[Readingsandsaints] Readings and Saints

Wed Nov 28 05:00:14 CST 2007

Scripture Readings and Saints for Wed Nov 28 2007

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1 Timothy 5:22-6:11
22 Do not lay hands on anyone hastily, nor share in other people's
sins; keep yourself pure.
23 No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your
stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities.
24 Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment,
but those of some men follow later.
25 Likewise, the good works of some are clearly evident, and those
that are otherwise cannot be hidden.
1 Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own
masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine
may not be blasphemed.
2 And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them
because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are
benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.
3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words,
even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which
accords with godliness,
4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and
arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil
suspicions,
5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the
truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such
withdraw yourself.
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can
carry nothing out.
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare,
and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction
and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which
some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced
themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
Scripture Reading 1 of 2

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Luke 20:1-8
1 Now it happened on one of those days, as He taught the people in the
temple and preached the gospel, that the chief priests and the
scribes, together with the elders, confronted Him
2 and spoke to Him, saying, "Tell us, by what authority are You doing
these things? Or who is he who gave You this authority?"
3 But He answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing,
and answer Me:
4 The baptism of John-was it from heaven or from men?
5 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From
heaven,' He will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'
6 But if we say, 'From men,' all the people will stone us, for they
are persuaded that John was a prophet.
7 So they answered that they did not know where it was from.
8 And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I
do these things."
Scripture Reading 2 of 2

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Monkmartyr and Confessor Stephen the New of Mt St Auxentius
The Monk Martyr and Confessor Stephen the New was born in 715 at
Constantinople into a pious Christian family. His parents, having two
daughters, prayed the Lord for a son. The mother of the new-born
Stephen took him to the Blachernae church of the Most Holy Theotokos
and dedicated him to God.
During the reign of the emperor Leo the Isaurian (716-741) there was a
persecution against the holy icons and against those venerating them.
With the support of the emperor, the adherents of the Iconoclast
heresy seized control of the supreme positions of authority in the
Empire and in the Church. Persecuted by the powers of this world,
Orthodoxy was preserved in monasteries far from the capital, in
solitary cells, and in the brave and faithful hearts of its followers.
The Orthodox parents of St Stephen, grieved by the prevailing impiety,
fled from Constantinople to Bithynia, and they gave over their
sixteen-year-old son in obedience to the monk John, who labored in
asceticism in a solitary place on the Mount of St Auxentius. St
Stephen dwelt with the venerable monk John for more than fifteen
years, devoting himself totally to this spirit-bearing Elder, and
learning monastic activity from him. Here Stephen received the news
that his father was dead, and his mother and sisters had been tonsured
as nuns.
After a certain time his teacher John also died. With deep sorrow St
Stephen buried his venerable body, and continued with monastic effort
in his cave by himself. Soon monks began to come to the ascetic,
desiring to learn from him the virtuous and salvific life, and a
monastery was established, with St Stephen as the igumen. At forty-two
years of age Stephen left the monastery he founded, and he went to
another mountain, on whose summit he dwelt in deep seclusion in a
solitary cell. But here also a community of monks soon gathered,
seeking the spiritual guidance of St Stephen.
Leo the Isaurian was succeeded by Constantine Copronymos (741-775), a
fiercer persecutor of the Orthodox, and an even more zealous
iconoclast. The emperor convened an Iconoclast Council, attended by
358 bishops from the Eastern provinces. However, except for
Constantine, the Archbishop of Constantinople, illegitimately raised
to the patriarchal throne by the power of Copronymos, not one of the
other patriarchs participated in the wicked doings of this Council,
thus making it less likely to style itself as "ecumenical." This
council of heretics, at the instigation of the emperor and the
archbishop, described icons as idols, and pronounced an anathema on
all who venerated icons in the Orthodox manner, and it described icon
veneration as heresy.
Meanwhile, the monastery of Mount Auxentius and its igumen became
known in the capital. They told the emperor about the ascetic life of
the monks, about their Orthodox piety, about the igumen Stephen's gift
of wonderworking, and of how St Stephen's fame had spread far beyond
the region of the monastery, and that the name of its head was
accorded universal respect and love. The saint's open encouragement of
icon veneration and the implied rebuff to the persecutors of Orthodoxy
within the monastery of Mount Auxentius especially angered the
emperor. Archbishop Constantine realized that in the person of St
Stephen he had a strong and implacable opponent of his iconoclastic
intentions, and he plotted how he might draw him over to his side or
else destroy him.
