[Readingsandsaints] Readings and saints

Mon Feb 5 05:00:25 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Mon Feb 5 2007

----------------------------------------------------
------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
----------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------

Composite 2  - Proverbs 10, 3, 8 (Vespers, 1st Reading)
The memory of the righteous is with praise and the blessing of the
Lord is upon his head. Blessed is the man who has found wisdom and the
mortal who has understanding. For it is better to purchase her than
treasuries of gold and silver. She is more precious than precious
stones and all that is precious is unworthy of her. For length of days
and years of life are in her right hand; and in her left hand are
riches and glory. Out of her mouth proceeds righteousness and she
bears law and mercy upon her tongue.
Hear me, O child, for I will speak noble things. Blessed is the man
who keeps my ways, for my ways are the way of life, and in them is
prepared favor from the Lord. Therefore, I pray you, and utter my
voice to the sons of men: For I, wisdom, have dwelt with counsel and
knowledge and I have called upon understanding. Counsel and safety are
mine, understanding and strength are mine. I love those who love me
and those seeking me shall find grace.
Understand craftiness, O you who are simple, and imbibe knowledge, you
who are untaught. Hear me again, for I will speak noble things: I will
open _my mouth_ and from my lips _shall_ come what is right. For my
throat shall meditate truth; false lips are an abomination before me.
All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing in them that
is twisted or perverse. They are all straight to him who understands
and right to those who find knowledge.
I shall instruct you in truth, so that your hope will be in the Lord
and you shall be filled with the Spirit.
Scripture Reading 1 of 6

-----------------------------

Composite 4  - Proverbs 10; Wisdom of Solomon 6, 7, 8, 9 (Vespers, 2nd
Reading)
The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom; the lips of the wise
man know grace. The mouth of the wise speaks wisdom, and the truth
delivers them from death. If a righteous man dies, hope is not, for
the son of the righteous is born to life, and in his own good things
he acquires the fruit of righteousness. There is always light for the
righteous and they obtain grace and glory from the Lord. The tongue of
the wise is a good sister-in-law, and in their hearts rests wisdom.
The Lord loves the hearts of the holy, and acceptable to Him are all
the undefiled in the way.
The wisdom of the Lord illumines the faces of the wise. For she takes
hold of those desiring her by making herself first known to them. She
is easily seen by those who love her. He who rises early to seek her
shall have no difficulty, and those keeping vigil for the sake of her
shall quickly be without sorrows. For she goes about seeking those
worthy of her, and graciously reveals herself in the pathways. Against
wisdom evil does not prevail.
Therefore I was a lover of her beauty; I loved her and sought her out
from my youth. I desired to make her my bride, and even the Master of
All loved her. For she is an initiate in the knowledge of God, and a
discoverer of His works. Her labors are virtues, for she teaches
temperance and prudence, justice and courage; nothing in life is more
necessary for men than these. And if anyone desires much knowledge,
she knows the things of old, and beholds things to come; she
understands turns of speech and the solution of riddles; she has
foreknowledge of signs and wonders and the outcome of times and
seasons. She is a mediator of good things for all, for immortality is
in her, and glory in the company of her words.
Therefore I appealed to the Lord and prayed to Him, and said to Him
with all my heart: "O God of _my_ fathers and Lord of mercy, Who hast
made all things by Thy word, and by Thy wisdom hast fashioned man that
he should have dominion over the creatures made by Thee, that he
should rule the world in holiness and righteusness: Give me wisdom
that sits by Thy throne, and cast me not away from among Thy children,
for I am Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaid. Send her forth from
the heavens, from Thy holy abode, and from the throne of Thy glory,
that she may be with me, in understanding, and preserve me in her
glory. For the thoughts of mortals are miserable, and their intentions
likely to fail."
Scripture Reading 2 of 6

