[Readingsandsaints] Readings and saints

Sat Jan 20 05:00:40 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sat Jan 20 2007

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Wisdom of Solomon 5:15-6:3  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
15 But the righteous live for ever, and their reward is with the Lord;
the Most High takes care of them.
16 Therefore they will receive a glorious crown and a beautiful diadem
from the hand of the Lord, because with his right hand he will cover
them, and with his arm he will shield them.
17 The Lord will take his zeal as his whole armor, and will arm all
creation to repel his enemies;
18 he will put on righteousness as a breastplate, and wear impartial
justice as a helmet;
19 he will take holiness as a invincible shield,
20 and sharpen stern wrath for a sword, and creation will join with
him to fight against the madmen.
21 Shafts of lightening will fly with true aim, and will leap to the
target as a from a well-drawn bow of clouds,
22 and hailstones full of wrath will be hurled as from a catapult; the
water of the sea will rage against them, and rivers will relentlessly
overwhelm them;
23 a mighty wind will rise against them, and like a tempest it will
winnow them away. Lawlessness will lay waste the whole earth, and
evil-doing will overturn the thrones of rulers.
1 Listen therefore, O kings, and understand; learn, O judges of the
ends of the earth.
2 Give ear, you that rule over multitudes, and boast of many nations.
3 For your dominion was given you from the Lord, and your sovereignty
from the Most High, who will search out your works and inquire into
your plans.
Scripture Reading 1 of 6

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Wisdom of Solomon 3:1-9  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
1 But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no
torment will ever touch them.
2 In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their
departure was thought to be affliction,
3 and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at
peace.
4 For though in the sight of men they were punished, their hope is
full of immortality.
5 Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,
because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;
6 like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt
offering he accepted them.
7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and will run
like sparks through the stubble.
8 They will govern nations and rule other peoples, and the Lord will
reign over them for ever.
9 Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will
abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his elect,
and he watches over his holy ones.
Scripture Reading 2 of 6

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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

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Matthew 21:27-30  (Matins Gospel)
27 So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." And He said to
them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
28 But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first
and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.'
29 He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it
and went.
30 Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and
said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go.
Scripture Reading 4 of 6

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Hebrews 13:17-21  (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

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Luke 6:17-23  (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

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Venerable Euthymius the Great
Saint Euthymius the Great came from the city of Melitene in Armenia,
near the River Euphrates. His parents, Paul and Dionysia, were pious
Christians of noble birth. After many years of marriage they remained
childless, and in their sorrow they entreated God to give them
offspring. Finally, they had a vision and heard a voice saying, "Be of
good cheer! God will grant you a son, who will bring joy to the
churches." The child was named Euthymius ("good cheer").
St Euthymius' father died soon after this, and his mother, fulfilling
her vow to dedicate her son to God, gave him to her brother, the
priest Eudoxius, to be educated. He presented the chid to Bishop
Eutroius of Melitene, who accepted him with love. Seeing his good
conduct, the bishop soon made him a Reader.
St Euthymius later became a monk and was ordained to the holy
priesthood. At the same time, he was entrusted with the supervision of
all the city monasteries. St Euthymius often visited the monastery of
St Polyeuctus, and during Great Lent he withdrew into the wilderness.
His responsibility for the monasteries weighed heavily upon the
ascetic, and conflicted with his desire for stillness, so he secretly
left the city and headed to Jerusalem. After venerating the holy
shrines, he visited the Fathers in the desert.
Since there was a solitary cell in the Tharan lavra, he settled into
it, earning his living by weaving baskets. Nearby, his neighbor St
Theoctistus (September 3) also lived in asceticism. They shared the
same zeal for God and for spiritual struggles, and each strove to
attain what the other desired. They had such love for one another that
they seemed to share one soul and one will.
Every year, after the Feast of Theophany, they withdrew into the
desert of Coutila (not far from Jericho). One day, they entered a
steep and terrifying gorge with a stream running through it. They saw
a cave upon a cliff, and settled there. The Lord, however, soon
revealed their solitary place for the benefit of many people.
