[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

[Daily Orthodox Readings and Saints]

Scripture Readings and Saints for Fri Aug 3 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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2 Corinthians 1:12-20
12 For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we
conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity,
not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly
toward you.
13 For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read
or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end
14 (as also you have understood us in part), that we are your boast as
you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.
15 And in this confidence I intended to come to you before, that you
might have a second benefit-
16 to pass by way of you to Macedonia, to come again from Macedonia to
you, and be helped by you on my way to Judea.
17 Therefore, when I was planning this, did I do it lightly? Or the
things I plan, do I plan according to the flesh, that with me there
should be Yes, Yes, and No, No?
18 But as God is faithful, our word to you was not Yes and No.
19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by
us-by me, Silvanus, and Timothy-was not Yes and No, but in Him was
Yes.
20 For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the
glory of God through us.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2


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Matthew 22:23-33
23 The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came
to Him and asked Him,
24 saying: "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no
children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for
his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had
married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother.
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh.
27 Last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she
be? For they all had her.
29 Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the
Scriptures nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in
marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.
31 But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what
was spoken to you by God, saying,
32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?
God is not the God of the dead, but of the living."
33 And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His
teaching.
Scripture Reading 2 of 2



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------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Venerable Isaac the Ascetic of the Dalmatian Monastery at
Constantinople
Saint Dalmatus had served in the army of the holy emperor Theodosius
the Great (379-395) and gained his notice. He left the world somewhere
between the years 381-383, and went with his son Faustus to the
monastery of St Isaac near Constantinople. St Isaac (May 30) tonsured
father and son into monasticism, and they both began to lead a strict
ascetic life.
Once during Great Lent St Dalmatus did not eat any food for the forty
days. Later he regained his strength and was found worthy of a divine
vision.
When St Isaac was approaching the end of his earthly life, he named St
Dalmatus as igumen of the monastery, which later became known as the
Dalmatian Monastery.
St Dalmatus showed himself a zealous proponent of the Orthodox Faith
at the Third Ecumenical Council at Ephesus (431), which condemned the
heresy of Nestorius.
After the Council the holy Fathers elevated St Dalmatus as
archimandrite of the Dalmatian monastery, where he died at the age of
ninety (after 446).
St Faustus, like his father, was a great ascetic and particularly
excelled at fasting. After the death of his father, Faustus became
igumen of the monastery.
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Venerable Dalmatus the Ascetic of the Dalmatian Monastery at
Constantinople
Saint Isaac (May 30) tonsured Sts Dalmatus and his son Faustus as
monks in his monastery near Constantinople.
When St Isaac was approaching the end of his earthly life, he named St
Dalmatus as igumen of the monastery, which later became known as the
Dalmatian Monastery.
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Venerable Faustus the Ascetic of the Dalmatian Monastery at
Constantinople
Saint Isaac (May 30) tonsured Sts Dalmatus and his son Faustus as
monks in his monastery near Constantinople.
When St Isaac was approaching the end of his earthly life, he named St
Dalmatus as igumen of the monastery, which later became known as the
Dalmatian Monastery.
St Faustus, like his father, was a great ascetic and particularly
excelled at fasting. Following the death of his father, he succeeded
him as igumen of the monastery.
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Venerable Anthony the Roman and Abbot of Novgorod
St Anthony the Roman was born at Rome in 1067 to rich parents who
adhered to the Orthodox Faith, and they raised him in piety. After
losing his parents at age 17, he took up the study of the Fathers in
the Greek language. Afterwards, he distributed part of his inheritance
to the poor, and the other portion he put into a wooden barrel and
threw it into the sea. Then he was tonsured at one of the wilderness
monasteries, where he lived for 20 years.
A persecution of the Latins against the Orthodox forced the brethren
to separate. St Anthony wandered from place to place until he came
upon a large rock upon the shore of the sea, where he lived for a
whole year in fasting and prayer. On September 5, 1105 a terrible
storm tore away the stone on which St Anthony stood, and threw it into
the sea. By divine Providence, the stone floated to Novgorod. On the
Feast of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, the stone halted 3
versts from Novgorod on the banks of the River Volkhov near the
village of Volkhov. This event is testified to in the Novgorod
Chronicles.
