[Readingsandsaints] Readings and saints

Thu Mar 22 04:00:25 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Thu Mar 22 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Isaiah 42:5-16  (6th Hour)
5 Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them
out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who
gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:
6 I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your
hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a
light to the Gentiles,
7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those
who sit in darkness from the prison house.
8 I am the Lord, that is My name; And My glory I will not give to
another, Nor My praise to carved images.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I
declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them.
10 Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise from the ends of the
earth, You who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, You
coastlands and you inhabitants of them!
11 Let the wilderness and its cities lift up their voice, The villages
that Kedar inhabits. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing, Let them shout
from the top of the mountains.
12 Let them give glory to the Lord, And declare His praise in the
coastlands.
13 The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His
zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall
prevail against His enemies.
14 I have held My peace a long time, I have been still and restrained
Myself. Now I will cry like a woman in labor, I will pant and gasp at
once.
15 I will lay waste the mountains and hills, And dry up all their
vegetation; I will make the rivers coastlands, And I will dry up the
pools.
16 I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them
in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them,
And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not
forsake them.
Scripture Reading 1 of 3

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Genesis 18:20-33  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
20 And the Lord said, Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is
great, and because their sin is very grave,
21 I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether
according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I
will know.
22 Then the men turned away from there and went toward Sodom, but
Abraham still stood before the Lord.
23 And Abraham came near and said, Would You also destroy the
righteous with the wicked?
24 Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also
destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were
in it?
25 Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the
righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the
wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do
right?
26 So the Lord said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the
city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
27 Then Abraham answered and said, Indeed now, I who am but dust and
ashes have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord:
28 Suppose there were five less than the fifty righteous; would You
destroy all of the city for lack of five? So He said, If I find there
forty-five, I will not destroy it.
29 And he spoke to Him yet again and said, Suppose there should be
forty found there? So He said, I will not do it for the sake of forty.
30 Then he said, Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak: Suppose
thirty should be found there? So He said, I will not do it if I find
thirty there.
31 And he said, Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to
the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there? So He said, I will not
destroy it for the sake of twenty.
32 Then he said, Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once
more: Suppose ten should be found there? And He said, I will not
destroy it for the sake of ten.
33 So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with
Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.
Scripture Reading 2 of 3

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Proverbs 16:17-17:17  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; He who keeps his
way preserves his soul.
18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the
spoil with the proud.
20 He who heeds the word wisely will find good, And whoever trusts in
the Lord, happy is he.
21 The wise in heart will be called prudent, And sweetness of the lips
increases learning.
22 Understanding is a wellspring of life to him who has it. But the
correction of fools is folly.
23 The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, And adds learning to his
lips.
24 Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and
health to the bones.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of
death.
26 The person who labors, labors for himself, For his hungry mouth
drives him on.
27 An ungodly man digs up evil, And it is on his lips like a burning
fire.
28 A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of
friends.
29 A violent man entices his neighbor, And leads him in a way that is
not good.
30 He winks his eye to devise perverse things; He purses his lips and
brings about evil.
31 The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the
way of righteousness.
32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules
his spirit than he who takes a city.
33 The lot is cast into the lap, But its every decision is from the
Lord.
1 Better is a dry morsel with quietness, Than a house full of feasting
with strife.
2 A wise servant will rule over a son who causes shame, And will share
an inheritance among the brothers.
3 The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the
Lord tests the hearts.
4 An evildoer gives heed to false lips; A liar listens eagerly to a
spiteful tongue.
5 He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker; He who is glad at
calamity will not go unpunished.
6 Childrens children are the crown of old men, And the glory of
children is their father.
7 Excellent speech is not becoming to a fool, Much less lying lips to
a prince.
8 A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor; Wherever
he turns, he prospers.
9 He who covers a transgression seeks love, But he who repeats a
matter separates friends.
10 Rebuke is more effective for a wise man Than a hundred blows on a
fool.
11 An evil man seeks only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger will
be sent against him.
12 Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool in his
folly.
13 Whoever rewards evil for good, Evil will not depart from his house.
14 The beginning of strife is like releasing water; Therefore stop
contention before a quarrel starts.
15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, Both of
them alike are an abomination to the Lord.
16 Why is there in the hand of a fool the purchase price of wisdom,
Since he has no heart for it?