They tried to lure St Stephen into the Iconoclast camp, at first with
flattery and bribery, then by threats, but in vain. Then they
slandered the saint, accusing him of falling into sin with the nun
Anna. But his guilt was not proven, since the nun courageously denied
any guilt and died under torture and beatings. Finally, the emperor
gave orders to lock up the saint in prison, and to destroy his
monastery. Iconoclast bishops were sent to St Stephen in prison,
trying to persuade him of the dogmatic correctness of the Iconoclast
position. But the saint easily refuted all the arguments of the
heretics and he remained true to Orthodoxy.
Then the emperor ordered that the saint be exiled on one of the
islands in the Sea of Marmora. St Stephen settled into a cave, and
there also his disciples soon gathered. After a certain while the
saint left the brethren and took upon himself the exploit of living
atop a pillar. News of the stylite Stephen, and the miracles worked by
his prayers, spread throughout all the Empire and strengthened the
faith and spirit of Orthodoxy in the people.
The emperor gave orders to transfer St Stephen to prison on the island
of Pharos, and then to bring him to trial. At the trial, the saint
refuted the arguments of the heretics sitting in judgment upon him. He
explained the dogmatic essence of icon veneration, and he denounced
the Iconoclasts because in blaspheming icons, they blasphemed Christ
and the Mother of God. As proof, the saint pointed to a golden coin
inscribed with the image of the emperor. He asked the judges what
would happen to a man who threw the coin to the ground , and then
trampled the emperor's image under his feet. They replied that such a
man would certainly be punished for dishonoring the image of the
emperor. The saint said that an even greater punishment awaited anyone
who would dishonor the image of the King of Heaven and His Saints, and
with that he spat on the coin, threw it to the ground, and began to
trample it underfoot.
The emperor gave orders to take the saint to prison, where already
there were languishing 342 Elders, condemned for the veneration of
icons. In this prison St Stephen spent eleven months, consoling the
imprisoned. The prison became like a monastery, where the usual
prayers and hymns were chanted according to the Typikon. The people
came to the prison in crowds and asked St Stephen to pray for them.
When the emperor learned that the saint had organized a monastery in
prison, where they prayed venerated holy icons, he sent two of his own
servants, twin-brothers, to beat the saint to death. When these
brothers went to the prison and beheld the face of the monk shining
with a divine light, they fell down on their knees before him, asking
his forgiveness and prayers, then they told the emperor that his
command had been carried out. But the emperor learned the truth and he
resorted to yet another lie. Informing his soldiers that the saint was
plotting to remove him from the throne, he sent them to the prison.
The holy confessor himself came out to the furious soldiers, who
seized him and dragged him through the streets of the city. They then
threw the lacerated body of the martyr into a pit, where they were
wont to bury criminals.
On the following morning a fiery cloud appeared over Mount Auxentius,
and then a heavy darkness descended upon the capital, accompanied by
hail, which killed many people.
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Monkmartyr and Confessor Auxentius and many others
The Holy Martyrs Stephen, Basil, Gregory, another Gregory, John and
many others suffered for the veneration of holy icons with the Monk
Martyr Stephen the New, with whom they languished together in prison.
After his martyric death, they were executed.
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Monkmartyr and Confessor Basil and many others
The Holy Martyrs Stephen, Basil, Gregory, another Gregory, John and
many others suffered for the veneration of holy icons with the Monk
Martyr Stephen the New, with whom they languished together in prison.
After his martyric death, they were executed.
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Monkmartyr and Confessor Gregory and many others
The Holy Martyrs Stephen, Basil, Gregory, another Gregory, John and
many others suffered for the veneration of holy icons with the Monk
Martyr Stephen the New, with whom they languished together in prison.
After his martyric death, they were executed.
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Monkmartyr and Confessor Stephen and many others
The Holy Martyrs Stephen, Basil, Gregory, another Gregory, John and
many others suffered for the veneration of holy icons with the Monk
Martyr Stephen the New, with whom they languished together in prison.
After his martyric death, they were executed.
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Monkmartyr and Confessor Gregory (another) and many others
The Holy Martyrs Stephen, Basil, Gregory, another Gregory, John and
many others suffered for the veneration of holy icons with the holy
Martyr St Stephen the New, with whom they languished together in
prison. After his martyric death, they were executed.
