[Readingsandsaints] Readings and saints

[Daily Orthodox Readings and Saints]

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sun May 20 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Genesis 14:14-20  (Vespers, 1st Reading)
14 Now when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed
his three hundred and eighteen trained servants who were born in his
own house, and went in pursuit as far as Dan.
15 He divided his forces against them by night, and he and his
servants attacked them and pursued them as far as Hobah, which is
north of Damascus.
16 So he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his brother
Lot and his goods, as well as the women and the people.
17 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh
(that is, the Kings Valley), after his return from the defeat of
Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him.
18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was
the priest of God Most High.
19 And he blessed him and said: Blessed be Abram of God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;
20 And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into
your hand. And he gave him a tithe of all.
Scripture Reading 1 of 6


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Deuteronomy 1:8-11, 15-17  (Vespers, 2nd Reading)
8 See, I have set the land before you; go in and possess the land
which the Lord swore to your fathers--to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob--to
give to them and their descendants after them.'
9 "And I spoke to you at that time, saying: 'I alone am not able to
bear you.
10 The Lord your God has multiplied you, and here you are today, as
the stars of heaven in multitude.
11 May the Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times more
numerous than you are, and bless you as He has promised you!
15 So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and knowledgeable men, and
made them heads over you, leaders of thousands, leaders of hundreds,
leaders of fifties, leaders of tens, and officers for your tribes.
16 Then I commanded your judges at that time, saying, 'Hear the cases
between your brethren, and judge righteously between a man and his
brother or the stranger who is with him.
17 You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small
as well as the great; you shall not be afraid in any man's presence,
for the judgment is God's. The case that is too hard for you, bring to
me, and I will hear it.'
Scripture Reading 2 of 6


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Deuteronomy 10:14-21  (Vespers, 3rd Reading)
14 Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God,
also the earth with all that is in it.
15 The Lord delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose
their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this
day.
16 Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be
stiff-necked no longer.
17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great
God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.
18 He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves
the stranger, giving him food and clothing.
19 Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of
Egypt.
20 You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him
you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name.
21 He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these
great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.
Scripture Reading 3 of 6


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John 21:1-14  (10th Matins Gospel)
1 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at
the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself:
2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee,
the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.
3 Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him,
"We are going with you also." They went out and immediately got into
the boat, and that night they caught nothing.
4 But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the
disciples did not know that it was Jesus.
5 Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any food?" They
answered Him, "No."
6 And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat,
and you will find some." So they cast, and now they were not able to
draw it in because of the multitude of fish.
7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the
Lord!" Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his
outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.
8 But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not
far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with
fish.
9 Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals
there, and fish laid on it, and bread.
10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have just
caught."
11 Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large
fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many,
the net was not broken.
12 Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." Yet none of the
disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?"-knowing that it was the Lord.
13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and
likewise the fish.
14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples
after He was raised from the dead.
Scripture Reading 4 of 6


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Acts 20:16-18, 28-36  (Epistle)
16 For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not
have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if
possible, on the Day of Pentecost.
17 From Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the
church.
18 And when they had come to him, he said to them: "You know, from the
first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among
you,
28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which
the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God
which He purchased with His own blood.
29 For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in
among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse
things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.
31 Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease
to warn everyone night and day with tears.
32 So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His
grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among
all those who are sanctified.
33 I have coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel.
34 Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my
necessities, and for those who were with me.
35 I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must
support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He
said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
36 And when he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with
them all.
Scripture Reading 5 of 6


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John 17:1-13  (Gospel)
1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said:
"Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may
glorify You,
2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give
eternal life to as many as You have given Him.
3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God,
and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which
You have given Me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory
which I had with You before the world was.
6 I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of
the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept
Your word.
7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from
You.
8 For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they
have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You;
and they have believed that You sent Me.
9 I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You
have given Me, for they are Yours.
10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in
them.
11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I
come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have
given Me, that they may be one as We are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those
whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son
of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that
they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.
Scripture Reading 6 of 6



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Commemoration of the Holy Fathers of the First Ecumenical
Council
On the seventh Sunday of Pascha, we commemorate the holy God-bearing
Fathers of the First Ecumenical Council.
The Commemoration of the First Ecumenical Council has been celebrated
by the Church of Christ from ancient times. The Lord Jesus Christ left
the Church a great promise, "I will build My Church, and the gates of
hell shall not prevail against it" (Mt. 16:18). Although the Church of
Christ on earth will pass through difficult struggles with the Enemy
of salvation, it will emerge victorious. The holy martyrs bore witness
to the truth of the Savior's words, enduring suffering and death for
confessing Christ, but the persecutor's sword is shattered by the
Cross of Christ.
