[Readingsandsaints] Readings and saints

[Daily Orthodox Readings and Saints]

Scripture Readings and Saints for Fri Mar 23 2007

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


-----------------------------
                                      
Isaiah 45:11-17  (6th Hour)
11 Thus says the Lord, The Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask Me
of things to come concerning My sons; And concerning the work of My
hands, you command Me.
12 I have made the earth, And created man on it. IMy handsstretched
out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded.
13 I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his
ways; He shall build My city And let My exiles go free, Not for price
nor reward, Says the Lord of hosts. The Lord, the Only Savior
14 Thus says the Lord: The labor of Egypt and merchandise of Cush And
of the Sabeans, men of stature, Shall come over to you, and they shall
be yours; They shall walk behind you, They shall come over in chains;
And they shall bow down to you. They will mak
15 Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior!
16 They shall be ashamed And also disgraced, all of them; They shall
go in confusion together, Who are makers of idols.
17 But Israel shall be saved by the Lord With an everlasting
salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever and ever.
Scripture Reading 1 of 3


-----------------------------
                                      
Genesis 22:1-18  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
1 Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and
said to him, Abraham! And he said, Here I am.
2 Then He said, Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love,
and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering
on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.
3 So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and
took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split
the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of
which God had told him.
4 Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar
off.
5 And Abraham said to his young men, Stay here with the donkey; the
lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.
6 So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac
his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of
them went together.
7 But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, My father! And he
said, Here I am, my son. Then he said, Look, the fire and the wood,
but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for
a burnt offering. So the two of them went together.
9 Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham
built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and he bound Isaac
his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his
son.
11 But the Angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said,
Abraham, Abraham! So he said, Here I am.
12 And He said, Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to
him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld
your son, your only son, from Me.
13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a
ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the
ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
14 And Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as
it is said to this day, In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.
15 Then the Angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time out of
heaven,
16 and said: By Myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have
done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son
17 blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your
descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the
seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their
enemies.
18 In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because
you have obeyed My voice.
Scripture Reading 2 of 3


-----------------------------
                                      
Proverbs 17:17-18:5  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
17 I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; Let us delight
ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money with him, And will come home on the
appointed day.
21 With her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or
as a fool to the correction of the stocks,
23 Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He
did not know it would cost his life.
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the
words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her
paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her
were strong men.
27 Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.
1 Does not wisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?
2 She takes her stand on the top of the high hill, Beside the way,
where the paths meet.
3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city, At the
entrance of the doors:
4 To you, O men, I call, And my voice is to the sons of men.
5 O you simple ones, understand prudence, And you fools, be of an
understanding heart.
Scripture Reading 3 of 3