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Monkmartyr and Confessor John and many others
The Holy Martyrs Stephen, Basil, Gregory, another Gregory, John and
many others suffered for the veneration of holy icons with the holy
Martyr St Stephen the New, with whom they languished together in
prison. After his martyric death, they were executed.
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Monkmartyr and Confessor Andrew and many others
The Holy Martyrs Stephen, Basil, Gregory, another Gregory, John and
many others suffered for the veneration of holy icons with the holy
Martyr St Stephen the New, with whom they languished together in
prison. After his martyric death, they were executed.
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Monkmartyr and Confessor Peter and many others
The Holy Martyrs Stephen, Basil, Gregory, another Gregory, John and
many others suffered for the veneration of holy icons with the holy
Martyr St Stephen the New, with whom they languished together in
prison. After his martyric death, they were executed.
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Martyr Anna
Saint Anna was a noblewoman who sold all her possessions and gave the
money to the poor. She received the monastic tonsure from St Stephen
the New while he was living on Mt Auxentius in Bithynia. He sent her
to live in the women's monastery called Trichinarion (Community of
hairshirt-wearers).
When the iconoclasts tried to turn St Stephen from venerating the holy
icons, they tried flattery, bribery, and threats, but all their
efforts were in vain. Then they accused him of visiting the
Trichinarion Monastery at night and falling into sin with the nun
Anna. Although her own maidservant testified against her (she was
promised her freedom and marriage to a nobleman if she did), St Anna
denied any guilt.
The emperor's soldiers came to the monastery and seized St Anna and
brought her before him, but she refused to lie about St Stephen.
Therefore Emperor Constantine threw her into a dungeon in
Constantinople.
The next morning the emperor sat in a public building with an
assembled crowd, and had St Anna brought to his presence. Since she
insisted that both she and St Stephen were innocent, the emperor had
her stripped naked in the sight of all. During her interrogation, she
remained silent. Meanwhile, her maidservant falsely swore that St
Stephen had sinned with her mistress.
Angered by her refusal to speak, the emperor had St Anna stretched out
on the ground, where soldiers beat her with rods. During this torment,
she said, "I have never sinned with Stephen. Lord, have mercy." The
soldiers continued to beat her until she was almost dead.
The emperor returned to his palace, leaving orders that St Anna be
imprisoned in one of the city's abandoned monasteries. There she
departed to the Lord, receiving from Him the twin crowns of virginity
and martyrdom.
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Martyr Irenarchus at Sebaste
The Holy Martyr Irenarchus was from Sebaste, Armenia, and lived during
the reign of Diocletian (284-305). When he was young, he would
minister to the martyrs in prison after they were tortured.
He once saw seven women being tortured for Christ, who bravely endured
their torments. St Irenarchus marveled at this because they showed
great courage in standing up to the tyrant, even though they were weak
by nature.
Illumined by divine grace, St Irenarchus confessed Christ. First he
endured trials by fire and water, then he was beheaded with the seven
holy women in the year 303.
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7 Women Martyrs at Sebaste
These seven women martyrs suffered for Christ at Sebaste during the
reign of Diocletian (284-305). After vicious tortures, they were
beheaded along with St Irenarchus in 303.
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St Theodore the Archbishop of Rostov
Saint Theodore, Archbishop of Rostov, in the world John, was the son
of Stephen (brother of St Sergius of Radonezh), who occupied an
important post under Prince Andrew of Radonezh. Left a widower,
Stephen became a monk, and together with his twelve-year-old son, he
went to the monastery to St Sergius, who foreseeing the ascetic life
of the child John, tonsured him with the name Theodore on the Feast of
St Theodore the Hair-Shirt Wearer (April 20).
After Theodore attained an appropriate age, he was given a blessing to
be ordined to the priesthood. With the blessing of St Sergius, St
Theodore built a church in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy
Theotokos and founded a monastery on the banks of the River Moskva, at
the place called Simonovo. Soon the monastery began to attract a
throng of people. St Theodore built a cell five versts from the Moscow
Kremlin, and pursued new ascetical labors, and here disciples gathered
around him. St Sergius, visiting this place, blessed the founding of a
monastery, and Metropolitan Alexis blessed the construction of a
church in the name of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos at
Novoe Simonovo, which also had its foundations laid in 1379. The old
Simonov monastery remained the burial place of monks.