Persecution of Christians ceased during the fourth century, but
heresies arose within the Church itself. One of the most pernicious of
these heresies was Arianism. Arius, a priest of Alexandria, was a man
of immense pride and ambition. In denying the divine nature of Jesus
Christ and His equality with God the Father, Arius falsely taught that
the Savior is not consubstantial with the Father, but is only a
created being.
A local Council, convened with Patriarch Alexander of Alexandria
presiding, condemned the false teachings of Arius. However, Arius
would not submit to the authority of the Church. He wrote to many
bishops, denouncing the decrees of the local Council. He spread his
false teaching throughout the East, receiving support from certain
Eastern bishops.
Investigating these dissentions, the holy emperor Constantine (May 21)
consulted Bishop Hosius of Cordova (Aug. 27), who assured him that the
heresy of Arius was directed against the most fundamental dogma of
Christ's Church, and so he decided to convene an Ecumenical Council.
In 325, 318 bishops representing Christian Churches from various lands
gathered together at Nicea.
Among the assembled bishops were many confessors who had suffered
during the persecutions, and who bore the marks of torture upon their
bodies. Also participating in the Council were several great
luminaries of the Church: St Nicholas, Archbishop of Myra in Lycia
(December 6 and May 9), St Spyridon, Bishop of Tremithos (December
12), and others venerated by the Church as holy Fathers.
With Patriarch Alexander of Alexandria came his deacon, Athanasius
(who later became Patriarch of Alexandria (May 2 and January 18). He
is called "the Great," for he was a zealous champion for the purity of
Orthodoxy. In the Sixth Ode of the Canon for today's Feast, he is
referred to as "the thirteenth Apostle."
The emperor Constantine presided over the sessions of the Council. In
his speech, responding to the welcome by Bishop Eusebius of Caesarea,
he said, "God has helped me cast down the impious might of the
persecutors, but more distressful for me than any blood spilled in
battle is for a soldier, is the internal strife in the Church of God,
for it is more ruinous."
Arius, with seventeen bishops among his supporters, remained arrogant,
but his teaching was repudiated and he was excommunicated from the
Church. In his speech, the holy deacon Athanasius conclusively refuted
the blasphemous opinions of Arius. The heresiarch Arius is depicted in
iconography sitting on Satan's knees, or in the mouth of the Beast of
the Deep (Rev. 13).
The Fathers of the Council declined to accept a Symbol of Faith
(Creed) proposed by the Arians. Instead, they affirmed the Orthodox
Symbol of Faith. St Constantine asked the Council to insert into the
text of the Symbol of Faith the word "consubstantial," which he had
heard in the speeches of the bishops. The Fathers of the Council
unanimously accepted this suggestion.
In the Nicean Creed, the holy Fathers set forth and confirmed the
Apostolic teachings about Christ's divine nature. The heresy of Arius
was exposed and repudiated as an error of haughty reason. After
resolving this chief dogmatic question, the Council also issued Twelve
Canons on questions of churchly administration and discipline. Also
decided was the date for the celebration of Holy Pascha. By decision
of the Council, Holy Pascha should not be celebrated by Christians on
the same day with the Jewish Passover, but on the first Sunday after
the first full moon of the vernal equinox (which occured on March 22
in 325).
The First Ecumenical Council is also commemorated on May 29.
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Martyr Thallelaeus at Aegae in Cilicia
The Martyrs Thallelaeus, Alexander and Asterius lived during the reign
of Numerian (283-284). The prefect of the city of Aegea sent soldiers
to seek out Christians. They brought to him Thallelaeus, an
eighteen-year-old blond-haired youth. To the prefect's questions St
Thallelaeus replied, "I am a Christian, a native of Lebanon. My
father, Beruchius, was a military commander, and my mother was named
Romylia. My brother is a subdeacon. I, however, am studying medicine
under the physician Macarius. During a former persecution against
Christians in Lebanon, I was brought before the prefect Tiberius, and
barely escaped execution. But now that I stand before this court, do
with me as you will. I wish to die for Christ my Savior and my God,
and hope to endure all torments with His help."
The enraged prefect ordered the two torturers Alexander and Asterius
to bore through the knees of the martyr, pass a rope through the bone,
and suspend him head downwards. But the executioners, by God's design,
bored into a block of wood, which they hung up in place of the martyr.
