[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

[Daily Orthodox Readings and Saints]

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sun Dec 30 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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John 20:19-31  (9th Matins Gospel)
19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week,
when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear
of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them,
"Peace be with you."
20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then
the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent
Me, I also send you."
22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them,
"Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you
retain the sins of any, they are retained.
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them
when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord."
So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails,
and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into
His side, I will not believe."
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas
with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst,
and said, "Peace to you!"
27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My
hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be
unbelieving, but believing."
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have
believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His
disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His
name.
Scripture Reading 1 of 3


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Galatians 1:11-19  (Epistle, Sunday After)
11 But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was
preached by me is not according to man.
12 For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it
came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.
13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I
persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my
own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my
fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and
called me through His grace,
16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the
Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood,
17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me;
but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.
18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and
remained with him fifteen days.
19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord's
brother.
Scripture Reading 2 of 3


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Matthew 2:13-23  (Gospel, Sunday After)
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 3 of 3



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Holy Righteous Joseph the Betrothed, along with David the
King, and James the Brother of the Lord
Saint Joseph the Betrothed was of the lineage of King David. In his
first marriage, he had four sons and two daughters. After he became a
widower, St Joseph led a life of strict temperance. He was chosen to
be the husband and guardian of the Most Holy Theotokos, who had taken
a vow of virginity.
An angel told him of the Incarnation of the Son of God through her. St
Joseph was present when the shepherds and the Magi worshiped the
new-born divine Infant. On the orders of the angel, he fled into Egypt
with the Mother of God and the Infant Jesus, saving them from the
wrath of King Herod. He lived in Egypt with the Virgin Mary and the
divine Child, working as a carpenter. St Joseph reputedly died at the
age of one hundred.
St Joseph is commemorated on the Sunday after the Nativity. If there
is no Sunday between December 25 and January 1, his Feast is moved to
December 26. The Righteous Joseph is also commemorated on the Sunday
of the Holy Forefathers.
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Sunday after the Nativity: Commemoration of the Holy
Righteous David the King, Joseph the Betrothed, and James the Brother
of the Lord
The Holy Prophet-King David, St Joseph the Betrothed, and St James the
Brother of the Lord are commemorated on the Sunday after the Nativity.
If there is no Sunday between December 25 and January 1, their
commemoration is moved to December 26.
At an early date, some churches in the East began to commemorate
certain important figures of the New Testament at the time of
Theophany, and later during the Nativity season. In Syria, for
example, St Stephen (December 27), Sts James (April 30) and John
(September 26), and Sts Peter and Paul (June 29) were commemorated
near the end of December.
In Jerusalem, the saints mentioned above were combined with a feast
that the Jews of Hebron celebrated on December 25 or 26 in honor of
the Old Testament Patriarch Jacob. Later on, the Christians
substituted St James (October 23) for Jacob, and then the
commemoration of the Brother of the Lord became associated with his
ancestor King David. In time, St. Joseph was linked with Sts David and
James.
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Righteous James the Brother of the Lord, along with Joseph
the Betrothed, and David the King
The Holy Apostle James, Brother of the Lord, was the eldest son of
Joseph the Betrothed from his first marriage with Solomonia. The
Apostle James is remembered after the Feast of the Nativity of Christ
together with his father Joseph and the Prophet-King David, since he
accompanied his family on the Flight into Egypt and lived there with
the Infant Jesus, the Mother of God and Joseph. Later, he returned to
Israel with them.
After the Ascension of the Lord, St James was the first Bishop of
Jerusalem, gaining the great esteem not only of Christians, but also
of Jews. He was thrown from the roof of the Jerusalem Temple because
he had publicly preached to the people about the God-manhood of the
Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Apostle James is also commemorated on
October 23.
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Sunday after the Nativity: Commemoration of the Holy
Righteous David the King, Joseph the Betrothed, and James the Brother
of the Lord
The Holy Prophet-King David was a forefather of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to the flesh. The youngest son of Jesse, David shepherded a
flock of sheep belonging to his father. He was distinguished by his
deep faith, and he zealously fulfilled the will of God.
