[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Sat Nov 10 05:00:13 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sat Nov 10 2007

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2 Corinthians 11:1-6
1 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly-and indeed you do
bear with me.
2 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed
you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to
Christ.
3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his
craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is
in Christ.
4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not
preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not
received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted-you may
well put up with it!
5 For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent
apostles.
6 Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But
we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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Luke 9:37-43
37 Now it happened on the next day, when they had come down from the
mountain, that a great multitude met Him.
38 Suddenly a man from the multitude cried out, saying, "Teacher, I
implore You, look on my son, for he is my only child.
39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out; it
convulses him so that he foams at the mouth; and it departs from him
with great difficulty, bruising him.
40 So I implored Your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.
41 Then Jesus answered and said, "O faithless and perverse generation,
how long shall I be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here."
42 And as he was still coming, the demon threw him down and convulsed
him. Then Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the child, and gave
him back to his father.
43 And they were all amazed at the majesty of God. But while everyone
marveled at all the things which Jesus did, He said to His disciples,
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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Apostle Erastus of the Seventy
The holy Apostles Erastus, Sosipater (April 28), Quartus and Tertius
(October 30) were disciples of St Paul. The Apostle to the Gentiles
speaks of them in the Epistle to the Romans, "And Erastus, the city
treasurer, greets you, and Quartus, a brother" (Rom 16: 23).
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Apostle Olympas of the Seventy
The Holy Apostles of the Seventy: Olympas, Erastus, Rodion, Sosipater,
Quartus and Tertius lived during the first century.
St Olympas was mentioned by the holy Apostle Paul (Rom 16:15). He was
also a companion of the Apostle Peter. He was beheaded on the very day
and hour when St Peter was crucified.
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Apostle Rodion of the Seventy
Saint Rodion, or Herodion (April 8), was a kinsman of the Apostle Paul
(Romans 16:11), and left the bishop's throne at Patras to go to Rome
with the Apostle Peter. St Olympas was also a companion of the Apostle
Peter. Sts Rodion and Olympas were beheaded on the very day and hour
when St Peter was crucified.
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Apostle Sosipater of the Seventy
The holy Apostles Sosipater (April 28), Erastus, Quartus and Tertius
(October 30) were disciples of St Paul.
St Sosipater, a native of Achaia, was Bishop of Iconium, where also he
died. St Paul mentions him in Romans 16:21.
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Apostle Quartus of the Seventy
The holy Apostles Quartus, Erastus, Sosipater (April 28), and Tertius
(October 30) were disciples of St Paul. The Apostle to the Gentiles
speaks of St Quaratus in the Epistle to the Romans "And Erastus, the
city treasurer, greets you, and Quartus, a brother" (Rom 16: 23).
St Quartus endured much suffering for his piety and converted many
pagans to Christ, dying peacefully as a bishop in the city of Beirut.
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Apostle Tertius of the Seventy
The holy Apostles Tertius (October 30) Erastus, Sosipater (April 28),
and Quartus were disciples of St Paul. St Tertius is mentioned in the
Epistle to the Romans, " I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, salute
you in the Lord" (Rom 16:22).
St Tertius, to whom St Paul dictated the Epistle to the Romans, was
the second Bishop of Iconium, where also he died.
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Martyr Orestes of Cappadocia
The Martyr Orestes the Physician of Cappadocia lived at the end of the
third century in the city of Tyana in Cappadocia in the time of the
emperor Diocletian (284-311). He was an illustrious and capable
soldier, and from childhood St Orestes was truly a good Christian.
By order of the emperor, the military officer Maximinus was sent to
Tyana to deal with Christianity, which then had spread widely
throughout Cappadocia. Orestes was among the first brought to trial to
Maximinus. He bravely and openly confessed his faith in the Crucified
and Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. The prosecutor offered the saint riches,
honors and renown to renounce God, but St Orestes was unyielding.
At the order of Maximinus, they took Orestes to a resplendant pagan
temple and again demanded that he worship idols. When he refused,
forty soldiers, took turns one after the other, beating the holy
martyr with lashes, with rods, with rawhide, and then they tormented
him with fire. St Orestes cried out to the Lord, "Establish with me a
sign for good, let those who hate me see it and be put to shame (Ps.
85/86:17). "And the Lord heard His true servant. The earth began to
tremble, and the idols fell down and were smashed. Everyone rushed out
of the temple, and when St Orestes came out, the very temple tumbled
down.
Infuriated, Maximinus ordered the holy martyr to be locked up in
prison for seven days giving him neither food nor drink, and on the
eighth day to continue with the torture. They hammered twenty nails
into the martyr's legs, and then tied him to a wild horse. Dragged
over the stones, the holy martyr departed to the Lord in the year 304.
His relics were thrown into the sea.
In 1685, when St Demetrius, later the Bishop of Rostov, (October 28)
was preparing the Life of St Orestes to be printed by the Kiev Caves
Lavra, he became tired and fell asleep. The holy martyr Orestes
appeared to him in a dream. He showed him the deep wound in his left
side, his wounded and severed arms, and his legs which had been cut
off. The holy martyr looked at St Demetrius and said, "You see, I
suffered more torments for Christ than you have described." The humble
monk wondered whether this was St Orestes, one of the Five Martyrs of
Sebaste (December 13). The martyr said, "I am not that Orestes, but he
whose Life you have just finished writing."
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Hieromartyr Milus the Bishop in Persia
The Hieromartyr Milus, Bishop of Babylon, and his disciples Euores the
Presbyter and Seboes the Deacon, lived during the fourth century. The
holy Martyr Milus was banished from the city of Suza, where his
bishop's throne was situated. By his pious and ascetic life he was
granted gifts of prophecy and healing.