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


Martyr Nikon in Sicily
The Monk Martyr Nikon was born at Neapolis (Naples). His father was a
pagan, and his mother a Christian. He was not baptized, but his mother
secretly instructed him in the tenets of Christianity. Nikon was still
a pagan when he reached adulthood. He served as a soldier, and showed
unusual courage and strength.
Once, Nikon and his military company were surrounded by enemies. In
deadly peril, he remembered the Christian precepts of his mother and,
signing himself with the Sign of the Cross, he prayed to God, vowing
to be baptized if he were saved. Filled with unusual strength, he
killed many of the enemy, and put the rest to flight.
He managed to return home, giving thanks to God for preserving his
life. With the blessing of his mother, he set off in search of a
priest. This was no easy thing to do in a time of persecution. St
Nikon took a ship to the island of Chios. He went up on a high
mountain and spent eight days in fasting and prayer, entreating the
Lord to help him.
An angel of God appeared to St Nikon in a dream, showing him the way.
St Nikon went to Mount Ganos, where many monks were hidden, headed by
Theodosius the Bishop of Cyzicus. St Nikon received from the bishop
both the mystery of Baptism and the angelic schema (i.e., monastic
tonsure). Living in the cave church, St Nikon became an example for
all the brethren.
When St Nikon had lived on the mountain for three years, an angel
revealed to the bishop that St Nikon should be consecrated bishop, and
should move to the province of Sicily with all the monks. Bishop
Theodosius obeyed the angel, and then died after he had entrusted the
190 monks to St Nikon. After he buried Bishop Theodosius, St Nikon
sailed to Sicily with the brethren, and so was saved from approaching
barbarians.
By God's grace, St Nikon came to his native city Neapolis. He found
his mother still alive, and he remained with her for the final day of
her life. His mother collapsed on his chest with tears of joy and
kissed him. Making a prostration to the ground, she said, "I give
thanks to You, O Lord, for You have permitted me to see my son as a
monk, and as a bishop. Now, my Lord, hear Your servant, and receive my
soul." When she had finished this prayer, the righteous woman died.
Those present glorified God and buried her with psalmody.
Rumors of St Nikon's arrival spread through the city, and ten
soldiers, his former companions, came to see him. After conversing
with the saint they believed and were baptized, and went with him to
Sicily. Having arrived on the island, St Nikon settled with the monks
in a desolate area, called Gigia, near the river Asinum.
Many years passed, and there was another persecution against
Christians. Quintilian, the governor of Sicily, was informed that
Bishop Nikon was living nearby with many monks. All 199 monks were
seized and beheaded, but they left St Nikon alive in order to torture
him.
They burned him with fire, yet he remained unharmed. They tied him to
the tails of wild horses to be dragged over the ground, but the horses
would not budge from the spot. They cut out the saint's tongue, threw
him off a high cliff, and finally beheaded him. The body of the
hieromartyr Nikon was left in a field to be eaten by wild beasts and
birds.
A certain shepherd, possessed by an evil spirit, went to that place,
and finding the body of the saint, he immediately fell to the ground
on his face. The unclean spirit, vanquished by the power of the saint,
had thrown him to the ground and gone out from him with a loud shriek:
"Woe is me, woe is me, where can I flee from Nikon?"
The healed shepherd related this to the people. The bishop of the city
of Messina also learned of this, then he and his clergy buried the
bodies of St Nikon and his disciples.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyred 199 Disciples of the Martyr Nikon in Sicily
Quintilian, the governor of Sicily, was informed that St Nikon was
living nearby with many monks. All 199 monks were seized and beheaded
during a persecution against Christians in 251. St Nikon was killed
later.
The bishop of the city of Messina and his clergy buried the bodies of
St Nikon and his disciples.
_________________________________________________________________
Venerable Nikon the Abbot of the Kiev Far Caves
Saint Nikon of the Kiev Caves was the first disciple and
fellow-ascetic of St Anthony (July 10), the founder of the Kiev Caves
monastery, to which he came as a priest. At the monastery he tonsured
all the new monks, and among their number was St Theodosius of the
Caves (May 3 and August 14).
For tonsuring the favorites of the Great Prince Izyaslav, Sts Barlaam
(November 19) and Ephraim (January 28 ), St Nikon brought the wrath of
the prince down upon himself, but he refused to force the new monks to
leave the monastery. The princess calmed Izyaslav, and he left St
Nikon in peace.
When the number of brethren in the monastery had increased, St Nikon
desired to go into seclusion and live as a hesychast. He went to the
Tmutarakan peninsula (on the eastern banks of the Kerchensk straits)
and settled in an unpopulated spot. When news of his holy life and
spiritual gifts spread throughout the region, many gathered about him,
wishing to follow his example. Thus a monastery and a church were
founded in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos.
When he returned to the Kiev Caves monastery, St Nikon was obedient to
St Theodosius as his spiritual Father. According to St Nestor the
Chronicler (October 27), when St Theodosius had to go somewhere, he
entrusted all the brethren to the care of St Nikon. Sometimes he asked
St Nikon to offer instruction to the brethren in place of himself.
Often, when St Nikon was binding books, St Theodosius sat near him and
