[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Mon Jul 16 05:00:17 CDT 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Mon Jul 16 2007

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

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

1 Corinthians 9:13-18
13 Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the
things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the
offerings of the altar?
14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel
should live from the gospel.
15 But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these
things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me
to die than that anyone should make my boasting void.
16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for
necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the
gospel!
17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my
will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.
18 What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may
present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my
authority in the gospel.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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

Matthew 16:1-6
1 Then the Pharisees and Sadducees came, and testing Him asked that He
would show them a sign from heaven.
2 He answered and said to them, "When it is evening you say, 'It will
be fair weather, for the sky is red';
3 and in the morning, 'It will be foul weather today, for the sky is
red and threatening.' Hypocrites! You know how to discern the face of
the sky, but you cannot discern the signs of the times.
4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign
shall be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. And He left
them and departed.
5 Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had
forgotten to take bread.
6 Then Jesus said to them, "Take heed and beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and the Sadducees."
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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

Hieromartyr Athenogenes the Bishop of Heracleopolis
Hieromartyr Athenogenes and his Ten Disciples suffered for Christ
during the persecution of Christians in the city of Sebastea in
Cappadocia. The governor Philomachos arranged a large festival in
honor of the pagan gods and called upon the citizens of Sebastea to
offer sacrifice to the idols. Most of the inhabitants of Sebastea were
Christians, and refused to participate in the impious celebration.
Soldiers were ordered to kill those who resisted, and so many
Christians received a martyr's crown.
It came to the governor's attention that Christianity was spreading
because of the grace-filled preaching of Bishop Athenogenes. Soldiers
were ordered to find the Elder and arrest him. Bishop Athenogenes and
ten of his disciples lived in a small monastery not far from the city.
The soldiers did not find the bishop there, so they arrested his
disciples. The governor ordered that they be bound with chains and
thrown into prison.
St Athenogenes was arrested when he came to Sebastea to inform the
judge that those who had been jailed were innocent. While in prison,
St Athenogenes encouraged his spiritual children for their impending
struggle. Led forth to trial, all the holy martyrs confessed
themselves Christians and refused to offer sacrifice to idols.
After undergoing fierce tortures, the disciples of the holy bishop
were beheaded. After the execution of the disciples, the executioners
were ordered to torture the bishop. Strengthened by the Lord, St
Athenogenes underwent the tortures with dignity. His only request was
that he be executed in the monastery.
Taken to his own monastery, the saint gave thanks to God, and he
rejoiced in the sufferings that he had undergone for Him. St
Athenogenes asked that the Lord would forgive the sins of all those
who would remember both him and his disciples.
The Lord granted the saint to hear His Voice before death, announcing
the promise given to the penitent thief: "Today you shall be with Me
in Paradise." The hieromartyr willingly bent his neck beneath the
sword.
_________________________________________________________________
10 Martyred Disciples of Athenogenes the Bishop of
Heracleopolis
The ten disciples of St Athenogenes suffered for Christ during the
persecution of Christians in the city of Sebastea in Cappadocia. The
governor Philomachos arranged a large festival in honor of the pagan
gods and called upon the citizens of Sebastea to offer sacrifice to
the idols. Most of the inhabitants of Sebastea were Christians, and
refused to participate in the impious celebration. Soldiers were
ordered to kill those who resisted, and so many Christians received a
martyr's crown.
It came to the governor's attention that Christianity was spreading
because of the grace-filled preaching of Bishop Athenogenes. Soldiers
were ordered to find the Elder and arrest him. Bishop Athenogenes and
ten of his disciples lived in a small monastery not far from the city.
The soldiers did not find the bishop there, so they arrested his