During a battle with the Philistines, he vanquished the giant Goliath
in single combat, which decided the outcome of the war in favor of the
Israelites. He endured many things from King Saul, who saw him as a
favorite of the people and his rival. David, however, showed his own
decency and magnanimity. Twice, when he had the possibility of killing
Saul, he did not do so.
After Saul and his son perished, David was proclaimed king of the
southern part of Israel, and after Saul's second son was killed, he
became king of all Israel. He built a new capital, Jerusalem ("the
City of Peace"), and a new tabernacle. His great wish to build a
Temple was not realized. It was foretold to him that his son would
build the Temple.
The life of the Prophet David was darkened by a grievous falling: he
took Uriah's wife for himself, and sent Uriah to his death in battle.
He was also an example of great repentance, humbly and with faith
bearing the sorrows sent in punishment for his sins. St David gave a
model for repentance in Psalm 50/51. King David died in great old age
with steadfast faith in the coming of the promised Messiah, our Lord
Jesus Christ. His divinely-inspired Psalter is widely used in the
divine services and in personal prayers. (See the Books of Kings and
Chronicles).
The holy Prophet-King David is invoked by those facing a difficult
situation, such as an interview, etc.
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Afterfeast of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ
On December 30, the Afterfeast of the Nativity, let us offer thanks to
Christ our God, Who is born of a Virgin for our salvation.
As the days begin to grow longer, we recall that the Lord is also
called the Sun of Righteousness, and enlightens those who were in
darkness. At this season of the year the daylight increases, and we
remember the words of St John the Baptist, "He must increase, but I
must decrease" (John 3:30).
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Virginmartyr Anysia at Thessalonica
The Holy Virgin Martyr Anysia lived in the city of Thessalonica during
the reign of the emperor Maximian (284-305). Upon the death of her
parents, who had raised her in Christian piety, St Anysia sold
everything she owned, distributing her riches to the poor, and she
began to lead a strict life of fasting, vigil, and prayer.
During his persecution against Christians, Maximian issued an edict
stating that anyone had the right to kill Christians with no fear of
punishment. Soon there were many bodies to be found in cities, towns,
and by the roadside. Once, when St Anysia was on her way to church, a
pagan soldier stopped her and demanded that she come along to the
festival of the sun to offer sacrifice. St Anysia gently pulled
herself away from him. When he soldier boldly grabbed her and
attempted to tear the veil from her head, she shoved him, spit in his
face and said, "My Lord Jesus Christ forbids you!"
In anger, the soldier ran her through with his sword. Those gathering
over her body wept and loudly complained against the cruel emperor for
issuing an edict that resulted in the death of many innocent people.
Christians buried the martyr near the city gates, and a chapel was
built over her grave.
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Martyr Zoticus the Keeper of Orphans
The Hieromartyr Zoticus, Protector of Orphans, an illustrious and rich
Roman, was in the service of St Constantine the Great (306-337). When
the emperor transferred the capital from Rome to Constantinople,
Zoticus also moved there. Soon, however, spurning worldly honors,
Zoticus was ordained to the holy priesthood, and he began to provide
for the destitute and orphaned in his own home. Then, receiving funds
from St Constantine, he built a place of treatment for the sick, a
shelter for the homeless, where he took in those afflicted with
leprosy, rescuing them from the soldiers, who had been ordered to
drown them in the sea.
When St Constantine's son, Constantius (337-361), an adherent of the
Arian heresy, succeeded his father, St Zoticus was accused of
receiving a large sum of money from the deceased emperor. When asked
about this, Zoticus showed the emperor the homeless and sick home he
had built. Constantius became angry, for he thought that Zoticus had
purchased jewels with the money received from his father, and he
wanted them back.
He ordered St Zoticus to be tied to wild mules, which dragged the
saint over the stones. His whole body was lacerated, and the saint
gave up his soul to God. A stream of pure water sprang forth at the
place of his death, from which many received healing.