Shepherds driving their flocks came upon the cave and saw the monks.
They went back to the village and told people about the ascetics
living there.
People seeking spiritual benefit began to visit the hermits and
brought them food. Gradually, a monastic community grew up around
them. Several monks came from the Tharan monastery, among them Marinus
and Luke. St Euthymius entrusted the supervision of the growing
monastery to his friend Theoctistus.
St Euthymius exhorted the brethren to guard their thoughts. "Whoever
desires to lead the monastic life should not follow his own will. He
should be obedient and humble, and be mindful of the hour of death. He
should fear the judgment and eternal fire, and seek the heavenly
Kingdom."
The saint taught young monks to fix their thoughts on God while
engaging in physical labor. "If laymen work in order to feed
themselves and their families, and to give alms and offer sacrifice to
God, then are not we as monks obliged to work to sustain ourselves and
to avoid idleness? We should not depend on strangers."
The saint demanded that the monks keep silence in church during
services and at meals. When he saw young monks fasting more than
others, he told them to cut off their own will, and to follow the
appointed rule and times for fasting. He urged them not to attract
attention to their fasting, but to eat in moderation.
In these years St Euthymius converted and baptized many Arabs, among
whom was the Saracen leaders Aspebet and his son Terebon, whom St
Euthymius healed of sickness. Aspebet received the name Peter in
Baptism and afterwards he was a bishop among the Arabs.
Word of the miracles performed by St Euthymius spread quickly. People
came from everywhere to be healed of their ailments, and he cured
them. Unable to bear human fame and glory, the monk secretly left the
monastery, taking only his closest disciple Dometian with him. He
withdrew into the Rouba desert and settled on Mt. Marda, near the Dead
Sea.
In his quest for solitude, the saint explored the wilderness of Ziph
and settled in the cave where David once hid from King Saul. St
Euthymius founded a monastery beside David's cave, and built a church.
During this time St Euthymius converted many monks from the Manichean
heresy, he also healed the sick and cast out devils.
Visitors disturbed the tranquillity of the wilderness. Since he loved
silence, the saint decided to return to the monastery of St
Theoctistus. Along the way they found a quiet level place on a hill,
and he remained there. This would become the site of St Euthymius'
lavra, and a little cave served as his cell, and then as his grave.
St Theoctistus went with his brethren to St Euthymius and requested
him to return to the monastery, but the monk did not agree to this.
However, he did promise to attend Sunday services at the monastery.
St Euthymius did not wish to have anyone nearby, nor to organize a
cenobium or a lavra. The Lord commanded him in a vision not to drive
away those who came to him for the salvation of their souls. After
some time brethren again gathered around him, and he organized a
lavra, on the pattern of the Tharan Lavra. In the year 429, when St
Euthymius was fifty-two years old, Patriarch Juvenal of Jerusalem
consecrated the lavra church and supplied it with presbyters and
deacons.
The lavra was poor at first, but the saint believed that God would
provide for His servants. Once, about 400 Armenians on their way to
the Jordan came to the lavra. Seeing this, St Euthymius called the
steward and ordered him to feed the pilgrims. The steward said that
there was not enough food in the monastery. St Euthymius, however,
insisted. Going to the storeroom where the bread was kept, the steward
found a large quantity of bread, and the wine casks and oil jars were
also filled. The pilgrims ate their fill, and for three months
afterwards the door of the storeroom could not be shut because of the
abundace of bread. The food remained undiminished, just like the widow
of Zarephath's barrel of meal and cruse of oil (1/3 Kings 17:8-16).
Once, the monk Auxentius refused to carry out his assigned obedience.
Despite the fact that St Euthymius summoned him and urged him to
comply, he remained obstinate. The saint then shouted loudly, "You
will be rewarded for your insubordination." A demon seized Auxentius
and threw him to the ground. The brethren asked Abba Euthymius to help
him, and then the saint healed the unfortunate one, who came to
himself, asked forgiveness and promised to correct himself.