When the prefect saw that they had deceived him, he then ordered that
Alexander and Asterius be whipped. They also confessed themselves
Christians and glorified God. The prefect immediately gave orders to
cut off their heads. Twice he attempted to carry out the execution,
and to bore through the saint's knees, but the grace of God prevented
him. Then he commanded that St Thallelaeus be drowned.
The returning servants reported to the prefect that they had carried
out the execution, but just as they finished their report, St
Thallelaeus appeared in white raiment. For a long time everyone was
numbed with terror, but finally the prefect said, "Behold, this
sorcerer has bewitched even the sea."
Then one of his advisers, the magician Urbician, told the prefect to
have the martyr thrown to the wild beasts. But neither the vicious
bear, not the hungry lion and lioness, would touch the saint, all
meekly lay down at his feet. Seeing this happen, the people began to
shout, "Great is the God of the Christians. O God of Thallelaeus, have
mercy on us!"
The crowd seized Urbician and threw him to the beasts, which did not
hesitate to tear the magician apart. Finally, the prefect gave orders
to kill the holy martyr with a sword. They led Christ's martyr to the
place of execution, called Aegea, where he prayed to God and bent his
neck beneath the sword. This occurred in the year 284.
The relics of the holy martyr Thallelaeus are in the church of St
Agathonicus of Constantinople and have performed many miracles. St
Thallelaeus treated the sick without payment. For this reason, the
Church calls him an Unmercenary Physician. He is invoked in prayers
for the sick in the Mystery of Holy Unction, and during the Blessing
of Waters.
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Martyr Alexander at Aegae in Cilicia
The Martyrs Alexander, Thallelaeus, and Asterius lived during the
reign of Numerian (283-284). The prefect of the city of Aegea sent
soldiers to seek out Christians. Thallelaeus, an eighteen-year-old
blond-haired youth, was brought before him. The young man expressed
his willingness to suffer and die for Christ.
The enraged prefect ordered the two torturers Alexander and Asterius
to bore through the martyr's knees, pass a rope through the bone, and
suspend him head downwards. But the executioners, by God's design,
bored into a block of wood, which they hung up in place of the martyr.
When the prefect saw that they had deceived him, he then ordered that
Alexander and Asterius be whipped. They also confessed themselves
Christians and glorified God.
The prefect ordered them to be beheaded, and so they received the
unfading crown of martyrdom around 284.
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Martyr Asterius at Aegae in Cilicia
The Martyrs Asterius, Alexander, and Thallelaeus lived during the
reign of Numerian (283-284). The prefect of the city of Aegea sent
soldiers to seek out Christians. Thallelaeus, an eighteen-year-old
blond-haired youth, was brought before him. The young man expressed
his willingness to suffer and die for Christ.
The enraged prefect ordered the two torturers Alexander and Asterius
to bore through the martyr's knees, pass a rope through the bone, and
suspend him head downwards. But the executioners, by God's design,
bored into a block of wood, which they hung up in place of the martyr.
When the prefect saw that they had deceived him, he then ordered that
Alexander and Asterius be whipped. They also confessed themselves
Christians and glorified God.
The prefect ordered them to be beheaded, and so they received the
unfading crown of martyrdom around 284.
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Uncovering of the relics of St Alexis the Metropolitan of
Moscow and Wonderworker of All Russia
The Uncovering of the Relics of Saint Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow
and All Rus. Before his blessed repose in 1378 St Alexis, Metropolitan
of Moscow, left instructions to place his body in the Chudov (Miracle
of the Archangel Michael) monastery in the Kremlin. He designated a
burial place outside the altar of the church, since in his humility he
did not want to be buried in the temple. But the pious Great Prince
Demetrius Ivanovich Donskoy (1363-1389), greatly esteeming the holy
hierarch, gave orders to place the body of Metropolitan Alexis inside
the church, near the altar.
On May 20, 1431 the stairway of the temple where the saint rested
crumbled from old age. During the construction of a new temple, the
incorrupt relics of St Alexis were uncovered. At a Council of Russian
hierarchs the commemoration of Metropolitan Alexis was established on
the day of his repose, February 12, and on the day of the uncovering
of his relics, May 20. He is also commemorated on October 5.
In 1485, the relics of the saint were transferred into a church
dedicated to him. At present, they rest at the Patriarchal Theophany
cathedral in Moscow. The Life of St Alexis is found under February 12.