spun the thread for the binding.
When Prince Svyatoslav drove out his brother Izyaslav from Kiev, St
Nikon returned to the monastery he founded. He returned under the
igumen Stephen. When St Stephen (April 27) left the Kiev Caves
monastery, St Nikon was chosen as igumen of the monastery. He toiled
much to adorn his monastery with spiritual books and icons. He died at
a great old age (+ 1088) and was buried in the Near Caves of St
Anthony.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Philetus the Senator, his wife and sons in Illyria
St Philetus was a dignitary at the court of the emperor Hadrian
(117-138), a persecutor of Christians. For openly confessing his faith
in Christ the Savior, St Philetus was brought to trial with his wife
St Lydia and their sons Macedonius and Theoprepius. By Hadrian's
order, St Philetus was sent with his family to Illyria to the military
governor Amphilochius to be tortured.
Amphilochius gave orders to suspend them from a tree and to torture
them with knives. After this, they were locked up in prison with the
jailer Cronides, who believed in Christ. An angel came to them by
night and eased their sufferings.
On the following day the martyrs were plunged into a cauldron of
boiling oil, but the oil cooled instantly, and the saints remained
unharmed. The military governor Amphilochius was so astonished at this
miracle that he himself believed in Christ and went into the boiling
oil saying, "Lord, Jesus Christ, help me!" and he remained unharmed.
The tortures were repeated when the emperor Hadrian came to Illyria.
They threw the holy martyrs into the boiling oil again and again, but
by the power of God they remained alive.
The humiliated emperor returned to Rome, and the holy martyrs gave
thanks to God, then they surrendered their holy souls to Him.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Lydia in Illyria
Holy Martyrs Lydia, Philetus, Macedonius and Theoprepius, and those
with them: St Philetus was a dignitary at the court of the emperor
Hadrian (117-138), a persecutor of Christians. For openly confessing
his faith in Christ the Savior, St Philetus was brought to trial with
his wife St Lydia and their sons Macedonius and Theoprepius. By
Hadrian's order, St Philetus was sent with his family to Illyria to
the military governor Amphilochius to be tortured.
Amphilochius gave orders to suspend them from a tree and to torture
them with knives. After this, they were locked up in prison with the
jailer Cronides, who believed in Christ. An angel came to them by
night and eased their sufferings.
On the following day the martyrs were plunged into a cauldron of
boiling oil, but the oil cooled instantly, and the saints remained
unharmed. The military governor Amphilochius was so astonished at this
miracle that he himself believed in Christ and went into the boiling
oil saying, "Lord, Jesus Christ, help me!" and he remained unharmed.
The tortures were repeated when the emperor Hadrian came to Illyria.
They threw the holy martyrs into the boiling oil again and again, but
by the power of God they remained alive.
The humiliated emperor returned to Rome, and the holy martyrs gave
thanks to God, then they surrendered their holy souls to Him.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Macedonius in Illyria
Holy Martyrs Macedonius, Philetus, Lydia, and Theoprepius, and those
with them: St Philetus was a dignitary at the court of the emperor
Hadrian (117-138), a persecutor of Christians. For openly confessing
his faith in Christ the Savior, St Philetus was brought to trial with
his wife St Lydia and their sons Macedonius and Theoprepius. By
Hadrian's order, St Philetus was sent with his family to Illyria to
the military governor Amphilochius to be tortured.
Amphilochius gave orders to suspend them from a tree and to torture
them with knives. After this, they were locked up in prison with the
jailer Cronides, who believed in Christ. An angel came to them by
night and eased their sufferings.
On the following day the martyrs were plunged into a cauldron of
boiling oil, but the oil cooled instantly, and the saints remained
unharmed. The military governor Amphilochius was so astonished at this
miracle that he himself believed in Christ and went into the boiling
oil saying, "Lord, Jesus Christ, help me!" and he remained unharmed.
The tortures were repeated when the emperor Hadrian came to Illyria.
They threw the holy martyrs into the boiling oil again and again, but
by the power of God they remained alive.
The humiliated emperor returned to Rome, and the holy martyrs gave
thanks to God, then they surrendered their holy souls to Him.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Theoprepius in Illyria
Holy MartyrsTheoprepius, Philetus, Lydia, Macedonius, and those with
them: St Philetus was a dignitary at the court of the emperor Hadrian
(117-138), a persecutor of Christians. For openly confessing his faith
in Christ the Savior, St Philetus was brought to trial with his wife
St Lydia and their sons Macedonius and Theoprepius. By Hadrian's
order, St Philetus was sent with his family to Illyria to the military
governor Amphilochius to be tortured.
Amphilochius gave orders to suspend them from a tree and to torture
them with knives. After this, they were locked up in prison with the
jailer Cronides, who believed in Christ. An angel came to them by
night and eased their sufferings.
On the following day the martyrs were plunged into a cauldron of
boiling oil, but the oil cooled instantly, and the saints remained
unharmed. The military governor Amphilochius was so astonished at this
miracle that he himself believed in Christ and went into the boiling
oil saying, "Lord, Jesus Christ, help me!" and he remained unharmed.
The tortures were repeated when the emperor Hadrian came to Illyria.
