vitalius and many pagans, who had come to believe in Christ. On the
following morning St Artemon communed the newly-baptized with the Holy
Mysteries.
Many of the baptized were ordained to the diaconate and priesthood,
and Vitalius was made Bishop of Palestine. The hieromartyr Artemon,
instructed by the voice of God, preached the Gospel in Asia Minor.
Then an angel appeared to him and transported him to the place which
had been revealed to him, where he converted many to Christ. Pagans
seized the saint and beheaded him (+ 303).
St Artemon is commemorated on March 24 on the Greek calendar.
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Martyr Crescens of Myra in Lycia
The Holy Martyr Crescens (Kreskes) was descended from an illustrious
family and lived in Myra of Lycia. When a throng of city inhabitants
were on the way to the pagan temple, he urged them to forsake paganism
and come to Christ. This incident became known to the city prefect.
When the prefect asked the saint about his parentage, the saint, not
wishing to bring unpleasantness to his parents, said nothing except
that he was a Christian. The prefect knew St Crescens' father and
wanted to do him a favor. He suggested that St Crescens only appear to
offer sacrifice to idols, while remaining a Christian.
The holy martyr replied, "It is impossible for the body not to do as
the soul thinks, since the soul governs and moves the body." They beat
the holy martyr Crescens and raked him with iron claws, and then
burned him in a fire.
St Andrew of Crete (July 4) mentions the Martyr Crescens in his Sermon
on the Feast of St Nicholas the Wonderworker (December 6), who also
came from Myra of Lycia.
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Womanmartyr Thomais of Alexandria
The Holy martyr Thomais was born into a Christian family in the city
of Alexandria. She was raised in piety, and loved to read spiritual
books.
When she was fifteen, the girl married a fisherman, who was also a
Christian. The young couple lived in the house of her husband's
family, where St Thomais was loved for her mild and gentle
disposition, and for other good traits.
St Thomais' father-in-law, at the prompting of the devil, was
captivated by her beauty. One night, when his son went out fishing, he
attempted to lead his daughter-in-law into sin. Horrified, St Thomais
admonished the senseless old man, reminding him of the Last Judgment
and the penalty for sin. Infuriated by her steadfastness, he seized a
sword and threatened to cut off her head. St Thomais answered
resolutely, "Even if you cut me to pieces, I shall not stray from the
commandments of the Lord." Overcome with passion, the old man cut St
Thomais in two with the sword. The saint received the crown of
martyrdom in the year 476.
Divine punishment overtook the murderer. He became blind and could not
find the door in order to escape. In the morning, the companions of
the saint's husband came to the door. They saw the body of the saint,
and the blind old man covered with blood. The murderer confessed his
evil deed and asked to be taken to the judge for punishment. He was
beheaded for his crime.
At this time, St Daniel of Skete (June 7) happened to be in
Alexandria. He told the monks of the Oktodekadian monastery (at the
eighteenth mile on the road leading west from Alexandria) to bring the
body of the martyr to the monastery and bury her in the cemetery with
the departed fathers. Some of the monks were scandalized because he
wanted to bury a woman's body with the monks. St Daniel replied, "She
is a mother to me and to you, because she died for her chastity."
After the funeral St Daniel returned to his own skete. Soon one of the
young monks began to complain to him that he was tormented by fleshly
passions. St Daniel ordered him to go and pray at the grave of the
holy martyr Thomais. The monk did the bidding of the Elder. While he
prayed at the grave, he fell into a light sleep. St Thomais appeared
to him and said, "Father, accept my blessing and go in peace."
When he awakened, the monk felt joy and peace in his soul. After this,
he told St Daniel that he was no longer bothered by the temptations of
the flesh. Abba Daniel exclaimed, "Great is the boldness of those who
have struggled for chastity."
Many found both spiritual joy and release from their passions at the
grave of St Thomais. Her holy relics were transferred to
Constantinople to one of the women's monasteries. The Russian pilgrim
Archdeacon Zosimas venerated them in 1420.
St Thomais is invoked by those seeking deliverance from sexual
impurity. Other saints whose intercession we seek for this purpose
are: St John the Much-Suffering (July 18) and St Moses the Hungarian
(July 26).
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