"Obedience," said St Euthymius, "is a great virtue. The Lord loves
obedience more than sacrifice, but disobedience leads to death."
Two of the brethren became overwhelmed by the austere life in the
monastery of St Euthymius, and they resolved to flee. St Euthymius saw
in a vision that they would be ensnared by the devil. He summoned them
and admonished them to abandon their destructive intention. He said,
"We must never admit evil thoughts that fill us with sorrow and hatred
for the place in which we live, and suggest that we go somewhere else.
If someone tries to do something good in the place where he lives but
fails to complete it, he should not think that he will accomplish it
elsewhere. It is not the place that produces success, but faith and a
firm will. A tree which is often transplanted does not bear fruit."
In the year 431, the Third Ecumenical Council was convened in Ephesus
to combat the Nestorian heresy. St Euthymius rejoiced over the
affirmation of Orthodoxy, but was grieved about Archbishop John of
Antioch who defended Nestorius.
In the year 451 the Fourth Ecumenical Council met in Chalcedon to
condemn the heresy of Dioscorus who, in contrast to Nestorius,
asserted that in the Lord Jesus Christ there is only one nature, the
divine (thus the heresy was called Monophysite). He taught that in the
Incarnation, Christ's human nature swallowed up by the divine nature.
St Euthymius accepted the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon and he
acknowledged it as Orthodox. News of this spread quickly among the
monks and hermits. Many of them, who had previously believed wrongly,
accepted the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon because of the
example of St Euthymius.
Because of his ascetic life and firm confession of the Orthodox Faith,
St Euthymius is called "the Great." Wearied by contact with the world,
the holy abba went for a time into the inner desert. After his return
to the lavra some of the brethren saw that when he celebrated the
Divine Liturgy, fire descended from Heaven and encircled the saint. St
Euthymius himself revealed to several of the monks that often he saw
an angel celebrating the Holy Liturgy with him. The saint had the gift
of clairvoyance, and he could discern a person's thoughts and
spiritual state from his outward appearance. When the monks received
the Holy Mysteries, the saint knew who approached worthily, and who
received unworthily.
When St Euthymius was 82 years old, the young Sava (the future St Sava
the Sanctified, December 5), came to his lavra. The Elder received him
with love and sent him to the monastery of St Theoctistus. He foretold
that St Sava would outshine all his other disciples in virtue.
When the saint was ninety years of age, his companion and fellow monk
Theoctistus became grievously ill. St Euthymius went to visit his
friend and remained at the monastery for several days. He took leave
of him and was present at his end. After burying his body in a grave,
he returned to the lavra.
God revealed to St Euthymius the time of his death. On the eve of the
Feast of St Anthony the Great (January 17) St Euthymius gave the
blessing to serve the all-night Vigil. When the service ended, he took
the priests aside and told them that he would never serve another
Vigil with them, because the Lord was calling him from this earthly
life.
All were filled with great sadness, but the saint asked the brethren
to meet him in church in the morning. He began to instruct them, "If
you love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15). Love is the highest
virtue, and the bond of perfectness (Col. 3:14). Every virtue is made
secure by love and humility. The Lord humbled Himself because of His
Love for us and became man. Therefore, we ought to praise Him
unceasingly, especially since we monks have escaped worldly
distractions and concerns."
"Look to yourselves, and preserve your souls and bodies in purity. Do
not fail to attend the church services, and keep the traditions and
rules of our community. If one of the brethren struggles with unclean
thoughts, correct, console, and instruct him, so that he does not fall
into the devil's snares. Never refuse hospitality to visitors. Offer a
bed to every stranger. Give whatever you can to help the poor in their
misfortune."
Afterwards, having given instructions for the guidance of the
brethren, the saint promised always to remain in spirit with them and
with those who followed them in his monastery.St Euthymius then
dismissed everyone but his disciple Dometian. He remained in the altar
for three days, then died on January 20, 473 at the age of
ninety-seven.
