[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Sun Nov 4 05:00:16 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sun Nov 4 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Matthew 28:16-20  (1st Matins Gospel)
16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain
which Jesus had appointed for them.
17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been
given to Me in heaven and on earth.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and
lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.
Scripture Reading 1 of 3

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Ephesians 2:4-10
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which
He loved us,
5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with
Christ (by grace you have been saved),
6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly
places in Christ Jesus,
7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His
grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of
yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Scripture Reading 2 of 3

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Luke 8:41-56
41 And behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of
the synagogue. And he fell down at Jesus' feet and begged Him to come
to his house,
42 for he had an only daughter about twelve years of age, and she was
dying. But as He went, the multitudes thronged Him.
43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent
all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any,
44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And
immediately her flow of blood stopped.
45 And Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" When all denied it, Peter and
those with him said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and
You say, 'Who touched Me?' "
46 But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going
out from Me."
47 Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling;
and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of
all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed
immediately.
48 And He said to her, "Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has
made you well. Go in peace."
49 While He was still speaking, someone came from the ruler of the
synagogue's house, saying to him, "Your daughter is dead. Do not
trouble the Teacher."
50 But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, "Do not be
afraid; only believe, and she will be made well."
51 When He came into the house, He permitted no one to go in except
Peter, James, and John, and the father and mother of the girl.
52 Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, "Do not weep; she is
not dead, but sleeping."
53 And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead.
54 But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called,
saying, "Little girl, arise."
55 Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He
commanded that she be given something to eat.
56 And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one
what had happened.
Scripture Reading 3 of 3