-----------------------------

Wisdom of Solomon 4:7-15  (Vespers, 3rd Reading)
7 But the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest.
8 For old age is not honored for length of time, nor measured by
number of years;
9 but understanding is gray hair for men, and a blameless life is ripe
old age.
10 There was one who pleased God and was loved by him,
11 He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or guile
deceive his soul.
12 For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good, and roving
desire perverts the innocent mind.
13 Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years;
14 for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore he took him
quickly from the midst of wickedness.
15 Yet the peoples saw and did not understand, nor take such a thing
to heart, that God's grace and mercy are his elect, and he watches
over his holy ones.
Scripture Reading 3 of 6

-----------------------------

John 10:9-16  (Matins Gospel)
9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go
in and out and find pasture.
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have
it more abundantly.
11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the
sheep.
12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own
the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and
the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about
the sheep.
14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My
own.
15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down
My life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must
bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and
one shepherd.
Scripture Reading 4 of 6

-----------------------------

Hebrews 13:17-21  (Epistle, Saint)
17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out
for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with
joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
18 Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience,
in all things desiring to live honorably.
19 But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you
the sooner.
20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the
dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the
everlasting covenant,
21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you
what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be
glory forever and ever. Amen.
Scripture Reading 5 of 6

-----------------------------

Luke 6:17-23  (Gospel, Saint)
17 And He came down with them and stood on a level place with a crowd
of His disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and
Jerusalem, and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear
Him and be healed of their diseases,
18 as well as those who were tormented with unclean spirits. And they
were healed.
19 And the whole multitude sought to touch Him, for power went out
from Him and healed them all.
20 Then He lifted up His eyes toward His disciples, and said: Blessed
are you poor, For yours is the kingdom of God.
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed
are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.
22 Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And
revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man's sake.
23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is
great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.
Scripture Reading 6 of 6

----------------------------------------------------
------ SAINTS/FEASTS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
----------------------------------------------------

