[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Wed Dec 26 05:00:14 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Wed Dec 26 2007

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Hebrews 2:11-18  (Theotokos)
11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are
all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 saying: "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of
the assembly I will sing praise to You."
13 And again: "I will put My trust in Him." And again: "Here am I and
the children whom God has given Me."
14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He
Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might
destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime
subject to bondage.
16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to
the seed of Abraham.
17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that
He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining
to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to
aid those who are tempted.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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Matthew 2:13-23  (Theotokos)
13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared
to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His
mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for
Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him."
14 When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and
departed for Egypt,
15 and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, "Out of
Egypt I called My Son."
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was
exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male
children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two
years old and under, according to the time which he had
17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
18 A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great
mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted,
Because they are no more."
19 Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a
dream to Joseph in Egypt,
20 saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the
land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."
21 Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into
the land of Israel.
22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of
his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God
in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee.
23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, "He shall be called a
Nazarene."
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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Second Day of the Nativity of our Lord
On the day after the Nativity of Christ we celebrate the Synaxis of
the Most Holy Theotokos, and come together to give her glory and
praise. This is the second day of the three day Winter Pascha.
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Synaxis of the Most Holy Mother of God
The Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos: On the second day of the
feast, the Synaxis of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated. Combining
the hymns of the Nativity with those celebrating the Mother of God,
the Church points to Mary as the one through whom the Incarnation was
made possible. His humanity - concretely and historically - is the
humanity He received from Mary. His body is, first of all, her body.
His life is her life. This feast, the assembly in honor of the
Theotokos, is probably the most ancient feast of Mary in the Christian
tradition, the very beginning of her veneration by the Church.
Six days of post-feast bring the Christmas season to a close on
December 31. At the services of all these days, the Church repeats the
hymns and songs glorifying Christ's Incarnation, reminding us that the
source and foundation of our salvation is only to be found in the One
who, as God before the ages, came into this world and for our sake was
"born as a little Child."
Father Alexander Schmemann, The Services of Christmas (1981)
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Hieromartyr Euthymius the Bishop of Sardis
The Hieromartyr Euthymius, Bishop of Sardis, during the period of the
reign of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitos (780-797)
and the empress Irene (797-802), was chosen Bishop of Sardis because
of his virtuous life. He was also present at the Seventh Ecumenical
Council (787), at which he denounced the Iconoclast heresy.
When the Iconoclast emperor Nicephorus I (802-811) came to rule, St
Euthymius and other Orthodox hierarchs were banished to the island of
Patalareia, where they languished for a long time. Recalled from exile
by the emperor Leo V (813-820), the bishop boldly denunced the
Iconoclast heresy, and they sent him into exile to the city of Assia.
The next emperor, Michael II the Stammerer (820-829), attempted to
make him renounce icon-veneration, but without success.
Then the holy martyr was flogged and banished to the island of Crete.
Michael was succeeded on the throne by the Iconoclast emperor
Theophilus (829-842), on whose order St Euthymius was subjected to
cruel tortures: they stretched him on four poles and beat him with ox
thongs. St Euthymius fell asleep in the Lord several days after the
torture.
St Euthymius is also commemorated on March 8.
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Venerable Constantine of Synnada
Saint Constantine of Synada, a native of the city of Synada and of
Jewish descent. From his youth he was drawn to the Christian Faith.
Careful study of the teachings of Christ set his heart aflame, and he
left his parents to become a monk. He was baptized with the name
Constantine and received monastic tonsure.
When they brought him the Holy Cross, he kissed it with love and
touched it to his head. The image of the Holy Cross impressed itself
upon him throughout all his life. Having spent his God-pleasing life
in strict asceticism, St Constantine departed peacefully to the Lord.
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Venerable Evarestus of the Studion Monastery
Saint Evarestus, a native of Galatia, was the son of illustrious
parents. From his youth he longed for the monastic life, and in
particular he loved to read the books of St Ephraim the Syrian. He
went to the Studion monastery, pursuing asceticism in strict fasting,
vigil and prayer, and wearing iron chains. He departed to the Lord at
age 75 in the year 825.
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Venerable Nicodemus of Tishmana, Macedonia
No information available at this time
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Hieromartyr Constantine the Russian of Lavra of Mt Athos
No information available at this time
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Icon of the Mother of God of "Vilna"
The Vilensk-Ostrobramsk Icon "The Three Joys" is possibly of western
origin, since it depicts the Mother of God, Christ, and St Joseph
together. Normally, St Joseph is not depicted in close proximity with
the Virgin and Child, since he was not Christ's earthly father. In the
icon of the Nativity, for example, St Joseph is not part of the scene
within the cave.
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Icon of the Mother of God "the Three Joys"
The Vilensk-Ostrobramsk Icon "The Three Joys" is possibly of western
origin, since it depicts the Mother of God, Christ, and St Joseph
together. Normally, St Joseph is not depicted in close proximity with
the Virgin and Child, since he was not Christ's earthly father. In the
icon of the Nativity, for example, St Joseph is not part of the scene
within the cave.
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Icon of the Mother of God "the Blessed Womb"
There are at least four distinct types of the "Blessed Womb" Icon. The
Barlov Icon is a variant of the Hodigitria Icon. It appeared on
December 26, 1392, and it is in the Annunciation Catherdral in Moscow.
The second example is similar to the "Milk-Giver" Icon (January 12),
which itself is derived from the Greek "Galaktotrophousa" type. This
"Blessed Womb" Icon does not have the angels crowning the Mother of
God which are found in the Greek icon, and the Virgin is facing in the
opposite direction from the "Milk-Giver" Icon. This variant sometimes
has an inscription: "Blessed is the womb that bore Thee, and the
breasts which Thou hast suckled" (Luke 11:27). The sun and moon appear
at the top of the icon, and there are leafy plants in the background.
There is a third type which depicts Christ resting on His Mother's
right arm. Two angels crown her, and place a chain around her neck.
The fourth example shows the Mother of God with her hands folded above
Christ, who is shown in half-length.
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Venerable Isaac II of Optina
Saint Isaac II (Bobrikov) died as a martyr on December 26, 1938.
The Moscow Patriarchate authorized local veneration of the Optina
Elders on June 13,1996, glorifying them for universal veneration on
August 7, 2000.
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