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Apostle Timon the Deacon of the Seventy
The Holy Apostle Timon was one of the seven deacons appointed by the
Apostles (Acts 6:5) to minister to destitute Christian widows. Later,
he was chosen bishop of the city of Bosra in Syria, where he led many
to Christianity. He was thrown into a red-hot furnace and received the
crown of martyrdom. He is also commemorated on July 28).
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Martyr Philetairus of Nicomedia
The Holy Martyr Philetairus of Nicomedia twice suffered torture for
Christ: under Diocletian (284-305) and under Maximian (305-311). When
Diocletian arrived in Nicomedia, St Philetairus, who was tall and
handsome, was put on trial. Seeing him, the emperor compared him to
one of the pagan gods. When questioned about his social rank and
family the martyr answered, "I am the son of an eparch, I am a
Christian, and I live with Christians."
The emperor spoke insultingly of the Lord Jesus Christ, but the saint
replied, "Let the mouth of anyone who dares to insult my Christ be
silenced, whether he is the emperor or anyone else." After these words
the martyr was thrown into a red-hot oven, but he emerged from it
unharmed. Then Diocletian, witnessing the miracle, and taking into
account the saint's illustrious rank and handsome appearance, set him
free.
Later, the emperor Maximian was informed that Philetairus was a
Christian. Brought to trial before the emperor, the holy martyr again
confessed his faith in Christ. For this they subjected him to
whippings. Then they threw him to be eaten by wild beasts, but he
remained unharmed. Then they sentenced him to beheading by the sword,
but the two servants who were entrusted the execution were unable to
kill him. Just as they raised the sword over the head of the martyr,
their hands ceased to function. Persuaded that the Lord invisibly was
guarding the holy martyr, both executioners believed in Christ and
they themselves were beheaded by the sword.
The holy Martyr Philetairus was sentenced to exile on Prokonnesos, one
of the islands of the Sea of Marmora. On the journey, he performed
many miracles and destroyed a heathen temple with its idols. Six
soldiers and their commander, who accompanied the saint to his exile,
came to believe in Christ.
On the way St Eubiotus (December 18), who had also undergone many
sufferings for Christ, came to see him. The saints joyfully embraced,
and they stayed at the cell of St Eubiotus for seven days, together
the soldiers and their commander. St Philetairus died there and was
buried by St Eubiotus. The soldiers and their commander also died
there eleven days later, and were buried beside St Philetairus.
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Venerable Theodora of Caesarea, in Cappadocia
Saint Theodora of Caesarea, living during the eighth century, was the
daughter of the patrician Theophilus and his wife Theodora. Her
parents for a long time had been childless, and grieved over this.
They prayed and vowed that if a child were born to them, it would be
dedicated to God. When their daughter was of age, her mother took her
to the monastery of St Anna in Caesarea, where the maiden entered
under the guidance of an abbess. There she became familiar with
spiritual literature.
The emperor Leo the Isaurian (716-741), an iconoclast heretic, wanted
to give the maiden Theodora into marriage to one of his aides. They
took her from the monastery against her will and brought her to
Constantinople, where everything was already prepared for the wedding
celebration.
But during the wedding feast the Scythians attacked the capital, and
St Theodora's husband, sent to help beat back the attack of the enemy,
perished in the very first skirmish. Taking advantage of the general
confusion, St Theodora got on a ship and returned to her convent. When
an imperial emissary followed her there, he saw that she had already
been tonsured a nun. Therefore, she could not be forced to leave the
women's monastery. She spent the remaining years of her life in
fasting, vigil, and prayer. She wore heavy iron chains on her body,
not removing them until death.
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Venerable Theodora of Constantinople
Saint Theodora lived at Constantinople during the first half of the
tenth century. She had been married, but was widowed early on and led
a pious life, caring for the destitute and hopeless. Later, she became
a nun and lived under the guidance of St Basil the New (March 26),
living the monastic life in a solitary cell in her own home.