Afterfeast of the Meeting of our Lord in the Temple
The third day of the Afterfeast of the Meeting of the Lord falls on
February 5.
_________________________________________________________________
Holy Martyr Agatha of Palermo in Sicily
The Holy Virgin Martyr Agatha was the fifteen-year-old daughter of
rich and respected Christian parents from the city of Palermo
(formerly Panormos) in Sicily. During the persecution under the
emperor Decius (249-251), the city prefect of Catania, Quintianus,
having heard about Agatha's wealth and beauty, sent his soldiers after
her to bring her to trial as a Christian.
At Catania they housed the saint with a certain rich woman, who had
five daughters. They all attempted to tempt St Agatha with fine
clothes, amusements and entertainment, urging her to offer sacrifice
to the pagan gods, but the saint disdained all these things. The more
they tried to move her, the more resolute she became. She prayed that
she might soon face martyrdom.
During her interrogation under Quintianus, the holy martyr was swayed
neither by the flattery, nor by the threats, and she was subjected to
cruel torments. They also tried to remove her breasts with metal
tongs, and when this failed, they used knives.
The holy Apostle Peter appeared to her in prison and healed her
wounds. St Agatha was led to torture again, and Quintianus was
astonished to see her completely healed, with no trace of cutting.
Then the torture began once more.
At this moment an earthquake took place in the city, and many
buildings were destroyed. Among those killed were two of Quintianus's
advisors. The terrified inhabitants rushed to Quintianus, demanding an
end to Agatha's tortures. Fearing a revolt by the people, Quintianus
sent St Agatha back to prison. There the martyr, offering thanks to
God, peacefully surrendered her soul to the Lord.
_________________________________________________________________
Repose of St Theodosius of Chernigov
Saint Theodosius, Archbishop of Chernigov, was born in the seventeenth
century at the beginning of the decade of the thirties in Podolsk
governance. He was descended from a noble family, the
Polonitsky-Uglitskys. His parents were the priest Nikita and Maria.
The saint was taught Christian piety in his parents' home, and this
piety remained with him throughout his life.
>From childhood he was distinguished by a fervent love for God and zeal
for the Church. The innate abilities of the youth came to light in the
Kiev Brotherhood school at Kiev's Theophany monastery. The school was
flourishing at the end of the 1640s, when its rectors were
Archimandrite Innocent (Gizel), and Igumen Lazar (Baranovich), who
later became Archbishop of Chernigov. Among its instructors were:
Hieromonk Epiphanius (Slavinetsky), Hieromonk Arsenius (Satanovsky),
Bishop Theodosius (Baevsky) of Belorus, Igumen Theodosius
(Saphonovich) and Meletius Dzik. These were the enlightened men of
those days. The comrades of St Theodosius at the school would become
future outstanding pastors: Simeon Polotsky, Joannicius Golyatovsky,
Anthony Radivillovsky, Barlaam Yasninsky. The Kiev Brotherhood
Theophany school was the chief center in the struggle of Orthodoxy
against the assaults of Catholic clergy, particularly the Jesuits.
St Theodosius grew to spiritual maturity near the relics of Sts
Anthony and Theodosius and other God-pleasers of the Kiev Caves, and
he tried to imitate their holy life as much as he could. He devoted
all his free time to prayer, meditation on God, and the reading of
Holy Scripture.
It might be surmised that the saint did not finish the full course of
studies, since the school ceased its activity for several years
following the devastation of Podolia by the Poles. All his life the
saint had a deep regard for the Kiev Brotherhood monastery where he
was educated. In the Synodikon of the Kiev-Vydubitsk monastery is the
following comment about St Theodosius: "He was a man of fine
intellect, and generous to the Kiev Brotherhood monastery."
Upon receiving his education, the future hierarch received monastic
tonsure at the Kiev Caves Lavra with the name Theodosius, in honor of
St Theodosius of the Caves (May 3).
Metropolitan Dionysius (Balaban) of Kiev made him archdeacon of Kiev's
cathedral of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) , and then appointed him
steward of the episcopal household. Soon he left Kiev and went to the
distant Krupitsky monastery near Baturino (in the Chernigov diocese),
which was famed for its strict monastic life. There he was ordained to
the holy priesthood, but remained there only a short time.
In 1662, St Theodosius was appointed Igumen of the Korsun monastery in
Kiev diocese, and in the year 1664 he was made head of the ancient
Kiev-Vydubitsky monastery. This monastery had fallen into the hands of
the Uniates and Poles at the beginning of the seventeenth century and
was in complete ruin. Thanks to the energy and initiative of St
Theodosius, the Vydubitsky Mikhailovsk monastery was quickly restored.
He was particularly concerned with the order of church services. He
formed an excellent choir, which was famed not only in Little Russia,
