[Readingsandsaints] Readings and saints

Sat Jun 2 05:00:30 CDT 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sat Jun 2 2007

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

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

Romans 1:7-12
7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace
to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your
faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of
His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my
prayers,
10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in
the will of God to come to you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual
gift, so that you may be established-
12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual
faith both of you and me.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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

Matthew 5:42-48
42 Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you
do not turn away.
43 You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and
hate your enemy.'
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do
good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you
and persecute you,
45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun
rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on
the unjust.
46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not
even the tax collectors do the same?
47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than
others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is
perfect.
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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

St Nicephorus the Confessor the Patriarch of Constantinople
No information available at this time.
_________________________________________________________________
New Martyr John the New of Sochi, who suffered at Belgrade
The Holy Great Martyr John the New of Sochi, lived in the fourteenth
century in the city of Trebizond. He was a merchant, devout and firm
in his Orthodoxy, and generous to the poor.
Once, he happened to be sailing on a ship while pursuing his trading
activities. The captain of the ship was not Orthodox, but got into an
argument about the Faith with St John. Having been vanquished by the
saint's words, the captain resolved to make trouble for him when they
got to Belgrade. During the ship's stay at Belgrade, the captain went
to the city ruler, a fire-worshipper, and suggested that on his ship
was a studious man who also desired to become a fire-worshipper.
The city ruler invited St John to join the fire-worshippers and
renounce his faith in Christ.
The saint prayed secretly, calling on the help of Him Who said, "When
they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand
what you shall speak, neither do you premeditate; but whatsoever will
be given you in that hour, speak that, for it is not you that speaks,
but the Holy Spirit" (Mark 13:11). And the Lord gave him the courage
and understanding to counter all the claims of the impious and firmly
confess himself a Christian. After this, the saint was so fiercely
beaten with rods that his entire body was lacerated, and the flesh
came off in pieces. The holy martyr thanked God for being found worthy
to shed his blood for Him and thereby wash away his sins.
Afterwards they put him in chains and dragged him away to prison. In
the morning the city ruler ordered the saint brought forth again. The
martyr came before him with a bright and cheerful face. The intrepid
martyr absolutely refused to deny Christ, denouncing the governor as a
tool of Satan. Then they beat him again with rods, so that all his
insides were laid bare.
The gathering crowd could not bear this horrible spectacle and they
began to shout angrily, denouncing the governor for tormenting a
defenseless man. The governor, having the beating stopped, gave orders
to tie the Great Martyr to the tail of a wild horse to drag him by the
legs through the streets of the city. Residents of the Jewish quarter
particularly scoffed at the martyr and threw stones at him. Finally,
someone took a sword and cut off his head.
St John's body with his severed head lay there until evening, and none
of the Christians dared to take him away. By night a luminous pillar
was seen over him, and a multitude of burning lamps. Three
light-bearing men sang Psalms and censed the body of the saint. One of
the Jews, thinking that these were Christians coming to take up the
remains of the martyr, grabbed a bow and tried to shoot an arrow at
them, but he was restrained by the invisible power of God, and became
rigid.
In the morning the vision vanished, but the archer continued to stand
motionless. Having told the gathering inhabitants of the city about
the vision and what was done to him by the command of God, he was
freed from his invisible bonds. Having learned about the occurrence,
the ruler gave permission to bury the body of the martyr in the local
church. This occurred between the years 1330 and 1340. There is some
question about the year of the saint's martyrdom. St Nicodemus of the
Holy Mountain gives the year as 1642, while others say it was 1492.
The captain who had betrayed St John repented of his deed, and decided
secretly to convey the relics to his own country, but the saint
appeared in a dream to the priest of the church, and prevented this.
After seventy years the relics were transferred to Sochi, the capital
of the Moldo-Valachian principality, and placed in the cathedral
church.
_________________________________________________________________
Uncovering of the relics of the Venerable Juliana the
Princess of Vyazma
The relics of the holy Princess Juliana of Vyazemsk were uncovered in
1819.
St Juliana's body was buried in the Torzhok cathedral on the right
side by the south doors in 1407. Later, a tomb for her relics was
built at the Savior-Transfiguration cathedral, where she healed many.
In connection with the glorification of St Juliana on June 2, 1819 a
chapel was built on the right-hand side, and dedicated to her
In 1906 church was built and dedicated to St Juliana at the cathedral
of the Transfiguration of the Lord, where previously there had been a
chapel over the saint's grave.
St Juliana is also commemorated on December 21.
_________________________________________________________________
Venerable Barlaam of Khutin
The first Friday of the Apostles' Fast.
In Slavonic practice, St Barlaam is commemorated during the
Proskomedia along with the venerable and God-bearing Fathers who shone
forth in asceticism (sixth particle).
St Barlaam is also commemorated on November 6 and February 10.
_________________________________________________________________
Icon of the Mother of God of Kiev-Bratsk
The Kiev-Bratsk Icon of the Mother of God is also commemorated on
September 6, May 10, and on Saturday of the Fifth Week of Great Lent.
_________________________________________________________________
Venerable Dodo of the St David-Gareji Monastery, Georgia
A companion of St. Davit of Gareji, St. Dodo belonged to the royal
family Andronikashvili. He was tonsured a monk while still an youth,
and was endowed with every virtue.
An admirer of poverty and solitude, he labored as a hermit at
Ninotsminda in Kakheti.
Having heard about the miracles of Davit of Gareji, St. Dodo set off
for the Gareji Wilderness to witness them himself. The venerable
fathers greeted one another warmly and began laboring there together.
After some time, St. Davit became deeply impressed with Dodos devotion
to the Faith, and he proposed that he take with him some of the other
monks and begin to construct cells on the opposite mountain.
The brothers built cells and began to labor there with great ardor.
Before long the number of cells had reached two hundred. St. Dodo
isolated himself in a narrow crevice, where there was barely room for
one man. Day and night, winter and summer, in the heat and the cold,
he prayed with penitent tears for the forgiveness of his sins, the
strengthening of the souls of his brothers, and the bolstering of the
true Faith throughout the country.
Once St. Davit miraculously healed the son of Prince Bubakar of
Rustavi. In return, the grateful prince donated food and other
necessities to the monks of Gareji Monastery. St. Davit took part of
his contributions and sent what remained to St. Dodo. He advised
Bubakar to have St. Dodo baptize him, and St. Dodo joyously baptized
Bubakar, his sons, and all his suite.
St. Dodo labored to an advanced age in the monastery he had founded
and reposed peacefully.
His spiritual sons and companions buried him in the cave where he had
labored, and a church was later built over his grave.
_________________________________________________________________
Venerable Erasmus of Ochrid
No information available at this time.
_________________________________________________________________