[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Sun Nov 11 05:00:16 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Sun Nov 11 2007

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------ READINGS FOR TODAY ----------------------------
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Mark 16:1-8  (2nd Matins Gospel)
1 Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of
James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
2 Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came
to the tomb when the sun had risen.
3 And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from
the door of the tomb for us?"
4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled
away-for it was very large.
5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white
robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6 But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth,
who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where
they laid Him.
7 But go, tell His disciples-and Peter-that He is going before you
into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.
8 So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled
and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were
afraid.
Scripture Reading 1 of 3

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Ephesians 2:14-22
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken
down the middle wall of separation,
15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of
commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one
new man from the two, thus making peace,
16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through
the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.
17 And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to
those who were near.
18 For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father.
19 Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but
fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a
holy temple in the Lord,
22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of
God in the Spirit.
Scripture Reading 2 of 3

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Luke 10:25-37
25 And behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tested Him, saying,
"Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"
26 He said to him, "What is written in the law? What is your reading
of it?"
27 So he answered and said, "'You shall love the LORD your God with
all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with
all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.' "
28 And He said to him, "You have answered rightly; do this and you
will live."
29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my
neighbor?"
30 Then Jesus answered and said: "A certain man went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his
clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31 Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw
him, he passed by on the other side.
32 Likewise a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked,
and passed by on the other side.
33 But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And
when he saw him, he had compassion.
34 So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine;
and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care
of him.
35 On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave
them to the innkeeper, and said to him, 'Take care of him; and
whatever more you spend, when I come again, I will repay you.'
36 So which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell
among the thieves?
37 And he said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him,
"Go and do likewise."
Scripture Reading 3 of 3

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Martyr Menas of Egypt
The Holy Great Martyr Menas of Egypt, an Egyptian by birth, was a
military officer and served in the Kotyaeion region of Phrygia under
the centurion Firmilian during the reign of the emperors Diocletian
(284-305) and Maximian (305-311). When the emperors began the fiercest
persecution against Christians in history, the saint refused to serve
these persecutors. He removed his soldier's belt (a sign of military
rank) and withdrew to a mountain, where he lived an ascetic life of
fasting and prayer.
Once he happened to arrive in the city during a pagan festival. At the
climax of the games the saint's accusing voice rang out, preaching
faith in Christ, the Savior of the world. At his trial before the
prefect Pyrrhus, the saint bravely confessed his faith, saying that he
had come to denounce the impious. The prefect was angered, and had
Menas arrested.
Pyrrhus offered to restore the saint's former rank if he would offer
sacrifice to the pagan gods. When he refused, he was put to cruel
tortures, then he was beheaded. This occurred in the year 304.
Christians gathered up the martyr's relics by night and hid them until
the end of the persecution. Later, they were brought to Egypt and
placed in a church dedicated to St Menas southwest of Alexandria.
The saint received grace from God to work miracles, and to help those
in need. St Menas is noted for healing various illnesses, delivering
people from possession by demons, and as a protector, especially
during times of war. We also ask his help in finding lost objects.
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Martyr Victor at Damascus
The Holy Martyr Victor at Damascus was a soldier during the reign of
the emperor Marcus Aurelius the Philosopher (161-180). When the
emperor began a persecution against Christians, Victor refused to
offer sacrifice to the pagan gods. Such obligatory sacrifices were a
test of a soldier's loyalty to the gods, the emperor and the state.
The saint was given over to torture, but he came through all the
torments unharmed. By the power of prayer he was victorious over a
sorcerer, who from that point gave up give sorcery and became a
Christian.
Through St Victor's prayers, blind soldiers suddenly received their
sight. Witnessing the miracle worked by the Lord through St Victor,
Stephanida, the young Christian wife of one of the torturers, openly
glorified Christ, for which she was condemned to a cruel death. She
was tied to two palm trees bent to the ground, which when released,
sprung back and tore her apart. She was fifteen years old.