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Blessed Dovmont (Timothy) the Prince of Pskov
The Holy Prince Dovmont (Domant) of Pskov, prince of Nalshinaisk
(Nalshensk), was a native of Lithuania, and at first he was a pagan.
In 1265, escaping from internecine strife among the Lithuanian
princes, he was forced to flee Lithuania and he arrived in Pskov with
300 families. The land of Pskov became his second country.
Here, in the expression of the Chronicler, "the grace of God was
breathed upon him," when he accepted Holy Baptism with the name
Timothy and received the great gifts of the Lord. Within a year's
time, the people of Pskov chose him as their prince for his bravery
and his true Christian virtues. For thirty-three years he ruled the
city and was the only prince in the history of Pskov who died after
living for so long in peace and in harmony with the Pskov veche
(city-council).
He was just and strict in pursuing justice for others, he gave alms
generously, took in the poor and strangers, he observed the church
feasts, he was a patron of the churches and monasteries and he founded
a monastery in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos.
After his marriage to the daughter of Great Prince Demetrius, the
grandson of St Alexander Nevsky (November 23 and August 30), he became
related to the Russian princely line. Prince Dovmont, like St
Alexander Nevsky, was a glorious defender of the Russian Land. The
prime importance of Prince Dovmont as a military leader and activist
for the realm is that for many years he defended the northwest
boundaries of the Russian realm from hostile incursions.
In 1268, Prince Dovmont was one of the heroes of the historic battle
before Rakovor, where Russian forces won the victory over the Danish
and German armies. Before each battle, St Dovmont went into church,
set down his sword at the steps of the holy altar and received a
blessing from the priest, who girded on his sword for him.
St Dovmont made the Pskov fortress impregnable. In memory of the
glorious defender of the city, a stone wall, built by the holy prince
beside the Krom at the end of the thirteenth century, was named the
Dovmontov, and the territory enclosed by the wall, to the present day
is called Dovmontov town.
The saintly defender's "House of the Holy Trinity" was another pious
matter. In gratitude to the Lord in Whose Name he had gained victory
unharmed, holy Prince Dovmont built a church beside the Pskov Kremlin
in honor of the feastday on which he won the victory. Other
inhabitants of Pskov also built churches there in fulfillment of vows.
The territory of present day Dovmontov town was completely covered
with churches (the first temple in honor of St Dovmont-Timothy was
built in Dovmontov town in 1574).
The brave warrior-prince won his final victory on March 5, 1299 on the
banks of the River Velika, where he defeated a large German army with
a small company. Meanwhile, the Livonian Knights unexpectedly invaded
the suburbs of Pskov, they seized the Snetnogor and Mirozh monasteries
and burned them, cruelly murdering the inhabitants. They killed the
founder of the Snetnogor monastery, St Joasaph, and seventeen monks,
and also St Basil, igumen of Murozh (March 4). Holy Prince Dovmont,
not waiting to raise a large army, went to engage the enemy with his
retainers and he expelled the sacrilegious defilers from the
boundaries of the Russian Land.
Several months later, holy Prince Dovmont-Timothy died and was buried
in the Trinity cathedral of Pskov. The Chronicler relates that "there
was then great sadness in Pleskov for the men and woman and small
children on account of their good lord, the noble Prince Timothy." The
people of Pskov remembered how the holy prince had cared for them
during peaceful times, and when the city was threatened by danger, how
he led them into battle saying, "Good men of Pskov! Whoever is old
among you is my father, whoever is young is my brother. Stand fast for
the Holy Trinity!"
Soon after the Prince's death he began to be venerated as a holy
intercessor before God, guarding the land from enemies and misfortune.
The holy prince defended Pskov more than once after his death. In the
year 1480, when more than a hundred thousand Germans besieged the
city, he appeared in a dream to a certain citizen and said, "Take my
grave cover, carry it three times around the city with a cross, and do
not be afraid."
The people of Pskov fulfilled his instructions and the Germans
departed from the city. A service to the holy prince was composed
after this miraculous deliverance from enemies. Along with the relics
of the saint, his battle sword was preserved (now the sword is in a
Pskov museum). Thereafter, the sword was handed to the Pskov princes
upon their elevation to the princely throne.
Holy Prince Dovmont-Timothy and his wife, the future Schemanun Martha
(November 8), were depicted upon the wonderworking Murozh Icon of the
Mother of God (September 24): "You have bestown a blessing on the
all-pure image of Your icon, O Mother of God, by portraying the
likeness of our steadfast intercessor Prince Dovmont and his pious
spouse" (Service to the holy Prince Dovmont-Timothy).