At this place the monk, with the blessing of St Nikita the Hermit (May
14), founded a monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy
Theotokos. In another year, fishermen recovered the barrel containing
St Anthony's inheritance, cast into the sea many years before. The
saint recognized his barrel, but the fishermen did not want to give it
to him. Before a judge, St Anthony described the contents of the
barrel, and it was returned to him. The saint used the money to buy
land for the monastery. Spiritual asceticism was combined at the
monastery with intense physical labor.
St Anthony was concerned that help should be given to the needy,
orphans and widows from monastery funds. In 1117, the saint built a
stone church in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. The
church, built during the lifetime of St Anthony in the years 1117-1119
by the renowned Novgorod architect Peter, and adorned with frescoes in
the year 1125, has been preserved to the present time. In 1131, St
Niphon of Novgorod made St Anthony igumen of the monastery. He died on
August 3, 1147 and was buried by St Niphon.
St Anthony was glorified in 1597. His memory is also celebrated
(uncovering of his relics) on the first Friday after the Feast of the
Foremost Apostles Peter and Paul (June 29), and on January 17, on the
same day that St Anthony the Great is commemorated. The first Life of
St Anthony the Roman was written soon after his death by his disciple
and successor as igumen, the hieromonk Andrew. A Life, with an account
of the uncovering of the relics, was written by a novice of the
Antoniev monastery, the monk Niphon, in the year 1598.
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Martyr Razhden of Persia the Georgian
Saint Razhden the Protomartyr was descended from a noble Persian
family. When Holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali married the daughter of the
Persian king Hormuzd III Balunducht, the queen took Razhden with her
to Georgia.
In Kartli Razhden converted to the Christian Faith, and King Vakhtang
presented him with an estate and appointed him as a military adviser
and commander.
At that time Georgia was under heavy political pressure from Persia.
Enraged at King Vakhtangs clearly Christian convictions, the Persian
king Peroz (Son of Yazgard III.)(457484) attacked Georgia with an
enormous army. His accomplishments in this battle earned Razhden his
distinction as a brave and virtuous warrior.
Before long the furious King Peroz ordered that a certain Persian
aristocrat who had converted to Christianity and survived the battle
be taken captive. The Persians surrounded Razhden, bound his hands and
feet, and delivered him to their king. Peroz received him with feigned
tenderness, saying, Greetings, my virtuous Razhden! Peace be to you!
Where have you been all this time, and for what reason have you turned
from the faith of your fathers to confess a creed in which your
fathers did not instruct you?
Razhden fearlessly asserted that Christianity is the only true faith
and that Christ is the only true Savior of mankind. King Peroz tried
to conceal his anger and cunningly lure Razhden to his side, but his
attempt was in vain. Convinced that his efforts were futile, Peroz
finally ordered that the saint be beaten without mercy. The expert
executioners trampled St. Razhden, battered him, knocked out his
teeth, dragged him across jagged cliffs, then chained him in heavy
irons and cast him into prison.
When the news of Razhdens suffering and captivity spread to Mtskheta,
the Georgian nobility came to Peroz and requested that he free the
holy man. Peroz consented to their request, but made Razhden vow to
return.
Razhden arrived in Mtskheta, bid farewell to his family and the
beloved king Vakhtang Gorgasali and, despite his loved ones
admonitions to the contrary, returned to Peroz. The Persian king tried
again to return Razhden to the religion of the fire-worshippers. But
seeing that he would not be broken, Peroz instead ordered his exile to
a military camp at Tsromi in central Georgia. Then he secretly ordered
the chief of the Persian camp to turn him away from Christianity and
to execute him if he refused. Your flattery and bribes are insulting
to me. With joy I am prepared to endure every suffering for the sake
of Christ!