St Theodora died in great old age in the year 940. Gregory, a disciple
of St Basil the New, asked his teacher to reveal to him the fate of
the deceased nun. "Do you want this very much?" asked St Basil. "Yes,
I do," Gregory replied.
"You shall see her today, if you ask with faith, and if you believe
that your request will be granted."
Gregory was greatly surprised and he wondered how he would be able to
see someone who had departed to eternal life. That same night, as
Gregory was falling asleep, a youth of comely appearance came to him
and said, "Get up. Father Basil summons you to visit Theodora. If you
want to see her, then come along."
Gregory immediately went to St Basil, but did not find him there.
Those present said that St Basil had gone to visit the nun Theodora.
They showed Gregory the path taken by St Basil. Gregory followed it
until he found himself in a labyrinth. The narrow and difficult path
led to a bolted gateway. Seeing through a crack that there was a
courtyard beyond the gates, Gregory called out to a woman seated
there. She explained that this courtyard belonged to Father Basil, who
was wont to come there to visit his spiritual children.
"Open to me, for I am also a spiritual child of St Basil," Gregory
entreated. The servant girl, however, would not open the doors without
Theodora's permission. Gregory began to knock loudly on the doors. St
Theodora heard it and let him through, exclaiming, "Here he is, the
beloved son of my master, Basil!"
After greeting him, Theodora asked, "Brother Gregory, who has guided
you here?" Then he related how through the prayer of St Basil he had
the good fortune to behold her in the glory which she had attained by
her ascetic life.
Gregory began to beg her to tell him, for his spiritual benefit, how
she had parted from the body and come to this holy habitation. St
Theodora replied, "Dear child Gregory, how can I tell you everything?
After the point, in which I was with tribulation in fear and
trembling, I have forgotten much, moreover, I saw such faces and heard
such voices, as one would never see nor hear in one's life."
"I can say that death would have come upon me fiercely because of my
unjust deeds, were it not for the prayers of our Father Basil. His
prayers alone made my death easier." After this St Theodora began to
relate how a multitude of evil spirits suddenly appeared and accosted
her before her end. They carried large books, in which were written
all the sins of her whole life. They reviewed them impatiently, as
though expecting the arrival of some sort of judge at any minute.
Seeing all this, St Theodora felt such fear and terror, that finally
she became exhausted. She glanced all around, hoping to see someone
who would drive the devils away.
Finding herself in this tormenting situation, she then beheld two
angels standing to the right of her. One was her Guardian Angel, the
other she did not know. The evil spirits then withdrew farther off. An
angel said, "Why do you, grim enemies of the race of man, seek to
harass and torment the soul of the deceased? Do not rejoice, for she
is not one of yours." Then the shameless spirits began to recount
everything that the saint had done from her youth, whether by word, or
deed or thought. To all this they added much of their own invention,
seeking to slander the saint.
Finally, Death came. It poured something into a bowl and offered it to
the saint to drink, then taking a knife, it cut off her head. "Ah, my
child," continued St Theodora, "how bitter it was for me then, how
bitter! At this moment Death snatched away my soul, which quickly
separated from the body, just as a bird leaps off the fowler's hand
when he sets it free." Radiant angels took the soul of St Theodora and
began to lead it to Heaven, whereas her body was left to lie upon the
earth like discarded clothing.
When the holy angels had the soul of the nun, the evil spirits
returned saying, "We have a list of her many sins, answer for them."
Then the angels began to recount all the good deeds which the saint
had done: her charity, her love of peace, her love for the temple of
God, her patience, humility, fasting, and many other ascetic deeds
which the nun had accomplished in life. They set her good deeds
opposite her sins, which expiated them.
The evil spirits gnashed their teeth, wanting to abduct the holy soul
and hurl it down into the abyss. Then suddenly, St Basil appeared in
spirit and he said to the holy angels, "My protectors, this soul has
rendered me many services, lessening the distress of my infirmity and
old age. I have prayed concerning her to the Lord, and He bestowed
this good thing." With this St Basil gave the angels some sort of
small chest, adding, "When you want the celestial trials to finish,
take what is in this chest and give it to the wicked and evil
spirits." After giving them the chest, the saint disappeared.