When the Mother of God appeared to the Elder Dorotheus during a siege
of Pskov by the Poles on August 27, 1581, holy Prince Dovmont-Timothy
was among the saints accompanying the heavenly Protectress of Pskov
(the related account about the Pskov Protection Icon of the Mother of
God is found under October 1).
The relics of holy Prince Dovmont-Timothy rest in the Pskov cathedral
of the Life-Creating Trinity.
The holy Princes Vsevolod and Dovmont aided Russian armies more than
once in defense of the country's western borders. Then came the hour
when they were sent by the Leader of the Heavenly Hosts to rise up in
defense of the eastern frontiers.
In the year 1640, the great national movement to the east, "the
meeting of the sun," resulted in the Russian explorers arriving at the
mouth of the Amur River and the Pacific Ocean. Rus bordered pagan
China on these frontiers. The bulwark of Orthodoxy became the Russian
fortress of Albazin, famous for the wonderworking Albazin Icon of the
Mother of God (March 9) and the heroic "defense of Albazin"
(1685-1686).
In the summer of 1679, during the Apostles' Fast, Gabriel Florov and a
company of cossacks set out from Albazin to explore the Zea River
valley. For three years the cossacks did patrol duty on the Zea,
making the rounds of the surrounding settlements. They brought the
Tungus settlers under Russian rule, and they established winter
quarters and a stockade.
Once, cossack riders encountered two men on white horses, clad in
armor and armed with bows and swords. These were Sts Vsevolod and
Dovmont. Speaking with the cossacks and learning that they were from
Albazin, the holy warrior-princes predicted the approach of Chinese
armies upon the Amur soon afterwards. They said the battle would be
difficult, but predicted the ultimate triumph of Russian arms. "The
Chinese will come again, and enter into a great battle, and we shall
aid the Russian people in these struggles. The Chinese will not
trouble the city."
Several times during 1684-1686 the Chinese horde advanced towards
Albazin, but did not take the city. By the miraculous help of the
Albazin Icon of the Mother of God and the holy Princes Vsevolod and
Dovmont of Pskov, the enemy was rendered powerless against the
Orthodox fortress.
"The Account of the Miracles of Holy Princes Vsevolod and Dovmont" was
written by Gabriel Florov at Yakutsk on October 23, 1689. The fealty
of these saints has not ceased. New generations arise to change the
face of the earth, but the Russian warriors Sts Vsevolod and Dovmont
stand steadfast in sacred patrol of their country.
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Martyr Asclas of Egypt
The Holy Martyr Asclas was a Christian, born in the city of Great
Hermopolis (Middle Egypt). The saint suffered under Diocletian
(284-305). Brought before the governor Arrian, St Asclas boldly
confessed his faith and refused to offer sacrifice to the pagan gods.
The saint predicted to Arrian that there would come a time when he
himself would be forced to call on Jesus Christ as the one true God.
By Arrian's order, they began to torture the saint cruelly, they
suspended him and raked him with iron instruments, so that pieces of
his flesh fell to the ground. St Asclas quietly endured the torments.
When one of those present said, "Look, he is already unconscious and
near to death," the holy martyr answered, "I have not lost
consciousness, and unceasingly do I glorify my God and Savior."
The governor Arrian gave orders to to resume the martyr's tortures in
the city of Antinoe, on the opposite bank of the Nile, where he
himself soon intended to go. But the martyr prayed to God, beseeching
Him to hold back Arrian's boat until he confessed the Lord Jesus
Christ before all the people.
The boat suddenly halted in the middle of the river, and not even oars
could move it from the spot. Arrian ascribed the miracle to sorcery.
In drawing up the sentence of the saint, the governor happened to say
something about the one true God, and then the boat sailed on to
shore. Going into the city, Arrian again gave orders to suspend St
Asclas and scorch him with fire.
Finally, the saint was sentenced to be drowned in the river. The
martyr said to the Christians accompanying him, "Strive, brethren, to
receive the rewards of the Lord God. My children, come to the north
part of the city in three days and find my body. Bury it with the
stone that will be tied to it."
The martyrdom of St Asclas occurred around the year 287, not far from
the city of Antinoe. On the third day, Christians found the body of
the martyr and buried it with the stone.