Razhden replied to his appeals.
If he hopes in the Crucified One, then he also is fit to suffer
crucifixion!
Such was the Persians verdict. They erected a cross, crucified Christs
humble servant, and prepared to shoot at the pious man with bow and
arrow.
Into Thy hands, O Lord, I commit my spirit! were the last words of St.
Razhden.
That night a group of Christians stole the Persians cross, took the
holy martyrs body down from it, and buried his holy relics in secret.
A few years later Vakhtang Gorgasali translated St. Razhdens relics
from Tsromi to Nikozi (in central Georgia) and interred them in a
cathedral that he had built there not long before. Holy King Vakhtang
later erected churches in honor of Georgias first martyr in Ujarma and
Samgori in eastern Georgia.
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Venerable Cosmas the Eunuch and Hermit of Palestine
St Cosmas the Hermit lived during the sixth century in the Pharan
wilderness of Palestine. An account of the Bikaneia presbyter Abba
Basil about St Cosmas is located in the book Spiritual Meadow (Ch. 40)
compiled by St John Moschus. He was strict of fasting, a firm defender
of the Orthodox Faith and Church dogmas, and profoundly knowledgeable
in Holy Scripture and the works of the Church Fathers.
St Cosmas particularly revered the works of St Athanasius the Great
and told those to whom he spoke: "If you come across a word of St
Athanasius and have no paper, write it upon your clothing." He had the
habit to stand at prayer all night Saturday through Sunday.
Having once come to Antioch, he died there, and the patriarch buried
his body at his monastery. Abba Basil relates that when he came to
venerate the grave of St Cosmas, he found there a beggar, who told
him: "It is a great Elder whom you have buried here!" He explained
that he had been paralyzed for twelve years, and received healing
through the prayers of St Cosmas.
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9 Kherkheulidze Brothers with their Mother and Sister and
Nine Thousand Martyrs of Marabda
On the Feast of the Annunciation in the year 1625, the Georgians
annihilated the army of the Persian shah Abbas I in the Battle of
Martqopi. The victory unified Georgias eastern provinces of Kartli and
Kakheti. It also instilled hope in other enslaved peoples of the
Transcaucasus, and rebellions began to break out everywhere.
Soon the enraged Shah Abbas marched his finest and largest army toward
Georgia under the leadership of Isa-Khan Qurchibash. A Georgian army
of some twenty thousand men encamped near Kojori-Tabakhmela in
preparation for the attack, while the enemys army, which numbered in
excess of fifty thousand men, encamped at Marabda. According to
tradition, the Georgian soldiers received Holy Communion at dawn
before the battle.
Bishop Domenti (Avalishvili) of Ruisi prepared to serve the Holy Gifts
to the soldiers but they cried out with a single voice: If you will
join us and take up your sword and fight, then do so. We can receive
Holy Communion from another!
Inspired by these words, the bishop joined in, proclaiming, Today we
will fight a battle for faith and for Christ; therefore my blood must
be spilled before yours! With his vestments as armor, the bishop
blessed the soldiers and took his place in the front line.
The banner of the Georgian army was entrusted to the nine
Kherkheulidze brothers.
The Persians panicked upon coming face-to-face with the courage and
fortitude of the Georgian soldiers, but the experienced commander
Isa-Khan Qurchibash would not yield in battle. Help arrived from
Beglerbeg Shaybani-Khan, and with the extra forces the Persians soon
gained the advantage over the Georgian army. The Georgian colonel
Teimuraz Mukhranbatoni was fatally wounded, and rumors of his death
threw the soldiers into a frenzy, since they erroneously believed that
the dead man was King Teimuraz I of Kakheti, the commander of their
army.
Believing that their leader had fallen, the Georgian soldiers became
anxious and their army was enfeebled. Before long they recognized
their mistake, but it was too latethe fate of the battle had already
been decided.