17 A friend loves at all times, And a brother is born for adversity.
Scripture Reading 3 of 3

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Hieromartyr Basil of Ancyra
Hieromartyr Basil was a presbyter in Ancyra, Galatia. Fighting against
the Arian heresy, he urged his flock to cling firmly to Orthodoxy.
Because of this St Basil was deposed from his priestly rank by a local
Arian council, but a Council of 230 bishops in Palestine reinstated
him.
St Basil openly continued to preach and denounce the Arians.
Therefore, he became the victim of persecution and was subjected to
punishment as a man dangerous to the state. Two apostates, Elpidios
and Pegasios, were ordered to turn St Basil from Orthodoxy. The saint
remained unshakable, and was again subjected to tortures.
When the emperor Julian the Apostate (361-363) arrived in the city of
Ancyra, St Basil bravely confessed Christ before him at the trial, and
denounced the emperor for his apostasy. Julian ordered that strips of
skin be cut from the saint's back. St Basil endured the gruesome
torture with great patience.
When they began to beat his shoulders and stomach with red-hot rods,
he fell down upon the ground from the torments and cried out, "O
Christ, my Light! O Jesus, my Hope! Quiet Haven from the stormy sea. I
thank You, O Lord God of my fathers, that You have snatched my soul
from the pit of Hell and preserved Your Name in me unstained! Let me
finish my life a victor and inherit eternal life according to the
promise You gave my fathers. Now accept my soul in peace, plying
steadfast in this confession! For You are merciful and great is Your
mercy, You Who live and sojourn throughout all the ages. Amen."
Having made such prayer, and lacerated all over by the red-hot rods,
the saint fell into a sweet slumber, giving up his soul into the hands
of God. The Hieromartyr Basil died June 29, 362. His commemoration was
transferred to March 22 because of the Feast of Sts Peter and Paul.
This saint should not be confused with St Basil of Ancyra (January 1),
a layman.
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Martyr Drosis the Daughter of the Emperor Trajan
The Holy Martyr Drosis, together with Five Virgin-Martyrs Agalida,
Apollinaria, Daria, Mamthusa and Thais: St Drosis was daughter of the
emperor Trajan (98-117), a fierce persecutor of Christians. In the
year 99 he revived an earlier law which forbade secret gatherings and
was indirectly aimed against Christians. In the year 104 he issued a
special law against Christians.
Beginning in that year, the persecutions continued until the end of
his reign. During this time the bodies of martyred Christians often
remained unburied in order to intimidate others. Five Christian
virgins: Aglaida, Apolliniaria, Daria, Mamthusa and Thais, took upon
themselves the task of burying such Christians. They secretly gathered
up the bodies of martyrs, anointed them with spices, wrapped them in
shrouds and buried them. When she learned of this, Drosis, a secret
Christian but not yet baptized, asked the holy virgins to take her
with them when they went to bury Christians.
On the advice of the court dignitary Adrian, a guard was set over
those who had been killed, to arrest anyone who tried to bury them. On
the very first night, St Drosis and the five virgins were caught.
Learning that one of the captives was his own daughter, Trajan gave
orders to hold her separately, in the hope that she would change her
mind.
The remaining holy virgins were sentenced to burning in a furnace for
melting copper. They bravely accepted execution and were granted
crowns of martyrdom. The copper, mingled with the ashes of the
martyrs, was used to make tripods for a new bath of Trajan. But as
long as these tripods stood in the bath-house, no man was able to
enter it. Anyone crossing the threshold fell down dead. When the pagan
priests realized why this happened, they advised that the tripods be
removed.
Adrian told the emperor to melt the tripods and to make five statues
of naked virgins, in the likeness of the Martyrs. Then he said that
these statues should be placed before the entrance to the imperial
bath. Trajan agreed. When the statues were set up, the emperor saw in
a dream five pure lambs pastured in Paradise, and the Shepherd who
said to him, "O most wanton and wicked Caesar! Those whose images you
placed there to be mocked have been taken away from you and brought
here by the Good and Merciful Pastor. In time your daughter, the pure
lamb Drosis, shall also be here."
When he awoke, Trajan flew into a rage and ordered two huge furnaces
to be heated. At the ovens an imperial edict was posted: "You who
worship the Crucified, save yourselves many agonies, and spare us also
from these labors. Offer sacrifice to the gods. If you do not wish to
do this, however, then let each of you voluntarily cast himself into
this furnace." Many Christians willingly went to martyrdom.