but also in Moscow. St Theodosius sent his singers to Moscow in 1685
to instruct their choirs in Kievan chant.
As a strict ascetic himself, St Theodosius was concerned with the
spiritual growth of his monks. He founded a small skete on the island
of Mikhailovschina, not far from the monastery, for brethren wishing
to live in solitude. He appointed the hieromonk Job (Opalinsky), one
of the most zealous monks of his monastery, to organize and administer
the skete.
St Theodosius had to live through some quite difficult days, enduring
many sorrows. He and other Igumens were accused by Bishop Methodius of
Mstislav and Orshansk of betraying Russia in a supposed correspondence
with the enemies of Russia.
On September 20, 1668 St Theodosius explained the matter. On November
17, 1668 the lie was exposed, and St Theodosius together with the
other Igumens were vindicated. Archbishop Lazar (Baranovich) esteemed
the high spiritual qualities of St Theodosius and befriended him. He
called him "a sheep of the flock of Christ, teaching by humility," and
he prophetically expressed the wish that the name of St Theodosius
might be inscribed in Heaven.
When Archbishop Lazar became locum tenens of Kiev's Metropolitan See
in 1689, he appointed St Theodosius as his vicar in Kiev, while he
remained at Chernigov. In his capacity as vicar of the locum tenens of
the Kiev Metropolitan See, St Theodosius had an active role in many
churchly events. In 1685 he participated with the right of a decisive
vote in the election of Bishop Gideon (Chetverinsky) as Metropolitan
of Kiev, and he was sent to Moscow with news of this event with Igumen
Jerome (Dubin) of Pereyaslavl . In Moscow, both representatives were
received with honor and esteem. Indeed, the result of this delegation
was the reuniting of the Kiev Metropolitan See with the Russian
Orthodox Church.
In 1688 St Theodosius was appointed archimandrite of Chernigov's
Eletsy monastery, replacing the deceased Archimandrite Joannicius
(Golyatovsky). In appointing St Theodosius, Archbishop Lazar told him
to spare no effort in placing the Eletsy monastery in good order. This
monastery had not yet been set aright after the expulsion of the
Jesuits and Dominicans, and it was in great disorder.
Through the efforts of St Theodosius, in his two or three years as
igumen, the monastery's revenues and properties increased, the church
of the Dormition was repaired, and the Elets Icon (February 5) was
enshrined there.
In his new position, the saint also assisted Archbishop Lazar in many
important matters. He participated in drafting a conciliar reply to
Patriarch Joachim of Moscow in response to his questions about the
attitude of the Kiev Metropolitan See to the Council of Florence, and
its judgment on the question of the transformation of the Holy Gifts
as accepted by this Florentine Council. When the Patriarch proved to
be unsatisfied by these answers, the Baturino Igumen St Demetrius (the
future Metropolitan of Rostov) was sent to him at the beginning of
1689. St Theodosius journeyed with him as the representative of
Archbishop Lazar. He was entrusted with the delivery of a letter to
the Patriarch, and to clear up the misunderstandings.
Because of his poor health, Archbishop Lazar wished to see St
Theodosius consecrated to the episcopate, seeing in the saint a worthy
successor to himself. On September 11, 1692 the election of St
Theodosius as Archbishop of Chernigov was confirmed, and he was
consecrated in the Dormition cathdral of the Moscow Kremlin two days
later.
Little information regarding St Theodosius's administration of the
Chernigov diocese has been preserved. The saint worked incessantly to
raise the level of true Christian piety in his flock. He also focused
on maintaining old monasteries, and founding new communities.
At the very beginning of his episcopate, the the Pecheniksk women's
monastery was established with his blessing, and he himself
consecrated the monastery church in honor of the Dormition of the Most
Holy Theotokos.
In 1694, a skete was founded near Liubech. The same year, at the
Domnitsky men's monastery, the saint consecrated a temple in honor of
the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos. In the summer of 1695, he
consecrated a majestic temple in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos, on
the summit of Boldino Hill, near the ancient monastery of St Elias.
Under St Theodosius there was a special enthusiasm for and
strengthening of monasticism in the Chernigov diocese.
The saint also devoted much attention to the clergy, and he tried to
choose worthy candidates for the priesthood. He also encouraged the
pastoral education of the Chernigov clergy. He invited learned monks
from Kiev, among whom was St John (Maximovitch), the future
Metropolitan of Tobolsk (June 10), and also a helper and successor of
St Theodosius in organizing the Chernigov clergy school.
Strict uprightness in regard to clergy and flock, deep compassion,
concern and Christian love of peace were distinguishing features in
the activity of St Theodosius. Not only did the Orthodox turn to him