Seeing all this, the evil spirits remained perplexed and speechless
for a long time, and then suddenly, they howled, "Woe to us! In vain
have we toiled, watching and following her, noting how and where she
sinned." Then they disappeared.
Then St Basil appeared again and brought with him many different
vessels with fragrances, which he entrusted to the angels. Opening one
vessel after the other, the angels poured out the fragrances upon St
Theodora. She was filled with a spiritual sweetness and felt that she
had changed and become very luminous. St Basil said, "My protectors!
When you have done everything needful for her, and have brought her to
the habitation prepared by the Lord for me, leave her there." The holy
angels took St Theodora and proceeded up to Heaven, rising up through
the air.
Then suddenly, they encountered the First Trial, which is called the
Trial of Idle and Nasty Words. The tormentors demanded an answer be
given for every evil thing that Theodora had ever spoken about anyone,
and they pointed out the indecorous laughter, mockery and crude songs.
The saint had forgotten all this, since quite a long time had passed
when she first began to lead a life pleasing to God. However, the
angels defended her.
Then came the Trial of Lies. The evil spirits there were very nasty,
stubborn and fierce. They furiously began to slander the saint, but
the angels gave them something from the small chest and they passed by
unhindered.
When Theodora reached the Third Trial, that of Judging and Slander,
from among the evil spirits emerged one rather older, and it began to
tell how the nun had slandered someone with vile words during her
life. Much of what he said was false, but still it was amazing how the
demons remembered things in detail and with exactness, things which
the nun herself had forgotten.
The servants of the Fourth Trial, that of Gluttony and Drunkenness,
were ready to devour the saint like ravenous wolves, recalling how she
ate in the morning without praying to God, how she ate at lunch and
supper without measure, and transgressed the fasts. Trying to snatch
the nun from the hands of the angels, one of the evil spirits said,
"Did you not promise the Lord God at holy Baptism to renounce Satan
and all his works and everything that pertains to him? Having given
such a vow, how could you have done the things which you have done?"
And the devils even calculated all the cups of wine which Theodora had
imbibed in her life. When she said, "Yes, this was so, and I remember
that," the angels again gave a portion from the small chest of St
Basil, just as they had done at each of the trials, and went farther.
"Do the people on earth know what awaits them here and with what they
will meet at the time of their death?" Theodora asked the angels.
"Yes, they do know," an angel replied, "but the pleasures and delights
of life act so strongly upon them, and so occupy their attention, that
they involuntarily forget what awaits them beyond the grave."
"It is good for those who remember the Holy Scripture, or show
charity, or do other good deeds, which can redeem them later from the
eternal torments of Hell. But woe to those who live carelessly as
though forever, thinking only of the sweets of the belly and their
pride. If death should suddenly overtake them, they perish completely,
since they have no good deeds in their defense. The souls of these
people are fiercely tormented by the dark princes of these trials,
they lead them off into the dark places of hell and will hold them
until the Coming of Christ. So you would have suffered this too,
Theodora, if you had not received the gift from St Basil, which saved
you from all harm here."
After the angel finished speaking, they came to the Fifth Trial, that
of Laziness and Sloth, where sinners are tormented for all the hours
of the day spent in idleness. Here the indolent are held, for they
were too lazy to go to the Church of God on feastdays. Here the
careless and the despondent are also tested, both the laity and the
clergy, and each one shows a lack of attentiveness to his own soul.
Many here are hurled off into the abyss. The angels made up for the
insufficiencies of the nun with the gifts of St Basil, and proceeded
farther.
The Sixth Trial was that of Theft, and they passed through freely. The
Seventh Trial, that of Greed and Avarice, the angels managed to pass
through unhindered because, by the mercy of God, St Theodora had
always been satisfied with what God provided, and she distributed what
she possessed to the needy.
The spirits of the Eighth Trial, that of Bribery, tormented those
guilty of taking bribes and Flattery. They gnashed their teeth in
malice when the angels moved on, for they had nothing against St
Theodora.