The torturer ordered that the holy Martyr Victor be beheaded. Hearing
the commander's order, St Vincent told his executioners that they
would all die in twelve days, and that the commander would be captured
by the enemy in twenty-four days. As he foretold, so it came to pass.
The martyrs suffered in the second century at Damascus, where their
venerable relics were buried.
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Martyr Vincent of Spain
The Holy Martyr Vincent of Spain from his childhood was the disciple
of a wise pastor Valerian, the bishop of the city of Augustopolis (now
Saragossa, Spain). When he reached mature age, the virtuous, educated
and eloquent Vincent was ordained deacon by Bishop Valerian. Since the
bishop himself was not adept in speech, he gave a blessing to his
deacon, an eloquent orator, to preach in church and among the people.
Diocletian (284-305) sent the governor Dacian to the city of Valencia,
Spain with full authority to find and execute Christians. People
denounced the wise bishop and his deacon to the governor, who arrested
them. The soldiers, mounted on horses, dragged the Elder and his
disciple behind them in chains from Augustopolis to Valencia, and
there they cast them into prison beaten and tortured, giving them
neither food nor water.
They subjected the bishop to the first interrogation. The Elder spoke
quietly, but seemed tongue-tied and uncertain. Then St Vincent came
forward and made the most eloquent speech of his life before the
judges and assembled people. After he sent the bishop back to prison,
the persecutor gave orders to torture the holy deacon.
The martyr underwent many torments: while nailed to a cross, he was
whipped and burned with red-hot rods. When he was removed from the
cross, he then himself joyfully climbed back upon it, saying that the
executioners were lazy and had not fulfilled their master's orders.
They became angry and tortured him again, until they were all
exhausted.
After the tortures they threw the martyr back into prison. That night
the astonished guard heard him singing Psalms, and saw an unearthly
radiant light in the prison. The next morning the holy martyr was
condemned to be burned on a gridiron. Christians took the saint's body
and buried it with reverence. This occurred in the year 304.
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Martyr Stephanida of Spain
Saint Stephanida witnessed the martyrdom of the Holy Martyr Victor at
Damascus, a soldier during the reign of the emperor Marcus Aurelius
the Philosopher (161-180). He was tortured, but he came through all
the torments unharmed. By the power of prayer he was victorious over a
sorcerer, who from that point gave up give sorcery and became a
Christian.
Through St Victor's prayers, blind soldiers suddenly received their
sight. Witnessing the miracle worked by the Lord through St Victor,
Stephanida, the young Christian wife of one of the torturers, openly
glorified Christ, for which she was condemned to a cruel death. She
was tied to two palm trees bent to the ground, which when released,
sprung back and tore her apart. She was fifteen years old.
The martyrs suffered in the second century at Damascus, where their
venerable relics were buried.
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Venerable Theodore the Confessor the Abbot of the Studion
Saint Theodore the Confessor, Abbot of the Studion was born in the
year 758 at Constantinople into a family of the imperial tax-collector
Photinus and his spouse Theoctiste, both pious Christians. St Theodore
received a good education from the best rhetoricians, philosophers and
theologians in the capital city.
During this time the Iconoclast heresy had become widespread in the
Byzantine Empire, and it was supported also by the impious emperor
Constantine Kopronymos (741-775). The views of the emperor and his
court conflicted with the religious beliefs of Photinus, who was a
fervent adherent of Orthodoxy, and so he left government service.
Later, St Theodore's parents, by mutual consent, gave away their
substance to the poor, took their leave of each other and accepted
monastic tonsure. Their son Theodore soon became widely known in the
capital for his participation of the numerous disputes concerning
icon-veneration.
St Theodore was accomplished in oratory, and had a command of the
terminology and logic of the philosophers, so he frequently debated
with the heretics. His knowledge of Holy Scripture and Christian dogma
was so profound that no one could get the better of him.
The Seventh Ecumenical Council put an end to dissension and brought
peace to the Church under the empress Irene. The Ecumenical Council,
as the highest authority in the life of the Church, forever condemned
and rejected Iconoclasm.