for help and advice, but even persons of other confessions.
St Theodosius did not remain with his Chernigov flock very long.
Sensing the approach of death, he summoned the administrator of the
Briansk Svensk monastery, St John (Maximovitch), and appointed him
Archimandrite of the Chernigov Elets monastery.
St Theodosius died on February 5, 1696, and was buried in Chernigov's
Sts Boris and Gleb cathedral church, in a special crypt near the right
cleros. His successor St John (Maximovitch), who was healed of a
grievous illness by St Theodosius, later placed a stone plaque over
his grave with a poetic inscription in gratitude for the saint's help.
The special grace which St Theodosius attained is shown by his ascetic
life and his assistance to all who turn to him in prayer.
The glorification of St Theodosius occurred on September 9, 1896.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Theodula of Anazarbus in Cilicia
The Holy martyr Theodula lived in the city of Anazarbus (Asia Minor)
during the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian (284-305) and
Maximian (305-311). The prefect of the city, Pelagius, was a very
cruel man. His servants sought out Christians throughout the entire
region and brought them to trial, where which the imperial edict was
read to them, and they were ordered to worship idols.
One day they brought to him a Christian woman named Theodula. She was
afraid, not so much of the tortures, but that she might be defiled by
the pagans, and so she had offered them much gold. However, the
servants would not accept the gold, and they brought her before the
prefect. Pelagius asked her name and he ordered her to worship the
pagan gods. He threatened her with cruel tortures if she refused. St
Theodula replied, "I am a Christian. My very name means "servant of
God," and so people call me Theodula. I worship the One True God and
will not worship a mere stone."
Pelagius became furious and he gave orders to begin the tortures. The
Lord granted Theodula His help, and she did not feel any pain.
Pelagius, however, said this was done by the gods, who had spared
Theodula in the hope that she would turn to them.
St Theodula said to the prefect, "Where are your gods, who spare me?
Show them to me, that I might show honor to them." They brought her
into the temple of the "deified" Roman emperor Hadrian, whom they
regarded as a mighty god. The saint however, in praying to the One
True God, merely blew a breath at the idol, and it crumbled into dust.
Seeing this, Pelagius trembled with fright. If the idol's destruction
was reported to the emperor, he himself would be thrown to the wild
beasts. He fell down at the feet of St Theodula, begging her to
restore the idol, and promised to accept Christianity.
The saint prayed to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the idol again stood in
its place, whole and intact. The prefect Pelagius, however, not only
did not keep his promise to become a Christian, but instead he began
to torture the martyr with an even greater fury.
During these torments a certain fellow named Helladius came up to the
prefect, and looking at the captives, he asked to be given the maiden
Theodula, promising to make her worship the pagan gods, doing this
because he wanted to ingratiate himself with the city prefect and to
receive honors.
Helladius subjected St Theodula to harsh torments, exceeding Pelagius
in cruelty. The saint prayed that God would grant her the ability to
persevere. She immediately received help from God and was healed. The
tormentor was awestruck, and St Theodula admonished him. "Become a
Christian," she said, "and attain eternal honors in the Kingdom of our
Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge both the living and the dead and
render to each man according to his deeds."
By her prayers and her words, St Theodula led Helladius to the
knowledge of truth. He believed in Christ and confessed the True God
before the prefect. He also received the crown of martyrdom. They cut
off his head with a sword, and threw his body into the sea.
St Theodula was thrown into a blazing oven, but she remained unharmed.
After this, they stretched her out on a metal plate. They poured
boiling tar, wax and oil on her, but the red-hot plate shattered into
pieces, and the fire scorched many people, including the city prefect
Pelagius, who indeed died of fright, but St Theodula remained
unharmed.
Seeing such a miracle, many people believed in Christ, among whom were
the respected citizens Macarius and Evagrius. The pagans continued to
torture Christians. They heated an oven and threw St Theodula,
Macarius, Evagrius and many others who believed in Christ into it.
They all sufferedmartyrdom, and were translated into life immortal.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Helladius in Cilicia
Saint Helladius witnessed the torture of St Theodula of Anazarbus in
Asia Minor. Wishing to ingratiate himself with the governor and to
receive honors, he asked the governor Pelagius to turn St Theodula
over to him, promising to make her worship the pagan gods. .
Helladius subjected St Theodula to harsh torments, exceeding Pelagius