A multitude of monks from all the monasteries and from the desert came
to the lavra for the holy abba's burial, among whom was St Gerasimus.
The Patriarch Anastasius also came with his clergy, as well as the
Nitrian monks Martyrius and Elias, who later became Patriarchs of
Jerusalem, as St Euthymius had foretold.
Dometian remained by the grave of his Elder for six days. On the
seventh day, he saw the holy abba in glory, beckoning to his
disciple."Come, my child, the Lord Jesus Christ wants you to be with
me."
After telling the brethren about the vision, Dometian went to church
and joyfully surrendered his soul to God. He was buried beside St
Euthymius. The relics of St Euthymius remained at his monastery in
Palestine, and the Russian pilgrim igumen Daniel saw them in the
twelfth century.
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Venerable Euthymius the Schemamonk
The Schemamonk Euthymius of the Kiev Caves imposed upon himself a vow
of silence, opening his mouth only for church services and for prayer.
The silent schemamonk ate only herbs. He was buried in the Far Caves
of St Theodosius at the Kiev Caves monastery. His memory is also
celebrated on August 28 and on the second Sunday of Great Lent.
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St Laurence the Recluse of the Kiev Far Caves
Disdaining the vain glory of this world, St Laurence lived in a cave
and conquered the passions through prayer and fasting. His incorrupt
relics lie in the Far Caves of the Kiev Caves Lavra.
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Venerable Euthymius of Syanzhemsk, Vologda
Saint Euthymius of Syanzhemsk and Vologda was born in Vologda, and
received monastic tonsure at the Savior-Stone monastery at Lake Kuben.
For some time he lived in a solitary cell on the River Kuben, and then
gave up the place to St Alexander of Kushta (June 9) and moved to
Syanzhem, where he founded the Ascension monastery and became its
igumen.
St Euthymius died around the year 1465, after appointing St Chariton
(September 28) as his successor. The story of the appearance of his
relics was recorded in the sixteenth century by Bishop Ioasaph of
Vologda, a noted hagiographer of his time.
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Martyr Inna, Disciples of the Apostle Andrew, in Scythia
The Holy Martyrs Inna, Pinna and Rimma were Slavs from northern
Scythia (modern Bulgaria), and they were disciples of the holy Apostle
Andrew the First-Called. They preached the Gospel of Christ and they
baptized many barbarians who converted to the true Faith. They were
seized by the local chieftain, but they would not deny Christ, nor
would they offer sacrifice to idols.
It was wintertime, and the rivers were so frozen that not only people,
but also horses with carts could travel on the ice. The chieftain had
the saints tied to logs on the ice, and gradually lowered them into
the freezing water. When the ice reached their necks, they surrendered
their blessed souls to the Lord.
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Martyr Pinna, Disciples of the Apostle Andrew, in Scythia
The Holy Martyrs Pinna, Inna and Rimma were Slavs from northern
Scythia (modern Bulgaria), and they were disciples of the holy Apostle
Andrew the First-Called. They preached the Gospel of Christ and they
baptized many barbarians who converted to the true Faith. They were
seized by the local chieftain, but they would not deny Christ, nor
would they offer sacrifice to idols.
It was wintertime, and the rivers were so frozen that not only people,
but also horses with carts could travel on the ice. The chieftain had
the saints tied to logs on the ice, and gradually lowered them into
the freezing water. When the ice reached their necks, they surrendered
their blessed souls to the Lord.
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Martyr Rimma, Disciples of the Apostle Andrew, in Scythia
The Holy Martyrs Rimma, Inna and Pinna and were Slavs from northern
Scythia (modern Bulgaria), and they were disciples of the holy Apostle
Andrew the First-Called. They preached the Gospel of Christ and they
baptized many barbarians who converted to the true Faith. They were
seized by the local chieftain, but they would not deny Christ, nor
would they offer sacrifice to idols.
It was wintertime, and the rivers were so frozen that not only people,
but also horses with carts could travel on the ice. The chieftain had
the saints tied to logs on the ice, and gradually lowered them into
the freezing water. When the ice reached their necks, they surrendered
their blessed souls to the Lord.