When she heard of this, St Drosis also decided to endure martyrdom for
Christ. In her prison she offered prayers asking the Lord to release
her. God heard her prayer, amd the guards fell asleep. St Drosis went
off to the ovens, but began to wonder: "How can I go to God without a
wedding garment (i.e., without being baptized), for I am impure. But,
O King of Kings, Lord Jesus Christ, for Your sake I give up my
imperial position, so that I may be the lowliest handmaiden in Your
Kingdom. Baptize me Yourself with your Holy Spirit."
After praying in this manner, St Drosis anointed herself with myrrh
[chrism], which she had taken along with her, and immersing herself in
water three times, she said: "the servant of God Drosis is baptized in
the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." For
seven days the saint hid, spending her time in fasting and prayer.
Christians found her and learned from her everything that occurred. On
the eighth day, the holy Martyr Drosis went to the red-hot ovens and
cast herself into the fire.
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Venerable Isaac the Founder of the Dalmatian Monastery at
Constantinople
St Isaac lived during the fourth century, received monastic tonsure
and pursued ascetic labors in the desert. During the reign of the
emperor Valens (364-378), a zealous adherent of the Arian heresy,
there was a persecution of the Orthodox, and churches were closed and
destroyed.
Hearing of the persecution, St Isaac left the wilderness and went to
Constantinople to console and encourage the Orthodox, and to fight
against the heretics. At that time, barbarian Goths along the River
Danube were making war against the Empire. They seized Thrace and
advanced toward Constantinople.
When the emperor Valens was leaving the capital with his soldiers, St
Isaac cried out, "Emperor, unlock the churches of the Orthodox, and
then the Lord will aid you!" But the emperor, disdaining the words of
the monk, confidently continued on his way. The saint repeated his
request and prophecy three times. The angry emperor ordered St Isaac
to be thrown into a deep ravine, filled with thorns and mud, from
which it was impossible to escape.
St Isaac remained alive by God's help, and he emerged, overtook the
emperor and said, "You wanted to destroy me, but three angels pulled
me from the mire. Hear me, open up the churches for the Orthodox and
you shall defeat the enemy. If, however, you do not heed me, then you
shall not return. You will be captured and burned alive." The emperor
was astonished at the saint's boldness and ordered his attendants
Saturninus and Victor to take the monk and hold him in prison until
his return.
St Isaac's prophecy was soon fulfilled. The Goths defeated and pursued
the Greek army. The emperor and his Arian generals took refuge in a
barn filled with straw, and the attackers set it afire. After
receiving news of the emperor's death, they released St Isaac and
honored him as a prophet.
Then the holy Emperor Theodosius the Great (379-395) came to the
throne. On the advice of Saturninus and Victor, he summoned the Elder,
treating him with great respect. Obeying his instructions, he banished
the Arians from Constantinople and restored the churches to the
Orthodox. St Isaac wanted to return to his desert, but Saturninus and
Victor begged him not to leave the city, but to remain and protect it
by his prayers.
Saturninus built a monastery for the saint in Constantinople, where
monks gathered around him. St Isaac was the monastery's igumen and
spiritual guide. He also nourished laypeople, and helped many of the
poor and suffering.
When he had reached an advanced age, St Isaac made St Dalmatus (August
3) igumen. The monastery was later named for Dalmatus.
St Isaac died in the year 383, and his memory is also celebrated on
May 30.
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Monkmartyr Euthymius of Prodromou of Mt Athos
This holy New Martyr of Christ was born in Demitsana in the
Peloponnesos. His parents were Panagiotes and Maria, and he was given
the name Eleutherius in Baptism. Eleutherius was the youngest of five
children (the others were George, Christos, John, and Katerina).
After attending school in Demetsana, Eleutherius and John traveled to
Constantinople to enroll in the Patriarchal Academy. Later, they went
to Jassy, Romania where their father and brothers were in business.
Some time afterwards, Eleutherius decided to go to Mt. Athos to become
a monk. Because of a war between Russia and Turkey, he was able to
travel only as far as Bucharest. There he stayed with the French
consul, then with an employee of the Russian consul.