St Milus suffered in the year 341 with two of his disciples, Abrosim
and Sinos in their native city of Suza (trans. note: The discrepancy
of these names in the header and in the text is found in the Russian
original, and may reflect alternate transcriptions of Persian names in
Greek and Russian), They returned to Suza after long wanderings and
brought many to Christ.
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Martyr Euores the Presbyter and disciple of the Hieromartyr
Milus the Bishop in Persia
Saints Euores the Presbyter and Seboes the Deacon were disciples of St
Milus, Bishop of Babylon.
St Milus suffered in the year 341 with two of his disciples, Abrosim
and Sinos in their native city of Suza (trans. note: The discrepancy
of these names in the header and in the text is found in the Russian
original, and may reflect alternate transcriptions of Persian names in
Greek and Russian), They returned to Suza after long wanderings and
brought many to Christ.
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Venerable Theocteristus the Abbot of Symbola on Mt Olympus
No information available at this time.
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Martyr Constantine the King of Georgia
The 9th century was one of the most difficult periods in Georgian
history. The Arab Muslims wreaked havoc throughout the region of
Kartli, forcibly converting many to Islam with fire and the sword.
Many of the destitute and frightened were tempted to betray the Faith
of their fathers.
At that time the valorous aristocrat and faithful Christian, Prince
Constantine, was living in Kartli. He was the descendant of Kakhetian
princes, hence his title Kakhi.
As is meet for a Christian believer, St. Constantine considered
himself the greatest of sinners and often said, There can be no
forgiveness of my sins, except through the spilling of my blood for
the sake of Him Who shed His innocent blood for us!
While on a pilgrimage to the holy places of Jerusalem, Constantine
distributed generous gifts to the churches, visited the wilderness of
the Jordan, received blessings from the holy fathers, and returned to
his motherland filled with inner joy. After that time Constantine
would send thirty thousand pieces of silver to Jerusalem each year.
In the years 853 to 854, when the Arab Muslims invaded Georgia under
the command of Buga-Turk, the eighty-five-year-old Prince Constantine
commanded the army of Kartli with his son Tarkhuj.
Outside the city of Gori an uneven battle took place between the Arabs
and the Georgians. Despite their fierce resistance, the Georgians
suffered defeat, and Constantine and Tarkhuj were taken captive.
The captive Constantine-Kakhi was sent to Samarra (a city in central
Iraq) to the caliph Jafar al Mutawakkil (847861). Jafar was well aware
of the enormous respect Constantine-Kakhi received from the Georgians
and all the Christian people who knew him. Having received him with
honor, he proposed that Constantine renounce the Christian Faith and
threatened him with death in the case of his refusal. Strengthened by
divine grace, the courageous prince fearlessly answered, Your sword
does not frighten me. I am afraid of Him Who can destroy my soul and
body and Who has the power to resurrect and to kill, for He is the
true God, the almighty Sovereign, Ruler of the world, and Father unto
all ages!
The enraged caliph ordered the beheading of St. Constantine-Kakhi.
Bowing on his knees, the holy martyr lifted up a final prayer to the
Lord. St. Constantine-Kakhi was martyred on November 10, 852, the day
on which Great-martyr George is commemorated. The holy martyrs body
was hung from a high pillar to intimidate the Christian believers, but
after some time it was buried.
A few years later a group of faithful Georgians translated St.
Constantines holy relics to his motherland and reburied them there
with great honor. In that same century the Georgian Orthodox Church
numbered Prince Constantine-Kakhi of Kartli among the saints.
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Martyrdom of the Greatmartyr George of Georgia
Celebrated by the whole Christian world, Great-martyr George was slain
by Emperor Diocletian in the year 303.
The holy martyr is appropriately considered the intercessor for all
Christians and the patron saint of many. He is regarded with special
reverence among the Georgian people, since he is believed to be the
special protector of their nation. Historical accounts often describe
how St. George appeared among the Georgian soldiers in the midst of
battles.
The majority of Georgian churches (in villages especially) were built
in his honor and, as a result, every day there is a feast of the
great-martyr George somewhere in Georgia. The various daily
commemorations are connected to one of the churches erected in his
name or an icon or a particular miracle he performed.
November 10 marks the day on which St. George was tortured on the
wheel. According to tradition, this day of commemoration was
established by the holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Nino, the Enlightener of
Georgia. St. Nino was a relative of St. George the Trophy-bearer.
She revered him deeply and directed the people she had converted to
Christianity to cherish him as their special protector.
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Martyr Seboes the Deacon, and disciple of the Hieromartyr
Milus the Bishop in Persia
The holy martyrs Seboes the Deacon and Euores the Presbyter were
disciples of St Milus, Bishop of Babylon. They all suffered for Christ
in the year 341.
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Founding of the Church of St George
The Founding of the Church of the Great Martyr George in Georgia:
Georgia was enlightened with the Christian faith by the holy Equal of
the Apostles Nino (January 14), a kinswoman of the holy Great Martyr
George the Victory-Bearer (April 23). Therefore, Georgia has special
veneration for St George as its patron saint.
The name Georgia is derived from George (this name is preserved now in
many languages of the world). St Nino established a feastday in his
honor. It is celebrated in Georgia on November 10, in remembrance of
the sufferings of St George. In 1891, near the village of Kakha in the
Zakatalsk region of the Caucasus, a new church in place of the old was
built in honor of the holy Great Martyr George the Victory-Bearer, and
many of the heterodox Bogomils came in droves to it.
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