So the angels proceeded freely through the Ninth Trial, that of
Unrighteousness and Vanity; the Tenth Trial, that of Envy and
Jealousy; and the Eleventh Trial, that of Pride.
Along the way they soon encountered the Twelfth Trial, that of Anger.
The eldest of the spirits, full of anger and arrogance, commanded its
servants to torment and torture the nun. The devils repeated all the
words of the nun that she had spoken in anger. They even remembered
how she had glared at her own children with anger, or strictly
punished them. For all this the angels gave an answer, handing out
things from the small chest.
Like robbers, the evil spirits of the Thirteenth Trial, that of
Spitefulness, rushed out, but finding nothing in their records, they
wailed bitterly. Then St Theodora made bold to ask one of the angels
how the evil spirits know what evil things people do in life. The
angel answered, "Every Christian receives a Guardian Angel at holy
Baptism, who invisibly protects him from everything bad and urges him
to everything good. He records all the good deeds done by this person.
But on the other side, there is an evil angel keeping track of all the
evil deeds people do, and writes them down in his book. He records all
the sins which, as you have seen, accost people as they pass through
these trials on their way to Heaven. These sins can deny a soul entry
into Paradise, and lead directly into the abyss in which the evil
spirits themselves dwell. And there these souls will dwell until the
Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, if they have no good deeds
which can snatch them from the devil's clutches.
People who truly believe in the Holy Trinity, and who have received
the Holy Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ the Savior, ascend
directly to Heaven without any hindrance. And the holy angels of God
are shown as their defenders, and the saints pleasing to God intercede
for the salvation of souls of righteous people. Concerning the impious
and heretics of evil doctrine, and those who accomplish nothing useful
in their lives, no one looks after them and the angels can say nothing
in their defense."
The angels then reached the Fourteenth Trial, that of Thuggery, where
all who have lashed out with anger, smiting someone on the cheek or
using some other weapon, are tested. The angels passed freely through
this trial, too.
Suddenly, they found themselves at the Fifteenth Trial, that of
Sorcery and Necromancy (Conjuring), in the midst of beckoning demons.
Here are located he viperous-mannered spirits, the purpose of whose
existence is to lead people into temptation and corruption. Through
the grace of Christ St Theodora soon bypassed this trial. But after
this she asked whether it is for every sin which a man commits in life
that he is tormented with at the trials, or if it is possible, even
during life, to expiate the sin in order to be cleansed of it and not
be tormented with it at the trials.
The angels told St Theodora that not all experience the trials in that
way, but only those like her who did not make a heart-cleansing
confession before death. "If I had confessed to my spiritual Father
all my sins without shame or fear, and if I had received absolution
from him," said St Theodora, "then I should have gone through all
these trials unhindered, and not one of my sins would have tormented
me. But since I was not in the habit of confessing all my sins to my
spiritual Father, they torment me for them here."
"Of course, it helped me a good deal that I strove and desired to flee
sin all my life. Whoever strives diligently for repentance, always
receives forgiveness from God, and also unencumbered passage from this
life to the blessed life beyond the grave. The evil spirits, which are
here during these trials with their records, open them find nothing
written, because the Holy Spirit will make invisible everything that
is written. They know that everything written by them is wiped out,
thanks to Confession, and they are deeply saddened."
"If a person is still among the living, then they aspire to write down
some other sort of sins. Truly great is the saving power of
Confession! It saves one from much woe and distress, it provides the
possibility to go through all the trials without hindrance and come to
God. Some do not come to Confession in the expectation that there will
be time for salvation, and for the remission of their sins. Others
simply are ashamed to tell the priest their sins in Confession. Such
people will be severely tested by these trials. There are also those
who are ashamed to tell everything to one spiritual Father, and they
prefer to tell one sin to one priest, and others to another, and so
forth. For such a Confession they will be punished, and they will
suffer not a little in passing from trial to trial."