The military leaders Davit Jandieri, Aghatang Kherkheulidze and Baadur
Tsitsishvili and the bishops of Rustavi and Kharchasho all fell in the
battle at Marabda. The nine banner-bearing Kherkheulidze brothers were
also killed. When the banner that had led their army through the
battles at Didgori and Basiani fell from the hands of the youngest
brother, their sister grabbed hold of it immediately, and when she
also fell, the banner and symbol of Georgian invincibility was raised
up again by their mother.
King Teimuraz fought until sunset, when every sword he had held in his
hands had been broken. Even his rings were broken in the combat. The
uniform of the brilliant military leader Giorgi Saakadze was stained
with blood from top to bottom. Atabeg Manuchar of Samtskhe and his
sons also fought bravely in this battle.
Utterly exhausted and debilitated by the heat, the Georgians fought
heroically to the last moment. But the battle that had begun at dawn
finally ended late that night with the defeat of the Georgian army.
Nine thousand Georgians gave their lives for Christ and their
motherland on the battlefield at Marabda.
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9,000 Martyrs of Marabda with the Nine Kherkheulidze Brothers
with their Mother and Sister and
On the Feast of the Annunciation in the year 1625, the Georgians
annihilated the army of the Persian shah Abbas I in the Battle of
Martqopi. The victory unified Georgias eastern provinces of Kartli and
Kakheti. It also instilled hope in other enslaved peoples of the
Transcaucasus, and rebellions began to break out everywhere.
Soon the enraged Shah Abbas marched his finest and largest army toward
Georgia under the leadership of Isa-Khan Qurchibash. A Georgian army
of some twenty thousand men encamped near Kojori-Tabakhmela in
preparation for the attack, while the enemys army, which numbered in
excess of fifty thousand men, encamped at Marabda. According to
tradition, the Georgian soldiers received Holy Communion at dawn
before the battle.
Bishop Domenti (Avalishvili) of Ruisi prepared to serve the Holy Gifts
to the soldiers but they cried out with a single voice: If you will
join us and take up your sword and fight, then do so. We can receive
Holy Communion from another!
Inspired by these words, the bishop joined in, proclaiming, Today we
will fight a battle for faith and for Christ; therefore my blood must
be spilled before yours! With his vestments as armor, the bishop
blessed the soldiers and took his place in the front line.
The banner of the Georgian army was entrusted to the nine
Kherkheulidze brothers.
The Persians panicked upon coming face-to-face with the courage and
fortitude of the Georgian soldiers, but the experienced commander
Isa-Khan Qurchibash would not yield in battle. Help arrived from
Beglerbeg Shaybani-Khan, and with the extra forces the Persians soon
gained the advantage over the Georgian army. The Georgian colonel
Teimuraz Mukhranbatoni was fatally wounded, and rumors of his death
threw the soldiers into a frenzy, since they erroneously believed that
the dead man was King Teimuraz I of Kakheti, the commander of their
army.
Believing that their leader had fallen, the Georgian soldiers became
anxious and their army was enfeebled. Before long they recognized
their mistake, but it was too latethe fate of the battle had already
been decided.
The military leaders Davit Jandieri, Aghatang Kherkheulidze and Baadur
Tsitsishvili and the bishops of Rustavi and Kharchasho all fell in the
battle at Marabda. The nine banner-bearing Kherkheulidze brothers were
also killed. When the banner that had led their army through the
battles at Didgori and Basiani fell from the hands of the youngest
brother, their sister grabbed hold of it immediately, and when she
also fell, the banner and symbol of Georgian invincibility was raised
up again by their mother.
King Teimuraz fought until sunset, when every sword he had held in his
hands had been broken. Even his rings were broken in the combat. The
uniform of the brilliant military leader Giorgi Saakadze was stained
with blood from top to bottom. Atabeg Manuchar of Samtskhe and his
sons also fought bravely in this battle.
Utterly exhausted and debilitated by the heat, the Georgians fought
heroically to the last moment. But the battle that had begun at dawn
finally ended late that night with the defeat of the Georgian army.
Nine thousand Georgians gave their lives for Christ and their
motherland on the battlefield at Marabda.
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