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Martyr Bassus at Nicomedia
The Holy Martyrs Bassus, Eusebius, Eutychius and Basilides were
courtiers of the emperor Diocletian (284-305). They witnessed the
suffering of Bishop Theopemptus of Nicomedia (January 5) for his faith
in Christ, then they came to believe in Christ and received holy
Baptism. For this reason they were subjected to tortures and condemned
to death in the year 303.
St Bassus was buried in the ground to the waist, and his upper body
was cut to pieces.
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Martyr Eusebius at Nicomedia
The Holy Martyrs Eusebius, Bassus, Eutychius and Basilides were
courtiers of the emperor Diocletian (284-305). They witnessed the
suffering of Bishop Theopemptus of Nicomedia (January 5) for his faith
in Christ, then they came to believe in Christ and received holy
Baptism. For this reason they were subjected to tortures and condemned
to death in the year 303.
St Eusebius was suspended head downwards, and his limbs were cut off.
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Martyr Eutychius at Nicomedia
The Holy Martyrs Eutychius, Bassus, Eusebius and Basilides were
courtiers of the emperor Diocletian (284-305). They witnessed the
suffering of Bishop Theopemptus of Nicomedia (January 5) for his faith
in Christ, then they came to believe in Christ and received holy
Baptism. For this reason they were subjected to tortures and condemned
to death in the year 303.
St Eutychius was tied to four poles by his hands and feet, and he was
pulled apart.
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Martyr Basilides at Nicomedia
The Holy Martyrs Basilides, Bassus, Eusebius and Eutychius were
courtiers of the emperor Diocletian (284-305). They witnessed the
suffering of Bishop Theopemptus of Nicomedia (January 5) for his faith
in Christ, then they came to believe in Christ and received holy
Baptism. For this reason they were subjected to tortures and condemned
to death in the year 303.
St Basilides was stabbed in the stomach with a knife.
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St Euthymius, Patriarch of Trnovo and Bulgaria
No information available at this time.
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Holy New Martyr Zachariah
The Holy New Martyr Zachariah was from the Peloponnesos in Greece. He
renounced Christ to become a Moslem, then went to ancient Patras and
worked there as a furrier. He had a book, THE SALVATION OF SINNERS,
which he often read. The book moved him to repentence, and he wept
bitterly for the great evil he had done.
St Zachariah met a certain Elder and told him of his sin. After
praying and fasting for twenty days, he returned to the Elder and
confessed all the sins he had committed during his life. When he asked
the Elder's blessing to seek martyrdom, the holy man tried to
discourage him. He warned that he might not be killed swiftly, but
only after much torture. He also pointed out the danger that Zachariah
would betray Christ a second time under the torments he would endure.
The saint, aflame with zeal for martyrdom, said he was prepared to
suffer myriad punishments for the sake of Christ.
The Elder read the prayers of absolution and chrismated the saint (as
is done when apostates from the Faith are received back into the
Church), then administered the Holy Mysteries to him. Then he blessed
Zachariah to go back to the Moslems and declare his faith in Christ.
On his way, the saint asked forgiveness from each Christian he met.
The holy martyr went to the judge's house and said that he had been
deceived when he accepted their religion, but now he had come to his
senses and returned to Christ. St Zachariah was thrown into prison,
where he was beaten three times a day.
Finally, the saint died by being stretched out on a rack. Christians
asked for his body so they might bury it, but the Moslems refused.
They said, "He is neither one of you, nor one of us, for he denied
both religions. Therefore, he is unworthy of burial." His body was
dragged through the streets and thrown into a dry well, landing on its
knees in an upright position. Christians saw a radiant light over the
well the next night, and hastened to venerate the saint. The Turks
filled the well with dirt and debris to prevent such gatherings in the
future.
By shedding his blood, the holy New Martyr Zachariah washed away the
sin of his denial of Christ and received an unfading crown of glory in
the year 1782.
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No information available at this time.
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