Imperceptibly they approached the Sixteenth Trial, that of
Fornication. The tormentors were astonished that the saint had reached
them without hindrance, and when they began to relate what she had
done in life, they gave much false testimony, while providing names
and places in their account. So it also happened with the servants of
the Seventeenth Trial, that of Adultery. The Eighteenth Trial, that of
Sodomy, was where all the sins of fornication against nature and of
incest are punished, all the nasty, secretly done deeds of which, in
the words of the Apostle, it is shameful even to speak. St Theodora
passed quickly through these. The angels said to her, "You saw the
dreadful and loathsome fornications of that trial. Know that it is a
rare soul that passes by them freely. All the world is immersed in the
evil of temptations and filth, nearly all people are lascivious, and
"the imagination of man is intently bent on evil from his youth" (Gen.
8: 21). Few are those who have mortified the passions of the flesh,
and there are few who would freely pass through these trials. A large
number of those who arrive here perish. The forces of the fornication
trials boast that they, more than all the other trials, fill up the
fiery raging in Hell. Give thanks to God, Theodora, that you have
bypassed these tormentors of lewdness through the prayers of your
spiritual Father, St Basil. You shall see no greater terror."
At the Nineteenth Trial, that of Idol-Worship and Every Heresy, there
was nothing with which to torment St Theodora.
At the Twentieth and final Trial, that of Lack of Pity and Hardness of
Heart, was recorded everything unmerciful, cruel, spiteful and
hateful. The soul of a person not following the command of God to be
merciful, is flung from here into Hell and kept there until the
general resurrection. The servants of the fierce demon swooped down
like a swarm of bees, but finding nothing concerning the nun, they
went away.
The rejoicing angels then transported the saint through the gates of
Heaven. When she entered into Heaven the water on the ground parted,
and joined together again behind her. A triumphant host of angels met
the saint and conducted her to the Throne of God. As they went, two
divine clouds descended upon them. At an inexplicable height stood the
Throne of God, so white that it illumined all present before it.
St Theodora continued her narrative, "Everything there is so wonderful
that it is not possible either to comprehend or explain it; the mind
is clouded with perplexity, and memory fails, and I forgot where I
was." She bowed down to the Unseen God and heard a Voice, commanding
that she be shown all the souls of the righteous and of sinners, and
after this to grant her repose in a place where St Basil would
indicate.
When all this had been shown her, one of the angels said, "You know,
Theodora, that in the world it is the custom for the living to
remember the departed on the fortieth day after death. So, there on
earth St Basil remembers you today."
"And so," Theodora continued, "my spiritual child Gregory, after the
fortieth day from the separation of my soul from the body, I am now in
this place, which was prepared for our Father St Basil." After this
she led him through the heavenly habitations, where Gregory
encountered St Basil in the courtyard beyond the trapeza. Afterwards,
St Theodora led him into the garden. Astonished at all the good
things, Gregory wanted to find out about them. But St Theodora merely
said that all this is not of the earth, but is attainable for those
who endure many sorrows and misfortunes in the earthly life, yet keep
the commands of the Lord and precisely fulfill them. When St Theodora
said that life in Heaven is distinctly different from life on earth,
Gregory involuntarily pinched himself, wanting to know whether he was
still in the flesh. His spirit was joyful, his senses and thoughts
pure. He wanted to return from the garden which the nun had shown him,
and go to the courtyard.
When he returned, there was no one there in the trapeza. Bowing to St
Theodora, Gregory started to return home, and at that very moment he
awoke and began to wonder where he was and what he had heard and seen.
He was afraid that it was all just a demonic delusion, and he went to
his teacher. Then St Basil himself recounted everything that Gregory
had seen, and asked him to write down everything he had seen and
heard, for the benefit of others.
For similar after death experiences, see the Life of St Salvius (St
Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks, VII, 1), and other examples
in St Bede, HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH AND PEOPLE, Book V, chs.
12-14).
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Monkmartyr Gideon of Karakalou on Mt Athos
No information available at this time
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St Macarius the Metropolitan of Moscow and All Russia
No information available at this time
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Opening of the relics of St. Daniel of Pereyaslavl
No information available at this time.
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