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Venerable Joannicius the Great
Saint Joannicius the Great was born in Bithynia in the year 752 in the
village of Marikat. His parents were destitute and could not provide
him even the basics of an education. From childhood he had to tend the
family cattle, their sole wealth. Love for God and prayer completely
dominated the soul of the child Joannicius. Often, having shielded the
herd with the Sign of the Cross, he went to a secluded place and spent
the whole day praying, and neither thieves nor wild beasts came near
his herd.
By order of the emperor Leo IV (775-780), a multitude of officials
went through the cities and towns to draft young men for military
service. Young Joannicius was also drafted into the imperial army. He
earned the respect of his fellow soldiers for his good disposition,
but he was also a brave soldier who struck fear in the hearts of his
enemies. St Joannicius served in the imperial army for six years. More
than once he was rewarded by his commanders and the emperor. But
military service weighed heavily on him, his soul thirsted for
spiritual deeds and solitude.
St Joannicius, having renounced the world, longed to go at once into
the wilderness. However, on the advice of an Elder experienced in
monastic life, he spent a further two years at the monastery. Here the
saint became accustomed to monastic obedience, to monastic rules and
practices. He studied reading and writing, and he learned thirty
Psalms of David by heart.
After this, commanded by God to go to a certain mountain, the monk
withdrew into the wilderness. For three years he remained in deep
solitude in the wilderness, and only once a month a shepherd brought
him some bread and water. The ascetic spent day and night in prayer
and psalmody. After each verse of singing the Psalms St Joannicius
made a prayer, which the Orthodox Church keeps to this day in a
somewhat altered form, "The Father is my hope, the Son is my refuge,
the Holy Spirit is my protection."
By chance, he encountered some of his former companions from military
service. The saint fled the wilderness and withdrew to Mount
Kountourea to hide himself from everyone. Only after twelve years of
ascetic life did the hermit accept monastic tonsure. The saint spent
three years in seclusion after being tonsured. wrapped in chains, Then
he went to a place called Chelidon to see the great ascetic St George
(February 21). The ascetics spent three years together. During this
time St Joannicius learned the entire Psalter by heart. As he grew
older, St Joannicius settled in the Antidiev monastery and dwelt there
in seclusion until his death.
St Joannicius spent seventy years in ascetic deeds and attained to a
high degree of spiritual perfection. Through the mercy of God the
saint acquired the gift of prophecy, as his disciple Pachomius has
related. The Elder also levitated above the ground when he prayed.
Once, he crossed a river flooded to overflowing. The saint could make
himself invisible for people and make others also hidden from sight.
Once, St Joannicius led Greek captives out of prison under the very
eyes of the guards. Poison and fire, with which the envious wanted to
destroy the saint, did him no harm, and predatory beasts did not touch
him. He freed the island of Thasos from a multitude of snakes. St
Joannicius also saved a young nun who was preparing to leave the
monastery to marry; he took upon himself the agonized maiden's
suffering of passion, and by fasting and prayer, he overcame the
seductive assault of the devil.
Foreseeing his death, St Joannicius fell asleep in the Lord on
November 4, 846, at the age of 94.
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Hieromartyr Nicander the Bishop of Myra
The Hieromartyrs Nicander, Bishop of Myra, and Hermas the Presbyter,
were disciples of the holy Apostle Paul's follower and fellow ascetic,
the holy Apostle Titus of the Seventy (August 25), and they were
ordained by him to the priesthood.
Living the ascetic life amid incessant pastoral works, the saints
converted many pagans to Christ. For this they were arrested and
brought before the city prefect, Libanius. Neither flattery nor
threats swayed the holy martyrs to renounce Christ. Then Libanius gave
orders that they be tortured.
The saints endured fierce and inhuman torments: they were tied to
horses and dragged over stones, their bodies were raked with iron
hooks, and they were cast into a hot oven. The Lord helped them endure
things that a mere man by his own strength could not endure. Towards
the end, iron nails were hammered into their heads and hearts. They
were thrown into a pit, then covered over with earth.
After enduring such a cruel death, now they live forever in the joy of
the Lord (Mt. 25:21).
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Hieromartyr Hermas the Presbyter
The Hieromartyrs Hermas the Presbyter and Nicander, Bishop of Myra,
were disciples of the holy Apostle Paul's follower and fellow ascetic,
the holy Apostle Titus of the Seventy (August 25), and they were
ordained by him to the priesthood.
Living the ascetic life amid incessant pastoral works, the saints
converted many pagans to Christ. For this they were arrested and
brought before the city prefect, Libanius. Neither flattery nor
threats swayed the holy martyrs to renounce Christ. Then Libanius gave
orders that they be tortured.
The saints endured fierce and inhuman torments: they were tied to
horses and dragged over stones, their bodies were raked with iron
hooks, and they were cast into a hot oven. The Lord helped them endure
things that a mere man by his own strength could not endure. Towards
the end, iron nails were hammered into their heads and hearts. They
were thrown into a pit, then covered over with earth.
After enduring such a cruel death, now they live forever in the joy of
the Lord (Mt. 25:21).
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Venerable Mercurius the Faster of the Kiev Caves
No information available at this time.
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Venerable Nicander the Abbot of Gorodensk, Novgorod
No information available at this time.
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St John of Georgia
Among the multitude of saints we remember those Christians who
dedicated their earthly lives to glorifying God and serving others. In
a single lifetime they performed all the spiritual feats of the
venerable and devout fathers, confessors, and martyrs.
Among the saints canonized by the Georgian Church, only four have been
called Righteous. They are St. Ilia Chavchavadze, well known as the
father and uncrowned king of the Georgian nation, and Sts. John,
Steven, and Isaiah the Georgians.
It is believed that Holy John, Steven, and Isaiah lived in Jerusalem
and guarded the Tomb of our Lord. It is probable that the Georgian
Orthodox Church proclaimed them deserving of exceptional honor in
recognition of their dedicated service at the Tomb of the Savior.
For several centuries the Georgian Church has glorified the Righteous
John, Steven, and Isaiah and asked for their intercessions before the
Lord.
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St Stephen of Georgia
Among the multitude of saints we remember those Christians who
dedicated their earthly lives to glorifying God and serving others. In
a single lifetime they performed all the spiritual feats of the
venerable and devout fathers, confessors, and martyrs.
Among the saints canonized by the Georgian Church, only four have been
called Righteous. They are St. Ilia Chavchavadze, well known as the
father and uncrowned king of the Georgian nation, and Sts. John,
Steven, and Isaiah the Georgians.
It is believed that Holy John, Steven, and Isaiah lived in Jerusalem
and guarded the Tomb of our Lord. It is probable that the Georgian
Orthodox Church proclaimed them deserving of exceptional honor in
recognition of their dedicated service at the Tomb of the Savior.
For several centuries the Georgian Church has glorified the Righteous
John, Steven, and Isaiah and asked for their intercessions before the
Lord.
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St Isaiah of Georgia
Among the multitude of saints we remember those Christians who
dedicated their earthly lives to glorifying God and serving others. In
a single lifetime they performed all the spiritual feats of the
venerable and devout fathers, confessors, and martyrs.
Among the saints canonized by the Georgian Church, only four have been
called Righteous. They are St. Ilia Chavchavadze, well known as the
father and uncrowned king of the Georgian nation, and Sts. John,
Steven, and Isaiah the Georgians.
It is believed that Holy John, Steven, and Isaiah lived in Jerusalem
and guarded the Tomb of our Lord. It is probable that the Georgian
Orthodox Church proclaimed them deserving of exceptional honor in
recognition of their dedicated service at the Tomb of the Savior.
For several centuries the Georgian Church has glorified the Righteous
John, Steven, and Isaiah and asked for their intercessions before the
Lord.
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Blessed Simon of Yurievets
Blessed Simon of Yurievets was born in the city of Yurievets in the
Povolzhsk or Volga region. Forsaken by his parents, the saint took
upon himself the exploit of foolishness for Christ. Both winter and
summer he went barefoot, dressed only in a shirt, so that his skin
became blackened and withered from fasting.
Thoughtless people often were cruel to him, sometimes beating him. The
holy fool never complained, but prayed for those who mistreated him.
Blessed Simon was fond of praying on the porches of various churches.
The ascetic exploit of self-denial cleansed his soul, and he received
from God the gift of clairvoyance: he foresaw many things and
predicted the future. Contemporaries, mentioning his name, beheld
various miraculous signs.
Just before his death, the saint went to the house of the military
commander Theodore Petelin. He, not knowing the saint, in a fit of
anger gave orders to beat him. St Simon fell grievously ill. He
summoned a priest, made his confession, received the Holy Mysteries of
Christ and commended his soul to God. The commander later repented of
his sin.
The city gathered for the saint's funeral, and the body of Blessed
Simon was buried in Theophany monastery. This occurred on November 4,
1584. In the year 1635, Patriarch Joasaph ordered the Theophany
monastery's Igumen Dionysius to compile an account of the life and
miracles of Blessed Simon and gave a blessing to paint his icon. The
Feast of Blessed Simon was established in the year 1635.
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Venerable Gabriel of Atonelni
No information available at this time.
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