in cruelty. The saint prayed that God would grant her the ability to
persevere. She immediately received help from God and she was healed.
The tormentor was awestruck, and St Theodula admonished him. "Become a
Christian," she said, "and attain eternal honors in the Kingdom of our
Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall judge both the living and the dead and
render to each man according to his deeds."
By her prayers and her words, St Theodula led Helladius to the
knowledge of truth. He believed in Christ and confessed the True God
before the governor. He also received the crown of martyrdom. He was
beheaded with a sword, and his body was thrown into the sea. He
suffered for Christ during the reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian
(284-305) and Maximian (305-311).
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Macarius in Cilicia
Saint Macarius came to believe in Christ after witnessing the
martyrdom of St Theodula of Anazarbus. He was thrown into a heated
oven, together with other Christians, and received the crown of
martyrdom.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Evagrius in Cilicia
Saint Evagrius lived in the city of Anazarbus (Asia Minor) during the
reign of the Roman emperors Diocletian (284-305) and Maximian
(305-311). The prefect of the city, Pelagius, was a very cruel man.
His servants sought out Christians throughout the entire region and
brought them to trial, where which the imperial edict was read to
them, and they were ordered to worship idols.
After eeing the miracles which took place as St Theodula was being
tortured, many people believed in Christ, among whom were the
respected citizens Macarius and Evagrius. The pagans continued to
torture Christians. They heated an oven and threw St Theodula,
Macarius, Evagrius and many other Christians into it. They all
suffered martyrdom, and were translated into life immortal.
_________________________________________________________________
Icon of the Mother of God "Elets-Chernigov"
The Elets-Chernigov (Chernigov Spruce Tree) Icon of the Mother of God
appeared on a spruce or fir tree near Chernigov in the year 1060, in
the time of Prince Svyatoslav Yaroslavich, as was recorded in the
Synodikon of Bishop Zosimus Prokopovich of Chernigov (1655-1657). The
icon was placed in a church built in honor of the Elets-Spruce Icon of
the Mother of God. St Anthony (July 10), while living an ascetical
life on the Boldino Heights (1068-1069), had given his blessing to
found a monastery at this place.
In 1238 the monastery was pillaged by the Tatars (Mongols), but the
icon was hidden inside the monastery walls. In the year 1470, Prince
Simeon Olelkovich of Kiev restored the monastery, and they placed the
icon in the church.
The ultimate fate of the icon is unclear. According to one tradition,
a descendant of the Chernigov princes, Baryatinsky, carried the icon
to Moscow in the year 1579, when Chernigov fell into the hands of the
Polish King Stephen Bathory. In 1687, Prince Daniel Baryatinsky was
returning from a campaign in the Crimea. At Kharkov he fell seriously
ill, and before his death he bequeathed the Elets Icon to the nearby
Kharkov Dormition church.
According to another tradition, the icon vanished from the monastery
when it was sacked in the seventeenth century by the forces of
Sigismund III. In 1676, Prince Constantine Ostrozhsky presented the
Elets monastery a copy of the Elets Icon of the Mother of God, brought
from Vladimir by the Kozel brothers. Archimandrite Joannicius
(Golyatovsky) was at this time restoring the monastery and he
described numerous miracles of this icon in his book, "Skorbnitsa" (or
"Sokrovischnitsa", i.e. "Consoler" or "Treasury"), published in 1676
in Novgorod.
There is still another Elets Icon of the Mother of God, also appearing
in the year 1060. It received its name because it appeared in the city
of Elets, in a cathedral church dedicated to the Smolensk Icon of the
Mother of God. The feastday of this icon was set for January 11.
_________________________________________________________________
Icon of the Mother of God "the Seeker of the Lost"
"Seeker of the Perishing" Icon of the Mother of God From time
immemorial the Russian people, with faith in the all-powerful help of
the Most Holy Theotokos, considered the title "Seeker of the
Perishing" to refer not only to those who are dying, but to those
whose souls are in danger of spiritual death.
There are no reliable accounts of the origin of the icon, "Seeker of
the Perishing." There are, however, several wonderworking icons of
this name, through which the Theotokos showed forth Her mercy to
people on the very brink of death.
In the mid-eighteenth century, in the village of Bor of Kaluga
governance, the pious peasant Thedotus Obukhov lost his way in a
blizzard on the Feast of the Lord's Baptism. The horse became
exhausted and paused on the edge of an impassable ravine. Not seeing
any way to save himself, Obukhov lay down in his sleigh, where he
began to freeze.
In these terrible moments he prayed with all his being to the Queen of
Heaven for help, and he vowed that if he was rescued he would have a