Among the Fathers of the Council was St Platon (April 5), an uncle of
St Theodore, and who for a long time had lived the ascetic life on
Mount Olympos. An Elder filled with the grace of the Holy Spirit, St
Platon, at the conclusion of the Council, summoned his nephew Theodore
and his brothers Joseph and Euthymius to the monastic life in the
wilderness.
After leaving Constantinople, they went to Sakkoudion, not far from
Olympos. The solitude and the beauty of the place, and its difficulty
of access, met with the approval of the Elder and his nephews, and
they decided to remain here. The brothers built a church dedicated to
St John the Theologian, and gradually the number of monks began to
increase. A monastery was formed, and St Platon was the igumen.
St Theodore's life was truly ascetic. He toiled at heavy and dirty
work. He strictly kept the fasts, and each day he confessed to his
spiritual Father, the Elder Platon, revealing to him all his deeds and
thoughts, carefully fulfilling all his counsels and instructions.
Theodore made time for daily spiritual reflection, baring his soul to
God. Untroubled by any earthly concern, he offered Him mystic worship.
St Theodore unfailingly read the Holy Scripture and works of the holy
Fathers, especially the works of St Basil the Great, which were like
food for his soul.
After several years of monastic life, St Theodore was ordained a
priest according to the will of his spiritual Father. When St Platon
went to his rest, the brethren unanimously chose St Theodore as Igumen
of the monastery. Unable to oppose the wish of his confessor, St
Theodore accepted the choice of the brethren, but imposed upon himself
still greater deeds of asceticism. He taught the others by the example
of his own virtuous life and also by fervent fatherly instruction.
When the emperor transgressed against the Church's canons, the events
of outside life disturbed the tranquility in the monastic cells. St
Theodore bravely distributed a letter to the other monasteries, in
which he declared the emperor Constantine VI (780-797) excommunicated
from the Church by his own actions for abusing the divine regulations
concerning Christian marriage.
St Theodore and ten of his co-ascetics were sent into exile to the
city of Thessalonica. But there also the accusing voice of the monk
continued to speak out. Upon her return to the throne in 796, St Irene
freed St Theodore and made him igumen of the Studion monastery
(dedicated to St John the Baptist) in Constantinople, in which there
were only twelve monks. The saint soon restored and enlarged the
monastery, attracting about 1,000 monks who wished to have him as
their spiritual guide.
St Theodore composed a Rule of monastic life, called the "Studite
Rule" to govern the monastery. St Theodore also wrote many letters
against the Iconoclasts. For his dogmatic works, and also for his
Canons and Three-Ode Canons, St Theoctistus called St Theodore "a
fiery teacher of the Church."
When Nicephorus seized the imperial throne, deposing the pious Empress
Irene, he also violated Church regulations by restoring to the Church
a previously excommunicated priest on his own authority. St Theodore
again denounced the emperor. After torture, the monk was sent into
exile once again, where he spent more than two years.
St Theodore was freed by the gentle and pious emperor Michael, who
succeeded to the throne upon the death of Nicephoros and his son
Staurikios in a war against barbarians. Their death had been predicted
by St Theodore for a long while. In order to avert civil war, the
emperor Michael abdicated the throne in favor of his military
commander Leo the Armenian.
The new emperor proved to be an iconoclast. The hierarchs and teachers
of the Church attempted to reason with the impious emperor, but in
vain. Leo prohibited the veneration of holy icons and desecrated them.
Grieved by such iniquity, St Theodore and the brethren made a
religious procession around the monastery with icons raised high,
singing of the troparion to the icon of the Savior Not-Made-by-Hands
(August 16). The emperor angrily threatened the saint with death, but
he continued to encourage believers in Orthodoxy. Then the emperor
sentenced St Theodore and his disciple Nicholas to exile, at first in
Illyria at the fortress of Metopa, and later in Anatolia at Bonias.
But even from prison the confessor continued his struggle against
heresy.