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Glorification of the Venerable Zebulon, the father of St Nino
Enlightener of Georgia
According to Holy Tradition, St. Nino and Great-martyr George were
blood relatives. At the same time as St. Georges martyrdom, a certain
nobleman, the servant of God Zabulon, arrived in Rome from Cappadocia.
Zabulon began to serve in the emperors army, and before long he was
widely recognized as a courageous cavalryman and a fine soldier.
During a battle with the Franks the Lord granted victory to Zabulonhe
captured the Frankish king and his suite and delivered them to the
Roman emperor. The emperor sentenced the captives to death, but before
they were executed they confessed their desire to be baptized into the
Christian Faith. Zabulon relayed this to the emperor, and Zabulon
himself became their godfather. Then he pleaded with the emperor to
have mercy on his godchildren, and the emperor set them free.
Nearly all the Franks were converted to Christianity as a result of
Zabulons struggles on behalf of the Faith. A 9th-century Georgian
hymnographer wrote, Her father Zabulon converted Gaul with his sword,
and blessed Nino converted Georgia with the Life-giving Cross.
Some time later, St. Zabulon journeyed to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage.
While he was there he distributed all his possessions to the poor and
began to serve Patriarch Juvenal of Jerusalem. There he met Sosana,
the sister of the patriarch. Shortly thereafter they were joined in
marriage by the patriarch.
The newly wedded couple moved to Cappadocia, where they had a baby
girl whom they named Nino. While raising Nino, St. Sosana served God
and the needy with great dedication.
When Nino reached the age of twelve, her parents sold all their
possessions and moved back to Jerusalem. With the blessing of
Patriarch Juvenal, Zabulon departed for the wilderness to begin a life
of asceticism. The place where he labored is known only to God. With
the patriarchs blessing, Sosana ministered to the poor and infirm. On
December 10, 1996, theGeorgian Orthodox Church declared Zabulon and
Sosana, the parents of St. Nino, confessors of the Christian Faith.
Living during a time when pagan religions were still widely practiced
and Christians were often persecuted, they converted many people and
then abandoned worldly things to follow God alone.
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Glorification of the Venerable Susanna, the mother of St Nino
Enlightener of Georgia
According to Holy Tradition, St. Nino and Great-martyr George were
blood relatives. At the same time as St. Georges martyrdom, a certain
nobleman, the servant of God Zabulon, arrived in Rome from Cappadocia.
Zabulon began to serve in the emperors army, and before long he was
widely recognized as a courageous cavalryman and a fine soldier.
During a battle with the Franks the Lord granted victory to Zabulonhe
captured the Frankish king and his suite and delivered them to the
Roman emperor. The emperor sentenced the captives to death, but before
they were executed they confessed their desire to be baptized into the
Christian Faith. Zabulon relayed this to the emperor, and Zabulon
himself became their godfather. Then he pleaded with the emperor to
have mercy on his godchildren, and the emperor set them free.
Nearly all the Franks were converted to Christianity as a result of
Zabulons struggles on behalf of the Faith. A 9th-century Georgian
hymnographer wrote, Her father Zabulon converted Gaul with his sword,
and blessed Nino converted Georgia with the Life-giving Cross.
Some time later, St. Zabulon journeyed to Jerusalem on a pilgrimage.
While he was there he distributed all his possessions to the poor and
began to serve Patriarch Juvenal of Jerusalem. There he met Sosana,
the sister of the patriarch. Shortly thereafter they were joined in
marriage by the patriarch.
The newly wedded couple moved to Cappadocia, where they had a baby
girl whom they named Nino. While raising Nino, St. Sosana served God
and the needy with great dedication.
When Nino reached the age of twelve, her parents sold all their
possessions and moved back to Jerusalem. With the blessing of
Patriarch Juvenal, Zabulon departed for the wilderness to begin a life
of asceticism. The place where he labored is known only to God. With
the patriarchs blessing, Sosana ministered to the poor and infirm. On
December 10, 1996, theGeorgian Orthodox Church declared Zabulon and
Sosana, the parents of St. Nino, confessors of the Christian Faith.
Living during a time when pagan religions were still widely practiced
and Christians were often persecuted, they converted many people and
then abandoned worldly things to follow God alone.
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Venerable Stephen of Piperi, Serbia
No information available at this time.
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Martyr Asterius, companion of Thallaelaios and Alexander
No information available at this time.
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Martyr Alexander, companion of Thallaelaios and Asterius
No information available at this time.
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Martyr Thallelaios at Aegae in Cilicia with his companions
No information available at this time.
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St Lydia of Philippisia
No information available at this time.
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