Because of his virtuous life and strict asceticism, St Theodore became
known in Moscow. The Metropolitan St Alexis elevated him to the rank
of igumen, and Great Prince Demetrius of the Don chose him as his
father confessor. St Theodore journeyed to Constantinople several
times on church matters for the Russian Metropolitan. On his first
journey in 1384, Patriarch Nilus made him an archimandrite. The
Simonov monastery was put directly under the Patriarch, thus became
stavropegial. In 1387, he was consecrated archbishop and occupied the
See of Rostov.
Being the igumen, and then the archimandrite of the Simonov monastery,
and despite being occupied with churchly matters, St Theodore
stalwartly guided those in the monastic life and counted many great
and famous ascetics among his disciples. Saints Cyril (June 9) and
Therapon (May 27), the future founders of two famous White Lake
monasteries, were tonsured at the Simonov monastery. St Theodore
occupied himself with iconography, and he adorned with icons of his
own painting both the Simonov monastery, and many Moscow churches.
At Rostov, Archbishop Theodore founded the Nativity of the Virgin
monastery.
The blessed death of the saint occurred on November 28, 1394. His
relics are in the Rostov Dormition cathedral.
St Theodore is also commemorated on May 23.
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Martyr Timothy at Tiberiopolis
Saint Timothy was a bishop who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with his fellow bishop Theodore; the priests Peter,
John, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and Thomas; the
monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius; and Etymasius.
They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Timothy the Presbyter at Tiberiopolis
Saint Theodore was a presbyter who was imprisoned by Julian the
Apostate (331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the
priests Peter, John, Sergius, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and
Thomas; the monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius;
and Etymasius. They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Peter the Presbyter at Tiberiopolis
Saint Peter was a presbyter who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the priests
John, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and Thomas; the
monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius; and Etymasius.
They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr John the Presbyter at Tiberiopolis
Saint John was a presbyter who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the priests
Peter, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and Thomas;
the monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius; and
Etymasius. They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Sergius the Presbyter at Tiberiopolis
Saint Sergius was a presbyter who was imprisoned by Julian the
Apostate (331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the
priests Peter, John, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and
Thomas; the monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius;
and Etymasius. They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Theodore the Bishop at Tiberiopolis
Saint Theodore was a bishop who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishop Timothy; the priests Peter, John,
Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and Thomas; the monks
Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius; and Etymasius. They
all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Nicephorus the Presbyter at Tiberiopolis
Saint Nicephorus was a presbyter who was imprisoned by Julian the
Apostate (331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the
priests Peter, John, Sergius, Theodore; the deacons Basil and Thomas;
the monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius; and
Etymasius. They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Basil the Deacon at Tiberiopolis
Saint Basil was a deacon who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the priests
Peter, John, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacon Thomas; the
monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius; and Etymasius.
They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Thomas the Deacon at Tiberiopolis
Saint Thomas was a deacon who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the priests
Peter, John, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacon Basi; the monks
Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius; and Etymasius. They
all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Hierotheus the Monk at Tiberiopolis
Saint Hierotheus was a monk who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the priests
Peter, John, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and
Thomas; the monks Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius; and Etymasius.
They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Daniel the Monk at Tiberiopolis
Saint Daniel was a monk who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the priests
Peter, John, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and
Thomas; the monks Hierotheus, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius; and
Etymasius. They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Chariton the Monk at Tiberiopolis
Saint Chariton was a monk who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the priests
Peter, John, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and
Thomas; the monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Socrates, Comasius; and
Etymasius. They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Socrates the Monk at Tiberiopolis
Saint Socrates was a monk who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the priests
Peter, John, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and
Thomas; the monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Comasius; and
Etymasius. They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Comasius the Monk at Tiberiopolis
Saint Comasius was a monk who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the priests
Peter, John, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and
Thomas; the monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius;
and Etymasius. They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Eusebius at Tiberiopolis
Saint Eusebius was a monk who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the priests
Peter, John, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and
Thomas; the monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, Comasius,
and Etymasius. They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Martyr Etymasius at Tiberiopolis
Saint Etymasius was a layman who was imprisoned by Julian the Apostate
(331-363) together with the bishops Theodore and Timothy; the priests
Peter, John, Sergius, Theodore, Nicephorus; the deacons Basil and
Thomas; the monks Hierotheus, Daniel, Chariton, Socrates, and
Comasius. They all suffered martyrdom in Tiberiopolis in 361.
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Hieromartyr Metropolitan Seraphim of Chichagov
No information available at this time.
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Martyr Hristo of Bulgaria
No information available at this time.
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