disciples. The governor ordered that they be bound with chains and
thrown into prison.
St Athenogenes was arrested when he came to Sebastea to inform the
judge that those who had been jailed were innocent. While in prison,
St Athenogenes encouraged his spiritual children for their impending
struggle. Led forth to trial, all the holy martyrs confessed
themselves Christians and refused to offer sacrifice to idols.
The disciples of the holy bishop were beheaded after undergoing fierce
tortures.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Paul at Caesarea, in Palestine
The Holy Martyrs Paul, Alevtina, and Chione were from Egypt. During
the persecution against Christians under the emperor Maximian
(305-313), they were taken to Palestinian Caesarea. Without the
slightest fear they confessed themselves as followers of Christ. In
the year 308 the sisters Alevtina and Chione were burned, and Paul was
beheaded.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Chionia (Thea) at Caesarea, in Palestine
The Holy Martyrs Chione, Paul, and Alevtina were from Egypt. During
the persecution against Christians under the emperor Maximian
(305-313), they were taken to Palestinian Caesarea. Without the
slightest fear they confessed themselves as followers of Christ. In
the year 308 the sisters Alevtina and Chione were burned, and Paul was
beheaded.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Alevtina (Valentina) at Caesarea, in Palestine
The Holy Martyrs Alevtina, Paul, and Chione were from Egypt. During
the persecution against Christians under the emperor Maximian
(305-313), they were taken to Palestinian Caesarea. Without the
slightest fear they confessed themselves as followers of Christ. In
the year 308 the sisters Alevtina and Chione were burned, and Paul was
beheaded.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Antiochus the Physician of Sebaste
The Holy Martyr Antiochus, a native of Cappadocian Sebastea, was the
brother of the holy Martyr Platon (November 18), and he was a
physician. The pagans learned that he was a Christian, and they
brought him to trial and subjected him to fierce tortures. Thrown into
boiling water, the saint remained unharmed. He was then given over to
be eaten by wild beasts, but they did not harm him. Instead, the
beasts lay peacefully at his feet.
Through the prayers of the martyr many miracles were worked and the
idols crumbled into dust. The pagans beheaded St Antiochus. Seeing the
guiltless suffering of the saint, Cyriacus, a participant in the
execution, was converted to Christ. He confessed his faith in front of
everyone and was also beheaded. They buried the martyrs side by side.
_________________________________________________________________
Virginmartyr Julia of Carthage
The Virgin Martyr Julia was born in Carthage into a Christian family.
While still a girl she was captured by the Persians. They carried her
off to Syria and sold her into slavery. Fulfilling the Christian
commandments, St Julia faithfully served her master. She preserved
herself in purity, kept the fasts and prayed much to God. No amount of
urging by her pagan master could turn her to idolatry.
Once the master set off with merchandise for Gaul and took St Julia
with him. Along the way the ship stopped over at the island of
Corsica, and the master decided to take part in a pagan festival, but
Julia remained on the ship. The Corsicans plied the merchant and his
companions with wine, and when they had fallen into a drunken sleep,
they took Julia from the ship. St Julia was not afraid to acknowledge
that she was a Christian, and the savage pagans crucified her.
An angel of the Lord reported the death of the holy martyr to the
monks of a monastery, located on a nearby island. The monks took the
body of the saint and buried it in a church in their monastery.
In about the year 763 the relics of the holy Martyr Julia were
transferred to a women's monastery in the city of Breschia (historians
give conflicting years of the death of the saint: as either the fifth
or seventh century).
_________________________________________________________________
New Martyr John of Trnovo
No information available at this time.
_________________________________________________________________
Icon of the Mother of God of Chirsk-Pskov
The Chirsk (Pskov) Icon of the Mother of God was initially in the
Chirsk village church of the Pskov diocese. On July 16, 1420, during
the time of Great Prince Basil Dimitrievich, Archbishop Simeon of
Novgorod and Pskov, and Prince Theodore Alexandrovich were present in
Pskov. In a time of a deadly pestilence, tears flowed from the eyes of
the Chirsk Icon of the Mother of God. This was reported to authorities
in the city of Pskov. Priests and devout men carried the wonderworking
icon to Pskov. A church procession was formed to meet the icon, which
was placed in the cathedral church of the Holy Trinity.
On the reverse of the icon are depicted the Holy Apostle and
Evangelist Luke, and St Theodosius of the Kiev Caves.
_________________________________________________________________