Tormented by the executioners which the emperor sent to Bonias,
deprived almost of food and drink, covered over with sores and barely
alive, Theodore and Nicholas endured everything with prayer and
thanksgiving to God. At Smyrna, where they sent the martyrs from
Bonias, St Theodore healed a military commander from a terrible
illness. The man was a nephew of the emperor and of one mind with him.
St Theodore told him to repent of his wicked deeds of Iconoclasm, and
to embrace Orthodoxy. But the fellow later relapsed into heresy, and
then died a horrible death.
Leo the Armenian was murdered by his own soldiers, and was replaced by
the equally impious though tolerant emperor Michael II Traulos (the
Stammerer). The new emperor freed all the Orthodox Fathers and
confessors from prison, but he prohibited icon-veneration in the
capital.
St Theodore did not want to return to Constantinople and so decided to
settle in Bithynia on the promontory of Akrita, near the church of the
holy Martyr Tryphon. In spite of serious illness, St Theodore
celebrated Divine Liturgy daily and instructed the brethren.
Foreseeing his end, the saint summoned the brethren and bade them to
preserve Orthodoxy, to venerate the holy icons and observe the
monastic rule. Then he ordered the brethren to take candles and sing
the Canon for the Departure of the Soul From the Body. Just before
singing the words "I will never forget Thy statutes, for by them have
I lived," St Theodore fell asleep in the Lord, in the year 826. At the
same hour St Hilarion of Dalmatia (June 6) saw a vision of a heavenly
light during the singing and the voice was heard, "This is the soul of
St Theodore, who suffered even unto blood for the holy icons, which
now departs unto the Lord."
St Theodore worked many miracles during his life and after his death.
Those invoking his name have been delivered from fires, and from the
attacks of wild beasts, they have received healing, thanks to God and
to St Theodore the Studite. On January 26 we celebrate the transfer of
the relics of Theodore the Studite from Cherson to Constantinople in
the year 845.
Those with stomach ailments entreat the help of St Theodore.
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Repose of the Blessed Maximus of Moscow
Saint Maximus of Moscow, the Fool for Christ. Nothing is known about
his parents, or the time and place of birth. St Maximus chose one of
the most difficult and thorny paths to salvation, having taken upon
himself the guise of a fool for the sake of Christ. Summer and winter
Maximus walked about almost naked, enduring both heat and cold. He had
a saying, "The winter is fierce, but Paradise is sweet."
Russia loved its holy fools, it esteemed their deep humility, it
heeded their wisdom, expressed in the proverbial sayings of the
people's language. And everyone heeded the holy fools, from the Great
Princes down to the least beggar.
Blessed Maximus lived at a difficult time for the Russian people.
Tatar incursions, droughts, epidemics were endemic and people
perished. The saint said to the unfortunate, "Not everything is by the
weave of the wool, some is opposite... They have won the fight,
submit, and bow lower. Weep not, you who are beaten; but weep, you who
are unbeaten. Let us show tolerance, and in this at least, we shall be
human. Gradually, even green wood will burn. God will grant salvation
if we bear all with patience."
But the saint did not only speak words of consolation. His angry
denunciations frightened the mighty of his world. Blessed Maximus
would often say to the rich and illustrious, "The house has an icon
corner, but the conscience is for sale. Everyone makes the Sign of the
Cross, not everyone prays. God sees every wrong. He will not deceive
you, nor will you deceive Him."
Blessed Maximus died on November 11, 1434 and is buried at the church
of the holy Princes Boris and Gleb. Miraculous healings began
occurring from the relics of God's saint. In an encyclical of 1547,
Metropolitan Macarius enjoined "the singing and celebration at Moscow
for the new Wonderworker Maximus, Fool-for-Christ." That same year on
August 13 the incorrupt relics of Blessed Maximus were uncovered. The
church of Sts Boris and Gleb, where the saint was buried, burned in
the year 1568. On the site a new church was built, which they
consecrated in the name of St Maximus, Fool-for-Christ. The venerable
relics of St Maximus were placed in this church.