They threw the holy martyrs into the boiling oil again and again, but
by the power of God they remained alive.
The humiliated emperor returned to Rome, and the holy martyrs gave
thanks to God, then they surrendered their holy souls to Him.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Cronides the Notary in Illyria
Saint Cronides was a notary who believed in Christ. For this crime he
was thrown into prison with the holy martyrs Philetus, Macedonius,
Theoprepius and others.
Amphilochius gave orders to suspend them from a tree and to torture
them with knives. After this, they were locked up in prison with the
jailer Cronides, who believed in Christ. An angel came to them by
night and eased their sufferings.
On the following day the martyrs were plunged into a cauldron of
boiling oil, but the oil cooled instantly, and the saints remained
unharmed. The military governor Amphilochius was so astonished at this
miracle that he himself believed in Christ and went into the boiling
oil saying, "Lord, Jesus Christ, help me!" and he remained unharmed.
The tortures were repeated when the emperor Hadrian came to Illyria.
They threw the holy martyrs into the boiling oil again and again, but
by the power of God they remained alive.
The humiliated emperor returned to Rome, and the holy martyrs gave
thanks to God, then they surrendered their holy souls to Him.
_________________________________________________________________
Martyr Amphilochius the Captain in Illyria
Saint Amphilochius endured martyrdom in the second century with Sts
Philetus, Lydia, Macedonius and Theoprepius, and those with them. St
Philetus was arrested and brought to trial with his wife St Lydia and
their sons Macedonius and Theoprepius for openly confessing his faith
in Christ. By Hadrian's order, St Philetus and his family were sent to
Illyria to the military governor Amphilochius to be tortured.
Amphilochius gave orders to suspend them from a tree and to torture
them with knives. After this, they were locked up in prison with
Cronides, who believed in Christ. An angel came to them by night and
eased their sufferings.
On the following day the martyrs were plunged into a cauldron of
boiling oil, but the oil cooled instantly, and the saints remained
unharmed. The military governor Amphilochius was so astonished at this
miracle that he himself believed in Christ and went into the boiling
oil saying, "Lord, Jesus Christ, help me!" and he remained unharmed.
The tortures were repeated when the emperor Hadrian came to Illyria.
They threw the holy martyrs into the boiling oil again and again, but
by the power of God they remained alive.
The humiliated emperor returned to Rome, and the holy martyrs gave
thanks to God, then they surrendered their holy souls to Him.
_________________________________________________________________
Righteous Basil of Mangazea in Siberia
Righteous Basil of Mangazea: St Basil was born in the town of
Yaroslavl around 1587. His father was a merchant, but the family was
very poor. As a child, Basil spent much of his time in church, praying
fervently and participating in the divine services.
When he was twelve, the boy set out to earn his living. After a
difficult journey through wild forests, he came to the Russian village
of Mangazea in Siberia on the River Taz. This was an area inhabited by
Mongols and indigenous peoples of Siberia.
After stopping to pray in the village church, St Basil found a job
with a local merchant. The merchant was a person of low moral
character and did not believe in God, so while he appreciated Basil's
work, he did not care for the boy's religious inclinations. Soon the
cruel merchant came to hate his clerk and began to mistreat him.
During the Matins of Pascha, thieves robbed the merchant's shop. The
merchant discovered the theft and went to the governor, accusing Basil
of being one of the thieves. So great was the merchant's hatred of
Basil that he falsely accused the young man. The governor did not even
bother to investigate the charges, but had Basil arrested and tortured
to make him admit his guilt. In spite of unbearable tortures, the
saint kept saying, "I am innocent."
Enraged by Basil's endurance and meekness, the merchant struck him in
the head with a ring of keys. St Basil fell to the floor and
surrendered his soul to God. The governor ordered that the saint's
body be placed in a coffin and buried in a swamp.
After several years, the servants who disposed of the body began to
speak about the child's murder. Soon all the residents of Mangazea
knew that the saint's relics were in the swamp. Because of many signs
that took place, people began to address prayers to St Basil.
Forty-two years after the unjust murder of the saint, his coffin was
removed from the swamp and his holy relics were found to be incorrupt.
A chapel was built over his grave, and in 1670 the relics were placed
in the church of Holy Trinity Monastery near Turakhanov.
In 1719 the holy Metropolitan Philotheus of Siberia (May 31) sent a
carved reliquary to the monastery. Many miracles took place there, and
St Basil helped Metropolitan Philotheus on many occasions
A new stone church was built at Holy Trinity Monastery in 1787, and
the relics were transferred there.
In iconography, St Basil is portrayed as a young man with light brown
hair, bare-footed and wearing only a shirt. He is also depicted on the
Abaletsk Icon "Of the Sign" (July 20, November 27).
_________________________________________________________________
Monkmartyr Luke of St Anne's Skete on Mt Athos and Odrin
No information available at this time.
_________________________________________________________________
Venerable Sergius (Srebryansky), the New Confessor of Tver
No information available at this time.
_________________________________________________________________