Eleutherius began to pursue a life of pleasure, putting aside his
thoughts of monasticism. When hostilities ceased, Eleutherius made his
way to Constantinople in the company of some Moslems. On the way, he
turned from Orthodoxy and embraced Islam. He was circumcised and given
the name Reschid. Soon his conscience began to torment him for his
denial of Christ. The other Moslems began to notice a change in his
attitude, so they restricted his movements and kept a close watch on
him.
One day Eleutherius was seen wearing a cross, so the others reported
him to the master of the house, Rais Efendi. The master favored
Eleutherius, which made the others jealous. He told them it was still
too early for Eleutherius to give up all his Christian ways.
Rais Efendi and his household journeyed to Adrianople, arriving on a
Saturday. Metropolitan Cyril, who later became Patriarch of
Constantinople, was serving Vespers in one of the city's churches.
Eleutherius pretended to have letters for Metropolitan Cyril, but he
send someone else to receive them. When Eleutherius told this man that
he wanted Christian clothes, he became suspicious and sent him away.
Back in Constantinople, Rais Efendi gave Eleutherius costly presents,
hoping to influence him to remain a Moslem. Eleutherius, however,
prayed that God would permit him to escape. He ran off at the first
opportunity, seeking out a priest from the Peloponnesos who lived near
the Patriarchate. After relating his story, Eleutherius asked the
priest to help him get away. The priest refused to assist him, fearing
reprisals if he should be caught. He gave Eleutherius some advice,
then sent him away.
With some assistance from the Russian embassy, Eleutherius boarded a
ship and sailed to Mt. Athos. At the Great Lavra Eleutherius was
chrismated and received back into the Orthodox Church, and also became
a monk with the name Euthymius.
Euthymius read the NEW MARTYROLOGION of St Nicodemus (July 14), and
was inspired by the example of the New Martyrs. He then became
consumed with a desire to wipe out his apostasy with the blood of
martyrdom.
St Euthymius went to Constantinople with a monk named Gregory,
arriving on March 19, 1814. A few days later, on Palm Sunday, he
received Holy Communion. Removing his monastic garb, he dressed
himself as a Moslem and went to the palace of the Grand Vizier, Rusud
Pasha. St Euthymius, holding palms in his hand, confessed that he was
an Orthodox Christian, and wished to die for Christ. He denounced
Mohammed and the Moslem religion, then trampled upon the turban he had
worn on his head, which led the Vizier to believe that he was either
drunk or crazy.
The valiant warrior of Christ assured the Vizier that he was in his
right mind, and was not drunk. Euthymius was thrown into a dark cell
and bound with chains. After an hour or so, they brought him out
again. With flattery and promises of wealth, the Vizier tried to
convince Euthymius to return to the Moslem faith. The saint boldly
declared that Islam was a religion based on fables and falsehood, and
that he would not deny Christ again even if he were to be tortured and
slain.
The Grand Vizier ordered the saint to be beaten and returned to
prison. After three hours, St Euthymius was brought before Rusud
Pasha, who said to him, "Have you reconsidered, or do you remain
stubborn?"
Euthymius replied, "There is only one true Faith, that of the Orthodox
Christians. How can I believe in your false prophet Mohammed?"
Now the Vizier realized that he would never convince Euthymius to
return to Islam, so he ordered him to be put to death by the sword.
When the executioner attempted to tie the saint's hands he said, "I
came here voluntarily, so there is no need to bind my hands.Allow me
to meet my death untied."
St Euthymius was allowed to walk to the place of execution unbound. He
went joyfully and unafraid, holding a cross in his right hand, and
palms in his left. When they arrived at the site, Euthymius faced east
and began to pray. He thanked God for making him worthy of martyrdom
for His sake. He also prayed for his family and friends, asking God to
grant all their petitions which are unto salvation.
Then St Euthymius kissed the cross he was holding, then knelt and bent
his neck. The executioner struck a fierce blow with the sword, but
this did not behead him. He struck again, and failed to kill him.
Finally, he took a knife and slit the martyr's throat.
St Euthymius was killed about noon on March 22, 1814 in
Constantinople, thereby earning a place in the heavenly Kingdom where
he glorifies the holy, consubstantial, and life-creating Trinity, the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, forevermore.
The head of St Euthymius is in the Russian monastery of St Panteleimon
on Mt Athos.
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Martyrs Callinica of Rome
No information available at this time.
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Martyrs Basilissa of Rome
No information available at this time.
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