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Venerable Martyrius the Abbot of Zelenets, Pskov
Saint Martyrius was a monk in the Veliki Luki (Great Meadows)
Monastery, and shared a cell with Elder Bogolep. These holy ascetics
ate only once a day. After the services in church, they would fulfill
the rule of prayer in their cell, then they would work during the
night milling corn.
Later, St Martyrius went to live at Zelenets (Green Island), and
founded a monastery in the midst of the swamps. By 1582, he was
already the igumen of the monastery, which had twelve monks. Several
benefactors donated to the monastery, including Theodore Syrkov,
Simeon Bekbulatov (the ruler of Kasim), and Tsar Theodore, who donated
land.
St Martyrius fell asleep in the Lord in 1603. He is also commemorated
on March 1.
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Repose of St Stephen of Dechani, Serbia
Saint Stephen was the son of King Milutin and the father of King
Dushan. He was blinded on the orders of his father. St Nicholas
(December 6) appeared to him in the church of Ovche Polje (Sheep
Pasture) and said, "Do not be afraid.Your eyes have been given to me,
and I shall return them to you at the appropriate time.
St Stephen lived in Constantinople for five years at the Monastery of
the Pantocrator. He surpassed not only the monks, but also all the
inhabitants of Constantinople, in his spiritual struggles, patience,
and meekness. At the end of the five years, St Nicholas appeared to
him again. Making the Sign of the Cross over his eyes, he restored
Stephen's sight. In gratitude for this miracle, Stephen built the
Dechani Monastery in Serbia.
In his old age, St Stephen was drowned by his son, receiving the crown
of martyrdom in 1336.
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St Martin the Merciful the Bishop of Tours
Saint Martin the Merciful, Bishop of Tours, was born at Sabaria in
Pannonia (modern Hungary) in 316. Since his father was a Roman
officer, he also was obliged to serve in the army. Martin did so
unwillingly, for he considered himself a soldier of Christ, though he
was still a catechumen.
At the gates of Amiens, he saw a beggar shivering in the severe winter
cold, so he cut his cloak in two and gave half to the beggar. That
night, the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to the saint wearing Martin's
cloak. He heard the Savior say to the angels surrounding Him, "Martin
is only a catechumen, but he has clothed Me with this garment." The
saint was baptized soon after this, and reluctantly remained in the
army.
Two years later, the barbarians invaded Gaul and Martin asked
permission to resign his commission for religious reasons. The
commander charged him with cowardice. St Martin demonstrated his
courage by offering to stand unarmed in the front line of battle,
trusting in the power of the Cross to protect him. The next day, the
barbarians surrendered without a fight, and Martin was allowed to
leave the army.
He traveled to various places during the next few years, spending some
time as a hermit on an island off Italy. He became friendly with St
Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers (January 14), who made Matrin an exorcist.
After several years of the ascetic life, St Martin was chosen to be
Bishop of Tours in 371. As bishop, St Martin did not give up his
monastic life, and the place where he settled outside Tours became a
monastery. In fact, he is regarded as the founder of monasticism in
France. He conversed with angels, and had visions of Sts Peter and
Paul (June 29) and of other saints. He is called the Merciful because
of his generosity and care for the poor, and he received the grace to
work miracles.
After a life of devoted service to Christ and His Church, the saint
fell ill at Candes, a village in his diocese, where he died on
November 8, 397. He was buried three days later (his present Feast) at
Tours. During the Middle Ages, many Western churches were dedicated to
St Martin, including St Martin's in Canterbury, and St
Martin-in-the-Fields in London.
In 1008, a cathedral was built at Tours over the relics of St Martin.
This cathedral was destroyed in 1793 during the French Revolution,
together with the relics of St Martin and St Gregory of Tours
(November 17). A new cathedral was built on the site many years later.
Some fragments of the relics of St Martin were recovered and placed in
the cathedral, but nothing remains of St Gregory's relics.
St Martin's name appears on many Greek and Russian calendars. His
commemoration on October 12 in the Russian calendar appears to be an
error, since ancient sources give the November date.
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