"Seeker of the Perishing" icon painted and donate it to the local
church. She heard his prayer and helped him in a marvelous way. A
certain peasant in the nearby village heard a voice outside his window
saying, "Take him." He went out and saw the half-frozen Obukhov on his
sleigh. When he recovered his health, Obukhov immediately fulfilled
his vow and commissioned a copy of the icon from the St George church
in the city of Bolkhov in the Orlov governance. From that time the Bor
"Seeker of the Perishing" Icon was glorified by many manifestations of
grace and miracles.
There are other "Seeker of the Perishing" Icons: one manifested itself
in 1770 in the village of Malizhino in Kharkov governance, and
delivered the people from cholera three times; there was another in
the village of Krasnoe in Chernigov governance, and another from
Voronezh and Kozlov in Tambov governance. In the year 1835, at the
Moscow Alexandrov Orphanage Institute, a church was consecrated in
honor of the "Seeker of the Perishing" Icon.
Of particular interest is the "Seeker of the Perishing" Icon in the
Church of the Glorious Resurrection in Moscow. This icon had been
transferred from the church of the Nativity of Christ to the
Palashevska alley. Its final owner had become widowed and was on the
verge of complete poverty.
Fervent prayer to the Most Holy Theotokos saved him from despair and
arranged matters for his daughters. This man felt that he was not
worthy to have this wonderworking icon in his house, so he gave it to
the church.
In 1812 the Palashevsk church was pillaged by the French. The
desecrated icon was found broken into three pieces among the rubble.
With the finding of the icon, numerous miracles of healing took place.
Brides entering into marriage pray before this icon that their
marriage might be a happy one. People come to it, overwhelmed by
drunkenness, perishing in poverty, suffering in illness, and they turn
to the Icon in prayer as to a Mother with Her perishing children.
The Queen of Heaven sends down help and support for all: "Seek us who
are perishing, O Most Holy Virgin, chasten us not according to our
sins, but as you are merciful in your love for mankind, have pity,
deliver us from hell, sickness and necessity, and save us" (Troparion,
Tone 4).
_________________________________________________________________
Icon of the Mother of God "the Rescuer of the Drowning"
The Divnogorsk-Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God received the first
part of its title from where it was enshrined when it was glorified:
the Dormition monastery of Divnogorsk, in the former Ostrogozhsk
district in Voronezh governance. Its title of "Sicilian" comes from
its place of origin, since by tradition this icon at Diva (i.e.
"Wondrous Heights") was brought from Sicily by the pious monastic
Elders Xenophon and Joasaph. They suggest that these saints were
Orthodox Greeks by birth, and that they had arrived there not earlier
than the end of the fifteenth century. Xenophon and Joasaph founded a
monastery at a scenic spot above the River Don, near the confluence of
the River Tikha Sosna [Quiet Pine River]. The place was called
Wondrous Heights by those struck by the form of the chalk columns
throughout the hills.
It is said that Xenophon and Joasaph lived in a cave (where later the
church of St John the Forerunner was built), and that they carved out
the first church in a chalk column, into which also they put the
Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God which they had brought with them.
Here is where they found their eternal repose.
On the Divnogorsk-Sicilian Icon of the Mother of God, the Theotokos is
depicted sitting in the clouds. In Her right hand is a white lily
blossom, and with Her left arm She supports the Divine Infant, Who
sits upright upon Her knees. The Savior holds a lily blossom in His
left hand, and blesses with His right hand. Around the face of the
Mother of God are eight angels. The two beneath are shown on bended
knee and with hands upraised in prayer. Over the head of the Theotokos
is the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove.
The special glorification of the icon began in the year 1831, when
cholera was raging. At Korotoyak, 7-8 versts from the monastery, the
Most Holy Virgin appeared (as She is depicted in the Divnogorsk Icon)
to a certain elderly woman, Ekaterina Kolomenska, in a dream. She
commanded that Her icon be brought and a Molieben be served before it.
The wonderworking icon was brought to Korotoyak, and after a Molieben
before the holy icon, the cholera ceased.
By the intercession of the Mother of God, the city of Ostrogozhsk also
was saved from cholera. The people of Korotoyak and Ostrogozhsk were
also saved from cholera in 1847 and 1848 through the miraculous
intercession of the Mother of God, which occurred after a church
procession around these towns with the holy icon.
According to Tradition, the feastday of the wonderworking icon on
February 5 was established already at its original habitation by
Xenophon and Joasaph.
_________________________________________________________________